Valley News Dispatch category, Page 266
With primary win, councilwoman poised to become Leechburg’s 2nd female mayor
New female leadership appears to be on the horizon in Leechburg. Councilwoman Doreen Smeal, 69, scored a victory on the Democratic and Republican primary elections in the race for mayor, all but securing a victory in November. The only thing that could stop her from winning is somebody mounting a...
Art Party: Penn State New Kensington to hold art fundraiser Friday
Penn State New Kensington is hosting a party Friday to support the institution’s cultural art initiatives, scholarships and programs. The annual Off the Wall pARTy started in 2017 but was on hiatus during the covid-19 pandemic. It returns from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. in the main lobby of the campus...
The Stroller, June 7, 2023: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your non-profit’s community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least two weeks in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number. Car and bike cruise to benefit Vandergrift museum A car and...
Sister says Tarentum fatal stabbing victim was trying to protect friend during altercation
Thomas Baczynski was trying to protect his friend when he was fatally stabbed Sunday in Tarentum, according to his sister. Baczynski, 26, died about 6:30 p.m. at Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison after an altercation involving three men in the rear of Davidson Street along Companion Way in the West...
New season of Plum’s Monday Market in Plum Creek Park has begun
Plum’s Monday Market kicked off its season at Plum Creek Park with a plethora of vendors and a variety of offerings. Opening day for the market, near the ball fields along New Texas Road, was Monday, June 5. It was sunny shopping for Cheryl Stezoski of Plum, who picked up...
O’Hara officials may allow residents to raise chickens; vote slated for June 13
O’Hara residents who want to raise chickens may soon be able to in their own backyards. Township officials plan to vote June 13 on a zoning ordinance amendment that would make “domestic chicken keeping” a permitted accessory use in residential and certain commercial districts. A $50 permit fee also would...
Nurse accused of killing 2 patients waives hearing to court; no word on death penalty if she is found guilty
Prosecutors haven’t decided whether to pursue the death penalty against a Harrison nurse charged by state authorities with allegedly killing two patients and injuring a third while she cared for them. Heather Pressdee, 40, wearing an orange jail-issued jumpsuit and shackles in District Judge Lewis Stoughton’s courtroom, remained silent during...
Collections open for Harvest Fair in Fox Chapel
Volunteers at Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church have opened the doors to collections, officially kicking off Harvest Fair season. The fair is a two-day event with thousands of items for sale. Preparations began June 2 and will continue through the first week of September, when volunteers work for days to display...
The Stroller, June 6, 2023: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your non-profit’s community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least two weeks in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number. Flag Day event planned at Vandergrift Public Library Vandergrift Public Library...
Arnold man ordered to trial on charges he stomped on woman’s head
An Arnold man who previously was convicted for assault and carrying a gun without a license was ordered to stand trial on charges he punched a woman in the face, pushed her to the ground and stomped on her head. Malachi Supreme Hayes, 25, of the 1200 block of Kenneth...
Fire destroys 2 vacant houses near former Oakmont Auto Body
Two vacant houses next to the former Oakmont Auto Body were gutted by a fire Monday evening. Oakmont Fire Chief Joe Flanick said his department was dispatched about 5:50 p.m. for a fire at a house near the intersection of Plum Street and Dark Hollow Road. Before they arrived, firefighters...
Crews continue to address aftermath of smokestacks’ implosion in Springdale
The dust has settled in Springdale, but crews and residents continue to clean and address the aftermath of the implosion of the two smokestacks at the Cheswick Generating Station. The stacks, staples of the Springdale and Cheswick skyline for years, went out with a bang Friday morning through a planned...
Route 28 bridge inspections set in O’Hara, East Deer
PennDOT crews will be conducting bridge inspection work Tuesday and Wednesday on Route 28 in O’Hara and East Deer townships, weather permitting. The work will occur from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day in the following locations: • Tuesday: Route 28 at the Blawnox interchange over South Oak Hill...
Father of New Kensington cop killer accused of making sexual advances on minors in Latrobe
The father of a man on death row for killing a New Kensington police officer was arrested Sunday after, police said, the 52-year-old made sexual advances toward two 16-year-old girls in Latrobe. Gregory Baucum Jr. was charged with two counts each of unlawful contact with a minor, interference with custody...
GoFundMe established for Tarentum stabbing victim
Friends of a man stabbed to death Sunday in Tarentum have started a GoFundMe to help his family with burial expenses. Thomas Baczynski, 26, died about 6:30 p.m. at a local hospital after a fight in the rear of Davidson Street along Companion Way. “Thomas was a quiet young man...
Westmoreland school districts struggle with funding shortfalls
In the past decade, Westmoreland County’s 17 school districts incurred more than $115 million in costs to pay for state-mandated programs. But funding from the commonwealth covered just 54% of those expenses. Revenue figures recently released by the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit revealed all but one school district in the county...
Officials identify man fatally stabbed in Tarentum
A 26-year-old man died Sunday after being stabbed in Tarentum, Allegheny County Police reported. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner identified the victim as Thomas Baczynski of Tarentum. County homicide detectives said borough police were notified of a stabbing around 6:25 p.m. along the 100 block of Davidson Street. Baczynski was...
The Stroller, June 5, 2023: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your non-profit’s community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least two weeks in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number. Free advice available for those with financial troubles Allegheny Valley Association...
Mingle on Market hopes to again highlight Leechburg’s character, spirit
A seasonal socializing and shopping event is returning to Leechburg. Mingle on Market, sponsored by the Leechburg Area Community Association, had a successful inaugural year last summer, and organizers are hopeful the event will continue to bring people together to shine a spotlight on the borough. The community association is...
Rockin’ Roosevelt fundraiser highlights ‘jewel of the community’ in Arnold
Back in the good, old days, Roosevelt Park in Arnold served as far more than a playground. There was roller skating. Dancing. Entertainment. The city would feature horror movies and the Three Stooges on outdoor screens. And in the winter, someone would open the fire hydrants and flood the concrete...
2 vehicles collide near Golden Dawn intersection in New Kensington
Two cars collided Sunday afternoon outside the parking lot of the Golden Dawn supermarket in New Kensington, leaving one driver with a headache and both vehicles needing to be towed. The accident occurred about 1:52 p.m. at Camp Avenue and Freeport Road. Early indications were that a black Dodge Nitro...
Harrison Cub Scouts pay respects with flags on Memorial Day
Harrison Cub Scouts gave up a couple of hours of free time on Memorial Day to honor veterans who gave the ultimate sacrifice in war. Cub Scout Pack 186, sponsored by Guardian Angels Parish, dressed up the gravesites at the historic Prospect Cemetery in Brackenridge that spans 13 acres off...
Building the Valley: Baker savoring sweet success with growing shop in New Kensington
When Jamie Parker took her home-based bakery into a storefront, small felt right. Two years later, with Sweet Alchemy Bake Shop moved into larger quarters in New Kensington and its offerings expanding, Parker looks back and wonders why she didn’t go big from the start. How has she succeeded? “I...
Washington Township police accuse woman of using bank info to swindle $34K from former boyfriend
A woman is accused of stealing more than $34,000 from the Washington Township man she lived with in 2021 by using his debit card and Social Security numbers to pay for online purchases. Rebecca Lynn Hubert, 55, who previously lived in Apollo and Vandergrift, faces seven felony charges. They include...
Resident, pet escape safely from Lower Burrell house fire
A resident and her pet escaped safely when fire broke out at the rear of their home early Sunday in Lower Burrell, according to a fire official. Firefighters were dispatched about 12:30 a.m. after the fire started on the rear porch of a home in the 2600 block of Leechburg...
