Valley News Dispatch category, Page 300
Longtime police officer eyes district judge post in Butler County
Butler County native and longtime Penn Township police Officer Jack D. Ripper announced his candidacy Wednesday for district judge in Southeastern Magisterial District 50-3-03. The position is being vacated by District Judge Sue Haggarty, who recently announced her retirement. Ripper, 48, of Jefferson Township will seek both the Democratic and...
Harrison police eye suspect after Sunoco robbed at knifepoint
Less than 12 hours after a Harrison gas station was robbed at knifepoint, police have identified a suspect. Chief Mike Klein said a warrant has been issued for Nicholas Dupree, 21, who is known to frequent Tarentum and the Natrona section of Harrison. Dupree is accused of walking into the...
Harrison woman with previous drug convictions accused of selling crack cocaine after home raided
Harrison police accused a woman who was convicted of selling drugs in the past of being a crack cocaine dealer after her home was raided Friday. Kim Romanelli, 62, of the 1000 block of Idaho Avenue was charged with a felony count of possession of drugs with the intent to...
New Kensington-Arnold pursuing serving line, restroom improvement projects
Officials in the New Kensington-Arnold School District are pursuing improvement projects at two of the district’s schools. The school board voted to explore replacing the meal serving line at H.D. Berkey Elementary in Arnold and renovating restrooms at Valley Junior-Senior High School in New Kensington. H.D. Berkey houses first and...
Valley Dairy Restaurant slated for former Kings restaurant in Allegheny Township
A new family-style restaurant is coming to Allegheny Township. Valley Dairy Restaurant plans to set up shop in the former Kings Family Restaurant at 315 Hyde Park Road. Kings permanently closed at 2 p.m. Feb. 5 without advance notice to staff and customers. Known for its “You Never Had It...
The Stroller, Feb. 15, 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. Seminar about veterans’ benefits set Saturday in Vandergrift A free informational...
Indiana Township man charged with sex crimes against a minor
An employee of the Allegheny County Controller’s Office charged with sexual assault of a minor and other crimes was apprehended Tuesday, Allegheny County Police reported. Cam Zmenkowski, 25, of Indiana Township remains lodged in the Allegheny County Jail after being denied bail, according to online court documents. He was fired...
Armstrong County billboard with message of inclusivity taken down
A Worthington-area billboard meant to welcome people of all faiths, genders and sexual orientations was up for six days before opponents forced its removal. Erected by the Armstrong County Democratic Committee and paid for by donations, the sign was meant to combat a nearby billboard along Route 422 that has...
‘The King’ on hand at flower shop to croon for those who can’t help falling in love on Valentine’s Day
Elvis lives again — at least on Valentine’s Day at New Kensington Floral — as part-time employee Aldo Santucci donned “The King’s” attire to entertain the steady stream of patrons picking up flowers and candy for the Feb. 14 holiday. Santucci, 60, of New Kensington offered to do the gig...
Future of Tree of Life focus of Fox Chapel program
People can hear plans for the future of Tree of Life in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood — the site of the 2018 shooting that marked the deadliest antisemitic attack in the country — during a mid-March presentation in Fox Chapel. Carole Zawatsky is the new CEO of a nonprofit institute...
Former Valley dean of students, an anti-violence crusader, organizes healing event for community
When he was a dean of students in the New Kensington-Arnold School District, Henry “Hank” Commodore handled discipline. If he was still in education today, Commodore would make love and kindness part of the curriculum for all students. “We’re all family. All of us are family. We need to be...
Vandergrift officials amend ordinance allowing recreational play in streets
Kids can finally be kids again in Vandergrift. At its meeting last month, council unanimously amended a decades-old ordinance that prohibited the “throwing, kicking or knocking of any ball,” including snowballs, on borough streets, alleys and sidewalks. Borough solicitor Larry Loperfito said Monday the ordinance was changed to prohibit such...
The Stroller, Feb. 14, 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. Happy Valentine’s Day! Free Breaking Bread dinner set Thursday Knead Community...
Multiple departments respond to brush fires in Allegheny Township, Plum
Firefighters from multiple departments worked to extinguish a brush fire Monday afternoon in Allegheny Township before being called to a second brush fire in Plum, according to authorities. The first fire was reported in the 400 block of Hulton Road about 3:25 p.m., according a Westmoreland County 911 supervisor. About...
Tarentum man accused of entering neighbor’s home, making threat, stealing iPad as he left
A Tarentum man faces felony charges after a resident told police the man came into his apartment late Tuesday, threatened to kill the people inside and then stole a computer. Brian Lamont Kellum, 44, of the 100 block of Second Avenue, was charged with felony counts of burglary and criminal...
Tarentum brings back agenda sessions to boost discussion
In an effort to spur more discussion and allow extra time to answer questions that arise on borough issues, Tarentum Council has decided to return to having two meetings a month moving forward. An agenda meeting will be the first Tuesday of the month, and a regular meeting will take...
Corbet Street building demolition is on the books again
A building in the heart of the Tarentum business district is back on track for demolition, officials hope. The three-story brick building at the corner of Third Avenue was set to be razed before Christmas, but the job was ignored by contractor AP Wise Excavating of Butler, borough officials said....
Arrest warrant issued for contractor who skipped hearing on charges he ripped off New Kensington man
An arrest warrant has been issued for a contractor who was charged by New Kensington police more than a year after he was accused of taking thousands of dollars to remodel a resident’s bathroom but never finishing the work. In September, a 73-year-old man reported to police that, in late...
The Hungry Cupcake in West Deer dishes up free Valentine’s treats
Forget diamonds and dinner reservations. Jennifer Urbanek of West Deer believes sweet confections are the best Valentine treats. She’s doling them out via the Little Free Library outside her coffee and tea shop on McKrell Road. “I think it’s fun to be able to walk up to the box and...
The Stroller, Feb. 13, 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. Bowl-A-Thon to raise funds for Burrell Education Foundation The annual Burrell...
Material reality no boundary at New Beginnings Metaphysical Shop in Harrison
Hanna Rogers and Justin Moser hadn’t really considered turning their passion for tarot cards, crystals, ghost hunting and other explorations of the metaphysical realm into a business. But then, almost by chance, they met Ty Unruh, who would complete the triangle for their venture: the New Beginnings Metaphysical Shop in...
Remember When: Examining the history of Valentine’s Day reveals some interesting stories, customs
There are a number of differing theories about the origin of Valentine’s Day. Some trace it to the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, which is observed on Feb. 15 each year. During this festival, each male participant would randomly choose a woman’s name from a large urn. She would then...
3 people accused of entering abandoned house in Parks Township ordered to stand trial
Three people accused of entering an abandoned building in Parks Township earlier this week have been ordered to stand trial by a district judge. State police filed a felony criminal trespassing charge against Bethany Elexis Imm, 28, of the 200 block of Sandalwood Drive in Allegheny Township; Nathan Dean Beer,...
Judge orders paroled drug dealer to stand trial after police say 6 ounces of pot found inside Arnold home
An Arnold man who was on parole from a 2018 drug conviction was accused of getting back into business after getting out of jail. Julian Maran Greenlee, 35, of the 1400 block of Fifth Avenue was arrested Jan. 31 by Arnold police. He was charged with a felony count of...
Quilters’ stories on display at Harrison library
Harrison resident Vicki Frantz didn’t discover her passion for quilting until well into adulthood. As a caregiver in 2018 for her terminally ill mother, Frantz spent most of her days sitting by her mom’s bedside. “My mom was an avid quilter for many years and her sewing machine was set...
