Valley News Dispatch category, Page 322
Springdale High School students claim teacher shortage, walk out in protest
Dozens of Springdale High School students staged a walkout Wednesday afternoon to protest what they claim is a severe teacher shortage. The students, some with signs calling for the school to hire more teachers, lined the edge of the school property to highlight problems at the school allegedly caused by...
Plum planning to draw down reserves, not increase property tax in 2023
Plum is not increasing real estate taxes, but would draw down its reserves by about 42% under the proposed budget for 2023. The entire proposed budget for all borough funds is about $23 million, Finance Director Michael Whitico said. That’s an increase of $3.42 million — or about 17.5% —...
Allegheny Valley Hospital to shift adult mental-health services to geriatric patients only
Adults in the Alle-Kiski Valley seeking mental health care no longer will be able to access in-patient services from Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison. Beginning Monday, the facility along Carlisle Street will be shifted to provide expanded psychiatry services for geriatric patients only. “We are not closing the unit but...
Man charged with macing couple in dispute over dog at Frazer pet shop
Frazer police arrested a man for allegedly pulling a knife on his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend, then spraying them with mace to get a dog away from them at a pet shop. James William Dezort III, 35, of the 500 block of Clyde Street in New Kensington was charged...
Blue Knights expand effort to feed area families for Thanksgiving
Westmoreland County law enforcement officers were out in force last week to round up the usual suspects: turkey, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, veggies and butter — the time-honored ingredients of a Thanksgiving dinner. For the second year in a row, local Chapter I of the Blue Knights motorcycle club for active...
Kiski Area to explore $22 million intermediate school renovation
Kiski Area School District officials are moving toward financing a projected $22 million renovation of the intermediate school. The board Monday approved a resolution appointing Janney Montgomery Scott LLC as the district’s bond underwriter and the law firm of Dinsmore and Shohl LLP as its bond counsel. Superintendent Misty Slavic...
The Stroller, Nov. 23, 2022: 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. Santa needs help: You can ‘adopt’ a senior for Christmas Concordia...
Fire destroys Harrison pool store; chemical fumes force partial evacuation
Fire crews from all over the Alle-Kiski Valley and beyond battled a four-alarm fire Tuesday at a swimming pool supply store in Harrison that forced the evacuation of some elderly people within a half-mile radius of the scene. Harrison Hills Fire Chief James Bartolovich said there were concerns about chemical...
Upgrades coming to Camp Guyasuta’s McGinnis Center
Leaders at Camp Guyasuta are eyeing renovations to the McGinnis Education Center, the massive dorm and conference facility at the entrance to the wooded grounds in O’Hara. The Boy Scout-run camp received word last week that it received a $100,000 state grant through the Gaming Economic Development Tourism Fund. Money...
Bus added for 2nd Shop Small Crawl in New Kensington
A bus has been added for the second Shop Small Crawl in New Kensington to help shoppers get to the 50 businesses that will participate in the event on Small Business Saturday, which is Nov. 26 this year. The crawl first was held in 2021 to highlight the city’s growing...
New Kensington teen seeks to move murder case to juvenile court
On Monday, the lawyer for a teenager charged in connection with a fatal shooting in New Kensington asked a Westmoreland County judge to transfer the case to juvenile court. Da’Montae Marquis Brooks, 16, of New Kensington was the last suspect to be arrested in connection with the July 3 shooting...
$1.65M Pennsylvania Lottery prize still unclaimed by winner in Kiski Township
Time is running out for a person to cash in a $1.65 million-winning Pennsylvania lottery ticket sold last year in Kiski Township. The unclaimed Cash 5 winning ticket was purchased Dec. 16, 2021, at the BP Fueland on River Road. The ticket is on the verge of expiring if unclaimed by...
Student-curated WWII exhibit on display at new LIGHT Center at Dorseyville Middle School
A group of eighth-graders at Dorseyville Middle School are volunteering their time to take others back in time to the 1940s. The school’s new LIGHT Center is hosting its first exhibit, a World War II display featuring a collection of artifacts on loan from faculty members. “The students were trained...
The Stroller, Nov. 22, 2022: 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. Butler Lions plan annual Christmas tree sale The annual Christmas tree...
Springdale Mayor John Molnar dies at 81
Springdale Mayor John Molnar died Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022. He was 81. Molnar, son of the late Catherine and Andrew Molnar, leaves behind his wife of 60 years, Donna, according to his obituary. He also is survived by two children, John (Laurie) Molnar and Michelle (Shawn) Smajda. The cause of...
Motorcyclist injured in 2-vehicle crash on Route 356 in Allegheny Township
A motorcyclist was injured after colliding with another vehicle along Route 356 in Allegheny Township on Monday morning. The crash was reported at 10:48 a.m. at the intersection of Orr Avenue, according to a Westmoreland County 911 supervisor. The cyclist, whose identity was not released, was transported to a local...
New community foundation plans first event in East Vandergrift
A new nonprofit in East Vandergrift is striving to support and increase activities in the borough. The East Vandergrift Community Foundation, established over the summer by a handful of residents, is hosting a holiday home-decorating contest. Borough residents are encouraged to participate, and homes will be judged by foundation members...
The Stroller, Nov. 21, 2022: 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. All-star volleyball games to feature local high school players The We...
DelRosso weighs options for her future after gubernatorial race
Republican state Rep. Carrie Lewis DelRosso wasn’t going to run against veteran Democratic state Rep. Tony DeLuca. Part of that, she says, was a matter of respect between one Italian American and another after redistricting took her home in Oakmont out of her 33rd House District and put it in...
Faces of the Valley: Natrona’s Patty Babinsack is a volunteer any group would relish
Natrona resident Patty Babinsack believes it takes work to build a better future. The 79-year-old is willing to do the heavy lifting. A lifelong resident of the small Harrison neighborhood along the Allegheny River, Babinsack has volunteered thousands of hours to making the Alle-Kiski Valley a region that boasts successful...
Remember When: Deer Lakes Park continues to lure visitors 55 years after dedication
It has been called the hidden gem of the Alle-Kiski Valley. Deer Lakes Park, just outside the Russellton section of West Deer, is a 1,180-acre facility. It is one of nine Allegheny County regional parks. Among the park’s features are three lakes — one natural, two man-made — the Wagman...
Leechburg Area employee named paraprofessional of the year
When Angela Vigna goes to work each day, she isn’t expecting accolades. In fact, she was surprised recently to learn she had been named the 2022 Pennsylvania State Education Association Dolores McCracken Education Support Professional of the Year. “I’m very honored. I love my job. Working with students has changed...
Lower Burrell police charge man with strangulation after woman turns over video of altercation
Lower Burrell police accused a man of strangling a woman during an argument inside a toy store on Leechburg Road after she showed them a video recording of the incident. Jaison Lacava, 39, of the 600 block of Riverside Drive in Freeport was charged with a felony count of strangulation...
Gatto’s Harley-Davidson showroom set to open as watercraft hub in Tarentum
The Harleys have roared out of Gatto Cycle Shop along East Sixth Avenue in Tarentum, and the owners are transitioning the space to all things water-related to meet an increasing local demand. Jet skis and wave runners already are filling the Gatto Cycle Shop Marine Center, which is expected to...
The Stroller, Nov. 20, 2022: 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. Casino Theatre to offer annual Christmas show The Casino Theatre, Vandergrift,...
