Valley News Dispatch category, Page 334

An effort to organize a first-time 5K race in downtown New Kensington has grown into what promises to be a multifaceted fitness festival dedicated to health, nutrition and wellness. The NK 5K FitFEST will be Sept. 4. Cullen Maag, owner of BodyWork412 on Fifth Avenue, hopes the festival will educate,...

A cycle shop that has grown to become a Tarentum institution since opening in 1964 will move part of its operations from the borough. Gatto Cycle Shop announced it will close its Harley-Davidson dealership along East Sixth Avenue. It will merge it with a shop along Glenn Avenue in Shaler,...

An Arnold man who is not allowed to have a firearm because of his criminal record was accused by police of trying to hide a handgun from officers responding to a call for a fight between him and a neighbor. Troy Lyn Jones, 48, of the 1600 block of Horne...

For decades, members of the Springdale Volunteer Fire Department have placed flags on the graves of fallen firefighters for Memorial Day. In recent years, they noticed something. “There were a couple that didn’t have grave markers,” said Zachary Wilhelm, fire company chaplain. “We noticed that for a couple of years....

Publicize your community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least a week in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15068. Please include a daytime telephone number. Talent show scheduled at Casino Theater The Casino Theater in Vandergrift will...

The Valley Vikings 2022 Fall Preview Night was held Thursday at the high school stadium. Teams from the middle school, junior varsity and varsity fall sports were recognized during the event before the cheerleaders performed a routine featuring a medley of songs. The band then took to the field to...

New Kensington police say a man told officers he wanted to burn an apartment building he lives in with his family and others. Mark Douglas Daniels Jr., 33, of 740 Seventh St. was arraigned Thursday, Aug. 18 on a felony charge of arson before District Judge Frank J. Pallone Jr....

O’Hara and Aspinwall police are investigating recent thefts from unlocked vehicles. Officials from both communities posted reminders on their social media pages for people to lock their car doors and store valuables out of sight. Township leaders said the latest thefts from vehicles took place sometime between Aug. 13-14. Aspinwall...

A free, community food program has opened at the nonprofit Second Harvest Community Thrift Store in Sharpsburg. The Community Free Fridge is an outdoor, full-size refrigerator, freezer and pantry area, stocked with perishable and nonperishable donated food items available to anyone who needs them. It is open 24/7 every day...

A beer distributor shuttered for more than three years in Allegheny Township is set to reopen with a new name and owner. The former Big Boys Beer at 5743 Leechburg Road closed in December 2018, after the death of owner Corey Snyder. Big Boys originally was started by Snyder and...

The Kiski Township Planning Commission and the township supervisors will hold hearings in the next two weeks to amend zoning ordinances to create a business district along Route 56. The township is proposing to change the zoning classification of about 175 properties lining Route 56. Most are zoned agricultural or...

A traffic crossover is scheduled for northbound Route 28 in O’Hara and Harmar this weekend. Motorists should be aware of the restrictions, which will begin at 8 p.m. Friday, PennDOT announced. Paving will continue around-the-clock and should wrap up in time for rush hour at 5 a.m. Monday. Work will...

Harrison residents can take in the excitement of a professional wrestling event for the second straight year, as the Battle in Birdville returns to the township. According to Jim Erb, Director of Citizens Hose Fire/Rescue/EMS, the fundraiser will be a lively family- oriented event. “Any age can come and enjoy,...

Police charged two New Kensington men with conspiring to sell fentanyl and methamphetamine after significant amounts of the drugs were confiscated during a raid at one of their homes Monday evening. Andrew Michael Slywczuk, 38, of the 400 block of Charles Avenue and Shawnti Eugene Shifflett, 26, of the 500...

Publicize your community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least a week in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15068. Please include a daytime telephone number. Barbeque bash to feature food, vendors and music Leechburg Area Community Association...

Allegheny Valley School District students will not have to quarantine if they come in close contact with a student who tests positive for covid-19. School board members voted 8-0 to approve the district’s health and safety plan, which eliminates contact tracing, during their meeting Tuesday, Aug. 16. Board member Jessica...

Highlands Dems are hosting an environmental rally Thursday at Harrison Hills, where participants are encouraged to don Super Hero capes and accept the challenge to help climate-friendly candidates get elected in November. “This is a call to action,” said Autumn Monaghan, organizer. “All of us green heroes will channel our...

An interactive ballet-themed story program provided a unique experience for youngsters Wednesday in Vandergrift. Instructors from The Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre presented “Dance the Story” to more than 20 girls at the Casino Theatre. The annual event was sponsored by the Vandergrift Public Library and presented by the Westmoreland Library Network....

The historic Salina Bridge connecting Kiski and Bell townships will be replaced with a modern bridge, maybe as early as 2024. And the new bridge won’t be built in the same spot as the existing one. The exact dates are not set in stone, but Troy Pitts, PennDOT project manager,...

As World War II approached, New Kensington was truly “The Aluminum City.” In 1940, there were 7,500 people employed at ALCOA facilities in the city at the riverfront aluminum works, the powder plant along the river in Plum and at the research center along Freeport Road. Thousands of other support...

The Kiski Area School Board and the district’s teachers union have ratified a new five-year contract. Under the agreement, teachers will receive a total salary pool increase of 3.35% each year, according to Kiski Area Business Manager Amy Simmons. The funds from this increase are distributed based on each teacher’s...

One person was injured in a house fire early Wednesday morning in Kittanning, authorities said. Crews responded to scene in the 500 block of North Water Street just before 5 a.m. Armstrong County dispatchers said one person suffered burns and was transported to a hospital. Crews are still on the...

Publicize your community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least a week in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15068. Please include a daytime telephone number. Cadogan to mark 100 years with festival The township of Cadogan will...

A Gilpin Township police officer was suspended without pay and subsequently resigned after he was charged with corruption of a minor in Greensburg. William Andrew Rapone II, 22, of the 200 block of Long­fellow Street in Vandergrift, was charged by Greensburg police on Aug. 3 with misdemeanor counts of corruption...

A Monroeville man on probation for corruption of a minor in a 2020 case was issued a summons last week from Allegheny Township police on similar charges. Guerau Bernat Cabrera, 44, of the 3800 block of Northern Pike in Monroeville was charged Aug. 8 by township police with a misdemeanor...