Valley News Dispatch category, Page 360

Both Democrats seeking nomination to the state House seat in District 33 say they would fight to protect abortion rights in Pennsylvania. Tristan McClelland, 21, a Harrison native who lives in O’Hara, is preparing to graduate this year from the University of Pittsburgh with a double major in economics and...

A Tarentum art house has partnered with UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh for a monthlong fundraiser benefiting the Free Care Fund. The Manos Gallery is presenting “Artist of Tomorrow,” an exhibit featuring pieces from 65 student artists from across Western Pennsylvania. Paintings, drawings, mixed media and other artistic creations from...

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. Please include a daytime telephone number. Motorcycle poker run to support homeless vets Ride for Homeless Vets Motorcycle Poker Run will be June 12 at Natrona Heights...

New Kensington residents will have opportunities to learn about trees before five dozen are planted in the city this fall. The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy will hold two “tree tender” training sessions before the trees are planted in at least two sessions in late October and early November, said Brian Crooks,...

Vandergrift’s trash haulers may soon stop picking up large furniture such as sofas with the regular garbage collection. Council has authorized Solicitor Larry Loperfito to makes changes to the borough’s trash collection rules to prohibit borough crews from taking upholstered furniture and mattresses. Instead, residents would have to contact private...

Avonmore Borough’s former secretary pleaded guilty Friday to the theft of more than $54,000 in taxpayer funds. Rebecca E. Steele, 46, worked for more than a decade as the secretary for the tiny Kiski Valley town when an audit in 2019 revealed large amounts of money had disappeared from borough...

A man awaiting trial on charges that he threw a hammer and shards of glass at a police officer while fleeing from a Kiski Township home in January has been arrested on drug charges by Tarentum police. Tarentum police say Alfred Keith Steele, 42, called 911 shortly before midnight on...

The father of Azuree Charles, the 9-year-old New Kensington boy who was found dead early Wednesday, was arrested Thursday in connection with assault and child endangerment charges from November. Jean J. Charles, 40, was arraigned Thursday on charges of simple assault and endangering the welfare of children regarding an incident...

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. Please include a daytime telephone number. Children welcome at free fishing derby Concordia Lutheran Ministries in Jefferson will have its free Fishing Derby for kids 14 and...

As she wrote prescriptions for her patients, Dr. Danielle Godinez decided to pen a new script for her well-being, figuratively. She was living the hectic life of an ambulatory medicine physician: seeing patients every 15 minutes, filling out mounds of paperwork and logging long hours. Godinez walked out of that...

A Vandergrift man faces 16 felony charges after two police departments in the Alle-Kiski Valley accused him of sexually assaulting young children. Vandergrift police charged Timothy Robert Johnson, 37, of the 300 block of Lowell Street, with 11 felony sex charges after a girl reported he sexually assaulted her multiple...

Grants are boosting New Kensington-Arnold School District’s budget by $7.2 million, but a maximum allowable property tax increase — 5% — remains. The school board approved the district’s proposed budget for the 2022-23 school year, with plans to take a final vote on June 7. The budget is showing a...

Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli said authorities have a person of interest in the death of Azuree Charles, a 9-year-old resident of East Ken Manor in New Kensington. Ziccarelli did not share any details Thursday afternoon as East Ken Manor residents prepared to honor the memory of Azuree, who...

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. Please include a daytime telephone number. Gospel concert to feature local musicians A gospel music concert, Gospel Explosion, will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday at...

A man died in a fire early Thursday at an apartment house on Woodmont Avenue in Arnold. The Westmoreland County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as Frank J. Cable, 54. The early morning blaze in the two-story frame house at 1937 Woodmont Ave. also claimed the life of Cable’s dog,...

The creek passing in front of Valley High School is set to become a race course — for rubber ducks. The first-time “Rubber Ducky Derby” scheduled for May 15 is a fundraiser for the junior varsity and varsity girls volleyball teams, said April Stone, their coach and a paraprofessional at...

If the Natrona neighborhood of Harrison is looking fresh and clean, there are volunteers to thank for the makeover. A group of diligent workers collected a massive amount of garbage April 23 during a townshipwide Earth Day cleanup event. More than 120 tires were collected from streets and empty lots....

When a classmate and friend asked Hanna Essey to help raise money and awareness for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society last school year, the Fox Chapel Area High School student did not hesitate. She assisted with then junior Sarah Giuffre’s campaign and the team raised around $30,000. Now, both seniors,...

A 150-foot tall elm tree that toppled Tuesday along Carlisle Street in Harrison couldn’t have been positioned more perfectly. Inches either way, and the 110-year-old tree would have smashed roofs, broke windows or at least tore gutters away from the two homes it landed between. “If this had to happen,...

Police are investigating the death of a 9-year-old boy, Azuree Charles, in New Kensington. The Westmoreland County coroner was called to the scene Wednesday afternoon at East Ken Manor, a Westmoreland County Housing Authority complex along Haser Drive. Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli was also at the scene. The...

Two New Kensington roads are slated to be resurfaced this year, and city officials are looking for more that can be done with the money available. Council on Monday awarded a nearly $103,000 contract to A. Folino Construction to resurface Locust Street from Victoria Avenue to Freeport Road, and Earl...