Valley News Dispatch category, Page 376
$384 million in state money could expand pre-K programs across the region
Pre-K classes soon could be available at more schools throughout Allegheny and Westmoreland counties. Several schools and child care centers from Allegheny and Westmoreland counties were chosen to receive part of more than $384 million Gov. Tom Wolf is aiming at early childhood education in the state. Among them are...
Arnold suspect arrested and charged in Fox Chapel burglary
An Arnold man was arrested Tuesday for allegedly participating in the burglary of Fox Chapel home last month in which a gold bar, jewelry worth thousands of dollars, an engraved wedding bank and three Rolex watches were stolen, Allegheny County Police said. Zachary Zeise, 27, was arrested in Cheswick by...
Household hazardous chemical collection set for Aug. 20 at Boyce Park
Any state resident can take their household chemicals to Boyce Park’s ski lodge parking lot for disposal from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 20. Pennsylvania Resources Council (PRC) and Allegheny County Health Department are hosting collection events where residents can dispose of cleaners, paints, stains, varnishes, batteries, motor oil...
Want to buy a funeral home? Krynicki’s in Harrison up for grabs for $449,000
A former funeral home is on the market in Harrison. The Krynicki Funeral Home at 1007 Freeport Road is listed for $449,000 by Howard Hanna Realty. Mark Camp, 65, has lived next door to the funeral home since 1982. He said life next to a business that deals with death...
Argonne Drive in Harrison reopens ahead of schedule
Argonne Drive in Harrison has reopened to traffic after being shut down in early July. The busy road connects Freeport Road near Highlands Middle School to Ash Street near the railroad tracks in Natrona. Work finished up earlier than expected — the road was scheduled to be off-limits until September....
Busy Harrison intersection eyed for safety upgrades
The Harrison commissioners are eyeing major safety upgrades for a busy Freeport Road intersection. Township Manager John Pallone will apply for $2 million in the coming weeks through the state’s Multimodal Transportation Fund to redo the five-way intersection of Freeport and Springhill roads and Broadview Boulevard near the Harrison Hi-Rise....
The Stroller, Aug. 2, 2022: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
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. Fort Armstrong Folk Festival to arrive in Kittanning The 50th Annual Fort...
Volunteer caretakers of centuries-old Western Pa. cemeteries have lonely jobs
Standing among weathered gray stones and freshly cut grass, it can be difficult to fathom the decades of choked-backed tears and carefully placed flowers once present in some of the quietest parts of Western Pennsylvania. The region is home to dozens of cemeteries that date to the 18th and 19th...
Trib Total Media to host job fairs
Trib Total Media is hiring. The company will hold job fairs in both Greensburg and Tarentum from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 5. On-site interviews will be conducted and some positions are eligible for up to a $5,000 signing bonus, according to Human Resources Director Brian Osborne....
35th annual Sheldon Park Community Day on tap
Local officials will celebrate the progress of a public housing complex in Harrison while looking toward its future during a community festival Aug. 12. The 35th annual Sheldon Park Community Day will provide games and activities for children while speeches are delivered from Highlands Superintendent Monique Mawhinney, Harrison police Chief...
Armstrong man pleads guilty for teen shooting in New Kensington
An Armstrong County man pleaded guilty Monday for his role in the shooting of a teenage girl two years ago in New Kensington. Police said Deonte Joseph Slomkoski, 19, was identified as the man who shot at the girl during a fight on Sept. 18, 2020 on Freeport Street. According...
East Deer man bathing in Allegheny River found dead
An East Deer man who went bathing in the Allegheny River on Friday was found dead in the water two days later, according to police. Arnold police Chief Eric Doutt identified the man as Addam Isaac Roe, 28, of Sherman Street in East Deer. A boater found Roe’s body floating...
Burrell High School teacher faces multiple charges involving 18 minors and alcohol
A Burrell High School teacher is facing charges after, police say, they found 18 minors drinking alcohol during a party at her house July 24, according to a criminal complaint filed in the case. Heather McKallip, 52, of Lower Burrell was charged Friday with 16 counts each of corruption of...
Welcoming Westmoreland brings coffee talk to New Kensington at Knead Community Cafe
An effort at helping people feel welcome in Westmoreland County held its first event Friday outside Greensburg. Welcoming Westmoreland, a project led by Westmoreland Community Action, held a coffee talk at Knead Community Cafe in New Kensington. A collaboration between a variety of groups, the Welcome Everyone Program grew out...
Aspinwall’s first-ever Big Night Out to promote community
Big plans are in the works for Aspinwall’s inaugural Big Night Out. Scheduled for 6 to 9 p.m. Aug. 11, the event is pegged as a community celebration and a chance to meet and mingle with many local organizations. It is expected to draw more than 1,300 people to the...
Springdale Township officials hire former political aide for new manager position
Springdale Township commissioners hired a familiar figure throughout the lower Alle-Kiski Valley as their new township manager. William “Red” McElligott of Oakmont, a longtime aide to former State Rep. Frank Dermody, D-Oakmont, was hired by the commissioners Thursday to fill the new position. McElligott served as Dermody’s chief assistant and...
Brian Shaw scholarship recipients say assistance from motorcycle ride transcends monetary valueVideo
When Steve Edwards graduated from the Allegheny County Police Academy in 2020, he had to buy his own gun and a bulletproof vest, among other accessories. “You don’t want to buy the cheapest vest,” Edwards said. Other unexpected expenses for Edwards included a tourniquet, chest seals and other medical supplies...
The Stroller, Aug. 1, 2022: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
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. National Night Out set Wednesday in Northmoreland Park Northmoreland National Night Out...
Tarentum woman’s digital marketing studio marks 4th anniversary with $10K grant
Katie Urich moved from the North Hills to Tarentum last year to grow her digital marketing studio. The self-described “old house nerd” bought a large Victorian home in East Tarentum and has settled nicely into the community, which she said is supportive of small businesses. A graduate of North Hills...
Faces of the Valley: Gilpin resident Betty Smail dedicated to lifelong volunteering
Betty Smail of Gilpin began giving back to her rural community at a young age. She hasn’t stopped. Smail was tasked with washing “bird dirt” off tombstones in St. Catherine’s Cemetery when she was a child. Now, at 70, she’s still volunteering throughout the Leechburg and Gilpin communities. “It meant...
Main streets of Vandergrift transformed into a ‘Wonderland’ for this year’s artfest
Hundreds of people braved the rain and humid temperatures to take part in the 15th annual Vandergrift Artfest on Sunday. Grant and Washington avenues were packed with people, artists, vendors and costumed characters, as this year’s theme was “Wonderland” based on the magical story “Alice in Wonderland.” “We’ve settled into...
Springdale to hold Second Saturdays event, community day in August
Springdale residents have a new communitywide event to look forward to as Springdale Council aims to increase summer fun in the town. The event, dubbed Second Saturdays, will be from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Aug. 13 along the 800 block of Lincoln Avenue. It will feature 30 vendors and...
Newly installed solar panels in West Leechburg to help save money for borough, taxpayers
The West Leechburg Borough Building has a new look after 32 solar panels were installed on its roof. Officials announced the new addition on Facebook. The post said the panels should offset electric use at the borough’s garage and pump station. “Electric companies will be able to buy back energy...
The Stroller, July 31, 2022: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
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. National Night Out planned in West Leechburg West Leechburg Crime Watch will...
Picnic hosted by faith-based charity stresses ‘community’ in Natrona Community Park
Fun and Freedom Youth Sports, a Christian- based nonprofit based in the Tarentum area, hosted a free community picnic at Natrona Community Park in Harrison on Saturday evening. Youths from across Western Pennsylvania flocked to the Alle-Kiski Valley to play dodge ball, enjoy snacks and meet new friends. Crisp watermelon and...
