Valley News Dispatch category, Page 38
Western Pa. hunters face new rules as state tries to manage chronic wasting disease in deer
Chronic wasting disease used to be something that was far away for most Western Pennsylvania deer hunters, centered in the south-central region of the state. No longer. In 2024, parts of southern Armstrong County and eastern Westmoreland County became part of a management area after wild deer in each area...
Monroeville Convention Center hosts 5th annual Pittsburgh Gaming Expo this weekend
Organizers have pressed the start button on the fifth annual Pittsburgh Gaming Expo. Festivities kicked off Friday afternoon at the Monroeville Convention Center, 209 Mall Plaza Blvd. The event continues Saturday and Sunday with pinball tournaments and cosplay contests set for both days. Brian Wissner, expo co-founder and co-owner, expects...
Jury convicts brother, acquits sister in New Kensington Easter Egg hunt assault
A Westmoreland County jury acquitted a New Kensington woman but convicted her older brother of the assault against of an autistic teen during a neighborhood Easter egg hunt. Stacey Oneal Jr., 36, of New Kensington was found guilty of a felony count of aggravated assault and misdemeanor simple assault and...
Pittsburgh Mills loses last national tenant as Bath and Body Works bids farewell
The Pittsburgh Mills will say goodbye to its last national retailer tenant this weekend. Employees confirmed Friday the last day to shop at the mall’s Bath and Body Works location will be Saturday. Bath and Body Works and Namdar Realty Group, which owns several companies that operate the mall, did...
New Kensington man arrested following evacuation of apartment building where he lives
A gunshot and the discovery of what appeared to be two grenades led to the evacuation of a New Kensington apartment building Thursday night. The incident began shortly before 9:30 p.m. with an altercation at Valley Royal Court, an apartment complex along Fifth Avenue, that led to a man firing...
16 ‘ghosts’ on tap at Prospect Cemetery fundraiser in Brackenridge
Sixteen “ghosts” of long-gone prominent residents will haunt Prospect Cemetery in Brackenridge on Thursday. People are invited to hear their tales at the 17th annual tour which doubles as a fundraiser for the cemetery. Cost is $10 a person. Proceeds pay for maintenance at the 13-acre site along E. 10th...
ESL program offers skills, ‘family’ to English language learners at Allegheny Valley
Though Maria Cosme’s Allegheny Valley students speak more than half a dozen languages from four continents, one tongue unites them: English. Cosme is one of the most recent additions to the district, where she teaches ESL — or English as a Second Language — courses to elementary students through high...
Plum fire chiefs, borough expect stipend program to continue
Plum officials say they’ll likely carry on next year with a program that offers stipends for volunteer firefighters in the borough. The stipends — $15 per hour — were approved by the borough in January and were first distributed in March. Holiday Park VFD Chief Jim Sims said the stipends...
Teen missing in West Deer found safe
A 15-year-old boy reported missing in West Deer on Thursday was found safe, township police said. The teen was found at about 7:10 a.m. Friday near Golden Lane. No other information was released. Police had requested help from the public early Thursday as they conducted a search in the area...
Tarentum church eyeing former Rite Aid for community center
A former Rite Aid building in Tarentum will find new life as a community center/food hall. Gifted by the now-bankrupt pharmacy chain in 2019 to Abundant Joy Fellowship, the building at Fifth Avenue and Corbet Street will be a place for people to connect, Pastor Cathy Blythe said. Construction crews...
Alle-Kiski Valley municipalities escape the pinch of state budget impasse
Unlike school districts and county governments, Alle-Kiski Valley municipalities aren’t sounding the alarm on how the state’s budget impasse is affecting their coffers or future projects. In fact, unless the impasse continues well into next year, local governments won’t be feeling it at all. “It’s really not hurting us at...
The Stroller, Oct. 3, 2025: 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. Follow the Stroller on X at @VNDStroller. A-K Hope Center event...
Morning Roundup: Police say man set fire in Waterworks Giant Eagle; pedestrian hit by car succumbs to injuries
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, Oct. 3: Man faces arson charges over Giant Eagle fire A man was arrested Thursday after allegedly sparking a fire in the Giant Eagle Market District at the Waterworks in Pittsburgh’s Lincoln-Lemington neighborhood. Police said Russell Weleski, 33,...
Jurors shown video of assault of autistic teen in New Kensington, allegedly because of grudge against mom
Logan Bashioum testified Thursday that he didn’t remember much from an alleged attack in New Kensington two years ago. A video played for jurors during the second day of trial against a brother and sister accused in the beating showed two men standing over Bashioum, who was 17, kicking him...
2025 Halloween events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Trick-or-Treat Residents participating in trick-or-treat should turn on their porch lights. To have information included in the Stroller’s big Halloween listings online at TribLive.com and in the Valley News Dispatch, email information to cpinto-smith@triblive.com. Allegheny Township: 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31. Apollo: 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31. Arnold:...
Upper Burrell data center to be live by end of year
The TECfusions data center in Upper Burrell will be live by the end of this year, according to founder Simon Tusha. Part of the 1,395-acre site, located at the former Alcoa Research Center, already has been built out to accommodate some tenants, Tusha said. The Florida-based company is working through...
Dark Hollow Woods Committee to host meet-and-mingle event for Oakmont community
The Dark Hollow Woods Committee wants to mingle with the Oakmont community. Leaders of the committee have been overseeing a plan to restore Dark Hollow Woods, a 40-acre nature reserve that has fallen victim to erosion and invasive species. A master plan detailing each phase of the restoration across 50...
Repairs at Vandergrift’s Casino Theater set for completion by end of year
Another piece of the decades-long repair efforts at Vandergrift’s Casino Theater is set to wrap up by the end of the year, borough engineer Lucien Bove said. He said crews will complete the second phase of a restoration project that will see sections of the building’s masonry repointed, windows replaced...
State lawmaker introduces legislation to prevent school bus stops near homes of registered sex offenders
At least one Pennsylvania lawmaker wants school districts to be more careful when choosing school bus stops. A proposal from state Rep. Jeremy Shaffer, R-Pine, a member of the state House Education Committee, would prohibit school bus stops from being within 300 feet of a Megan’s Law offender’s residence. The...
The Stroller, Oct. 2, 2025: 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. Follow the Stroller on X at @VNDStroller. German food to be...
Brother, sister on trial for teen’s assault during New Kensington Easter egg hunt
Westmoreland County prosecutors contend a New Kensington brother and sister conspired to assault an autistic teenager two years ago during a neighborhood Easter egg hunt. Jurors will begin hearing evidence Thursday in the trial of Stacey Oneal Jr., 36, and his younger sister, Krystae Oneal, 33, who are charged in...
Community rallies to support Plum family after move-in fire
When Jamin and Bethany Gardner parked a box truck in the driveway of their new Plum home, the couple never imagined they would lose nearly all their possessions before they could even move in. The Gardners, who were preparing to settle into a modest brick house on Garlow Boulevard on...
Buffalo Township man accused of sexually assaulting girl turns himself in
Derrian Alcorn, the Buffalo Township man accused of raping an intoxicated 15-year-old girl last year, turned himself in Wednesday for his preliminary arraignment. Alcorn’s defense attorney, Duke George Jr., said his client is in the process of posting the $100,000 bond set by District Judge Jack D. Ripper. Alcorn is...
Former Rite Aid building in Lower Burrell could be enticing location for retailers
The location of a former Rite Aid in Lower Burrell, near the Route 56 and Leechburg Road intersection, could make it attractive to a potential retailer, city officials say. “What we’ve found is large retail establishments, they insist on having a four-lane highway,” said Councilman David Stoltz. “With that building,...
Oakmont fire chief warns residents about second round of brush fire season
With the second round of brush fire season upon us, Oakmont Fire Chief Joseph Flanick is being proactive in stopping fires before they start. Factors such as dry weather, windy days and fallen autumn leaves creating a thick layer of dry fuel all contribute to the quick spread of brush...
