Valley News Dispatch category, Page 400
Restaurant Ramble & Spring Fling to spotlight downtown New Kensington eateries
New Kensington is going to ramble into spring with an all-new fling. Tickets are being sold through Sunday for the first Restaurant Ramble & Spring Fling, scheduled for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 26. It will spotlight nearly a dozen restaurants on Fourth and Fifth avenues in downtown New...
Artifacts bring Vietnam War to light for Springdale High School History Club
History classes and movies don’t show a lot of things about the wars the United States has fought. For instance, Ethan Zahner, a senior at Springdale Junior-Senior High School, wasn’t aware of all of the dangers facing soldiers in the Vietnam War. “I did not know that they had to...
State legislative redistricting causes changes in Alle-Kiski Valley communities
With the state Supreme Court affirming the commonwealth’s new legislative district maps this week, state House and Senate representation changed in many communities in the Alle-Kiski Valley. Pennsylvania’s highest court Wednesday rejected final legal challenges to affirm the state’s new legislative district maps. A list of local communities and how...
Arnold continues hearing on new gas station after opposition from residents
Arnold Council delayed voting on plans for a gas station and convenience store along Freeport Road, a proposal that was met with opposition from nearly three dozen nearby residents. The delay gives Yashvi Oil and its owner, Mike Thakkar of Cranberry, time to provide more detailed documents about their proposal....
Police: 2 men arrested in Arnold by state-county task force face felony drug charges
Two men from Arnold face felony drug charges after a team of police raided a home on Tuesday and found nearly 2 ounces of powdered cocaine along with crack and oxycodone pills, according to authorities. Jerome Dockblandi Poole, 34, of the 1800 block of 3rd Avenue was charged with three...
Schafer Drive bridge in Upper Burrell to close for 10 weeks later in year
A bridge replacement on Schafer Drive in Upper Burrell will close a section of that road for 10 weeks starting in early September. The $500,000 project will replace the current single-lane, open grate steel bridge with a wider, precast span, said Melissa Maczko, spokeswoman for PennDOT, District 12. The bridge...
The Stroller, March 17, 2022: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your community events 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. April Fool Mystery Luncheon planned April 3 Victorian Vandergrift Museum and Historical Society will host an April Fool Mystery Luncheon at 1...
Highlands students benefit from trauma notice program
Harrison police Chief Mike Klein welcomed the chance to partner with the Highlands Family Center on a program to comfort children suffering from trauma. The Handle with Care initiative, established in November by the Tarentum-based family center, bridges the gap between the Highlands School District and local police by notifying...
Apple tracking feature leads to arrest in theft of AirPods, other items in Harrison
A Harrison Township man faces felony theft charges after, police say, they used a feature on a pair of Apple AirPods stolen from a vehicle to track the headphones to the man’s home. Noah Joseph Bizic, 19, of Walnut Street was charged with two felony counts of theft by unlawful...
Leechburg Council appoints new mayor
Former Mayor and Councilman Tony Roppolo is Leechburg’s mayor again. Borough council appointed Roppolo Tuesday. He takes the seat following the death of Mayor Wayne Dobos earlier this month. Roppolo was sworn in by a judge Wednesday morning. Council President Tom Foster announced there were two letters of interest for...
Run, walk or swim the St. Margaret Foundation virtual 5k
Runners, dancers, swimmers — even pickleball players — can track their miles to participate in the virtual St. Margaret Foundation 5K in May. The Brian Demchak Hope Challenge, formerly a one-day event in Aspinwall, will take place May 15-21 to raise money for underserved patients at UPMC St. Margaret. Registration...
Kiski Township car crash leads to felony charges
An Apollo woman faces a felony charge after police responding to a report of a car crashing into a yard say they learned the vehicle was stolen and her boyfriend, who was driving, fled from the scene. Kiski Township police arrested Melissa Marie Wilson, 38, of Armstrong Avenue, charging her...
Owner of Gilpin personal care home accused of stealing $111K from dead resident’s account
State police accused the owner of a personal care home in Gilpin Township of stealing nearly $111,500 from a resident’s credit union account after the 75-year-old woman died. Carrie Ann Leway, 42, of the 300 block of Godfrey Road faces five counts each of forgery and identity theft, all felonies,...
Route 356 work in Allegheny Township to begin next month
Motorists who use state Route 356 in Allegheny Township should circle April 4 on their calendars. That’s the day an eight-month-long renovation of the key traffic artery will begin. The work will be done in three phases. The first is from Weinels Crossroads to Piper Road; Phase 2 will be...
Mable Mazza’s legacy lives on in Allegheny Township
Allegheny Township supervisors this week renamed their meeting room the “Mable Mazza Meeting Room” in honor of the late community contributor and activist. Mazza frequently attended meetings of township supervisors, the Kiski Area School Board and other regional and county organizations. She also worked the polls on Election Day. The...
The Stroller, March 16, 2022: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your community events 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. Let us know about your Easter events The Valley News Dispatch is compiling a list of community Easter egg hunts, breakfasts with...
Springdale business big hit with furniture made out of used wine, whiskey barrels
Michael Monahan was looking for an opportunity that would allow him to quit his job as a mechanical engineer. In 2018, a project in the basement of his McCandless home helped Monahan find his true calling, which led to a business in Springdale with plans to expand in New Kensington....
Motorcyclist involved in March 4 wreck in Harrison dies from injuries
A motorcyclist who collided with the rear of an SUV in Harrison earlier this month has died from his injuries. James P. “Jim Bob” Stivers, 45, of Buffalo Township, died at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh on Saturday, according to family members. Police said Stivers was traveling behind an SUV...
Agents seize $22K in drugs during raids at 2 apartments in New Kensington
Police arrested two men and confiscated more than $22,000 worth of drugs when they raided a pair of apartments in the same building last week in New Kensington. The March 8 raids were conducted at a home in the 1200 block of Constitution Boulevard by agents from the state Attorney...
The Stroller, March 15, 2022: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your community Easter Egg hunts, breakfasts with the Easter Bunny 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. Irish celebration to raise funds for recovery ministry Addiction Recovery Ministry will host an Irish...
Building the Valley: SoCal Mexicali Grill takes time to get it right in New Kensington
Sean Watson and Jeff Cieslewicz didn’t want to serve any taco, burrito or quesadilla before its time. That’s why instead of opening SoCal Mexicali Grill in November like they had planned, it didn’t open until mid-February. Watson blames himself, because he wanted to get the design of the new restaurant...
New Community Concern Portal well received by Fox Chapel residents
Fox Chapel has launched a new online portal for residents to submit concerns or requests 24/7 directly to borough officials for service in the community. Borough manager Gary Koehler said the Community Concern Portal launched last month on the borough website was created to help residents communicate with borough officials....
Medical marijuana dispensary coming to New Kensington
A vacant pizza shop along Tarentum Bridge Road in New Kensington is expected to become the city’s second medical marijuana dispensary this year. City officials confirmed Zen Leaf, headquartered in Nevada, is set to take over the space formerly leased by Papa John’s across from Giant Eagle and adjacent to...
East Deer braces for large increase in water rates
East Deer Commissioners are searching for options to ease an expected hefty increase in residents’ water rates. Tarentum Borough, from which the township purchases water in bulk, approved a rate increase in December as part of its 2022 budget. The East Deer increase takes effect May 1. Rates for East...
Tarentum, Brackenridge will consider sharing services
Tarentum and Brackenridge officials will team up to consider sharing certain municipal services to save tax dollars. It’s an idea Brackenridge Mayor Lindsay Fraser said makes sense because of the proximity of the two boroughs. “Given the geography, maybe we can, hopefully, look at merging some of our services,” Fraser...
