Valley News Dispatch category, Page 406
Gilpin man, 45, killed in house fire; search for cause continuesVideo
A Gilpin man died in a house fire early Friday morning when he was unable to escape the burning structure, the Armstrong County coroner said. Jeremy Wildie, 45, who lived along Banfield Road, was found near the rear door of his residence, Coroner Brian Myers said. Wildie was not able...
The Stroller, April 8, 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. Please include a daytime telephone number. Donations welcome for Easter meals, treats Allegheny Valley Association of Churches Food Bank is accepting donations that will be used to...
Leechburg parents frustrated by unplayable high school baseball field
Parents of boys on the Leechburg Area High School baseball team are frustrated their kids don’t have a field at which to play home games. West Leechburg resident Adrianne Burke, who has two boys on the team, said most parents are disappointed because they’ve been waiting on improvements to the...
Students can learn about careers in STEM through free New Kensington summer program
Space is limited but still available in a new program that will be held in New Kensington this summer for high school students interested in careers in science, technology, engineering and math. Applications for “BELONG in STEM” are being accepted through April 10. It is being offered free with support...
Police: Ohio man charged with assaulting man, woman in Allegheny Township
An Ohio man has been charged with assault in connection with a fight Wednesday in Allegheny Township. Bradley Diana, 22, of Columbiana was arrested after police said he sliced another man’s head with a large metal file and punched a woman during an altercation at the Sandalwood Apartments. Police said...
Volunteers needed for Plum’s annual Clean-Up Day
Volunteers are needed for Plum’s sixth annual Community Clean-Up Day, scheduled for April 23. They are asked to report to the public works facility at 2001 Old Mine Road between 8-8:30 a.m. A continental breakfast including coffee and Oakmont Bakery goods will be provided. Participants receive T-shirts, gloves, trash bags...
New Kensington-Arnold teachers set to strike beginning Monday
Teachers in the New Kensington-Arnold School District will walk off the job Monday if they and the district can’t agree on a new contract by then. The New Kensington-Arnold Education Association sent a formal strike notice to district Superintendent Chris Sefcheck after talks Wednesday night failed to produce a settlement,...
The Stroller, April 7, 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. Toiletry collection to benefit Allegheny Valley Association of Churches Spherion Staffing and Recruiting in Upper Burrell is collecting toiletries through the end...
Deer Lakes mom inspires Curtisville elementary students with her children’s book
When Brandy Donze’s daughter, Zoey, asked to take the children’s book she illustrated to school to share, Donze was delighted to say yes. That copy of “Willow Wings” didn’t make it home from Zoey’s school, Curtisville Primary Center in Deer Lakes School District in December. “I was like, ‘Oh, you...
Cheswick merger with Allegheny Valley Fire Department in final stages
After a two-year process, Cheswick will soon be merging its fire department with the Allegheny Valley Fire Department. The merger agreement is in the final stages of the process. After the state approves it, Cheswick officially will consolidate with Allegheny Valley, said Kevin Funkhouser, Allegheny Valley’s fire chief. He said...
Tarentum Council eyes tighter ordinance for abandoned vehicles
Tarentum council will consider beefing up the borough’s ability to get abandoned vehicles off the street. Mayor Bob Lang is proposing that council tighten an ordinance that currently gives owners 10 days to remove an uninspected or unregistered vehicle from the road. Police are able to tag an illegal vehicle...
Plum’s Easter celebration drive-through for 3rd straight year
Plum officials are gearing up for the borough’s annual Easter Eggstravaganza. It will take place April 16 in drive-thru fashion for the third straight year at the public works building, 2001 Old Mine Road. The free event is for borough residents only and limited to the first 700 children who...
Vandergrift hires a street paver to repave 8 streets, but needs to come up with a bit more money
Vandergrift Council has awarded a $147,000 contract to A. Folino Construction of Oakmont for this summer’s paving program. The amount allocated for paving by Westmoreland County is $137,000. Vandergrift officials had thought that the county’s allotment would be enough to pay the whole cost, but the price of asphalt has...
Arnold burglary nets at least 2 years in prison for West Leechburg man
A West Leechburg man was ordered to serve at least two years in prison for stealing nearly $44,000 of equipment from an Arnold landscaping business site last year. Randy D. McGuire Jr., 32, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to burglary and other offenses in connection with thefts of tools and other...
Bless A Dress to give away 3,000 prom gowns at event in Harmar
Those still in search of a prom dress are in luck: The organization Bless A Dress is holding its annual free prom gown event this week. An estimated 3,000 gently used, donated dresses will be up for grabs at the three-day event, starting Thursday, at the Pittsburgh Indoor Sports Arena...
New Kensington honors first responders for recent efforts to save lives
New Kensington Council bestowed commendations on several first responders and a marina employee who all, successfully and unsuccessfully, tried to save lives in recent tragic incidents in the city. Police officers Christian Leonarski and Jerry Hobeck and Assistant Fire Chief B.J. Kersey were honored for efforts to try to save...
The Stroller, April 6, 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. Animal Protectors welcomes donations Animal Protectors of Allegheny Valley, 730 Church St., New Kensington, is accepting donations to help with daily operations...
New Starbucks in Harmar preps for opening
Harmar residents will be able to get their java at another Starbucks as the franchise is set to open its newest freestanding location on Freeport Road on Friday. Store manager Keri Chitester said her crew just started getting things organized Tuesday morning. She said the store’s focus is on hiring...
Plum Council OKs $900,000 contract to repave 20 streets
Plum officials plan to spend a little less than $900,000 to repair 20 streets. Council recently awarded this year’s paving project to Derry Construction. Derry was the lowest of nine bidders at about $892,300. The borough allocated about $775,700 in state liquid fuels tax money for street reconstruction this year....
Sneakers, jacket and car trouble lead to charges in Fox Chapel, O’Hara burglaries
Police said they used a Squirrel Hill man’s distinctive Adidas shoes and North Face jacket to link him to a series of burglaries in Fox Chapel and O’Hara over the course of a year, according to charges filed Tuesday. Andrew Clinton, 20, faces more than a dozen charges, including burglary,...
Kiski Area student found with bullets on school bus
Kiski Area School District officials and police are investigating after an elementary student was found with bullets on a morning bus route. Superintendent Misty Slavic alerted families in a letter, saying the student had two bullets but an initial investigation showed “no evidence to suggest malicious intent” and no evidence...
Tom Hanks visits Arnold as filming for ‘A Man Called Otto’ continues in Pittsburgh region
Most days, Robert Simpson is president of a reinforcing bar fabricator in Arnold. On Tuesday, the president of Simpson Reinforcing was filming movie scenes with Tom Hanks. “It’s pretty cool,” Simpson said at the end of a lunch break that came after filming the same scene over and over again...
Glass recycling bin available at Harrison Hills Park through Thursday
A dumpster to collect glass for recycling is available at Harrison Hills Park through sundown Thursday. Allegheny County is partnering for the second consecutive year with the Pennsylvania Resources Council to offer the Traveling Glass Recycling Bin program in parks throughout the region on a rotating schedule. Up next, collections...
Fireworks expert enlivens his Indiana Township neighborhood with birthday blasts, more
You could call him Pyro Joe. Joe Veltri has a blast using his love of fireworks to brighten the nights of residents in his Indiana Township neighborhood, known as Park Place. Veltri, 49, began putting on fireworks shows in the neighborhood after virtually everything — including in-person birthday parties —...
Man accused of running from Tarentum traffic stop, leaving toddler behind, faces multiple felony charges
A Wilmerding man faces multiple felony charges in connection with two incidents in Tarentum, including one in which police said he ran off and left his toddler son behind when the car he was riding in was pulled over for traffic violations. Vern Alexander Connor, 40, of the 100 block...
