Valley News Dispatch category, Page 43
Iron City Distilling serves those who serve: active-duty military, veterans, first responders
Iron City Distilling threw open its doors in East Deer on Sunday, welcoming active-duty military, veterans and first responders to hang out as they showed some love to those who serve and have served the country. Between 180 and 200 were expected for the first-time, free event, which featured spirit...
Pittsburgh area wasn’t woman’s 1st foray in being an ‘impostor nurse,’ authorities say
It appeared not many authorities in Pennsylvania knew Shannon Nicole Womack was bouncing from nursing home job to nursing home job over the past year, despite allegedly lacking the professional license to do so. In fact, it wasn’t until an April traffic stop that Womack, 39, of Pittsburgh was found...
The Stroller, July 28, 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. Local food shuttle available...
Avonmore officials assess damages after night of flash floods
Avonmore officials are beginning clean up efforts after a slew of rain caused flash flooding and damages to the borough. “We had a whole lot of rain in a very short amount of time,” said Avonmore Borough Manager Cindy Rupert. She said there was multiple cases of flash flooding in...
Groups forming to plan futures of Penn State Fayette, New Kensington campuses
Officials in Fayette and Westmoreland counties are in the early stages of figuring out how they can best repurpose the closing Penn State campuses in their communities. Scott Dunn, chairman of the Fayette County commissioners, has been leading the charge to establish a team — branded the Eberly Campus Transition...
Volunteers prep for upcoming Festa Italiana in New Kensington
Karen Mitchell has a simple answer when asked what has kept New Kensington’s Festa Italiana going strong for 44 years. Food! “The food is good, and people enjoy it,” said Mitchell of New Kensington, who’s in her third year as the main coordinator for Mount St. Peter Church’s annual event....
Waterfront log cabin offers nature-inspired living in Parks Township
A rural residence big on rustic charm and log cabin living is on the market in Parks Township. The custom three-story spruce log cabin home at 1255 Stitts Run Road on 2 acres along Carnahan Run Stream is listed for $525,000. Howard Hanna Kiski Valley Realtor Denise Lewandowski said listings...
The Stroller, July 27, 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. Parade, fireworks planned at...
Large family descended from Lebanese immigrants gathers from across region, nation & world for overdue reunion at Boyce Park
Four generations of a family with roots in Lebanon that today spans from the Alle-Kiski Valley, across the U.S. and to Brazil gathered at Boyce Park in Plum on Saturday for a reunion some of them said was too long in coming. The more than 150 people expected at the...
Wrong-way detection system work to restrict Route 28 ramp shoulders in O’Hara, Harmar
Work that is part of the installation of a wrong-way detection system on Route 28 will be done at exits in O’Hara and Harmar starting Monday. The work to install conduits is scheduled for between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at the southbound Route 28 off ramp...
Aspinwall launches new borough website
Aspinwall officials have recently launched a new borough website designed to make it easier for residents and others to access departments, documents and other important information. Aspinwallpa.gov went live on July 14. It features substantial changes both in layout and domain name from its previous incarnation, aspinwallpa.com. “Many boroughs and...
‘Deliberate, patient approach’ resolved Tarentum SWAT incident peacefully, police chief says
A roughly three-hour SWAT standoff in Tarentum on Thursday was resolved peacefully because of a “deliberate, patient approach that prioritized time, communication and containment,” said William Vakulick, the borough’s police chief. “We’re grateful that yesterday’s incident on East Eighth Avenue was resolved without injury to the individual involved, the public...
The Stroller, July 26, 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. Back-to-school drive collecting supplies,...
Grocery tenant to fill Community Supermarket in Harrison will be ‘a tough sell’
Local grocery guru Doug Sprankle predicts it will be a tough sell to replace the closing Community Supermarket in Harrison. “It’s probably going to be near impossible,” said Sprankle, whose family owns supermarkets in Saxonburg, Leechburg and Kittanning. “The capital to open a business like that is insane. It’s a...
Shannon Rummel appointed to fill Fawn supervisor vacancy
A new Fawn Supervisor was appointed by the township’s vacancy board following two tie votes by supervisors. Vacancy board member Tom Kuhns cast the deciding vote for Republican Shannon Rummel, saying, “I truly thought that both candidates were qualified to hold the position.” Longtime resident Carrie White, a Democrat, also...
A-K Valley High school class reunions, July 25, 2025
Publicize your high school’s class reunion for free in The Stroller. Send information as soon as possible 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. • Ken Hi Class of 1958 will have a...
Tarentum history museum premieres documentary on ‘Boarding the Westbound,’ a hobo’s 1932 journey
Joseph Szalanski set off to tour the country in 1932 with 48 cents in his pocket. The 22-year-old from East Vandergrift, who immigrated from Poland to America as an infant, was determined his future wouldn’t be forged in a steel mill. Instead, he traveled as a hobo, hopping freight cars...
Plum School Board promotes 2 principals, hires teachers ahead of school year
The Plum School Board promoted two principals as the 2025-26 school year nears its start. Stephan Sereda, who previously served as an assistant principal at Plum High School, will now head up operations there as principal. At Holiday Park Intermediate School, Ashley DeVito is set to serve as principal after...
Blawnox Community Park mural highlights nature, spring colors
A pair of Pittsburgh area artists have brought some nature and seasonal colors to Blawnox Community Park as part of a mural project commissioned by a borough nonprofit. Monica Cervone McElwain of Glenshaw and Lynn Ratkovich of Brighton Heights spent several weeks this summer putting brush to the wall of...
Heat, stored ammunition complicate Vandergrift fire response
About a dozen departments responded to a fire that tore through the upper floors of a Vandergrift home Friday morning. No one was injured in the blaze at 404 Emerson St., according to Vandergrift No. 1 VFD Chief Randy Dunmire. He said the numerous crews on site did a great...
The Stroller, July 25, 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. Fundraiser to benefit back-to-school...
Australian contingent soaking up the fun on, off baseball fields during Freeport International
Kobi Dodd said he felt excited about coming back to the Freeport International Baseball Invitational with the chance to tell some of his Aussie Drop Bears teammates new to the tournament about what to expect. “I know what needed to be done with preparing for the games,” he said. “I...
2 taken to hospital after truck slams into downtown New Kensington bank
Two people were taken to hospitals Thursday after a vehicle crashed into a bank building in downtown New Kensington. Crews were dispatched at 2:13 p.m. for reports of a Ford Ranger pickup truck that slammed into the First National Bank, 2 Kensington Square. “The gentleman jumped the sidewalk and drove...
Tarentum man arrested after standoff with police
A 28-year-old Tarentum man is accused of firing a gun in his backyard after an argument with his roommate. When police responded to reports about the gunshots about 2:20 p.m. Thursday, it started a standoff that lasted about three hours until Matthew Jones was arrested. Jones was charged with obstruction,...
Workers clear asbestos from Springdale Jr.-Sr. High School as renovation work continues
Workers finished clearing out asbestos from the lobby area of Springdale Jr.-Sr. High School this week ahead of further renovations set to begin next month, according to Allegheny Valley Buildings and Grounds Supervisor Jay Zangrille. The asbestos, original to the 65-year-old building, was encapsulated behind tiles in the lobby and...
