Valley News Dispatch category, Page 451
Fatal Armstrong County crash victim identified
An Armstrong County woman died after losing control of her vehicle and hitting an embankment in Perry Township. Alisha Diets, 34, of Parker was pronounced dead at the scene by Deputy Coroner Timothy Graham. The crash occurred along Knox Road around 4:30 p.m. Thursday. Diets was traveling south in a...
Allegheny Township police charge man with strangling, beating woman during dispute
An Allegheny Township man has been charged with strangling and beating a woman during an argument on Tuesday, according to authorities. Robert Fouse, 70, of Velvet Lane is being held in the Westmoreland County Prison after failing to post $30,000 bond set during his arraignment before District Judge Cheryl Peck...
Bass & Bennett Trading Co. bringing unique furniture from around the world to Pittsburgh’s Strip District
A lifetime of travel is bringing Matt Bass and his business, Bass & Bennett Trading Co., to a storefront in Pittsburgh’s Strip District where he’ll sell unique furniture and home decor from around the world. “We travel around the world and find one-of-a-kind or few-of-a-kind items,” said Matt Bass, who...
Resident complains of bedbugs in Vandergrift
Uninvited guests on Lowell Street in Vandergrift have some residents complaining to borough officials. Mattresses left outside at the steps of an empty apartment building at 502 Lowell St. on Tuesday morning were marked with signs saying they are infested with bedbugs. In a social media post Wednesday, resident Tiffany...
Tarentum church kicks off concert series with ‘Todo Tango’
Central Presbyterian Church will launch the return of its concert series on Sunday with tango music, an upbeat show that gets people dancing in the aisles after the series’ extended pandemic-related hiatus, organizers said. “Todo Tango” will feature Argentine singer Ada Lis Jimena performing classics with pianist Tom Roberts and...
3rd annual Vandergrift Halloween Party kid-geared, but open to entire community
An annual community Halloween party in Vandergrift is growing in popularity. The third annual Vandergrift Halloween Party, organized by Vandergrift resident Heather Miller, is scheduled for Oct. 16 at The Center on Franklin. The free party welcomes all ages, but Miller said the festivities are geared with youngsters in mind....
Halloween events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Community events To have your event listed, send information to Carol Pinto-Smith, Valley News Dispatch, 210 Wood St., Tarentum, PA 15084; or email cpinto-smith@triblive.com. Trick-or-treat and events open only to residents of the designated community include: Allegheny Township: 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 30 Apollo: 6 to 8 p.m. Oct....
The Stroller, Oct. 7, 2021: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
The Valley News Dispatch is compiling a list of autumn events and Halloween parades, parties and trick-or-treat nights. Information should be emailed to cpinto-smith@triblive.com. Deer Lakes HS plans homecoming celebration The annual Deer Lakes High School homecoming parade will begin at 6 p.m. Friday at Deer Lakes Middle School and...
Pitt players John Petrishen, Tre Tipton use NIL to help others in need
From coast to coast, athletes are benefiting from the NCAA’s relaxed rules on the use of their name, image and likeness. Alabama quarterback Bryce Young had deals approaching $1 million before he took a snap. Linebacker John Petrishen and wide receiver Tre Tipton watched from afar on the Pitt campus,...
Verizon Wireless service restored in Freeport
Verizon Wireless service has been restored to the Freeport area after cuts to fiber-optic cables disrupted service Tuesday. Company communications manager Chris Serico said service was restored Wednesday afternoon after technicians fixed the cables. He said one cut was made by wildlife and the cause of the other cut still...
Nurse at Lower Burrell health and rehab center charged with sexually assaulting 2 patients
A male registered nurse at the Belair Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Lower Burrell has been charged with sexually assaulting two female patients. Police charged Jacques G. Wagner, 58, of New Kensington on Wednesday with a felony count of aggravated indecent assault and two related misdemeanors in connection with the...
Tarentum Councilman Adam Blythe appointed temporary mayor
A Tarentum councilman resigned his position Tuesday to become the borough’s temporary mayor. Adam Blythe, who represents the 2nd Ward, was appointed by council to serve as mayor until after the Nov. 2 election. The vote was 4-2, with Lou Ann Homa and Ray Kerr opposing. Neither Homa nor Kerr...
Former Leechburg police Chief Michael Diebold pleads guilty to failing to properly register as sex offender
Former Leechburg police Chief Michael Diebold pleaded guilty in Armstrong County Court on Wednesday to failing to properly register as a sex offender. Diebold, 44, was charged by state police in Armstrong County in January 2020 with two felony counts of failing to provide accurate information when he registered as...
Name sought for New Kensington’s community mural
Are you good at coming up with names? A mural in New Kensington needs one. Westmoreland Community Action is taking suggestions for a name for the community mural at Ninth Street and Fourth Avenue. It’s on the side of the building housing Ashley’s Kitchen, across from Central City Plaza. The...
Pittsburgh man sentenced in drug charges, New Kensington woman’s OD death
A Pittsburgh man was sentenced Tuesday to three to eight years in prison in connection with three drug cases, including a New Kensington woman’s overdose death. Tre-Ron Arnez Jackson, 28, pleaded guilty to five drug counts and a reckless endangerment charge, averting a trial set to begin this week in...
South Buffalo man killed in tractor accident
An 80-year-old man was killed in South Buffalo when his riding lawnmower flipped over a hillside late Tuesday, officials said. Police did not yet release the victim’s name. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident happened at 660 Freeport Road. “As best as we could tell, he was...
Man accused of shooting 3 at Kinloch Fire Hall baby shower ordered to stand trial
A man charged with shooting three people during a Sept. 18 baby shower in Lower Burrell was ordered to stand trial in Westmoreland County Court. Isiah J. Hampton, 25, of Victoria Avenue in Arnold is accused of shooting a 23-year-old man in the torso, a 19-year-old woman in the leg...
Marconi Club in Leechburg to celebrate 110 years in the borough this weekend
A well-known Leechburg lodge is set to celebrate a milestone this weekend. William Marconi Lodge of Mutual Benefit marks 110 years at 135 River Ave. “We’re trying to give back to the members (and the public) because of the dismal year last year, and we couldn’t really do much with...
The Stroller, Oct. 6, 2021: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
The Valley News Dispatch is compiling a list of autumn events and Halloween parades, parties and trick-or-treat nights. Information should be emailed to cpinto-smith@triblive.com. Westmoreland County Marines to supply Christmas groceries Westmoreland County Marines will provide Christmas groceries to local veterans’ families in need. To register, call Jim Walters at...
Freeport and Verizon officials working to address cellular service issues in borough
Freeport officials are working with Verizon to address possible problems making cellphone calls. Borough fire marshal Michael Greiser said late Tuesday that cell service is “unreliable” in parts of the borough, especially for Verizon Wireless customers or those with a carrier that connects to their towers. Greiser said the company...
Man hospitalized after crashing truck along Route 909 in Plum
A man was hospitalized after being injured in a crash Tuesday afternoon in Plum. Allegheny County dispatchers said the one-vehicle crash occurred along the 300 block of Route 909 around 2:45 p.m. Witnesses said a white truck was traveling toward Somma Pizza Restaurant and Sports Bar when it went off...
Zebra, camel find new home at Washington Township stables
Two exotic animals are making themselves at home in Washington Township. Zebulun, a 3-week-old Grant’s zebra, and Abraham, a 1-year-old dromedary camel, arrived safely at Victory Stables last week after a 13-hour road trip from the Midwest. Victory Stables Manager Jessica Corbin, 32, and her boyfriend, Dan Wallen, a wildlife...
$100K winning Powerball ticket sold at Asay’s in Tarentum
Asay’s manager, Melanie Dabkowski, eagerly watched as customers at the Tarentum store checked their lottery tickets Tuesday afternoon. A winning Powerball ticket worth $100,000 was sold at the newsstand a day earlier. “The (PA Lottery officials) just called to tell us,” Dabkowski said. “I’m hoping it was one of our...
3 new officers, 2nd police dog joining New Kensington force
New Kensington has three new officers and a second police dog joining its force. While City Council approved hiring three new officers, Mayor Tom Guzzo swore in Max, an 18-month-old Belgian Malinois, at the top of council’s monthly meeting Monday. Council approved hiring Christian Leonarski, Cory Rezak and Salvador Zepeda....
Vandergrift emergency responders earn state honors for saving boy from house fire
A 12-year-old Vandergrift boy is alive thanks to the quick work of borough first responders. Lifesavers included firefighters Eric Sorrels and John Uskuraitis, police officers Nathan Rigatti, Jerrod Thompson and Sgt. Anthony DePanicis. They all received the Valor Award from the Firemen’s Association of the State of Pennsylvania at Monday...
