Valley News Dispatch category, Page 543
Armstrong County wife who attacked husband with an ax can’t beat murder rap
A Manor Township woman who attacked her husband with an ax in front of their three children will keep serving a 20- to 40-year prison sentence for his murder. A state Superior Court panel ensured that by denying an appeal in which Melanie Sue Snyder claimed there wasn’t enough evidence...
Forest Hills pre-kindergartner earns Shady Side Academy scholarship
A Forest Hills pre-kindergartner was awarded full tuition for his entire Shady Side Academy education, through his senior year. It is worth more than $300,000. Abram Amos-Abanyie was named the school’s newest EQT Scholar, providing a full-ride education at the school which was recently named the Best Private School in...
Man dead, another in stable condition after shooting in Tarentum
One man was killed and another was in stable condition after a shooting early Monday morning in Tarentum, police said. Allegheny County Police, who assisted borough police, said officers were notified about the shooting victims around midnight after they were driven to Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison. An 18-year-old man...
The Stroller, Nov. 23, 2020: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Clothing Closet at Central Presbyterian Church accepting donations The Clothing Closet at Central Presbyterian Church, Tarentum, is accepting donations of clothing for men, women and children, as well as purses, shoes and belts. Donations will be accepted during Closet operating hours from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays at the...
West Deer wants to tear down dangerous, blighted duplex
The West Deer supervisors want to tear down a condemned duplex that has been deemed a public nuisance. The duplex is at 3-5 Oak St. in the township’s Russellton neighborhood. Supervisors approved seeking bids to demolish the structure. Bill Payne, West Deer’s zoning and code enforcement officer, inspected the building...
Plum closes school buildings through Dec. 1 because of covid-19 outbreak
Plum School District is closing its buildings and moving to remote learning to contain a covid-19 outbreak, district officials announced Sunday. Four employees and three students notified the district they tested positive for covid-19, the district said in a news release. One high school employee and two students were among...
Tarentum teen continues to provide turkeys to those in need
A Tarentum teen is doing his part to prove that hockey players are good people. Wesley Westerman, 15, started collecting turkeys for needy families last year after he read an article and saw a YouTube clip of “The Social” co-host Jessica Allen describing hockey players as conceited and rude. Wesley...
Aspinwall residents, business owners doing their part so everyone enjoys Thanksgiving
Aspinwall is experiencing a turkey trifecta of Thanksgiving generosity. Three separate groups in the borough — two close friends, business owners and a borough official — are on turkey-themed holiday mission to make Thanksgiving Day special, more convenient and meaningful for the Pittsburgh public. Friendly Turkey Time Molly O’Brien, 39,...
Allegheny County releases schedule for Springhill Road project in Harrison
A new path for people to walk and bike safely up and down Springhill Road in Harrison is now scheduled to be completed by the end of July, according to the Allegheny County Department of Public Works. Construction on the $1.3 million project is expected to start in March, public...
Lower Burrell completes $3.3 million city hall renovationVideo
Lower Burrell’s $3.3 million city hall renovation project came in close to budget and is done about six months later than its original completion date because of delays caused by the covid-19 pandemic. The renovation is readily apparent by the newly painted main city hall building, going from the outdated...
Harmar youth won’t ‘Shop with a Cop’ but program will still help kids in the region
Harmar’s fourth annual “Shop with a Cop” event will not be happening this year. Instead, children within the Allegheny Valley School District will be receiving money courtesy of Target. Organized by Harmar police, the event pairs Harmar children with township police officers to shop for toys and clothes at the...
Rupprecht family encourages Deer Lakes to implement ‘Hope Squad’ suicide prevention program
The family of a West Deer teenager who died by suicide last year wants to bring a school-based, peer-to-peer suicide prevention program to the Deer Lakes School District. “Hope Squad” was created by Gregory Hudnall, an associate superintendent with Provo City School District in Utah. For over 12 years, the...
The Stroller, Nov. 22, 2020: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Is your church or organization going to host a community holiday event? Send information to The Stroller as soon as possible to vndnews@tribweb.com. Please include a daytime telephone number. Letters from Santa offered by Vandergrift Public Library Vandergrift Public Library will send your child a personalized letter from Santa Claus...
No property tax hike in Harmar; supervisor calls for tax break in future for homeowners
While the Harmar supervisors passed its $2.7 million budget for next year with no real estate tax increase, one supervisor wants to pass a tax break to township property owners in the future. The 2021 budget includes typical increases for salaries and benefit expenses for its 17 employees, said Ian...
Pandemic forces Tarentum Area Lions to hold longtime annual fundraiser online this year
A mainstay Alle-Kiski Valley charity dinner has opted to instead hold a virtual fundraiser this year due to pandemic restrictions. The annual Jack Marino Lions Club Charity Drawing will take place online Dec. 9 via Facebook livestream. Sponsored by the Tarentum Area Lions Club, the fundraiser is traditionally a dinner...
Harrison World War II veteran celebrates 100th birthday with a bona fide paradeVideo
A slight drizzle didn’t dampen Howard Traenkner’s party on Saturday. A parade was held in his honor for his 100th birthday outside his Harrison home. There were police cars and ambulances and firetrucks. More than 60 vehicles filled with old friends and family members drove by with their windows down,...
Leechburg woman spends Thanksgiving week organizing holiday take-out dinner for 150
Jamie Rimmel never spends Thanksgiving Day in her own kitchen. Instead, she volunteers her time every year organizing and cooking a traditional Thanksgiving meal for the public at her church, Cross Roads Community Presbyterian Church in Leechburg. A free take-out Thanksgiving dinner will be offered Thursday to anyone from noon-...
The Stroller, Nov. 21, 2020: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Is your church or organization going to host a community holiday event? Send information to The Stroller as soon as possible to vndnews@tribweb.com. Please include a daytime telephone number. Fire truck parade planned in Oakmont A fire truck parade with Santa, Mrs. Claus and Chip Chip will be from noon...
Santa and Mrs. Claus to ride around Oakmont on Saturday afternoon
Oakmont residents hearing the fire sirens go off early Saturday afternoon should not panic. It’s just Santa Claus coming through town with his wife and helpers. The Oakmont Volunteer Fire Department and the Oakmont Chamber of Commerce have partnered to make the visit possible. Santa and Mrs. Claus will lead...
West Deer women facilitate free item giveaway via social media
A West Deer woman is excited to see that a post she shared on social media over the weekend attracted attention in the community. Kelly Rykaceski made a post in the West Deer/East Deer Current Events public Facebook group last Saturday encouraging community members to give away things they don’t...
Tarentum’s Manos Theater reborn as art galleryVideo
As a young artist, Ernesto Camacho Jr. had issues with people not understanding him or his paintings. “Being able to show it in a gallery was kind of tough,” said Camacho, 41, a native of the Philadelphia area who lives in Pittsburgh’s East Liberty neighborhood. “When I went to a...
Court decisions loom in tied state Senate race between Brewster-Ziccarelli
Lawyers for the campaigns of Democratic incumbent state Sen. Jim Brewster and Republican challenger Nicole Ziccarelli continued to argue in two different courts Friday over the legality more than 400 ballots cast in two counties that will swing the outcome of the tied race for the 45th District, which straddles...
Harrison officials, groups work together to install food pantry in NatronaVideo
A new, free community food pantry is available for residents in the Natrona area of Harrison. The pantry, located near the basketball court and concession stand in Natrona Community Park on River Road, is one of two that was the idea of township resident Michele Plocki and built by her...
Highlands junior donating hair to charity receives school’s first ‘Student Spotlight’ award
Highlands High School junior Kevin Gonzales is the first recipient of an award created by the school’s senior class officers to recognize students who go above and beyond what’s expected of them and set good examples. Gonzales, 17, of Brackenridge, was selected for the “Student Spotlight” award because he found...
New Kensington-Arnold considering how to find a new superintendent
New Kensington-Arnold School Board is meeting with consultants as it considers how to go about finding a new superintendent. The district’s most recent superintendent, John Pallone, resigned at the end of July. Jon Banko, previously assistant superintendent, has been serving as the district’s acting superintendent since late August. In a...
