Valley News Dispatch category, Page 553
Tarentum Station Grille delays reopening amid coronavirus surge
The owner of JG’s Tarentum Station Grille said Monday he made the difficult decision to postpone the restaurant’s reopening, which had been set for Dec. 1. The restaurant, in a historic train station in the heart of Tarentum’s business district, has remained closed since March because of the coronavirus pandemic....
Toys for Tots distribution begins in Harrison as program struggles for donationsVideo
A Toys for Tots program serving part of the Alle-Kiski Valley began distributing gifts to needy families Monday, but could use more donations and some help to make sure children have a merry Christmas. More than 630 families have signed up to receive toys from the Allegheny Valley Marine Corps...
Tarentum shooting leaves 18-year-old dead, other teen injured
The sound of gunfire, and her dog barking, woke Yvonne Scarselli in her Tarentum home around midnight Monday morning. What Scarselli heard was a shooting that left an 18-year-old man dead and another, 19, wounded. Scarselli said she heard what sounded like gunfire being exchanged near her home on Conroy...
Kiski Area High School reopens, district introduces online covid tracker
Kiski Area High School reopened Monday after a week-long closure, allowing students to attend class in person for up to four days a week. Students had moved online last week after seven cases of covid-19 were reported among students and staff. The school district had just reported two new cases...
New Kensington woman charged with firing gun into occupied hotel room in Harmar
Police arrested a New Kensington woman at a Harmar hotel last week after, they say, she fired a gun inside her hotel room during an argument and a bullet went into another occupied hotel room. Angelia Anderina Waszkiewicz, 30, remained in the Allegheny County Jail on Monday afternoon after failing...
Deer Lakes switches to fully remote learning as covid-19 cases rise
Deer Lakes has moved to fully online learning in response to rising covid-19 cases in Allegheny County and a shortage of teachers. Students will learn remotely until at least Monday, Dec. 7, according to district spokeswoman Coby Detar. Deer Lakes includes the Allegheny County communities of East Deer, West Deer...
O’Hara residents not likely to see property tax increase in 2021
O’Hara residents aren’t likely to see any property tax increase next year after council approved its tentative 2021 budget. The plan totals $13.9 million and maintains a tax rate of 2.1 mills. If approved, the owner of a home assessed at $100,000 will again pay $210. Council is expected to...
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...
