Valley News Dispatch category, Page 563
Deer Lakes students to tentatively return to full-time, in-person instruction in NovemberVideo
After strong demand from parents, the Deer Lakes School District on Tuesday voted to reinstate full-time, in-person learning. Students will be able to return to school full-time tentatively starting Nov. 9. “I’m begging you as our leaders to please, please think hard and get these kids back in the school...
Allegheny Valley School Board votes against expanded classroom learning for K-6 students
The Allegheny Valley School Board this week rejected a proposal by Superintendent Pat Graczyk to return Acmetonia Elementary School students to in-person classroom learning four days a week. The board voted 9-0 against the proposal Tuesday night. If the plan had been approved, K-6 students would have come back to...
Leechburg fire company to host food truck festival this weekend
Another food truck festival is coming to Leechburg. Oktober Fest 2020, sponsored by Leechburg Volunteer Fire Company, will be Saturday on the fire company grounds on Canal Street. The second mobile food-themed fundraiser comes on the heels of the inaugural food truck festival hosted last month, said Brian Scott, president...
The Stroller, Oct. 21, 2020: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Is your church or organization going to host a free Thanksgiving Dinner? Send information to The Stroller at least a week in advance to vndnews@tribweb.com. Please include a daytime telephone number. Clothing, household items being collected Women of Alle-Kiski Engaging, a division of the Alle Kiski Strong Chamber, is conducting...
2nd Deer Lakes staffer tests positive for covid-19
A Deer Lakes High School staff member has tested positive for covid-19, spokeswoman Coby Detar said. The district released a statement about the case on Tuesday. The statement did not identify the infected individual other than to say its a high school staff member. “We cannot divulge the names of...
Kiski Area school board discusses covid transmission in county, preparations for more in-person learning
Kiski Area School District is still preparing to offer four days of in-person instruction, but the district is ready for a return to remote learning if needed, Superintendent Tim Scott said during a virtual school board meeting Monday. Westmoreland County on Monday moved to the highest level of community transmission...
Police: New Kensington man threatened woman with gun, ran from police
New Kensington police arrested a man after a Tuesday morning foot chase who allegedly threatened a woman with a gun. District Judge Frank Pallone Jr. ordered Malachi Supreme Hayes, 23, held without bail in the Westmoreland County Prison to ensure his appearance at a preliminary hearing and because he is...
Highland Tire to pay Highlands $19K to advertise at district sports facilities
Highland Tire will pay Highlands School District $19,000 to place advertising signs at district athletic facilities. The school board unanimously approved the five-year advertising agreement at its meeting Monday. Highland Tire is the first business to place advertising at the the district’s athletic facilities, business Manager Lori Byron said. The...
Police looking for West Leechburg man accused of North Apollo assault
Kiski police are searching for a West Leechburg man they say assaulted a North Apollo resident and stole their vehicle early Tuesday morning. Investigators say Randy Dean McGuire, 30, and Lisa Marie Alsippi, 41, of Saltsburg, worked together to assault the victim and steal the vehicle. Both are charged with...
Police: Tarentum man strangled woman, set clothes on fire
A Tarentum man is accused of strangling a woman and setting a fire in their apartment late Monday. Borough police charged Othniel Lavelle Lineburg II, 34, with strangulation and causing or risking a catastrophe, both felony offenses, along with a misdemeanor count of simple assault and summary charges of harassment,...
Biden-Harris caravan, rally planned in Alle-Kiski Valley
A caravan and rally are being held in the Alle-Kiski Valley this weekend in an attempt to drive up support for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his running mate, U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris. Harrison’s Rachel Miller created a Facebook group called “Local Biden-Harris Rally” to drum up support for...
The Stroller, Oct. 20, 2020: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Is your non-profit organization going to have a fundraiser? Send information to The Stroller at least a week in advance to vndnews@tribweb.com. Please include a daytime telephone number. Pasta dinner to benefit Children’s Free Care Fund The Allegheny and Kiski Valley offices of Howard Hanna along with Villa Ballanca Restaurant...
More than 100 Highlands students returning to partial in-person instruction
More than 100 Highlands School District students who started the school year remotely because of the covid-19 pandemic will be returning to schools for the start of the second nine-week period, Superintendent Monique Mawhinney said. Nearly 40 students will be going the other way, opting for the district’s fully online...
Democrat Tony DeLoreto challenges incumbent Republican Joe Pittman in 41st Senate District
State Sen. Joe Pittman, R-Indiana, is facing his first reelection challenge just 16 months after being sworn in to represent the 41st Senate District. Democrat Tony DeLoreto, a restaurateur from Indiana, is looking to knock off Pittman. Pittman has been representing the district since June 2019 after winning a special...
Police: New Kensington man found with stolen gun he claimed to have taken from a child
Tarentum police said they recovered a gun reported stolen from Stowe after stopping a man they saw riding a dirt bike on a borough road late Sunday night. The man, Brydon Williams-Chambers, 19, of New Kensington allegedly told police he had taken the gun from a child in New Kensington...
2 staff members at Kiski Area High School test positive for covid-19
Two staff members at Kiski Area High School have tested positive for covid-19, according to a letter sent to district families Monday. The Department of Health has been contacted and quarantine and isolation procedures are in place. The high school will remain open, the letter from Superintendent Tim Scott said....
Pittsburgh Mills mall complex under boil water notice after water main break
The Pittsburgh Mills mall complex in Frazer is under a boil water notice because of a water main break, the Fawn-Frazer Joint Water Authority said Monday. Authority Chairman Ed Adams said the water break was caused by a damaged hydrant behind the former Best Buy store at the Village At...
At Oakmont Bakery, the presidential ‘cookie poll’ tradition continues (just for fun)
In what might be the most appetizing part of the 2020 presidential election, Oakmont Bakery is producing patriotic cookies emblazoned with portraits of candidates Joe Biden and President Donald Trump. A dozen runs $24. The sugar cookies are iced with an image of either Biden surrounded by blue stars or...
The Stroller, Oct. 19, 2020: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Is your non-profit organization going to have a fundraiser? Send information to The Stroller at least a week in advance to vndnews@tribweb.com. Please include a daytime telephone number. Online raffle to benefit HOPE Center The Alle-Kiski HOPE Center is hosting an online raffle online through Friday on its Facebook page...
Police: Harrison officers arrest fugitive trying to swim away in Allegheny River
A Harrison police officer took a dip in the Allegheny River last week, having to chase a warrant suspect into the water to make an arrest, according to a criminal complaint. Police arrested Curtis Sims, 30, of Harrison’s Natrona section, on Oct. 13. He faces charges of flight to avoid...
West Deer supervisors to choose among 10 candidates to fill Shawn Maudhuit’s seat
The West Deer supervisors on Wednesday interviewed 10 residents interested in filling the seat formerly held by the late Shawn Maudhuit. The candidates are Anthony Spagnolo, David Oleniacz, Jennifer Mann, Robert Roth, Jim Cesnick, Collin Smith, Toby Kreidler, Brian Levec, Matthew Brudnok and Jay Fraser. All live in the township....
Former popular Leechburg restaurant slated to tax sale next month
A former restaurant in Leechburg remains unsold and is now up for public auction as the result of delinquent taxes. The former Pappy’s restaurant, located at 81-83 Second St., closed last year. The property, built in 1949, originally was listed for $185,000 last November by Coldwell Banker. The price has...
Student petitions Deer Lakes to continue hybrid learning
A Deer Lakes High School senior has started a petition asking district officials to continue hybrid learning. Connor D. Sharo, who mounted the petition drive on SumOfUs, said hybrid is the best way for students to continue receiving in-person instruction while remaining socially distant. “If Deer Lakes School District were...
Frazer seeking emergency management coordinator
Frazer is looking for a new emergency management coordinator. Supervisors said the current emergency management coordinator, Jacob Eckberg, is moving out of the township in December. “He did a good job,” Supervisor Lori Ziencik said. Eckberg has been Frazer’s emergency management coordinator since April 2017. He also serves as assistant...
West Deer district judge will accept letters to Santa to spread holiday cheer
District Judge Tom Swan wanted to add some cheer to an otherwise depressing year. That’s why he’s trading in his judge’s gavel for a Santa hat. Well, not really. OK, maybe a little. Swan decided his West Deer court office would be the perfect place to accept letters to Santa...
