Valley News Dispatch category, Page 573
Natrona man survives near-drowning on Allegheny River in Plum
Cliff Jones isn’t second-guessing his decision to buy a kayak on Friday. What he does regret is nearly drowning Saturday on the Allegheny River and throwing a scare into the people who came to his rescue. Jones, a 55-year-old property manager from the Natrona neighborhood of Harrison, took his new...
Vandergrift pool closed due to possible covid-19 exposure
Residents of Vandergrift will have to find new ways to beat the heat for the time being. Vandergrift’s Joseph A. Petrarca Pool is closed, at least temporarily, due to a pool employee possibly being exposed to covid-19. “To be clear, this is not a confirmed case but rather a possible...
The Stroller, July 11, 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 or The Stroller, Valley News Dispatch, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number. Concordia Ministries to hold Kids’ Fishing Days Concordia Lutheran Ministries...
Oakmont adds email option to alert system
Oakmont officials recently added an email option to the borough’s alert system in an effort to reach more residents. The borough last year launched a free mobile phone text alert notification to provide emergency and nonemergency communications to residents and businesses. Borough Manager Scot Fodi said they added another option...
Details released for Rise Up Against Racism event Sunday at Lower Burrell’s Kotecki Park
Details were released Friday for the Rise Up Against Racism event from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday in Lower Burrell’s Derek Kotecki Memorial Park. Coordinated by Trista Armstrong, 17, of Upper Burrell, the free event, which she is calling an educational event and not a protest, will feature a...
Deadline extended to submit name corrections for Harrison World War II memorial
Delays in the restoration of Harrison’s World War II Honor Roll memorial brought on by the covid-19 pandemic are allowing more time to make sure its names are spelled correctly. “Since there has been a delay, we have extended the time period where residents can check the accuracy of the...
Allegheny Valley Regional Police force moves office over covid-19 concerns
The Allegheny Valley Regional Police moved its office from the Springdale Township municipal building to Cheswick’s borough building as a precaution to prevent the spread of covid-19 and to make more room for other township employees. “This is more a shift to an office than a move,” said Michael Girardi,...
The Stroller, July 10, 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 or The Stroller, Valley News Dispatch, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number. Annual St. Joseph golf fundraiser set for Sept. 18 The...
Market Street Pizza in Leechburg opens successfully amid coronavirus pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating effect on businesses across the country, including local restaurants like the Twisted Thistle in Leechburg. But instead of looking outside the box, owners Joe Hesketh and Linda Alworth looked inside the box — literally. On June 22, the pair opened Market Street Pizza...
Riverview High School students teach youngsters worldly lessons before graduating
Four Riverview High School graduates were able to leave their international mark on school district youngsters before leaving to take on the world. Marina Pietz, Francesca Lio, Mikaela Colins and Emily Pietragallo each earned a Global Scholars Certificate through the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia this past school year. They...
Tarentum updating law that assesses $50 fee for ‘excessive’ police calls
Tarentum residents who make excessive calls to police could find themselves paying for them. Council is considering updating a 14-year-old ordinance that imposes a $50 charge for each police response in excess of three every 30 days to the same location. Although the ordinance already exists, Borough Manager Michael Nestico...
Deer Lakes cancels in-person commencement amid latest coronavirus-related restrictions
Deer Lakes School District has canceled its Class of 2020 in-person commencement. The event was scheduled for July 16, but had to be canceled due to coronavirus-related restrictions recently imposed by the Allegheny County Health Department, which limited gatherings of more than 50 people for two weeks to help mitigate...
The Stroller, July 9, 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 or The Stroller, Valley News Dispatch, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number. Community Library adds local history department Community Library of Allegheny...
Freeport Theatre Festival opens 31st season Friday with pandemic safety protocols in place
The curtain will go up at the Freeport Theatre Festival for a 31st year. This season, there will be noticeable changes at the summer barn theater. Because of the coronavirus pandemic the Allegheny Township theater will seat fewer people. The usual meet-and-greet sessions with actors won’t be taking place. “We...
Vandergrift councilwoman gets no support in quest to form a shade tree commission
Vandergrift Council isn’t interested in starting a shade tree commission. Councilwoman Karen McClarnon, head of the council’s tree and light committee, asked council on Monday to formally establish such a commission. No other council member agreed to move forward with the idea at its virtual meeting. Shade tree commissions are...
Preliminary hearings continued to Sept. 4 for defendants in death of Oakmont toddler
The preliminary hearings for three Oakmont residents accused of the physical and psychological torture, and eventual death, of a toddler have been continued to September, according to court records. Jose Salazar-Ortiz Sr., 29, and Laura Ramriez, 27, were charged June 24 with homicide, criminal conspiracy, aggravated assault of a child,...
Fox Chapel Area School District weighing in-person, online learning scenarios
Fox Chapel Area students could start the new school year from home, learning online with instruction from district teachers. Or, students could return to the six campuses and be mandated to wear masks in the classroom and socially distance from others in the buildings. Officials this week announced several scenarios...
Tarentum to have all full-time police force after promoting 2 part-timers
Tarentum Council has promoted two part-time borough police officers to full-time status. Officers Jordan Schrecengost and Jeremy Belusar will go full-time on Aug. 1. They have been with the department for about a year each. Belusar started on July 12, 2019; Schrecengost on Aug. 30, 2019, according to borough Manager...
Bridge work to restrict traffic on Route 28 in Harmar
Two lanes of northbound Route 28 in Harmar will be closed from Wednesday night into Thursday morning, PennDOT announced. The lanes are scheduled to be closed in the area of the Hite Road bridge over Route 28 from 7 p.m. Wednesday to 10 a.m. Thursday while crews work on the...
Tarentum to resume utility shutoffs Aug. 1
Tarentum will resume shutting off water and electric services for customers who aren’t paying their bills on Aug. 1. Council on Tuesday approved a resolution stating it will no longer voluntarily comply with a March 13 emergency order from the state Public Utility Commission prohibiting utilities from being shut off...
The Stroller, July 8, 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 or The Stroller, Valley News Dispatch, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number. Free webinar to explore how to operate a small business...
Fire damages 2 homes in ArnoldVideo
A vacant Arnold house is believed to be a total loss, and neighboring family was displaced from their home as a result of a fire Tuesday night, officials said. Firefighters from Arnold, New Kensington, Lower Burrell and Murrysville responded shortly before 8:30 p.m. for the blazeat 1616 Fourth Ave. in...
Lower Burrell Eagle Scout recognized for creating fitness stations
A Lower Burrell councilman and others surprised Eagle Scout Scott Fennell when they stopped by his high school graduation party to proclaim Sunday as Scott Fennell Day. They honored the teen for his volunteer Eagle Scout project constructing four outdoor work-out stations in the city’s Officer Derek Kotecki Memorial Park....
Bayernhof Museum in O’Hara closes for 2nd time amid rise in Allegheny County covid-19 cases
One of the Lower Valley’s most unique attractions has shut down for the second time after a rise in covid-19 cases in Allegheny County. Bayernhof Museum in O’Hara posted Monday on its Facebook page that the eclectic facility will be closed temporarily. “We will open back up but for now...
Adaptive bikes, strollers, devices unlock new potential for Westmoreland County childrenVideo
Aiden Rogers beamed Tuesday morning as his mother Melissa Burke helped him into the bright green adaptive bike that is destined to become a new friend. The 10-year-old Greensburg boy, who will be a fifth grader this fall at Clairview School in Hempfield, battles multiple challenges every day. In the...
