Valley News Dispatch category, Page 606
Long before JLo, A-Rod or FloJo, New Kensington had NoJo
Editor’s note: The original online version of this story inadvertently used a photo of a different Ken-Hi player. Long before athletes and celebrities were known by the first few letters of their names — J-Lo, A-Rod, FloJo — New Kensington had NoJo. Nolan “NoJo” Jones Jr., star of the 1957...
Armstrong County 911 centers back in service
Armstrong County 911 call centers are back online, after being down for about two hours Thursday. The call centers were not available to take any calls from around noon to 2 p.m., a county dispatcher said. A dispatcher wasn’t able to identify the cause of the problem, but said it...
Arnold man pleads guilty to fentanyl distribution, overdose death, faces lengthy federal sentence
An Arnold man pleaded guilty in federal court this week to distributing the fentanyl that caused the death of a Westmoreland County man, according to court filings. Jarrel Williams, 32, accepted responsibility during a Tuesday plea hearing for the Jan. 17, 2017, death of a 33-year-old man who federal prosecutors...
The Stroller, Feb. 13, 2020: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
The Stroller is your go-to place for local charitable events and volunteer opportunities. Information for The Stroller may be dropped off or mailed at least a week in advance to: The Stroller, Valley News Dispatch, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084, email vndnews@tribweb.com or fax 724-226-4677. Building Block of Natrona...
Police: Car picked up at Lower Burrell garage catches fire in Tarentum
A man’s car caught fire Wednesday night in Tarentum less than a half hour after he picked it up from a Lower Burrell repair shop, Tarentum police said. Officers responded to a car fire at Nick Chevrolet along West Seventh Avenue around 6:50 p.m. The man had pulled into the...
Arnold mayor asks public to cooperate with unsolved homicide investigation
Arnold police Chief Eric Doutt said Wednesday that he had no updates on the investigation into the death of a Brackenridge man in an Arnold apartment last month. Michael Coover Jr., 33, of Brackenridge was found shot to death in a 17th Street apartment Jan. 16. Police identified Mario Matthew...
Arnold City Council lays off public works employee with an email vote
Arnold City Council this week ratified a vote to lay off a public works employee and approve seeking another. There was nothing unusual about the action council took Tuesday except, perhaps, for the voting method. It was done by email. The email vote was initiated by Councilman Adam Zweig on...
Missing kayaker identified as former Armstrong County woman
A woman who went missing while kayaking in West Virginia on Sunday was identified by authorities Wednesday, but crews said they have been unable to recover her body because of water conditions. West Virginia Natural Resources Police identified the woman as Jamie Gray, 41, of Hacker Valley, W.Va. Gray’s personal...
Arnold clerk Bellavia named city administrator
Arnold has a new city administrator, but not a new employee. Mario Bellavia, who was hired as city clerk in 2018 — the same year council eliminated the administrator’s position — has been appointed city administrator. Council on Tuesday unanimously approved establishing the authority, powers, duties and responsibilities of the...
Rahmael Holt officially sent to death row for killing New Kensington Officer Brian Shaw
Rahmael Holt simply said “no” when asked Wednesday whether he had anything to say before his death sentence was formally imposed. Holt, 31, of Harrison, Allegheny County, officially became the 133rd person on Pennsylvania’s death row when he was condemned to death by lethal injection for shooting and killing New...
Rare painted bunting captivates birdwatchers in O’HaraVideo
One of North America’s most gorgeous birds, aglow in the outrageous color combination of red, blue and yellow-green, has showed up at a bird feeder in O’Hara Township — a rarity for Pennsylvania. About 400 bird-watchers have stopped by the O’Hara neighborhood to see the rare visitor the size of...
Arnold approves ordinance allowing backyard fires — with a permit, under certain rules
Arnold Council has approved an ordinance allowing and regulating burning in the city. Under the ordinance, fires at residences must be in a container no more than 3 feet in diameter and at least 2 feet tall. Containers for fires must be at least 15 feet from structures. Open fires...
The Stroller, Feb. 12, 2020: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
The Stroller is your go-to place for local charitable events and volunteer opportunities. Information for The Stroller may be dropped off or mailed at least a week in advance to: The Stroller, Valley News Dispatch, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084, email vndnews@tribweb.com or fax 724-226-4677. Great Backyard Bird Count...
Highlands appealing Heights Plaza assessment reduction
Highlands School District is appealing an assessment reduction that slashed nearly $11 million from the value of Heights Plaza in Harrison. If it stands, the change in value of four parcels making up the plaza, from $17.3 million to $6.6 million, would cost the school district $260,000 in revenue each...
PennDOT plans traffic restrictions in West Deer
Lanes restrictions will be in place along a portion of Route 910 in West Deer on Wednesday and Thursday, according to PennDOT. Traffic will be restricted to a single alternating lane from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day between Middle Road and Middle Road Extension. Flaggers will direct motorists....
Allegheny Township approves cell tower near Blair Farm
A communications tower soon will be raised in Allegheny Township. Supervisors voted unanimously Monday night to allow Verizon Wireless to install a communications tower on property owned by Edwin and Jill Morrison, also known as the Blair Farm. The township held a public hearing on Jan. 13 to take testimony...
Lower Burrell cleans up rocks spread with road salt
Lower Burrell brought out its road sweeper recently to clean up small rocks inadvertently spread across many of the city’s streets during last week’s snowfall. “It was mixed in with the salt and when the salt crews loaded their vehicles, they could not see the rocks in the mix,” said...
Scholarship enables Highlands students to learn from artists around the world
Teresa Emeloff’s classroom at Highlands High School is a factory of creativity. Her art room is adorned from floor to ceiling in the work of her students, including graduates who have left their mark — some quite literally, as handprints on the wall. “I’m super passionate about the arts,” said...
The Stroller, Feb. 11, 2020: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
The Stroller is your go-to place for local charitable events and volunteer opportunities. Information for The Stroller may be dropped off or mailed at least a week in advance to: The Stroller, Valley News Dispatch, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084, email vndnews@tribweb.com or fax 724-226-4677. River City Brass Band...
Highlands ‘reflection room’ showing early success, administrators report
An experiment to turn discipline into a learning opportunity is having some early success in the Highlands School District, according to administrators. Samantha Perlik, principal of Highlands Early Childhood Center and former elementary school principal, and middle school Principal Kimberly Price gave a presentation to the school board Monday on...
More than 300 West Penn customers in A-K Valley lose power after truck takes down poles
More than 300 West Penn Power customers were left in the dark Monday morning after a dump truck took out multiple utility poles in Harmar, officials said. West Penn Power spokesman Todd Meyers said the incident happened shortly after 6:20 a.m. in the 1200 block of Russellton Road. Meyers said...
Cellar Works Brewing plans 2nd location at Winfield’s Cooper Station RestaurantVideo
A new business is brewing in Winfield Township. A large digital sign outside of Cooper Station Restaurant, which closed abruptly and without notice to the public in 2019, hints “Something is brewing” to passing motorists along Route 356. Cellar Works Brewing Co. owners confirmed plans are underway to open a...
A-K Valley SWAT team operational after delays last year
A new special response team made up of officers from several police departments in the Alle-Kiski Valley is up and running and has been deployed twice this year. The team’s first dispatch was a high-risk search warrant in New Kensington in early January, said Thomas Seefeld, chief of the Murrysville...
Arnold boy’s November shooting death was accident, medical examiner rules
A 15-year-boy died after accidentally shooting himself at a Harrison residence in November, according to a ruling issued Monday by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office. Machi Douthett was pronounced dead at 8:50 p.m. Nov. 10 at a house on Spruce Street, the medical examiner’s office said. An obituary for...
Harrison girl raises $3,300 for New Kensington police dog
Elementary-schooler Kaley Bastine is celebrating her latest successful event to raise money for police dogs in the Alle-Kiski Valley. On Saturday night, the Harrison girl hosted a candy fundraiser at Bird Dogs Sports Bar & Grill in Harrison and raised more than $3,300, according to her mom, Jamie Bastine. The...
