Valley News Dispatch category, Page 615
Springdale man accused of DUI said, ‘If I want to drive through the house, I will,’ court docs show
A Springdale man is accused of drunken driving and intentionally crashing through the garage door attached to his North Street house Thursday night. Anthony Hallo, 65, is facing numerous charges, including causing or risking a catastrophe. The 11:50 p.m. collision and fire posed a danger to Hallo’s wife inside the...
Pittsburgh Reptile Show at Cheswick’s Harmar House lets visitors get up close
There aren’t many places you can go to pet a snake, but here you can touch hundreds. The Pittsburgh Reptile Show and Sale is held every month at the Harmar House in Cheswick. It brings together thousands of reptiles — from snakes to lizards to frogs — all in one...
The Stroller, Jan. 10, 2020: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Christmas tree recycling offered Allegheny County is offering its annual Christmas tree recycling program from 8 a.m. to dusk through Tuesday at all nine regional parks. Local parks include: • Boyce Park, Plum: soccer fields parking lot • Deer Lakes Park, West Deer: Veterans Shelter parking lot • Harrison Hills...
No bird feeder, no problem: Bluebirds live on feeder webcam in Murrysville
Not everyone can have a bird feeder, let alone one that attracts the pretty, prized birds like Eastern bluebirds. Without so much a kernel of corn or a sunflower seed, residents can take a nature break to watch all the action at a live webcam trained on six feeders and...
Meals on Wheels rolls on in Freeport-Saxonburg areaVideo
Three days a week, Dan Heilman spends about an hour delivering meals to recipients of the Freeport Area Meals on Wheels. He pays for the gas, donates his time and enjoys the weekly project. “My wife, Dawn, died five years ago. It’s me and my cat,” the 80-year-old retired doctor...
Revamped West Deer board meets for 1st time
Arlind Karpuzi was sworn in this week as the first chairman of the revamped board of supervisors in West Deer. Township voters in a 2018 referendum chose to reduce the board’s size from seven members to five. The change took effect this year. Other members sworn in this week include...
New Lower Burrell councilwoman sworn in; council meeting dates changed
A new mayor and council member who were elected last year in Lower Burrell were sworn in during a reorganization meeting Monday. A political newcomer, Rosina Albanese, 27, was sworn into office Monday by Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Chris Scherer. The city’s new mayor, John Andrejcik, also was sworn...
Clean up of Pittsburgh Glass Works site in East Deer could take years, new owner saysVideo
The company that purchased the former Pittsburgh Glass Works plant in East Deer says it has no definitive plans for the property but is working to clean up the site as an underground fire continues to burn out. “We saw an opportunity to purchase that property, and basically, because of...
The Stroller, Jan. 9, 2020: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
HOPE Center seeking volunteers The Alle-Kiski Area HOPE Center has many opportunities for volunteers to help the organization in its quest to eliminate domestic violence. Volunteers are needed to work with children, drive to Pittsburgh to courier food to Tarentum, organize events, present programs in schools and assist in the...
Apollo starts new citizens’ advisory board and public relations committee
The newest member of Apollo Borough Council is heading up a new citizens’ advisory board and public relations committee. Apollo’s newest council member isn’t really so new. Jen Mullins was appointed to council late last year to fill the seat of Diane Bradshaw, who resigned in November shortly after winning...
Allegheny Township resident remembered as hard-working, talented
Sue Hartford was constantly working on something. Her husband, Kevin Hartford, said she continued walking their dog regularly, even when she was wearing a chemo pump. She kept playing tennis and golf until last summer. She completed her final audio project for a client last Jan. 1, before going to...
Cheswick looking to fill empty council seat
Cheswick Council is looking to appoint someone to fill an empty two-year seat. Michael Girardi, who won two seats in the Nov. 5 election, said Monday during a council reorganization meeting that he would take the seat he won with a four-year term. That leaves the two-year seat he won...
Alleged drunken driver accused of ramming Harmar police car
A suspected drunken driver allegedly drove into oncoming traffic in Harmar — right at the police car summoned to look for her. Police say Michele Sweet, 52, of West Deer, missed the patrol car driven by Officer Ryan Valasek that time, but not long afterward tried to ram it. Valasek...
Allegheny Technologies seeks tariff exclusion as USW contract talks begin
The CEO of a Pittsburgh-based specialty steel producer that operates 10 plants in the region and others across the country is lobbying federal officials for an exclusion to the 25% tariff on imported steel that’s been imposed by the Trump administration. “We can’t allow our hardworking Pennsylvania employees to be...
Harrison mom proud, worried about son’s Army deployment to Afghanistan
Devin Myers was determined to serve his country, and nothing was going to stop him. The decision is one that brings a sense of worry — and extreme pride — to his mother, Kathy. Devin Myers, 20, is a member of the 420th Engineer Company (Clearance), U.S. Army Reserve, based...
New Arnold mayor sets sights on fixing city’s ‘horrible’ roads
New Arnold Mayor Joseph Bia’s assessment Monday of the city’s top priority remained unchanged since he defeated former Mayor Karen Peconi last May. “Our roads are horrible,” Bia said. “Many of them have fallen into disrepair.” Getting them repaired is the challenge facing Bia and city council members because the...
Construction set to start in spring on Harrison senior living development
Construction on a $10 million senior independent living facility in Harrison will start by May, the project’s developer said. Harrison’s planning commission gave final approval for the development plans for Riverview Senior Living at the former Highlands School District administration building on 11th Avenue. Work will take about 14 months...
The Stroller, Jan. 8, 2020: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Volunteers needed at Allegheny Valley Hospital Allegheny Valley Hospital is recruiting volunteers to join the lobby escort, information desk and surgical reception teams. Orientation and training are required and provided. Volunteers must be at least 16 years old. Apply online at or contact Kim at 724-226-7370 or avhvol@ahn.org. Calendar...
Police: Tarentum homeowner chases burglars, uses discarded phone to call 911
A Tarentum homeowner interrupted a burglary at his Corbet Street home Tuesday morning and then used his cellphone to call 911 after one of the burglary suspects threw the phone into a yard as the homeowner gave chase, according to police. Joshua Michael Such, 19, of New Kensington and a...
Brothers camp for charity inside Sprankle’s Neighborhood Markets
Two brothers and business partners are camping for charity at Sprankle’s Neighborhood Markets. Doug and Ryan Sprankle own the markets in Leechburg and Kittanning. They’re known for their store promotional antics on social media. Both set up tents inside their respective stores for their latest venture. Ryan owns the Kittanning...
Leechburg Area School District moves drop-off area to accommodate fire department
Leechburg Area School District parents and bus drivers will no longer be allowed to drop off students before school in front of the high school cafeteria on Siberian Avenue, district officials said Tuesday. Officials said that drop-off area causes traffic backups on First Street, and those backups could prevent firefighters...
New Lower Burrell mayor appoints brother-in-law as acting police chief
One of John Andrejcik’s first official acts after being sworn in as Lower Burrell’s new mayor Monday night was to appoint brother-in-law John Marhefka as the city’s acting police chief. When asked after Monday’s council reorganization meeting whether making move could represent a conflict of interest, Andrejcik said, “Absolutely not.”...
Trial delayed for Greensburg man charged in Vandergrift woman’s death
The trial for a Greensburg man charged with the beating and strangulation death of a Vandergrift woman two years ago will begin in April. Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Tim Krieger on Tuesday granted a defense request to delay the trial for Walter W. Cable by two months. The...
PennDOT driver cited in connection with Fawn crash
Police cited a PennDOT salt truck driver who they said drove into the path of a station wagon Monday morning in Fawn. John Graham, 36, of McKeesport failed to yield to oncoming traffic about 6:40 a.m. when he turned left from a Route 28 exit ramp onto Bull Creek Road, according...
Vacant land in Allegheny Township’s Town Center for sale at $750,000
Approximately 13 acres of mixed-use or commercial land are for sale in Allegheny Township’s Town Center shopping plaza. The land is listed by the real estate firm Avison Young and is near Giant Eagle and the township’s now-closed Peebles and Kmart buildings. The land has changed hands a few times...
