Valley News Dispatch category, Page 634
Freeport Area School Board adds 2 newcomers, returns 3
Two political newcomers led voting to win seats on the nine-member Freeport Area School Board, according to unofficial election results. Republican Greg Selinger, 40, and cross-filed candidate Adam Toncini, 36, will join cross-filed incumbents Frank Prazenica Jr., 72, and Melanie Bolinger, 48, and Michael Huth, 68, on the board for...
Newcomer wins 6-way race for Allegheny Valley School Board
The prospect of revisiting the fate of Colfax Elementary ranked among the top issues for five candidates elected Tuesday to Allegheny Valley School Board. The five winners included two newcomers, a former board member and two incumbents, according to unofficial results. The winners included Paula J. Moretti, a cross-registered newcomer...
3 incumbents, 2 newcomers claim victories in Deer Lakes School Board race
Three incumbents and two political newcomers won seats on Deer Lakes School Board in Tuesday’s election, knocking a fourth incumbent out of office, according to unofficial election results. Cross-filed newcomer Cristy McCloskey, 46, of West Deer, emerged as the top vote-getter with 19.9% of the votes counted, the results showed....
Republican Michael Korns unseats Democrat Joseph Ferguson in Allegheny Township
An Indiana University of Pennsylvania professor will represent Allegheny Township as supervisor after beating out a longtime elected official for an open seat in Tuesday’s election. Republican Mike Korns collected 58.7% of the votes counted compared to Democrat Joe Ferguson’s 41%, according to the county’s unofficial election results. There were...
Man remains hospitalized after Vandergrift shooting
Authorities are investigating a shooting that happened Tuesday in Vandergrift. A 20-year-old man was recovering Wednesday after being shot once in the leg, according to Vandergrift police Chief Joe Caporali. Caporali said the shooting was reported around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in Franklin Park. The 20-year-old man was found a short...
Day 3: Witness testifies he twice saw Rahmael Holt with a gun
A man who shared a house with accused New Kensington cop killer Rahmael Holt testified Wednesday that he twice saw Holt with a gun. Michael Luffey, 35, was the lead witness to testify for the prosecution on the third day of Holt’s capital murder trial before Westmoreland County President Judge...
Man says in lawsuit that Arnold police beat him up, violated civil rights
A Verona man contends in a federal lawsuit that two Arnold officers beat him up after responding to a burglary call that he had nothing to do with in 2018. Matthew Heyl, 28, and his attorneys filed the lawsuit Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh against the officers, the...
The Stroller, Nov. 6, 2019: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Apollo-Ridge Area Food Bank seeks donations November is Turkey Month at Apollo-Ridge Area Food Bank. The food bank is seeking donations to help provide grocery gift certificates for Christmas dinner for Apollo-area families in need. Donations of any amount are appreciated. If you would like to help, send donations to:...
Schrock, Doutt win contested seats on New Kensington-Arnold School Board
An incumbent won his fourth term on the New Kensington-Arnold School Board in Tuesday’s election, and four members of a group that banded together to bring change to the board also claimed victories, according to unofficial results. Cross-filed challenger Terry Schrock collected 39.9% of the votes cast and incumbent Eric...
Fabry, Albanese win council seats in Lower Burrell
A cross-filed incumbent and Republican challenger were the top two vote-getters Tuesday in a race for Lower Burrell Council, leaving the city’s former longtime solicitor as the odd candidate out, according to unofficial election results. Chris Fabry, the incumbent, was the top vote-getter with 41.7% of the votes cast, while...
Sentencing delayed in Armstrong County sex assault case involving former fire chief
New evidence that a police officer may have improperly questioned a witness before the trial of a former East Franklin fire chief and Applewold councilman accused of sexually assaulting a child prompted the defense attorney on the case to ask for an acquittal. Attorney Marc Daffner said he suspected a...
Homeless man accused of Tarentum burglary
Police accused a homeless man of stealing about 30 pieces of mostly gold jewelry from a residence along Tarentum’s Third Avenue last month. Mark Bachman, 51, was arraigned Monday night. Police say Bachman once lived near the house that was burglarized. Officers found that someone had broken a basement window...
Freeport officials hope South Buffalo can shoulder some sewage plant costs
Freeport Borough is hoping to bring in a partner to share the burgeoning costs of its new sewage treatment plant. Borough officials will contact South Buffalo supervisors to ask if that township would be interested in having its sewage treated at the new plant. Freeport officials found out last week...
Lower Burrell holds the line on taxes for 2020
Lower Burrell council unanimously agreed to no real estate tax increase in the city’s 2020 preliminary budget of $10.97 million during city council’s Monday night meeting. A Lower Burrell homeowner assessed at $18,210 would continue to pay $414 in real estate taxes to the city in 2020. Councilman Chris Fabry,...
Your CBD Store opens in Harrison with mission to educate
Humans aren’t the only ones using CBD — a compound found in the cannabis plant — to help relieve pain and other problems. Dogs and cats are, too. That’s one thing Wade Timmerson and Mark McCloud learned when they opened Your CBD Store in Harrison. “Dogs are afraid of lightning,...
$7M Lower Burrell pump station upgrade could lead to sewage rate increases
The Chartiers pump station upgrade project in Lower Burrell is expected to cost about $7 million causing a rate increase for city residents at some point in the future. Exactly when and how much of a rate increase is not yet known, according to city officials. The Lower Burrell Municipal...
Driver of SUV stopped night New Kensington Officer Brian Shaw was fatally shot testifies during trial’s 2nd day
Rahmael Holt jumped from an SUV the night he allegedly shot New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw because its driver wouldn’t let him hide his gun in the vehicle, according to testimony Tuesday on the second day of Holt’s trial in Westmoreland County. Tavon Harper, 29, the driver of the...
The Stroller, Nov. 5, 2019: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Veterans Day Races set for Saturday in Buffalo Township The ninth annual Buffalo Township Veterans Day Races will be Saturday at the Butler-Freeport Community Trail trailhead at Monroe Road. There will be a certified 10K and 5K, and a two-mile Fun Run/Walk. All three events will be on a level...
Lower Burrell Council race features 2 familiar faces and a fresh one
The race for Lower Burrell’s open two seats on city council pits two Democrats, an incumbent and a longtime attorney, against a young Republican. Residents can cast their ballots during Tuesday’s general election for the two four-year terms. The three candidates all say they want a lean city budget, but...
Pickup truck hit by train in Cheswick; man taken to hospitalVideo
One person was injured when a train struck a pickup Monday afternoon near Rachel Carson Park in Cheswick, then pushed the vehicle for nearly a mile before coming to rest, police said. The male driver of the lime-green truck was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital. The man was...
Parklet planned to mark Freeport’s history as canal port town
Plans to develop a small park recalling Freeport’s past as a port on the Pennsylvania Canal are moving forward. Two members of the Freeport Renaissance Association, Karen Lindbergh and Mary Bowlin, outlined plans for the Canal Park to Freeport Council last week. Lindbergh, the association’s vice president, presented a rough...
Small ATI locomotive leaves tracks but doesn’t block Norfolk Southern trafficVideo
A small locomotive used to pull rail cars between ATI’s two plants in Harrison left the tracks Monday. It was unclear how many people were aboard. No 0ne was injured in the mishap, according to ATI spokeswoman Natalie Gillespie. The front end of the shifter went off on the side...
Video, audio of foot chase, shooting of New Kensington officer played during murder trial
Brian Shaw, a wounded New Kensington police officer, called out for help moments after being shot three times in an alley where he chased a man believed to have run from a sports utility vehicle following a traffic stop. “I’ve been shot. I’ve been shot,” Shaw said into his radio...
Allegheny Township woman is teacher, mom, blogger — and soon, book authorVideo
Editor’s note: This is part of an occasional series that features Alle-Kiski Valley residents and the notable things that they do. Stephanie Jankowski is a mother of three and teacher of many. She taught English at Valley Junior/Senior High School in the New Kensington-Arnold School District for five years and...
The Stroller, Nov. 4, 2019: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Volunteers needed to help with tree planting in Harrison Volunteers are needed Saturday to help with a tree planting project in Harrison Township. Volunteers will gather at 8:30 a.m. at the Highlands Community Center for coffee and breakfast rolls and sign in. A planting demonstration with the TreeVitalize staff will...
