Valley News Dispatch category, Page 638
Man wounded in midday shooting in New KensingtonVideo
Someone shot a man in the leg late Thursday morning in New Kensington, according to city police. The shooting happened in the 1300 block of Leishman Avenue around 11:30 a.m., according to Detective Sgt. Matt Saxman. Witnesses said a gunman fired multiple shots and struck the victim at least once...
Officials investigating early-morning fire in Plum
Fire officials are investigating a fire Thursday at a home in Plum. The fire in the 500 block of Unity Center Road was put out by Plum firefighters. The fire was reported just before 6 a.m., according to an Allegheny County dispatch supervisor. Plum police Lt. Lanny Conley said no...
Bomb threat closes Fox Chapel Area High School
Fox Chapel Area High School is closed today for a bomb threat, despite a search of the building that turned up clear. School officials late last night were notified on the state-mandated Safe2Say Something tip line about a threat to the high school, Bonnie Berzonski, district coordinator of communications, said....
The Stroller, Oct. 24, 2019: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Tarentum church to celebrate historic landmark designation The building that houses Central Presbyterian Church, Tarentum, has received Historic Landmark status from the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation. The present building was built in 1913 and the founding congregation dates back to April 1888, when a small wood-frame chapel was constructed...
Apollo man pleads to federal marijuana charges
An Apollo man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Pittsburgh to conspiring to sell more than 50 kilograms of marijuana that he had shipped from Colorado, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Wednesday. Prosecutors said Stephen Michael Lerch, 27, received numerous parcels of marijuana and vaping cartridges containing THC from...
Highlands disputes claims made by former principal who sued school district
Highlands School District on Wednesday disputed claims made by former Principal Heather Bigney in a federal lawsuit filed against the district this week, alleging officials retaliated against her for taking unpaid leave and dating a former teacher. “The district and its solicitor … have received and reviewed the complaint Dr....
Vandergrift police make big meth, heroin haul
An Armstrong County man arrested Tuesday in Vandergrift is accused of having more than $11,000 of crystal methamphetamine and almost three “bricks” of heroin. Monty Gene Smith II, 35, of West Lebanon Road, South Bend Township, was arrested without incident in a residence along the 300 block of Emerson Street...
Harmar supervisors say public needs to be prepared for tougher stormwater runoff rules
Harmar supervisors are pondering how to increase community awareness on the demands of the federal Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Program. Supervisor Harry Lenhart discussed the need for such an effort after attending a Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors conference last week about the program, also known as MS4....
Judge: Prosecutors can say suspect in killing of Brian Shaw had gun conviction
A Westmoreland County judge on Wednesday ruled against a defense request to remove gun charges from the upcoming capital murder trial of the man accused in the slaying of New Kensington police officer Brian Shaw. Judge Rita Hathaway said that doing so would limit the prosecution’s effort to present motive...
Road 66 in Oaklahoma Borough to close for railroad work
Route 66 in Oklahoma Borough will be closed near Orr Avenue between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday so Norfolk Southern crews can do maintenance work on a railroad crossing. About 11,000 motorists travel that section of Route 66 daily, according to PennDOT. Signs will be posted to guide motorists...
Police: Men went on $1,500 shoplifting spree at Walmarts in Harrison, Frazer
Two men are accused of stealing more $1,500 worth of electric toothbrushes and razors, teeth whitening strips and food from Walmart stores in Harrison and Frazer. Frazer police said they received a tip Saturday from police in Harrison that the two men had shoplifted at the Walmart in Harrison and...
Highlands’ talent show Thursday to raise money toward spring musical
Highlands High School is staging its annual “Fall Follies” talent show on Thursday, Oct. 24. The student-led evening features 24 acts from 78 students in the Highlands Honors and Variations Show Choirs and musical stage crew. The event is a fundraiser for Highland’s spring musical. “The monies raised will go...
West Deer bridge project completed ahead of schedule
A project to demolish a structurally deficient bridge in West Deer was completed earlier than expected, officials said. Work at the intersection of Lick and Bairdford roads began Sept. 3 and was expected to continue until November, according to officials with the Allegheny County Department of Public Works. Officials announced...
‘Age of Aquarius 4’ show to play at Quality Inn, New Kensington
The four bands from “Age of Aquarius 4” are taking the show on the road. Instead of performing at the Casino Theatre in Vandergrift, The Love Generation, First Light, Heidi & the Hellcats and Sourmash will play for the first time in the ballroom of the Quality Inn in New...
Former Highlands principal sues district, claims retaliation
The former principal of Highlands Early Childhood Center sued the Highlands School District, claiming its superintendent retaliated against her for taking unpaid leave and being in a relationship with a former teacher. Heather Bigney quit her job as principal Monday, the same day she filed the federal lawsuit. The lawsuit...
Deer Lakes students spread kindness with service project
Students at Curtisville Primary Center in West Deer are eager to spread kindness in the community. Members of the school’s Kindness Kids Club last week prepared more than two dozen care packages filled with goodies for first responders in the township. The students, from kindergarten through second grade, made the...
Cheswick Ace Hardware to close, consolidate with Oakmont store
The Ace fix-it Hardware store in Cheswick is closing. The store at 1500 Pittsburgh St. will close Nov. 27, according to owner Chuck Bickel. It will be consolidated into another store Bickel owns on Oakmont’s Allegheny River Boulevard. The Cheswick store has been around for more than a decade. “The...
Sandy Hook mom returning to Burrell to discuss her ‘Choose Love’ curriculum
The mother of a child killed in the 2012 mass shooting at Connecticut’s Sandy Hook Elementary School is returning to Burrell School District in December to talk about her story and a social emotional learning program she started. Scarlett Lewis’ 6-year-old son Jesse was one of 26 people killed at...
The Stroller, Oct. 23, 2019: Events in the A-K Valley
Moms4Moms group to host free night out Harvest Community Church will host a free Moms4Moms night out from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 6 at the church, 143 Reed Road, East Franklin. There will be a catered dinner and prizes. Amy Conaway will be the guest speaker and free childcare...
Harrison massage therapist uses personal experience to help clientsVideo
Editor’s note: Building the Valley tells stories of businesses big and small and the employees who make them special. If you know of any standout employees, bosses or companies with a great story to tell, contact reporter Madasyn Lee at mlee@tribweb.com. Heather Erb injured her back in a car crash...
Highlands Early Childhood Center principal abruptly steps down
The principal of Highlands Early Childhood Center abruptly stepped down Monday afternoon without a clear explanation, district officials said. Highlands School Board accepted the resignation of Heather Bigney during a public voting meeting Monday night, just a few hours after Bigney submitted her resignation around 4 p.m., according to board...
Lions Club looks to clean, restore historic Apollo Cemetery
Back in the 1960s, it was enough for Apollo Area Lions Club members to take their own lawnmowers to cut the grass at the old Apollo Cemetery. But not anymore. Old trees have been uprooting some tombstones and threatening to swallow up the ownerless but historic cemetery in Kiski Township....
Deer Lakes to hold special meeting about bond issue refund
The Deer Lakes School Board has scheduled a special meeting for Wednesday to discuss advanced refunding of the bond issue. The school board had hoped to formulate a resolution for advance refunding of its bond Tuesday night, but bond counsel Anthony Ditka of Dinsmore & Shohl erroneously submitted an old...
Amazon Studios scheduled to film in North Apollo
The bright lights of Hollywood will come to North Apollo in November, closing a nearly 1-mile stretch of Route 66 for a film shoot. Amazon Studios is scheduled to use the borough as a rural backdrop Nov. 6 and 7. PennDOT officials said three-quarters of a mile of Route 66...
Kiski Valley sewage customers get reprieve
Sewage customers will be getting a one-year reprieve from the Kiski Valley Water Pollution Control Authority’s move toward revaluation of dwelling units. The authority said last week that proper calculation of how much sewerage the average household or business produces will be put off until January 2021. The authority board...
