Valley News Dispatch category, Page 645
New Kensington-Arnold track, football field to be off-limits while surfaces replaced
New Kensington-Arnold School District’s track and football field will be off limits when work to replace their surfaces starts, Superintendent John Pallone said. In August, the school board approved paying ATT Sports about $205,000 to replace the track, and Sprinturf nearly $320,000 for the artificial surface for the football field...
Tim Benz: Former WPIAL athlete at the center of the ‘Sexy Mister Rogers’ costume controversy
Is it a beautiful day in your neighborhood? If Dessie Mitcheson is in your neighborhood right now, the answer is most assuredly “yes.” View this post on Instagram @shoptobi A post shared by Dessie Mitcheson (@dessiemitcheson) on Jul 30, 2019 at 10:33am PDT Told ya. However, the former Kiski Area...
Plum man pleads guilty to federal drug trafficking
A Plum man pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal charges of trafficking heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine. Brandon Winters, 43, was found guilty of conspiring to distribute at least one kilogram of heroin and at least 400 grams of fentanyl and possessing at least 500 grams of cocaine with intent to sell...
Son of Lower Burrell judge sentenced to 6 to 23 months in jail for part in drug ring
The son of a Lower Burrell district judge and a nephew of Westmoreland County District Attorney John Peck will serve up to 23 months in jail for what prosecutors said was his role in a million-dollar marijuana distribution ring. Stephen Yakopec III, 29, of Lower Burrell told a Westmoreland County...
Police: Vandergrift man admits stealing $4K in guns, jewelry, cash from Frazer home
Police say a Vandergrift man told them he broke into a Frazer home on Wednesday and stole $4,000 worth of cash, jewelry and guns to “help a friend get money.” When officers found Kevin Paul Pierce, 29, he was in his truck looking through the jewelry he had taken, Frazer...
Buffalo Township man faces strangulation, assault charges
A Buffalo Township man is accused of hitting, choking and throwing a woman down the steps of his home. Gordon Cooper, 55, of Oak Drive, is accused of holding the woman by her neck to throw her into a wall late Saturday night, according to a police affidavit. In addition...
Sweet Judys bid bittersweet farewell at Casino Theatre
It will be a bittersweet Saturday. Sweet Judys, an all-female trio, will play a final concert at the Casino Theatre in Vandergrift. The Crosby, Stills & Nash tribute band has been taking the stage together for two years, but other life commitments have led to this decision. “We are so...
Overturned vehicle on Route 28 snarls morning commute
A vehicle overturned on southbound Route 28 in Tarentum early Thursday, hampering the morning commute. The crash was reported about 5:20 a.m. at the Exit 14 on-ramp from Route 366 to southbound Route 28, PennDOT spokesman Steve Cowan said. The vehicle ended up on its side. There were no immediate...
Mailman injured when postal truck rolls on its side in Harrison wreckVideo
A mail carrier was inside a Postal Service truck that was shoved onto its side in a crash Wednesday afternoon in Harrison. The mailman, who was not identified, was taken to a hospital for treatment of a head injury. Police said the mailman had just climbed back inside of the...
Harrison man out on bond on robbery charge accused of shoplifting, smashing pumpkins
A Harrison man who was free on bond after being accused of committing two Dauphin County robberies is one of two men and two youths charged with shoplifting BB guns and destroying pumpkins in the township early Tuesday. Nathan Strausser, 24, of 10th Avenue and Kyron Branch, 18, of Park...
Rural charm on tap for Allegheny Township farm tour
The Allegheny Township Historical Society is offering an inside glimpse of the township’s rural roots with a farm tour Saturday, featuring a farmhouse that dates to the 1820s. Seven farms are included along a 15- to 20-mile loop. Advance tickets cost $10 and can be bought as late as Friday....
Beloved Highlands turtle to find new home at middle school rain garden
A 1,400-pound concrete turtle that has called two Highlands School District schools home over the past half-century is on the move again. Plans are in the works to move the large concrete turtle in early November to Highlands Middle School in Harrison, where it will become part of a new...
Oakmont juicery to celebrate opening in familiar spot
Oakmont now has more beverage options. Rev22 Juice and Wellness Bar plans to celebrate its grand opening in the borough Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., when all will be welcome to sample its juices, smoothies and coffee drinks at the former Oakmont Bakery site. The juice bar is...
Harrison chooses higher bid for sidewalk ramp work
Harrison commissioners are not going with the lowest bidder for more handicapped-accessible sidewalk ramps in the township. Ron Gillette Inc. submitted the lowest bid for the work, but the commissioners awarded the contract to the second-lowest bidder, Santamaria Landscaping and Cement Contractors. Commissioners accepted Santamaria’s $20,832 bid for four ramps...
2 Harrison girls facing juvenile arson charges stemming from Save-A-Lot fire
Two Harrison girls will be sent to juvenile court for allegedly setting part of a Harrison loading dock on fire Sept. 2. The girls, ages 12 and 13, caused less than $1,000 in damage to a rear loading dock of the former Save-A-Lot in Heights Plaza. Citizens Hose Fire Chief...
Gas leak that forced evacuation of New Kensington vo-tech school to be investigatedVideo
The state’s Public Utility Commission said it will investigate a gas line break Wednesday in New Kensington that forced the evacuation of a school. Northern Westmoreland Career and Technology Center was evacuated in the morning and closed for the rest of the day after work crews ruptured a natural gas...
Shady Side Academy opens $2.9 million tech hub
The much-anticipated fabrication and robotics center at Shady Side Academy has opened its doors to students eager to problem-solve through hands-on learning. The Glimcher Tech & Design Hub, a $2.9 million facility dedicated to innovation and technology, is housed in the lower level of Rowe and Memorial halls on the...
Metal 3D printing on display at The Corner in New KensingtonVideo
Technology in 3D printing is advancing and one day could rival traditional manufacturing techniques, according to a local expert in the field. Howard Kuhn, a University of Pittsburgh adjunct professor who has taught additive manufacturing — another term for 3D printing — for the past 15 years, was among those...
Sen. Lindsey Williams to host addiction resources open house in Brackenridge
Narcan demonstrations, safe prescription disposal bags, recovery specialists and family counselors are among the resources that will be available from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Friday when state Sen. Lindsey M. Williams, D-West View, hosts a free Addiction Resource Open House at Pioneer Hose Company in Brackenridge. A spokeswoman for...
Apollo-Ridge explores bond issue for project list
The Apollo-Ridge School District is contemplating a new bond issue. The school board said Monday night the maximum issue would be $3.5 million and the minimum would be $1.4 million. Among the projects on the wish list are updating the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system in the secondary schools,...
Guys Run Road closure starts Wednesday in Harmar
Part of Guys Run Road in Harmar will be closed to traffic during daylight hours Wednesday through Oct. 9 so PennDOT can repair a landslide area. PennDOT said the road will be closed between Dremmel and Locust Hill roads from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays. Crews will be...
Avonmore family headed to court on charges of hiding fugitive
Two men and their mother will stand trial on charges of hiding or preventing the apprehension of a fugitive at their Avonmore home. Jessica Thorpe, 39, Luke Thorpe, 18, and Leroy Thorpe, 22, all of Maple Terrace Lane, waived charges to court rather than have a preliminary hearing Monday, court...
Springdale Energy donates $55K to improve safety, emergency services in A-K Valley
Springdale Energy donated $55,000 to four organizations in the lower Alle-Kiski Valley to help them improve safety and emergency services. Springdale Volunteer Fire Department and Allegheny Valley Volunteer Fire Company each received $10,500, while Allegheny Valley School District received $16,000 and the Allegheny Valley Emergency Management Agency got about $18,000....
Man to serve up to 14 years for DUI crash that killed Tarentum woman, teen
A Saltsburg man who killed two people, including a Tarentum junior firefighter, in a 2017 drugged driving crash in Plum was ordered Tuesday to serve up to 14 years in state prison. Allegheny County Judge David R. Cashman ordered Edward Leonard Cass III, 27, to serve a minimum of 7...
Social media comment by Deer Lakes student not a threat against district, officials say
A threat made by a Deer Lakes High School student on social media was determined to be not credible, officials said Monday. West Deer police are investigating after they said a student said via Snapchat, “Who should I shoot first?” West Deer Sgt. Mike Shurina said Monday a resident told...
