Valley News Dispatch category, Page 678

The tallies are in, and a West Leechburg charity has 30,000 reasons to be always grateful. The Shamrock Shuffle 5K race, 1K fun walk and dance held in West Leechburg last month raised $30,000, with the money going to help a Plum girl living with spastic cerebral palsy and for...

A Lower Burrell man accused of robbing a woman last month while on a drug-fueled, naked rampage is headed to Westmoreland County Court. Robert E. Brown, 48, waived his right to a preliminary hearing on numerous charges, including robbery, before District Judge Cheryl J. Peck Yakopec in Allegheny Township on...

Tarentum isn’t giving up on the idea of getting into the building demolition business — but it won’t be this year, according to Borough Manager Michael Nestico. Council President Erika Josefoski in March suggested the borough use part of the money budgeted for demolitions this year to buy equipment, such...

A truck crashed a into pole Tuesday night in O’Hara Township, knocking out power and closing part of Freeport Road overnight. The crash was reported at 11:45 p.m. at the intersection of Freeport Road at Fairview Avenue, PennDOT spokesman Steve Cowan said. The crash sheared the pole and took wires...

District Court is in session most weekdays at 1100 Fourth Ave. in New Kensington. It’s the address of District Judge Frank J. Pallone Jr. And, while those who frequent the chambers may be fighting a rap with the law, the building’s basement will soon be a haven for hardcore music...

Plum School District officials have resolved a graduation issue that could have prevented many seniors from attending commencement. Graduation is scheduled for 7 p.m. June 6 at the high school, 900 Elicker Road. The ceremony was originally planned that day, but was bumped to June 10 due to cancellations and...

The Oakmont Shade Tree Commission wants to bring back some green and other colors to Hulton Road. Duquesne Light recently removed 28 trees from the main thoroughfare so crews could replace an aerial cable. The company funded the removal and offered to contribute $150 toward replanting each tree. Borough Manager...

Tarentum is gearing up for a major waterline project on West Eighth Avenue this year. The borough got six bids to replace the waterline along almost all of the road, borough Manager Michael Nestico said. One block was not included because of cost. Ron Gillette Inc. of Harrison submitted the...

Tarentum officials are considering a policy reversal and resuming cutting grass on vacant private properties. Last year, council agreed with its then-new borough manager, Michael Nestico, that the borough should not be cutting grass on vacant properties it doesn’t own. That position was a break with the borough’s long-running practice...

Plum School District and teachers union officials have reached a tentative agreement on a new six-year contract. Details of the new contract may be released once both parties have formally signed off on it. Plum Borough Education Association members are expected to vote on the agreement Thursday. The school board...

An Apollo woman admitted to defrauding the federal government of more than $25,000 in Social Security benefits by lying about her marital status, prosecutors said Tuesday. Tara Jo Frain, 33, pleaded guilty to a theft charge for pocketing Supplemental Security Income benefits that she knew she wasn’t entitled to receive,...

A little more than a year ago, now-retired professional golfer Missie Berteotti knew two of her friends “just had to meet.” That meeting eventually led to a revitalized 450-acre River Forest Country Club. Andi Irwin and her husband, Steve, owned half of the country club in Allegheny Township when they...

After surviving a double lung transplant in 2015, the mayor of Lower Burrell is looking for a new kidney. But you would never know Rich Callender, 51, needs a new kidney, as he often arrives at city hall by 9 a.m. on weekdays, ready to tackle the problems of the...

As warned, the Highlands School District released the names of those delinquent in their school district property taxes. The lists for the four communities within the school district — Brackenridge, Fawn, Harrison and Tarentum — were posted to the district’s website on Tuesday. That was one day later than expected....

Buffalo Township’s volunteer fire department won’t need to rely as heavily on bingo proceeds to cover expenses, based on state grants announced last week. The Office of the State Fire Commissioner awarded nearly $258,000 in grant money to 22 fire and rescue units in Armstrong, Butler and Indiana counties, including...

A Kittanning man previously charged with DUI remained in jail Tuesday after Butler state police say he drove 101 mph while drunk last month in Butler County. Joshua Sol Heigley, 35, was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol when troopers clocked him going nearly twice the speed limit...

The New Kensington-Arnold School Board has agreed to refinance four existing bond issues to save the district about $250,000. The school district will issue up to $25 million in new bonds that will pay off the district’s four outstanding bond issues. School board President Bob Pallone said the issues include...

St. Joseph High School tackles a “new classic” — “In the Heights.” Before “Hamilton” swept the musical theater world by storm there was “In the Heights.” Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote the music and lyrics, starring in both. “In the Heights” garnered numerous top industry honors including Best Musical, Choreography, Original Score...

Families interested in learning from local law enforcement and judges about internet safety, cyber bullying and how to better safeguard children can do so at a special seminar in Oakmont Wednesday night. It is presented by Riverview School District in collaboration with Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr.’s office....

Lower Burrell is looking for applicants to fill a full-time police officer position expected to open later this year and to build a pool of available applicants, according to Amy Rockwell, city administrator. The city currently has 17 full-time officers. The starting salary for a Lower Burrell police officer is...

Although the “Destination Moon: the Apollo 11 Mission” exhibit is over at the Heinz History Center, one of its historians is coming to Apollo to speak about the historic NASA mission on Sunday, at 6:30 p.m., for a free public event at the Women’s Christian Temperance Union of Apollo building,...

Firefighters responding to a call on Cheswick’s South Highland Avenue on Sunday night knew they weren’t going to an ordinary fire. The volunteers could see towering flames above the neighborhood and then heard multiple explosions. “You could see the flames all across Cheswick,” Cheswick fire Chief Rick Franks said. “Flames...

Traffic restrictions will start Tuesday morning on the bridge carrying Butler Logan Road over Route 28 in Frazer, PennDOT announced Monday. Traffic will be reduced to a single, alternating lane controlled by temporary traffic signals. The restriction is expected to start at 7 a.m. Tuesday and be in place through...

It’s been 10 years since Max and Sue Sciullo lost their son and only five months since Joy Krumenacker lost her son, but the two families came together at Allegheny General Hospital on Monday to recognize the impact their children made on the lives of others through organ and tissue...

A Tarentum man whose 2-year-old daughter was found unresponsive in a home swimming pool last month faces a felony child endangerment charge. William Richard Nulph, 35, told police he left the toddler unattended on a side deck where she had been playing March 14 so he could take his 8-month-old...