Valley News Dispatch category, Page 694
Pennsylvania primary voter registration deadline looms
Now that Tax Day has arrived, state officials are alerting Pennsylvania residents that the deadline for registering to vote in this year’s municipal primary is April 22. Acting Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar said the state’s Online Voter Registration (OVR) is the quickest and easiest way to register to vote...
Leechburg shooting leaves 1 man deadVideo
Investigators are trying to find out why a 37-year-old man was found dead inside someone else’s house in Leechburg early Monday. The dead man, who police have not yet identified, was from the Leechburg area, according to investigators. He was found with a gunshot wound inside a residence at the...
New Kensington fire shows importance of renters insurance
Homeowners have insurance, and so should renters, says Dave Buono, a consumer liaison for the Pennsylvania Insurance Department. Renters need to know that their landlord or property owner’s insurance won’t cover their belongings in situations such as a fire, leaving them to pay to replace everything that is lost. Most...
International medical mission trips a calling for Oakmont nurseVideo
Editor’s note: This is the latest installment of an occasional series featuring Alle-Kiski Valley residents and the notable things they do. Laurel Houck uses medicine and faith to help heal the bodies and souls of people overseas. “The main thing is, medicine is a hook to bring people in so...
New Kensington fireman recalls crawling into burning home to rescue woman
Helping to save a New Kensington woman from her burning home may have reignited Wayne Erb’s interest in being a volunteer firefighter. Erb, 53, has been a member of New Kensington No. 4’s fire hall since 1987. But because of work and family, he hasn’t been responding to fires for...
It was deja vu for at least 2 New Kensington fire survivors
For at least two of the survivors of a fire that destroyed a house in New Kensington about a week ago the experience, sadly, was deja vu. One lost a brother in a fire three decades ago. Another lost a home to a fire about 10 years ago. Kaylene Keener...
Jerry’s Custard has been a Lower Burrell treat since 1978Video
Jerry Connolly completed a two-week ice cream course at Penn State University during the 1970s, but he set his sights on something sweeter. Frozen custard. He opened Jerry’s Custard in Lower Burrell in 1978. Recognized for its creamier and richer texture and flavor, custard is made with a higher milk...
World War II vet, 94, gets high school diploma
World War II veteran Emilio Saldari, 94, was surprised with a Springdale High School diploma during his induction into the Allegheny Valley Alumni Hall of Fame on Saturday. Saldari, of Springdale Township, never got to graduate because he was drafted in 1943. A group of students prepared the surprise and...
People travel hundreds of miles to celebrate Sri Lankan New Year in Harrison
Nalinda Wickramasinghe and his 8-year-old son, Thesath, traveled about 150 miles to celebrate the Sri Lankan New Year in Harrison on Sunday. The family comes from Cleveland to attend the celebration each year at the Pittsburgh Buddhist Center to keep the traditions alive for the children and relish in the...
Prep work underway for Freeport sewer projectVideo
A construction crew is installing temporary shoring along Buffalo Creek at Freeport’s sewer plant so an Oakdale company can begin work on the first stage of the nearly $12 million renovation of the facility. The Phase 1 work by Jet Jack is almost six months later than expected, Freeport officials...
Arnold officials mulling whether to change dog catcher
Arnold officials will wait to get some input from the state’s dog warden before deciding who will be the city’s dog catcher. Council discussed awarding a contract for the service to Hoffman Kennels, which is the animal control service used by the majority of communities in the Alle-Kiski Valley. But...
Carl Magnetta remembered as one of Tarentum’s biggest boostersVideo
The important people who came out Saturday at the Carl J. Magnetta Memorial Amphitheater in Tarentum’s Riverview Memorial Park weren’t on the stage. “The dignitaries are the people of Tarentum,” said Gina Landa of the Tarentum Recreation Board. At least that’s how Magnetta, a former mayor and councilman, felt, according...
Capsized boat reported in Freeport, but search comes up empty
Authorities could find no sign of a capsized boat that was reported Saturday morning by a motorist crossing the Laneville Bridge in Freeport, an Armstrong County 911 dispatcher said. The report came in at 9:34 a.m. The sighting was in Buffalo Creek near its confluence with the Allegheny River, the...
Vandergrift Public Library wins free summer program bringing educators from Carnegie Science Center
The Vandergrift Public Library won a free Science in the Summer program from GlaxoSmithKline for children to be enrolled in a four-day program at the library taught by educators from the Carnegie Science Center. The four-day program, running during the week of June 10-13, will be open to all children...
Researchers find a bounty of fish in Allegheny Township’s Pine RunVideo
Trout might be coming to a new section of Pine Run in Allegheny Township after surveyors found a surprising bounty of 15 fish species Friday, including five darter species, which are indicative of good water quality. The survey was prompted by two Lions Clubs that want to stock a new...
Cadogan woman accused of selling cocaine
A Cadogan woman is accused of selling cocaine in Armstrong County. Shana Lee Warcholak, 30, of First Street, is accused of selling two packages of powdered cocaine this month in the Ford City area. County detectives say Warcholak contacted a person who is an informant for the county drug task...
‘Twas trout season eve… Get your bait readyVideo
It’s Trout Season Eve and and all through the Valley eager anglers are getting baits handy. Tackle shops in Harmar and Tarentum, the only two in the Alle-Kiski Valley south of Kittanning, say they have a short list of the best things to entice a trout to bite for Saturday’s...
Tarentum crews working to fix power outages
Tarentum electric crews were working Friday afternoon to find the cause of a power outage affecting several parts of the borough, according to borough Manager Michael Nestico. Nestico provided an update on the situation shortly before 4 p.m. He had been made aware of the outage around 1:30 p.m. Tarentum...
Allegheny Valley Hospital earns advanced certification for stroke care
Allegheny Valley Hospital has been recognized for its care of stroke patients. The Harrison hospital earned an advanced certification for primary stroke centers from The Joint Commission, the hospital announced Friday. This is the first time the hospital has received the certification, Allegheny Health Network spokeswoman Stephanie Waite said. Founded...
Allegheny County loan will help East Deer complete 3 projects
East Deer will borrow $100,000 from Allegheny County to pay for its share of grants for several projects. More than half the money — $53,000 — will pay for East Deer’s share of relocating a waterline last year to accommodate the Rapid Bridge Replacement project on Freeport Road over Crawford...
East Deer bridge work planned this weekend along Route 28
More Route 28 construction is scheduled in East Deer through Monday afternoon. PennDOT said the the single-lane restrictions on northbound Route 28 will happen at the bridge over Bailies Run Road from 7 p.m. today through 2 p.m. Monday, weather permitting. Crews will conduct approach slab work. The overall $34.34...
Riverview may curtail programs, raise taxes to plug 2019-20 budget hole
Riverview School District officials may cut programs and increase taxes to close a projected $530,000 shortfall in next school year’s budget. District Business Manager Tammy Good recently delivered a 2019-20 preliminary budget update earlier this month. It is posted under the business office tab of the district’s website, rsd.k12.pa.us. Estimated...
Harmar board rules Feeding the Flock is not a church, leaders to decide next step
Harmar’s zoning hearing board decided Thursday to deny Feeding the Flock’s request to move into a former church and run a house of worship and food pantry. The nonprofit organization had hoped to move into the former Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses building at 490 Nixon Road. The zoning officer...
Arnold expects to start demolition process on 10 abandoned houses soon
The planned project to demolish 10 abandoned houses in Arnold could begin by the end of the month. Community Development Director Rick Rayburg hopes to take the first step, advertising for contract bids, to take place by the end of April or beginning of May. Rayburg has started the city’s...
3rd recycling event set for Lower Burrell
Lower Burrell Recycling Day — only for typical household items — is set for April 27. The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. behind city hall at 2800 Bethel St. Residents can drop off a number of recyclable items including: Motor oil, automatic transmission fluid, kerosene,...
