Valley News Dispatch category, Page 7
Faces of the Valley: Tarentum’s Robert Jones, 19, is all in at Summit Hose
Robert Jones watched firetrucks race past his Tarentum home two years ago to battle a house fire on West 11th Avenue. He walked into Summit Hose the next day and asked to join. “I knew right then that it was something I wanted to do,” said Jones, 19. Jones didn’t...
Drones increasingly a necessary tool in policing, experts sayVideo
David King predicts that over the next decade, every police cruiser may come equipped with its own drone. His guess is arguably better than many. King is owner of Carnegie-based Steel City Drones, which he says is the largest drone supplier in the region. The firm partners with more than...
Highlands assistant principal alleges toxic culture among district leadership, requests formal investigation
Highlands High School Assistant Principal Kaitlyn Selfridge has resigned, firing off accusations of a hostile work environment, inequitable hiring practices and other ethical concerns. Selfridge submitted a letter of resignation April 13, saying she would not return to the building before her departure is effective at the end of the...
Indiana Township church leaders vow to rebuild after blaze destroys sanctuary
Parishioners of Trinity United Church of Christ in Indiana Township will gather for the next month at a community center, a funeral home and a neighboring parish to celebrate Sunday services. Rotating venues will continue for the foreseeable future after the 150-year-old church along Saxonburg Boulevard was partially destroyed by...
Botanists, ecologists call on Penn State to preserve New Kensington nature trail
Area botanists and researchers hope a nature trail and forest at the Penn State New Kensington campus in Upper Burrell can be preserved as the property’s future is yet to be determined. “It’s (full of) highly diverse plant species, biologically speaking,” said Mason Heberling, an associate curator of botany at...
Busy Harrison intersection slated for overhaul this summer
Darting across Freeport Road in Harrison has become something of a sport for people trying to get between the Harrison Hi-Rise, McDonald’s and the Stop’n Shop convenience store. Walkers weave through traffic — eight lanes that criss-cross Freeport and Springhill roads and Broadview Boulevard — causing drivers to be on...
Giant killers from Arnold, Deer Lakes to take place in A-K Valley Sports Hall of Fame
In 1965, the Arnold baseball team played David to a slew of Goliaths in winning the WPIAL championship. Twenty years later, Deer Lakes conquered its own giant on the way to capturing a state girls basketball title – a feat that still hasn’t been replicated by an Alle-Kiski Valley school....
The Stroller, May 8, 2026: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your non-profit’s community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least two weeks in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number. Follow the Stroller on X at @VNDStroller. Annual sawdust carpet celebration...
Scenes from the Valley: Images captured in the Alle-Kiski Valley from April 30-May 6, 2026
Here is a weekly look at recent images captured throughout the Alle-Kiski Valley. From major news events to routine gatherings, TribLive’s “Scenes from the Valley” photo package brings to life activities and moments happening in your backyard. To have a photo considered as a “Scenes from the Valley” candidate, please...
Vandergrift couple closes Hancock Inn after 53 years
When Jean and Denny Silvis opened the Hancock Inn as newlyweds in 1973, it was a bit of a leap of faith for the couple. At the time, Jean wasn’t even old enough to bartend at the Vandergrift pub. After a run of more than five decades, the couple decided...
Police charge Pagans member with intimidating Lower Burrell assault victim
Lower Burrell police filed charges Wednesday against a Tarentum man they say is a member of the Pagans Motorcycle Club, accusing him of intimidating a man two other Pagans are charged with assaulting in January. Joshua Drum, 31, faces felony and misdemeanor charges of retaliation against a witness or victim...
Calligraphy Guild exhibit in Sharpsburg encourages people to pick up a pen
With so much of today’s communication typed on phones and screens, a group of artists is holding tight to their passion for hand-lettering. Calligraphy Guild Pittsburgh members will share their enthusiasm for the lost art during an exhibit at Ketchup City Creative in Sharpsburg. The show runs May 9-16 at...
Homicide charges against Parks Township shooting suspect held for courtVideo
Immediately after hearing a gunshot ring out in the parking lot of a Parks Township bar last month, Hector Saballos looked down and “saw a hole in my forearm,” he testified Thursday. Saballos was testifying in the preliminary hearing for David Dunmire, the man accused of killing a woman and...
Senior wellness fest offers free resources at Shrine Center in Harmar
Harrison police Chief Brian Turack touted an upcoming event in Harmar as a great way for senior citizens to connect with free and lesser-known resources. Sponsored by Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala, the Senior Justice and Wellness Fest is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at the...
Fox Chapel Area School District considers 3.1% property tax increase
Fox Chapel Area residents would pay higher property taxes next year if the school board approves the district’s proposed budget of nearly $125.5 million. The plan calls for a 3.1% increase in the tax rate, from 22 mills to 22.68 mills. The increase would equate to about an extra $68...
The Stroller, May 7, 2026: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your non-profit’s community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least two weeks in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number. Follow the Stroller on X at @VNDStroller. Kitten shower planned by...
Sharpsburg Community Library courtyard reconstruction underway
A reconstruction project designed to boost outdoor programming and extend the life of a growing zelkova tree at Sharpsburg Community Library is underway. Crews from the Davey Tree Expert Co. in Richland began moving dirt and vegetation April 27 at 1212 Main St. One of two zelkova trees, both estimated...
Fox Chapel, O’Hara and Sharpsburg approve joint paving project
Officials from Fox Chapel, O’Hara and Sharpsburg recently contracted with Shields Asphalt Paving for a multimillion-dollar paving project. The Bakerstown-based company was the lowest of five bidders, according to a report from engineering firm LSSE. The total cost is about $2.975 million. It included a base award of about $2.911...
Parks Township residents told more details about nuclear dump cleanup
From her kitchen window, Parks Township resident Candy Johnson, 71, can see buildings on a nuclear waste dump that has sat nearby since the 1970s. Johnson, who has lived in the township for a decade, came Wednesday night to voice her concerns about the $500 million cleanup at the site,...
Plum man headed to court, accused of trying to hit a TV news crew with his SUV
The father of a former Highlands School District teacher charged with sexually assaulting students will have his own day in court. Harold Dicer, the father of Sean Dicer, waived his right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday on charges of simple assault, harassment and disorderly conduct. His case now will head...
Firefighters battle blaze at historic Indiana Township church
Josie Boyd was driving home after an afternoon of shopping when she noticed the sky above her Indiana Township neighborhood turning dark. “All these fire trucks started racing past,” Boyd said. “I could see smoke filling the air.” A few blocks from her home, firefighters from multiple companies were battling...
Tarentum Mini Mart opens in historic bank building, bringing 3rd grocery store to borough
For the third time in less than a year, a small grocery store has opened in Tarentum to accommodate residents, especially those without transportation. Tarentum Mini Mart opened Monday on East Sixth Avenue in the former bank building at the corner of Corbet Street. “We will try to be a...
Building the Valley: Historic building serves as Vandergrift community gathering center
An almost century-old Vandergrift building that once served youth sports groups has been transformed into a community event space, breathing fresh life into a structure long tied to the borough’s history. Venue at 413, located on Linden Street, opened in January as a two-story rental venue. It already has hosted...
The Stroller, May 6, 2026: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your non-profit’s community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least two weeks in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number. Follow the Stroller on X at @VNDStroller. May 17 super bingo...
Fox Chapel Area fencing team rises to physical, mental challenges of game
Fox Chapel Area senior Lil Thomas joined the fencing team as a freshman at the urging of her older brothers. “None of my family is very athletic, but they thought it was a good way to make friends,” she said, laughing. Turns out, it was a smart move. Thomas, 17,...
