Valley News Dispatch category, Page 702
Vandergrift woman’s first-degree murder trial delayed
A Vandergrift woman accused of killing her cousin will have her trial delayed at least four months. Ashley Croft, 35, is awaiting trial in connection with the Oct. 18 shooting death of John Edward Smail of Greensburg. Croft is charged with first-degree murder. She is being held in jail without...
Man drives over New Kensington wall onto railroad tracks 15 feet below
The driver of a car that went off New Kensington’s Constitution Boulevard onto railroad tracks at least 15 feet below managed to get himself out of the overturned car safely after the wreck, according to police. New Kensington police Chief Bob Deringer said the driver, Ricky Burkett of Arnold, will...
Police: Road rage made Arnold man attack truck with golf club
An Arnold man told police he struck another man’s truck with a weighted golf club this month because the other man cut him off in traffic and slammed on his brakes in front of him, according to a criminal complaint. Theodore Clayton Volkar, 47, admitted that he got out of...
Police: West Deer man who ran from crash was wanted on warrant
A West Deer man told authorities he ran from a two-vehicle crash in which he and three others were injured Sunday because he was wanted on a warrant, according to police. Now Travis Trenton Brewer, 30, faces nearly two dozen additional charges. Police suspect Brewer was high on heroin when...
Hungry for pizza? Hit up Ianni’s in Vandergrift for some unique specialtiesVideo
It’s a Mecca of sorts for aficionados of “ ’Za.” Ianni’s Pizzeria in Vandergrift beckons the faithful with its wafting smell of burning hardwood. Family-owned and operated for more than 90 years, Ianni’s (pronounced e-on-ees) serves homemade specialty pizzas in a completely renovated open, airy and industrial-styled two-level space formerly...
Cindy’s Soft Serve returns for second season in TarentumVideo
It’s said many new businesses often fail in their first year. Cindy Hatajik can believe it, even if hers isn’t one of them. The first year of Cindy’s Soft Serve, Custard & More in Tarentum was rough, but she and her husband, Bob, are back for a second season in...
Antique telegraph and electrical insulators on display at West Leechburg show
The Western Reserve Insulator Club will showcase antique telegraph and electrical insulators at its 19th annual show April 6 in West Leechburg. The free public show will take place at the West Leechburg Fire Hall. The club will have a table of freebies to entice the public. “If you want...
Harrison woman puts the ‘special’ in Special Olympics
Editor’s note: This is part of an occasional series that features Alle-Kiski Valley people and the notable things they do. Melanie Bollinger has trained basketball and track and field champions for two decades. The Buffalo Township resident, along with her husband, Bo, and friend, Mary Smider, operate a Special Olympics...
East Deer police: Injured man runs from Freeport Road crash scene, 3 others also hurt
Four people were injured Sunday after a two-car crash and short foot chase in East Deer. Officials said it appeared a man driving a red pickup truck crossed the center line in the 500 block of Freeport Road and crashed into a silver SUV just before 3 p.m. He then...
Harmar to pave five streets this summer
Five streets in Harmar will be paved as part of the township’s road program this summer. Supervisors awarded the contract to Youngblood Paving at a cost of $94,345. Pine Alley, Orr Avenue, Wenzel Drive, as well as the cul-de-sacs of the Shadow Ridge and Forest Highlands housing plans are included...
Man cut while escaping Plum apartment fire Saturday
A man suffered cuts while escaping from a Saturday evening fire that damaged his Plum apartment. The man broke out a front window of his first-floor apartment and cut his hands on the glass while climbing through to safety, according to Holiday Park Fire Chief James Sims. The man was...
In Pennsylvania, young lawmakers drive conversation on reducing student debt
When freshman state Sen. Lindsey Williams, a Democrat from West View, learned Philadelphia Sen. Vincent Hughes was crafting a bill to tackle student debt refinancing, she quickly agreed to circulate a co-sponsorship memo. Williams, 36, and fellow freshman state Sen. Katie Muth, a 35-year-old Democrat from Montgomery County, are among...
Local filmmaker to shoot scenes at Leechburg B&B, converted churchVideo
A local independent film crew has set its sights on filming in the Leechburg area. Spruce Films of Ebensburg has secured historic buildings at 156 Siberian Ave. in Leechburg and a tavern in Hyde Park as filming locations for a short feature horror film titled “Occurrence at Mills Creek.” Written...
West Deer announces paving plan, money for bathroom repairs
West Deer Supervisors plan to spend almost $1 million on this year’s summer paving program. A contract of just more than $803,500 and another worth $173,500 were awarded to Youngblood Paving of Wampum. The larger contract is for paving Hillcrest Drive, Rickenback Road, Havencrest Drive, Dawn Road, Skyview Terrace, Paradise...
Lower Burrell’s Clark’s Diner is the place for breakfast or lunchVideo
Start your day with the Cafe Mess. It’s a breakfast dish of eggs, home fries and sausage scrambled together, topped with cheese and covered in a secret-recipe sausage gravy, served with a side of toast. “It’s a pretty popular selection,” says John Clark, owner of Clark’s Diner in Lower Burrell....
Harmar appoints planning commissioner Buchman to fill vacant supervisor seat
Harmar supervisors no longer have a vacant seat on the board. David Buchman was appointed Thursday to fill the vacancy left after Patricia Janoski resigned in February. He will serve the rest of this year, which was the sixth and final year of Janoski’s term. The vote was unanimous. Buchman...
Easter activities in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Apollo Community egg hunt, 9:30 a.m. April 20 in Owens Grove for children 12 and younger. Sponsored by the Apollo Lions Club. Arnold Egg hunt, 10 a.m. to noon April 14 at Roosevelt Park. There will be visits with the Easter Bunny, a basket raffle, face painting, bake sale, sack...
Police: Racing may have caused Allegheny Township wreckVideo
A woman escaped serious injury Friday morning when the SUV she was driving was forced off Allegheny Township’s South Leechburg Hill Road by a car that police say may have been racing another vehicle. The crash happened just after 8:30 a.m. According to police at the scene, the woman’s small...
Highlands adds 3 new electives at high school for 2019-20
Highlands High School students will have three new elective courses to take in the 2019-20 school year. The school board approved adding courses in SAT Prep, Community Engagement and Introduction to Computer Science. The SAT Prep class will be a full-year course available to sophomores and juniors. It will prepare...
Student art again honors Arnold firefighter contributions
Valley Junior-Senior High School students have again painted ceiling tiles to send a lasting “thank-you” to Arnold firefighters. The idea came from firefighter Wendy Duncan of Arnold five years ago. She is also an aide for special need students at the school. “I’m a life member of Arnold No. 2....
Cheswick, Springdale Township a step closer to merging police departmentsVideo
Officials took another another step Thursday night to merge the Springdale Township and Cheswick police departments by July 1. The Springdale Township commissioners voted 4-0 to advertise an ordinance that would consolidate the two departments. Cheswick Council already passed a similar measure. So both municipalities appear on track to have...
Clearfield Township Republican seeks state House 11th District seat in special election
Clearfield Township resident Gregory Walter announced Thursday he will seek the 11th District state House seat in the May 21 special election. The seat was left empty after former Rep. Brian Ellis resigned earlier this month after allegations came to light he allegedly had sex with a woman against her...
Joe Pittman, longtime aide to state. Sen. Don White, wins GOP nomination to replace him
A longtime aide to five-term state Sen. Don White on Thursday won the Republican nomination to replace his former boss. Joe Pittman, 42, of Indiana, Indiana County — who served as White’s chief of staff for 19 years — secured the unanimous support of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania in...
Lower Burrell police seek person of interest in thefts from motor vehicles
Lower Burrell police are reminding residents to lock up their vehicles after another rash of break-ins. Detective Sgt. Jason Napier said police received reports that at least five vehicles were broken into on March 14 and March 15. All of the vehicles were left unlocked. The thefts occurred on Chestnut...
Verdict in Frazer woman’s trial for murder not expected until next week
A Frazer woman accused of killing her husband will have to wait until next week to learn her fate . Allegheny County Judge Jill Rangos, who heard the case against Teresa M. Drum of Crawford Run Road as a non-jury trial, said Thursday she will hand down a verdict on...
