Valley News Dispatch category, Page 707
Police: Harrison man choked driver for singing Christmas songs
A Harrison man was arrested this week after police say he assaulted another man because he was singing Christmas songs in the car. According to court documents, Clayton Lucas, 25, of Eisenhower Drive told police he began to choke a man who was driving the car because the driver was...
Lawyers want 1990 New Kensington rape case against John Kunco dismissed
Lawyers for John Kunco, the former Harrison man who served nearly three decades behind bars for the rape of a New Kensington woman, wants a judge to dismiss the case. In court motions filed Thursday, lawyers contend missing evidence and the loss of testimony through the deaths of the alleged...
Fraudulent bank withdrawals from North Apollo Borough investigated
Kiski Township police are investigating two fraudulent withdrawal attempts from North Apollo Borough’s bank account in February. According to borough council, someone tried to withdraw $4,200 from the borough’s Apollo Trust Bank account on Feb. 12 and another $5,000 on Feb. 26. An unauthorized person tried to convey the money...
Deer Lakes principal recognized for healthy school breakfast initiatives
A Deer Lakes School District principal is being recognized for her efforts to make sure students are eating a healthy breakfast every day. Jennifer Cavalancia, principal at Curtisville Primary Center, was named as a 2019 Pennsylvania School Breakfast Hero, sponsored by the No Kid Hungry campaign. Cavalancia said in a...
Oklahoma Borough man gets house arrest for stealing natural gas; how much still debated
An Oklahoma Borough man will serve five years on probation and a year of house arrest for his role in what Westmoreland County prosecutors continue to maintain is the theft of more than $200,000 of natural gas. Jeffrey Zinchini, 60, avoided jail time as part of a sentence announced Thursday....
Rahmael Holt’s cousin guilty of hindering arrest after shooting of New Kensington officer
A 30-year-old Duquesne man accused of helping Rahmael Sal Holt escape arrest following the November 2017 shooting death of a New Kensington police officer was convicted Thursday of hindering apprehension in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court. Judge Kevin G. Sasinoski found Holt’s cousin, Marcel R. Mason, guilty of the third-degree...
Westmoreland DA says Vandergrift father was ‘reckless’ in infant’s death
The death of a 1-month-old boy who police said suffocated after his father fell asleep with him was not an accident, Westmoreland County’s top prosecutor said Thursday. Owen Copney was repeatedly told not to fall asleep with the boy, Isiah, on his chest but did it anyway, District Attorney John...
Renovations will force lane restrictions on Butler-Logan Road bridge, Route 28 in Frazer
Motorists traveling on Route 28 near the Pittsburgh Mills mall will be among those who will have to work around lane restrictions for most of the spring and summer. The traffic disruption stems from a major overhaul of the Butler-Logan Road bridge, which crosses over Route 28 in Frazer. The...
Vandergrift seeks loan to keep its pool open this summer
A chronic problem with the Vandergrift pool is prompting council to apply for an $80,000 loan to buy a pool liner. Councilman Pete Basile, the recreation committee chairman, pleaded with his council colleagues to take some action to keep the borough-owned Joseph A. Petrarca Veterans Memorial Pool running with summer...
West Deer accepting bids for Harley Davidson motorcycle
West Deer is selling a Harley Davidson motorcycle to raise money for police equipment. A bid of at least $17,500 is required for the 2001 Harley Davidson Willie G. motorcycle, which remains in its original packing crate. Township Manager Daniel Mator said a local family that collects motorcycles donated the...
As Lent arrives, so do the fish fries that many nonprofits rely on for fundraising
Ash Wednesday marked the beginning of Lent. As such, it also marked the beginning of fish fry season. Many local fire departments and churches will offer various meatless dinners and a la carte items every Friday through Good Friday (April 19) as a way to help raise money for their...
Lower Burrell awards almost $3M in contracts for City Hall project
Lower Burrell Council voted unanimously Monday to approve $2.8 million in spending for the long-anticipated renovation of City Hall. The biggest chunk of money will go to Arcon Contracting of Lower Burrell, which bid $2,015,000 to be the project’s general contractor. Arcon beat out 11 other bidders. Other contracts awarded...
Tarentum considering buying demolition equipment
Tarentum is considering getting into the building demolition business. Council President Erika Josefoski is suggesting the borough buy its own equipment, such as an excavator. The borough could use the equipment to tear down abandoned and dilapidated buildings instead of hiring a contractor. The borough has a big enough budget...
Tarentum eyes new utility billing systems with part of park grant money
State grant money coming to Tarentum for a dog park may instead be used to update the borough’s outdated utility billing systems. The borough is slated to receive more than $200,000 in Keystone Communities grants. The bulk of it, $191,000, would pay for several repairs, improvements and additions at Riverview...
‘Ashes to Go’ just one of Ash Wednesday’s traditionsVideo
There’s a convenient way to receive ashes in Leechburg on Ash Wednesday. The Revs. Gary and Lisa Lyon, co-pastors at Cross Roads Community Presbyterian Church in Leechburg, offer “Ashes to Go” annually at two locations: CoCo Coffeehouse on Market Street in the morning and outside their church on Main Street...
Vandergrift man charged with involuntary manslaughter in death of infant son
A Vandergrift man admitted he fell asleep with his infant son, who suffocated and died, according to police. Owen Labrenn Copney, 26, said he had been warned about falling asleep with his 1-month-old son, Isiah, on his chest. He faces a pair of felonies in connection with his son’s death....
Tarentum Friendship Garden planning spring cleaning, planting dayVideo
The ground may still be frozen and lightly covered with snow, but organizers behind the Tarentum Friendship Garden have their eyes on spring. The garden, located next to Dreshar Stadium along First Avenue, will enter its fifth season this year. To get ready, the annual spring cleanup and planting day...
Vandergrift green lights code violation tickets
Vandergrift residents who turn a blind eye to code violations on their property are about to see the light. Council on Monday approved the so-called Quality of Life ordinance that will allow the borough to issue tickets to code violators and fine them. The fine for the first occurrence is...
Former Tarentum mayor Magnetta to be honored at Riverview Memorial Park
Former Tarentum Mayor Carl Magnetta Jr. will be honored at a memorial service in April. Magnetta, 79, died July 1. He served in public office in his hometown for 30 years, most recently as mayor from 2009 through 2017. The borough’s Recreation Board is planning the service for Saturday, April...
Bigfoot, UFO presentation coming to Vandergrift library
Bigfoot, UFOs and other strange occurrences in the region? You betcha, according to Stan Gordon, author and paranormal investigator, who will speak for a free presentation at 11 a.m., March 30 at the Vandergrift Public Library. Although Gordon’s presentation isn’t typical library fare, it’s a “spine-tingling program” that is interesting...
Tarentum fire company planning for annual fireworks display
A Tarentum fire department is making preparations for this year’s fireworks display. Summit Hose is asking the borough to contribute $1,500 toward the community fireworks scheduled for July 3. The borough has donated that amount in past years. The company also is asking for permission to use Dreshar Stadium on...
Tarentum Council considering boat dock fee increase
It could cost more this year to rent boat dock space along the Allegheny River in Tarentum. Council is considering increasing the per-foot cost by $1, from $13 to $14 per foot. For a minimum of 50 feet, that would increase the cost from $650 to $700 for the boating...
How Ash Wednesday ashes are made
Editor’s note: This story originally published in 2019, but the process of making ashes remains the same. The ashes smudged on people’s foreheads to mark the Christian holy day Ash Wednesday were made from the blessed palm fronds distributed at last year’s Palm Sunday services, which mark the beginning of...
14 cats, 2 dogs found crammed into vehicles outside O’Hara hotel; 1 cat dies
At least one cat died and 15 other cats and dogs are being cared for by a Westmoreland County shelter after authorities discovered all 16 animals locked inside two vehicles in an O’Hara Township parking lot, Trib news partner WPXI-TV reports. A hotel employee alerted authorities Monday night after overhearing...
As Lent begins, Valos Chocolates gears up for busiest time of the yearVideo
They never give up chocolate here. Especially during Lent, which, beyond its religious aspects, is the run up to Easter, the busiest holiday of the year for Valos Chocolates in Arnold, according to owner and chief chocolatier John Mandak. At the company’s factory on Fifth Avenue, gallons of molten chocolate...
