Valley News Dispatch category, Page 713
Ex-boyfriend a ‘person of interest’ in disappearance of Kittanning woman Katie Stoner
Kittanning police are looking for the onetime boyfriend of a missing woman. Katie L. Stoner, 27, has been missing from Kittanning since about 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Police on Sunday confirmed they want to talk with John Eugene Colbert, 30, of New Castle. They say he is Stoner’s ex-boyfriend. Kittanning Officer...
As UPMC and Highmark split, patients agonize over having to switch doctors
A New Kensington man may have to say goodbye to his neurologist at an upcoming appointment after being under his care for roughly 25 years. Jack Swanger, 65, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1991 at age 37 when he experienced double vision while on the job as a heavy-machine...
Amateur radio society recruiting members young or old
Amateur radio operators relay radio messages during natural and man-made disasters and fun events like Pittsburgh’s Great Race. And they don’t get a dime. They can’t, according to Federal Communications Commission regulations. Instead, their noncommercial messages relay information — often when cellphone towers are damaged and unavailable, such as in...
Kittanning police searching for missing woman, 27
Kittanning Borough police are getting tips about the whereabouts of a missing 27-year-old woman, but she was still missing as of 3 p.m. Saturday. Katie L. Stoner, 27, has been missing since 6:30 p.m. Thursday. “We’ve had some tips and we want others to call,” Officer Ken Bussard said. Police...
Spray paint defaces veterans memorial in Brackenridge Memorial ParkVideo
Someone used silver spray paint to deface the bronze on the veterans monument in Brackenridge Memorial Park. Who did it and why is unknown — for now. “Someone took it upon themselves in the middle of the night to come to Memorial Park to spray paint all of original bronze,”...
Underground fire at East Deer site is getting smaller, officials say
The plan for dealing with an underground fire at the former Pittsburgh Glass Works plant in East Deer appears to be a simple one: Let it burn. East Deer Commissioners Chairman Tony Taliani said representatives from the state Department of Environmental Protection, Allegheny County Health Department and Vitro, the property...
Power outage planned in Lower Burrell next week
There will be a planned power outage in Lower Burrell next week. According to the city, First Energy-West Penn Power will interrupt service in the area of Michigan Avenue between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 21 to upgrade facilities. In case of inclement weather, the outage will...
Tarentum considering regulations governing solar panels
Tarentum is considering regulations that would govern the installation and use of solar panels in the borough. The proposed ordinance includes proposed fees and technical requirements for what are broadly referred to as “customer-owned generation of electricity,” which could include things besides solar panels, such as windmills. Tarentum operates its...
Allegheny County Council to consider tearing down Deer Lakes Park building
The Deer Lakes Park Administration Building could soon be slated for demolition. Allegheny County Council at its meeting Tuesday will consider a bill submitted by county Executive Rich Fitzgerald to authorize demolition of the building. The building functions as an office facility. The bill states that the county Department of...
Harrison commissioner: Garbage-bill scofflaws at root of illegal dumping problem
A Harrison commissioner wants to publicize the names of residents who are behind on their garbage bills, hoping it spurs at least some of the residents to pay up and alleviates a problem with illegal dumping. More than 500 residential garbage accounts are delinquent in Harrison, and Commissioner Charles Dizard...
Westmoreland County Democrats host candidates forum in Washington Township
The Westmoreland County Democratic Party will hold a candidates forum for Region 2 on Tuesday at the Washington Township Community Building. Region 2 includes Kiski Valley communities in Westmoreland County. “Our incumbent Westmoreland County commissioners, candidates for court of common pleas and county row offices have all accepted our invitation...
Apollo man accused of assaulting woman headed to court, some charges dismissed
A Leechburg judge dismissed felony assault charges against an Apollo man accused of attacking a woman. James Orlando Oquinn, 29, will head to the Armstrong County Court of Common Pleas on a new felony charge of allegedly strangling the woman, District Judge James Andring ruled Wednesday. The woman told Apollo...
Tarentum homeowner worries about repairing house after fallen tree removed
The extent of the damage caused to a Tarentum home when a tree fell on it Wednesday was more apparent Friday after the tree had been removed. The buckeye tree that fell on Frank Lee’s house at 400 Allegheny St. was removed Thursday afternoon, Lee said. Lee was back in...
Valley Points YMCA offering $1 membership deal on Presidents Day
People looking to join any of the three Valley Points YMCA locations can do so for $1 on Presidents Day. The flash sale on memberships means that people can save as much as $60.60 by joining on Monday. Valley Points YMCA CEO Mike Newell said the deal applies to all...
New Kensington’s Helping Families needs help of its own
A New Kensington nonprofit that aims to help families furnish their home needs a new home of its own. “We lose the building” on Feb. 21, said Leslie McLaughlin, founder and director of Helping Families, One Family at a Time. She started the group about four years ago and it...
Kittanning police searching for missing woman, 27
Kittanning Borough police said as of 3 p.m. Saturday a 27-year-old woman remained missing. But police said they are receiving tips concerning her whereabouts. Katie L. Stoner has been missing since 6:30 p.m. Thursday. “We’ve had some tips and we want others to call,” Officer Ken Bussard said. Police said...
A 1-car crash closes the intersection of Route 819 and 286 in Bell Township
The intersection Route 819 and 286 in Bell Township was shut down Thursday night as a result of a one-vehicle crash. Westmoreland County dispatchers said the incident took place around 9:05 p.m. No injuries were reported. The road is expected to reopen as soon as emergency responders can clean up...
Police: Irwin woman stole $30K from Upper Burrell trucking business, owners
A former employee is charged with stealing more than $30,000 from an Upper Burrell trucking company and its owners while working there in 2017. Westmoreland County detectives allege Mary Jane Mousley, 51, of Irwin, used the money for herself, in one case spending at least $2,000 to pay personal bills....
Public shaming threat moves 1 delinquent Tarentum property owner to pay taxes
The threat of publicly shaming delinquent taxpayers in Tarentum hasn’t produced the desired results as far as the borough is concerned. As of Thursday, just one person had come forward to pay $1,500 in delinquent property taxes. A week before, Tarentum Council approved a proposal to post the names of...
Gilpin certified public accountant makes bid for Armstrong County treasurer
Gilpin resident Jean Stull has thrown her hat into the ring for Armstrong County treasurer. Stull, a Democrat, announced she will run in the primary election on May 21 for the four-year position. Would-be candidates cannot start collecting signatures on their nomination petitions until Tuesday, Feb. 19, according to Jennifer...
Gas, drain line work could delay some Allegheny Township paving this year
Allegheny Township’s paving projects for this summer are temporarily on hold. Shawn Kuhn, public works director, told supervisors that a large drain pipe along Victoria Way, just off Melwood Road, needs to be replaced. After that work is done, remaining budgeted money will determine the direction of summer road projects....
Highlands senior champions ‘feeling good in your own skin’Video
“Let me take a selfie.” That familiar phrase is a daily norm for Highlands High School senior Olivia Grace Fertig. Fertig, 18, of Tarentum has almost 12,000 followers and subscribers on her Instagram and YouTube social media accounts. “I post a lot of make-up, fashion and daily life on there,”...
Their love story began at the Allegheny Valley School of Nursing
More than a thousand young women came of age and had courtships in the building that once housed the Allegheny Valley Hospital School of Nursing in Harrison. Reba Weltner Blackburn was one of them. The women not only studied there, they also lived in the brick building along Carlisle Street....
Allegheny County Democrats sponsor campaign kickoff in Harmar next week
Allegheny County Democrats are holding a petition kickoff next week to gather support in the Alle-Kiski Valley. Allegheny County District Attorney Steve Zappala, Controller Chelsa Wagner, Treasurer John Weinstein, Councilman Nick Futules and county Labor Council President Darrin Kelly are hosting the event, which will be held from 6 p.m....
Highlands senior spreads message of acceptance on Valentine’s Day
Having a brother with autism showed Cameron Babinsack the kinds of issues and troubles faced by those who don’t fit into societal norms. “The world would be a better place if people would accept the differences in others instead of pointing them out,” said Babinsack, 17, a Highlands High School...
