Valley News Dispatch category, Page 88
Vandergrift man apprehended after standoff facing multiple charges
A Vandergrift man is facing a slew of charges after being involved in a standoff with several police agencies Friday afternoon after he allegedly ran from police the day before. Westmoreland County Chief Deputy Sheriff Jen Shipley said 44-year-old Luis Brackman refused to surrender to deputies Friday when authorities attempted...
Bloser Mansion sold; will remain restaurant, bed-and-breakfast with new name
New Kensington’s historic Bloser Mansion has a new name but will remain a restaurant and a bed-and-breakfast under new owners. Lost Dreams Awakening, founded in 2014 by the husband and wife team of VonZell Wade and Laurie Johnson-Wade, bought the mansion on Sixth Avenue in the Parnassus section of the...
Junior ROTC programs on solid ground thanks to change in federal law
Krysta Harper’s education wasn’t going well when she was a freshman at Plum High School. “My grades were failing and absolutely miserable,” she said. Now a senior, her grades are up and she’s preparing to graduate, thanks in part, she says, to the school’s Air Force Junior ROTC program. “ROTC...
Turf field project moves forward at Allegheny Valley
The Allegheny Valley School District is moving forward with its plan for a proposed multipurpose turf field and track at the high school. The board this week authorized Field Turf USA to proceed with construction drawings and permitting for the proposed turf project at the soccer field, which is across...
Riverview alum wins national teaching award
A Riverview alum has been recognized by the White House for her work in shaping the minds of young scientists and engineers. Ella Hereth, 42, of Indianapolis, was awarded the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching — the highest honor a math or science teacher can receive...
National Aviary to take over Shady Side Academy middle school
A Shady Side Academy alumnus is helping the National Aviary find a nest for its next breeding and conservation center, teaching hospital and educational space. S. Kent Rockwell, a Fox Chapel resident and 1962 academy graduate, is in the process of acquiring his alma mater’s 35-acre middle school campus. The...
Burrell School District weighs options on $24 million in projects that could include air conditioning
Two buildings in the Burrell School District could have air conditioning for the first time if the district moves forward with up to $24 million in projects to upgrade its schools. Burrell High School and Bon Air Elementary, both targeted for improvements, would be slated for new heating and cooling...
The Stroller, Feb. 21, 2025: 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 Shamrock Shuffle event...
Aspinwall police using multiple tools to address aggressive driving, speeding in the borough
Anna Hartle of Aspinwall holds out hope that one day people will slow down when driving past her Fourth Street home. The longtime resident and some of her neighbors have let motorists know how they feel about going over the 15 mph limit. “We yell at speeders all the time,...
Old Apollo High School could come down as soon as next week
The excavators are in place, the asbestos dealt with and anything of value removed from the old Apollo High School. All that’s holding up demolition is the weather. Work was initially planned for this past week, but freezing weather pushed it back, said Jace Myers, president of Ford City-based Myers...
Violation notice issued to Lower Burrell steel plant for spill
The state Department of Environmental Protection plans to cite the operator of Braeburn Alloy Steel in Lower Burrell following a hydraulic oil spill at the site this month. DEP spokeswoman Lauren Camarda said the state agency has not determined yet whether any fines or other sanctions are warranted as its...
Then and Now: 1875 O’Hara home is among oldest in township
One of the oldest existing homes in O’Hara stands along Freeport Road overlooking the Allegheny River. According to township historian Tom Powers, the home was among the first built in the Montrose Plan and is at least 150 years old. It sits in an area of the township not far...
Former Fawn Primary Center could go back on the market
The former Fawn Primary Center in the Highlands School District could be going back on the market. The school board last week voted to hire Integra Realty Resources to prepare a valuation on the building at 5591 Ridge Road. The cost for the appraisal is $2,500. The board did not...
Tickets available for 4th annual New Kensington Restaurant Ramble
A dozen New Kensington restaurants will participate in the fourth annual Restaurant Ramble in March. The event featuring the city’s downtown eateries will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 22. It is sponsored by Shop Small Shop New Ken, Voodoo Brewing New Kensington Pub and the...
Sharpsburg library’s chili cook-off returns Feb. 22
One of the most delicious times to ever be at a municipal building will soon take place in Sharpsburg. The annual Sharpsburg Community Library’s Robert “Snakeguy” Habegger Chili Cook-off is set for Feb. 22. Chefs and taste testers are needed for the food-themed fundraising event at 1611 Main St. Registration...
The Stroller, Feb. 20, 2025: 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. Lenten fish fry listings...
Gilpin supervisors hear complaint about stopping livestreaming public meetings
The Gilpin supervisors are fielding complaints after deciding to stop livestreaming public meetings. According to a social media post by Supervisor Charles Stull, the issue of livestreaming meetings was raised by a “few board members” and added to the February voting meeting agenda for discussion. “Once on the topic, I...
Leechburg’s 175th anniversary celebration plans set for summer
The site of Leechburg, consisting of a land grant of 192 acres, has gone by a few different names throughout the years. According to Leechburg Area Community Development Corp., the area was first patented in 1783 by White Mattock, a native American chief. After the Revolutionary War, the area, first...
Ready for opening day: hundreds of trout stocked in Deer Creek
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission began stocking trout in earnest this week despite frigid temperatures. One of the first creeks to be stocked was Deer Creek on Wednesday, with volunteers braving 36-degree water temperatures and 20-degree air temperatures to release hundreds of brown, rainbow and golden trout. Stocking began...
Not wearing a seat belt leads to New Kensington man’s arrest on 4-year-old warrant
A New Kensington man wanted for breaking into his then ex-girlfriend’s home four years ago was arrested Tuesday after he was seen riding in a vehicle without wearing a seat belt, according to court records. Arnold police charged Robert James Dorsey, 60, with three felony counts of aggravated assault and...
Harrison juveniles face charges for vape shop burglary
Two Harrison juveniles are facing charges after, police say, they broke into a vape shop along Freeport Road and made off with more than $3,000 in merchandise. Harrison police Chief Brian Turack said the teens face charges of burglary, criminal trespass, theft and flight to avoid apprehension. He credited a...
No injuries reported in pickup fire in Oakmont
No one was hurt when a pickup caught fire in Oakmont Wednesday morning. The fire at Hulton Road and 10th Street was reported just after 11 a.m. The driver was able to get out of the pickup before emergency services arrived, police Chief Michael Ford said. The fire was put...
Recreation center proposed in Indiana Township park by Winter League Basketball
Fox Chapel Winter League Basketball officials believe a new recreational center in Indiana Township’s Emmerling Park will help secure the organization’s future and continued growth. It would also create a more permanent home for the youth and adult program, alleviating rentals at both Fox Chapel Area School District and Shady...
The Stroller, Feb. 19, 2025: 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. Springdale Snow and Property...
Burrell school task forces work out schedule proposals for reconfiguration
Schedules at Burrell’s Bon Air Elementary and Charles A. Huston Middle schools are close to being finalized. This week, the Bon Air and Huston task forces — groups of about 20 parents and staff providing feedback on schedules and plans for reconfigurations at the schools next year — continued to...
