Valley News Dispatch category, Page 9
The Stroller, April 11, 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. Mibsters shoot for national...
Human papillomavirus-related throat cancer skyrocketing in men over 50
Kevin Shields thought nothing of an unusual but persistent sensation in his throat. A public address announcer for the Fox Chapel Area School District baseball, softball and flag football teams, Shields also is the man behind the mic for the Carnegie Mellon University Tartans teams. He chalked up the sensation...
Pittsburgh men rescind request to withdraw guilty pleas in Arnold shooting
Two Pittsburgh men in jail since their arrest in a 2022 shooting in Arnold told a Westmoreland County judge Friday they no longer want to rescind guilty pleas they entered last year. Tishan Lowe Jr., 34, and Imani Patterson, 28, are facing potential 10- to 20-year prison sentences for their...
Brackenridge considers security cameras at Memorial Park
Brackenridge Council is hoping for extra eyes around-the-clock in the borough’s riverfront park. Council members proposed the idea to install cameras at the park along First Avenue, if costs and funding can be worked out. “It’s not like we want to watch everyone, but if something bad happens, we would...
Once part of Drive-In Capital of the World, this rural complex fights for survival
“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” blared across the massive screen at Riverside Drive-In on April 2 to mark opening night of the 2026 season at the Parks Township theater. But owners were quick to say, without recent community support, the screen would have remained dark. A GoFundMe organized by employee...
Petition launched to show support to Aspinwall Council’s censuring, resignation request of mayor
An Aspinwall resident has launched a petition campaign seeking signatures in support of borough council’s recent censuring request of Mayor Scott Zimmermann, and the calls for his resignation. Its virtual version, posted to ipetitions.com, is titled “Upholding Integrity and Accountability in Aspinwall Leadership.” It purported to have had a little...
Oakmont Council opens floor to residents on deer management strategies
There appears to be strong support for reducing the number of deer in Oakmont, a borough survey of residents shows. Councilwoman Deborah Ormay brought the issue forward months ago. She mentioned that residents approach her regularly to see “if there’s anything council can do about the deer,” she said. In...
Still no hearing months after man was charged in Plum homicide
It’s been nearly five months since police charged Shawn Higgins with beating a woman to death in Plum, but he still hasn’t had a preliminary hearing. A preliminary hearing, during which a judge determines if there is enough evidence a crime has been committed to continue, is one of the...
No injuries reported in West Leechburg house fire
A fire broke out early Friday morning in a home in West Leechburg. The West Leechburg Volunteer Fire Department responded to the call just after 6:30 a.m. in the 200 block of Orchard Lane, according to Westmoreland 911 dispatch. “Within minutes the chief was on scene with the engine/tanker behind...
The Stroller, April 10, 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. Jazz concert set at...
Burrell Life Skills Prom hosts students from across the region
The annual Life Skills Prom, drawing students from nine area schools this year, provided a chance for life skills students to engage with peers and exercise practical skills. Hannah Cress, a life skills teacher at Franklin Regional Senior High School, said the event is a cheerful and safe occasion that...
Gilpin moves for proactive data center regulationsVideo
With data centers in the works in several municipalities in the region, Gilpin officials are preparing regulations in the event a company proposes one for the township. While no such proposal has been submitted, the Gilpin supervisors are advertising an ordinance that would put forth clear regulations in case one...
Paving prep work to last a month on well-traveled West Leechburg road
Bell Avenue, a well-traveled road in West Leechburg, will be going through a bit of a makeover later this month. Crews will begin excavating sections of the road between South Avenue and West Leechburg Hill Road on April 20 to prepare for future paving. That’s according to a letter sent...
Upper Burrell data center town hall scheduled for May
Upper Burrell Township and developer TECFusions will hold a public town hall May 5 at Penn State New Kensington to discuss an incoming data center and field community concerns. It will be at 6 p.m. in the theater at 3550 Seventh Street Road. At a March township supervisors meeting, residents...
The Stroller, April 9, 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. Help needed for Apollo...
As prices continue to rise, Western Pa. food banks see climbing demandVideo
Financial pressure on families from inflation, government shutdowns and the Iran war is apparent at area food banks, where some say demand is outstripping even what they saw during the covid-19 pandemic. From July 2024 to July 2025, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank distributed 5 million more meals than...
Blawnox VFC, SAVES host Good Friday fish frys
Southern Allegheny Valley Emergency Services and Blawnox Volunteer Fire Company continued their respective traditions of hosting a fish fry on Good Friday. The food-themed fundraiser has been a staple for both fire companies for years. SAVES — the merged fire department serving Aspinwall and Sharpsburg — moved fish fry operations...
Harmar fight leaves 1 elderly man hospitalized, another facing felony charges
Harmar police say a fight between two senior citizens ended with one in a hospital intensive care unit and the other facing felony charges. Robert Schmidt, 76, of Springdale Township is accused of repeatedly punching a man and then stomping on his head because the victim allegedly made inappropriate comments...
Man accused of blowing up Plum home with family inside headed for court
Witnesses told a district judge that Jacob Rabb admitted multiple times to blowing up his Plum home in 2022 with his partner and his four children inside. Charges against Rabb, 41, including four counts of attempted homicide, were held for court Wednesday after a preliminary hearing before District Judge Mike...
Leechburg police ask residents to lock their cars after spate of thefts
Leechburg police Chief Jason Schaffer is reminding residents to lock their cars. The department received reports of about seven cars that had been entered about 2 a.m. Tuesday, he said. “That’s just what was reported,” Schaffer said. The vehicles that were hit, Schaffer said, were unlocked. People reported finding their...
West Deer, Foxwall ambulance services explore merger for better coverage, faster response times
A fledgling partnership between the West Deer and Foxwall ambulance services has resulted in faster, more efficient service for residents. Just four months in, the chiefs of both stations have agreed to participate in a state study to gauge the viability of a merger or shared management. “Instead of each...
Alle-Kiski Valley Earth Day cleanups looking for volunteers
Litter cleanup events are coming to several municipalities across the Alle-Kiski Valley to celebrate Earth Day. On April 25, a cleanup and planting along New Kensington and Arnold’s downtown corridor is meant to “brighten” the area and promote outdoor appreciation, said event organizer Jessica Salerno. “I want everyone to reconnect...
The Stroller, April 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. Free American Sign Language...
Small space, big environmental impact: Aspinwall resident to plant public pollinator garden
Pam Dickinson hopes to beautify her Aspinwall neighborhood, even if it’s one little green patch at a time. The First Street resident plans to install a butterfly and pollinator garden along Commercial Avenue in the borough’s business district, just a block or so from her home. “I always walk by...
Some questions remain unanswered after ICE arrests 13 in Armstrong County
Details remain hazy after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation ended with 13 people arrested on Good Friday at a driver’s license center near Kittanning. Jason Koontz, a Department of Homeland Security spokesman, said ICE was called by East Franklin police after “concerned citizens reported an abnormally large amount of...
