Valley News Dispatch category, Page 97
Faces of the Valley: Dick Pesci has been cutting meat, making memories at Golden Dawn for 62 years
Dick Pesci jokes that when he starts his car each morning, it already knows where to go. After all, he’s been making the same trip from his Natrona Heights home to Golden Dawn in New Kensington for decades. And the 10-minute commute to get to work by 5 a.m. is...
Alle-Kiski Valley Senior Citizen Center calendar: Feb. 23
Armstrong County Senior Centers Apollo Wednesday and Thursday: 10 a.m., bingo. Thursday: blood pressure screenings, health and wellness program. Hours: 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. weekdays. Details: Charlotte at 800-368-1066 or Amy at 724-478-1410. The center is at 707A N. Fifth St., Apollo. Freeport Tuesday and Thursday: bingo. The center...
The Stroller, Feb. 23, 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. Trivia night to test...
Investigators hope advancements in biometrics, social media could aid in the case of Cherrie Mahan
A 6-year-old California boy was abducted in 1951 and found last year living on the East Coast — 73 years after his disappearance. The discovery was thanks to an AncestryDNA test, the sort sold at drugstores that have people submit saliva samples to create DNA matches that can track family...
After 40 years of searching and praying, Cherrie Mahan’s mother asks for closure
Cherrie Mahan’s favorite color was purple. The 8-year-old loved Cabbage Patch dolls, the movie “E.T.” and tuna fish sandwiches. She sang at church on Sundays with her grandma. It’s the happy details that her mother, Janice McKinney, remembers most about Cherrie. The Winfield Elementary third grader went missing Feb. 22,...
Community rallies behind South Buffalo Elementary student after brain tumor diagnosis
South Buffalo Elementary School fourth grader Mya Wienskovich can’t wait to get back to cheerleading. It was among the 10-year-old’s top concerns leading up to her surgery Friday morning at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Surgeons spent five hours removing a brain tumor. One thing is for certain: The Freeport...
Oakmont zoning hearing raises more questions than answers for businesses
Questions remained unanswered and issues unresolved after a public hearing before the Oakmont Zoning Hearing Board was postponed Thursday night and rescheduled for a second time. The hearing was initially scheduled Feb. 8, after an ongoing legal battle involving various Oakmont businesses and the borough was to be brought in...
The Stroller, Feb. 22, 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. Tickets available for annual...
Kwik Fill in Oakmont burglarized
Oakmont and Allegheny County Police are investigating a burglary at the Kwik Fill gas station along Allegheny River Boulevard. A cashier at the convenience store said someone broke through a door, stole a register and attempted to access the safe around 4 a.m. Friday. Both the door and the register...
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...
