Valley News Dispatch category
Upper Burrell residents notified of surveying for fracking lateral lines
Upper Burrell will soon undergo surveying for lateral fracking lines that could connect to natural gas company EQT’s Hermes well pad in neighboring Murrysville. Township residents received letters this week from Wisconsin consulting firm Verdanterra, which will conduct the surveying. “While surveying for well lateral locations, we may require access...
1st responders help man stuck on Harrison Hills cliff return to safety
Chivalry isn’t dead. Thursday night’s rescue in Harrison Hills Park proves it. According to Citizens Hose Fire Chief TJ Bajack, a man and his girlfriend were walking along the Rachel Carson Trail, a 45-mile hiking trail that starts in Harrison, when the woman dropped her phone down the hillside. The...
Judge rejects accused Mogies shooter request to remain in mental facility to await trial
A Lower Burrell man will be transferred from a mental hospital back to the Westmoreland County Prison this weekend to await trial on charges that he shot and killed the owner of Mogies Irish Pub in late 2023. Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher Feliciani on Thursday declined a...
Plum boy has perfect women’s March Madness bracket, the only person in ESPN’s nationwide contest
Otto Schellhammer isn’t just one in a million. He’s one in 41.2 million. The 14-year-old from Plum is the creator of the last perfect bracket standing after the opening weekend of the men’s and women’s NCAA tournaments — from more than 40 million entries across all the major contests. The...
SAVES’ Good Friday fish fry a community tradition, lifeline for volunteer fire department
As Lenten fish fry season starts to wind down, there’s at least one Lower Valley fundraiser hoping to reel people in with good eats. Southern Allegheny Valley Emergency Services (SAVES) will host its annual Good Friday fish fry from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 3. For the second year,...
Owner of Plum’s Lelulo’s Pizza wins $25K grant for contributions to community
For many Plum residents, Lelulo’s Pizzeria is known for its community engagement and active social media presence. During the covid-19 pandemic, owner Patyn McCune provided free lunches for several local children. Since then, she has also helped with clothing and Easter basket drives, opened a food pantry during last year’s...
Here’s where to satisfy your Lenten fish cravings in Western Pennsylvania
All menus are subject to change and availability. Events begin either Feb. 18 Ash Wednesday or Friday, Feb. 20. To have your nonprofit’s fish fry added to this listing send complete information as soon as possible to vndnews@triblive.com. Allegheny County Collier Township Rennerdale Volunteer Fire Department, 30 Suburban Ave., Carnegie,...
The Stroller, March 27, 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. Fundraiser to aid Lower...
Indiana Township first responders thanked for lifesaving efforts during cardiac arrest incident
Multiple Indiana Township police officers and West Deer EMS personnel recently were commended for their efforts in saving a resident’s life earlier this year. First responders were dispatched shortly before noon on Jan. 18 to a home along Chatham Lane for a person having a cardiac arrest. EMS Executive Director...
Paid authority prevents ‘inevitable failure’ of ambulance service in Harrison, Brackenridge and Tarentum
Residents of Harrison, Brackenridge and Tarentum will pay a municipal ambulance bill beginning next year after the creation of the Alle-Kiski Emergency Service Authority. In return, officials guaranteed long-term sustainability of the two local providers: Eureka Community Ambulance and Citizens Hose EMS. “We see (ambulance companies) going out of business...
New Kensington event space, library and police fleet slated for upgrades, paid for with casino tax revenue
Three projects in New Kensington receive a total of $186,000 coming from tax revenue collected from Westmoreland’s casino. The grants were part of a countywide grant package of more than $470,000, paid for with tax revenue from Live! Casino. They include Girl Scout Little House renovations, Peoples Library modernizations and...
Blawnox Sportsmen Club: A legacy of camaraderie and giving back
A few hours spent at the Blawnox Sportsmen Club along Freeport Road feels like settling into a friend’s living room. The fireplace is lit, a game is blaring on the big-screen TV. A slow cooker full of meatballs simmers near the bar. Sometimes, a card game gets competitive. “We like...
Faces of the Valley: New Kensington Arnold School District secures new head of safety
William Leek Jr. has always wanted to help people. He pursued that goal on a professional level through a series of public service and safety roles. That included a stint in the Marine Corps Reserves, as a police officer with the Rehoboth Beach Police Department for two years and later...
Pittsburgh Brewing to host NFL Draft watch party
Can’t make it to the 2026 NFL draft in person? Pittsburgh Brewing Co. is offering an alternative. On April 23, the East Deer brewery will be hosting a watch party for the draft in partnership with WTAE. The night will feature food, entertainment and a live broadcast of the NFL...
2026 Easter events in the in the Alle-Kiski Valley and beyond
Fawn Breakfast with the Easter Bunny, 10 a.m. to noon March 28 at Center Church, 1575 Donnellville Road. There will be games, face painting, an egg hunt and visits with the Easter Bunny. Freeport • Egg hunt and lunch with the Easter Bunny, April 4 in Freeport Community Park for...
The Stroller, March 26, 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. Purse bash planned in...
Alleged mishandling of pet cremations by Harrison funeral director spurs state legislation
Tiffany Mantzouridis sat in the balcony of the state House chamber Monday, overwhelmed by emotion as legislators unanimously approved a bill to protect pet owners from what they called glaring oversights in cremation services. The Irwin resident is the whistleblower who essentially spurred the legislation after reporting what she saw...
Mount St. Peter church air quality tests likely won’t halt Holy Week schedule
Mount St. Peter Catholic Church in New Kensington likely will be open for Friday’s fish fry and Holy Week Masses following air quality testing this week. On Monday morning, the New Kensington Catholic Community, comprising Mount St. Peter, St. Mary Czestochowa and St. Joseph churches, announced via Facebook that a...
New Kensington gift shop sells quirky, handmade 1-of-a-kind itemsVideo
Racks of quirky totes and custom tumblers now fill a small New Kensington storefront — but two years ago, The Bag Lady began with a single handmade Halloween trick-or-treat bag designed in honor of a deceased loved one’s birthday. Now, The Bag Lady owner Heather Naugle, a Penn Hills resident,...
The Stroller, March 25, 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 dental care offered...
No injuries reported in multi-vehicle crash on Route 28 near Highland Park Bridge
Multiple vehicles were involved in a crash Tuesday morning on Route 28 just before the Highland Park Bridge. No injuries were reported, despite several of the cars flipping over on the roadway just before Exit 6, near Aspinwall. The crash scene has been cleared and all northbound lanes of Route...
Lower Burrell to upgrade stormwater system on Rodgers Drive
Lower Burrell will be upgrading its Rodgers Drive stormwater system to address flooding, improve pedestrian safety and better comply with federal water runoff guidelines. The upgrades will include installing 225 feet of stormwater pipe and two new inlets. It also will include 200 feet of cured-in-place-pipe lining — a form...
Pittsburgh Mills repair efforts lead to 2nd trial postponement
Owners of the Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills have been making progress after years of inactivity on the campus. Monday morning, a status conference, or nonjury trial, to address the criminal charge against the owners of the Mills was continued for a second time. Last April, the Allegheny County District Attorney’s...
Springdale residents not able to return home after partial roof collapseVideo
Springdale resident Amy Ross sat inside the borough recreation center Monday, frustrated and wondering how long it would take to return to her apartment on Butler Street after its roof partially collapsed Monday. “I was gonna move before winter,” Ross said, as she made arrangements for a friend to temporarily...
The Stroller, March 24, 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. Food distribution planned in...
