Valley News Dispatch category, Page 14
Police say New Kensington man already jailed for SWAT incident assaulted, fathered child with 8th grader
Westmoreland County detectives accuse a New Kensington man who has been in jail since 2024 of fathering a child with an Arnold teenager after repeatedly sexually assaulting her. Burnell Johnson, 27, is facing charges of statutory sexual assault, corruption of minors and indecent assault of a person younger than 16....
PennDOT plans another sweep for puzzling metal fragments in Harrison
PennDOT plans to return to Harrison once the snow melts to inspect for more of the metal shards found scattered across township roads this week. Spokesman Steve Cowan said sweeper trucks canvassed Freeport Road, Route 28 and Burtner Road on Wednesday and Thursday, picking up some of the small metal...
Man who led police on icy river pursuit held for court
The man who tried to evade Pittsburgh police by walking 5 miles along the frozen Allegheny River on Jan. 29 will remain in Allegheny County Jail. Gary Cawley, 47, of Pittsburgh was held for court during a preliminary hearing Thursday in Pittsburgh Municipal Court. Bond was set at $100,000. His...
Cheswick plans to redo sidewalks, add lights along Pittsburgh Street
Cheswick’s main business district could see significant updates soon. The borough plans to repave its sidewalks and curbs and add light poles along Pittsburgh Street with a $1.1 million state grant, according to Council President Brad Yaksich. Yaksich said the effort is part of an effort to revitalize the corridor....
Morning Roundup: Police charge caretaker with theft from Verona patient
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, Feb. 6: Caretaker accused of stealing from patient Verona police are seeking assistance in locating a woman they say stole money from a woman she was hired to care for. Police responded to a report of money stolen...
The Stroller, Feb. 6, 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. Voting underway Community Library...
‘I’m capable’: Special Olympics athlete Sheena Black to compete in national games
When Sheena Black found out she would be competing in track and field at the Special Olympics USA Games this June in Minneapolis, she couldn’t contain her excitement. After 34 years as a Special Olympics athlete and earning 259 medals, she will have her first chance at running on the...
Oakmont Bakery harassed over ICE arrest
It appears no one is safe from public ire when it comes to the nation’s debate over immigration, not even a popular local bakery. Marc Serrao, co-owner of Oakmont Bakery, said his business has faced harassment on social media and via telephone since the arrest of Oakmont resident Jose Flores...
Moving goal post: Lawyer thinks Oakmont ICE arrest the result of new immigration priorities
It appears politics, not immigration law, sparked the arrest of Jose Flores in Oakmont last week, the man’s lawyer suggested. “Jose’s legal posture in the country is one that allows him to remain and work lawfully in the U.S. while his case is being adjudicated and, for the last 30...
Scott Township man detained by ICE in Plum being held in West Virginia jail
Vishavdeep Singh, the Scott Township man detained by ICE agents in Plum on Wednesday, is being held in Northern Regional Correctional Facility and Jail near Moundsville, W.Va., according to ICE records. Singh, 22, was detained at the office of District Judge Mike Doyle after, police say, he attempted to flee...
Pittsburgh man dies after jumping from Route 28 bridge in Buffalo Township
A Pittsburgh man died after jumping from the Route 28 bridge over Buffalo Creek. State police are investigating the public death of William I. Tegethoff, 45. Armstrong County Coroner Brian Myers said Tegethoff died from multiple blunt force trauma. Myers ruled his death a suicide. Tegethoff jumped from the high-level...
Harrison police still trying to resolve mystery of metal shards on roadways
The mysterious metal shards that littered Harrison roads remain a head-scratcher for police. Chief Brian Turack said officers continue to investigate after his phone lines were flooded Wednesday with reports of sharp fragments causing flat tires. Social media saw dozens of people saying their vehicles fell victim to the uniform-shaped...
New Kensington fire ‘appears to be electrical in nature,’ chief says
A New Kensington home sustained “a good bit of damage” following an electrical fire Wednesday night, according to New Kensington Fire Chief Ed Saliba Jr. Crews responded to the 600 block of Clyde Street in the Valley Heights section of the city just after 11 p.m., Saliba said. “Police got...
Tarentum native finds passion helping veterans
Tarentum native Jessica King has found her passion helping veterans secure their future. As a VFW-accredited service officer, King manages and trains about 35 staffers who help veterans and surviving family members navigate the Veterans Administration benefits system. “Knowing that they’re not fighting for a paycheck anymore, that brings me...
Nonprofit donates old Miner’s Clinic property to New Kensington
The former Miner’s Clinic property in New Kensington is now in the city’s hands. Nonprofit groups Keystone Hope Development and Westmoreland Community Action donated about 8 acres of land off Powers Drive, on both sides of Martin Avenue, City Clerk John Zavadak said. In the 1950s, the Russellton Medical Group...
TV sales up during Super Bowl week as customers chase bargains
Super Bowl-related television sales typically bring a bit of a boost at a time of year when there can be a lull in sales, said Craig Kantoris, co-owner and project manager at ConnectedLife Designs By The StereoShop in Greensburg. A handful of recent customers looked to upgrade their screens in...
Vote scheduled on future of EMS in Harrison, Tarentum and Brackenridge
After a scheduling glitch in January, a public hearing to formalize a paid ambulance authority in Harrison, Tarentum and Brackenridge is back on the books. The meeting will be March 25 at the Brackenridge American Legion. “We encourage residents to come out, listen, ask questions and help us think through...
New art collective, Alloy 13, launches to boost local creativity in New Kensington
An artist collective in the Alle-Kiski Valley was the result of the right people, the right place and the right time. Three area artists — James Sabulsky, Dave Howard and Alyssa Penman — had individually thought to establish a space to showcase and promote artwork in the Alle-Kiski Valley, according...
The Stroller, Feb. 5, 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 Highland...
Plum police: ICE detains Scott Township man at court hearing after he tried to run
A Scott Township man arrested last year in connection with a series of road rage incidents was detained by ICE agents following an altercation at the district court office in Plum, according to court documents filed Wednesday. Vishavdeep Singh, 22, of Scott was charged in November with multiple felonies after...
5 charged in connection with Lower Burrell vape shop raids
Lower Burrell police filed drug-related charges against five people following a yearslong, undercover investigation into three vape shops in the city. Those charged are: Hussain M. Almerdaie, 33, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; Maulik H. Thakkar, 43, of Mars; Qasem A. Almardeai, 37, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; Baldwiner Singh, 54, of Monroeville; and...
Mysterious metal shards causing flat tires around Harrison
Low tire pressure lights are coming on throughout the Alle-Kiski Valley — and it’s not because of the cold. Dozens of drivers are reporting flat tires caused by small metal fragments of unknown origin, mostly around the Harrison area. Beverly Lydic of Springdale Township heard a hissing noise coming from...
Valley High School to offer girls flag football
Girls at Valley Jr.-Sr. High School will have a new sport to play this spring. The New Kensington-Arnold School Board on Tuesday unanimously approved adding a flag football program. “We’ve had so many girls that have wanted it for so long,” board President Jane Graham said. “It is definitely something...
Porter Street revamp ahead for Tarentum
A large swath of Porter Street in Tarentum might soon be open for new development. Three homes that sit in a row will be demolished this year. One was destroyed by fire in September, one of the others is condemned and another is abandoned. Council held a property hearing in...
French classes cut at Valley High School; district will add in-house English as a Second Language programming
Say adieu to the French program at Valley Jr.-Sr. High School. The New Kensington-Arnold School Board on Tuesday voted to phase out its French programming and create an in-house English as a Second Language program, following enrollment declines in French and the rapid growth of students needing ESL services. Board...
