Valley News Dispatch category, Page 163
Riverview budget would raise taxes 5.3% next year
Riverview School District taxpayers could see a 5.3% tax increase next year under the district’s proposed budget. The 1.279 mill real estate tax hike for next year will be used to cover expenses associated with rising health insurance rates, updated curriculum, two new teacher positions and hiring a director of...
Cooper-Siegel, Sharpsburg libraries get $80,000 computer upgrade through Allegheny Regional Asset District
New computers at Cooper-Siegel Community Library and its branch site in Sharpsburg are expected to provide a smoother experience for patrons. The project also will provide a boost to the library budget because the computers were upgraded for free. The purchase by the Allegheny Regional Asset District was part of...
Leechburg woman dies in house fire
A Leechburg woman died Tuesday morning in a fire at her home. Armstrong County Coroner Brian Myers identified the victim as 60-year-old Betty Bail. The state police fire marshal’s office said pets also perished in the fire in the 300 block of Logan Avenue. In a release, Myers said the...
1 injured in head-on crash in Lower Burrell
One person was injured after two vehicles crashed head-on Tuesday morning in Lower Burrell. The wreck happened around 6 a.m. at the intersection of Greensburg Road and Dutchman Run Road, according to a Westmoreland County 911 dispatcher. One person was flown to the hospital from the scene, the dispatcher said....
Kiski Area School Board approves $25M middle school renovation project
One of four contractors chosen for Kiski Area School District’s $25 million middle school renovation project has drawn opposition from two school board members. School board members Amy Halter and Dawn Mellinger voted against paying $14.6 million to general contractor Liokareas Construction. The company served in the same role for...
The Stroller, May 14, 2024: 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. June 1 5k/10k to benefit Freeport Area HS cross country team...
Man critically hurt in West Deer hit-and-run
A man was critically wounded Monday night after a vehicle crashed into a dirt bike on Saxonburg Boulevard in West Deer, Allegheny County police said. The vehicle involved in the collision drove away and the man driving the dirt bike was flown to a hospital for treatment. Both vehicles were...
Aspinwall extends garbage contract, appoints new zoning board members
Aspinwall has extended its garbage collection contract with Shank Waste as it pursues other contract and vendor options. Council voted to approve the extension with the Lower Burrell-based hauler on May 8. The contract now runs through June 30. The borough was in its final year of a three-year contract...
Health, wellness and fun promoted during Fox Chapel Area School District safety event
Rain did not dampen the spirits of Fox Chapel Area School District families as dozens of them participated in the annual safety, health and wellness day in Aspinwall. The borough parking lot along Commercial Avenue was packed with first responders from district municipalities and school resource officers for the May...
New Kensington-Arnold 5th graders spend morning fishing at Valley High School
Fifth grade students in the New Kensington-Arnold School District enjoyed a morning of fishing Monday at Valley High School. Little Pucketa Creek was stocked with trout just before students began casting their lines, with the help of high school students. The fifth graders are students at Roy A. Hunt Elementary...
Lower Burrell man accused of shooting Mogie’s owner not competent, lawyers say
A Lower Burrell man accused of fatally shooting restaurant owner David “Mogie” Magill is not mentally competent to help attorneys prepare for his homicide trial, according to a petition filed in Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court. Attorney Daniel Joseph wrote in the petition that he and co-counsel Duke George have...
Burrell gets $582K to upgrade security at Bon Air Elementary, boost kids’ mental health
The state is giving Burrell School District more than half a million dollars to replace the “antiquated” security systems at Bon Air Elementary School and boost the mental health and physical safety of students. Of Westmoreland County’s school districts, Burrell received the most funding. Superintendent Shannon Wagner said state police’s...
Freeport Area School District in a familiar place as it faces deficit
The Freeport Area School District is looking to close a shortfall of about $880,000 in its proposed budget. Barring cuts or unexpected changes, the district will dip into its fund balance to bridge the gap for the sixth time in seven years. Just how much it’ll deplete its $2.8 million...
The Stroller, May 13, 2024: 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. Free fishing derby scheduled for Northmoreland Park A free fishing derby...
Scenes from the Valley: Images captured in the Alle-Kiski Valley from May 1-8, 2024
Here is a weekly look at recent images captured throughout the Alle-Kiski Valley. From major news events to routine gatherings, the Tribune-Review’s “Scenes from the Valley” photo package brings to life activities and moments happening in your backyard. To have a photo considered as a “Scenes from the Valley” candidate,...
Faces of the Valley: O’Hara’s Sarah Jones parlays passion for teaching into Volunteer of the Year Award from National Aviary
O’Hara resident Sarah Jones calls herself a lucky duck. After retiring as a first-grade teacher from the Wilkinsburg School District, Jones spread her wings and found a new passion — birds — while still keeping her love for teaching close. She began volunteering in 2014 at the National Aviary on...
Remember When: Tarentum fire destroyed 8 buildings along East Sixth Avenue in 1885
One of the most disastrous fires in Tarentum’s history occurred on Dec. 21, 1885, and led to the organization of the borough’s first fire department. The fire originated in the office of Patterson and Travis, an insurance agency in a wood-frame building where the present Tarentum Post Office stands. A...
New Kensington man arrested in connection with Arnold stabbing
A weekend stabbing in Arnold left one person injured and another behind bars. Sheron Brown, 45, of New Kensington is charged with aggravated assault and simple assault following the incident Saturday night. Brown was denied bond and was being held at the Westmoreland County jail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled...
The Stroller, May 12, 2024: 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. Drive-through food distribution set Tuesday at Pittsburgh Mills Allegheny Valley Association...
Water used for fracking on the rise but remains a small slice of MAWC sales
Water sales for fracking activities throughout Westmoreland and its neighboring counties represent only a small portion of what is distributed daily to local residential, commercial and industrial customers, according to recently released data. Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County said water purchased by local energy companies accounts for just 4% of...
Phantom Fireworks moving into former New Kensington Rite Aid building
A former Rite Aid in New Kensington is becoming a year-round fireworks store. Phantom Fireworks plans to open its store in the former pharmacy at 700 Stevenson Blvd. by mid-June in time for this year’s Fourth of July season, said Michael Podolsky, deputy general counsel for the Youngstown, Ohio-based company....
Highlands partners with UPMC for pediatric diabetes study
Highlands Middle School nurse Aliza Zelina keeps individual baskets stocked with snacks and medical supplies for her students battling Type 1 diabetes. “They come to me several times a day,” said Zelina, of the preteens at the Harrison school. “They are little kids who are learning to manage this illness. They...
The Stroller, May 11, 2024: 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. Poker run to raise money for homeless veterans Ride for Homeless...
Buffalo Township police, firefighters and a construction crew rescue 3 ducklings from storm drain
Three ducklings were rescued from a storm drain Friday afternoon at a GetGo gas station thanks to quick work by Buffalo Township police, firefighters and a construction crew. Officer Erik Bergstrom said he received the call around 4:30 p.m. for the young waterfowl that fell through a sewer grate near...
New Kensington’s Davon Magwood looks to go from comedy clubs and restaurant kitchens to the state House
A professional chef from New Kensington who had an early career as a Pittsburgh comedian has turned his sights to politics. Davon Magwood, 38, is running for the state House’s 55th District seat after having won the Democratic write-in in the April primary. He earned a spot on the November...
