Valley News Dispatch category, Page 187
Arnold’s new police chief might look familiar to city residents
If Arnold’s new police chief looks familiar to city residents, there are a couple of reasons why. One is that newly hired Chief Josh Stanga worked as a city police officer in the past. The other is that he might be their neighbor. Talking to the crowd of residents at...
Western Pa. candidates line up for spring primary
Republican Rep. Jill Cooper will have a primary challenger this spring for her Murrysville-based seat in the state House. Cooper, the first-term incumbent, appears to be the lone member of Westmoreland County’s state House delegation to face a primary challenge. Nomination petitions to appear on the April 23 primary ballot...
Police use Taser to subdue Arnold woman who they say fought with officers
An Arnold woman arrested on suspicion of assault was stunned several times with a Taser after police said she fought with officers inside a New Kensington holding cell Saturday. Arnold police said they arrested Alexis Shante Owens, 29, after responding to a call in the 400 block of 16th Street,...
New Kensington man accused of firing shots from ‘ghost gun’
An investigation of gunshots Sunday night in New Kensington turned up a “ghost gun,” police say. Officers recovered a 9mm handgun they say Brandon Keith Allen, 27, of New Kensington was carrying and threw away while police chased him along Leishman Avenue, according to a criminal complaint filed against Allen....
Preliminary hearing set for man charged in fatal shooting of Lower Burrell restaurant owner
A preliminary hearing for a man accused of killing a Lower Burrell restaurant owner in December is scheduled for Wednesday morning. Nathan Salem, 45, of Lower Burrell faces a preliminary hearing before District Judge Cheryl Peck Yakopec. He faces first-degree murder and criminal homicide charges in connection with the shooting...
Valley High School lockdown lifted, no threats found
A lockdown of Valley High School in New Kensington was lifted shortly before noon Tuesday after a live firearm round found in a bathroom prompted a police search of the building. Superintendent Chris Sefcheck said the search by police and administrators found no other ammunition nor weapons in the building....
The Stroller, Feb. 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. Garden center accepting applications for college scholarship Greensburg Garden Center is...
Upper Burrell again floats police regionalization idea
Upper Burrell officials are once again gauging the interest of surrounding municipalities in forming a regional police department. Township supervisors mailed letters to Lower Burrell, New Kensington and Allegheny and Washington townships to gauge their interest in forming a “fact-finding body” to examine the feasibility of a regionalized police force...
Rock star: Lab-grown diamonds are skyrocketing in popularity, say local jewelers, industry experts
When Sandee Vargo lost one of her diamond earrings two years ago, she turned that sinking feeling into an opportunity to try something new. Her remaining one-third carat stud earring was a natural diamond, mined from the ground. But Vargo of North Huntingdon became interested in another option for her...
East Deer expects to implement amusement tax in time for Pittsburgh Brewing’s summer concert series
East Deer stands to generate substantial revenue from a proposed amusement tax that is expected to be approved in March. Commissioners voted last week to advertise the ordinance, which calls for a 5% tax on admission fees to large events hosted in the township. The board is scheduled to vote...
Vandals paint vulgar images, words on church property in Oakmont
Oakmont police continue to investigate a graffiti incident that occurred last week on a church property in Oakmont. “It contained homophobic images and words,” said Oakmont police Chief Michael Ford. Black paint currently covers a large section of a mural fence on the grounds of Oakmont United Methodist Church at...
‘I don’t love you,’ daughter tells Apollo father convicted of mother’s murder
Emily Steele told her father that she and her surviving family no longer want to have any relationship with him following his conviction for the first-degree murder of her mother. Steele, 20, sat in the witness chair Monday and directed her father, seated just feet away in a blue prison-issued...
Preparations underway for 30th annual Freeport International Baseball Invitational
Pitchers and catchers report to the Pittsburgh Pirates training facility in Florida on Feb. 14, and opening day is March 28 in Miami. College baseball teams, both locally and throughout the country, begin their seasons next week. High school baseball preseason practices start March 4 with season openers three weeks...
Police: New Kensington man handed gun to woman, asked her to shoot another man
A New Kensington man is accused of pointing a gun at a man on the street Saturday before handing the weapon to a woman and telling her to shoot the man. Police charged Thomas Lee Burruss, 47, with illegally possessing a firearm and simple assault. Burruss is prohibited from having...
New Kensington-Arnold to address neglected maintenance on Valley High School flood prevention facilities
Flood control measures installed to protect Valley High School and its campus, including the New Kensington-Arnold School District’s football stadium, are overdue for needed maintenance. A debris basin at the upper end of the campus is 80% full and “minimally functioning,” said Jim Pillsbury, a hydraulic engineer with the Westmoreland...
The Stroller, Feb. 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. Mystery dinner to raise funds for Leechburg Public Library A mystery...
‘Skipped all their own rules’: Buffalo Township resident sues municipality to block cell tower
Editor’s note: This story was updated on Monday, Feb. 12, to include a statement from Buffalo Township’s solicitor. Lynn Shearer’s opposition wasn’t enough to stop Buffalo Township from approving a Verizon cell tower on his neighbor’s property in December. Now he’s taking the township to court for an alleged failure...
New Kensington’s Skyy Moore active in Super Bowl for Chiefs
LAS VEGAS — Running back Jerick McKinnon and wide receiver Skyy Moore were active for the Kansas City Chiefs for the first time in nearly two months for their Super Bowl showdown with the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. McKinnon and Moore, who both played a crucial role in the...
Rescued alligator transported to new home, injured from months in the wild
The latest alligator rescued from along the Kiski River near Apollo has new digs. Neo, a pet alligator reported missing since September in Kiski Township, was safely captured by cyclists Friday evening along the Roaring Run Trail. Nathan Lysaght, founder and director of Nate’s Reptile Rescue, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that...
Scenes from the Valley: Images captured in the Alle-Kiski Valley from Jan. 31-Feb. 7, 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,...
Construction on Freeport’s new $18.6M sewage treatment facility to start Monday
Freeport taxpayers soon will see progress on a project they’ve helped to pay for over the past year — and into the future. The borough will break ground Monday on its $18.6 million sewage treatment plant. “Freeport Borough is finally upgrading its wastewater treatment plant,” said Zachary Filous, borough manager....
Faces of the Valley: Plum 4th grader excels at investment challenge, writing poetry
Whether it’s crisp cash or fresh grass covered in morning dew, 10-year-old Jett Bittner knows green. The fourth grader at Plum’s O’Block Elementary School recently placed first in Allegheny County and 10th statewide in the elementary division of a stock market game. Then, he was among several of his classmates...
Looking for a logistical nightmare? Try to get rid of a piano
Getting into the piano business is a heavy decision. While that’s a bit of a bad pun, it’s also the truth. Piano dealers mostly have their own infrastructure in place to deal with one of the world’s heaviest instruments. But for people who have a piano and don’t want it...
Allegheny Valley Hospital art exhibit showcases tales behind the scrubs
In her nearly 40 years of nursing at Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison, Becky Podobnik says her scrubs have seen it all. “I’ve watched people recover, and I’ve watched people die,” she said. “I’ve comforted families, and I’ve sat with that person who is scared in the middle of the...
The Stroller, Feb. 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. Drive-through food distribution set Tuesday at Pittsburgh Mills Allegheny Valley Association...
