Valley News Dispatch category, Page 325
Man who body-slammed girl at mall accused of harassing district judge late at night
An East Vandergrift man has been accused of harassing Allegheny Township District Judge Cheryl Peck Yakopec with late-night phone calls. Tyler Drew Zidek, 25, of East Vandergrift faces several misdemeanor charges of harassment by a communication device. Zidek has a criminal record, including a guilty plea for body-slamming a teenage...
The Stroller, Jan. 25, 2023: 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-thru Valentine meal to benefit Peoples Library Peoples Library will sponsor...
District judge not at fault for crash that injured 13-year-old girl in Butler County
Authorities in Butler County said a district judge who struck a teen crossing Route 228 near Mars Middle School on Nov. 30 has been cleared of wrongdoing. Saxonburg District Judge Sue Haggerty was behind the wheel when a 13-year-old girl walked into the path of her vehicle about 5:30 p.m.,...
Charity party kicks off annual Pink Day fundraising
Pink Day’s first fundraiser of the year is here. The Marconi Club Pink Day Extravaganza 2023 is scheduled for Saturday in downtown Leechburg. All proceeds benefit Leechburg’s Pink Day, a daylong festival dedicated to supporting breast cancer research and held every September on Market Street. Pink Day events have raised...
Brackenridge officers return to duty; borough needs assistance from state police to cover shifts
Brackenridge police returned to the job Sunday, nearly three weeks after Chief Justin McIntire was shot and killed during a pursuit. In the days following his death, police from across the region volunteered to cover patrols so borough officers could grieve. Limited manpower in the borough will require continued assistance...
District judge sides with former Kiski Township sergeant accused of roughing up resident
An Armstrong County magistrate sided with a former Kiski Township police sergeant who was sued by a resident he arrested while responding to a medical emergency at the resident’s township home in 2021. District Judge Kevin Lee McCausland on Jan. 25 issued his ruling on the Jan. 23 hearing for...
New Kensington man appeals conviction for 2020 Arnold fatal shooting
The lawyer for a New Kensington man sentenced to life in prison for the 2020 fatal shooting of a man in Arnold claims trial evidence supports his client’s claim of self-defense. In an appeal filed Monday, Assistant Public Defender John Sweeney argued convictions of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, third-degree murder,...
The Stroller, Jan. 24, 2023: 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 tax preparation available for seniors AARP Tax volunteers will provide...
The Stroller, Jan. 23, 2023: 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. Tickets on sale for Feb. 11 cash bash in East Vandergrift...
Kiski Area nationally recognized for gender diversity in computer science
The Kiski Area School District has been nationally recognized for achieving high female representation in Advanced Placement computer science. Kiski Area High School announced last week that it earned the 2022 College Board Female Diversity Award for AP Computer Science Principles. It’s the first time the district has earned an...
Fallen Officers Food Drive seeks donations to benefit food banks
The fifth annual Fallen Officers Food Drive will collect nonperishable food Jan. 28 at Mogie’s Irish Pub to benefit the Westmoreland County Food Bank and the St. Margaret Mary Food Bank in Lower Burrell. The food drive is operated by volunteers, including many active and retired police officers, to help...
Southern Armstrong Regional Police Department expands police dog program
The Southern Armstrong Regional Police Department is adding another police dog to its force. Veegee, a 2-year-old Belgian Malinois, will be flown from Oregon to Pittsburgh this week and begin training to earn a police certification from the North American Police Work Dog Association. Upon completing several months...
Woman accused of driving car during crack cocaine bust in New Kensington faces felony charges
The driver of a car that was targeted in an undercover operation that led to the arrest of a suspected crack dealer has been ordered to stand trial on felony drug charges. Investigators say Tasha Tierra Williams, 41, of the 200 block of 15th Street in Arnold was behind the...
Faces of the Valley: Julia Strzesieski returns to her roots for role at Harrison library
Julia Strzesieski graduated from Highlands in 1979 and hit the road for California. She graduated from San Francisco State University and spent 42 years building an award-winning marketing career with a focus on sustainability efforts. Now, the 61-year-old is back in Harrison in hopes of using her experience to bolster...
Building the Valley: Buffalo Township woman launches Bubbly Bar and mobile bartending business in Freeport
As effervescent as her adult beverages, Nikki Wright of Buffalo Township is adding spirits to Freeport with her new Bubbly Bar and bartending business at 506 High St. A longtime mixologist and bartender for restaurants and caterers in the region, Wright struck out on her own in February 2021. She...
Allegheny Township man accused of strangling woman ordered to stand trial on felony charge
An Allegheny Township man was ordered to stand trial for allegedly strangling a woman. Robert Lee Stewart, 52, of the 1200 block of Hancock Avenue, was charged with a felony count of strangulation along with counts of simple assault and harassment. Allegheny Township police wrote in a criminal complaint charging...
Former Harrison bar-restaurant Bird Dog’s on the market for $750,000
A prime piece of commercial real estate is for sale in Harrison. Bird Dog’s Sports Bar & Grill, a 7,000-square-foot space along Freeport Road, is on the market. The asking price is $749,900. The restaurant opened at 2615 Freeport Road in October 2018 by township resident Bruce Daniels and his...
Calabrian Girl Tours allows Americans to live — and eat — like Italians
For several years, Ladles restaurant in Springdale has offered fine Italian food along with other homemade dishes. But now, Ladles owner Kathy Marsico is offering connoisseurs of all things Italian an opportunity to take a deep dive into the Italian way of life. Marsico is sharing aspects of her Italian...
Police: Ohio woman accuses New Kensington man she met on Facebook of holding her captive in basement
A New Kensington man was arrested after a woman from Ohio told police the man stole her cellphone and kept her captive in his basement for several hours when she visited him after meeting on Facebook. Steven Daniel Best Jr., 39, of the 200 block of Fifth Avenue was charged...
The Stroller, Jan. 22, 2023: 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. Food distribution scheduled at Lernerville Speedway Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank...
New Kensington pro wrestling school hosts event for vendor collective
Hand-crafted earrings and trinkets, glass pendents, vintage clothing from the 1960s and pins made from old magazine photos are not things usually found at a pro wrestling venue. However, all of that and more was on display Saturday as part of Shops and Suplexes, an event at the wrestling school...
Allegheny Township man accused of spanking 5-year-old so hard it left handprint, bruises
An Allegheny Township man was accused of spanking a 5-year-old so hard that it left a handprint on the child’s back and buttocks. Benjamin Paul Eshenbaugh, 35, of Kepple Road was charged Tuesday, Jan. 17, with felony counts of aggravated assault of a child under age 6 and endangering the...
Pot ‘sticking out of’ pants pocket leads to felony drug arrest at New Kensington hotel
New Kensington police arrested a man on felony drug charges after staff at a local motel reported that he refused to leave and was following a woman around the parking lot. When officers arrived at the Quality Inn off Tarentum Bridge Road about 6:45 a.m. Jan. 1, they found Melvin...
Police accuse Lower Burrell man of hitting woman in face with baseball bat during fight over dog
Lower Burrell police accused a man of punching a woman during an argument over a dog and then hitting her in the head and face with a baseball bat multiple times when she tried to fight back. Matthew Anthony Betts Sr., 56, of the 2700 block of Lori Drive was...
New Kensington man accused of trying to strangle woman during argument faces felony charge
A New Kensington man was charged with a felony after a woman told police that he tried to stop her from leaving his house during an argument and covered her mouth and nose until she couldn’t breathe when she screamed for help. Andrew Paul Ziencik, 39, of the 700 block...
