Valley News Dispatch category, Page 368
Work to begin soon to improve Low Grade Road
Everything is in place for work to begin in a month or two to improve Low Grade Road in Cheswick, Springdale Township and Harmar. Matt Pitsch of Senate Engineering, who oversees engineering for the municipalities, said final paperwork and approvals have been sent to the Allegheny Valley North Council of...
PPG’s Springdale plant to celebrate 75th anniversary
PPG Industries’ Springdale plant is marking a big milestone: 75 years. To celebrate the occasion, the plant hosted an event for employees and their families to tour the facility Saturday. The plant, built in 1947, specializes in manufacturing coatings used on a variety of items, including commercial vehicles, buildings, kitchenware,...
Plum man accused of stealing 2 loaded handguns in Washington Township
A Plum man is accused by police of stealing two loaded handguns in Washington Township after officers came in contact with him twice in less than seven hours, according to court papers. Brandon M. Wise, 39, is being held without bail at the Westmoreland County jail on charges of drug...
Free seminar in New Kensington to cover firearm safety, responsible gun ownership
The basics of firearm safety and shooting fundamentals will be covered in a free seminar Sunday in New Kensington. “We want to make sure the people that are interested in protecting themselves, their family and their loved ones have the opportunity to have good training under their belts,” said Aaron...
The Stroller, June 23, 2022: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least a week in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15068. Please include a daytime telephone number. Fundraiser to benefit local first responders Back the Blue Alle-Kiski Valley will...
No injuries in early-morning fire at Tarentum high-rise
Residents at Golden Towers in Tarentum returned to their apartments shortly before 6 a.m., following a three-alarm fire reported early Thursday. Residents were partially evacuated following the fire, which was reported shortly before 4 a.m. at the apartment complex on the 200 block of Allegheny Street. “It took about 40...
Severe thunderstorm downs trees, wires in Southwestern Pennsylvania
A storm blew through Southwestern Pennsylvania early Wednesday evening and toppled numerous trees, knocking out electricity and damaging homes. West Penn Power reported it had about 12,500 customers without electricity in Southwestern Pennsylvania, primarily in Westmoreland, Washington, Indiana, Butler and Fayette counties, as of 5:52 a.m. Thursday morning. Outside of...
Wecht testifies Hyde Park woman’s injuries not caused by accidental fall
Head wounds and multiple bruises on the body of Patricia Fondrk after her death were not caused by an accidental fall, forensic pathologist Dr. Cyril Wecht testified Wednesday in the murder trial of her husband, Jeffrey Mark Fondrk. The prosecution rested its case against the 59-year-old Hyde Park man, who...
Portion of Argonne Drive in Harrison to close for 2 months
A portion of a heavily traveled Harrison road will close in early July for up to two months. Argonne Drive, which runs from Freeport Road near Highlands Middle School to the railroad tracks in Natrona, is scheduled to shut down at 9 a.m. on July 5. Work is part of...
Tickets to get $2.38-per-gallon gas in Lower Burrell were gone in 45 minutes
Margie Shutack of Tarentum got to Lower Burrell three hours early to buy gas at a BP station Wednesday for a special event featuring $2.38 a gallon for regular unleaded. “It pays to be first,” said Shutack, who needed to fill up three-quarters of her tank. It pays to be...
State police accuse Vandergrift man of using Snapchat to distribute child porn
A Vandergrift man accused by state police of uploading a child pornography video onto Snapchat has been ordered to stand trial. Ashton Ty Baustert, 24, of the 500 block of Emerson Street was charged by state police with distributing child pornography, possession of child pornography and criminal use of a...
The Stroller, June 22, 2022: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least a week in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15068. Please include a daytime telephone number. Annual night race scheduled July 16 in Apollo Roaring Run Watershed Association...
Remember When: New Kensington native’s work on new fiber for tires led to unintentional invention of Kevlar
While working for DuPont Chemical in the mid-1960s, the late Stephanie Kwolek was given an assignment that changed the world for first responders and others. Her assignment was to develop a polymer that could be used to prolong the life of radial tires. As is the case with many inventions,...
Fire at Springdale Manor apartments sends one resident to hospital; damage minimal
Dozens of residents were evacuated and one man was taken to a hospital Tuesday in connection with a fire at Springdale Manor apartments, a senior high-rise along Pittsburgh Street in Springdale. Allegheny Valley Regional Emergency Management Agency coordinator Bruno Moretti said the incident began about 7:20 p.m. at the Allegheny...
Crews respond to fire at Wendy’s restaurant on Freeport Road in Harmar
Multiple departments responded Tuesday to a fire at the Wendy’s restaurant near the intersection of Freeport Road and Alpha Drive in Harmar. Allegheny County dispatch said the call came in shortly before 6 p.m. No injuries were reported. Crews from O’Hara, Springdale, Oakmont, Blawnox, Brackenridge and Allegheny Valley responded to...
Oakmont Council approves line painting to improve pedestrian, driver safety
Oakmont officials plan to have various intersections repainted to improve pedestrian safety. Bethel Park-based Parking Lot Paving Co. was awarded a $47,100 contract to do line striping along Hulton Road from the bridge to Allegheny Avenue, and from Allegheny to College Avenue. Pedestrian crosswalks, intersections and everything except for the...
Son describes family chaos in Hyde Park man’s murder trial
Chaos is the word that 24-year-old Jeffrey Dakota Fondrk used to describe his upbringing. He told a Westmoreland County jury Tuesday how he would wear headphones and seclude himself in his bedroom and play video games while his parents abused alcohol and fought and argued nearly every day. “I tried...
Goats being used to clear brush, noxious plants at Firemen’s Memorial Park in Aspinwall
People along the walking trail of Firemen’s Memorial Park in Aspinwall may see some new landscapers hard at work. Borough officials are using goats to clear the hillside along the Allegheny River. Six of nature’s lawnmowers started their efforts Tuesday, June 21 and are expected to be in the park...
Gas line installation work to cause single-lane restriction on Route 1028 in West Deer through late July
Gas line installation work will begin Wednesday on Route 1028 (Bakerstown-Culmerville Road) in West Deer if weather permits, according to PennDOT. Crews from Peoples Gas will be doing the gas line work. There will be single-lane alternating traffic from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily through late July on Bakerstown-Culmerville...
Arnold man faces felony charge in fatal shooting of friend’s dog
An Arnold man accused of shooting his friend’s dog told police the gun he was holding went off when another dog jumped on his arm and caused the trigger to be pulled. Lower Burrell police charged Nathan Duncan Brown, 22, of the 300 block of Murray Avenue with a felony...
Final leg of PA Hero Walk supporting veterans to march through region
Area residents can show their support for local veterans by greeting or joining members of the PA Hero Walk as they complete the final leg of their 14th annual trek across the state this weekend. The half-dozen veterans accompanied by two drivers started their trip at 8 a.m. June 12...
Highlands residents to see slight tax increase
Highlands School District residents will pay slightly more in property taxes in the coming school year. The board this week approved a $50 million budget that sees the tax rate climb from 24.88 mills to 25.13 mills. It is about a 1% bump. Lori Byron, the district’s executive director of...
Lower Burrell station to offer gas for $2.38 per gallon for 2 hours
If you’re lucky — and patient — you might be able to score some gasoline at almost half-price tomorrow in Lower Burrell. The BP gas station at Leechburg and Wildlife Lodge roads is partnering with a nonprofit to offer gasoline for $2.38 a gallon on Wednesday for about two hours...
The Stroller, June 21, 2022: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least a week in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15068. Please include a daytime telephone number. Kennywood Slovak Day activities planned for July 18 The Western Pennsylvania Slovak...
Highlands Meals on Wheels to make its last delivery July 1
Dick Potter has been delivering food for the Highlands Meals on Wheels for more than three decades — about a third of his life. At 93, Potter reports three times a week to the kitchen at Citizens Hose firehall in Harrison to package food and hit the road for distribution...
