Valley News Dispatch category, Page 437
Frazer homeowners won’t see a property tax increase next year
The real estate tax rate will remain the same for Frazer property owners in 2022. The township supervisors voted 2-0 to approve a $1.1 million budget preliminary budget on Nov. 2. Supervisor William Creevey was absent for the vote. Property taxes would remain the same, at 2.5 mills. The township...
Missing Allegheny Township police ammo recovered — minus 13 bullets
All but 13 of the 1,000 rounds of .45-caliber ammunition that went missing instead of being delivered to the Allegheny Township Police Department last week have been recovered. Police Chief Duane Fisher became suspicious of the Nov. 8 delivery by United Parcel Service when he saw the driver carrying the...
The Stroller, Nov. 19, 2021: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your club meetings, community events and fundraisers for free in The Stroller. Send information at least a week in advance to vndnews@triblive.com. Please include a daytime telephone number. Contributions needed for homeless veterans’ project Local veterans’ charity Five Forces is collecting personal items for the Homeless Heroes Stocking Project....
Missing, at-risk Armstrong County man found safe
A missing 82-year-old man from Armstrong County has been found and is safe, according to Pennsylvania State Police. Previously, state police said Fred Fair went missing on Thursday from Cowansville, about 5 miles north of Worthington. He was considered at-risk, and state police issued an advisory on Friday. Before he...
Jury deliberating fate of Churchill man accused of killing intruder at home in Arnold to return Friday morning
A Westmoreland County jury will return Friday morning to continue deliberations in the criminal homicide trial of a Churchill man accused in the killing last year of an intruder at an Arnold home. Devon Askew, 28, contends he acted in self-defense when he shot and killed 34-year-old Richard Hildreth on...
With furry friends and kind words, Kiski Elementary students learn to cope with grief
While adults know that grief is part of life, elementary school kids might just be learning. Counselors in the Kiski Area School District are working to help students cope with their feelings. A daylong grief-themed program was presented Thursday at all four elementary schools as part of Children’s Grief Awareness...
Fire hits Lower Burrell home owned by woman who lost father in blaze 30 years ago
Angela Veri was on her way to work after dropping off her daughter at school Thursday when a neighbor called to tell her she saw smoke coming from her home on Fairview Drive in Lower Burrell. She knew, because nobody was at home, her family was safe as firefighters from...
Leechburg Council election decided: Incumbents reelected but newcomer earns top spot
Political newcomer John Mrvan remained the top vote-getter in the Leechburg Council election, while all three incumbents won reelection, according to official returns from the Armstrong County Election Bureau. Mrvan, a Republican and pharmaceutical technician for Leechburg HealthMart Pharmacy, received 247 votes. Two Democratic incumbents were right behind: Alan Tarr...
Businesses across New Ken getting in on ‘Shop Small Crawl’ for Small Business Saturday
Small Business Saturday is going to be big in New Kensington. More than 40 businesses, from downtown to Parnassus, are expected to participate in the first New Ken Shop Small Crawl on Nov. 27, the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. “We want...
The Stroller, Nov. 18, 2021: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your club meetings, community events and fundraisers for free in The Stroller. Send information at least a week in advance to vndnews@triblive.com. Please include a daytime telephone number. Burrell High School to present fall play The Burrell High School Drama Club will present its fall play, “Artist Retreat,” at...
Crowd gathers to remember New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw, killed on duty 4 years ago
More than 100 people gathered Wednesday evening outside New Kensington City Hall to honor the life of fallen New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw. New Kensington Mayor Tom Guzzo led a memorial service near the Brian Shaw Memorial outside City Hall on the fourth anniversary of Shaw’s death. Shaw was...
West Deer residents split on whether proposed well pads will benefit township
West Deer residents have differing opinions on whether the township should approve proposed natural gas well pads at two locations in the township. Residents and taxpayers spoke Tuesday during the ninth and final public hearing regarding the proposal presented by Olympus Energy LLC. The hearing took place at West Deer...
Pair accused of stealing copper wire from shuttered ATI plant in Gilpin
A man and woman each were charged with four felony counts in connection with the theft of about 150 pounds of copper wire on Tuesday from the idled Allegheny Technologies Inc. plant in Gilpin, according to police. Township police arrested John Diehl, 37, of Clinton Township and Casey Finley, 35,...
Castle Doctrine debated as defense in Arnold shooting trial
A Westmoreland County prosecutor argued Wednesday that Pennsylvania’s Castle Doctrine is not an applicable defense in the murder trial of a Churchill man charged in connection with a fatal shooting last year in Arnold. Assistant District Attorney Pete Caravello said jurors should not receive legal instructions about the statute that...
Burrell School District ends up with surplus; not as hard hit as expected by pandemic economics
Burrell School District’s finance manager was bracing for declining tax revenues and higher expenses in the 2020-21 school year from the economic distress of the pandemic. But, it turns out, Burrell did better than anticipated, according to the district’s financial statements for 2020-21. Burrell ended the school year with about...
Tarentum-Brackenridge parade set to kick off holiday season; Oscar Meyer Wienermobile will be there
The Oscar Meyer Wienermobile will be parked under the Tarentum Bridge on Saturday morning for anyone who wants to snap selfies with the quirky hot dog-shaped bus. The orange and yellow vehicle is a fan favorite at the Tarentum-Brackenridge holiday parade, scheduled to step off at 1 p.m. In its...
The Stroller, Nov. 17, 2021: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your club meetings, community events and fundraisers for free in The Stroller. Send information at least a week in advance to vndnews@triblive.com. Please include a daytime telephone number. Operation Christmas Child shoe box collection underway Grace Community Presbyterian Church, Lower Burrell, is conducting an Operation Christmas Child shoe box...
Brackenridge woman accused of hitting man with car with 1-year-old inside
A Brackenridge woman is accused of hitting a man with a car on the side of Route 28, then fleeing with her 1-year-old son in her car. State police charged Shakeira Ladaisa Hardin, 25, with felony counts of aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a child and misdemeanor charges...
Police testify suspected murder weapon in Arnold slaying was found in a shoe
Detectives who searched the Arnold home where police said a man was gunned down last year testified Tuesday the suspected murder weapon was found hidden inside of a shoe left behind at the home. Statepolice Detective Nick Iera said he initially didn’t see the weapon as he walked through the...
Citizens Bank closing New Kensington branch as previously announced
Citizens Bank is making good on its previously announced intention to close its branch in downtown New Kensington on Wednesday, a bank spokesman said. Citizens said in August it would close the office at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Ninth Street on Wednesday. “The branch is still slated to...
Kiski Area sticks with mandatory masking, declines mask-optional policy
Mask-wearing will remain mandatory the remainder of the year for students and staff in the Kiski Area School District. The board voted 7-1 Monday to keep the mandated mask policy requiring all students and staff to wear a face covering on campus and district school buses. Michelle Schmidt was the...
Kiski Township police charge man with squatting in North Apollo house; stolen items recovered
Kiski Township police arrested a man on Monday for squatting in a vacant house where they also found stolen items and evidence of drug use. Officers responding to a call for a suspicious man along Hickory Nut Road in North Apollo shortly after 8:30 p.m. searched the neighborhood and found...
Longtime Arnold hair salon owner opens women’s clothing boutique in New Kensington
A pair of ventilation fans blowing out the aroma of chocolate used to draw people into a storefront on New Kensington’s Fifth Avenue. That’s when Herman’s Nuts and Chocolates was located there. Today, it’s women’s clothing from brands known in Los Angeles and New York that are bringing people through...
South Buffalo supervisors to hold line on taxes in 2022 budget
South Buffalo officials plan to hold the line on taxes with next year’s budget. Supervisors approved a 2022 preliminary spending plan and its public posting Monday night. Its formal adoption is scheduled for Dec. 20. The real estate tax rate is expected to remain at 5.7 mills. There has not...
Former Arnold man guilty of federal drug charges after high speed chase with toddler in car
A former Arnold man arrested in 2019 after leading police on a high-speed chase and crashing with a toddler in his car was convicted of drug violations in federal court. Kevin Watson, 32, was found guilty of one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of...
