Valley News Dispatch category, Page 450
Verizon Wireless service restored in Freeport
Verizon Wireless service has been restored to the Freeport area after cuts to fiber-optic cables disrupted service Tuesday. Company communications manager Chris Serico said service was restored Wednesday afternoon after technicians fixed the cables. He said one cut was made by wildlife and the cause of the other cut still...
Nurse at Lower Burrell health and rehab center charged with sexually assaulting 2 patients
A male registered nurse at the Belair Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Lower Burrell has been charged with sexually assaulting two female patients. Police charged Jacques G. Wagner, 58, of New Kensington on Wednesday with a felony count of aggravated indecent assault and two related misdemeanors in connection with the...
Tarentum Councilman Adam Blythe appointed temporary mayor
A Tarentum councilman resigned his position Tuesday to become the borough’s temporary mayor. Adam Blythe, who represents the 2nd Ward, was appointed by council to serve as mayor until after the Nov. 2 election. The vote was 4-2, with Lou Ann Homa and Ray Kerr opposing. Neither Homa nor Kerr...
Former Leechburg police Chief Michael Diebold pleads guilty to failing to properly register as sex offender
Former Leechburg police Chief Michael Diebold pleaded guilty in Armstrong County Court on Wednesday to failing to properly register as a sex offender. Diebold, 44, was charged by state police in Armstrong County in January 2020 with two felony counts of failing to provide accurate information when he registered as...
Name sought for New Kensington’s community mural
Are you good at coming up with names? A mural in New Kensington needs one. Westmoreland Community Action is taking suggestions for a name for the community mural at Ninth Street and Fourth Avenue. It’s on the side of the building housing Ashley’s Kitchen, across from Central City Plaza. The...
Pittsburgh man sentenced in drug charges, New Kensington woman’s OD death
A Pittsburgh man was sentenced Tuesday to three to eight years in prison in connection with three drug cases, including a New Kensington woman’s overdose death. Tre-Ron Arnez Jackson, 28, pleaded guilty to five drug counts and a reckless endangerment charge, averting a trial set to begin this week in...
South Buffalo man killed in tractor accident
An 80-year-old man was killed in South Buffalo when his riding lawnmower flipped over a hillside late Tuesday, officials said. Police did not yet release the victim’s name. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident happened at 660 Freeport Road. “As best as we could tell, he was...
Man accused of shooting 3 at Kinloch Fire Hall baby shower ordered to stand trial
A man charged with shooting three people during a Sept. 18 baby shower in Lower Burrell was ordered to stand trial in Westmoreland County Court. Isiah J. Hampton, 25, of Victoria Avenue in Arnold is accused of shooting a 23-year-old man in the torso, a 19-year-old woman in the leg...
Marconi Club in Leechburg to celebrate 110 years in the borough this weekend
A well-known Leechburg lodge is set to celebrate a milestone this weekend. William Marconi Lodge of Mutual Benefit marks 110 years at 135 River Ave. “We’re trying to give back to the members (and the public) because of the dismal year last year, and we couldn’t really do much with...
The Stroller, Oct. 6, 2021: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
The Valley News Dispatch is compiling a list of autumn events and Halloween parades, parties and trick-or-treat nights. Information should be emailed to cpinto-smith@triblive.com. Westmoreland County Marines to supply Christmas groceries Westmoreland County Marines will provide Christmas groceries to local veterans’ families in need. To register, call Jim Walters at...
Freeport and Verizon officials working to address cellular service issues in borough
Freeport officials are working with Verizon to address possible problems making cellphone calls. Borough fire marshal Michael Greiser said late Tuesday that cell service is “unreliable” in parts of the borough, especially for Verizon Wireless customers or those with a carrier that connects to their towers. Greiser said the company...
Man hospitalized after crashing truck along Route 909 in Plum
A man was hospitalized after being injured in a crash Tuesday afternoon in Plum. Allegheny County dispatchers said the one-vehicle crash occurred along the 300 block of Route 909 around 2:45 p.m. Witnesses said a white truck was traveling toward Somma Pizza Restaurant and Sports Bar when it went off...
Zebra, camel find new home at Washington Township stables
Two exotic animals are making themselves at home in Washington Township. Zebulun, a 3-week-old Grant’s zebra, and Abraham, a 1-year-old dromedary camel, arrived safely at Victory Stables last week after a 13-hour road trip from the Midwest. Victory Stables Manager Jessica Corbin, 32, and her boyfriend, Dan Wallen, a wildlife...
$100K winning Powerball ticket sold at Asay’s in Tarentum
Asay’s manager, Melanie Dabkowski, eagerly watched as customers at the Tarentum store checked their lottery tickets Tuesday afternoon. A winning Powerball ticket worth $100,000 was sold at the newsstand a day earlier. “The (PA Lottery officials) just called to tell us,” Dabkowski said. “I’m hoping it was one of our...
3 new officers, 2nd police dog joining New Kensington force
New Kensington has three new officers and a second police dog joining its force. While City Council approved hiring three new officers, Mayor Tom Guzzo swore in Max, an 18-month-old Belgian Malinois, at the top of council’s monthly meeting Monday. Council approved hiring Christian Leonarski, Cory Rezak and Salvador Zepeda....
Vandergrift emergency responders earn state honors for saving boy from house fire
A 12-year-old Vandergrift boy is alive thanks to the quick work of borough first responders. Lifesavers included firefighters Eric Sorrels and John Uskuraitis, police officers Nathan Rigatti, Jerrod Thompson and Sgt. Anthony DePanicis. They all received the Valor Award from the Firemen’s Association of the State of Pennsylvania at Monday...
‘Call for Catering’ to reopen restaurant at Stella’s in New Kensington
New Kensington residents eager for something new will soon have it, at someplace old. City couple Philip Call and Jillian Ludwiczak plan to reopen Stella’s Restaurant in the Parnassus area of the city on Oct. 29 as Call for Catering at Stella’s. While they’ll be running the food program, Stacey...
The Stroller, Oct. 5, 2021: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
The Valley News Dispatch is compiling a list of autumn events and Halloween parades, parties and trick-or-treat nights. Information should be emailed to cpinto-smith@triblive.com. Campfire ghost story event set in Harrison Hills Park Allegheny County Parks Department will host a campfire ghost story event at 7 p.m. Oct. 10 in...
Part of Route 66 in Parks Township shutting down for repairs to broken stormwater line
A section of Route 66 in Parks Township will be closed in both directions between Oct. 12 to 15 for stormwater work, PennDOT announced. The road is being shut down so crews replace a stormwater line that failed, officials said. The closure will be between Kiskimere and Industrial Park roads....
Stormwater work on Freeport Road near Hulton Bridge expected to last through November
A long-term traffic disruption is underway along a portion of Freeport Road near the Hulton Bridge in Harmar for a stormwater project, PennDOT announced. Freeport Road between the Hulton Bridge and Guys Run Road is scheduled to be reduced to a single lane of traffic in both directions through November,...
Tarentum mail carrier achieves USPS elite ‘Million Miler’ status
Tarentum mail carrier Donna McCorkle quickly checked the pockets of a new jacket bestowed on her by Postmaster James Aiello after earning the USPS Million Miler Award. “Where’s the Asti Spumante?” joked McCorkle, a 30-year employee at the post office along Corbet Street. McCorkle, of Verona, joined the elite rank...
Third Lower Burrell food truck and craft show on tap for Saturday
For its final food truck rally of the year this Saturday, Lower Burrell Volunteer Fire Company No. 3 is pairing a wide selection of international and American cuisines with a craft show featuring handmade jewelry and other artisan wares. During the fundraising doldrums of the pandemic, the fire company had...
Section of River Road in North Apollo, Kiski closing for bridge work
A stretch of River Road in North Apollo and Kiskiminetas Township (routes 56 and 66) in Armstrong County will be shut down from Oct. 17 until the end of the month for bridge work, PennDOT announced. Work on a $4.9 million replacement for Glorietta Bridge #2 at Lackey’s Dairy Queen...
The Stroller, Oct. 4, 2021: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
The Valley News Dispatch is compiling a list of autumn events and Halloween parades, parties and trick-or-treat nights. Information should be emailed to cpinto-smith@triblive.com. Job fair planned at Heinz Field for veterans, military Disabled American Veterans and RecruitMilitary will host a free job fair for transitioning members of the military,...
Head Start expanding with new classrooms in New Kensington, Vandergrift
Westmoreland Community Action is expanding its Head Start program in New Kensington and Vandergrift. In New Kensington, where the program runs from 1049 Fifth Ave. downtown, an additional classroom will be opened at the Salvation Army Church & Community Center, the former Fort Crawford Elementary School on Third Street. In...
