Valley News Dispatch category, Page 453

Whether it was increasing donations for the Apollo-Ridge Education Foundation to $250,000 or hooking up the school’s jazz-rock club with the top Led Zeppelin cover band, Cris Kostiuk was there. After 20 years with the Apollo-Ridge School District, Kostiuk, 62, of Kiski Township retired this week as the administrative assistant...

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. West Leechburg to host National Night Out event West Leechburg Crime Watch Committee will hold a National Night Out celebration from...

A split is forming among local school districts — those requiring masks for students in the coming academic year and those that leave the decision to personal choice — largely because of a lack of mandates from state or national health advisers. The Pennsylvania departments of health and education are...

Tim Koziarski settled into his Upper Burrell home office a lot more since working partially remote during the pandemic. He had an advantage. Koziarski, 58, is co-owner of Kozi Media Design, a Pittsburgh-based company specializing in smart technologies for the home and office. Business has been brisk installing technology for...

West Deer Supervisors this month accepted the retirement of police Sgt. William Bailey, effective Friday. Bailey served West Deer for 30 years, including 28 as a full-time officer. “We have great people and a great community,” BaiIey said. “I appreciate the department and the board of supervisors for their support.”...

Nate Good has come full circle with the Freeport International Baseball Invitational. He started out as a player in the event; now he’s playing in the Sonny Westerman Old Timers Game. Good was the winning pitcher and drove in a key run in the second inning Thursday night as Old...

Organizers of Vandergrift ArtFest are seeking help from the public to locate a missing painting they fear was stolen. ArtFest chairperson Lisa Dormire said the ocean landscape painting by Alle-Kiski Valley artist JoAnn Wesolosky was last seen Saturday night in the Decorator’s Workshop, a pop-up gallery and acoustic lounge on...

In Gaelic, the motto on the crest of the Pittsburgh Hurling Club reads “Neart agus Misneach.” Or, in English, “Strength and Courage.” If you’ve seen what the sport of hurling looks like at full speed, you understand why that fits. If you haven’t, you can see it on a championship...

Sounds of song and slams are slated to once again echo throughout Verona as a local pro wrestling promotion plans its pending post-pandemic performance. All championship titles in the Lawrence­ville-based Keystone State Wrestling Alliance will be up for grabs in Battle in the Borough III. Bell time is 6 p.m....

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. Leechburg VFD carnival to begin Monday Leechburg Volunteer Fire Company will host its annual carnival at 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday...

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. Help available for those grieving loss of their spouse Christ Our Hope Anglican Church will offer a seminar, “Loss of a...

Sounds of song and slams are slated to once again echo throughout Verona as a local pro wrestling promotion plans its pending post-pandemic performance. All championship titles in the Lawrence­ville-based Keystone State Wrestling Alliance (KSWA) will be up for grabs in Battle in the Borough III. Bell time is 6...

Downtown Leechburg is losing another restaurant. Market Street Pizza, at 132 Market St., is scheduled to close July 30. Thistle Events president Joe Hesketh announced the news on social media Wednesday, posting the decision to close was decided with “conflicting emotions.” Market Street Pizza is part of a restaurant portfolio...

Leechburg Area School Board voted to make it optional for students and staff to wear masks or face coverings when classes resume Aug. 25. Superintendent Tiffany Nix presented the proposed change to the district’s health and safety plan to board members on Wednesday. Under it, masks and face coverings also...

A Brackenridge man is accused of punching a police officer in the throat after threatening staff at Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison earlier in July. Deston Tyrone Tanner, 44, was ordered Wednesday by District Judge Carolyn S. Bengel to stand trial on a felony count of aggravated assault and misdemeanor...

Fox Chapel Area School District parents have started opposing online petitions regarding the district’s proposed voluntary mask-wearing policy for students and staff. A petition drive on ipetitions .com, started Tuesday by Sarah Stanger, asks the district to require mask-wearing on campus and had gathered more than 375 signatures as of...

A popular ice cream business in Allegheny Township is on the market. Sweetie’s Ice Cream, at 6273 Leechburg Road, is listed for $339,000 with Jason Mazzei of Keller Williams Realty. Co-owner Edward Spix, who has owned it for almost a decade, said, “It’s time to move on.” Mazzei said he...

A new volleyball court in Vandergrift aims to honor the memory of a longtime devoted Alle-Kiski Valley coach and teacher. The Ellen Toy Grass Court at Kennedy Park recently was completed. It was made possible by funding from the nonprofit We Serve First Foundation. “Let’s let people know there’s a...

Doris Morris could hardly hold in her excitement. The Plum senior, like many in the borough, had been waiting with anticipation for the doors of the community center at 499 Center-New Texas Road to reopen after being shuttered due to the pandemic. After a major renovation including air purifiers in...

New computer devices at the elementary schools, districtwide updated facilities and familiar friendly faces are among what is awaiting Riverview students this coming school year. Superintendent Neil English said his Oakmont and Verona staffers are excited to welcome students back to full-time, in-person learning starting Thursday, Aug. 26 after more...

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. Free paper shredding event planned in Lower Burrell A free paper shredding event will be hosted from 11 a.m. to 1...

A Brackenridge man pleaded guilty on Wednesday to a July 2019 robbery of more than $100,000 from the Allegheny-Ludlum Brackenridge Federal Credit Union. Thomas George, 66, pleaded guilty to one count of armed bank robbery, according to acting U.S. Attorney Stephen Kaufman. According to court records, on July 10, 2019,...

Arnold police said a West Leechburg man fought with an officer who took him to Allegheny Valley Hospital for a blood draw following a traffic stop Monday night. The incident began shortly after 8 p.m., when the officer said he pulled over a car after it turned left onto Constitution...

A burglary suspect was arrested in Tarentum after being tracked down and bitten by a police dog, police said. Tarentum police charged David Weston, 34, with flight to avoid apprehension and loitering and prowling at nighttime. In a criminal complaint against Weston, police said they were dispatched to a Negley...