Valley News Dispatch category, Page 480
New Kensington police charge teen with attempted homicide
New Kensington police issued an arrest warrant for a 17-year-old charged with two counts of attempted homicide. Police on Monday charged Isaac Anthony Weihrauch of Springdale, according to court records. Police have not responded to requests for information about the incident in which Weihrauch is charged. The incident occurred Saturday,...
Shady Side Academy graduate Porter Markel enters U.S. Naval Academy
A Shady Side Academy graduate is among an elite 7.5% of applicants admitted to the Class of 2025 Plebe Summer at the U.S. Naval Academy. Porter Markel of Fox Chapel was inducted June 20 and will begin six grueling weeks of basic midshipman training in Annapolis, Md. Markel is one...
Kiski Area appoints Jason Lohr as acting superintendent
Kiski Area School Board appointed a member of the district’s administrative team as acting superintendent Monday. Jason Lohr, who has served as assistant to the superintendent for K-12 education, administration and federal programs since 2016, was named to guide the district while the school board searches for a replacement for...
Bell woman charged with setting home on fire, filing insurance claim
A former Bell Township woman is accused of setting her home on fire last year after being unable to sell it and then filing an insurance claim for the loss. State police said Britny Alandria Parks, 28, of Harker Heights, Texas, told two former friends she would be willing to...
Public invited to participate in interactive Juneteenth art display at Aspinwall park
A public art display this week at Aspinwall Riverfront Park will honor and raise awareness of Juneteenth, the holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, that was recently signed into law as a federal holiday by President Biden. Entitled “Opening Doors,” the artwork was conceived by...
Highlands bids farewell to retiring staff, makes new hires
Highlands School District said goodbye to a dozen retirees Monday and welcomed a few to new positions. At the school board’s meeting, Superintendent Monique Mawhinney recognized the employees. They include teachers, paraprofessionals, cafeteria workers and others, some of whom had been with the district since the early 1990s. Mawhinney thanked...
Volunteers needed to prepare Burtner House for 200th anniversary celebration
Some helping hands are needed to get a historic Harrison farmhouse ready for a big event later this year. This year marks the 200th anniversary of the completion of the Burtner House. A celebration is planned for Saturday, Sept. 18. But before then, volunteers are being sought for a cleanup...
The Stroller, June 22, 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. Plum Summerfest set for Larry Mills Park The annual Plum Summerfest will be from 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, 5 to...
Oakmont adds new firefighter, borough office staff
Oakmont officials have welcomed a new volunteer firefighter and added a couple of office workers. Joey Luciana, 25, was sworn in by Mayor Christopher Whaley during council’s June 21 meeting. The borough businessman said he is excited for the opportunity to make a difference in his community. “I want to...
Leechburg man gets probation in crash that seriously injured woman
Life hasn’t been the same for Helen Shaw after her car was forced off the road in Allegheny Township by an unlicensed driver. She can’t do some her favorite activities, like swim or take her dog for a walk, because the pain becomes overwhelming. Mostly, she stays at home. “The...
New Kensington man pleads guilty to homicide by vehicle in death of woman
A New Kensington man pleaded guilty Monday to driving drunk when a woman died in 2017 after falling from his moving pickup in Lower Burrell. James Jay Jenniches, 55, formerly of Vandergrift, pleaded guilty to charges of homicide by vehicle and driving under the influence, avoiding a trial. He is...
Weekend crash could delay reopening of Tarentum Bridge
A weekend crash in the work zone on the Tarentum Bridge could delay the span’s reopening, a PennDOT spokeswoman said Monday. A couple of pieces of equipment were damaged severely when a car drove across the closed lanes from New Kensington toward Tarentum, crashed and caught fire shortly before 10:30...
Police: Walls, floor of New Kensington apartment where woman was stabbed were covered in blood
New Kensington police said officers responding to a reported fight Saturday night at Central Towers found a large amount of blood on the floor and walls of an apartment when they arrived. Police said Cheyenne Nicole Preves-Taranovsky, 21, had cut and stabbed a woman in the altercation. A criminal complaint...
Sharpsburg businesses prepare for extra traffic during Highland Park Bridge ramp closure on Route 28
On Monday, PennDOT crews closed the ramp from northbound Route 28 to the Highland Park Bridge in Sharpsburg to begin a construction project expected to last about three months. As construction workers posted signs warning of closures and detours, Bonnie Demotte scouted spots to put up signs of her own....
The Stroller, June 21, 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. Knead Community Café welcomes donations Knead Community Café, New Kensington, is accepting donations to help the daily operation of the café,...
Car bypasses barricade on closed Tarentum Bridge, crashes and catches fire
A car bypassed the barricade Saturday on the Tarentum Bridge’s closed westbound lanes, crashed into construction equipment, then caught on fire. No one was injured, said Brad James, deputy fire chief for Eureka Fire-Rescue-EMS. The fire company received the call about 10:20 p.m. Saturday. The wayward car drove almost two-thirds...
Vandergrift puppeteer spreads cheer, uses craft to help traumatized kids
David English of Vandergrift has a passion for puppetry. His love of the art began when he was 3. He later earned a bachelor’s degree in theater and puppetry from West Virginia University. English said watching “The Muppets” as a youngster in his hometown of Oakmont made a lasting impression....
Natrona Heights couple ‘crippled’ over daughter’s unsolved homicide as it hits 14th anniversary
When John and Karen Godfrey walk into their living room, they are greeted by photos of their beloved daughter, Kelly Nicole Godfrey Smith. The photos line their hallway and are prominently displayed throughout the home. But those pictures haven’t been updated in 14 years. There haven’t been many updates in...
The Stroller, June 20, 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. Greek Food Festival planned in Oakmont The annual Greek Food Festival will be from noon to 9 p.m. Friday, Saturday and...
Freeport resident to recite Declaration of Independence on July 3
For many, the Fourth of July is a day for parades, picnics and fireworks. But for Nick Triveri, it’s an opportunity to commemorate an important piece of history. Triveri, 67, of Freeport, recites the Declaration of Independence to mark the holiday every year. This year will mark the 11th time...
Officer Brian Shaw scholarship awarded to police cadet from Kennedy Township
The Officer Brian Shaw Memorial Scholarship was awarded to a new cadet who graduated from the Allegheny County Police Academy on Friday. Shaw, of Lower Burrell, was a New Kensington police officer who was shot and killed after a traffic stop and foot chase in 2017. He was 25 years...
During the last week of school, Burrell honor students squeeze in Lower Burrell cleanup
A bevy of Burrell High School honor students devoted some serious public service time during their last week of school sprucing up Veterans Park next to City Hall. Almost 60 students from Burrell’s National Honor Society cleaned litter and debris in the park, swept the tennis courts, the pavilion and...
The Stroller, June 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. Leechburg Museum selling memorial bricks Leechburg Area Museum and Historical Society plans to construct a sidewalk in honor of longtime museum...
West Deer firefighters eye new fire station without township’s aid
Firefighters at West Deer Volunteer Fire Company No. 3 are planning a new fire station along Route 910 but without the township’s participation. On Wednesday, township supervisors gave their unanimous approval to the fire company’s intent to borrow $1.8 million from a Mars bank but will not underwrite the debt....
‘I heard it huffing and puffing’: Black bear spotted in Gilpin
Waylon Walker was riding his ATV on his family’s property — Habes Nursery — in Gilpin on Thursday night when he had quite a scare. He heard an animal grunting nearby. It was about 10:30 p.m. Walker usually carries a flashlight with him at night, but he left it at...
