Valley News Dispatch category, Page 483
As Principal Tom Rocchi retires, Hunt Elementary staff praise his impact and leadership
Even after 60 years in education, Thomas Rocchi sometimes wonders if he made a difference. The answer came in hugs at the door of Roy A. Hunt Elementary School in Arnold on Monday, where Rocchi, the school’s principal, welcomed back members of Valley High School’s graduating Class of 2021. Dressed...
Burrell prepares for virtual instruction next year
The Burrell School District’s Academic Approach team is making plans for virtual instruction for next school year. The district is planning to offer five days of virtual instruction and five days of face-to-face instruction, Superintendent Shannon Wagner told the school board earlier this week. Each student will have have access...
Audubon opens nature center and park in Buffalo TownshipVideo
About 12 years in the making, the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania opened its Babcock Nature Center and Buffalo Creek Nature Park on Saturday in Buffalo Township. The six-acre site at 154 Monroe Road is nestled between Little Buffalo Creek and the Butler-Freeport Community Trail. The parcel is owned by...
Introducing the Apollo-Ridge High School Class of 2021
Apollo-Ridge High School held its graduation ceremony on Friday, June 11. Here is the Apollo-Ridge High School Class of 2021: Alivia Renee Acevedo, Delaney J. Ashbaugh, Gavin Patrick Barrick, Adeline Marie-Lynn Baustert, Morgan Nicole Baynar, Mira Grace Bernat, Halyn Michelle Biddle, Anthony Paul Blackgrove, Alexis Marie Blake, Emily Grace Bonelli,...
Giant Eagle employees honored for saving Buffalo Township shopper’s life
Eileen Harvey was running errands at the Giant Eagle in Buffalo Plaza around 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 13. She was buying dog treats and a TV dinner. Then she collapsed in the checkout line. “Apparently, I got to the register and I paid for it, but I never got any...
Freeport Area bus driver honored for 50 years behind the wheel
Terry Bergbigler doesn’t like meetings, but the one he was summoned to Tuesday morning will probably go down as one of his favorites. Bergbigler’s colleagues at W.L. Roenigk successfully surprised him with an event to commemorate his 50 years as a school bus driver with the company. With the drivers...
Pennsylvania wants kids to get agriculture experience, farmers see technology as future
As the summer growing season gets underway, the agricultural industry continues its perennial mission of looking for a new crop of young people to enter the workforce. “Pennsylvania has long faced a looming agricultural workforce shortage, at one point estimating a deficit of 75,000 workers as farmers retire and new,...
The Stroller, June 12, 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. Carnival returns to Lower Burrell Lower Burrell Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 will host its annual carnival from 6 to p.m....
Electronics recycling event coming to Freeport Area Middle School
People can toss their old computers, cellphones and gaming consoles during an e-waste collection at Freeport Area Middle School. The event will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 19. Hosted by Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania (ASWP) and the Pennsylvania Resources Council, the recycling initiative was identified as...
Tarentum Book Club gives archives to Allegheny-Kiski Valley Historical Society’s museum
More than a century’s worth of history has been given to the Allegheny-Kiski Valley Historical Society’s Heritage Museum in Tarentum. The Tarentum Book Club has given four boxes to the museum containing minutes, scrapbooks and programs dating to the club’s founding in 1901. The archives previously had been kept in...
Introducing the Deer Lakes High School Class of 2021
Congratulations to the Deer Lakes High School Class of 2021: Haley Lynne Allen, Tori Lynne Allen, Bruce Henry Allman, Wyatt Andrew Arbuthnot, Makaylee Lane Ashbaugh, Matthew Barie, Brooke Elizabeth Barnes, Madison Elizabeth Bauer, Brandon Russell Bedillion, Abigail Elizabeth Boulos, Christopher Joseph Braden, Abigail Rose Breneman, Nathanial Breninghouse, Tara Elizabeth Brick,...
Introducing the Riverview High School Class of 2021
Riverview High School had 58 graduates in the Class of 2021. Commencement ceremonies took place Thursday evening on the field at Riverside Park in Oakmont adjacent to the high school. Graduates include: Ryan Aber, William P. Alcorn, Alexis Rae Allis, Dominic A. Armenti, Sofia Evelin Bear, Nicole Briann Bennett, Dominic...
Butler Logan Road in Frazer to close for 2 weeks
A nearly one-mile stretch of Butler Logan Road north of the Pittsburgh Mills mall in Frazer will be closed for two weeks, PennDOT announced Friday. The road is scheduled to close at about noon Monday between Clarks Pike and Log Cabin roads, weather permitting. Through traffic will be prohibited around-the-clock...
WAKE distributes donations to Allegheny Valley Association of Churches
Karen Snair carried two vacuum cleaners down a set of steps at the Alle Kiski Strong Chamber in Harrison on Friday. The appliances were among hundreds of items for the Allegheny Valley Association of Churches in Harrison. She and four volunteers made 12 trips to load a Suburban and back...
Bethel Park veteran has sounded taps more than 1,200 timesVideo
The final farewell is about to be sounded. Tom Beaver opens the black case slowly. He slides white gloves on his hands. Then he lifts the silver-plated brass instrument. Taking a few steps, he moves toward the shelter. The sun is shining. Wind is blowing through the nearby trees. Thousands...
Introducing the Burrell High School Class of 2021
Burrell High School held its graduation ceremony on Thursday, June 10. Here is the Burrell High School Class of 2021: Zachary Anthony Adams, Hunter D. Aites, Brendan W. Anderson, Kelsea G. Arabia, Alexander Ray Arledge, Trianna M. Armstrong, Trista Armstrong, Olivia Elizabeth Awes, Jonathan Bain, James Lee Barazanski III, Grace...
East Vandergrift hires exterminator to combat rat problem
Unwelcome guests showed up at a Memorial Day family gathering near Susanne DeFalco’s home in East Vandergrift. “My kids were there for a cookout, and they were sitting here watching rats go up and down the steps,” said DeFalco, 76. DeFalco is one of five residents who voiced their concerns...
The Stroller, June 11, 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. River City Brass Band to play free concert at Hartwood Acres The Allegheny County Summer Concert Series at Hartwood Acres Park...
Strawberry festivals bring camaraderie, sweet treats to locals during pandemic
A few late options remain in Western Pennsylvania’s popular strawberry festival season, usually a staple for locals craving sweet treats — though the coronavirus pandemic continued to have an impact this year, even with restrictions being lifted. Redeemer Lutheran Church in Oakmont will host its annual festival from 6-8 p.m....
Introducing the Valley High School Class of 2021
Congratulations to the Valley High School Class of 2021: Thomas Brady Albert Jr., Lea De-Anne Alexander, Lyric Alisia Alexander, Naomi Amalia Andrzejczuk, Taylor Nicole Argast, John Luke Bailey, Layne Joseph Balla, Austin Tanner Bayne, Travis Charles Bayne, Cheyenne Nevaeh Beam, Meara Noelle Boehm, Elizabeth Rose Bontempo, River Patrick Bonzani, Madison...
ATI, Steelworkers unable to find agreement on health care as strike drags on
Allegheny Technologies Inc. and the United Steelworkers continue to levy accusations at each other as they remain unable to agree on the key issue of health benefits and a strike drags on. Negotiators for ATI and the USW met Wednesday with the help of a federal mediator. No further talks...
Introducing Freeport Area High School’s Class of 2021
Here is the Freeport Area Class of 2021: Colton Patrick Abbott, John E.J. Abellana, John Jamie Lee Albaugh, Jerin Marie Anderson, Autumn Paige Anthony, Eli James Asay, Alec Michael Asti, Robert Allen Bair, Shivani V. Bandaru, Levi Eric Bargerstock, Logan Michael Bargerstock, Madison Michelle Beer, Brandon Michael Bennett, Elizabeth Ann...
Victim of fatal New Kensington apartment building fire identifiedVideo
The cause of a fire that claimed the life of a New Kensington woman Wednesday evening remained undetermined Thursday, a state police fire marshal said. The Westmoreland County Coroner’s Office on Thursday identified the woman as Deborah Kapalka, 63. “She was a sweet girl. She’s always been a sweet girl,”...
Coxcomb Hill Road reopens in Plum
Drivers in the Alle-Kiski Valley area have one less detour to deal with. Coxcomb Hill Road in Plum reopened Thursday afternoon, PennDOT spokesman Steve Cowan said. That is a day earlier than had been expected earlier in the week. Coxcomb Hill had been closed to traffic between Logans Ferry and...
Cheswick Generating Station, Allegheny County’s only coal-fired power plant, to close
Allegheny County’s only coal-fired power plant is set to permanently close in September. Houston-based GenOn Holdings LLC said Thursday it plans to close Cheswick Generating Station in Springdale by Sept. 15. The company said it also plans to close coal-fired power plants in Avon Lake, Ohio, and Newburg, Md. In...
