Valley News Dispatch category, Page 512

The Salvation Army’s famous red kettles are a lot lighter than usual this year, and there are fewer of them to be found around Westmoreland County. “As of right now, we’re not even at half our goal, and we have six kettle days left,” said Lt. Donna Hannan, assistant corps...

A New Kensington man was arraigned Wednesday on a felony charge of aggravated assault stemming from a fight in which two men suffered brain bleeds and one had skull fractures. Police charged Kenneth Lorenzo Johnson Jr., 32, on Nov. 17 in connection with the fight that happened June 12 at...

A Cheswick registered nurse is suing Allegheny Health Network because she said the health network discriminated against her and failed to accommodate her when the covid-19 pandemic began in the spring. Samantha Eiler, who was hired by the health network in January 2019, was diagnosed with asthma when she was...

Is your non-profit organization going to have a fundraiser? Send information to The Stroller at least a week in advance to vndnews@triblive.com. Please include a daytime telephone number. Santa to visit West Deer with township firemen Santa will travel through West Deer with the township volunteer fire companies this weekend....

Plum officials have taken the next step in developing a new municipal center. Council approved a $16.5 million contract from Rycon Construction Thursday night. The Pittsburgh company was the lowest of 11 bidders. The so-called town center would house a police station, municipal offices, gym, a plaza and a community...

Plum homeowners will pay the same real estate tax rate in 2021 they have been for the fourth straight year. Plum Council unanimously voted Dec. 17 to pass a $13.7 million budget and maintain the tax rate at 4.78 mills. The vote was conducted at a virtual meeting broadcast on...

St. Joseph High School in Harrison is offering a new scholarship to help families afford a Catholic education as the school seeks to enroll students for the 2021-22 school year. The St. Joseph Spirit Scholarship is available for next school year’s enrolling freshmen, said Shane Palumbo, director of admissions and...

Lower Burrell plans to send a cease-and-desist letter to a Plum man whose Right-to-Know Law requests have, officials claim, become excessive and “vexatious.” Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know Law entitles the public and media to secure most records from public agencies in the state within five days of a request. Dave Bayne, 73,...

Physicians and nurses at Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison are expected to be among Allegheny Health Network’s first caregivers to receive covid-19 vaccinations Friday morning, an AHN spokeswoman said. Spokeswoman JoAnne Clobus could not say how many employees of the Harrison hospital would be getting shots Friday. Employees were busy...

New Kensington-Arnold School District administrators and board members are concerned about the number of children who they say have not been participating in school since the district moved all students to remote instruction. The district started the school year with students receiving instruction fully online or fully in person. The...

Lower Burrell police said an Arnold woman who wrecked her car at Burrell Lake Park on Saturday tried to take an officer’s gun and Taser, and hit, kicked and spit on officers as they arrested her. Michelle Pusateri, 37, also faces charges of child endangerment because police said she was...

New Kensington-Arnold School District will spend up to $13,000 to find a new superintendent. The school board voted unanimously Tuesday to hire the Pennsylvania School Boards Association to conduct the search. The district will pay the association $5,000, plus up to $8,000 for additional costs. “Our longstanding relationship with school...

Tarentum police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a woman who they say is a package thief. The department said Wednesday on its Facebook page that it was investigating a theft of packages in the 300 block of East Sixth Avenue. No other information was provided. Police provided...

Food insecurity is an ongoing problem in the Pittsburgh region, made much worse by the covid-19 pandemic. Area food banks have responded by redoubling their efforts while facing new challenges. With pandemic restrictions putting many American breadwinners out of work or reducing their hours, food banks this year have been...

Is your non-profit organization going to have a fundraiser? Send information to The Stroller at least a week in advance to vndnews@triblive.com. Please include a daytime telephone number. Local volunteer fire companies to escort Santa on Saturday In preparation for his trip around the world on Christmas Eve, Santa Claus...

It appears Santa Claus will make an early trip to Plum this month even after its holiday celebration was canceled. Borough officials canceled Christmas at Plum Creek this month due to the pandemic, increased covid restrictions on gatherings and vendors withdrawing as a result. However, Plum’s four fire departments have...

Plum School District will be closed Thursday due to Wednesday’s heavy snowfall. A message from Superintendent Brendan Hyland about the snow day was posted on the district’s twitter page and newsfeed. The closure was in large part a result of Wednesday’s snow storms. “Students are directed to close their Chromebooks,...

Leechburg Area School District will go to online learning next week in response to a continued increase in covid-19 cases and a recent increase in students requesting to be taught at home. In an email to district families on Monday, Superintendent Tiffany Nix outlined changes for all students in grades...

An Allegheny Township man accused of shooting two men outside a Leechburg tattoo shop last month was ordered to stand trial after pleading not guilty during a preliminary hearing Wednesday. Chad Robert Goldstrom, 37, was charged last month with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault and reckless endangerment in connection...

Four weeks after introducing a new instruction model that allows for four days of in-person learning each week, roughly half of Kiski Area students are taking advantage of it. Superintendent Tim Scott said just over 1,800 district students are enrolled in the four-day model. Meanwhile, 963 students are learning fully...

Highlands School District is delaying the release of a resignation agreement with an unidentified employee against whom the school board had brought disciplinary charges. The school board voted at its Dec. 7 meeting to approve the agreement with an employee identified only by the number 6093. The agreement was retroactively...

Fox Chapel Area School Board has new leadership. Marybeth Dadd was elected president, and Ron Frank was elected vice president. Dadd, who represents the district’s Region 3, said her priority is to work with fellow members to keep schools safe and help families get through the covid-19 pandemic. Once a...