Valley News Dispatch category, Page 525

A little sweetness can go a long way in hard times. Just ask Robert Wyant, 47, who realized a lifelong dream two years ago when he created “Oh How SWEET It Is,” an old-fashioned candy store on Freeport Road in Harmar. “I’ve lived in this community for a lot of...

Nearly $100,000 in grant money has been awarded to support the Louisiana waterthrush and Buffalo Creek, which the migratory bird calls home for part of the year. The Louisiana waterthrush is known for being an indicator species for healthy streams and large forest tracks. The Pennsylvania Game Commission classifies the...

An Arnold man faces felony charges after Lower Burrell police accused him of speeding away from police who tried to pull his truck over early this month. James Dean Chiappetta, 54, is charged with fleeing or attempting to elude an officer, driving under the influence, reckless driving and other charges....

Eighteen volunteer fire and ambulance companies in the Alle-Kiski Valley and western Westmoreland County will share in $386,000 in newly announced state grants. State Rep. Rob Brooks, R-Murrysville, said the grants are being doled out from the Fire Company and Emergency Medical Service Grant Program. “These volunteers put themselves in...

A tractor-trailer truck knocked down a utility pole in Oklahoma Borough along Route 66 near Naser Foods on Friday night, knocking out power for a short time. Westmoreland County dispatchers said no injuries were reported in connection with the crash around 8:15 p.m. The road closed from Sheridan Road to...

An educator who works with children at two South Butler public schools has tested positive for covid-19, the district reports. The district learned of the employee’s test results late Thursday afternoon, according to Superintendent David Foley. The person now isolating at home rotates between South Butler Primary School and South...

The Deer Lakes School Board could not ignore the message brought by district parents Tuesday night: Open the schools five days a week. “You need to quit holding these kids hostage,” parent Traci Stotler told the board during a virtual meeting. “They want to be in the classroom with their...

A Burrell High School student has tested positive for covid-19 and some students in the district have been asked to quarantine, said Shannon Wagner, superintendent for Burrell School District. Wagner sent a letter to parents Friday, saying, “We are following the Health Department recommendations and have notified families that need...

Shoppes at Pittsburgh Mills, a shopping plaza near the Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills in Frazer, is going up for auction. The property is a six-tenant retail center, comprising 9,907 square feet. Current tenants include Mattress Firm, Bob’s Sub, Sports Clips Haircuts, SweetFrog and American Discount Uniform. The property, built in...

Is your non-profit organization going to have a fundraiser? Send information to The Stroller at least a week in advance to vndnews@tribweb.com. Please include a daytime telephone number. Vote for your favorite pumpkin at Community Library of Allegheny Valley The staff at Community Library of Allegheny Valley, 1522 Broadview Blvd.,...

Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital in Harmar has discontinued its outpatient rehabilitation services following a drop in patient volume because of the covid-19 pandemic. The cut in services, which took effect Sept. 30, affects patients who are not hospitalized but undergoing physical, occupational and speech therapy and recovering from bone breaks,...

As school districts throughout the region debated how to open this year as fears of covid-19 continued, the Burrell School Board decided to give parents the choice. And that decision seems to be working so far, according to school officials. Although the district reported one covid-19 case involving a high...

An arrest warrant has been issued for a North Huntingdon man accused of hoarding more than 70 cats that were malnourished and infested with fleas when authorities rescued them from a township home in September. Since being rescued, the cats have been cared for at Frankie’s Friends, a cat rescue...

A Harrison man is accused of breaking into a Springdale Township home and threatening to kill two women and a child with a knife. Kenneth Mendenhall Jr., 30, faces charges of aggravated assault, burglary, trespassing, terroristic threats and simple assault, according to online court records. Police issued a warrant for...

The owner of JG’s Tarentum Station Grille said Thursday he intends to reopen the popular restaurant on Dec. 1. The restaurant in a historic former train station in the heart of Tarentum has been closed since March because of the covid-19 pandemic. When the state allowed restaurants to increase their...

They’ve rehearsed by Zoom and won’t be performing on a traditional stage, but Fox Chapel Area theater students are eager to bring the high school’s fall production to life. “It’s very uplifting to see how, despite everything that has happened (with covid-19), we can still have some normalcy during a...

New Kensington-Arnold School District is working to fix a problem with reduced social distancing in some third-grade classes at Roy A. Hunt Elementary in Arnold, Acting Superintendent Jon Banko said. Distancing in three or four combination social studies/science classes in the grade is reduced from 6 feet to 5 feet...

The South Buffalo Volunteer Fire Department is hosting a truck and tractor pull to memorialize a friend. The Kevin Haas Memorial Truck and Tractor Pull will be held at the fire hall on Saturday. It’s a fitting tribute to Haas, who died in May, said Erin Pflueger, a member of...

A new restaurant and bakery is expected to open in the former Max & Erma’s in RIDC Park in early 2021. Periwinkle’s, an American-style eatery with burgers, soups and salads, will open at 900 Gamma Drive, O’Hara, just off the Allegheny Valley Expressway. The building and its 2.8-acre parcel were...

Summer 2021 will bring renewed enthusiasm to the phrase ‘Play Ball’ for Fox Chapel Area School District youth who compete at Emmerling Park in Indiana Township. Fox Chapel Area Baseball Softball Association (FCBSA) was awarded $200,000 from a state gaming grant to upgrade two fields at the park off Route...

Is your non-profit organization going to have a fundraiser? Send information to The Stroller at least a week in advance to vndnews@tribweb.com. Please include a daytime telephone number. Benefit truck and tractor pull set Saturday in South Buffalo The Kevin Haas Memorial Truck and Tractor Pull will be Saturday at...

Plum plans to have a Halloween drive-in movie night a week before the holiday. Movie night is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 24 at Larry Mills Park. The borough presents “The Addams Family,” the 2019 animated version from directors Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan. It is based on the characters created...