Valley News Dispatch category, Page 533
Leechburg man turns yard — and neighbors’ — into synchronized holiday light-and-music showVideo
Leechburg is shining bright thanks to the generosity of a Main Street resident. Clyde Lindsey is the creator of Leechburg Lights, the annual synchronized holiday light-and-music show now open for the 2020-21 season. It’s in its 13th year. Lindsey is a nationally recognized professional lighting programmer. What began as a...
Food truck owner hosts ‘ghost kitchen’ in Vandergrift
Tom Scanga, owner of Del Vecchio’s Sausage & Fries, is branching out this weekend with a ghost kitchen — a temporary, pop-up restaurant focusing on something completely outside of his specialty. Friday through Sunday, from 3 to 7 p.m., Scanga will be operating out of his commissary at 328 Lowell...
Former Leechburg police Chief Diebold granted re-parole
Former Leechburg police Chief Michael Diebold could soon be released from jail after a Westmoreland County judge agreed this week to grant his re-parole. Diebold, 43, has been in jail since Dec. 9, 2019, after he was accused of violating terms of his parole from a 9-to-23-month jail sentence for...
Upper Burrell Dollar General plans on hold because of development issues
Plans for a Dollar General store in Upper Burrell are on hold because of development issues flagged by township officials. Construction of the proposed 7,500-square-foot store along Route 780 near Dewey Drive has raised the concern of some residents because the vacant site where it would be built is in...
Kiski Township to create sewage authority to oversee $16M project
Kiski Township supervisors plan to establish the Kiski Township Sewage Authority next month to oversee a $16 million project to bring public sewerage to nearly 700 homes. That amounts to about half of township households, said township engineer Richard Lenhart of Senate Engineering. About 10% of the township residents have...
Police have suspects in Arnold teen’s shooting death in Tarentum
Allegheny County Police say they have identified suspects in the November shooting death of an 18-year-old man in Tarentum. Syncere Spruill, of Arnold, was shot shortly before midnight Nov. 22 in the 200 block of Conroy Way. He was pronounced dead at Allegheny Valley Hospital. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner...
Nonprofit looking for New Kensington, Arnold residents who want free internet service
A nonprofit is offering free internet service for New Kensington and Arnold residents, but so far not many are signing up. Meta Mesh Wireless Communities can take about 150 households in its one-year pilot providing free, wireless, high-speed internet service, but so far only 38 in New Kensington and Arnold...
Highlands senior recognized for work on car donated to Army veteran
A Highlands High School student who helped repair a car for a veteran is the second recipient of an award students created to recognize their peers. Ian Norris, 17, a senior from Fawn who attends Forbes Road Career & Technology Center in Monroeville, received the “Student Spotlight” award for December,...
The Stroller, Dec. 11, 2020: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Is your church or organization going to serve free takeout Christmas dinners? Send information to The Stroller at vndnews@tribweb.com. Please include a daytime telephone number. Pajama Project seeks pajama donations The Rotary Club of Leechburg and Interact Club of Leechburg Area High School are sponsoring the Pajama Project collection through...
DA’s office withdraws kidnapping charges filed against Arnold assistant fire chief
Criminal charges have been withdrawn against an Arnold assistant fire chief, who, along with his teenage son, was accused of kidnapping the son’s pregnant girlfriend and holding her against her will for over a month. The Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office withdrew five charges, including kidnapping and burglary, that were...
Stocking stuffer rivalry between Riverview, Springdale school districts benefits the homeless
A rivalry is brewing between Riverview and Springdale students, but this time it’s a race to get on Santa’s nice list. The school districts are dueling to help the region’s homeless community by collecting small, stuffed stockings to deliver to shelters this holiday season. “There is no greater gift than...
The Stroller, Dec. 10, 2020: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Is your church or organization going to serve free takeout Christmas dinners? Send information to The Stroller at vndnews@tribweb.com. Please include a daytime telephone number. Saxonburg church to present Christmas cantata Saxonburg Memorial Presbyterian Church, 100 W. Main St., will present its annual free Christmas cantata in person and online...
Vandergrift woman accused of assaulting at least 4 people, including 2 police officers
A Vandergrift woman is accused by borough police of punching and kicking at least four people earlier this week, including two police officers — one of whom she allegedly kicked in the face when she was taken to the police station. Police say Jaden Nicole Etchison, 21, of Vandergrift got...
Teen’s wine cork Christmas ornaments benefit West Deer Food Bank
A West Deer teen is taking a family hobby and turning it into a business. Noah Long and his mom, Wendy, are selling Christmas ornaments they’ve made out of wine corks and are donating a portion of the proceeds to the West Deer Food Bank. They call the business Cork...
Giant Eagle to leave 1 of 3 offices in O’Hara’s RIDC Park
One of O’Hara’s largest employers will vacate leased township office space as the lingering covid-19 pandemic impacts its corporate operations. Giant Eagle will not renew its lease at 701 Alpha Drive, one of three office buildings it occupies in RIDC Park off Route 28. The building sits on 8.2 acres...
First National Bank branch in Lower Burrell to close
The First National Bank branch in Lower Burrell is scheduled to close March 5. It is among 21 First National branch offices that will be shuttered in the Eastern United States, said FNB spokeswoman Jennifer M. Reel. Some customers were not happy to hear about the closure of the branch...
O Cannoli Tree, O Cannoli Tree: Harmar baker has new holiday confection
Forget about those sugar plums dancing in heads this holiday season and make way for a new Yuletide treat: the Cannoli Christmas Tree. A cannoli tree may seem like something out of a debaucherous dessert dream. But Char Hixson, proprietor of Char’s Creative Confections in Harmar, is baking them up...
The Stroller, Dec. 9, 2020: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Is your church or organization going to serve free takeout Christmas dinners? Send information to The Stroller at vndnews@tribweb.com. Please include a daytime telephone number. HOPE Center seeks support for program The HOPE Center is seeking support for its annual Adopt-A-Family Christmas Program to benefit HOPE Center families. This program...
Drive-up food distribution event at Pittsburgh Mills mall continues to help people in needVideo
Woody Main started crying when asked how he felt about a drive-up food distribution event held Tuesday afternoon at the Pittsburgh Mills mall in Frazer. The 50-year-old from Elizabeth was at the distribution to pick up food for his two sister-in-laws. He goes to food banks for them because one...
Pandemic prompts closing of Tarentum’s Praha, possibly for good, as other restaurants hang on
Uncertainty brought on by the covid-19 pandemic is prompting owners of the Praha restaurant and bar in Tarentum to close, possibly for good. Unless businesses are shut down sooner, owner Ken Gulick said the Praha will close at the end of business on Dec. 23. He expects the closure to...
Tarentum police say man attacked woman, 2 children after coming home from bar
Tarentum police say a borough man attacked a woman and hit two young boys after coming home from a bar late Monday night. Borough police charged Stacy Andrew Smith, 29, with simple assault, endangering the welfare of children, resisting arrest and harassment. In a criminal complaint against Smith, police say...
Fox Chapel Area returns to in-person classes, reports 10 active covid-19 cases in district
As Fox Chapel Area students returned to in-person classes this week, officials said there is no current plan for middle and high school students to be in the buildings on a full-time basis. Elementary students have returned to five-day, in-person classes but older students will remain in a hybrid learning...
Brick oven pizza, bourbon featured at newly opened Brick & Barrel Cross Keys in Indiana Township
A historic eatery in Indiana Township is welcoming diners again. Co-owned by Jeff Brungo and Chris Hildebrandt, Brick & Barrel Cross Keys opened in November, offering a casual full-service dining experience. The menu is based on locally sourced burgers and specialty brick oven pizza, and the bar features an extensive...
Gilpin considers 71% property tax increase
Gilpin supervisors are proposing a budget for next year that would increase property taxes by 71%. The proposed increase would raise the tax rate by 5 mills, to 12 mills. At that rate, someone who owns a property assessed at $20,000 would owe $240 in real estate taxes, or $100...
The Stroller, Dec. 8, 2020: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Is your church or organization going to serve free takeout Christmas dinners? Send information to The Stroller at vndnews@tribweb.com. Please include a daytime telephone number. Send a gift to a senior at Presbyterian SeniorCare Network Presbyterian Senior Care Network is encouraging the public to send a gift to a resident...
