Valley News Dispatch category, Page 642
Stormy weather on tap for Halloween trick-or-treating
Few municipalities are altering their community Halloween plans despite a worsening weather forecast for Thursday evening. Several boroughs and townships have trick-or-treating scheduled for Halloween with no adjustments in place for thunder and lightning. “If it rains, it rains,” said Barb Jones, office clerk for Brackenridge. Jones said police and...
Veterans Day events planned in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Veterans Day events are planned throughout the Valley. They include: Apollo Curran-Shaffer Funeral Home will host the 16th annual Apollo Area Veterans program at noon Nov. 11 at the funeral home, 100 Owens View Ave., Apollo. Funeral director Norman E. Connors will celebrate the lives, contributions and impact of each...
New population of hellbenders found in Butler CountyVideo
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy found a new population of hellbender salamanders in Butler County. Researchers came up empty looking for the salamander, which can grow to more than two feet long, in the Kiski and Youghiogheny rivers and some other locations this summer, according to Eric Chapman, director of aquatic...
Mussel discovered in Kiski River for first time in a century
Researchers went looking for a salamander not seen on the Kiski River for more than a century. Instead, they happened upon another river resident that has been missing from the Kiski equally as long or maybe longer – the pink heelsplitter mussel. The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy recently reported its summer...
Trial of Tarentum man charged in near drowning moved to February
A Tarentum man facing felony child endangerment charges won’t be tried until next year. William Richard Nulph, 35, is accused of leaving his toddler outside March 14 while he went into his home to feed his infant. The toddler was found floating in a backyard swimming pool. She required medical...
Jury set for trial of man accused of killing New Kensington Officer Brian ShawVideo
A jury of 12 plus four alternatives is complete for the capital murder trial of accused cop killer Rahmael Holt. Jury selection lasted two days and wrapped up just before 3:30 p.m. Tuesday. Holt, 31, of Harrison is accused of shooting and killing New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw following...
The Stroller, Oct. 29, 2019: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Leechburg Library to sponsor Star Baker contest Leechburg Public Library will sponsor a Star Baker Contest Nov. 17 as part of a spaghetti dinner fundraiser at the Marconi Club, 135 River Ave., Leechburg. Any type of baked goods may be entered – pies, cookies, cakes, scones, cupcakes, nut rolls or...
Frazer dance school gives people with disabilities an opportunity to shineVideo
Editor’s note: Building the Valley tells stories of businesses big and small and the employees who make them special. If you know of any standout employees, bosses or companies with a great story to tell, contact reporter Madasyn Lee at mlee@tribweb.com. Joe Brown loves to dance, and he isn’t afraid...
Jail sentence of Lower Burrell judge’s son to be delayed by a month
A Westmoreland County judge on Monday deferred the start of a jail sentence to be served by the son of a local district judge. Common Pleas Judge Tim Krieger ruled that Stephen Yakopec III, 29, of Lower Burrell will have an additional month before he is required to report to...
Restrictions lifted on Logans Ferry Road bridge near Plum-Lower Burrell border
Traffic restrictions have been lifted on a bridge that crosses Pucketa Creek at the border of Plum and Lower Burrell. A $1.1 million construction project on the Logans Ferry Road bridge began about five months ago. Work included replacing the span over the creek and improving guardrails, sidewalks, barriers and...
Leechburg’s Veterans Memorial Stadium a step closer to getting artificial turf
Leechburg Area School District has moved a step closer to replacing the grass field at 73-year-old Veterans Memorial Stadium with artificial turf. The district’s school board voted unanimously last week to seek bids Nov. 13 to install the artificial turf and modernize the field’s drainage. Over the summer, the board...
Riverview schools to open Tuesday after threat deemed not credible
Riverview School District planned to resume classes Tuesday after determining a threat that led to a districtwide closure Monday was not credible. Superintendent Margaret DiNinno said in a prepared statement that the threat, received Sunday afternoon, was a “non-direct, weapon-related threat to the high school.” DiNinno had said Sunday night...
First 9 jurors selected for trial of accused cop killer Rahmael Holt
Attorneys selected nine people Monday to be jurors in the capital murder trial of accused cop killer Rahmael Holt. Holt, 31, of Harrison, is accused of fatally shooting New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw following a Nov. 17, 2017, traffic stop. Prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty...
Missing Vandergrift teen found
A Vandergrift teenager missing since Thursday has been found, according to police. James Edward Nelson, 16, was found early Monday morning. He was last seen around 2 p.m. at his Vandergrift home....
No webcam planned for new Harmar bald eagle nest
The Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania announced it will not install a live webcam at the most recent bald eagle nest in Harmar because the aerie cannot be safely accessed. The decision not to install a webcam was a difficult one, Audubon spokeswoman Rachel Handel said in a statement. “The...
East coast flavors abound at Lucy’s Riverside Cafe, a cozy Freeport eateryVideo
Savor New England comfort food at a cozy cafe in Freeport. Lucy’s Riverside Cafe, on High Street, serves breakfast and lunch six days a week, with a focus on New England style homemade soups, sandwiches, paninis, desserts and specials. “Customers love our food and they have said it’s like eating...
The Stroller, Oct. 28, 2019: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Leftover Halloween candy to be sent to troops overseas Military Connections in Oakmont is collecting leftover Halloween candy to ship to our troops overseas. All types of candy, including chocolate, will be accepted. Leftover candy can be taken during business hours to Tomlinson Insurance Agency, 506 Allegheny River Blvd., Oakmont,...
Butch Liput is a Burrell legend as ‘voice of the Bucs’Video
Editor’s note: This is part of an occasional series that features Alle-Kiski Valley residents and the notable things that they do. John “Butch” Liput Jr. has one of the most recognizable voices in Lower Burrell sports history, and his impact on athletes and teams around the area is immeasurable. Known...
Threat closes Riverview School District
Riverview School District Superintendent Peggy DiNinno said Sunday that Riverview School District has canceled all of its classes on Monday because of a threat. DiNinno declined to release more information about the nature of the threat. Oakmont and Verona police are investigating. “This decision was made in an effort to...
Kiski Area, Burrell school districts collectively awarded $83,500 for school security
The Kiski Area School District and the Burrell School District collectively were awarded $83,500 in state Department of Education Safe School Target Grants. The districts are among others throughout the state receiving a total of $7.2 million in competitive 2019-2020 Safe Schools grants. The money, awarded through the education department’s...
Carnegie Mellon University sophomore spins wool for 28 consecutive hoursVideo
This spinning performance lasted 28 hours, though not on a stationary bike. Isabel “Iz” Horgan, a sophomore at Carnegie Mellon University, started spinning wool at 5 p.m. Friday at the student-run Frame Gallery on Forbes Avenue. She spun and spun until 9 p.m. Saturday. By the end, she had spun...
Paint it Purple event in Gilpin raises money to help domestic violence victims
As a domestic violence survivor, Maria Matuscin wants to do all she can to help others enduring similar situations. She was on hand Saturday to help at a fundraiser aimed at increasing awareness of domestic violence. The event, Paint it Purple, took place in Gilpin. “Domestic violence is in every...
Auction at Oak Lake Golf Course in Upper Burrell draws hundredsVideo
Hundreds of buyers turned out Saturday for a public auction at Oak Lake Golf Course in Upper Burrell, bidding on grounds equipment, commercial kitchen items, a fleet of 50 golf carts — even a box of tees. The big ticket item — 113 acres of land — is still in...
Creekside Park in Oakmont to be restored through borough, athletic association partnership
Creekside Park off Dark Hollow Road in Oakmont will undergo much needed repairs through a partnership with the borough and Riverview Athletic Association. Repairs are estimated to cost around $30,000. Harsh July storms flooded the park and many parts of Allegheny County. The walking track was completely under water. The...
Get fit at Greatness Athletics Fitness Center in TarentumVideo
Gary Negley started a gym in his parents Laura and Randy Negley’s basement with three pair of dumbbells, a medicine ball, speed ladder, some cones and his dad’s old weight bench. He worked on not only crunches and dead lifts but also on helping others in a workout, all while...
