Valley News Dispatch category, Page 665
Juvenile peregrine falcons spotted around region after leaving nests
It’s a long road to become the fastest flier on earth with speeds approaching 200 mph in a dive. But local juvenile peregrine falcons, which are designated as state-threatened, are on their way as two were spotted in the region this week after leaving their nests weeks ago. That is...
Tarentum needs plan for Riverview Memorial Park, manager says
Choosing the color of shade-providing sails at Tarentum’s spray park seems like a minor issue. But Borough Manager Michael Nestico said the problem is indicative of a larger one at Tarentum’s Riverview Memorial Park: there is no overall plan to guide decisions at the park along the Allegheny River. The...
Tarentum to check for asbestos in buildings eyed for demolition
Tarentum plans to hire a contractor to test more than two dozen buildings for asbestos. The 28 buildings are among the 33 now on the borough’s demolition list. Three companies submitted bids for the work. The lowest bid of $11,175 came from Corwin Inspections, borough Manager Michael Nestico said. Having...
Highlands to sell former Fawn elementary school
Highlands School District is looking to sell its former elementary school in Fawn. The school board approved soliciting sealed bids for the Highlands Support Center property at 5591 Ridge Road. The district set $500,000 as the lowest acceptable bid, which was based on an appraisal of the property, according to...
Delayed asphalt order pushes back reopening of Springdale’s Walnut Street
Walnut Street in Springdale is expected to remain closed through Wednesday afternoon while crews continue work to repair the street. Carmen Canonico, head of Springdale’s roads department, said the borough wasn’t able to get the asphalt needed to finish the work on Tuesday. It expected to get the asphalt needed...
Police arrest Braddock man accused of fatal Arnold shooting last month
A 32-year-old Braddock man accused of fatally shooting a man in an Arnold alley June 28 was arrested Monday night following a search involving police, bloodhounds and a helicopter. Police charged Allen Duwayne Herring with killing Gregory Ray Wynkoop, 35, of East Franklin during a robbery. Westmoreland County District Attorney...
Portion of Jacoby Road in Harmar to close for 4 months
Motorists who travel through Harmar near the Indiana Township line should expect delays the next four months while a portion of Jacoby Road is closed for bridge work. Specifically, Little Deer Creek Bridge No. 5 was scheduled to close at 6 a.m. July 17 for reconstruction, the Allegheny County Department...
Gilpin delays vote on ordinance that would allow ATVs on township roads
It will be at least another month until Gilpin supervisors decide whether all-terrain vehicles can be driven on some township roads. Supervisors Monday night delayed a final vote on the proposed ordinance since some language was added to the original proposal and there is a mandated review time for residents....
Taxes and snow cones part of the job for Gilpin accountant
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 Czebiniak at mczebiniak@tribweb.com. The most stressful time of the year for Jean...
Man crashes car into utility pole in Arnold, nearby homes lose power
A man was injured Monday night when he crashed his car head-on into a utility pole along Constitution Boulevard in Arnold, igniting sparks and prompting nearby properties to briefly lose power, officials and residents said. Police and volunteer firefighters responded to the report of the crash in the 1500 block...
Allegheny CleanWays removes 11,300 pounds of trash from Allegheny River
Volunteers collected 11,300 pounds of trash from the Allegheny River and its shorelines during 16 cleanups held in June from Millvale to Freeport, according to the nonprofit Allegheny CleanWays. “We’re so pleased with it,” Hannah Samuels, volunteer and outreach coordinator with Allegheny CleanWays, said. “It was so high quality.” Samuels...
Police arrest man who claimed to see cougars in Vandergrift
A man is awaiting a preliminary hearing after he claimed to see two cougars nearby and then jumped over a lawn chair and charged police in Vandergrift. Police are accusing Justin John Crofutt, 37, of Ford City, of aggravated assault on an officer, resisting arrest and being under the influence...
Walnut Street in Springdale closed for emergency repairs
Walnut Street in Springdale is expected to be closed until Tuesday afternoon while crews make emergency repairs to part of the street. A portion of Walnut Street at the intersection with Porter Street was damaged after heavy rains Saturday caused water to get into a seam and lift and crack...
At-home collection of household hazardous waste offered in Tarentum
Tarentum residents are able to have a variety of household hazardous waste collected from their homes. The “At Your Door” collection program is offered as part of the borough’s garbage contract with Waste Management. The service is available year-round. Residents who arrange for a pickup will be sent a collection...
Springdale chief lauds officers for keeping community safe
Springdale police Chief George Polnar credits his officers and teamwork with keeping the borough safe. “We have great officers,” Polnar said in an interview with the Tribune-Review. “Obviously, in any organization, you’re not going to please everybody. But I think, by and large, our officers do a great job. People...
Alle-Kiski Valley volleyball guru struggles to rebuild flood-ravaged courts
It wasn’t just that someone lost a volleyball court in a flood. It was that one of the Alle-Kiski Valley’s winningest girls’ volleyball coaches, Tom Phillips, lost two sand courts complete with night lights in Buffalo Township where several thousand girls have trained and many adults played. After 29 years,...
Tarentum pharmacist follows in his father’s footsteps of helping peopleVideo
Editor’s note: This is part of an occasional series that features Alle-Kiski Valley residents and the notable things that they do. Lifelong Tarentum resident Chuck Blackburn, a second-generation pharmacist, grew up with the desire to help people. “I feel like I spent my career responding to needs as they popped...
Andora offers historically modern dining in 2 locationsVideo
Dining at a former stagecoach stop, speakeasy, alleged brothel and hotel? Yes, please. The history’s all there at Andora Restaurant, tucked along a wooded residential section of Dorseyville Road in Indiana Township on the Fox Chapel border. Actually, there are two locations. An Ohio Township site opened 20 years ago....
West Deer welcomes carnival rides to this year’s Community Days
West Deer officials are gearing up for the township’s annual Community Days celebration. The two-day, free event will be held Aug. 2 and 3 at Bairdford Park. It will feature a parade, vendor booths, face painting, balloon animal artist and concessions, among other things. “One of the main reasons we...
Volunteers sought to work at Tarentum community garden
Some helping hands are needed at Tarentum’s community garden. The rain and warm weather has lead organizers to plan a “Garden Party” from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday at Tarentum’s Greg Blythe Friendship Garden. They plan to weed, plant, mulch and pick. “We have been fortunate that folks have...
Teens learn public safety through hands-on training, build ties with policeVideo
Fifteen-year-old Greta Mueller pulled her car over and sat still as two police cars stopped behind her flashing their red and blue emergency lights. “Driver in the vehicle, put your hands up,” a man said over a loudspeaker. Mueller complied. “Throw the keys out the window,” the man continued. Out...
Strap on your head lamp and ‘Race To The Moon’ along Kiski River
Roaring Run Watershed closes at dusk, but not on July 13. On this day, the darkness is when things get going. The seventh annual Roaring Run Race To The Moon 5K Run/Walk begins at 9 p.m. Held along the Kiski River in Apollo, it is a major fundraiser for the...
Rain can’t dampen spirits at New Kensington Fireworks Festival
Erika Plunkett remembers watching fireworks with her mother, Kathie Males, on her grandfather’s house boat. “It was always very near and dear to my mom’s heart,” Plunkett said. For many years, Males brought fireworks to all of New Kensington, until she died in 2014. Now, her daughter has taken over,...
Flooding follows storms, heavy rain in Westmoreland, Allegheny counties
Flooding followed heavy rain across parts of Allegheny and Westmoreland counties after storms moved through the region Saturday afternoon. The National Weather Service warned of the storm around 4 p.m. It contained heavy rain, frequent lightning and wind gusts up to 60 mph. Rainfall amounts of up to an inch...
3 hurt in 3-vehicle Allegheny Township crash
One person was flown to a Pittsburgh hospital and two others also were hurt in a three-vehicle crash Saturday in Allegheny Township. The crash happened around 10:45 a.m. at the intersection of routes 56 and 356. According to township police Sgt. Dan Uncapher, Daniel Hoffman, 50, of Vandergrift was taken...
