Valley News Dispatch category, Page 675
The Freeport Theatre Festival celebrates 30 yearsVideo
Inside this former machinery barn the magic of theater unfolds. The Freeport Festival Theatre has been presenting summer shows in this space in the Allegheny- Kiski Valley for three decades. It’s the mission of actors and married couple Rennick and Marushka Steele. The theater, nestled on the Steele Farm in...
Man dies after being shot on residential street in Arnold
Police are investigating a fatal shooting Friday night on a residential street in Arnold, officials said. Westmoreland County 911 dispatchers received a report of a shooting about 6:30 p.m. in an alley between Taylor and Woodmont avenues, said Detective John Clark of the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office. Officials found...
Tarentum Action Committee works to combat blight in the borough
They’re cleaning up Tarentum by pulling one weed at a time. A group of volunteers calling themselves the Tarentum Action Committee spent Saturday morning outside seven blighted properties in the borough, pulling weeds and clearing debris to improve their curb appeal, according to the committee’s chairwoman, Lorri Wildi. “This is...
Harrison girl, 7, a fundraising sensation, gets $7,500 surprise from Walmart
Kaohmi Gold, a Verona girl who turned 4 earlier this month, has set her sights on a new role model. Her name is Kaley Bastine of Harrison, and at 7, she’s not much older than Kaohmi. They both really like dogs and cops — and especially police dogs. Kaohmi has...
Boil water advisory in place for Harrison’s Natrona neighborhood
People who live in Harrison’s Natrona neighborhood are advised to boil water before drinking it. Harrison Water Authority board member Mark Krumenacker said the advisory was issued because of a large water main break Friday on Springhill Road. The line was repaired Friday, but the advisory will remain in place...
Storm downs trees, power lines in part of Alle-Kiski Valley
A fast moving thunderstorm rolling through part of the Alle-Kiski Valley at about 2 p.m. Saturday knocked down trees and power lines causing outages to about 250 electric customers, according to 911 dispatch reports. According to West Penn Power, most of the outages were reported in Washington Township with 203...
Severe thunderstorm warning issued for parts of Butler County
The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for parts of Butler County until 12:45 p.m. Saturday. Winds of up to 60 mph and hail can be expected. The storm was headed toward Evans City and Harmony, the weather service said. Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Meridian PA, Evans City...
Armstrong County ATV crash sends 2 to hospitals
State police believe alcohol was a factor in a crash of an all-terrain vehicle that sent two people to area hospitals Friday in Armstrong County. Daniel Beers, 50, and Tawnee Coleman, 49, both of Dayton, were seriously injured when the ATV they were aboard crashed along Country Road in Wayne...
Weather Service: High winds, hail a threat for northeastern Allegheny
The National Weather Service in Moon Township has issued a severe thunderstorm warning until 7:45 p.m. Friday for northeastern Allegheny County. Locations impacted include Russellton and Curtisville sections of West Deer and McCandless, Hampton and Pine townships. The service reported a severe thunderstorm over Gibsonia at 7:22 p.m. The storm...
Annual Greek Food Festival continues this weekend in Oakmont
The annual Greek Food Festival at the Dormition of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church in Oakmont is less about the food and more about fellowship for the volunteers. Around 200 people prepare, serve, cleanup and perform in the three-day celebration along Washington Avenue. It’s running through Sunday. The festival is...
Here’s where to watch July Fourth holiday fireworks in Western Pa.
Here’s where you can watch fireworks around Western Pennsylvania this Fourth of July holiday. July 3 • Findlay Township Independence Day Celebration, begins at 7:30 p.m., fireworks at 9:45 p.m., Recreation and Sports Complex, Route 30. No parking permitted on Route 30. • Hampton Township Community Day Celebration, fireworks at...
New Kensington man who served 12 years for murder indicted on federal drug charge
A New Kensington man who served 12 years for the murder of a Duquesne student now is facing a federal drug charge. A federal grand jury in Pittsburgh this week indicted Thomas Vaugh Kelly Jr., 33, accusing him of selling fentanyl. The indictment was handed down Tuesday. Kelly was released...
Highlands to pay special education director $16,000 to resign
The Highlands School District will pay its special education director just over $16,000 as part of a resignation agreement. According to the agreement, obtained by the Tribune-Review through a Right-to-Know Law request, Debra Lehew’s resignation is effective June 30. The board approved the agreement, along with accepting Lehew’s resignation during...
Police: Oakmont driver says he did shots of Fireball after striking flagger
An Oakmont man told police that he was so distraught after striking a flagger with his car in a construction zone in Highland Park that he downed two shots of Fireball to calm his nerves, authorities said. Pittsburgh police charged Brett Liberto, 29, with aggravated assault while driving drunk, drunken...
Allegheny Valley Regional Police Department to begin operating Monday
The final budget and list of officers has been approved as the final steps for the Allegheny Valley Regional Police Department to begin operating Monday. The Allegheny Valley Regional Police Commission unanimously approved the measures in a special meeting Thursday afternoon. Springdale Township and Cheswick held special meetings to approve...
Intense storms bring down trees, damage cars
Severe thunderstorms rolled through the Vandergrift area Thursday evening, knocking down trees and power lines and causing localized flooding. Vandergrift police said weather-related calls flooded the department between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Police said firefighters and public works crews were out most of the evening removing fallen trees and...
Group moves ahead with effort to reopen Leechburg public library
The Leechburg Community Library, when it was open, was a rare bird. The library, housed inside Leechburg High School for 93 years, was one of only 86 public libraries located inside a school from among the 9,234 public libraries nationwide. And, there are fewer than 500 public libraries in Pennsylvania,...
Kittanning Sheetz sells $3M scratch-off lottery ticket
A scratch-off lottery ticket worth $3 million was sold at a Kittanning gas station. The winning $3,000,000 Diamond Dazzler ticket was sold at the Sheetz at 100 Walnut St. The gas station will receive $10,000 for selling the winning ticket. $3,000,000 Diamond Dazzler is a $30 game that offers five...
Lardintown Road bridge work starts Monday in Fawn
Replacement of a bridge in Fawn will begin Monday, weather permitting, according to PennDOT. The bridge on Lardintown Road is over Bull Creek. The almost $1.4 million project will be done between Bulls Creek and Millerstown roads. The bridge will be closed through late November. Traffic will be detoured by...
Westmoreland County judge OKs new voting districts in Upper Burrell
A Westmoreland County judge has approved a new voting redistricting plan for Upper Burrell that more evenly divides the number of voters in the township’s two precincts. Judge Harry F. Smail Jr. on Tuesday approved the new voter precinct plan that had been submitted by residents as well as township...
Fire claims garage, truck, camper in Kiski TownshipVideo
A fire in Kiski Township destroyed a garage, a classic pickup truck and a camper Wednesday afternoon, but no injuries were reported. “It was minutes from the house catching fire,” Kiski Township fire Chief Rich Frain said. Firefighters were able to save two nearby homes, although both had the vinyl...
Allegheny Health Network to start building Harmar hospital next month
The construction of Allegheny Health Network’s neighborhood hospital in Harmar is moving forward after being delayed for more than six months. AHN spokesman Daniel Laurent said construction is expected to start in July but couldn’t immediately provide a specific date. “We can’t wait to get started,” Laurent said. AHN officials...
Greensburg Road restrictions expected until November
The nearly $1 million bridge replacement project along Greensburg Road in Lower Burrell got underway late last week, and will keep a section of the busy road to one lane near Miller’s Lane until Nov. 5. A temporary traffic light is controlling the single lane traffic. Millers Lane will be...
PennDOT reopens one lane of Lovers Leap Road in Gilpin
Since a landslide closed Lover’s Leap Road in Gilpin last week, PennDOT has re-opened one lane, the agency announced Wednesday. The road had been closed in both directions from Mule Hollow Road to Pitt Street. Currently Lover’s Leap is one-lane with a stop sign in both directions. The open lane...
Meetings planned to ensure July 1 start of Allegheny Valley Regional Police
Officials from Cheswick and Springdale Township are expected to vote Thursday on the final items needed for the new Allegheny Valley Regional Police Department to begin operating on Monday. Michael Girardi, vice president of the Allegheny Valley Regional Police Commission overseeing the department, said they will meet at 4:30 p.m....
