Valley News Dispatch category, Page 681
Embattled Arnold mayor faces a primary contest from a councilman
A Democratic councilman in Arnold is attempting to knock off the city’s mayor in Tuesday’s primary election. Joe Bia II, 45, is at the midpoint of his first term council term but decided to make a run against Mayor Karen Peconi Biricocchi because, he said, “we can’t financially support the...
9 companies respond to Upper Burrell house fire
No one was reported injured when a house caught fire Saturday afternoon in Upper Burrell. The fire broke out at a house at 205 Rocky Lane just before 6 p.m, according to a Westmoreland 911 dispatcher. The fire was under control within about 25 minutes, according to the dispatcher. Firefighters...
Dearth of council candidates will plague Cheswick primary election
Cheswick voters might be surprised at the number of candidates for council when they enter the voting booth on Tuesday. Only two people — Republican incumbents Michael Girardi and Brad Yaksich — are running for four open seats. Three four-year seats and one two-year seat are up for election. Councilman...
Low voter turnout expected in Tuesday’s primary despite key local races
Between 75% and 80% of the region’s registered voters aren’t expected to cast a ballot in Tuesday’s primary, according to elections officials. The primary features county, municipal and school board races for Republican and Democratic party nominations to run in November’s general election. Local taxes are traditionally one of the...
Car with 4 occupants goes into creek in Plum
Four people were injured when a car went into a creek in Plum Borough Friday night. A Plum police spokesman said the occupants were “injured but stable.” The accident was reported near the intersection of Kerr Road and Dinwiddie Drive at 7:07 p.m., an Allegheny County Department of Public Safety...
Highlands rallying community to save Tarentum family center
The Allegheny Intermediate Unit would be forced to close most of its centers serving vulnerable Allegheny County families because of a more than $1 million reduction in state funding. The Highlands School District has put out a “call to action” for support for the center in Tarentum, and the county’s...
Police investigating Harrison home invasion charge occupant with drug offenses
Authorities called to a Harrison house to investigate a reported home invasion this month ended up charging a man living there after he told them there was marijuana inside, according to police. Chase Taylor Young, 19, told Allegheny County Police he had marijuana in an upstairs safe and gave police...
Couple accused of stealing merchandise from Habitat ReStore in New Kensington
A man and woman are accused of stealing merchandise from a New Kensington nonprofit earlier this week. Habitat for Humanity Allegheny Valley said the alleged theft happened Wednesday at Habitat’s ReStore, which resells donated goods. “Today at the ReStore, a man and woman (we have them on camera) stole 3...
New Kensington man charged with assaulting girlfriend at her Plum home
A New Kensington man is facing charges after police say he assaulted his “on and off again” girlfriend when she refused to answer her front door as he pounded on it one night in March. David E. Saunders IV, 20, of New Kensington was charged with harassment and two counts...
Highlands Elementary students briefly evacuated because of natural gas odor
Students were evacuated from Highlands Elementary School for about a half-hour Friday morning. School officials sent students to the playground across the street after a strong smell of natural gas was detected around 10:15 a.m. Firefighters and gas company crews responded but found no problems at the school, officials said....
Dozens of vacant Tarentum buildings targeted for demolition
Nearly three dozen vacant Tarentum buildings have been marked for demolition. The borough would like to tear down at least a dozen this year. Those buildings either have partially collapsed or are close to a neighboring building, code enforcement officer Anthony Bruni said. How many get taken down this year...
Good weather jump starts multi-million dollar Lower Burrell City Hall project
The sunny skies on Thursday brought out the bulldozers and more to Lower Burrell’s city hall where contractors started work on a new public works building. The work is part of a $3.1 million project including the expansion of the police department, moving the tax office back to city hall...
Former Arnold Treasurer Joseph Puet, city involved in severance dispute
City officials in Arnold were given an $8,491.36 question this week and thus far have only provided an implied answer based on their solicitor’s advice: No. Retired treasurer Joseph Puet wants more than that. “I deserve to receive an answer. There’s been nothing,” Puet, 61, a lifelong resident of Arnold,...
New Kensington-Arnold teachers union reports ‘setback’ in contract talks
New Kensington-Arnold School District and its teachers union failed to reach an agreement on a new contract during a bargaining session Wednesday night. The two sides can’t even agree on who was involved in the latest negotiations. “No school board members attended the scheduled bargaining session,” New Kensington-Arnold Education Association...
Pocketbook issues drive heated contests in school board races
A controversial building project, questions about assessment appeals and a long-stalled teachers’ contract are among the issues driving public engagement in heated school board races in Tuesday’s primary. It’s not unusual for school board ballots to draw few candidates and scarce attention from voters. Given that candidates in such races...
Tarentum child care center launching new pre-school program
A Tarentum child care center is launching a new pre-school program. The new program has been in the works for three years, said Heather Wells, of West Deer, owner and director of The Growing Garden Child Care Center on Lock Street. The summer session starts June 10 and runs until...
Kiski Area School District real estate tax will remain same for next school year
Kiski Area School District’s proposed $62.4 million budget for next school year includes no increase in property taxes. The school district, however, would use $4.2 million in reserves to fill an anticipated budgetary shortfall. Officials unveiled the proposed budget for the 2019-2020 school year this month. The school board is...
Shady Side Academy names director of new $2.7M tech hub
The new $2.7 million computer science facility at Shady Side Academy has its leader. Jesse Robinson, the director of information technology at a school in Westport, Conn., will join the senior school in August as the head of the Glimcher Tech and Design Hub, with his mission to enhance the...
Highlands preK students visit Highland Hose fire hall in TarentumVideo
The tires on the trucks were bigger than them. Students in Highlands School District’s prekindergarten program got out of school on a warm and sunny Thursday to visit the Highland Hose fire hall in Tarentum. Chief Terry Chambon greeted visiting classes in the morning and afternoon. About 34 kids between...
Highlands releases bus proposals from Roenigk, ABC Transit
Highlands School District has released the proposals it received from two companies to bus its students over the next five years. The proposals from W.L. Roenigk, the district’s current and long-time provider, and ABC Transit are available on the district’s website at www.goldenrams.com. Links to the documents can be found...
Sandwiches in tow, 4-year-old gives back to Lower Burrell cops
Arianna Wilson was watching Disney Junior before school Monday when she saw a commercial for National Police Week. An admirer of the police, the 4-year-old told her mom she wanted to bring officers with the Lower Burrell Police Department something to eat. “She said ‘Mommy, it’s police week. Let’s bring...
Vandergrift’s Casino Theatre presents ‘Age of Aquarius 3’
The Casino Theatre in Vandergrift is turning back time to the days of peace and love with its “Age of Aquarius 3” and wants everyone to dress the part. “We dress up for this show, and we invite the audience to do the same,” says one of the performers Linda...
Gilpin may allow ATVs, similar vehicles on 25 roads
Gilpin is considering a proposal to allow all-terrain vehicles on more than two dozen township roads. ATVs would still be banned on state roads such as Route 66, but the proposal would allow them on 25 township roads in the mostly rural township of 14 square miles, according to Supervisor...
Multi-million dollar Lower Burrell City Hall renovation starts next week
Contractors will break ground next week for the $3.1 million Lower Burrell City Hall renovation project. Years in the making, the project entails creating more space for police and the public works department and moving the tax office back into city hall. City services won’t be impacted by the project....
Lower Burrell awards summer paving contract
Lower Burrell Council recently awarded a $110,895 contract to A. Folino Construction for this year’s summer paving projects in the city. City Administrator Amy Rockwell said streets slated for paving include Wachter and Oregon drives and Craigdell Road from Carl Avenue to the rear of Giant Eagle....
