Valley News Dispatch category, Page 688
Highlands fails in argument to keep employee’s name secret
Highlands School District should not have kept secret the name of an employee it suspended in February, the state’s Office of Open Records has ruled. The office issued a final determination Tuesday in response to an appeal filed by the Tribune-Review after Highlands refused to release the employee’s name. The...
Still no deal between New Kensington-Arnold School District, teachers union
Seven hours of negotiations Monday night didn’t produce an agreement between New Kensington-Arnold School District and its teachers union. The district’s 167 teachers have been working without a contract since Aug. 31, 2017. The session Monday was the first since April 11. Phil Cope, a spokesman for the teachers’ union,...
Vandergrift man charged in death of infant son headed to court
A Vandergrift man whose 1-month-old son suffocated and died in September told detectives he shouldn’t have fallen asleep with the infant on his chest, a detective with the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office testified Tuesday. “He had agreed with us that he probably shouldn’t have done that,” Detective John Clark...
Voodoo Brewery to open in New KensingtonVideo
New Kensington officials are excited to use a little voodoo brew to help revitalize the city’s downtown corridor. Meadville-based Voodoo Brewery will open a brew pub by fall on Fifth Avenue in the city, according to a joint announcement Tuesday by Mayor Tom Guzzo and one of Voodoo’s owners, Jake...
Highlands solicitor: Public can’t comment at upcoming bus meeting
Following a failed vote to hire a new school bus company, Highlands School Board wants to question the two companies vying for the district’s transportation contract, district Solicitor Ira Weiss said. The board called a rare public committee meeting for next week to pose questions to representatives of W.L. Roenigk,...
Paramedics respond to Harrison car crash
At least one woman appeared to be hurt when a car and a minivan collided in Harrison on Tuesday morning. The crash happened at about 8:20 a.m. at the intersection of Freeport Road and Idaho Avenue, between Key Bank and a car wash. A white Chevy Cavalier had extensive front-end...
Woman ‘searching for ghosts’ struck by car in Armstrong County
A woman was recovering Tuesday from extensive injuries to her neck, head and brain suffered last weekend after she was hit and dragged by a car in Armstrong County, state police said. State police Lt. Eric Simko said the woman, who was not identified, had been outside a car with...
Harrison Earth Day cleanup nets 118 bags of trash, tires, TVs, mattresses
Volunteers filled more than 100 bags with trash in Harrison’s Earth Day cleanup on Saturday. A total of 64 volunteers turned out, including 34 in Natrona Heights and 30 in Natrona, Commissioner Chuck Dizard said. That included people from Fawn and Tarentum. “Amazingly, a few of the nasty areas were...
Crowded Tarentum Council race includes candidates seeking multiple seats
Half of the candidates for Tarentum Council in next month’s primary are running for multiple seats even though, in the end, they will be able to hold only one. “It’s a weird system,” said Democrat Jim Bonner, who is vying for his party’s nomination in three races, more than any...
Pennsylvania motorists urged to use caution around farm vehicles
Slow-moving farm vehicles are a sign of spring along Pennsylvania’s rural roads, and state officials are urging motorists to exercise caution. Preliminary crash data from PennDOT shows eight people died in crashes involving farm equipment in 2018, while 693 people were killed in nonfarm-related crashes on rural roads. “Frankly, we...
Gilpin paving project list developing
Sections of four roads are on Gilpin Township’s improvement projects planned for this spring and summer. The list also includes sealing parts of three other roads, supervisors said. Included is about a half-mile section of Godfrey Road from Stullville Road to Stonegate Drive. Work also is planned along Old Schenley...
Leechburg namesake David Leech to receive Pennsylvania historic marker
David Leech’s innovative network of freight forwarders in the 1800s will be honored with a state historic marker that will be dedicated next month at the Leechburg Area Museum and Historical Society. What is now Leechburg was home to fewer than a dozen families in the 1820s. Most of their...
Newly formed Allegheny Valley Regional Police Commission to begin meeting
The newly formed Allegheny Valley Regional Police Commission will meet Tuesday for the first time since elected officials in Cheswick and Springdale Township approved merging the communities’ police departments. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the Springdale Township municipal building, 100 Plate Dr. The four-member commission is...
9-year-old was bullied, attempted suicide, and now will be mayor for a dayVideo
In just a little more than a month, 9-year-old Nico Pampena endured the torments of bullying, a thwarted suicide attempt, a 28-day, in-hospital behavioral health program — and, then, gladly accepted an invitation to be mayor for a day in Lower Burrell. Pampena will be the featured star for Lower...
Tarentum may delay publicizing names of delinquent taxpayers
Tarentum may not release a list of hundreds of delinquent property taxpayers as expected this week. In February, council approved posting the names of those owing property taxes on the borough’s website starting Wednesday. But on Monday, borough Manager Michael Nestico said he wants to get more direction from council...
Giunta’s Produce closes in North ApolloVideo
An iconic and once bustling produce market in North Apollo won’t be reopening this season. Giunta’s Produce Market at 2106 River Road closed in January. It was listed for sale March 22 for $395,000. Giunta’s opened in 1954, originally owned and operated by three brothers — Joe, John and Mike...
L.A. Taco truck turns out authentic Mexican ‘street food’ in the Alle-Kiski ValleyVideo
Taco Tuesday can be yours. L.A. Taco, a food truck primarily serving the Alle-Kiski area since 2012, rolls into Saxonburg, Buffalo Township, Ford City and Kittanning weekly, selling authentic Mexican tacos, burritos and quesadillas. “My husband, Walter, is Latino and from L.A., moved here, and was a student at IUP,”...
Ukrainian Orthodox church in Arnold celebrates Easter this week
After breaking a seven-week fast, the small but powerful congregation of the Holy Virgin Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Arnold celebrated Easter on Sunday in traditional style. The service paid homage to the high holiday in all of its pageantry. The Rev. Mark Swindle dressed in crisp, ivory robes, a spray...
Hundreds turn out for cleanup events in Harrison, VandergriftVideo
‘Tis the season to redd up, as we say in these parts, and an event Saturday in Harrison gave people in the region the chance to get rid of hard-to-dispose items like televisions, paint and household chemicals. It was a “Too Toxic To Trash” collection at the township building where...
1 victim taken by ambulance from Bell Township crash
One person was transported by ambulance from the scene of a one-car crash Friday night in Bell Township. Shortly before 11 p.m., emergency crews responded to Route 981 near its intersection with Substation Road for a report of a rollover crash. As midnight approached, Route 981 remained closed between Route...
Suspect driving with small boy crashes in Tarentum after high-speed chase on Route 28
An Arnold man with a young boy riding in the back seat led police on a high-speed chase Friday night that started on the Route 28 expressway and ended when he crashed near the foot of the Tarentum Bridge. The chase ended shortly before 9 p.m. when the suspect crashed...
State lawmaker Brooks gives his state paycheck to volunteer fire companiesVideo
Sixteen fire departments are sharing $16,000 earned by state Rep. Bob Brooks, with the promise of much more to come. Brooks, R-Murrysville, has pledged to donate most or all of his state salary to organizations within the 54th state House District. State House members are paid a base annual salary...
Comcast employees to spend ‘Cares Day’ at West Leecburg VFD
Comcast employees, families and friends are scheduled to spend Comcast Cares Day at the West Leechburg Volunteer Fire Department and separately at Auberle, a faith-based program to help children and families in McKeesport on May 4. The 18th annual event will begin at 8 a.m. at the fire hall on...
Agents: Springdale woman used dentist’s ID to call in fake drug prescriptions
A Springdale woman is accused of using her dentist’s identity to obtain prescription painkillers from a New Kensington pharmacy. Investigators say Nicole Yvonne Resnick, 39, told a narcotics agent with the state Attorney General’s Office she called in most of the prescriptions under other people’s names. She told the agent...
Highlands pays $31K settlement to former teacher
The Highlands School District is paying a former teacher more than $30,000 as part of a settlement and release agreement. The school district released the agreement with Andrew B. Kotyk on Thursday. The school board had approved it in March. The school district refused to release the agreement when it...
