Valley News Dispatch category, Page 726
Local school districts snag $105,000 in STEM education grants
The PAsmart program, targeted to schools with limited or no computer science offerings, awarded grants totaling $105,000 to several local school districts, which were announced Thursday by State Rep. Joe Petrarca, D-Washington Township. The following districts were among those awarded $35,000 each from PAsmart program:Apollo-Ridge School District for the Apollo-Ridge...
Additional water system costs upset some Springdale officials
Unforeseen costs on the $7.5 million Springdale water system renovations are leaving some Springdale Council members unhappy. Change orders totaling nearly $41,000 were brought to council this week. Of that amount, at least $29,000 were unexpected costs. In addition, another unforeseen turn of events may result in council having to...
Kiski Valley sewage pump stations getting ready for upgrade
The design is complete for the upgrade of Kiski Valley Water Pollution Control Authority pump stations. All but one pump station has been designated for upgrades and modernization. Some of the pump stations haven’t been updated in 40 years or more. The pump stations are located in East Vandergrift; Elder...
Springdale residents could experience low water pressure, discolored water on Friday
Springdale Borough residents may experience low water pressure and discolored water on Friday. The changes could occur between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. as crews continue to work on the borough’s water improvement project. The $7.5 million project includes upgrades to the borough’s water treatment plant and replacing aging waterlines....
Allegheny Township to push for state, federal consensus on stormwater
Allegheny Township officials want the state and federal governments to decide what agency should be contacted about problems with stormwater. The idea, they say, is to give local officials a central resource to tap for a quick resolution when dealing with drainage problems and issues that often create flooding. The...
New Kensington Post Office to host passport fair
The New Kensington Post Office will host a passport fair next weekend. The location is among select post offices in the Western Pennsylvania District hosting a fair to help customers obtain passports. It will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 26 at the post office,...
Deteriorating Arnold building creates problems for neighboring property
Arnold Volunteer Fire Company 2 is asking city council to demolish a Fifth Avenue structure that is damaging a building it owns. Chris O’Leath, who recently stepped down as Company 2 chief after five years, spoke to council on behalf of the company to request 1708 Fifth Ave. be torn...
Rare snow goose, gadwall duck found during Christmas Bird Count
A snow goose in Allegheny Cemetery in Lawrenceville and a gadwall duck in Harmar were among the rare finds for the Pittsburgh Christmas Bird Count, part of the annual census of the birds. On the Dec. 29 count day, Pittsburgh’s bird count tallied 24,877 birds of 71 varieties, according to...
Knoch High School student accused of Snapchat threat to stand trial
A Knoch High School student was ordered Wednesday to stand trial on charges of making online threats to shoot classmates. District Judge Sue Haggerty moved all charges against Jason Bowen, 18, of Middlesex, to Butler County Common Pleas Court during a preliminary hearing. He is accused of making terroristic threats,...
Cops: Philadelphia men stole iPhones worth $41K from Frazer Walmart
Two Philadelphia men are accused of stealing nearly $41,000 worth of cellphones last month from the Walmart store in Frazer, and they are suspected in similar thefts in at least two other states. “This is the biggest theft we’ve ever had at that Walmart by far. It is the largest...
Wave of resignations leaves Cheswick police short-handed
Cheswick officials say the resignation of seven part-time officers from the borough’s police department last month has led to shifts going unstaffed and a reliance on neighboring police departments to respond to calls. The resignations come as the department adjusts to the loss of former Chief Bob Scott, who retired...
Extended No Wake Zone proposed at Pittsburgh’s Point
Relief is on the way for boaters who know the bump and grind of wakes from speeding boats when they dock along the Allegheny River as the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has proposed an extension to the No Wake Zone at Pittsburgh’s Point. The change is intended to create...
3 new police officers hired in New Kensington
New Kensington council Monday hired three new police officers to fill vacancies created by retirements, city Clerk Dennis Scarpiniti said. Michael A. McSherry of Leechburg, Jerry Hobeck of New Kensington and Jeffrey Vertullo of Export were selected from a list approved last week by the city’s Civil Service Commission. They...
New Kensington authorities raise water, sewer rates
Water and sewer bills are going up this year for people who live in Arnold, Lower Burrell, New Kensington and portions of Plum. The 15,000 water customers of the Municipal Authority of New Kensington, which also serves Upper Burrell and parts of Allegheny and Washington townships, will see a 12...
Lower Burrell Police looking for participants for Citizen Police Academy
Lower Burrell police are accepting applications from city residents for its Citizen Police Academy. Classes start in March and will be limited to 25 residents, who must be 18 or older. Topics of discussion include criminal and drug investigation, patrol techniques, firearms, juveniles and our youth commission, crime prevention, community...
$12,000 reward offered for info on man last seen in South Buffalo
The family and personal care home of a missing elderly man last seen in South Buffalo on Christmas is offering a $12,000 reward for information leading to his whereabouts. Police have been searching for Kenneth L. Himes, 70, since he left his brother’s home along Cadogan-Slate Lick Road sometime between...
Keeping up with the Joneses means tapping some maple sap for syrupVideo
The Joneses prove that the family that makes maple syrup together sticks together, and then some. The family of eight soon could bring to local markets their private label maple syrup made at their Washington Township home. For Ryan Jones, growing up in New Hampshire, everyone knows someone who produces...
Wayward West Leechburg turkey has new home, new nameVideo
A displaced domesticated West Leechburg turkey has a new home. And a new name. Meet “Hot Sauce,” the newest fowl resident of Gilpin. Hot Sauce was adopted Monday by the Karpinski family of Gilpin after weeks wandering around West Leechburg — roosting on porches, wandering through yards and seemingly having...
Police ask for public’s help in search for man missing from South Buffalo since Christmas
State police are running out of leads in the search for an elderly autistic man who disappeared from South Buffalo on Christmas. Kenneth L. Himes, 70, left the home of a family member along Cadogan-Slate Lick Road in South Buffalo sometime between 11:30 p.m. Dec. 25 and 8 a.m. Dec....
Arnold woman charged with assaulting her autistic son
Police charged an Arnold woman with assaulting her 6-year-old autistic son after he soiled his pants. Elena Lovorn, 27, of Fifth Avenue faces felony charges of strangulation and endangering the welfare of children and misdemeanor charges of reckless endangerment and simple assault. She remained in Westmoreland County Prison on Monday...
Harrison man accused of sexually assaulting 2 teenage girls
An 18-year-old Harrison man is accused of sexually assaulting two teenage girls over the last two years. The girls were 14 and 13 at the time, according to police. Jason Richard Martin faces felony charges of aggravated incident assault and misdemeanor indecent assault in connection with the alleged incidents, which...
Tarentum wage increases follow pay freezes for some
Some Tarentum employees are getting pay raises in 2019 after having their pay frozen last year. The salaries hikes are included in the borough’s $3.58 million 2019 general fund budget. There was no increase in property taxes, which remain at 5.48 mills. The borough’s public works, water plant and office...
Leechburg library reopens after major 8-month tech renovation
Although the renovated Leechburg Public Library opened last week, residents are invited to attend a grand re-opening at 6 p.m. Jan. 22. The library has been closed since May for extensive renovations. It now boasts a more open space with comfortable seating and technological upgrades, including a media center and...
Richland woman uses rare cancer diagnosis to help others, spread awareness
Ten years ago, Jean Diesch finally got the answer she had been looking for after suffering for years from chronic pain and fatigue. Diesch, then in her early 50s, was diagnosed with a form of a rare blood cancer called a myeloproliferative neoplasms — or MPN for short — that...
Armstrong County commissioners chairman, Pat Fabian, seeking re-election
Pat Fabian has announced that he will seek re-election for Armstrong County Commissioner. “I feel I am a proven leader, have made the tough decisions and am confident in my ability to produce positive results for the tax payers of Armstrong County,” said Fabian, 42, of Manor Township. “I come...
