Valley News Dispatch category, Page 515
Incumbent Vandergrift mayor to face primary challenge from councilman
Democrat Barbara Turiak has competition from a familiar face in her bid for a second term as Vandergrift’s mayor. Councilman Lenny Collini, also a Democrat, announced his candidacy for mayor after serving 12 years on council. Pennsylvania’s primary is May 18. Both candidates said they are friends and there’s not...
Covid vaccine recipients celebrate getting 2nd doses in New KensingtonVideo
Marian Cowan of New Kensington had one word for how getting her second covid vaccination shot feels: “Awesome.” “I don’t have to worry anymore,” said Cowan, 74. “I can see my great-granddaughter, who is coming for Easter.” Cowan and her father, Daniel Hawkins, 97, also of New Kensington, both got...
The Stroller, March 24, 2021: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your non-profit’s meetings, events and fundraisers in The Stroller. Send information at least a week in advance to vndnews@triblive.com. Please include a daytime telephone number. Redemption Church to deliver free food for Easter dinner Redemption Church in Lower Burrell will deliver free food that can be cooked for Easter...
Fundraising effort underway for Springdale father and son left homeless after house fire
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help a Springdale family recover from a house fire. Firefighters from multiple departments responded to the two-alarm blaze around 2:30 p.m. Friday in the 300 block of Orchard Street. Robert Collier and his son, Kendall, lost a lot to the flames including...
Armstrong County commissioner throws hat in the ring for former state Rep. Pyle’s seat
Armstrong County Commissioners Chairman Don Myers is the second candidate to seek the Republican Party nomination to fill the seat of state Rep. Jeff Pyle. Pyle cited health reasons in announcing his retirement last week. Pyle was in his ninth term representing the 60th District, which includes parts of Armstrong,...
Aspinwall, Shaler police urge people to lock doors after recent thefts
A rash of thefts from cars and homes has local police urging people to lock their doors. It’s a reminder that’s issued often and is a frustrating problem because it is easily preventable, officers said. In Aspinwall, police responded to two incidents Monday, one a theft from a home and...
New Kensington-Arnold to offer students 4 days of in-person instruction
New Kensington-Arnold School District will extend in-person instruction to four days beginning April 6, according to a letter to district families from acting Superintendent Jon Banko. Banko said the decision to expand face-to-face instruction is supported by the school board, but he did not specify how that was done. “I...
Highlands closes Tarentum elementary school because of covid cases
Highlands School District has closed its elementary school in Tarentum because of covid cases. The district said in a notice on its website that positive cases at Highlands Elementary School “have resulted in a significant number of required quarantines.” District spokeswoman Jennifer Goldberg said there were three positive cases at...
Allegheny Township man to remain in jail pending trial on charges of multiple sexual assaults
An Allegheny Township man awaiting trial on charges he sexually assaulted five people will remain in jail after a Westmoreland County judge ruled Monday he was a potential danger to the community. Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Meagan Bilik DeFazio rejected a bond modification request from Eric Alan Wright...
The Stroller, March 23, 2021: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your non-profit’s meetings, events and fundraisers in The Stroller. Send information at least a week in advance to vndnews@triblive.com. Please include a daytime telephone number. Medication drop-off boxes available in Butler County Butler County residents are reminded that several drop-off boxes are available for disposal of unwanted medications. Boxes...
Hyde Park canoe launch grows into river recreation gemVideo
What once was a small canoe launch and water source for local firefighters has grown into a river recreation gem in Hyde Park. The Twin Towers Landing, referred to as the Hyde Park Boat Launch, offers a boat launch, picnic pavilion and trail area along the banks of the Kiski...
Wisconsin man accused of driving to Vandergrift to meet with minor, police say
A Wisconsin man is facing charges in Westmoreland County after police say he drove to Vandergrift to meet with a minor. Ethan William Haley, 22, was arrested Monday after Vandergrift police found him with a teenage boy, whom Haley told police he had driven from Wisconsin to meet, according to...
Challenged Fawn supervisor David Norris withdraws from primary
A Fawn supervisor whose candidacy for reelection was challenged on the grounds he does not live in the township has withdrawn from the primary, according to Allegheny County Elections. Township resident Tracy Volk filed an objection to Supervisor David Norris’ candidacy on the basis that Norris, a Democrat, has lived...
Special election to replace former state Rep. Jeff Pyle to be May 18
Voters in Pennsylvania’s 60th State House District will choose a replacement for former state Rep. Jeff Pyle in a special election May 18, officials said Monday. That’s the same day as Pennsylvania’s primary. Pyle, a Republican from Ford City, was three months into his ninth term representing a district that...
Springdale Township’s Bouquet Park Pool to close, property will be sold
Bouquet Park Pool in Springdale Township is closing for good, according to the park’s board members. The pool’s board posted on Facebook that the organization would soon be dissolved and the property is being put up for sale. “I promise you that the current board did everything that could be...
Police: Vandergrift man faces attempted homicide charge after masked home invasion
An Apollo man told police he woke to a masked man pistol-whipping him during a robbery and a fight ensued. The allegations led state police to charge a Vandergrift man with attempted homicide stemming from the apparent robbery. Javon Michael Lambert, 21, faces 11 felony charges, among them attempted homicide...
North Buffalo Township woman captures photo of large black bear at her home
Jessica Rock of North Buffalo Township may have another mouth to feed. A black bear sauntered onto Rock’s deck last Wednesday night, inches away from her door. The mother of four said that after her dog began barking frantically, she peered out her window and saw a bear eating on...
Leechburg firefighters holding more food-truck events to offset fundraising losses during pandemic
The Leechburg Volunteer Fire Company is planning a summer full of events to raise money to support its operations. The fire department hosted two Rally on the River food truck events in 2020 as it grappled with the challenge of fundraising during the pandemic, when most in-person events were off...
The Stroller, March 22, 2021: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your non-profit’s meetings, events and fundraisers in The Stroller. Send information at least a week in advance to vndnews@triblive.com. Please include a daytime telephone number. Egg hunt planned Saturday in Vandergrift Vandergrift Public Library will host its free annual egg hunt at 1 p.m. Saturday in Kennedy Park, Jackson...
Westmoreland airshow tickets can be reserved at Shop ‘n Save supermarkets
Those planning to attend the 2021 Shop ‘n Save Westmoreland Airshow can reserve their tickets at area Shop ‘n Save supermarkets. To comply with social distancing guidelines during the covid-19 pandemic, regular admission tickets for this year’s show at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport will be sold at $100 per vehicle,...
TV Talk: Fox Chapel’s Sloane Simon talks about filming tonight’s ‘American Idol’
Sloane Simon, a 16-year-old Fox Chapel Area High School sophomore, made it to Hollywood Week on Monday night’s episode of ABC’s “American Idol” (8 p.m., WTAE-TV). But due to the vagaries of TV production and editing, her audition in front of the show’s celebrity judges where she received that “golden...
Alle-Kiski CareerLink GED program flourishing
When things didn’t work out for Madison Gourley after she left Kiski Area High School in her senior year to move away with her new husband, she returned home and earned her GED diploma. She is on her way to nursing school at Westmoreland County Community College in the fall....
Apollo Cemetery cleanup set; Scout to finish cleaning almost 100 veteran tombstones
After a rallying cry two years ago, the efforts to restore the Apollo Cemetery in Kiski Township have been bolstered by volunteers, donations and the elbow grease of Boy Scouts. Volunteers and donations are needed for a spring cleanup from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 27. The Apollo...
Man, woman arrested after fight outside North Apollo bar
A Vandergrift man was jailed after police said he fought with officers who were arresting him in connection to a disturbance Friday night outside a bar in North Apollo. Noah Helm, 24, is accused of becoming combative with a Kiski Township police officer as he attempted to arrest Helm along...
Plan for updating Leechburg Area football field tabled at council meeting
The future of a new stormwater drainage system for Leechburg Area School District is uncertain after council tabled approval for the project until their April meeting. The district began discussing upgrades to the Veterans’ Field Sports Complex more than a year ago, including replacing the existing grass with synthetic turf,...
