Valley News Dispatch category, Page 205
Leechburg woman accused of selling relative’s house, pocketing money, emptying her accounts
Editor’s note: Virginia R. McLachlan was found not guilty of all charges in May 2025. A Leechburg woman with power of attorney for her elderly relative is accused of keeping the money after selling her relative’s home and then abandoning her at a nursing home with the $25 left over...
Indiana Township woman fulfills lifelong dream of opening a special-needs school
An Indiana Township resident is celebrating a professional milestone. Cherie River worked for decades to accomplish her goal of opening a school specifically designed to meet the educational needs of special-needs students in grades K-8. The River Academy of Excellence opened Nov. 1 at 3390 Saxonburg Blvd. in Indiana Township....
The Stroller, Dec. 2, 2023: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your non-profit’s community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least two weeks in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number. Free presentation to mark Pearl Harbor Day New Kensington Center for...
Springdale Township to tap into reserves to balance 2024 budget
Springdale Township will tap into its reserves to balance its budget for 2024 and prevent taxpayers from seeing an increase in their bills. The township estimates it will have $2.3 million in expenditures in 2024 but anticipates only $1.7 million in revenue, said Tim Basilone, vice president of the township...
Drought watch declared in Westmoreland, voluntary water conservation continues
State officials on Friday declared a drought watch in Westmoreland County as a voluntary water conservation order remains in effect for some customers of the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County. The state Department of Environmental Protection said moving Westmoreland County to drought watch status will support the efforts there to...
New Kensington launches holiday season with tree lighting, mayor’s dinner; many more events to come
New Kensington is kicking off the holiday season. Residents gathered Friday evening at Ninth Street and Fourth Avenue for carols and the lighting of the city’s Christmas tree. That was followed by Mayor Tom Guzzo’s annual holiday dinner at the city’s nearby No. 1 fire hall on Fourth Avenue. The...
Prosecutors gain cooperation from 4 charged in New Kensington killing
Four of seven defendants charged in connection with the killing of a New Kensington man last year are cooperating with Westmoreland County prosecutors. Assistant District Attorney Leo Ciaramitaro said during a court hearing Friday that two young men and a juvenile who were scheduled to go on trial next week...
Starbucks opens in Buffalo Plaza
A big name in coffee is perking up rural Buffalo Township, Butler County. Starbucks opened Friday morning along Route 356 in Buffalo Plaza, inside the same building as the former Kings Family Restaurant. “I was definitely surprised when I heard that something new would be here. My mom texted me...
Man accused of squatting in New Kensington home, assaulting manager ordered to stand trial
A homeless man accused of breaking into a New Kensington apartment and then punching the property manager who ordered him to leave has been ordered to stand trial. Bryant Nathaniel Thomas Houston, 38, was charged Nov. 17 with a felony count of burglary along with simple assault and detained in...
Indiana Township woman arrested during September raid in Vandergrift accused of dealing meth, heroin
A woman arrested during a late September raid at a home in Vandergrift has been accused by police of being a meth dealer. Olivia Rimma Newcamp, 27, of the 400 block of Cedar Run Road in Indiana Township was charged with two felony counts of possession of drugs with the...
$350 million contract to cleanup Parks Township nuclear waste site isn’t enough, feds say
The $350 million earmarked for cleanup of the Parks Township nuclear waste dump isn’t enough to finish the job, so the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is looking for new contractors interested in continuing the cleanup when that money runs out. The Corps on Friday announced it will issue a...
No increase likely for Harrison property taxes
Harrison property taxes are not expected to increase next year after the township commissioners approved a preliminary $7.8 million budget. The tax rate is expected to remain at 5.1 mills. The owner of a home assessed at $100,000 would again pay $510. The commissioners will take a final vote Dec....
Lane closures on Route 28 between RIDC Park, East Deer set to resume
Single-lane restrictions on Route 28 from Harmar to East Deer will resume Monday. Lane closures northbound will go from the RIDC Park exit to the Russellton/Creighton exit daily from 3 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to PennDOT. Lane closures southbound will occur between the same exits daily from 9 a.m....
Man accused of repeatedly raping child in Lower Burrell for 5 years ordered to stand trial
A Moon Township man accused of repeatedly raping a child over a five-year period while he was living in Lower Burrell has been ordered to stand trial in Westmoreland County Court. Stevan Joseph Mracna, 43, of Bonnie Brae Drive was charged Nov. 16 with felony counts of rape of a...
The Stroller, Dec. 1, 2023: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your non-profit’s community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least two weeks in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number. Festival of Trees raffle supports hospital projects Allegheny Valley Hospital Auxiliary...
Christmas tree vendors hit with inflation; some see price increases
It’s probably going to cost a bit more to deck the halls this year for those who prefer to set up a live Christmas tree. The seasonal staple has fallen victim to inflation. Christmas tree growers and vendors have noted price hikes of various levels for this season. At Habes...
Plum residents gather for Christmas at Plum Creek
Plum residents gathered for the annual Christmas at Plum Creek on Thursday evening. This marks the second year the event was held at the borough’s new municipal center on Old Mine Road. A recently completed outdoor amphitheater was used for the first time, with the Plum High School Jazz Band...
Contractor accused of fraud by Allegheny Township police faces trial for 4 similar cases
A home remodeling contractor from Pitcairn accused five times in as many years of taking money for work he didn’t do has been ordered to stand trial for charges filed by four Westmoreland County police departments. Daniel Ronald Amodeo, 54, of the 600 block of Wall Avenue was charged Jan....
State Supreme Court reverses ruling on objectors paying Mike Doyle’s legal fees over nominating petitions
The state Supreme Court of Pennsylvania ruled last week that objectors to former congressional candidate Mike Doyle, R-Plum, do not need to pay tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees accrued by Doyle over a process of challenging the candidate’s nominating petitions. The ruling overturned a previous decision by...
Springdale native’s confessed killer gets life in prison
The man who pleaded guilty to killing a former Springdale man in a jealous rage will spend the rest of his life in prison. Samuel Tolfa, 34, of Hopewell, Beaver County, agreed to plead guilty to second-degree murder and serve a mandatory prison term of life without parole in connection...
Man accused of having gun, narcotics in car pulled over by Arnold police ordered to stand trial
A man accused by Arnold police of selling drugs and carrying a gun illegally has been ordered to stand trial on felony charges. Charles Lawrence Bacon, 18, of the 500 block of Marion Street in East Deer was charged Nov. 20 with two counts of possession of drugs with the...
Winfield woman spreads Christmas magic with Letters to Santa mailbox
A Winfield woman is channeling her inner elf to assist Santa, one letter at a time. For a second year, Kathy Kemp has set up a Letters to Santa box on her front lawn, providing a public drop-off spot for anyone wishing to pen a letter to Santa. “The corner...
Plum property owners face nearly 40% tax hike in proposed budget
Plum property owners could see their property taxes increase by almost 40% under the borough’s proposed $25.1 million spending plan for 2024. Council is considering setting the borough’s total real estate tax rate at 6.63 mills, interim borough Manager David Soboslay said. That would be a 38.7% increase over the...
The Stroller, Nov. 30, 2023: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your non-profit’s community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least two weeks in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number. Show to benefit local Toys for Tots collection Lower Burrell American...
Stores, police work to combat retail theft as holidays approach
Holiday shopping in some local stores will look a little different this year. With reports of retail theft on the rise, some retailers are placing some inventory under lock and key, requiring customers to contact a store employee to access certain merchandise. The measures are aimed at reining in what...
