Valley News Dispatch category, Page 210
Federal lien could delay demolition of condemned Arnold building
A federal lien could halt the condemnation of a structure Arnold Council deems a public health and safety hazard. Acting as the city’s Board of Health, council recently met for a hearing on two abandoned structures code enforcement officer Al Colelli brought forth as potentially hazardous. The buildings are at...
Fox Chapel to host inaugural ‘Light Up’ event
Fox Chapel officials hope a new community event will become a holiday tradition. The borough has partnered with Cooper-Siegel Community Library to present the inaugural Light Up Fox Chapel from 5-7 p.m. on Dec. 6 at the borough building, 401 Fox Chapel Road. Festivities include a visit from Santa, children’s...
The Stroller, Nov. 16, 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. Stuff a Cruiser event set at Harrison Walmart A Stuff a...
Body of Verona man who jumped from Hulton Bridge recovered from Ohio River
The body of a man who crashed his car on the Hulton Bridge in Oakmont on Nov. 7 and then jumped over the side into the Allegheny River was recovered on Wednesday afternoon from the Ohio River in Pittsburgh. Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the deceased as Jeremy Gilroy,...
Apollo man claimed wife’s taunt led to fatal shooting
Alfred Keith Steele told Westmoreland County detectives he had enough of his wife’s badgering when he shot her one time in the back of the head as the estranged couple argued last year in a Lower Burrell storage locker. “We were arguing, yelling at each other between storage units,” Steele...
Man wanted on drug, gun warrants in 2 counties arrested in Harrison
A man wanted for warrants in Allegheny and Armstrong counties was arrested by Harrison police Tuesday night after fleeing from officers and trying to ditch a stolen gun and drugs, according to authorities. Warren Paul “Boo” Greenleaf Jr., 39, of College Avenue, Mt. Pleasant, was charged with two counts of...
MAWC warns of mandatory water restrictions as dry autumn persists
Mandatory water conservation could begin as early as next week for customers in the northern half of the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County’s service area as water levels at the Beaver Run Reservoir continue to fall amid a dry autumn season. Authority manager Michael Kukura said more than 56,000 customers...
Bills aim to hold lawmakers liable for costs to settle sexual harassment cases against them
Taxpayers no longer would foot the bill when the state settles cases in which state lawmakers are accused of sexual misconduct under a legislative package proposed Wednesday by members of the Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus. “This will ensure perpetrators don’t get off scot-free,” said state Rep. Charity Grimm Krupa, R-Fayette....
2 men arrested during SWAT raid at New Kensington home
Two men who are awaiting trial on drug charges were accused of making and selling crack cocaine at a New Kensington home raided by a SWAT team Tuesday morning. Police charged the homeowner, Andrew Michael “Sly” Slywczuk, 39, of the 400 block of Charles Avenue, with two felony counts of...
Former Valley math teacher named assistant principal of Deer Lakes High School
A former Valley High School math teacher is now the assistant principal of Deer Lakes High School. Joshua Tysk started his new role today. The Deer Lakes School Board approved Tysk’s hiring at its October meeting. He will be paid $86,000. “My excitement to be a part of the Deer...
Traffic stop leads to drug charges for Arnold woman
Lower Burrell police accused a woman who had a warrant out for her arrest of dealing drugs after she was pulled over for a traffic violation and offered to let police search her vehicle. Michelle Lynn Dzugan, 45, of the 1500 block of Horne Boulevard in Arnold was charged with...
Citing supply costs, Tarentum electric rates to jump 3%-5% every year for 5 years
Electric rates in Tarentum are going up in 2024 — and likely for at least the next four years afterward — to combat supply costs that are set to double. Council voted Tuesday night to approve a new rate schedule that will increase the cost from 13 cents to 15.2...
The Stroller, Nov. 15, 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. Fall play planned by Springdale HS drama department The Springdale High...
Blawnox real estate taxes to hold, other bills to increase
Blawnox property owners should not expect to pay more in real estate taxes next year. However, their water, sewage and garbage collection bills will increase slightly. Council voted 5-0 Nov. 8 to advertise its preliminary 2024 budget of about $1.557 million. Councilwomen Meghan Kennedy and Christine Carnevali were absent. The...
Toxicologist continues testimony in Springdale injunction proceedings
A Texas-based toxicologist testified Tuesday that health complaints reported by some Springdale residents following the June implosion of two towering smokestacks at the former power plant there are consistent to exposure of materials and fibers from the implosion. But the defense attorneys for the landowner and demolition company attempted to...
Pathologist testifies Apollo woman was killed by shot to back of head at storage unit
Kelly Steele was shot execution style with one round fired from a semi-automatic pistol pressed against the back of her head, according to testimony Tuesday in the second day of her husband’s murder trial. Forensic pathologist Dr. Jennifer Hammers testified Steele, 41, was killed as a bullet traveled through her...
Forest Hills man gets house arrest for Plum crash that left 1 dead, 1 seriously injured
Jean Armany suffered serious injuries on June 15, 2018, when her car was broadsided by a man driving recklessly in Plum. The Shaler woman had 25 fractures that required immobilizers and surgery and her lacerated lungs required chest tubes. Her 90-year-old mother, Olga Kocon, a passenger in Armany’s car, was...
Body of missing Springdale man recovered from Allegheny River
The body of a Springdale man who had been missing since Oct. 30 was recovered Tuesday afternoon from the Allegheny River. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the identity of the man as Sean Michael Dugan, 58, of Springdale. His body was found in the river near Penn Hills....
Harrison mom accused of nearly killing daughter with drug-contaminated cotton balls
An 11-month-old Harrison girl nearly died this summer after chewing on cotton balls soaked with remnants of the opioids her mother had used intravenously at a Union Avenue home, police said. Now, the girl’s mother is facing charges. Lenae Elizabeth Mills, 29, noticed her daughter, whom police did not name,...
Tarentum Council approves plan change at Holy Martyrs, soon to be a fitness center
A slight change of plans by the new owners of Holy Martyrs Church in Tarentum will see the building used for indoor soccer, rather than to house weights and treadmills. Legends of Pittsburgh fitness center is expected to move from the Pittsburgh Mills mall in Frazer to the 51-year-old church...
Washington Township business accused of starting work on parking lot addition without approval
The Washington Township supervisors postponed the approval of a parking lot addition to a business which, a neighbor says, started construction without it. Tarp America and its owner, Michael Gazzo, requested the supervisors’ approval for an unlighted 60-foot-by-60-foot parking lot expansion and signs at its location, 920 Route 380. Tarp...
Ring camera video, photo lineup help police ID Vandergrift man charged with attempted homicide
Editor’s note: Through a negotiated plea deal in November 2024, Karaffa pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct. The two counts of aggravated assault and the recklessly endangering another person charge were dismissed. The attempted homicide and illegal possession of a firearm charges were withdrawn. He was ordered to pay court costs,...
Freeport Area could raise taxes next year based on higher state inflation index
Freeport Area school directors will have more leeway to raise real estate taxes for 2024-25 than in the past 11 years. Brad Walker, Freeport Area’s director of finance and operations, said the district’s real estate tax inflation index calculated by the state will be 7.1% for the next school year....
The Stroller, Nov. 14, 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. Monthly Breaking Bread dinner planned at Knead Community Cafe Knead Community...
‘It’s not just everyday house dust’: Expert testifies as effort continues to halt implosion of boiler house in Springdale
A toxicologist and a safety consultant were the latest two individuals to testify in the injunction case where 16 Springdale residents are seeking to block an implosion of the boiler house at the former Cheswick Generating Station. S. Thomas Dydek, a Texas-based toxicologist, and Jon Pina, a consultant with Evergreen...
