Valley News Dispatch category, Page 387
Fox Chapel graphic designer proposes alternatives to borough’s historic logo and street signs
Fox Chapel resident Bill Kolano believes his town has an image problem. Specifically, the image that serves as the borough’s logo, on street signs and newsletter. “It’s time for a refresh,” the longtime graphic designer told council at its April 18 meeting. Kolano, president of Kolano Design, presented a couple...
First of 6 accusers testifies as rape trial of Allegheny Township man begins
A Westmoreland County prosecutor on Tuesday told jurors the case against an Allegheny Township man charged with rape and sexual assault based on allegations from six accusers was “messy.” “This is a case of a sexual predator who hid in secret for more than a decade who was brought down...
Arnold woman charged with abusing puppy
An Arnold woman was arrested on Sunday after a police officer investigating a complaint at her home said he witnessed her throw a puppy across a room. Brittney Kinsey, 20, of the 1400 block of Fourth Avenue, was charged with a felony count of aggravated cruelty to animals and torture...
Leechburg Area gets $38K grant for additional social, emotional and mental health services
Leechburg Area School District Superintendent Tiffany Nix is fully aware of the challenges facing students in this era of the covid pandemic. At a school board meeting last week, she related the story of a student having a mental and emotional breakdown during class. “It is real, and it is...
The Stroller, April 19, 2022: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least a week in advance to vndnews@triblive.com. Please include a daytime telephone number. Alle-Kiski Sports Hall of Fame tickets on sale Alle-Kiski Valley Sports Hall of Fame will have its 51st induction banquet at...
Police: Sting in Arnold leads to arrest of Homestead man with 2 ounces of cocaine
A man from Homestead faces felony drug dealing charges after Arnold police and narcotics agents said they arrested him with more than 2 ounces of cocaine in his vehicle. Marco Dane Crowe, 34, 0f the 100 block of West 10th Avenue, was charged with two felony counts of possession of...
Building the Valley: Barnyard Coffee & Creamery brings ice cream and more to No Offseason Sports complex in Russellton
What started as a vision for an ice cream shop evolved into a coffee shop and cafe, Barnyard Coffee & Creamery, offering experimental taste twists at the No Offseason Sports complex in Russellton. Barnyard owner Holly Johnston, a Richland resident and Shaler native, worked for years as a sales rep...
West Penn crew replacing pole hits Peoples natural gas line in New Kensington
A West Penn Power crew drilling to place a new utility pole struck a natural gas line along Tarentum Bridge Road on Monday, causing a leak. Westmoreland County 911 said the incident was reported shortly after 8 a.m. It happened at the entrance to Riverview Plaza in front of Donut...
Leechburg High School baseball field to remain unplayable rest of season
The Leechburg High School baseball team will not be able to play games on its home turf for the rest of the season. The announcement came during an April 13 school board meeting as the school’s solicitor Amy Schrempf gave a status update on the condition of the field, which...
Jury seated in retrial of Allegheny Township man accused of multiple rapes
A Westmoreland County jury was seated Monday to hear evidence in the retrial of an Allegheny Township man accused of the rape and sexual assault of six women. Prosecutors claim Eric Wright, 50, was a serial rapist who committed crimes for nearly two decades. Originally charged with more than 50...
Police: Pair arrested in Upper Burrell; crystal meth, $15K, stolen gun confiscated from home
Two people arrested at an Upper Burrell home face multiple felony drug and weapons charges after police said they found more than 2 ounces of crystal meth, a stolen handgun and other evidence of drug dealing during a search of the home. Djuan “Chiz” Osceola Williams, 42, of the 7000...
Freeport businesses to offer food trucks, live music and more every month
Freeport businesses have teamed up to offer a community open-air market with food trucks and live music every month through November, weather permitting. Dubbed “Freeport Days,” the event offers a festival vibe showcasing the products and services of local businesses. To accommodate the festivities, the borough will close down a...
‘Fridays on Fifth’ returns this week in downtown New Kensington
The food truck event that brought throngs of people to downtown New Kensington last year is coming back. “Fridays on Fifth” will make its return this Friday to — you guessed it — Fifth Avenue. It will run from 5 to 9 p.m. between Ninth and 11th streets. This will...
Spring has sprung for Art in Bloom Floral and Photography Show at Pittsburgh Mills mall
Spring is in full swing at the Art in Bloom Floral and Photography Show at the Focus on the Arts Gallery in the Pittsburgh Mills mall in Frazer. The gallery displays and sells work from the New Kensington Camera Club and the Allegheny Valley League of Artists. Nearly 80 pieces...
Foxwall EMS, Aspinwall VFD fundraiser will conquer Center Avenue, one of region’s steepest hills
Foxwall EMS and Aspinwall Volunteer Fire Department are encouraging people to Run for the Hill of It. The new fundraiser to benefit both groups will celebrate its inaugural race on Sunday, April 24. “This is the kind of event that we have thought about for a long time,” said Rob...
The Stroller, April 18, 2022: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least a week in advance to vndnews@triblive.com. Please include a daytime telephone number. St. Joseph HS to honor alumni St. Joseph High School, Natrona Heights, Harrison, will honor several alumni with Spirit of St....
Faces of the Valley: New pastor of Natrona Heights Presbyterian brings experience, energy to leadership role
Rick Harbaugh concedes that there’s still a lot for him to learn about Natrona Heights Presbyterian Church and its parishioners as he fumbles for the correct switches to turn lights on in the nearly 100-year-old stone church on Broadview Boulevard. “I’m still finding my way around and learning things,” Harbaugh...
DEP to close mine opening and demolish old fan building at Roaring Run Trail
The once polluted and blighted Roaring Run Trail area in Kiski Township has greened over much of its past and has become a destination for walking, biking and kayaking. But the history of coal mining still haunts the area. A visitor to Roaring Run a few years ago found a...
New bike shop wheels its way into Leechburg
Market Street in Leechburg continues to grow, as a new shop has wheeled its way along the street. Allegheny Township resident Tim Carson opened his new bike shop, Spokes, in February. Customers can browse a range of bikes, from trail, mountain, women’s, kid’s and e-bikes. Bike repairs and accessories are...
Harrison Commissioners eyeing couches, tires, TVs in Earth Day cleanup
Harrison Commissioner Jamie Nee already is eyeing larger-than-normal pieces of litter to be collected at the township’s April 23 Earth Day cleanup. Her list includes an inventory of 82 tires, 25 TVs and seven couches that have been tossed in township parks or left on sides of roads as eyesores....
Valley High School Drama Club bringing ‘Newsies’ back from covid shutdown
In 2020, the headline about “Newsies” was “Canceled.” The Valley High School Drama Club was two weeks from its first performance of the Disney musical when the covid pandemic shutdown started in March. “It was very crushing,” said Spencer Pastrick, 17, a junior from New Kensington who was a freshman...
The Stroller, April 17, 2022: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least a week in advance to vndnews@triblive.com. Please include a daytime telephone number. Springdale students to present ‘Wizard of Oz’ The drama department of Springdale Jr.-Sr. High School will present the musical, “The Wizard...
Gilpin supervisors vote to overhaul decades-old zoning rules to promote new business
The Gilpin Township supervisors have awarded a contract to Mackin Engineering to overhaul the township’s decades-old zoning ordinances. The supervisors voted 4-0, with Supervisor Linda Alworth absent, to hire the firm April 12 for just under $39,000 for the project. Gilpin has zoning laws, which only allow certain types in...
New life for Cycle Diner in Tarentum is possible, owners say
There might still be life in Tarentum’s Cycle Diner, just not as a traditional sit-down eatery. The 1949 diner is owned by Gatto Cycle Shop and attached to its Harley-Davidson showroom along East Sixth Avenue. In January, it was denied a permit by the Allegheny County Health Department to reopen....
Fitness fundraiser Spin Your Wheels returns to Allegheny RiverTrail Park in Aspinwall
A fitness-themed fundraiser offering fun and fellowship returns to Allegheny RiverTrail Park in Aspinwall April 23. Spin Your Wheels was created in 2015 by Aspinwall resident and attorney Jennifer Evashavik. She bills it as the “fitness party of the year” and hundreds attend. The family-friendly event offers classes for everyone,...
