Valley News Dispatch category, Page 395
Actor Trevor Donovan returns to Deer Lakes, jump-starts Upstanders program to promote kindness, anti-bullying
Actor Trevor Donovan wanted Deer Lakes Middle School students to leave with one thing in mind Thursday morning. “No one deserves to be bullied. All you deserve to be safe,” he said. “If you see someone being bullied, say something.” His words of advice were a part of an anti-bullying...
Pittsburgh man found guilty of 3rd-degree murder of man in Arnold
A Westmoreland County jury spared a Pittsburgh man from a mandatory life sentence Thursday by acquitting him of first-degree murder in a 2019 fatal shooting in Arnold. Jurors found Shawden L. Ross, 35, guilty of third-degree murder in the killing of Lamont Simmons, 27, of Arnold on April 5, 2019,...
Police acting on tip nab 2 stolen guns, drugs in Tarentum; suspect jailed
Police said they charged a Tarentum man with multiple felonies after officers got a tip he was illegally buying and selling guns. Jarrell Miller, 36, of the 200 block of Conroy Way, faces felony charges that include two counts of illegal possession of a firearm, two counts of receiving stolen...
Springdale tops Riverview in Souper Bowl as schools continue friendly competition while giving back
The “Souper Bowl” trophy made its way back across the Allegheny River, as Springdale Jr.-Sr. High School came out on top over Riverview Jr.-Sr. in their annual food drive competition. The Souper Bowl, an homage to the NFL’s Super Bowl, kicked off in February. Springdale collected 1,600 items and Riverview...
North Hills charity expands service to Alle-Kiski Valley with free monthly mobile food distribution
Editors note: The original version of this article contained incorrect times and dates for when the food distribution will take place. A charitable organization that has provided a range of social services to residents in the North Hills for the past 35 years is expanding its footprint to help needy...
New Kensington preparing to tackle cost of replacing fire department’s aging aerial ladder truck
The New Kensington fire department hoped to have its aerial ladder truck back in service by the end of last week, fire Chief Ed Saliba Jr. said Wednesday. After that, the job became figuring out how the city will pay the anticipated $1.5 million to replace the 24-year-old vehicle. “We...
The Stroller, March 24, 2022: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your community events 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. Spaghetti dinner to benefit Tarentum fire victims A spaghetti dinner to benefit the two families who lost their homes in the Feb....
Parents-to-be offered ‘Birthday’ shower in Tarentum
Editor’s Note: This event has been canceled. First United Presbyterian Church in Tarentum is getting decked out for a baby shower where several moms-to-be will be feted but none of the guests will be acquainted. The church at 913 Lock St. is hosting the community event to provide baby items...
AHN sending ‘urgently needed’ portable X-ray machine, medical supplies to hospital in UkraineVideo
Allegheny Health Network is donating medical supplies and a mobile X-ray machine to war-torn Ukraine. AHN radiation oncologist Alexander Kirichenko, a native of Kyiv, Ukraine, said he fielded several phone calls and correspondence last weekend from Dr. Sergey Zemskov of the Ukrainian National Medical University, pleading for medical supplies and...
District judge launches 22nd annual ‘Drugs Kill Dreams’ campaign aimed at Armstrong County children
When Ford City District Judge J. Gary DeComo launched a youth anti-drug campaign in 2000, he knew that helping kids make choices that lead them away from drug abuse would take more than a catchy slogan, a pep talk and handing out sports memorabilia. But it was a start. “Those...
New Kensington Digital Foundry gets federal ‘Smart Manufacturing Innovation Center’ designation
The U.S. Department of Energy has named Penn State New Kensington’s Digital Foundry as a Smart Manufacturing Innovation Center — one of only seven in the nation. The designation of the facility, which is under construction on Fifth Avenue in downtown New Kensington, as an “SMIC” was made in partnership...
Sharpsburg library exhibit shines light on Pennsylvania’s women trailblazers
Journalist Nelly Bly, union organizer Mother Jones and artist Mary Cassatt are among the female trailblazers showcased at the Sharpsburg Community Library for Women’s History Month. “We wanted to highlight sung and unsung women of Pennsylvania and educate people on their contributions,” library Director Sara Mariacher said. The Trailblazing Pennsylvania...
Longtime Arnold firefighter, No. 2 Chief Keith Dziobak dies
The Alle-Kiski Valley firefighting community is mourning the death of longtime Arnold firefighter and officer Keith Dziobak. Dziobak died Tuesday night. A cause of death was not immediately known. He was 57. A firefighter with Arnold No. 2 since he was 17 years old in 1982, Dziobak was in his...
Donations sought for Kiski Area’s back-to-school backpack giveaway in August
The Kiski Area School District is collecting back-to-school supplies for a districtwide summer event. This year’s 2nd Annual Back-To-School Backpack Bash will be held on Aug. 10 at Kiski Area High School. The district is asking the public to donate backpacks, school supplies and general hygiene items at any of...
‘High School Musical 2’ will have audience singing, dancing in seats at Highlands
What time is it? Come Friday, it’ll be time for Highlands students to dazzle audiences by dancing across the stage to catchy, up-tempo songs made popular in Disney’s “High School Musical 2: On Stage!” “Being on stage always feels exhilarating, akin to playing sports in a huge stadium in front...
The Stroller, March 23, 2022: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your community events 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. Murder masquerade dinner to raise money for veterans Brackenridge American Legion will host a murder masquerade dinner at 2 p.m. May 7...
Twice the participants expected at Verona Garden Club’s 2nd annual Botany & Booze benefit
Verona Garden Club members hope double the brews, double the goods and double the space equals double the funds at the second annual Botany & Booze. The fundraiser for the beautification group is scheduled for May 21-22 at Railroad Park. East Railroad Avenue will be closed from Center to South...
Tom Hanks movie ‘A Man Called Otto’ to film in Oakmont; actor not expected to be in town
Portions of some Oakmont roads will be closed Thursday for filming of the Tom Hanks movie “A Man Called Otto.” No parking or travel will be permitted on Delaware Avenue between Fifth Street and Isabella Way, and Fourth Street between Washington and Maryland avenues. The closures will be from 6...
Testimony begins in trial of Pittsburgh man charged in 2019 fatal shooting in Arnold
A Pittsburgh man told a Westmoreland County jury on Tuesday he was less than 5 feet away when he watched a man pull out a gun and fire multiple shots into the back of a friend who had started to run away down an Arnold alley nearly three years ago....
Police: Man arrested for pointing gun at group, firing into air at Sheldon Park Apartments
A resident of the Sheldon Park Apartments in Harrison faces multiple charges after neighbors told police he pointed a gun at a group of people before firing a shot into the air, police said. Trenton Ezell Simmons, 31, was charged with two felony gun charges along with making terroristic threats,...
Fox Chapel to reinstate junior council person program, welcome member next school year
A pair of Fox Chapel council’s newest members hope to bring back an opportunity for borough youths to learn about local government. Sarah Hanna and Bradley Harrison are in their first year of their council terms. Among the issues in their political platform is community engagement. One way they hope...
Actor Trevor Donovan to return to Deer Lakes School District for special assembly, service night project
Actor Trevor Donovan will make an appearance at Deer Lakes Middle School on Thursday morning for a special assembly focused on anti-bullying. The appearance is a part of GAC Family’s “Giving and Caring” initiative. Deer Lakes School District partnered with the family cable network to conduct a schoolwide assembly focused...
Set construction underway for ‘High School Musical, 2: On Stage!’ at Highlands
Set construction is on schedule at Highlands High School for the spring musical production of “High School Musical 2: On Stage!” Highlands musical director Michael Zeiler said a team of about 10 volunteers constructed the multi-level set in about 16 days. Co-tech director Mark Loya spent 16 hours programming the...
The Stroller, March 22, 2022: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your community events 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. Win a week at Rachel Carson’s cottage The Rachel Carson Homestead Association is holding a raffle to win a week at Carson’s...
Bailey’s Junk Removal of Vandergrift puts family values to work, cleaning up any mess
The Bailey family of Vandergrift loves getting dirty helping others. Married couple Joshua and Richelle Bailey co-own Bailey’s Junk Removal on Grant Avenue in Vandergrift. The business, established in 2012, handled more than 650 junk removal jobs in the Alle-Kiski Valley last year. The couple’s five sons — Chandler, Cassius,...
