Jack Troy stories, Page 23
Freeport Area School District in a familiar place as it faces deficit
The Freeport Area School District is looking to close a shortfall of about $880,000 in its proposed budget. Barring cuts or unexpected changes, the district will dip into its fund balance to bridge the gap for the sixth time in seven years. Just how much it’ll deplete its $2.8 million...
As low attendance persists, school districts weigh the role of the magistrate
Students who habitually log unexcused absences could be in for more than a trip to the district judge. Instead, they might get a teacher-mentor, access to a licensed therapist or a home visit from a social worker — all steps that school leaders are taking in hopes of reversing a...
Foot chase in Verona leaves police searching for West Deer man suspected of retail theft
Verona police have issued an arrest warrant for a shoplifting suspect they say was last seen trying to board a boat along the Allegheny River. Keith Hohman, 33, of West Deer is charged with retail theft, evading arrest, escape, trespassing, receiving stolen property and disorderly conduct. At approximately 3 p.m....
Freeport Borough fills vacant council seat
Kimberly Barr has been a reliable sight at Freeport Council meetings since moving to the borough in 2021. Now, she’ll help call the shots. On Monday, council appointed Barr as its seventh member, rounding out the ranks of a group that’s seen remarkable turnover since last year. All but one...
Kiski Area School District administrative reorganization taking shape
Several key hires are in place for the Kiski Area School District administrative reorganization set to take effect July 1. Four administrators were appointed to new or modified roles by the school board on Wednesday: • Chad Roland to assistant to the superintendent for K-12 education and safety at $158,190...
Shortage of local police, 2 violent crimes have Verona residents on edge
Diana Danko always thought her neighborhood along Second Street in Verona was safe. That was before two violent crimes happened within hours of each other on April 14 — a Sunday when no borough police officers were on duty. “It’s very concerning,” said Danko, 55, who lives just blocks from...
Freeport auditors call it quits after missing state deadline
Freeport has another overdue audit and, right now, no one willing to complete it. Council this week accepted the resignations of the borough’s three auditors, who bristled at a push to give the books greater scrutiny. Audits were due to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development on April...
Longtime Alle-Kiski Valley pediatrician remembered as devoted ‘country doctor’
Dr. Charles Ashe is a familiar name for many Alle-Kiski Valley natives — he may even have been one of the first people they ever met. For about 40 years, Ashe worked as a private practice doctor and, later, as an Allegheny Valley Hospital pediatrician. He was willing to drop...
Verona woman killed in Allegheny River Boulevard crash
A 70-year-old Verona woman was killed Tuesday morning when her vehicle veered into opposing traffic on Allegheny River Boulevard, according to Allegheny County Police. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victim as Dorothy (Jill) Demko of Verona. Police said Demko’s Ford EcoSport crossed the center line and struck...
Preservation group and lawmakers could return Allegheny River Boulevard to its scenic roots
Rick Duncan wants to restore Allegheny River Boulevard to its former glory. As chair of the Allegheny River Boulevard Preservation Association, he has pushed for people to recognize the route as more than just a connector between Pittsburgh and the region’s eastern suburbs. “It was designed and built as a...
Building the Valley: Simply Sisters Bakery making Vandergrift a little sweeter
When they were growing up, sisters Karen Johnston and Paula Cunningham would bake cookies in their Easy Bake Oven. In November, after getting family members hooked on their cookie trays, they bought a shoebox space in Vandergrift and went after their dream. Simply Sisters Bakery opened on April 3. Each...
Going out green: Natural burials offer a time-tested alternative to the modern funeral
Steve Ball’s grave was marked not by a granite headstone or marble mausoleum upon the burial of his cremated remains last year, but a flat rock chipped into the shape of a heart. It came from his backyard in Pleasant Hills, where he kept bees and grew tobacco in the...
Government official asking for money on the phone? It’s a scam
Scammers increasingly are impersonating police and federal agents in an attempt to swindle unsuspecting victims by preying on their trust of law enforcement. According to John Breyault, a fraud expert with the National Consumers League, posing as government agents is a classic fraud tactic. “The appeal to fraudsters is that...
Kiski Township residents balk at merging police force with Southern Armstrong
Some Kiski Township residents are questioning the potential benefits of the township’s police force becoming part of the Southern Armstrong Regional Police Department. At a community meeting this week, Southern Armstrong police Chief Chris Fabec told a crowd of about 50 people that Kiski Township would cut its police costs...
Penn Hills man convicted of drug, firearms crimes by federal jury faces up to 40 years in prison
After deliberating for less than two hours, a federal jury on April 18 found a Penn Hills man guilty of three counts of violating federal drug and firearms laws. According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Harry Duncan, 36, was convicted...
Southern Armstrong Regional police add e-bikes for trail patrols, events
New trails in the Alle-Kiski Valley mean new areas for police to patrol. The Southern Armstrong Regional Police Department added two electric bikes to its vehicle fleet in mid-April, weeks after the opening of a 10-mile trail section that runs through Ford City and Gilpin. The department purchased them from...
Aldi adds to Allegheny Township’s business growth
Shoppers in Allegheny Township soon will have another option for groceries. Aldi has committed to opening a store later this year in Hyde Park Plaza, along with three other locations in Western Pennsylvania. Hyde Park Plaza owner Jeff Paul expects the opening to take place the last three months of...
Kiski Area principal wins statewide award after 20 years in district
Kiski Area School District can claim another award- winning principal. Brian Swartzlander, Kiski Area Upper Elementary School principal, was named Pennsylvania’s 2024 National Distinguished Principal by the Pennsylvania Principals Association. Dan Smith, then-assistant principal of the building, won an award through the state association in 2021. Swartzlander called the experience “surreal.”...
Vandergrift event regulations on hold; changes planned for fall
Vandergrift officials and business leaders say they’ll use feedback from the spring and summer festival lineup this year to tweak event regulations passed in December. As it stands, an ordinance requires event organizers to submit contact information, an event description, proof of insurance and a $500 refundable cleaning deposit. They...
American Legion Honor Guard commander ends run after 27 years of funerals in W.Pa., beyond
Joseph Paradise has given military funeral honors to more than 3,000 veterans in Western Pennsylvania and beyond, no matter the weather. At 93, the Penn Hills resident is finally ready to retire, save for his work as a school crossing guard at Long Road and Datura Drive. He’s stepping away...
Environmental groups partner for tree giveaway in Penn Hills
Penn Hills has a need for seedlings. The Penn Hills Shade Tree Commission, in partnership with Tree Pittsburgh, had no problem finding homes for 200 trees at an April 20 giveaway in Penn Hills Community Park. Kathy Raborn, president of the Shade Tree Commission, hopes to offer free trees on...
Penn Hills to celebrate Arbor Day with tree plantings in Universal Park, seedling giveaways
The Penn Hills Shade Tree Commission is hosting an Arbor Day celebration from 2 to 4 p.m. May 4 in Universal Park. Mayor Pauline Calabrese will read a Penn Hills Arbor Day proclamation, which will kick off an afternoon of tree plantings around the new pavilions, crafts for children, native...
Police regionalization on the table in Kiski Township ahead of Southern Armstrong presentation
Kiski Township is the latest municipality to consider folding its police force into the Southern Armstrong Regional Police Department. Southern Armstrong police officers and the department’s commissioners will hold an information session with Kiski Township police Chief Lee Bartolicius at 7 p.m. Monday at the Kiski Township Municipal Building. The...
Kiski Township vehicle fire could bring aggravated arson charges
Kiski Township emergency responders are working to recover a vehicle that was set on fire and pushed over a hillside this weekend near Hicks Hill Road. Around midnight Saturday, Kiski Township police and firefighters, as well as multiple other fire departments, responded to a brush fire that took six hours...
Nonresident continues to serve on Penn Hills zoning board; 3 library board members resign
Like most municipalities, some of Penn Hills’ biggest decisions are made by volunteers on various boards and commissions. These entities plot the future of the municipality, deciding on development proposals, building permits and more. They also are hampered by vacancies, expired terms and, in the case of the Penn Hills...
