Madasyn Lee stories, Page 22
Actor Trevor Donovan visits Deer Lakes Middle School for anti-bullying assemblyVideo
Years ago, actor Trevor Donovan was an introverted, quiet kid who didn’t like to speak up. He was on a ski race team, but he wasn’t very good. He was always holding the other skiers up. Once, when the group was out skiing, he needed to use the bathroom. He...
Harrison tree service company emphasizes safety as they reach new heightsVideo
Editor’s note: Building the Valley tells stories of businesses big and small and the employees who make them special. If you know of any standout employees, bosses or companies with a great story to tell, contact reporter Madasyn Lee at mlee@tribweb.com B.J. Schaltenbrand recalls the time BeaverJack Tree Service received...
Frazer votes to allow horses on certain residential properties
A couple who wants to put horses on a 24-acre property in Frazer is now one step closer to getting their wish. Supervisors last week unanimously voted to pass an ordinance that allows agricultural operations on properties larger than 15 acres as a conditional use in residential moderate density, or...
Unique model train displays showcased in West Deer for holiday seasonVideo
Joe Puet is just as excited about model trains now as he was as a little boy. On Sunday, he enthusiastically showed his 1-year-old grandson Daniel Kline an O Scale model train display that had been set up at the Bull Creek United Presbyterian Church Model Railroad Association Holiday Train...
Police: Beaver County man charged in fatal shooting of Aliquippa man last month
An Aliquippa man Friday was charged with shooting and killing another man last month in Beaver County, authorities said. Javonte Eric Simmons, 24, remained in the Beaver County Prison on Sunday after being denied bond. He faces charges of homicide, tampering with evidence and a firearms violation in connection with...
Frazer passes $1.3 million budget, no tax increase
Frazer’s $1.3 million budget for 2020 includes no increase in property taxes despite an increase in spending for the township’s public safety department. Supervisors unanimously voted to adopt next year’s budget and tax rate at their Tuesday meeting. The tax rate will remain at 1.42 mills. The budget includes a...
Police: Harrison man charged in fatal beating of New Kensington man
A Harrison man on Thursday was charged with homicide in connection with the beating death of a New Kensington man last month. Harrison police said Lamont Wilford, 48, got into a fight with Eric D. Henderson, 50, and continued to assault him after Henderson had fallen to the ground. Police...
Postal worker charged with stealing $60 in gift cards from mail
A Plum woman who was a postal worker is accused of stealing gift cards from the mail. Dorothy Petrick, 56, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh this week on a charge of theft of mail by a postal employee, prosecutors said. Prosecutors say that last December, Petrick...
McKees Rocks man sentenced to 2 years, 9 months for selling heroin, fentanyl
A McKees Rocks man was sentenced this week to 2 years and nine months in federal prison for dealing drugs more than two years ago. Jamorr Mathis, 41, was convicted of possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, prosecutors said. On Nov. 16, 2017, FBI agents and other law...
2 men suffer non-life-threatening injuries in 2-car collision in Springdale Township
Two men suffered non-life-threatening injuries when their cars collided Monday in Springdale Township, Allegheny Valley Regional police Chief Mike Naviglia said. The crash involving a gray Ford and a white Volkswagen occurred about 5:10 p.m. in the 2800 block of Freeport Road near John & Gerry’s Fruit Market. Both men...
An Arnold staple, Fazio’s Pizza & Italian Food lives onVideo
Editor’s note: Building the Valley tells stories of businesses big and small and the employees who make them special. If you know of any standout employees, bosses or companies with a great story to tell, contact reporter Madasyn Lee at mlee@tribweb.com. Fazio’s Pizza & Italian Food in Arnold is still...
Alle-Kiski Valley gyms work out to raise more than $4,000 for Toys for Tots
Alle-Kiski Valley residents broke a sweat to raise money for less fortunate children this holiday season. Members of the Anytime Fitness locations in Allegheny Township and Cheswick participated in a Lift-a-Thon to raise money for Toys for Tots, a Marine Corps program that collects new, unwrapped toys and distributes them...
Fans ‘bonkers’ for ‘Pittsburgh finished it’ shirts
Pittsburgh Steelers fans asked for it, so Dan Rugh delivered. He whipped up a T-shirt design boasting: “Pittsburgh finished it,” and put it up for sale after the Steelers defeated the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. “Who am I to keep them from having the shirt that they wanted?” said Rugh,...
Game Commission reviewing video of men kicking, mocking injured deer
The Pennsylvania Game Commission is investigating a viral Facebook video that shows two men assaulting an injured deer. Chip Brunst, Information & Education supervisor for the commission’s Northwest Region, said the commission was made aware of the video over the weekend and immediately began investigating it. “(There are) not a...
Police: Man shot at Carnegie elementary school football field
A 21-year-old man was treated and released from a hospital after he was shot at an elementary school football field in Carnegie early Sunday, according to Allegheny County Police. The shooting was reported just after midnight, when Carnegie police were called to the 600 block of Ross Avenue for an...
Bouquet Park Pool in Springdale Township on brink of closure, bankruptcy
Financial woes and a lack of officers might prevent a five-decade-old pool in Springdale Township from opening next summer. Richard Kern is interim treasurer for the Allegheny Valley Swimming Pool Association, which operates Bouquet Park Pool. Kern said the most significant issue the pool is facing is the need for...
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh waives late fees at 3 locations
Officials at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh understand people are busy and may not always be able to return borrowed items on time. That is one of the reasons the library decided to nix late fees at three of its locations. “Even with fines in place, things still go overdue....
Volunteers spruce up Leechburg’s Riverfront ParkVideo
Leechburg’s Riverfront Park and its gazebo have gotten a facelift thanks to volunteers and donations from local organizations. “It came under disrepair, and we had a lot of people hanging around here that didn’t belong here, so we decided early in the summer to start working here,” Mayor Wayne Dobos...
West Deer approves new hires, resignations
After nearly 40 years of working with West Deer, administrative assistant Cathy Sopko is retiring. Supervisors last week approved the hire of Sopko’s replacement, Jodi French, at a wage of $16.56 an hour. “I really enjoyed working with the township and working with the people here,” said Sopko, 65, of...
New Kensington pushes back garbage pickup because of Thanksgiving
Friday garbage pickup in New Kensington has been pushed back a day, according to the city. The city said in a news release that garbage normally scheduled to be picked up on Friday would be picked up on Saturday instead because of the Thanksgiving holiday....
Slippery Rock student, 19, dies in Crawford County hunting accident
A sophomore at Slippery Rock University died in a hunting accident Saturday in Crawford County, officials confirmed Sunday. State police in Meadville identified the victim as Jacob Scott Smith, 19, of Linesville, Crawford County. Smith was a safety management major at the university, President William Behre said in a statement....
Police investigating multiple break-ins near the University of Pittsburgh in Oakland
Pittsburgh police are investigating a series of burglaries that took place near the University of Pittsburgh campus this month. None of the victims were home when the burglaries took place, nor was anyone injured in any of the incidents. There is no description given of any possible suspects. And there...
Deer Lakes Middle School students win ‘Powering Pittsburgh’ competitionVideo
Four Deer Lakes Middle School students are renewable energy champions. Students Natalie Shaffer, Elizabeth Strang, Jillian Beiber and Lia DeForce-Petersen placed first in the middle school division of Powering Pittsburgh, a competition that encourages students to come up with alternative ways to generate power in the city of Pittsburgh or...
Opening of Harmar’s Jacoby Road delayed until next year
Wintry weather has further postponed the reopening of Harmar’s Jacoby Road, officials said Thursday. The road has been closed since July as part of a $1.1 million bridge replacement project. The section of road between Rosedale Road and Ecker Lane was supposed to reopen sometime this month, but the county’s...
Clairton man sentenced to 5 years in federal prison for robbing bank, store
A Clairton man was sentenced this week to five years in federal prison for robbing a store and a bank earlier this year, federal prosecutors said. Richard D. Parrish, 41, was convicted of interference with commerce by robbery and bank robbery. According to U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady, Parrish robbed...
