Valley News Dispatch category, Page 12
Annual Christmas Bird Count channels ‘addictive’ activity for scientific good
As Annie Lindsay drove her black Honda CR-V Saturday morning on a road splitting a Cook Township meadow, she had a premonition, earned by roughly two decades of studying birds. “There should be hawks in here,” she said. A few seconds later, the car was in park. Lindsay, 44, of...
DA objects to sentence imposed for Easter egg hunt assault of teen in New Kensington
Westmoreland County prosecutors said Friday they will appeal what they contend is a too lenient sentence imposed on a New Kensington man convicted in October for the assault of an autistic teen during a neighborhood Easter egg hunt. Stacey Oneal Jr., 36, was ordered to serve two to five years...
No tax hike, but slight bump to sewage bills in Freeport’s proposed budget
Freeport residents can mostly expect business as usual in 2026 if the borough opts to pass its proposed budget on Monday. The budget doesn’t opt for any tax hikes, though residents’ sewage surcharge would go up just under $2. The surcharge would be bumped to $48.71 from its current $47,...
District attorney seeks temporary closure of New Kensington Elks Lodge
Thirty-two incidents at the New Kensington Elks Lodge over the past three years — including a fatal shooting this month — have led the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office to ask a judge to temporarily shut down the club for at least one year. The district attorney’s office Friday filed...
Scouts bring a game changer to Leechburg Youth Baseball Association
John Cook and Nicholas Spiering have known each other for almost a decade. Having met as Boy Scouts, the teens have watched each other complete different badges, earning their way up the Scouting ranks. Hoping to cross the finish line together, the now Life Scouts decided to complete a project...
Bon Air’s Toys for Tots drive teaches life lessons
Pam White wasn’t sure how many Toys for Tots donation boxes would be needed this year at Bon Air Elementary School. “I contacted the Toys for Tots representative for our area,” said White, a personalized learning coach at Bon Air who took over as faculty adviser for Student Council this...
Harrison residents must use new recycling bins
Harrison residents will receive new recycling containers when the township’s new hauler, Noble Environmental, takes over recycling services in January. The company will distribute green carts with lids to all properties beginning the week of Jan. 5. Anyone with a pickup prior to that date can use their round red...
The Stroller, Dec. 19, 2025: 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. Follow the Stroller on X at @VNDStroller. Blue Christmas service planned...
Winfield mobile home park faces water troubles again after monthlong ‘Do Not Use’ notice
Barely a month after water at Bernie’s Mobile Home in Winfield finally tested at safe drinking levels, residents are facing a boil water advisory. In a statement sent to residents, park management said Bernie’s had experienced a water main break on Wednesday, which resulted in a loss of water pressure....
Sidewalk upgrades coming to RIDC Park in O’Hara
O’Hara is one step closer to its goal of improving pedestrian safety in RIDC Park. The township on Thursday was awarded $200,000 to install sidewalks along Alpha and Gamma drives. The phased project is expected to improve opportunities for people who work in the park and neighbors who live nearby...
Leechburg opts for no-kill shelter in annual animal control contract
Effectively ending a decades-long practice, Leechburg Council approved an animal control contract with Indiana County’s Whiskey Acres Rescue and Sanctuary, replacing Salem Township-based Hoffman Kennels. While he couldn’t name a specific length of time, Councilman Chuck Pascal said the borough has been signing an annual contract with Hoffman’s for as...
Springdale Council passes budget without tax bump; sewer bills see slight increase
Springdale residents can expect much of the same in 2026. Borough Council passed its budget Tuesday with a slight increase to sewer rates but no tax increase. Sewer rates will go up 7%, or $1 per 1,000 gallons of usage, from $13.75 to $14.75. At the borough’s rate of 9.75...
Leechburg Council looking for new auditor after 1 was elected to borough council
Leechburg is in the market for an auditor. Usually operating with three auditors, the Nov. 4 election left the borough one short after Dina Blake was elected to council. Borough leadership is accepting letters of interest until Jan. 2. They are hoping to appoint someone to a two-year term at...
Vote scheduled on paid ambulance authority for Harrison, Tarentum and Brackenridge
The proposal to create a paid ambulance authority for Harrison, Tarentum and Brackenridge could be formalized as soon as January. A special public hearing and joint meeting of the three municipalities is scheduled for 6 p.m. Jan. 14 at Highlands High School. “This represents an important step in enabling a...
Multiple crews battle Fox Chapel house fire
Multiple rescue crews were called early Thursday to battle a fire at a $1.25 million Fox Chapel home that was recently sold to new owners. Emergency crews responded just before 5 a.m. to the 600 block of West Waldheim Road, which sits off Delafield Road above Aspinwall. No injuries were...
Spring opening planned for Lower Burrell Tractor Supply
A Tractor Supply store in the Kinloch section of Lower Burrell is set to open in the spring. A company spokeswoman said the store, located at a currently vacant lot next to a Family Dollar store along Greensburg Road, plans a soft opening in late March. The grand opening is...
Springdale data center gets initial OK, but several more public hearings to come
Though Springdale Council offered its approval for a conditional-use application from developers seeking to build a massive data center in the borough, the vote is only the beginning of the process. The project now enters the land development stage, which likely will last months and involve several more public meetings...
Residents near proposed Springdale data center left frustrated by council’s approval
Rex Cramer has lived on Porter Street in Springdale for more than 30 years. When he arrived in the borough, he moved in directly across the street from a towering coal-fired power plant — the former Cheswick Generating Station. The plant’s frequently fraught demolition concluded earlier this year. But on...
The Stroller, Dec. 18, 2025: 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. Follow the Stroller on X at @VNDStroller. LB Christmas parade rescheduled...
Fox Chapel councilman stepping down to become next mayor; vacancy pending
Fox Chapel Council soon will have a vacancy as one of its members is stepping down to become the borough’s next mayor. In the spirit of passing the torch, Mayor Alex Scott III passed a green hat with a fox on it to Councilman Jonathan Colton on Nov. 17. Colton,...
Fox Chapel officials hold the line on borough real estate taxes for 2026
Fox Chapel property owners will not have to pay more in real estate taxes in order to maintain borough services. Council voted 6-0 Dec. 15 to pass its 2026 budget and maintain the tax rate at 2.95 mills. Council President Andrew Bennett was absent. There are no cuts to borough...
New Salina Bridge open to traffic; demo of old span still to come
After more than a year of construction, motorists can now cross the Kiski River on the new Salina Bridge. The span carries Bridge Street over the river and Norfolk Southern railway tracks between Bell and Kiski townships. Stretching 650 feet, the bridge features two 11-foot-wide lanes and 5-foot shoulders. The...
Oakmont changes requirements for potential police officer hires
Oakmont Council approved changes to regulations that will make the hiring process quicker and more accessible for prospective borough police officers. The changes in the borough’s hiring process and officer testing requirements were approved in a 5-2 vote during council’s meeting Tuesday. Council members Isaiah Wilson and Jennifer Paris voted...
Fundraiser established for Tarentum fire victim
A fundraiser has been established to help the victims of Saturday’s fatal Tarentum fire. A GoFundMe was organized Tuesday to raise money for Paula Clever, whose son, Landen, was killed in a duplex fire at 912 Corbet St. More than $2,200 had been collected as of Wednesday afternoon. The goal...
Free shuttles across Alle-Kiski Valley among St. Margaret Foundation programs for the underserved
A free service will continue to shuttle people to doctor’s appointments across the Alle-Kiski Valley as an initiative of the St. Margaret Foundation. The nonprofit announced a $957,000 grant Friday that will pay for a dozen programs, including free shuttles, flu shots, adaptive food utensils and health screenings. The money...
