Valley News Dispatch category, Page 6
New Kensington enters brownfield revitalization partnership
New Kensington officials hope a collaborative program with Westmoreland County will assist in the remediation and revitalization of its brownfield former industrial sites. The city entered into a Brownfield Revitalization Partnership with the county’s redevelopment authority, Monessen, Jeannette and Trafford, said City Clerk John Zavadak. “(This) will allow each of...
Police search for suspects accused of trying to steal ATM machine from the Cheswick Sheetz
Allegheny Valley Regional Police are searching for several people accused of trying to steal an ATM on Monday evening from the Sheetz in Cheswick. Four people, who police believe are juveniles, used a dolly to wheel the PNC bank machine from the gas station to a waiting pickup truck outside,...
After boiler fails, Central Presbyterian’s free holiday concert moves to Brackenridge
An annual holiday concert hosted by Central Presbyterian Church in Tarentum has been moved because the building is without heat. Church administrator Dave Rankin said the steam boiler at the church along Allegheny Street is awaiting repairs. Instead, “Ave Maria,” featuring soprano Katy Williams, will be performed Sunday, Dec. 14,...
The Stroller, Dec. 2, 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. Gift program benefits victims...
No tax increase for property owners in Leechburg; skills game tax climbs for operators
Leechburg’s 2026 budget calls for no real estate tax increase. The budget includes more than $1.46 million in expenditures with just over $1.34 million in revenue. The gap will be filled by using a portion of a $145,000 surplus from this year’s budget. Councilman and finance chair D.J. Zelczak said...
Shapiro visits Verona to tout $25M in funding for child care workers
Gov. Josh Shapiro visited a Verona day care Monday to tout $25 million in new state-funded bonuses for industry workers, which he says will help attract and retain staff. The initiative, part of the state budget passed last month after a lengthy legislative impasse, gives about $450 annually per employee...
Property taxes expected to hold steady for Harrison residents but small fire tax to be added
Harrison residents likely won’t see a property tax increase in 2026, but they might pay a slight fee for a dedicated fire fund. The township commissioners approved a proposed $5.85 million budget that maintains the property tax rate of 5.6 mills. The owner of a home assessed at the median...
Alleged burglary in Freeport ends in ICE taking 3 men into custody
Three men were taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Monday morning after they were caught in a vacant apartment in Freeport, police said. Chris Fabec, chief of Southern Armstrong Regional Police Department, said police were called about 4:30 a.m. to a Lane Court townhouse in the...
Harrison officials seek $3.2 million in grant money for sewer projects
Harrison Township officials are pursuing more than $3.2 million in grant money for proposed sewer projects. The commissioners voted to approve grant applications for six different projects through the Commonwealth Financing Authority last week. “They are all state LSA (Local Share Account) grants,” Township Manager Amy Rockwell said. “There is...
The Stroller, Dec. 1, 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. New Kensington Christmas events...
Consultant’s report finds no evidence of Penneco liability in Plum house explosion
A private consulting firm’s report for a Delmont energy company being sued over a 2023 fatal house explosion in Plum has determined Penneco Oil Co. was not responsible — a conclusion sure to be challenged in court. Penneco and Peoples Gas were among those sued for negligence and wrongful death...
Hunter seriously injured in fall from tree stand in North Buffalo
Emergency crews used a side-by-side rescue vehicle to extract a hunter from a remote section of woods in North Buffalo early Saturday after the hunter suffered a fall from a tree stand. The hunter was then taken to a waiting life-flight helicopter to be transported to a hospital. Jamison Hughes,...
Power outages hit Harrison, Fawn and Tarentum on Sunday
Residents in Harrison, Fawn and East Tarentum experienced a series of power outages Sunday. An outage that began about 7:30 a.m. Sunday left residents of Harrison and Fawn without electricity for several hours. West Penn Power showed more than 5,000 customers without electricity in the area. But by noon, the...
The Stroller, Nov. 30, 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. Annual Harrison Christmas parade...
Owner of Brackenridge Heights Golf Course dismisses rumors of purchase; property remains on the market
The Brackenridge Heights Golf Course remains on the market after several years. If owner Ted Tomson has his way, the 83-acre property in Harrison will remain mostly green. “I’d like to see it stay a golf course,” said Tomson, owner of a scrap metal yard in Brackenridge and Harrison, and...
Vaccination rates in schools cause concern for parents, medical professionals
Lucas James relies on others to be vaccinated because, for now, he can’t be. A leukemia patient and stem cell transplant recipient, Lucas, 16, of Hempfield receives intravenous antibody treatments to help him rebuild his immune system. “(Doctors) said he may never be able to be vaccinated again if his...
Aspinwall’s proposed 2026 budget contains no tax hike, cuts to programs or services
Aspinwall officials hope to hold the line on real estate taxes in next year’s budget. Proposed revenue and expenses are expected to come to close to $3.9 million. Budget documents project the millage rate will remain 8.36 mills, including 0.5-mill for public safety. One mill generates about $150,000 in revenue....
Firearm deer season opens in the state, hunters flock to new Indiana Township game lands
Planning, preparation and patience are keys to a successful hunt, according to outdoorsman Greg Luce. A little luck doesn’t hurt either, as Luce proved on Saturday. Hunting in the recently opened state game lands in Indiana Township, Luce found himself about 30 yards from a large doe, roughly 160 pounds....
Late night police chase and extended manhunt in New Kensington leads to arrest in woods
New Kensington police say a man led them on an extended chase Friday night in which he allegedly drove head-on at a city police car, ending with his arrest in a drain tunnel in a wooded section of the city. Leonard Hayden Jr., 25, of New Kensington is charged with...
The Stroller, Nov. 29, 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. Free groceries available for...
Though not uncommon, hoarding ‘multiplies’ danger for fire crews
When New Kensington Fire Chief Ed Saliba responded Wednesday to a house fire on Richdale Drive, he said, he’d never seen so much packed into a structure in his more than 40 years as a firefighter. “I’ve never seen anything like that — in that amount — before,” Saliba said....
Community, routine spur gym-goers to work out after the holiday
Judy Sproat of Buffalo Township is no stranger to working hard during the holiday season. “I worked as a nurse all my life. I always worked holidays and the day after,” she said. “I don’t take a day off.” Sproat, 75, brought the post-holiday habit into her retirement as she...
After 2-year vacancy, Rustic Ridge lot could see new home built next year
Builders may soon build a new home on one of the plots left vacant for two years after a 2023 Rustic Ridge house explosion in Plum that left six people dead. The land formerly occupied by the home at 143 Rustic Ridge Drive, which was leveled after sustaining enormous damage...
Pittsburgh Mills shoppers take comfort after initial road paving projects
Taylor Harris, 29, was pleasantly surprised when she arrived at the Walmart at the Pittsburgh Mills shopping complex Friday morning. “I think not ripping the bottom of my car out makes it easier to spend money,” Harris said. The New Kensington woman took an Uber to the store out of...
The Stroller, Nov. 28, 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. Tarentum Lions plan annual...
