How a West Deer company is helping kids with autism and sensory needs through play
Sometimes, you just fall in love with a place. And that, sort of, is how West Deer became home to an international company’s only U.S. location. Not widely-known to many in the community, TFH Special Needs Toys is a transatlantic company producing toys and other gadgets that make life better...
County identifies father and son found shot to death in Pleasant Hills
A father and his adult son were found shot to death Monday in their Pleasant Hills home, sending shockwaves through a quiet suburban neighborhood where, neighbors said, the family had lived for more than 25 years. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the men as Edgar Dawson, 72, and...
In brief: Plum, Oakmont area news, events for the week of Sept. 1, 2025
Touch a Truck After a several-year hiatus, the Fred Favo Memorial Touch a Truck Event is returning Sept. 14 for the first time since 2022. More than 25 types of trucks and vehicles will be lined up on Allegheny River Boulevard between Pennsylvania and Washington Avenue. The event will feature...
The Stroller, Sept. 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. Allegheny Valley Association of...
In brief: Happenings across the North Allegheny area
Bradford Woods residents can register property for deer hunting Bradford Woods contracts with Suburban Whitetail Management to provide licensed, experienced archery hunters to control the deer population in the borough. The hunters are fully insured, tested and safety-trained. Residents can register their property, for free, to be hunted. A portion...
Bark in the Park aims to raise adoption awareness about pups on euthanasia lists
Bark in the Park on Sept. 13 in North Park is more than just a fun event for pups and people. It’s a real chance to help save animals’ lives. The event, set for noon to 5 p.m. at the McCandless and Pine Ridge shelters, has a mission of getting...
Fire tears through upper floors of Brackenridge house
A late-night fire gutted the upper floors of a Brackenridge home on Saturday night. Fire crews responded to the blaze at the corner of McIntire Way and Hall Lane near ATI’s Brackenridge Works around 11:30 p.m., according to a volunteer at Pioneer Hose Company. Residents escaped the home, and no...
Brookville woman killed in Armstrong County ATV crash
State police say a woman died from injuries she suffered in an ATV crash in Armstrong County on Sunday. The crash occurred on private property just after 2 a.m. in Madison Township, according to police. Police identified the victim as Samantha Hetrick, 21, of Brookville. The cause of the crash...
Thousands celebrate Labor Day weekend at annual festival in Northmoreland Park
Jackson Clark laughed with delight as a tan-colored goat chased him through a petting zoo in Northmoreland Park, trying to get the bottle in his hand. He was one of thousands of people who flocked to Northmoreland Park for the annual Labor United Celebration, a two-day festival that featured everything...
Piano Day Pittsburgh tickles the ivories, and listeners’ imaginations, with pair of 10th anniversary events
No, that was not your imagination. Plenty of Parkway East motorists, even through the Squirrel Hill Tunnel, were surprised to see a flatbed truck rolling by with someone playing a piano on top. “I probably won’t do that again, because I did not feel as safe as maybe I expected...
Leechburg preps for 14th Pink Day, event planner bids bittersweet farewell
Sherry Price is in the midst of planning her final Pink Day. Captaining the ship for the past 13 years, Price, 61, the event’s coordinator and Leechburg Pink Day secretary and treasurer, is in for one last hurrah before passing the torch to the Leechburg Area Community Association. “I want...
Hempfield Area student recognized for saving boy at drive-in theater
Hempfield Area junior Jacob Shepler didn’t have much time to react when he saw a vehicle poised to run over his sister’s friend at the Evergreen Drive-In. The 17-year-old went with his gut reaction. “I just jumped in front of it,” the Hempfield resident said, “and I started waving my...
The Stroller, Aug. 31, 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. 9/11 Moving Flag Tribute...
Tour to highlight local ties to Civil War with stops at Burtner House, Penn Salt, other sites
Civil War buff Ruth McCartan believes some of the best history lessons lie close to home. “You don’t have to go to a battlefield to learn,” the McCandless resident said. McCartan will host a tour Sept. 13 of prominent Alle-Kiski Valley locations with significant ties to the Civil War, which...
From diagnosis to dumbbells: How weightlifting is helping cancer patients
Breast cancer couldn’t stop Dianne Miller from becoming the strongest she has ever been. In fact, the devastating disease is what drove her to pump some iron. After a lumpectomy for Stage 1 cancer in 2023, the 68-year-old from Ligonier didn’t require chemotherapy but opted into a weightlifting study offered...
Westmoreland happenings: Oktoberfest, Paws in the Park, bingos, more
Church news • The First Thursday worship service and luncheon will resume Thursday, Sept. 4, at Zion’s Lutheran Church, 140 S. Pennsylvania Ave., Greensburg. Worship will be at noon and lunch will be at 12:30 p.m. in the social room. Cost: $5. Festival • The Trafford Oktoberfest will be held...
Multi-vehicle crash briefly shuts down Tarentum Bridge
A crash involving three vehicles on Tarentum Bridge Road in New Kensington briefly shuttered the Tarentum Bridge in the early afternoon on Sunday. According to a Westmoreland County 911 dispatcher, the crash took place around 11:20 in front of the New Kensington Shopping Center. Minor entrapment was reported in at...
Head of the class: Bloomfield barber gives free back-to-school haircuts for children
For Emmanuel “Manny” Torres, barbering is about more than giving someone a haircut. It’s a higher calling. “I feel my purpose in the world is to help people,” said Torres, 30, just before he started giving free haircuts to children on Saturday. “That’s a big reason why I got into...
Kennywood halts 21+ nights after repeated altercations at park
Kennywood is canceling its 21+ nights after altercations at the park, according to a statement from General Manager Ricky Spicuzza. The amusement park, purchased earlier this year by Atlanta-based Herschend, previously hosted late-night 21+ events on Aug. 22 and Friday night, Aug. 29. But physical altercations apparently broke out both...
4th annual Alle-Kiski Inclusion Games a hit; highlights need for events for kids with special needs
Dylan Martin answered quickly when asked his favorite part of the Alle-Kiski Inclusion Games, held Saturday afternoon in Lower Burrell. “This one,” said the 11-year-old from New Kensington, pointing to the soccer ball and goal, and then pointing to the obstacle course, croquet set-up, ring toss and cornhole. “He can’t...
Historic rivalry returns as Pitt and Duquesne football clash for first time in 86 years
The last time Pitt and Duquesne faced off on the gridiron, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was president, Pittsburgh’s steel mills boomed and the Germans had just started World War II. That was Oct. 21, 1939, when the Dukes managed a stunning 21-13 victory over the Panthers. Eighty-six years later, the local...
Derry Township sets public hearing for proposed solar farm
The Derry Township supervisors have set a hearing Tuesday to accept public comment about a solar farm proposed just north of New Alexandria. The hearing is set for 5:30 p.m. at the municipal building, 5321 Route 982. It will follow the supervisors’ regular 5 p.m. voting meeting. A neighbor has...
Retiring brothers look to pass the torch for their Leechburg business
Mark and Keith Fetterman are looking for people with passion. After 44 years owning and operating Kiski Valley Uniforms and Supply, the brothers are ready to retire and pass the torch to some new blood. “We’re getting old,” said Mark Fetterman, 75. “It’s time.” The brothers have posted two sales...
Weapons detection system rolled out at Burrell High School
Burrell High School will roll out a weapons detection system this school year. Superintendent Shannon Wagner said an OpenGate detection system will be implemented at the high school during the beginning of the school day. “It’s like what’s used at a Steelers game, or any kind of large event,” Wagner...
The Stroller, Aug. 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. Test your Bible knowledge...