Valley News Dispatch category, Page 635
Leechburg’s Veterans Memorial Stadium a step closer to getting artificial turf
Leechburg Area School District has moved a step closer to replacing the grass field at 73-year-old Veterans Memorial Stadium with artificial turf. The district’s school board voted unanimously last week to seek bids Nov. 13 to install the artificial turf and modernize the field’s drainage. Over the summer, the board...
Riverview schools to open Tuesday after threat deemed not credible
Riverview School District planned to resume classes Tuesday after determining a threat that led to a districtwide closure Monday was not credible. Superintendent Margaret DiNinno said in a prepared statement that the threat, received Sunday afternoon, was a “non-direct, weapon-related threat to the high school.” DiNinno had said Sunday night...
First 9 jurors selected for trial of accused cop killer Rahmael Holt
Attorneys selected nine people Monday to be jurors in the capital murder trial of accused cop killer Rahmael Holt. Holt, 31, of Harrison, is accused of fatally shooting New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw following a Nov. 17, 2017, traffic stop. Prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty...
Missing Vandergrift teen found
A Vandergrift teenager missing since Thursday has been found, according to police. James Edward Nelson, 16, was found early Monday morning. He was last seen around 2 p.m. at his Vandergrift home....
No webcam planned for new Harmar bald eagle nest
The Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania announced it will not install a live webcam at the most recent bald eagle nest in Harmar because the aerie cannot be safely accessed. The decision not to install a webcam was a difficult one, Audubon spokeswoman Rachel Handel said in a statement. “The...
East coast flavors abound at Lucy’s Riverside Cafe, a cozy Freeport eateryVideo
Savor New England comfort food at a cozy cafe in Freeport. Lucy’s Riverside Cafe, on High Street, serves breakfast and lunch six days a week, with a focus on New England style homemade soups, sandwiches, paninis, desserts and specials. “Customers love our food and they have said it’s like eating...
The Stroller, Oct. 28, 2019: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Leftover Halloween candy to be sent to troops overseas Military Connections in Oakmont is collecting leftover Halloween candy to ship to our troops overseas. All types of candy, including chocolate, will be accepted. Leftover candy can be taken during business hours to Tomlinson Insurance Agency, 506 Allegheny River Blvd., Oakmont,...
Butch Liput is a Burrell legend as ‘voice of the Bucs’Video
Editor’s note: This is part of an occasional series that features Alle-Kiski Valley residents and the notable things that they do. John “Butch” Liput Jr. has one of the most recognizable voices in Lower Burrell sports history, and his impact on athletes and teams around the area is immeasurable. Known...
Threat closes Riverview School District
Riverview School District Superintendent Peggy DiNinno said Sunday that Riverview School District has canceled all of its classes on Monday because of a threat. DiNinno declined to release more information about the nature of the threat. Oakmont and Verona police are investigating. “This decision was made in an effort to...
Kiski Area, Burrell school districts collectively awarded $83,500 for school security
The Kiski Area School District and the Burrell School District collectively were awarded $83,500 in state Department of Education Safe School Target Grants. The districts are among others throughout the state receiving a total of $7.2 million in competitive 2019-2020 Safe Schools grants. The money, awarded through the education department’s...
Carnegie Mellon University sophomore spins wool for 28 consecutive hoursVideo
This spinning performance lasted 28 hours, though not on a stationary bike. Isabel “Iz” Horgan, a sophomore at Carnegie Mellon University, started spinning wool at 5 p.m. Friday at the student-run Frame Gallery on Forbes Avenue. She spun and spun until 9 p.m. Saturday. By the end, she had spun...
Paint it Purple event in Gilpin raises money to help domestic violence victims
As a domestic violence survivor, Maria Matuscin wants to do all she can to help others enduring similar situations. She was on hand Saturday to help at a fundraiser aimed at increasing awareness of domestic violence. The event, Paint it Purple, took place in Gilpin. “Domestic violence is in every...
Auction at Oak Lake Golf Course in Upper Burrell draws hundredsVideo
Hundreds of buyers turned out Saturday for a public auction at Oak Lake Golf Course in Upper Burrell, bidding on grounds equipment, commercial kitchen items, a fleet of 50 golf carts — even a box of tees. The big ticket item — 113 acres of land — is still in...
Creekside Park in Oakmont to be restored through borough, athletic association partnership
Creekside Park off Dark Hollow Road in Oakmont will undergo much needed repairs through a partnership with the borough and Riverview Athletic Association. Repairs are estimated to cost around $30,000. Harsh July storms flooded the park and many parts of Allegheny County. The walking track was completely under water. The...
Get fit at Greatness Athletics Fitness Center in TarentumVideo
Gary Negley started a gym in his parents Laura and Randy Negley’s basement with three pair of dumbbells, a medicine ball, speed ladder, some cones and his dad’s old weight bench. He worked on not only crunches and dead lifts but also on helping others in a workout, all while...
The Stroller, Oct. 26-27, 2019: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Mary Queen of Apostles School to honor veterans Mary Queen of Apostles School, New Kensington, will host a salute to veterans program Nov. 7 in the school cafeteria, 110 Elmtree Road. The school will honor all family members and friends who have served or are serving in the Armed Forces....
Fox Chapel seniors can now get yearbook photos taken in school
Fox Chapel Area High School adjusted its senior yearbook photo policy to give seniors more than one option to get their photos in the yearbook. Some district parents had questioned the policy that required seniors to schedule a photo sitting at Hill’s Studio in Aspinwall and pay a $25 fee...
2 suspects accused of running drug ring in New Kensington headed to county court
The criminal cases against two of three people accused of running a drug ring out of a New Kensington home are proceeding to Westmoreland County court after the suspects waived hearings in district court. David T. Trent, 37, and Jonelle McCandless, 33, are scheduled to be arraigned in Westmoreland County...
Police: Apollo pizza delivery man sold pot to minors
A 22-year-old pizza delivery man from Apollo is accused of selling marijuana to a juvenile who later sold some of it to another juvenile. Kiski Township police Sgt. Thomas D. Dressell, the township’s officer in charge, said Joseph Thomas Kusserow sold 6 grams of marijuana to a minor for $80....
Lack of subs leaves New Kensington-Arnold science class without teacher
New Kensington-Arnold School District will wrap up its first nine-week grading period Wednesday, and an eighth-grade science class in the district hasn’t had a teacher yet. Jessica Revilla said that has driven her daughter to tears. Instead of learning about science, she said her daughter has had a study hall...
Valley High School veterans memorial on-track for Veterans Day dedicationVideo
More than 60 people have been nominated for a new memorial to veterans who attended Valley High School in New Kensington. Nominations are being sought as work continues on the memorial outside the front of the school. Organizers expect it to be ready for a dedication on Veterans Day, said...
Tarentum water line break affects several parts of borough
A break in a 12-inch water line Friday afternoon affected service in several parts of Tarentum, borough Manager Michael Nestico said. The break happened around 2 p.m. on Larusse Boulevard, he said. There was no identified cause for the break in the old, high-pressure line. The break was causing homes...
Halloween activities in the Alle-Kiski Valley – Oct. 25, 2019
Because of the inclement weather forecast, some communities have changed the day of trick-or-treat. Trick-or-treat and events open only to residents of the designated community include: • Allegheny Township: 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31 • Avonmore: 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 2. Please note the date change. • Bethel...
Additional spending approved for Valley High School track project
New Kensington-Arnold School District is having to put almost $16,000 more into its track, but is saving about $10,000 on a project at its football field. Work on replacing the track at Valley High School and the artificial turf at the nearby Memorial Stadium are proceeding on schedule, Superintendent John...
Security heightened at Fox Chapel Area High School after bomb threat
Heightened security will be visible when students arrive for class today at Fox Chapel Area High School in the wake of Thursday’s bomb threat that closed the building. A limited number of doors will be open for people to access the building and extra staff will be on hand, Superintendent...
