Valley News Dispatch category, Page 642
Police: Homeowners stop would-be burglar, hold him at gunpoint
A Harrison couple didn’t wait for township police to arrive to deal with an attempted burglary at their home Saturday night, according to a criminal complaint. Police said one of the homeowners held the suspect at gunpoint until officers arrived. Casey Hill, 30, of Buffalo Township, is charged with burglary,...
Plum man dies in motorcycle crash
A 24-year-old Plum man died early Saturday after a crash on Unity Center Road. Allegheny County Police said Brandon Hugh Patton was on a motorcycle that slid across the road into a Nissan SUV driven by a 25-year-old woman, who was not identified, in the 1000 block of Unity Center...
West Leechburg police chief retires after 32 years with departmentVideo
West Leechburg police Chief George Lebetz has retired after more than three decades with the department, including the past four years as chief. “It was a bunch of things, little things, that added up to a good career,” said Lebetz. “Everything from helping different people, especially kids, and talking with...
New Kensington woman organizes sock drive to benefit homeless sheltersVideo
People are generous when it comes to donating new and gently used clothing, says Michelle Gibb, executive director of the Alle-Kiski Area HOPE Center. “The things that don’t show up in clothing pantries or clothing closets are new socks and underwear, which is really something you can’t have used,” Gibb...
Seeds to start Brandy Marie’s Gymnastics in Buffalo Township were sown at young ageVideo
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. A birthday party at the former Champion Gymnastics in...
Germany’s Oktoberfest to become Leechburg’s ‘Octoberfest’ beer and food festivalVideo
Munich’s famous annual Oktoberfest beer festival is the inspiration behind a new event coming to Leechburg. Sprankle’s Markets will host an inaugural “Octoberfest”-themed beer and food festival Saturday, Oct. 5 on the grounds of Lingrow Farm in Gilpin. “Our goal is to champion local talent, businesses and organizations to celebrate...
Vandergrift butcher takes ‘homemade’ on the roadVideo
Vandergrift native Tommy Scanga grew up above a butcher shop and corner grocery store. He hails from a family of butchers. Scanga, 59, worked for the family business, Del Vecchio’s Market, until 1993. “My uncle Neddie taught me the way to make sausage,” Scanga says. “This is how we’ve made...
New Kensington, Arnold agree on handling of code, zoning matters at industrial park
New Kensington and Arnold both approved an agreement giving New Kensington complete control of code and zoning matters at Schreiber Industrial Park, which spans both cities. New Kensington’s Redevelopment Authority bought the park for about $8 million in 2018. It stretches for more than a mile along the Allegheny River....
Harrison Township refuses to address police union’s pension enhancement request
Harrison commissioners will not entertain a request from its police officers union to enhance their pensions under the existing contract. Teamsters Local 249, which represents the township’s 12 rank-and-file officers, asked the township to consider enhancements to their pensions as they had for police Chief Mike Klein, said Keith Frank,...
Harrison girl, 7, raises thousands of dollars for police — again
Harrison’s youngest reigning fundraising queen was at it again this weekend. Kaley Bastine, 7, raised nearly $3,000 for New Kensington police Officer Joe Martino and his police dog, Deuce. The dog was donated to the police department by the Officer Brian Shaw Foundation. Shaw was killed while on duty in...
Residents bring items to Tarentum antique store hoping to find treasureVideo
Allegheny Township residents Robert and Elaine Bargerstock knew the items they brought into an antique appraisal event Sunday were worth a lot in sentiment, but they had no idea how much they would be worth in dollars. The photos feature Robert Bargerstock’s grandfather, who was an Allegheny Ludlum worker during...
Passion for computers inspired St. Joseph High School senior to volunteerVideo
Michael Smith needed only 100 hours of community service to meet the requirement to graduate from St. Joseph High School next spring. But he liked his time at Computer Reach so much, he just keeps running up the hours. Smith recently was named “Volunteer of the Year’’ by the Pittsburgh...
‘Ghost Tour’ to bring local history to life at Brackenridge’s Prospect Cemetery
The past will come to life through the voices of the dead at Prospect Cemetery in Brackenridge. But it is history, not fright, that is the focus of the cemetery’s annual Historical Ghost Tour, being held this year Oct. 10. From the cemetery’s more than 17,000 graves, 13 belonging to...
Big-box stores take law into their own hands in fight against shoplifting
It wasn’t the first time Tyler Shuey saw this. The Walmart asset protection associate watched as a woman on multiple days around a year ago underrang merchandise at self-checkout registers at the Unity store. The woman hid mints and gum under more expensive merchandise like meat, clothing and frozen food....
Private criminal complaints bypass police as cases head to courtVideo
In August 2018, a woman directly asked prosecutors to charge her ex-boyfriend, a resident of McKeesport, with witness intimidation. She accused the man of threatening to come to her apartment, kick in the door and kill her or throw bricks through her windows. She said he wanted her to drop...
South Buffalo’s tractor pull galvanizes community in support of girl, 6, with cancerVideo
At 6 years old, Ella Conroy has plenty in common with kids her age. The South Buffalo girl likes to build houses of Legos and make friendship bracelets. She is a Girl Scout and cheers for youth football players across the Alle-Kiski Valley. But Ella has to spend at least...
‘Silent Ride’ Sunday to honor O’Hara man who died while riding to work in Harmar
About 100 bicyclists will ride on a busy Harmar road Sunday morning to honor an O’Hara man who died a month ago while riding his bicycle to work. Thomas Haykin, 57, died Aug. 31 after he was struck by two vans on Freeport Road near Route 910, investigators said. Haykin...
1 hospitalized in connection with head-on crash in Washington Township
Washington Township police are investigating a crash Friday evening that sent one person to a local hospital with injuries. Westmoreland County dispatchers said calls for the two-vehicle, head-on crash at Route 66 and Silvis Road came in shortly before 6:30 p.m. North and southbound lanes of Route 66 were closed...
Apollo Borough offices find temporary home
The Apollo Borough offices will temporarily move to the former state liquor store site at 206 Warren Ave. No date for the move has been set, but the borough will soon have to vacate the offices rented in the former Apollo Elementary School building. The lease expires at the end...
Microchip your pet for $25 at special clinic in Harrison
The Building Block of Natrona nonprofit is teaming up with Animal Protectors of Allegheny Valley to microchip residents’ pets for $25 each from noon to 2 p.m. Oct. 6 at Natrona Community Park on River Avenue. Registration for the microchip clinic is not required but organizers request that pet owners...
Parents question Fox Chapel Area’s longtime senior photo policy
Fox Chapel Area High School’s senior yearbook photo policy has some parents frustrated. In a post this week on the private Facebook group Fox Chapel Community Lounge, which has more than 3,000 members, district parent Peri Unligil questioned the policy that gives seniors only one option to get their photo...
Annual Halloween party in New Kensington to benefit Shiners HospitalsVideo
Linda Cook’s idea of fun is celebrating with new and old friends and raising money to help others. Her fourth annual Halloween party will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. Oct. 5, at the Fraternal Order of Eagles along Freeport Road in New Kensington, but the beneficiary is different...
Trash or treasure? Antiques appraisals set for Diamond Antiques in Tarentum
It’s the Alle-Kiski Valley’s version of “Antiques Roadshow.” Diamond Antiques and Gifts will sponsor an Antique Appraisal Fair on Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at its Tarentum store, 311 East Six Avenue. There is a charge of $5 per item. The appraiser is Jeff Poole, who owns On...
Arnold schedules fall cleanup for city residents
Arnold residents with things they don’t want but can’t get rid of will have a chance to clean house early next month. The city will hold its fall cleanup event on Saturday, Oct. 5. It will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. along Third Avenue at 18th Street, with...
Apollo’s newest full-time police officer is a familiar face
An Apollo resident with an extensive resume in law enforcement and even more experience in public service is the borough’s newest full-time police officer. Council agreed Thursday night to hire Ron Baustert. Baustert, 57, will begin his duties in about two weeks. He is scheduled to give his retirement notice...
