Valley News Dispatch category
New Kensington woman charged after 1-year-old overdoses
A New Kensington woman faces child endangerment charges after her 1-year-old overdosed in her care, according to authorities. Kylie Marie Ritchie, 32, is charged with three counts of endangering the welfare of children and one count of drug possession in connection to the incident. On Nov. 14, New Kensington Police...
Paving begins on Pittsburgh Mills roads while mall owner fights $11 million in fines
Shoppers at Pittsburgh Mills didn’t seem to mind the maze of detours at the Frazer mall on Monday. They were too busy celebrating the milling and paving of the pothole-riddled Village Center Drive, which runs in front of Lowe’s, Ross and Aldi. The road had become notorious for massive craters...
Lower Burrell woman restarting efforts to help children who have been bullied
Growing up can be difficult, says 23-year-old Emma Kobelenske. About 10 years ago, a muscle disorder caused Kobelenske to walk with a crooked gait, leading her to walk sideways. During a class speech in 2020, she remembers standing up to her peers who had made fun of her sideways walk....
Catch a shuttle to Festa Italiana in New Kensington
Those planning to attend Mount St. Peter Church’s annual Festa Italiana on Friday and Saturday are reminded to catch a shuttle from Valley High School. There is little or no parking near the church. The free shuttles will run from the Valley High School parking lot throughout the festival —...
New Kensington man charged in connection to sex assaults against woman, girl
New Kensington police filed charges against a 30-year-old man accused of inappropriately touching and assaulting a woman and a girl over a two-year period. Joshua Daniel Large, of New Kensington, faces charges of aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, criminal attempt at indecent assault, corruption of minors and harassment. On Dec....
Plum native named Arlington National Cemetery superintendent
John G. Knapp has a long history of serving his country. His next act of service will be as superintendent of Arlington National Cemetery, a final resting place for many of America’s fallen heroes and prominent figures, symbolizing the nation’s history and honoring those who served. “Arlington National Cemetery serves...
Aspinwall inks new 10-year deal for water from Fox Chapel Water Authority
Aspinwall officials recently inked a new 10-year deal with Fox Chapel Water Authority to supply water to the borough. Borough Manager Melissa O’Malley said the authority’s prices have increased from $5.86 per 1,000 gallons to $6.36 per 1,000 gallons. That cost is locked in for the length of the contract....
Is a grocery store on tap for downtown New Kensington?
The new owner of Central City Plaza in downtown New Kensington hopes to fill vacant space there by the end of this year and to get a grocery store operational next year. “We’re pretty confident we can better manage the property, and we saw a lot of potential in the...
Indiana Township’s Emmerling Park to double in size with recent property purchase
Emmerling Park in Indiana Township is growing about twice its size after a recent property purchase. Supervisors recently authorized the purchase of nearly 60 acres of undeveloped commercially zoned land to effectively double the parkland off Cove Run Road. The new land encompasses Deer Creek near the pedestrian bridge on...
The Stroller, July 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. Pancreatic cancer research fund...
Rising Pittsburgh-founded band November Blue headlining benefit for MS in West Deer
A band of Pittsburgh-area natives that Rolling Stone recently named one of 10 new artists to watch is coming home in August to headline a long-running annual music festival benefiting multiple sclerosis research. November Blue will be one of four groups performing at Music for MS on Aug. 9 at...
DA says New Kensington murder arrest 1st to come from Westmoreland grand jury
Criminal homicide charges filed in connection with the fatal shooting of a man in New Kensington more than two years ago was the first to result from a Westmoreland County investigating grand jury seated early last year, prosecutors said Wednesday. Larry Osborn Nix II, 41, of West Brownsville, Washington County,...
Plum, Oakmont see rash of overnight vehicle thefts, break-ins
Several Plum and Oakmont residents awakened Wednesday morning to find items missing from their cars — or their cars missing entirely. Plum resident Christina Williams said she left her Rustic Ridge home at 6:45 a.m. to head to work, but her Lexus was not in her driveway. Soon after, she...
Plum man pleads guilty to sexual assault of 14-year-old girl
About a year after the incident, John Dale Vorous, 62, has pleaded guilty to statutory sexual assault and corruption of minors for having sex with a 14-year-old girl he picked up outside a bar in Plum in June 2024. Vorous initially was charged with a bevy of sex crimes, but...
Pittsburgh Mills owners ordered to pay $1.8M in fines over parking lot, landscape citations
After months of mounting criticism over its crumbling parking lots and overgrown landscaping, the owner of the Pittsburgh Mills has been slapped with more than $1.8 million in fines stemming from dozens of maintenance violations. District Judge Michael Girardi handed down the penalties during a July 17 hearing after an...
Researchers using scent dogs to sniff out eggs of invasive spotted lanternfly
Humans can be trained to identify the eggs of the invasive spotted lanternfly. But it’s not easy. The mottled gray color of the egg masses often matches the areas where they’re laid, or they’re located high in a tree or some other hidden location. Suffice it to say, no human...
The Stroller, July 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. Mt. St. Peter Parish...
Paying more for groceries? Here’s how prices have moved — or not — over the past year
Donald Trump campaigned, in part, on the promise to bring down grocery prices, but seven months into his second term, the result is a mixed bag. Coffee and beef prices are up. Baby formula, eggs and Cheerios are down. Toilet paper and diapers have held steady. “The obvious one is...
South Buffalo residents left frustrated after bridge abruptly closes
Crews suddenly blocked traffic Tuesday morning onto a wooden bridge that carries Clinton Road over railroad tracks in South Buffalo. The 114-year-old structure, which provides one of the two ways in and out of the township’s Clinton neighborhood, is now barred by large concrete barriers on each side. The subject...
Father of fallen Brackenridge police Chief Justin McIntire opens up in advance of upcoming motorcycle run
There is a hole in Lee McIntire’s heart that doesn’t heal. It’s been more than two years since his son, Justin, began his 2 to 10 p.m. shift as Brackenridge police chief, as he had done so many times before. Shortly after leaving home, he responded to a call to...
Springdale, Springdale Township to see park improvements from donations
Springdale’s Veterans Memorial Park and Miller Park in Springdale Township are set to see several improvements in the coming months. That’s thanks to donations from LS Power, the company that owns the Springdale Power Station. At Veterans Memorial, contractors will begin installing a dek hockey rink and two pickleball courts...
Allegheny County seeks input from Tarentum residents on climate action plan
Allegheny County representatives will be in Tarentum on Thursday seeking input on the county’s recently launched climate action plan. “We’re trying to meet folks where they are and get their thoughts on the vision and value of the plan,” said Brittany Prischak, director of the county’s Department of Sustainability. The...
Vandergrift police accuse woman of swindling $13K from man she was ‘helping’
Vandergrift police filed felony charges against a woman accused of stealing more than $13,700 from a man she was living with and purportedly “helping.” Rebecca Lynn Hubert, 57, faces 10 felony charges that include forgery, theft, receiving stolen property and access device fraud. Police filed charges Monday in District Judge...
New Kensington approves loan agreement to repave 17 streets
New Kensington Council gave the final OK on how it will pay for road improvements in the city this year and next. The city entered into a loan agreement with the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Bank to borrow $1.19 million for street improvements. The program is designed to provide low-interest loans and...
The Stroller, July 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. Polkamaniacs scheduled to play...
