Joyce Hanz stories, Page 56
Kiski Area Upper Elementary students examine real race cars to study the physics of racingVideo
Some sixth graders from Kiski Area Upper Elementary were revved up for science class this week. Students participated in a new, hands-on, outdoor physics-based science class Thursday. They got a chance to check out some real race cars in a segment called “The Science of Racing,” which focused on engineering...
All 3 candidates in Kiski Area’s Region I earn nominations
All three cross-filed candidates for Kiski Area School Board’s two Region I seats will appear on the November ballot, if the unofficial vote count from Tuesday’s primary holds up. Two nominations were up for grabs in both the Republican and Democratic primary races. In the GOP race, incumbent Kathleen Snyder...
Signature Dishes: Pistachio-crusted salmon at Luke & Mike’s Frontporch in AspinwallVideo
This is part of an ongoing series highlighting Signature Dishes at locally owned restaurants in the region. See Trib Total Media’s new online directory of restaurants, Dine Local, at dinelocal.triblive.com. A signature fish dish created during covid conditions has evolved into a menu staple at Luke & Mike’s Frontporch Grille...
Vandergrift Farmer’s Market set to open June 3; local vendors needed
Farm fresh foods are returning to downtown Vandergrift, but organizers are seeking vendors for the weekly event that runs through mid-October. The annual Vandergrift Farmers Market is set to open June 3. “We only have two vendors registered right now,” said Julia Martin, chairwoman of the Vandergrift Improvement Project (VIP)....
Political newcomer leads longtime incumbent in Allegheny Township supervisors’ race
A political newcomer led a longtime incumbent by 42 votes in the Republican primary race for Allegheny Township Supervisor, according to unofficial tallies. James Morabito collected 52% of the votes counted, or 540 votes, compared to incumbent Supervisor Kathy Starr’s 47.9% (498), unofficial tallies showed with all of the township’s...
Lenny Collini squeaks by Vandergrift Mayor Barbara Turiak in Democratic primary
Incumbent Vandergrift Mayor Barbara Turiak has been defeated by a familiar face, if unofficial results from Tuesday’s Democratic primary hold up. Councilman Lenny Collini had a 12-vote advantage over Turiak in the Democratic primary race for mayor, according to the tally from all five precincts. Collini collected 166 Democratic votes...
Councilwoman Carrie Fox wins Democratic nomination in Tarentum mayoral race
Tarentum Councilwoman Carrie Fox won the Democratic nomination to run for mayor in November, according to unofficial results from Tuesday’s primary. The winner of the Republican nomination could not immediately be determined because there were so many write-in votes. On the Democratic side, Fox collected 160 of the votes counted...
Vandergrift Borough’s website is up and running again
Vandergrift has solved its ongoing website issue. The borough had been without a functioning website since February. Visitors to the site encountered an oversized message stating it was no longer updated or maintained. Jim Rice of ASDM Networking was hired by the borough to get the website back up and...
2 seek GOP nomination in West Deer supervisors race
Two Republicans are vying for one nomination in the GOP primary race for an at-large seat on the West Deer Board of Supervisors. Incumbent Supervisor Beverly Jordan faces former Supervisor Gerry Vaerewyck in the May 18 primary. They previously served together on the board from 2016 to 2018. No Democrats...
Memorial Day parade, commemorations returning to Vandergrift
Vandergrift’s Memorial Day parade is returning after being canceled last year because of the covid-19 pandemic. The Vandergrift Joint Veterans — including the VFW, American Legion and Veterans Honor Guard — will host a half-day program May 31 to remember and honor the sacrifice of American veterans who fought and...
Vandergrift historical museum reopens from pandemic closure
A historical treasure in Vandergrift has reopened. Vandergrift Mayor Barbara Turiak said she welcomed the news of the Victorian Vandergrift Museum and Historical Society opening again, after being closed for more than a year because of the pandemic. “It’s a must-visit in Vandergrift,” she said. “The volunteers gave me a...
Police: Leechburg man accused of assaulting woman on a sidewalk
A Leechburg man is charged with assaulting a woman on a sidewalk and inside a residence in Leechburg, according to a criminal complaint. Brad Lee Reidy, 21, was arraigned Wednesday and faces a felony strangulation charge and misdemeanor charges of simple assault and unlawful restraint from an incident Tuesday night....
Political newcomer challenges 2 incumbents in Kiski Area School Board race
A Vandergrift business owner is looking to unseat one of two incumbent Kiski Area School District board members in Region I. Candidates on the May 18 primary ballot are Todd Sterlitz, Kathleen Snyder and Mark Flemm Jr. Two Region I seats are up for reelection. Board members are elected to...
Verona kicks off 150th borough birthday bash
Verona residents gathered to celebrate the borough’s sesquicentennial kickoff Saturday in Railroad Park. Hosted by the Verona Community Group, about 50 attendees gathered under rainy and then sunny skies to hear a historical timeline presented by local historians and Verona natives Frank Santucci and Gary Rogers. “This borough once had...
Pandemic worries cancel Vandergrift’s Festa Italiana for 2nd straight year
Hold the sauce. Festa Italiana di Vandergrift, or, just Festa, the popular Italian-themed summer festival in Vandergrift, has been canceled for a second straight season. The pandemic led to organizers canceling Festa again this year. It’s always held in August. Organizers were hopeful that they would welcome back the celebratory...
Kiski Township storage company selling previously owned items from abandoned unitsVideo
Previously owned contents from abandoned storage units are lining the shelves of a new store in Kiski Township. OPS — Other People’s Stuff — opened May 1 at 2216 River Road. The new store’s inventory is composed exclusively of left-behind items from rented storage units at Nellie-Joe’s Self-Storing Units, which...
Signature Dishes: Quiches galore at Lucy’s Riverside Cafe in FreeportVideo
This is part of an ongoing series highlighting Signature Dishes at locally-owned restaurants in the region. See Trib Total Media’s new online directory of restaurants, Dine Local, at dinelocal.triblive.com. Hearty homemade quiche awaits diners at a New England-influenced cafe in downtown Freeport. Pat Mersky, chef and co-owner of Lucy’s Riverside...
Vandergrift gives no update on police conduct investigation
Vandergrift residents didn’t get an answer on whether a borough police officer accused of unprofessional conduct will remain on the force, nor did they get any update on the borough’s investigation Monday. Instead, borough officials adjourned to an executive session to speak about the matter privately, saying later only that...
Empowerment program helps Kiski intermediate school girls navigate pre-teen yearsVideo
A new female empowerment program at Kiski Area Intermediate School aims to help girls navigate middle school. Ruling Our Experiences — ROX — debuted in January at the intermediate school. It is led by certified ROX facilitator and intermediate school guidance counselor Michele Claypool. Program participant Mia Martin said she...
Vandergrift’s Mary Naccarato is a renowned cook, ‘Queen’ to 4 generations of her familyVideo
It’s good to be queen. Mary Christine Naccarato celebrated her 103rd birthday on Monday, April 26 surrounded by family, friends and one very large cake. “I got a lotta flowers, a lotta money and I was so happy with who all came,” Naccarato said of the festivities at her daughter’s...
Kunkle Park in Washington Township accepting picnic pavilion reservations
Pavilion rental season is open at Kunkle Park in Washington Township. Township Supervisor Joe Olszewski said the pandemic resulted in fewer picnic pavilion bookings in 2020 for the 40-plus acre park. He estimated the township’s only park lost about $3,000 in revenue last year. Other area parks with gazebos and...
Vandergrift man accused of shooting up 3 borough homes
A Vandergrift man was arraigned Friday on charges accusing him of firing more than a dozen shots into three occupied homes last month. Javon Michael Thorn Lambert, 22, faces 11 felony counts, including discharging a firearm in an occupied structure, aggravated assault and illegal gun possession, in connection with the...
Casino Theatre group hopes for revival after pandemic devastated revenues
The historic Casino Theatre in Vandergrift remains closed because of the pandemic and has lost significant revenue as a result. Janice Oberdorf, treasurer of Casino Theatre Restoration and Management, said the theater is down about $70,000 in bookings and shows since the shutdown in 2020. “We couldn’t get any federal...
Allegheny Township family offers reward for safe return of pet Clydesdale
An Allegheny Township family is offering a $2,000 reward for their pet horse that went missing Sunday. Jessie, a 10-year-old Clydesdale mare, was last seen on video surveillance about midnight Saturday in the pasture on the family farm and business on Lardintown Road in Clinton Township. Owner JeNeen Fleishner said...
State Attorney General Josh Shapiro condemns Vandergrift police officer’s conduct
Pennsylvania’s top law enforcement official condemned Vandergrift police Officer William Moore’s conduct during a police call this month, saying the officer “should not be trusted” to carry out the duties of his job. Footage of the April 17 incident that started inside G&G Restaurant was taken by a Black patron...
