Madasyn Czebiniak stories, Page 2
Diving has become way of life for owners of Scott’s Scuba in FreeportVideo
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 Czebiniak at mczebiniak@tribweb.com. Scuba diving quickly became a way of life for...
Police: New Kensington man who fought, lied to officers had drugs, stolen gun
A New Kensington man who police said provided officers with two phony names during a traffic stop Friday is accused of assaulting one officer and possessing heroin, crack cocaine and a stolen gun. Police said they pulled over a car driven by Robert Edward Kramer, 47, about 8:40 a.m. because...
Tractor-trailer hauling beer overturns on Pennsylvania Turnpike
A tractor-trailer hauling beer overturned on the Pennsylvania Turnpike early Monday morning, blocking the right lane of the interstate until early afternoon. OVERTURNED TRACTOR TRAILER on the Pennsylvania Turnpike Westbound Just Before New Stanton. #WestmorelandCounty #wpxi pic.twitter.com/SExJxXTYFm— WPXI Traffic (@WPXITraffic) August 5, 2019 The crash occurred westbound between the Donegal...
New Kensington police looking for runaway girl, 14
New Kensington police are looking for a teenager they say has been missing for two weeks. Patience Johnson, 14, of New Kensington, ran away from home two weeks ago and is possibly in the Homestead area, according to police. Police say Johnson is in regular communication with her family, but...
Paralyzed New Kensington Navy veteran receives van from Virginia charityVideo
Dan Hika, a Navy veteran paralyzed in a swimming pool accident seven years ago, feels free. And he owes it to Frank Lasch and Azalea Charities, which raised enough money to buy Hika and his family a minivan that will allow him to get to and from places without having...
Police: Teen hits Harrison man with baseball bat to protect herself, mother
A teenager and her mother were able to escape from a Harrison man who police said severely injured the woman in a domestic assault early Wednesday. Harrison police said the 16-year-old girl used a baseball bat to defend herself and her mother until they were able to get out of...
Selling cellphones a family business for the SwackhammersVideo
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 Czebiniak at mczebiniak@tribweb.com. Separating work and family matters, knowing how to communicate...
Target Drive Up service comes to Western Pa. stores
Shopping at Target in Western Pennsylvania got easier this month after the retail chain rolled out its Drive Up service to 18 area stores, including ones in Harmar and Hempfield. Among other Target locations in Western Pennsylvania with Drive Up are stores in East Liberty, Monroeville, North Huntingdon, North Fayette,...
Coraopolis man caught with loaded handgun at Pittsburgh International Airport
A Coraopolis man was stopped at Pittsburgh International Airport on Monday morning after Transportation Security Administration officers found a loaded handgun in his carry-on bag. TSA contacted the Allegheny County police, who responded to the airport checkpoint, confiscated the gun and detained the man for questioning. The .380 caliber handgun...
Tri-City Historical Society hopes to learn more about area’s past
The Tri-City Historical Society may be relatively new, but its members already have high aspirations for what it will be able to offer the Alle-Kiski Valley in the future. The nonprofit group was founded this year to collect, preserve and make available materials related to the histories of Arnold, New...
Arnold man accused of punching New Ken police officer in face
An Arnold man will stand trial on charges that he punched a police officer in the face earlier this month in New Kensington. Chaz Anthony Hooper, 30, will head to Westmoreland County Court on charges of aggravated assault, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, defiant trespass and public drunkenness in connection to...
Police: Pizzeria worker stole $500 from Allegheny Township shop
A River City Pizza employee is accused of using a hammer to break into the Allegheny Township pizzeria in May and steal about $500. Police said the girlfriend of Muhammad Imran Hashmi, 20, of Apollo told police that he used the stolen money to buy food and instant lottery tickets,...
Brighton Heights man gets time served in infant daughter’s death
A Brighton Heights man will serve no more jail time in the 2015 death of his 5-week-old daughter. Joseph Swidorsky, 33, who has been in the Allegheny County Jail since his Oct. 1, 2015, arrest, was sentenced Wednesday to 23 to 46 months in jail, which amounts to time served,...
Lower Burrell veteran overwhelmed by Taco Bell teen worker’s generous offer
Army veteran Chris Archer will never forget the experience he had Saturday at the Taco Bell in Harrison. As he was ordering his lunch — four tacos and a water — he asked the employee serving him if the restaurant offered a military discount. The crew member, Liam Samples, said...
Man caught with loaded handgun in carry-on bag at Pittsburgh airport
A Jefferson County man was stopped Sunday after federal workers spotted a loaded handgun in his carry-on bag as he passed through a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint at Pittsburgh International Airport. Allegheny County Police responded to the checkpoint, confiscated the firearm and detained the man, a resident of Brockway, for...
Police searching for man suspected of robbing Lower Burrell pharmacy
Lower Burrell police are looking for a man they say robbed a local pharmacy store on Friday afternoon. The robbery occurred just before 3:45 p.m. at the Walgreens at 108 Greensburg Road, according to a post on the police department’s Facebook page. Police said the man was armed, but did...
Tarentum skateboard shop that likens itself to community center celebrates 1st yearVideo
Skateboarding is for everyone. That’s the message Dry Bones skateboard shop in Tarentum, which celebrated its one-year anniversary with a block party Saturday, is trying to convey. “There’s no gender. There’s no age limit,” said Brian Snyder, who owns the shop with his wife, Wendy Thimons. “Grab a skateboard and...
Alle-Kiski Valley folks finds ways to beat the heat, humidity
Sylvan Park Pool in Harrison seemed the perfect spot for folks looking to beat the scorching summer heat that overtook the Alle-Kiski Valley this weekend. About 200 people attended Friday’s night family swim — which normally sees an average of 75 to 150 people — due to the soaring temperatures,...
Sister of man slain in New Kensington ‘trying to be patient’ with case unsolved
It’s been almost two months since newspaper delivery driver Gregory Lee Smith was shot and killed while on the job. His family and New Kensington police are still looking for answers regarding Smith’s slaying May 23. “They haven’t gotten anybody yet,” Mary Spekis of Lower Burrell, Smith’s sister, told the...
Convicted killer indicted on federal drugs, weapons charges
An East Pittsburgh man previously convicted of killing his best friend more than 20 years ago was indicted by federal grand jury on drug and weapons charges, according to federal prosecutors. U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady said Douglas Tyrone Williams, 39, possessed with intent to distribute 100 grams or more...
Police: Man shot in foot in South Park
A man was taken to a hospital after he was shot in the foot Sunday in South Park Township, according to police. Allegheny County Police said an 18-year-old man who was shot in the foot was walking in the area of Brownsville Road. According to police, the victim was taken...
Harmar drug activity down due to visible police presence, chief says
Harmar police Chief Jason Domaratz said a visible police presence is curtailing drug activity at the township’s hotels. “I would say within the last year, from what I’ve seen, it’s went down a lot from what we had,” Domaratz recently told the Tribune-Review. “I think a big part of that...
5 things to know before you ride Kennywood’s Steel Curtain
Kennywood’s Steel Curtain opens to the public Saturday, but a lucky few got a sneak peek at the park’s newest coaster the day before. The ride climbs 220 feet before speeding through nine inversions and hitting speeds around 75 mph all in about two minutes. Kennywood claims it is the...
Kennywood’s Steel Curtain roller coaster thrills 1st riders
Gavin Virag of Harrison could barely contain his excitement just before he became one of the first riders of Kennywood’s highly anticipated Steelers-themed roller coaster on Friday. “Words can’t describe how excited I am,” Virag, 28, said as he buckled himself into a front-row, football-shaped seat, right next to his...
FBI, police looking for man who robbed Brackenridge credit union
Federal agents and local police are asking for help identifying a man they say robbed a Brackenridge bank Wednesday afternoon at gunpoint. The robbery occurred around 2 p.m. at the Allegheny Ludlum Brackenridge Credit Union at 1131 Brackenridge Ave. According to the FBI in Pittsburgh, the robber displayed a gun,...
