Madasyn Lee stories, Page 18
Deer Lakes Bocce promotes inclusion, acceptanceVideo
Red, green, yellow and blue balls promote acceptance and inclusion at Deer Lakes High School and others across Western Pennsylvania. Deer Lakes is one of the latest school districts to implement the Unified Sports Program through Special Olympics Pennsylvania, which pairs students with special needs students to play bocce. “It...
Police chief: Officer gave East Deer man ride home, where man then killed dad
An East Deer man who hopped in a police car for a courtesy ride to his father’s home hours before he allegedly killed him was “polite and compliant,” a police chief said. Police Chief Mike Naviglia of the Allegheny Valley Regional Police Department said Shane Howard was walking along Freeport...
Former Leechburg police Chief Michael Diebold to stand trial on alleged sex offender violations
Former Leechburg police Chief Michael Diebold will stand trial on charges that he didn’t comply with registration requirements for convicted sex offenders, a district judge confirmed Wednesday. Diebold, 42, was charged by state police in Armstrong County with two felony counts of failing to provide accurate registration information. The case...
Police: Man killed father with shotgun during Harmar fight
An East Deer man admitted he shot and killed his father early Wednesday after his dad badmouthed his girlfriend and their baby, police said. Shane Howard, 23, also told police that he hit his father in the face and head with a fire extinguisher before he shot him with a...
PennDOT closes Fawn’s Millerstown Road for landslide repair
A $1.2 million landslide repair project has closed a portion of Millerstown Road in Fawn. The closure between Callen Lane and Bull Creek Road began Monday and is expected to last through mid-April, according to PennDOT. The slide occurred June 26, 2018. Signs will be posted to direct motorists around...
Brother of Western Pennsylvania cocaine ring kingpin sentenced to 12-plus years in prison
A Dormont man who authorities say was involved in one of the largest cocaine distribution rings in Western Pennsylvania has been sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison, prosecutors said. Robert Forbes, 46, is the brother of Hector Forbes, who authorities identified as the kingpin in a 17-member...
Leechburg looks to beef up police force
Leechburg is looking to hire a third full-time police officer. Council gave the Civil Service Commission permission to advertise for the position, which would help the borough come closer to having 24/7 police coverage, officials said. “It’s going to make it so we have better coverage,” Mayor Wayne Dobos said....
Leechburg Area Pool Board once again asks public to help keep pool open
The main message from Leechburg Area Pool officials at an emergency meeting Sunday night in Gilpin: We need help. “That’s what we’re here for, is to ask for help,” board member Dave Safranyos told a crowd of about 25 people who attended the meeting at the Gilpin municipal building. “We...
Arnold Girl Scout Stella Van Why inches closer to her 4K cookie box goalVideo
Daisy Scout Stella Van Why has a lofty goal, but she just might see it through. The determined girl told her troop co-leader that she was going to sell 4,040 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies. As of Sunday, she had already sold more than 2,900 boxes. And sales aren’t over...
Cops: Woman caught with stolen purse kicked trooper during arrest
A Vandergrift woman who authorities say kicked a state police trooper as she was being arrested in Oklahoma Borough last week remained in the Westmoreland County Prison on Sunday, according to court records. Court records show Melissa Ann Gourley, 46, failed to post $3,000 bond on charges of aggravated assault,...
Soaring costs may spell the end for West Leechburg’s police force
The future of West Leechburg’s police department is in jeopardy because of soaring costs, officials said. Councilman Tim Grantz, chairman of the police committee, said the borough has been exploring alternative options for police coverage for about a year. Right now, the borough is looking into contracting coverage from other...
GoFundMe started to help family of former Armstrong County kayaker
A GoFundMe campaign has been established to help the family of a former Armstrong County woman who died in a kayaking accident on a West Virginia river earlier this month. Jamie Lynn Gray, 41, went missing on Feb. 9 while kayaking with nine other people on a remote section of...
Officials consider using Leechburg stormwater system to help with potential runoff from turf field
Officials working on renovations to Leechburg’s Veterans Memorial Stadium said they will explore connecting an artificial turf field drainage system to the borough’s storm sewer system to help alleviate water runoff. The decision came after Leechburg Council voiced concerns about the impact the field could have on flooding problems in...
3 more Allegheny County residents die from flu, bringing total to 10
Three more people have died due to influenza complications in Allegheny County, bringing the total number of such deaths to 10, according to the Allegheny County Health Department. The residents were in their late 90s, late 80s and mid-70s. All had underlying conditions, the health department said. “Weekly flu cases...
Lower Burrell woman pleads guilty to attempting to deal fentanyl/painkiller mixture
A Lower Burrell woman this week pleaded guilty in federal court for attempting to deal roughly 47 grams of a fentanyl-tramadol mixture, prosecutors said. Amber Doller-Smith, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute the drugs, both of which are painkillers, U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady...
Palmer Pharmacy in West Deer loves to serve community, keep hometown feel
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 Senior News Editor Tom Fontaine at tfontaine@tribweb.com. Kaitlyn Sullivan likes making a difference and...
People can order banners honoring Leechburg and Gilpin veterans
Orders are now being accepted for Leechburg’s “Hometown Hero” banner program. Mayor Wayne Dobos, a member of the three-person committee working on the program, said a banner featuring him will be hung by the Leechburg municipal building in the near future. This will allow people to see what the banners...
Police: Uniontown woman hurt after vehicle goes into woods off Route 51
A Uniontown area woman was hurt after her vehicle went off the road and into the woods in Rostraver early Sunday morning, authorities said. Rostraver police said the 27-year-old woman was flown to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh. The extent of her injuries wasn’t immediately known. The crash was reported...
Police investigating after 19-year-old shot in Duquesne
A 19-year-old man was taken to a hospital after he was shot multiple times Sunday afternoon in Duquesne, Allegheny County Police said. The shooting was reported just after 12:30 p.m. in the area of 600 Grant Avenue. The man was listed in critical condition Sunday afternoon, but he is expected...
Man dies after being shot outside Braddock clubVideo
A 39-year-old man died Sunday after he was shot outside a Braddock club that morning, authorities said. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victim as Jason Lewis of Pittsburgh. The shooting was reported about 3:50 a.m. at the Sahara Temple on Seventh Street, Allegheny County police said. When...
Pucker up: Leechburg teachers kiss pig as part of PTA fundraiserVideo
Wherever Sully waddled, squeals of delight weren’t far behind. Sully, a 6-month-old, black-and-white Kunekune pig from Gilpin, was the guest of honor Thursday at David Leech Elementary School. “I love the pig!” one student shouted as Sully trotted by. Sully’s visit was in honor of Pig Wars, a fundraiser sponsored...
Arnold mayor asks public to cooperate with unsolved homicide investigation
Arnold police Chief Eric Doutt said Wednesday that he had no updates on the investigation into the death of a Brackenridge man in an Arnold apartment last month. Michael Coover Jr., 33, of Brackenridge was found shot to death in a 17th Street apartment Jan. 16. Police identified Mario Matthew...
Missing kayaker identified as former Armstrong County woman
A woman who went missing while kayaking in West Virginia on Sunday was identified by authorities Wednesday, but crews said they have been unable to recover her body because of water conditions. West Virginia Natural Resources Police identified the woman as Jamie Gray, 41, of Hacker Valley, W.Va. Gray’s personal...
PennDOT plans traffic restrictions in West Deer
Lanes restrictions will be in place along a portion of Route 910 in West Deer on Wednesday and Thursday, according to PennDOT. Traffic will be restricted to a single alternating lane from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day between Middle Road and Middle Road Extension. Flaggers will direct motorists....
Brett Keisel to hold final ‘Shear Da Beard’ event for UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
For the last nine years, Brett Keisel has sheared off his infamous beard in support of cancer programs at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. But all good trims must come to an end. On Thursday, the former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end will endure the clippers one last time, ending what...
