Valley News Dispatch category, Page 57
Then and Now: Sharpsburg YMCA to Linden Gym has long provided recreation
On any given day, the Linden Gym is bustling with basketball fanatics hitting the courts. It’s been that way for more than a century, since the building was established in the late 1800s as a YMCA. Early on, the building at 205 N. Canal St. served the borough’s youth and...
Agan Park reopens after 40-day closure; dog park remains closed
After crews removed several overhanging trees in the area, Agan Park reopened this week following a more than 40-day closure caused by severe April storms. The park is an extensive green space along Riddle Run Road in Springdale Township but is jointly managed by Springdale and Cheswick boroughs. Cheswick Council...
Vandergrift’s Casino Theatre still a beacon of culture after 125 years
The Casino Theatre in Vandergrift could have become anything over the years — a parking lot, like the theater on Longfellow Street did, or maybe basketball courts. Yes, that almost happened. It even survived a 13-year period of neglect, between 1982 and 1995, after the company that ran it as...
Freeport’s 1st manager reflects on defining the role as he readies to resign
Zachary Filous described his 2½ years as Freeport borough manager, especially early on, like “drinking from a fire hose.” He’s done more than just send emails and direct personnel. His hiring roughly coincided with the departure of the borough’s treasurer, public works director and sewage plant operator — roles he...
Leave it to the laser: Green beam gets rid of geese at Blawnox park
Green means go, at least to the geese at Blawnox Community Park. Mayor Tony Gross said that for whatever reason, the borough’s new green laser system meant to shoo geese is working like a charm. Council hired Harrietta Hills Trout Farm to tackle the persistent problem of birds on the...
The Stroller, June 12, 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. Volunteers needed at Animal...
How they track the flight of golf balls at the U.S. Open for TV viewers, spectators on siteVideo
When a golfer at the U.S. Open tees off, in less than one second the members of the NBC Sports broadcasting team know where the ball is headed, how far it will go and where it will land. That’s great for viewers watching at home, who see a comet-like streak...
U.S. Open meteorologist runs 1-man show from women’s locker room at Oakmont
Amid the sweeping grounds of Oakmont Country Club sits one man alone in the women’s locker room of the clubhouse — meteorologist Jake Swick — whose sole job is to monitor the weather for the U.S. Open in real time. Inside that women’s locker room is a window that opens...
Freeport Area School Board OKs $55 million high school renovation, tax hike
After years of planning and debate, the Freeport Area School Board moved ahead Wednesday with a $55 million high school renovation project — and approved a tax increase to help fund it. Both measures passed 5-4. The school directors who voted for both were Christine Davies, Michael Huth, Gregory Selinger,...
Community bids Stewart Elementary — ‘the centerpiece of Lower Burrell’ — a fond farewell
Denise DeSalvo makes trips back to her hometown of Lower Burrell to visit family every once in a while, but she wanted to make sure that her most recent trip coincided with the last time Stewart Elementary opened its doors. “I could not miss it,” said DeSalvo, who now lives...
Plum Zoning Board rejects fracking injection well after lengthy battle; company plans to appeal
After a yearslong legal battle, the Plum Zoning Hearing Board rejected the application for a second injection well in the borough, which is an about-face from its initial decision. Board member Mike Monfredi, who made the motion to reject the application, was joined by Andrew Novick and Linda Wilkins in...
USGA’s course maintenance teams work all night to ensure a pleasant U.S. Open experience
Leighton Schwob, the U.S. Golf Association’s U.S. Open Championship director of operations, wishes he had a little more darkness to work with. “Too much land, not enough night,” he said of the daily — or in this case, nightly — maintenance of public areas at Oakmont Country Club. One doesn’t...
U.S. Open volunteers share what drove them to come to Oakmont this year
Karen Beeken assured a volunteer arriving early Wednesday at Oakmont Country Club that they would get their credentials. “I’ll take care of ya,” said Beeken, 72. Beeken of O’Hara is one of more than 4,000 volunteers working the 125th U.S. Open. They come from near and far, from all across...
Verona Council hires new police chief
Thomas Dessell wears multiple hats in the Verona community. A Verona native, Dessell has been a borough police officer and president of the Verona Chamber of Commerce. But council promoted him to police chief on Tuesday night. The hiring comes on the heels of previous chief Ron McLemore’s honorable discharge...
Detectives: Arnold mother charged after baby tests positive for meth
Westmoreland County detectives charged an Arnold woman after her infant tested positive for methamphetamine. Ariana Carter, 33, was charged with endangering the welfare of children and possession of drug paraphernalia after a ChildLine referral was turned over to the county detective bureau. A ChildLine report was received by the Westmoreland...
Dick’s Sporting Goods opens Waterworks location to shoppers
Dick’s Sporting Goods’ newest location opened its doors to shoppers this week. Despite advertising its grand opening on the weekend of June 20, the newly minted location at The Waterworks shopping center, near Aspinwall, welcomed shoppers to peruse the aisles. Marty Becker, of Fox Chapel, visited the new shop Wednesday...
Fox Chapel church kicks off summer with collections for fall festival
Summer hasn’t officially begun, but members of Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church already have autumn on their minds. Preparation for the 2025 Harvest Fair is underway, with donations being accepted three days a week. People are encouraged to rummage through their gently used household goods, linens, glassware, decorations and tools to...
The Stroller, June 11, 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. Event to celebrate National...
Make sure to bring a healthy appetite to the U.S. OpenVideo
Should you be eating a Philly cheesesteak for breakfast? It’s a culinary debate for the ages. Dick Atzeni of Sligo, Clarion County, and his granddaughter, Hannah, certainly weren’t against it, as they chowed down on their sandwiches around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the U.S. Open in Oakmont. Atzeni has been...
Young fans give tips regarding the hunt for U.S. Open autographsVideo
To get an autograph at the U.S. Open, you must be assertive, pushy and, for the most part, you have to be a kid. On Tuesday, Oakmont Country Club was flooded with people and families coming from all over the country. Among the crowd, tiny hands gripped flags, posters, hats...
USGA prioritizes player, family experiences at Oakmont championship
As USGA’s director of player relations, Rosalyn Barnett deals with tasks as large as flying golfers’ families across the world to ones as small as helping locate their lost keys. It’s a busy but fun job, she said, where she deals with “anything and everything.” And it’s one she has...
Among thousands of attendees, hundreds of kids attend U.S. Open for free
As 10-year-old Elsie Trombley walked into Oakmont County Club on Tuesday, she said she was excited for souvenirs, autographs and concessions at the U.S. Open. “And golf,” her father, Matt, reminded her. Visiting from Fox Chapel, Elsie was one of hundreds of children who are attending the U.S. Open for...
U.S. Open photo gallery: practice rounds Day 2
Practice rounds resumed Tuesday at Oakmont Country Club ahead of the start U.S. Open later this week. Here is a look at the day in pictures....
New Kensington’s Safety Town teaches children important life lessons
Look no further than a kid-sized “real town” outside Mary Queen of Apostles School in New Kensington for proof that learning can be fun. That’s Safety Town, which returned to the Alle-Kiski Valley last year, after a yearslong hiatus. The event is run under the direction of Lauren Lanzino, a...
USGA Museum offers attendees glimpse of past during U.S. Open
For John Meyers, many of the items on display in the USGA Museum at Oakmont Country Club were familiar sights. An Oakmont member for several decades, the “old fan” said he’d been to every U.S. Open since 1983. But he still enjoyed seeing objects like Johnny Miller’s clubs from the...
