Planning a fresh turkey for Thanksgiving? Pounds’ Turkey Farm & Market near Leechburg is taking holiday orders by phone.

Choose a whole turkey or breast and ask about homemade stuffing, cranberry sauce and gluten-free turkey gravy.

Find current prices, ordering details and Thanksgiving-week pickup hours for November 23–25.

This week’s Valley Tails Spotlight features Roscoe, a gentle three-year-old hound, and Tiny, an affectionate eleven-year-old cat.

Both are looking for homes through Paws Across Pittsburgh, a volunteer-run, foster-based rescue in Springdale.

Meet the pets, follow their adoption links and learn how fostering, volunteering or donating can help.

Heights Plaza has a new owner, bringing fresh hope for a shopping center that once served as a busy local retail destination.

HCG Properties says it plans to work with existing tenants, address property needs and market the complex to additional businesses.

Residents are hoping for convenient grocery shopping, more stores and places to gather, with nearby Harrison Hi-Rise residents among those who could benefit.

A mini school bus based in New Kensington is taking local dogs on adventures that include park visits, new friends and pup cups.

My Pups Bus offers three-hour outings with pickup and drop-off, plus free rides for selected dogs from Animal Protectors of Allegheny Valley.

Learn about the service area, pricing, Tuesday schedule and how to book a ride.

Jilly’s Cafe became a familiar stop at the Lower Burrell Farmers Market during the 2026 season.

Now, weekend pop-ups are keeping the food truck connected with customers around town.

Meet owner Jill Sheerer and learn how a restaurant venture in Alabama, an unexpected reunion with her original truck and a return to family brought Jilly’s home to Lower Burrell.

Make a day of Freeport with coffee at 1833 Coffee and Tea Co., a visit to Vivian’s Bakehouse and a look at longtime local business Scott’s Scuba Service.

Add a riverfront walk or trail outing, then explore dining and music options downtown.

Seasonal highlights include Thanksgiving bakery pickups and a November 19 performance listing at Liberty Corner Tavern.

Reserve by Friday evening, November 13: Compassion Network is offering free Thanksgiving meals for carryout only.

Pickup is Thanksgiving Day, November 26, from noon to 1 pm in the parking lot behind Bethel United Methodist Church, 150 Alder Street, Lower Burrell.

Find text, email, Facebook and church phone reservation options, and include your name, phone number and meal count.

A day in Vandergrift can start with breakfast at G&G Restaurant and continue with shopping at Tees-n-Tops, Full Circle Furniture & Gifts and East West Boutique.

New arrival CeCe’s Cake Bar adds build-your-own cakes to the mix, while Allusion Brewing and Wooden Door Winery offer options for food, drinks and time with friends.

Finish with a performance at the volunteer-operated Casino Theatre, or choose a few favorite stops for a relaxed afternoon close to home.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, with Pennsylvania polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Find your municipality’s county election resources, confirm your assigned polling place, and check location changes affecting two local precincts.

This nonpartisan guide includes official links, county phone numbers, identification reminders, and mail-ballot information.

Sweet Tillies brings family recipes and creative seasonal flavors to downtown New Kensington.

Its Pilgrim Thanksgiving pastry has sold out for announced pickup dates, with readers encouraged to follow the bakery’s Facebook page for additional dates.

Explore its rotating Baked Kensington puff pastries and specialty baklava, plus online ordering, local pickup, and nationwide baklava shipping for holiday gifts.

This week’s Valley Tails Spotlight introduces Enya and Numa at Orphans of the Storm in Kittanning.

Meet a nine-pound Pug/Chihuahua mix and a three-month-old kitten, then follow their adoption profiles to learn more.

Fall color in the Alle-Kiski Valley is approaching its brightest stretch, though the hills may not turn at the same time.

Regional assessments placed southwestern Pennsylvania near peak in mid-October, making late October and early November a promising window for local leaf-peeping.

It is a window, not a guarantee: elevation, tree species and weather can shift the timing from one neighborhood to the next.

Cool nights and mild, sunny afternoons can bring out vivid reds and oranges, while wind and hard rain can strip leaves early.

River views around Tarentum, Freeport and Kittanning offer broad looks at changing hillsides without a long hike.

In Leechburg and Vandergrift, wooded slopes can add color to an everyday drive or walk.

For photographs or a weekend outing, check conditions before leaving and keep a backup day open.

The display may be brief, but it is a chance to slow down and enjoy familiar places before the leaves fall.

For young children, a few friendly doorsteps can make a memorable Halloween.

Plan a short, familiar route, check costume fit, and add reflective details and a flashlight.

Stay with little ones, cross streets together, and save candy tasting until an adult has checked the treats.

These practical tips help parents and grandparents keep the evening comfortable and fun, with room for breaks—or an early trip home.

Springdale Council has taken an early step toward regulating e-bikes, voting to advertise a proposed ordinance that distinguishes electric-assist bicycles from more powerful recreational vehicles.

Under the draft, qualifying e-bikes must have working pedals, a motor rated at no more than 750 watts and a motor-only speed of no more than 20 mph on level ground.

They could use roads open to bicycles, designated bike lanes and borough-approved paths, while higher-powered devices would be barred from public streets, sidewalks and borough property.

Springdale police recorded seven incidents involving vehicles described as e-bikes and four injuries so far this year, up from three incidents and one injury last year.

Police Chief Derek Dayoub has stressed education alongside enforcement, particularly for families who may not know which rules apply to a device they buy.

The proposal remains under discussion and is not yet law.

Smashes & Spuds brings smash burgers and loaded potatoes to markets, festivals and private events across the Alle-Kiski Valley.

Parks Township executive chef Kimberly Bargerstock launched the food truck after years in local kitchens. She now serves customers throughout Allegheny, Armstrong and Westmoreland counties.

Her burger lineup includes one with jalapeno bacon jam, pepper jack cheese and creamy sauce. Another combines beef, peanut butter, pepper jack and the same sweet-spicy jam.

Potatoes get equal attention. Alongside loaded baked potatoes, Bargerstock offers stuffed sweet potatoes, including one with seasoned ground meat, sloppy Joe sauce, melted cheese and chives.

Homemade mac and cheese, beans, chips and specialty sauces round out the menu. Bargerstock hopes to keep serving local events through colder months when travel conditions allow.

Our love for pets connects neighbors across the Alle-Kiski Valley.

Meet eight nonprofits providing shelter, foster homes, adoption, affordable care, and support for dogs, cats, guinea pigs, and birds.

The guide includes local organizations and a Pittsburgh-based bird rescue, with direct links and contact information for readers who want to adopt, volunteer, foster, or contribute.

Also meet Polly, a playful adult Boxer, and Mikala, a cat learning to trust, both listed for adoption through Animal Protectors of Allegheny Valley.

Give downtown Tarentum a closer look with breakfast at Massart’s Restaurant, followed by Gatto Cycle Shop, Diamond Antiques and Gifts, and Seita Jewelers.

Discover local history at the Allegheny-Kiski Valley Heritage Museum, whose Art Deco building houses cobalt blue mirrored glass, wartime murals, and collections exploring the region’s industries and everyday life.

Regular museum hours are Wednesday and Saturday, noon–3 p.m., or by appointment.

Add time at Riverview Memorial Park and a meal at JG’s Tarentum Station Grille in the former railroad depot.

The guide links these stops with the community’s ongoing investment in its businesses and public spaces, with business links and scheduling details to help plan a visit.

Bumblebee Resale & Consignment gives Alle-Kiski Valley shoppers a new place to browse secondhand clothing in Lower Burrell.

Owner Kimberly Conway opened the shop September 5 at Leechburg Road and Park Drive, offering clothing, shoes, and accessories for adults and children.

Consignment lets residents give gently used clothing another life while sharing in the sale proceeds.

With Goodwill also planning a Lower Burrell store, local thrifters could soon have another stop to add to their shopping outings.

A little preparation before freezing weather can make winter easier on your home and household.

This home winterizing checklist helps Alle-Kiski Valley homeowners work through heating service, filters, alarms, chimney care, drafts, gutters, outdoor faucets, and vulnerable pipes.

It also covers snow-removal supplies, power-outage preparations, and a simple household plan.

Start with heating and safety, then tackle the outdoor work while the weather is cooperative.

After opening delays, Tractor Supply is fully open in Lower Burrell at 200 Greensburg Road.

The approximately 21,930-square-foot store adds a new shopping option for pet, garden, and farm supplies.

Open Monday–Saturday, 8 a.m.–9 p.m., and Sunday, 9 a.m.–7 p.m.; call 724-230-4388 for product questions.

Halloween in the A-K Valley starts well before October 31, with daytime treats, outdoor movies, costume events, and a few stronger scares. New Kensington’s library offers trick-or-treating and Halloween fun October 17, while Deer Lakes Park hosts a free movie double feature that evening. Other outings include campfire stories at Harrison Hills, Leechburg’s Pumpkin Trail, Oakmont’s Witches Walk, and Allegheny Township’s trunk-or-treat. The Oaks Theater, Saint Joseph High School’s mystery dinner, and the Haunted Mine offer evening entertainment. Plan your neighborhood candy route with October 31 trick-or-treat times for New Kensington, Lower Burrell, Harrison, East Deer, Frazer, and Harmar.

Enjoy three local outings over two October weekends.

New Kensington Fall Fest runs October 17 from 9 a.m.–1 p.m., with a farmers and artisan market, costumes, pumpkins, and downtown activities.

Oakmont Gyro Fest offers Greek food and pastries October 17–18 from noon–6 p.m. each day at Dormition of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church, 12 Washington Avenue.

Lower Burrell’s Fall Festival takes over Kotecki Memorial Park October 24 from 11 a.m.–4 p.m., with trunk-or-treating, food trucks, music, and free children’s events.