Westmoreland category, Page 176
Proposed power line route triggers concerns for residents in Derry, Ligonier townships
Gene Giernacky fears he may lose use of part of his rural 15-acre retirement property in Derry Township, while Mike Adams could face the prospect of seeing the timber he intends to use as a heat source for his neighboring home toppled by a utility company. They were among more...
Woman testifies about alleged rapes as retrial begins for Unity couple
A 25-year-old woman returned to the witness stand Wednesday, six years after she first testified about allegedly being raped and sexually assaulted when she was an adolescent. The woman testified before a Westmoreland County jury she was 12 when she was subjected weekly rapes and other sexual activity at the...
Animal welfare groups warn pausing city spay/neuter program will lead to more homeless cats
Jackie Cafaro works day and night to rescue cats left abandoned on Pittsburgh streets. She’s developed Catcalls Rescue, the nonprofit she co-founded in 2021, into an operation that saves, spays or neuters and puts up for adoption 40 to 60 cats a month — with the help of about 30...
Coming soon: Salina Bridge to be replaced, part of historic span to be kept for posterity
Replacement of the historic Salina Bridge that connects Bell and Kiski townships will cost $33 million. The apparent low bidder for the project was Mekis Construction Corp. based in Fenelton, according to PennDOT. Project manager Troy Pritts said he expects construction to start by spring. The price tag includes additional...
Therapist acquitted in case involving boy with autism at Greensburg day care
Tonya Piper said she will not return to her career caring for special needs children even after a jury found her not guilty of an alleged assault against a boy with autism. Piper, 52, of New Stanton was emotional after the verdict was returned Wednesday and said she was grateful...
Derry to consider 2-year pause before revisiting future of disbanded K-9 program
Derry council is expected to consider a two-year moratorium on any revival of the borough’s police dog program, which was disbanded in October following the August euthanization of its police dog, Smoke. In addition to the moratorium, council Tuesday will consider allowing a privately funded memorial stone for Smoke at...
Westmoreland happenings: Turkey dinner, Senior Citizen news, bingos, more
Church News • Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1120 Harvey Ave., Greensburg, will have worship services Wednesdays from Feb. 14 (Ash Wednesday) through March 20 at the church. Fellowship will begin at 6 p.m. and the service will be at 7 p.m. Sunday services are 9:30 a.m. Details: 724-837-3540 or wpcgreensburg.org. •...
Greater Latrobe student business creates apparel and signs, from design to delivery
Isabella DiCecca has a super-tight deadline on an order to create a T-shirt for a fellow Taylor Swift fan. The Greater Latrobe junior began her week using a laptop to piece together design elements for a shirt celebrating the Feb. 11 Super Bowl appearance of Swift’s boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs...
Starbucks planned in East Huntingdon
The Starbucks coffee chain is preparing to open a drive-through location in East Huntingdon. Earth-moving has begun at the site along Bessemer Road, between Route 119 and a GetGo convenience store. “Starbucks is always looking for great locations to better meet the needs of our customers,” a company spokesperson said....
How do you stop a muskrat from boring through a dike? Mow the grass
Something needs to be done to stop muskrat from boring holes into the dikes at a mine drainage treatment site in Mt. Pleasant Township. The holes can cause polluted water to foul Sewickley Creek, according to a member of the group that works to protect the area’s watershed. If the...
Cupid’s Chase 5K set for Latrobe, benefits area adults with disabilities
Participants will have their hearts into running a 5K race set for Saturday in Latrobe. The annual Cupid’s Chase will kick off at 10 a.m. at Memorial Stadium, raising funds for Community Options, a nonprofit that provides support and services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Westmoreland and...
Trial begins for therapist charged with assault of autistic boy
Cassandra Colligan testified she knew almost immediately a 4-year-old autistic boy was mistreated while attending a Greensburg daycare in 2022. Colligan, a speech therapist for the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit told jurors Tuesday she watched as behavioral health therapist Tonya Piper violently slammed a child into a chair and up against...
Environmentalists, natural gas drillers’ group divided on transparency on fracking fluid disclosures
An area environmental organization sees Pennsylvania’s new requirement that natural gas drillers reveal the chemicals in fracking fluids earlier in the drilling process as “long overdue.” A trade group says the industry has been transparent about what it pumps into the ground. ”This gives people a chance to know what...
Westmoreland commissioners OK road trips for public meetings
The Westmoreland County commissioners are heading out into the countryside. Commissioners announced Tuesday they will conduct three public meetings outside of the Westmoreland County Courthouse this spring and summer. “We’ll, hopefully, have the public there,” Commissioner Sean Kertes said. Here are the locations, times and dates: • The activity center...
Herminie man jailed on sex assault, related charges
A Herminie man remains behind bars on charges that he sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl several times in 2022, according to court papers. John M. Risher III, 20, was jailed last week on $500,000 bail. State police troopers said the girl reported Risher sexually assaulted her in September and October...
Latrobe merchants plan ‘Sweet Night’ as monthly Shop Hop events resume
Several Latrobe merchants are planning “A Sweet Night Out” for visitors Wednesday evening as the city’s downtown business community begins another year of monthly Shop Hop Night events. Given the relatively mild weather forecast for this first full week of February, with daytime highs moving into the 50s, organizer Emily...
Opioid settlement money is supposed to expand syringe services; Pa. nonprofit lost $150K because of them
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. BOLIVAR — Kim Botteicher decided to speak out about her work offering syringe services in Westmoreland County, hoping to prompt change that she believes would...
Arnold teen charged with fatal New Kensington shooting pleads guilty to lesser charge
Westmoreland County prosecutors on Monday dismissed homicide charges against an Arnold man in the fatal shooting of a man at a New Kensington apartment building in July 2022. Jonathan Felder, 19, pleaded guilty to one lesser count of conspiracy to commit robbery. He was one of seven youths charged in...
Ligonier Valley police officer to provide security at Ligonier power line meeting
An officer from the Ligonier Valley Police Department will provide security at a public meeting FirstEnergy has set for Wednesday in Ligonier Township. The meeting concerns the utility company’s proposed new power line between Derry and Ligonier. The Ligonier Valley Police Commission on Monday approved an agreement with FirstEnergy to...
Former Greensburg Salem, Saint Vincent educator to showcase paintings at Greensburg library
Al Sanfilippo has always been interested in art. But it wasn’t until his retirement from a 50-year career in education that he started exploring his artistic ability at the Greensburg Art Center in Hempfield. About nine years later, Sanfilippo’s artwork is on display until mid-March at the Greensburg-Hempfield Area Library...
Police seek identification of woman after theft at Hempfield Walmart
State police are seeking the public’s help to identify a woman who took $200 worth of merchandise from the Walmart store in Hempfield. Trooper Steve Limani said the woman took 17 items Sunday around 1:45 p.m. from the Greengate Centre store. Investigators on Monday released surveillance images of her pushing...
New Greensburg Central Catholic principal aims to ‘be a part of moving it into the future’
For Theresa Szmed, the past month has been all about listening. Szmed was hired as principal for Greensburg Central Catholic Junior-Senior High School in November and took the reins in January, with assistance from interim Principal Sharyn Zalno. “It’s been a fantastic adventure, and it’s been overall positive,” said Szmed,...
Community celebrates Scottdale’s 150th anniversary at West Overton Village
Scottdale sure knows how to throw a party. Townsfolk and other revelers celebrated Scottdale’s 150th anniversary Sunday, hailing it as a borough that has evolved from its roots as an industrial center at the southern tip of Westmoreland County. “I think that it’s important for people to take pride in...
Unity fire damages home but no injuries reported
Firefighters were on the scene of a house fire in Unity for a few hours Sunday afternoon. A home on Second Street in the village of Hostetter was damaged in the blaze. A Westmoreland 911 dispatch supervisor said the fire call came in around 2 p.m. Fire officials told TribLive...
Referee who died at game remembered as sports-loving man who enjoyed sports, coaching children
The quiet time driving to refereeing assignments at Friday night high school football games was when brothers Mike and Dave Roebuck could catch up. Their conversations often turned to sports and their families — the two subjects were so intertwined, recalled Dave Roebuck of West Newton. In addition to being...
