Westmoreland category, Page 649
Westmoreland County man dies following motorcycle crash in Somerset last month
A Westmoreland County man died following a motorcycle crash last month in Somerset County. William Riley, 77, of Mt. Pleasant died Sunday at the Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center in Johnstown, according to Cambria County Coroner Jeff Lees. On May 24, Riley was driving along Edie Road in Jefferson Township, Somerset...
Housing authority to pay Latrobe police for extra coverage at apartments, townhouses
Latrobe police will begin extra patrols at Westmoreland County Housing Authority facilities in the city this week through an agreement with the authority. Under the agreement, approved Monday by city council, the authority will tap grant funding to pay for the extra coverage at two high-rise buildings on Jefferson Street...
Norwin OKs tax hike by 5-4 vote
Norwin School District property owners will see a 2.9% increase in real estates taxes after the board board Monday narrowly approved the spending plan for the district. By a 5-4 vote, the board OK’d a $76.93 million budget that will increase property taxes in North Huntingdon, North Irwin and Irwin...
Greensburg man gets house arrest, probation in child porn case
A Greensburg man will serve seven years on probation for possession of child pornography police said he solicited from young girls last year. Joshua Bittner, 21, pleaded guilty to eight felony counts in connection with an investigation in which two girls, ages 10 and 11, told police that a 12-year-old...
House arrest for Ligonier woman who stole jewelry from clients
Claudia Narcisi told a Westmoreland County judge on Monday she wasn’t sure what troubled her the most, the loss of irreplaceable family heirlooms or that she initially blamed another person before she learned a year later that the woman she hired to paint rooms in her Hempfield home had absconded...
Overdoses continue to drop in Westmoreland, but traffic deaths jump 50%
Westmoreland County Coroner Ken Bacha’s 2019 annual report released Monday showed an expected decline in drug overdose deaths for the second consecutive year, but it also disclosed a dramatic 50% increase in traffic fatalities. The local traffic deaths, which jumped from from 18 in 2018 to to 27 in 2019,...
West Newton police, street department closed after officer tests positive for covid-19Video
The West Newton police and street departments are shut down and employees are in quarantine after a part-time officer tested positive last week for covid-19. Mayor Mary Popovich said Monday officials don’t believe there is a widespread outbreak of the virus in West Newton but borough officials decided to close...
Pitt-Greensburg art show welcomes artists of all skill levels
Amateur and professional artists are invited to submit work for the fourth annual Art Show @ Pitt-Greensburg, taking place Sept. 25-Oct. 8 in conjunction with the 2020 Blue & Gold Celebration at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg. The exhibit will be available for viewing during normal operating hours at...
Police: Unity man arrested after threatening woman with hatchet
A Unity man was arrested on multiple assault charges after allegedly threatening his girlfriend with a hatchet Saturday, state police said. Joshua L. Poole, 39, was arrested on charges of aggravated assault, simple assault, terroristic threats and harassment after the 5:15 p.m. incident on the 300 block of Allegheny Avenue....
State officials: 2 more coronavirus cases in Westmoreland, no new deaths
Westmoreland County on Monday reported two new covid-19 cases, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases to 461, according to Pennsylvania health officials. No new deaths from the virus were reported. State officials continued to report 38 deaths in Westmoreland, while county coroner Kenneth Bacha reports 32 deaths as of...
New indictment filed against Unity man linked to disappearance of Cassandra Gross
A Unity man linked to the disappearance of Cassandra Gross has been indicted on charges of having a sawed-off rifle in Potter County nearly two years ago. The serial number on the .22-caliber rifle had been removed and the firearm was not registered to Thomas George Stanko, 49, according to...
Contractor: All but 4 Sloan Elementary classrooms will be ready for 2020-21 school year
Construction officials for Franklin Regional’s Sloan Elementary project anticipate that all but four classrooms will be ready in time for the start of the 2020-21 school year. “The majority of the classrooms will be completed, with the exception of the additional kindergarten classrooms on the far right side of the...
1 injured in crash on Route 22 in Derry Township
A person was flown to the hospital after a two-vehicle crash on Route 22 in Derry Township Monday, according to Westmoreland 911. The crash between a car and a tri-axle truck happened around 6:15 a.m, according to 911. A medical helicopter used the nearby Jonnet Flea Market as a landing...
Westmoreland government offices reopen Monday
Most Westmoreland County government offices reopen to the public today. Many restrictions enacted in late March to help control the coronavirus pandemic will be lifted to allow more government functions to operate as normal while still adhering to safety guidelines such as social distancing among staff and courthouse visitors. “Our...
Westmoreland Fair officially canceled because of coronavirus restrictions
For the first time in 65 years, the Westmoreland Fair has been canceled, said fair President Craig Lash. Restrictions put in place to help curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic made it “impossible” to host the event, Lash said. The restrictions would have included limiting the number of guests...
Medics, firefighters revive girl, 5, found unresponsive in Mt. Pleasant Township pool
A 5-year-old girl was recovering Monday after being found unresponsive in a Mt. Pleasant Township pool Sunday afternoon, according to Hecla Fire Chief Steve Howell. The girl was revived at about 2:45 p.m. when CPR was performed by firefighters and medics. She was flown by medical helicopter to UPMC Children’s...
Only surviving injured calf from turnpike crash heads to Beaver County rescue ranchVideo
It’s a good thing cows can’t speak English. If they did, Ribeye the calf might be a lot more worried about what his name means for his future. But the 3-month-old Holstein — one of 135 bull calves involved in a March 3 truck crash on the turnpike — has...
Westmoreland County adds 2 new covid-19 cases, no new deaths
Westmoreland County on Sunday reported two new covid-19 cases, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases to 459, according to Pennsylvania health officials. No new deaths from the virus were reported. Westmoreland County is one of the counties that shifted into the green phase of Gov. Tom Wolf’s phased reopening...
Police: Sewickley Township man killed in South Huntingdon shootout, 1 hurtVideo
A bonfire get-together in South Huntingdon on Saturday night turned into a shootout that killed a Sewickley Township man early Sunday, according to state police. David J. Hoffman, 44, was fatally shot in the 200 block of Mendon Road around 3 a.m. Sunday. He had multiple gunshot wounds and an...
Jeannette, Irwin racism protests peaceful, well-attendedVideo
Allyson Dinsmore of Unity had reservations about throwing her support behind her father Ron’s idea: to hold a rally in downtown Jeannette calling for justice for George Floyd. “As a white woman, I wasn’t sure if it was my place to ask for people to come out in support,” she...
Greensburg Salem students and parents try to stop band cuts
A group of Greensburg Salem School District students and parents is trying to prevent district leaders from making cuts to the music program. “We love these programs. They mean the world to us,” said Ryann Shirey, who just finished her sophomore year at Greensburg Salem High School. She’s been involved...
Westmoreland County adds 1 new coronavirus case, no deaths
Westmoreland County reported one new coronavirus case and no new deaths Saturday. This leaves the total number of deaths at 38 and raises the number of cases to 457 countywide. Coroner Ken Bacha is reporting 32 deaths occurred in the county. That tally has not changed since May 7 as...
Norwin student linking mask users, makers
A Norwin High School student’s community service project connects mask users with area crafters willing to make them. Lydia Berger, who will be a senior, said she came up with the idea for the covid-19 mask initiative days after the governor’s stay-at-home order went into effect in March. ”I was...
Nobody hurt in Hempfield house fire
Nobody was injured in a Hempfield garage fire Friday evening, according to the Adamsburg Volunteer Fire Department. The fire started in an attic space above the garage of the Wendel Road home shortly after 5 p.m. The home is located across the street from West Hempfield Elementary School. One woman...
Smithton, Scottdale surveyed for non-motorized transportation plan
Online surveys will allow residents of Smithton and Scottdale to provide input for potential improvements to support walking, bicycling and other non-motorized modes of transportation in the communities. The surveys, available through June 30 at smithtonboro.us and scottdaleborough.com, will be used in developing an Active Transportation Plan and a Complete...
