Westmoreland category, Page 765
Jeannette man guilty of selling drugs that killed his brother
A Jeannette man was found guilty Thursday of selling the drugs his younger brother used just prior to his overdose death in Greensburg in late 2016. Westmoreland County jurors deliberated nearly five hours before they found Markus McGowan, 31, guilty of one felony count of drug delivery resulting in death....
Driller, public health consultant debate correlation-versus-causation at fracking hearing
Laura Dagley, a medical advocacy coordinator with Physicians for Social Responsibility’s Pennsylvania branch, could not say hydraulic fracturing operations directly cause negative health effects on nearby residents. But she said it is difficult to ignore the strong correlation that many studies have shown between a fracking operation’s arrival and an...
Families clash outside Greensburg courthouse as Arnold child rape trial starts
Greensburg police Thursday responded to a melee that erupted in front of the Westmoreland County Courthouse to separate families involved in an ongoing rape trial. Officials said no arrests were made and testimony in the case against Delonte Haynes continued after Common Pleas Judge Rita Hathaway questioned each juror about...
New leaders seek to build on Salvation Army programs in Greensburg
Growing up in Tiffin, Ohio, Ashley Luzader remembers attending the local Salvation Army with her great-grandmother. “I would spend the night at her house on Saturday night … and go to church with her the next day,” she said. “I tried other churches, but I never felt at home.” Today,...
Murrysville concert to revive spirit of late ’60s with a celebration of Woodstock
Fifty years ago, a half-million people gathered on a farm in Bethel, N.Y., for an event billed as “3 Days of Peace & Music.” The Woodstock Music & Art Fair, held Aug. 15-17, 1969, holds a special place among the cultural events that shaped America. University of Pittsburgh senior lecturer...
Irwin promotes assistant manager to top spot
After interviewing several candidates over the past month to be Irwin Borough’s manager, council opted to remain in-house when selecting the town’s top administrator. Shari Martino, who has been the acting manager since Valerie Morton left the position June 25, was hired as manager Wednesday by a unanimous vote. Martino...
Game Commission proposal to ban feeding deer, turkeys draws interest
A Pennsylvania Game Commission proposal to ban feeding big game animals in the state is generating plenty of interest among hunters, if Wednesday night’s open house in Delmont is any indication. Nearly 40 people, many of them hunters, attended the open house at the Delmont Volunteer Fire Department to inquire...
Free photo workshop planned for high school students at Hanna’s Town
Area high school students can brush up on photography skills during a two-day workshop later this month at Historic Hanna’s Town. Led by Westmoreland Photographers Society President Brian Kloock, the workshop will provide a hands-on learning experience focused on creating, processing and exhibiting photographs. The Westmoreland Photographers Society, will present...
Route 31 shift will allow eastbound traffic to bypass intersection at Donegal
PennDOT plans Monday to shift motorists onto a new Route 31 alignment at Donegal that features an improved intersection at Route 711, with a new traffic signal and turning lanes. The new continuous “T” intersection will allow those driving east on Route 31 to continue unimpeded, using a through lane...
Police: Mother, 2 daughters made $250K in personal purchases on Washington County company’s credit card
A Scottdale woman and her two daughters are accused of making $250,000 worth of unapproved purchases with a Washington County-based company’s credit cards, according to court papers. Laurie Renee Christ, 52, and her daughters, Amanda Renae Christ, 30, of Jeannette, and Lyndsey Nicole Christ, 31, of Armstrong Township, Indiana County,...
Jeannette man testifies he ‘would never give anything to my brother,’ who died of overdose
Markus McGowan insisted Wednesday he did not sell the drugs that his younger brother used in fatal overdose in late 2016. McGowan testified during the second day of his trial on a charge that he sold a fatal dose of fentanyl to his brother. He said he discovered what he...
Bikers provide support to girl at Westmoreland court hearing
A girl facing the man she claims sexually assaulted her had a few unlikely friends in a Westmoreland County courtroom Wednesday — four motorcyclists. The group, wearing vests with Bikers Against Child Abuse patches, sat in district court with the girl and her family awaiting a preliminary hearing that never...
Assumption celebration to include Mass, procession, rosary prayers
Catholics from the Diocese of Greensburg will gather on Aug. 15 for the annual Mass and candlelight procession for the feast of the Assumption. Greensburg Bishop Edward C. Malesic will celebrate the Mass at 7 p.m. at St. Joseph Chapel, Christ Our Shepherd Center. The candlelight procession will follow. Participants...
Judge clears Scottdale woman accused of endangering Vietnam vet
A reckless endangerment charge was dismissed Wednesday against the owner of a Scottdale personal care home who had been accused of letting a Vietnam veteran walk from her facility to the New Stanton area. District Judge Charles Moore ruled that Leah C. Ilgenfritz, 80, shouldn’t be held criminally responsible because...
Former Mt. Pleasant police chief sues borough over firing
Mt. Pleasant’s former police chief filed a federal lawsuit this week claiming that he was fired after defying instructions from officials to ignore what he described as “wrongdoing” on the borough’s part. Douglas Sam, 52, of Mt. Pleasant Township, made several claims in the suit against the borough, including that...
Westmoreland Arts & Heritage Festival ranks high for vendor profit
The Westmoreland Arts & Heritage Festival has been ranked as the nation’s 15th most profitable classic and contemporary craft show for 2018 by “Sunshine Artist” magazine, a leading publication for art and craft show exhibitors, promoters and patrons. The magazine’s 27th annual “200 Best” list, released today, says it was...
Goats munching on Norwin hillside brush
Seven goats are munching on the hillside above the Norwin Knights Stadium, chewing away at the overgrown weeds and brush on a steep slope above the bleachers. ”This is a great way of getting rid of invasive (plant) species. They can go where the (mowing) equipment and people can’t go,”...
Penn Irwin Motel site slated for development
A North Huntingdon developer wants to put retail shops at the site of the old Penn Irwin Motel along Route 30. Donald Tarosky Jr., a partner in Colony of Irwin, told North Huntingdon officials this week he intends to develop the old motel property in the same way a California...
Greensburg’s Pride in the Park Picnic welcomes all
Jean Slusser, president of PFLAG — Parents, Friends and Families of Lesbians and Gays — Greensburg welcomes anyone to the annual Pride in the Park Picnic. Slusser is a founding member of the group and of Westmoreland LGBTQ Interfaith Network, co-hosts of the picnic from 2-6 p.m. Aug. 18 at...
Export officials review timbering plan for Murrysville property
Before Export officials begin selectively timbering property the borough owns in Murrysville, they want to make sure they are getting enough bang for their buck. The financial benefits of starting a timber management program on the borough’s roughly 74-acre property on Borland Farm Road have been called into question. The...
Latrobe Night Out opens eyes to local policing methods, impaired driving hazardsVideo
Latrobe-area residents took a ride on a Fatal Vision roadster and saw how a K-9 officer takes a bite out of crime Tuesday evening at a National Night Out outreach event organized by the city’s police department. Firefighting equipment also was on display, as well as Army vehicles and a...
Attorney for Jeannette man accused in selling drugs that killed brother questions police investigation
The attorney for a Jeannette man on trial accused of selling a fatal dose of fentanyl to his brother in late 2016 suggested in court Tuesday his client’s stunned acknowledgement of a police inquiry was not a confession. Defense attorney Brian Aston, in his opening statement, told jurors the arrest...
Deferred repairs, budget cuts threaten Keystone, other state parks, officials sayVideo
If the Pennsylvania state budget were a dollar, the budget for the entire state park and forest system would be about half a penny. Marci Mowery, president of the Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation, used that example Tuesday to illustrate infrastructure and maintenance needs confronting the state Department of Conservation...
Jeannette, Penn Twp., North Huntingdon areas under boil water advisory
About 3,500 residents in the Jeannette, Penn Township and North Huntingdon areas are under a boil-water advisory. Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County officials said Tuesday afternoon a water line break near 13th Street in Jeannette has left some customers with low water pressure or without service. Officials said a 36-inch...
Suicide suspected in Interstate 70 crash, bridge jump
A man who jumped off the Smithton Bridge on Monday likely committed suicide, according to Westmoreland County Coroner Ken Bacha. At 2:40 p.m., Brian Hayden, 39, of Monessen crashed a car he was driving westbound into a barrier on the bridge that carries Interstate 70 over the Youghiogheny River between...
