Renatta Signorini stories, Page 115
Hazard pay approved for Westmoreland election workers
Employees at the Westmoreland County Elections Bureau and others who helped with the election this month are set to get about a month’s worth of hazard pay. The county commissioners on Tuesday approved the move that will be effective for 65 employees from Oct. 28 to Monday. Bureau director JoAnn...
Westmoreland plans $345M budget for 2021 without increasing taxes
Westmoreland County commissioners still have to go through each line item in the proposed 2021 budget, but it doesn’t appear they will seek more revenue from property owners. “There is no tax increase,” Commissioner Sean Kertes said. The board on Tuesday approved a $345 million preliminary spending plan. Finance director...
Westmoreland judge tosses more than 200 ballots elections board wanted counted
A Westmoreland County judge ruled Monday that 46 provisional ballots be counted after voters provided testimony to the board of elections that they did not vote on machines at their polling places despite signing a poll book. But another 204 ballots must be tossed out because the board didn’t do...
Derry man died after crashing while suffering medical emergency
A Derry man died Saturday after crashing on Route 217 while suffering a medical emergency, according to authorities. John Albert Eckert, 62, was driving in Derry Township just before noon when state police said his vehicle traveled off the road and hit a tree near Lois Lane. Police said Eckert...
Police charge Munhall man with vandalizing a district court office in Baldwin
A Munhall man is facing a preliminary hearing in January after police said he vandalized a district court office in Baldwin last week. Kevin John Kiley, 25, is charged with institutional vandalism, criminal mischief and obstruction. Baldwin police and Allegheny County chief deputy court administrator Angharad Stock said two other...
Drugs, $4K seized from Jeannette home, 1 arrested
An Arona man is behind bars after police said Wednesday they found heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and nearly $4,000 inside a safe at a Jeannette house. Jair Deshawn Robinson, 28, who also has a McKeesport address, is charged with several drug offenses. Jeannette and Penn Township police, along with state agents...
Jeannette schools will hold 2 days of virtual learning after Thanksgiving break
Jeannette School District students will have two remote learning days after the Thanksgiving holiday in what school district officials said is an effort to reduce the potential exposure of the coronavirus. Students will resume classes Dec. 1 and 2 with remote learning both days after a fall break. In-person classes...
Almost 7 pounds of suspected cocaine seized during Pa. Turnpike traffic stop in Hempfield
A Detroit man is being held in the Westmoreland County Prison after state police said they found almost seven pounds of suspected cocaine hidden in his car, according to court papers. Kenneth Johnson, 36, is charged with two drug offenses. A trooper was patrolling the Pennsylvania Turnpike Monday afternoon in...
Man accused of climbing atop tractor-trailer in New Stanton during high winds, firing trooper’s Taser
As heavy winds and rain swept across the region Sunday night, state police were called to investigate a disturbance of a man dancing atop a parked tractor-trailer in New Stanton. Troopers arrived after 8 p.m. at the Budget in on East Byers Avenue to see a person later identified as...
Indiana jail guard, inmate indicted on cell phone smuggling charges
A corrections officer and inmate at the Indiana County Jail have been indicted in connection with what federal prosecutors described as a scheme to smuggle cell phones into the lockup. The indictments against Alex Lewis, 25, formerly of Home, and Rashon Richardson, 30, were unsealed Monday. A grand jury found...
Police: Hempfield man robbed woman of $1,900, kicked trooper in face
A Hempfield man was jailed Monday after state police said he robbed a woman and kicked a trooper in the face, according to court papers. Andre James Sanders, 41, is charged with aggravated assault, robbery, theft, obstructing emergency services, public drunkenness and related offenses in connection with the Sunday morning...
South Greensburg company seeking shelters, food kitchens for coronavirus protection kit donations
A South Greensburg-based company that is directing coronavirus safety kits to school districts around the country is hoping to do the same for food kitchens and shelters for the homeless and women. AssetGenie will donate kits to shelters and food kitchens that have the greatest need, spokeswoman Jessica Szakos said....
Jeannette officials OK preliminary budget with no tax hike
A tentative 2021 budget calls for Jeannette to pay back $100,000 to its capital reserve account next year after the money was needed to make it through 2020, according to Michelle Langdon chief fiscal officer. The $5.5 million preliminary spending plan, approved unanimously by council Thursday, holds the line on...
Greensburg YMCA cited for child care violations; 3 workers fired
The Greensburg YMCA’s child care center was cited recently by the state Department of Human Services after a complaint investigation. Department spokeswoman Erin James said the South Maple Avenue center was cited for violating child care regulations related to physical discipline, harsh language and ridicule or threat of harm. Three...
Trump supporters to rally in D.C. against voter fraud; evidence has yet to materialize
Len Young remembers the inspiration he felt a decade ago during a Tea Party rally in Washington, D.C. The Monroeville resident said he hopes to replicate that experience Saturday in the same place, this time in support of President Trump, other state and federal races and “real discovery of fraudulent...
2 men arrested in Southwest Greensburg on illegal gun charges
Two men are being held without bond in the Westmoreland County Prison on weapons violations after police said they were found illegally in possession of guns in a Southwest Greensburg home. Jamie Rayques Espy, 32, of Southwest Greensburg, and Kyra Malik Seifullah, 21, of Warren, Ohio, were charged this week...
Jeannette aims to demolish 4 blighted homes
The tall brush, broken windows and loitering at four abandoned West Jeannette homes soon will be a memory. City council unanimously approved on Thursday spending $34,500 to demolish four blighted buildings on an otherwise well-kept street. The South 12th Street homes have been targets of break-ins recently after a Murrysville...
St. Vincent de Paul readies new Jeannette store for opening next weekVideo
The clothing racks are filling in and items are being priced for sale — the St. Vincent de Paul thrift store’s new Jeannette location is getting ready to reopen. After more than 10 months of being closed when the faith-based nonprofit was forced out of its Clay Avenue location in...
Westmoreland Intermediate Unit sends 1,000 backpacks of supplies to students in Western Pa.
One thousand homeless students across Western Pennsylvania will be delivered some kindness next week courtesy of Westmoreland County. Stuffed in each of 1,000 backpacks are toiletries, school supplies, a blanket and a note card asking the student to pay it forward. The Westmoreland Intermediate Unit collected about $25,000 worth of...
Latrobe counselor accused of paying teen girl to see nude photos
Police arrested a Latrobe therapist on accusations he paid a girl he was counseling in order to see nude photographs of her, according to court papers. Gregory Patrick Miscik, 59, of Salem, was charged Friday with trafficking, sexual abuse of children, child pornography, corruption of minors, indecent assault and harassment....
Cause of Jeannette fire difficult to pinpoint due to building’s condition
A fire that destroyed a downtown Jeannette building originated on the first floor, but investigators were still working Monday to determine how it started. Firefighters and state police fire marshals visited the Clay Avenue building Monday morning. Fire Chief Bill Frye said a partial collapse near where the blaze originated...
Incumbent U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb retains 17th House District seat
Three days after he declared victory, U.S. Rep Conor Lamb appears to have won re-election in Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District in a tight race with his Republican challenger. The Associated Press called the race Saturday morning in Lamb’s favor over Sean Parnell. Around noon, Lamb expressed gratitude on his Twitter...
Amid increased usage during pandemic, graffiti, trash plague Ohiopyle State Park
Graffiti is back again at Ohiopyle State Park. Volunteers and park staff spent Thursday cleaning up spray painted political messages, obscenities, drawings of genitalia and personal notes from bridge abutments in two parts of the park, said naturalist Barbara Wallace. Graffiti was found on a new abutment constructed this year...
Toys for Tots annual Westmoreland train collection hopes for a big haul this yearVideo
Railcar enthusiasts plan to do their part this year to help get toys under Christmas trees for children in need. The annual 40-mile caravan collecting items for Toys for Tots along the Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad line from East Huntingdon to Hempfield will take place Nov. 14. “It’s more important than...
Jeannette man held without bond on drug charges
A Jeannette man was arraigned Thursday after police reported finding a large amount of cocaine and a drug packaging station in a house where he lived, according to court papers. Michael Anthony Dewberry, 33, was being held in the Westmoreland County Prison without bond. Agents from the state attorney general’s...
