Renatta Signorini stories, Page 157
Cops: Hempfield man inappropriately touched young girl
State police arrested an elderly Hempfield man on Wednesday on allegations that he molested a girl over five years, starting in 2008. Charles Donald Howard, 84, is charged with aggravated indecent assault. Troopers said in court papers that they received a ChildLine report about the allegations, which the accuser said...
Suspended nurse practitioner accused of continuing to prescribe medications
A nurse practitioner is accused by federal authorities of practicing medicine and writing prescriptions after his license was suspended, according to a news release. Larry J. Goisse Jr., 34, who owns Prime Psychiatric Care at two Allegheny County locations, was indicted this week by a federal grand jury on 294...
Youngwood man convicted of disorderly conduct for yelling at sheriff’s deputiesVideo
A Youngwood man was found guilty of a summary disorderly conduct offense Wednesday for yelling at Westmoreland County sheriff’s deputies who were near his home in October. Fredrick G. Brandt, 61, was acquitted of a harassment accusation during a summary trial. He has three days to appeal the ruling. Brandt...
Residents asked to check surveillance cameras after vehicle break-ins in Murrysville
Murrysville police are asking residents in and around Heritage Estates who have surveillance cameras to check them after several reported thefts and attempted thefts from vehicles. Police said in a Facebook post that Tuesday footage should be checked from midnight to 3:45 a.m. The incidents were reported on Harvest Drive...
Sunday Mass in Oakland set for those struggling with addiction
A Mass on Sunday in Oakland will kick off the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh’s new Addiction Recovery Ministry. The service will be for those with an addiction, others in recovery and their families and friends. The Mass will begin at 2:30 p.m. at St. Paul Cathedral on North Dithridge Street....
Police: Derry Township man raped, choked Ligonier Township woman
A Derry Township man allegedly choked a Ligonier Township woman while raping her in September, according to court papers. Khachek Alexan Hamerski, 26, was arrested Wednesday on charges of rape, sexual assault, strangulation and related offenses. Police said Hamerski went to his accuser’s home on Sept. 7 at 4:30 a.m....
Amphitheater being built in downtown Jeannette
Three years after a fire destroyed a vacant three-story building in the heart of downtown Jeannette, the now-empty lot will rise again as an amphitheater. Construction on the project should be completed this summer, said Tay Waltenbaugh, director of Westmoreland Community Action. “I think that’s a great attraction for the...
2 teens hurt in Braddock shooting
Two teenagers were shot late Monday night in a shooting in Braddock, according to Allegheny County police. Investigators and medics were called at 11:41 p.m. to the 500 block of Mills Avenue and found the victims, ages 17 and 18, with gunshot wounds. Police said the teens, who were together...
Coroner: Woman died from natural causes after becoming unresponsive at Westmoreland jail
A Monessen woman who became unresponsive at the Westmoreland County Prison in November died of natural causes, according to the county coroner’s office. Ashlee Jackson, 35, died Nov. 25 at Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital, two days after she was found unresponsive in her cell. She had a medical condition, according...
Troopers looking for man, woman who stole credit cards from Panera customer
A man and woman slipped three credit cards out of a Greensburg woman’s purse last month at a Panera Bread location in Westmoreland County and bought two Apple laptop computers at Best Buy, according to state police. Troopers are looking for the suspects who they said sat behind the victim...
Role-playing group offers support for veterans
Veteran X isn’t a real person, but his problems are. He might have housing issues or a drug addiction. Maybe he isn’t sure how to get his discharge paperwork or health care. The solutions Veteran X finds to deal with situations like those are aimed at helping real veterans through...
Police: Greensburg company stiffed $25K on work done at Somerset County home
A Somerset County man is accused of using four laborers supplied by a Greensburg company for work at his home and failing to pay them. Joseph William Battisto, 56, owes the workers $25,424, according to police. He was arrested Monday evening. Authorities said Battisto in July contacted People Ready in...
Plum man accused of having, sharing child pornography
A Plum man was arrested Thursday after authorities reported finding child pornography videos and images on his computer, according to court papers. Antonio Raffale Pampena, 35, allegedly shared the files in December and January through a peer-to-peer network with an agent from the state attorney general’s office who is based...
What will Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction be?
If history is any indicator, Punxsutawney Phil will not foresee an early spring when he emerges from his burrow Saturday. Phil has predicted six more weeks of winter 104 times since 1887, records show. The furry forecaster has called for an early arrival of spring just 18 times, most recently...
10 escape mobile home fire in Sewickley Township
A family of 10 escaped a fire early Thursday that destroyed their Sewickley Township mobile home. The structure on Finch Lane was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived at Sewickley Pines Manor after the call at 3:42 a.m., Hutchinson Fire Capt. Frank Sever Jr. said. It took about 90 minutes...
Police: Greensburg man fought with agents while they investigated his son for child porn
A Greensburg father and son were arrested Tuesday during a child pornography investigation by agents from the state Attorney General’s Office. Joshua Walker Bittner, 20, is accused of contacting young girls through Instagram and requesting nude photographs of them. Authorities found at least 14 images of child pornography on a...
Jeannette seeking donations for new holidays light fixtures for Clay Avenue
Jeannette is accepting donations for the purchase of new holiday light fixtures to decorate Clay Avenue. Two types of light bulbs will be purchased — warm white and red, white and blue — so the fixtures can be used for Christmas and patriotic holidays. The larger fixture is about 7...
Police: Trafford man intimidated victim by calling her 157 times after assault arrest
A Trafford man is being held without bail after police said he made 157 phone calls to a woman who he previously was arrested for assaulting. Authorities said Nigel Christopher Hogan, 29, threatened the woman on Sunday to not testify against him at a hearing today or “she would regret...
These places will be surprisingly warmer than Pittsburgh this week
Yes, Pittsburgh, it’s going to be cold mid-week. But there are plenty of cities elsewhere in the world that will make Western Pennsylvania look like a frozen tundra Wednesday and Thursday. The National Weather Service predicts the high temperature Wednesday will be 7 degrees with wind chills as low as...
2 Leechburg residents accused of trying to pick lock at Armstrong methadone clinic
Two Leechburg residents are behind bars after, state police say, they tried to break into a Parks Township methadone clinic Saturday morning. Richard Samuel Thomas, 37, and Natalie Nicole Milanak, 36, face felony charges of burglary and attempted burglary, and misdemeanor charges of trespassing and criminal mischief. They remained at...
Madison wife, mother, PNC employee enjoyed bringing family together
Lynn Rich caught the eye of her future husband while working as a teller at a PNC Bank branch in Mt. Pleasant. She was stunning, Ronald Rich Sr. said. “I saw her there and I asked her for a date, and she said, ‘I really don’t know you,’ ” he...
Crews make repairs to historic Westmoreland County covered bridge
Editor’s note: Bells Mills Road and bridge reopened Tuesday. Crews worked Monday to repair parts of a historic covered bridge damaged recently in an apparent hit-and-run. Part of Bells Mills Road had been closed for several days. The damage on Bells Mills Bridge, which connects South Huntingdon and Sewickley townships,...
State police find 3rd meth manufacturing site in 8 days in Indiana County
For the third time in eight days, state troopers in Indiana County made arrests after finding items related to manufacturing methamphetamine. Troopers said they arrested two women and two men Saturday after finding two “one pot” labs in the trunk of a vehicle in the parking lot of the Walmart...
Police: Man accidentally shot himself in leg at Somerset Walmart
A 48-year-old Somerset man accidentally shot himself in the leg at a Walmart store in Somerset County over the weekend. State police said the victim was inside the Somerset Township store when his firearm accidentally discharged at 10:15 p.m. Saturday. A bullet hit him in the right calf, according to...
Diocese of Greensburg will use National Catholic School week to recruit for its 13 schools
Karen and Jake Stilley weren’t planning on sending their children to Catholic school. In fact, they moved to the area intending to send Julia, 10, and Tommy, 7, to public school. But they really liked the preschool Julia attended at Aquinas Academy Parochial School, and the Hempfield family has stuck...
