Renatta Signorini stories, Page 28
Woman killed in crash on Parkway West in Pittsburgh
A woman was killed and two others hurt in a one-vehicle crash overnight on the Parkway West in Pittsburgh, according to state police. Troopers said they believe the driver was impaired. An Infiniti car being driven by Jordan I. Bowyer, 23, of Pitcairn was speeding westbound on the highway around...
Convicted rapist, formerly of Greensburg, now accused of raping 3-year-old
A former Greensburg man who is serving a state prison sentence in a violent rape was arraigned Friday on new sexual assault accusations police said involved a 3-year-old child. Justin Owens Hall, 30, who is being held at SCI Smithfield, is accused of sexually assaulting the child at a Penn...
Sewickley Township man accused of threatening neighbor with knife pleads guilty
A Sewickley Township man who pleaded guilty this week to charging at his neighbor with a knife will be released from jail to inpatient treatment, according to a court order. Kurtis C. Baker, 33, pleaded guilty Wednesday to terroristic threats, criminal mischief and drug possession. He was sentenced to six...
Officials say plans to demolish former state prison in Hempfield are moving forward
Bids for the demolition of the former SCI Greensburg state prison could be sought by the end of the year. Hempfield officials may have to complete the project in phases, depending on how much funding is awarded, but Westmoreland County Industrial Development Corp. Executive Director Jason Rigone said he is...
Ligonier man suspected of involvement in disappearance of Amy Shipley found dead
A man authorities expected to arrest in connection with the disappearance of a Ligonier woman died Thursday from self-inflicted knife wounds at their home in Ligonier Borough, according to Westmoreland County Chief Detective Ron Zona. Roger A. Angelo Jr., 47, was found dead around 2 a.m. at the West Vincent...
Vaccines for flu, covid available as wastewater tests show high levels of virus
Updated vaccines for the flu and covid are available, and a Pittsburgh-based infectious disease physician is encouraging the use of an over-the-counter at-home test that can differentiate between the two viruses. A nasal swab with the at-home test can help those who are ill know what virus they have as...
Gilded Manos engraving revealed after 15 coats of paint stripped from Palace Theatre ticket booth
The intricate, decorative details of The Palace Theatre ticket booth were lost to 10 decades and 15 coats of paint. But now that the layers have been scraped away as part of a large restoration project in preparation for the Greensburg theater’s 100th anniversary, the old-time grandeur is visible once...
Duo sentenced to 4 to 10 years in 2023 Latrobe machete attack
Two men were sentenced to identical state prison terms Friday in connection with a Latrobe robbery during which one of them wielded a machete. Codi J. Barger, 30, and Marc A. Barger Jr., 34, both of Latrobe, were sentenced to four to 10 years in a state prison followed by...
Judge: 16-year-old Greensburg accused in violent armed robbery will be tried as an adult
A Westmoreland County judge ruled this week that a 16-year-old boy accused in what police described as a violent armed robbery will continue to be prosecuted in adult court. Judge Timothy Krieger wrote in a memorandum that Cayden Essway, 16, of Greensburg, seemed to be disingenuous and self-serving during brief...
Bids start at $100K for shuttered Jeannette Rite Aid
The former Rite Aid in Jeannette is up for auction later this month with a starting price of $100,000. City manager Ethan Keedy said he hopes that any bidder does their homework beforehand to know what kind of business the building could support and the condition it is in. He...
Chalfant woman accused of ramming vehicle twice on Route 30 in Greensburg
State police have an arrest warrant for an Allegheny County woman who is accused of ramming another motorist’s vehicle twice Thursday evening on Route 30 in Greensburg. The driver told investigators he believed the woman was trying to make him crash, according to court papers. Troopers charged Alyssa Catherine Cova,...
Fire that killed 5 members of Jeannette family remains under investigation, police chief says
A fire in Jeannette that killed five people earlier this year is still under investigation, Police Chief Derek Manley said Friday morning. State police fire marshal Trooper Chet Bell continues to work on his report to identify a cause in the March 20 blaze on Guy Street, Manley said. “We...
Defense expert will examine phones cited as evidence in Azuree Charles killing in New Kensington
Cellphones will be transported across the state so a defense expert can examine them in preparation for a New Kensington death penalty case, a Westmoreland County judge ruled Friday. The phones, which were seized by investigators as evidence against Jean J. Charles, 42, of Brackenridge, will be transported to Philadelphia...
Former agent with the state AG’s Office accused of stealing $174K
A former agent with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office is accused of stealing $121,000 from the agency’s North Huntingdon office, according to a criminal complaint filed Thursday by Westmoreland County detectives. Brenda D. Sawyer, 61, of North Versailles also is accused of stealing $52,650 from the McKeesport branch of the...
Greensburg settles on 5 projects to improve walking and cycling environment
Five priority projects to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists in Greensburg have been identified as part of an active transportation plan. But the improvements are likely years away. City council is expected to vote on the plan Monday, but some leg work, and funding, will be needed to put...
Mother of Cassandra Gross organizing search related to disappearance
Kathe Gross is planning a search Sept. 14 in Unity related to the 2018 disappearance of her daughter Cassandra. She declined to say what searchers will be tasked with looking for but asked anyone interested in participating to wear boots and bring bottled water and a metal detector, if they...
Resident charged after stabbing incident in Hempfield Towers elevator
A state trooper wrapped a tourniquet around the bleeding leg of a man at Hempfield Towers Sunday after a reported stabbing in an elevator, according to court papers. The wounded man was taken by ambulance to a hospital for treatment, police said. Troopers took Timothy Paul Wetzel, 30, who is...
FEMA ponies up $524K for North Irwin fire truck
It’s taken five years of trying for North Irwin firefighters to be awarded a hefty federal grant — $524,000 — for a new fire engine. “They’re very difficult to get,” said fire Chief Glenn Geiger. Now, it’ll likely be another three years before they can get that new truck on...
Hempfield addressing speed, safety issues on Fosterville Road
Turn onto Fosterville Road near Hempfield Area High School on Route 136 and you’ll find yourself among well kept homes in a heavily residential area. The speed limit is 25 mph, but that’s often not followed, said resident Dan Laskey. “They’re going too fast,” he said. There are plenty of...
North Huntingdon man charged in opiate prescription scheme
A week after a Penn Township man pleaded guilty to writing fake prescriptions for thousands of opiate pills, police charged a second man who they said was involved in the scheme. Curtis A. Stewart, 55, of North Huntingdon, was charged Thursday with acquisition by misrepresentation, forgery, identity theft, criminal use...
Driver in bulletproof vest attempts to flee police after drug bust in Murrysville
A Pittsburgh man was wearing a bulletproof vest when Murrysville police said he led them on a chase Wednesday afternoon following a drug bust, according to court papers. Authorities said Keyshawn H. Campbell, 23, also had a sweatshirt with body armor sewn in it wrapped around the drivers seat of...
Sheetz in Youngwood slated to permanently close in October
A Sheetz convenience store and gas station in Youngwood is set to permanently close Oct. 7. Employees were offered jobs at other locations around the area, according to Nick Ruffner, public relations manager for Sheetz. Company representatives did not respond to Trib questions about how many employees work there. The...
Police say DNA tests link former Latrobe man to alleged rape of teenage girl
Police charged a former Latrobe man Tuesday in connection with rape accusations made by a teenage girl. Authorities said DNA found on the girl’s clothing was a match for Randy B. Shipley Jr., 39, who is now an inmate at a state prison in Central Pennsylvania. The girl reported the...
Hempfield hopes to bolster identity among its multiple neighborhoods
Hempfield officials can now start looking for funding to turn a signage and branding plan into visible markers in the community. Township supervisors approved the plan Monday that could lead to a new logo and signs at entry points and in neighborhoods, among other changes, said manager Aaron Siko. “Hempfield...
Authorities use tech tools to tie Florida man to vehicle break-ins in Allegheny, Westmoreland counties
Cellphone towers, hotel records, GPS locations of rental cars and license plate readers helped agents from the state Attorney General’s Office nab a Florida man they believe was involved in at least 14 vehicle break-ins spanning two counties. Authorities charged Amahad K. Ware, 26, with numerous counts of dealing in...
