Renatta Signorini stories, Page 43
Police arrest Hempfield man wanted after fleeing, prompting Seton Hill lockdown
A man who fled from state police earlier this month, prompting a lockdown at Seton Hill University, was arrested last week at a junkyard hiding underneath a trap door, according to Chief Deputy Jennifer Shipley of the Westmoreland County Sheriff’s Office. Troopers have been searching for Joseph Alan Pees, 31,...
Mt. Pleasant School District honors bus driver Denise Fontanazza for decades of service
As Denise Fontanazza followed her familiar school bus route around Mt. Pleasant Township Tuesday morning, she wondered why so many students were missing from their stops. She found out why when she pulled bus No. 15 up to Norvelt Elementary. Fontanazza was honored Tuesday by district officials for a rewards...
Bail set at $250,000 after drug bust in North Huntingdon
A West Mifflin man is behind bars after police said he sold $520 worth of suspected heroin/fentanyl on Monday to an undercover officer and confidential informant in North Huntingdon. Investigators from North Huntingdon, the Westmoreland County Drug Task Force and the state attorney general’s office worked together in the bust...
Everson man receives 2 years probation for assault of Lyft driver
A former Hempfield man was ordered Monday to spend two years on probation for assaulting a Lyft driver who took him home from a gentlemen’s club in 2022. Carl L. Beltz, 43, of Everson, pleaded guilty Monday to simple assault, resisting arrest and theft. Prosecutors agreed to dismiss charges of...
Woman pleads guilty in catalytic converter theft ring targeting Westmoreland, Indiana counties
An Indiana County woman pleaded guilty Monday to involvement in a catalytic converter theft ring, and attorneys indicated another suspect may do the same. Debbra Lynn McAdams, 56, of Homer City entered a general plea to theft, receiving stolen property, criminal mischief and criminal use of a communication facility. Two...
American Legion plans expansion of banner display for veterans
Members of the Jeannette American Legion Post 344 are looking to expand a popular program honoring the city’s military veterans. First vice commander Jim Henderson said there are 100 more veterans set to be recognized, adding to the 100 service members who have already been memorialized through banners being affixed...
Audit: Jeannette underpaid pension funds nearly $190K; city manager says issue has been resolved
Jeannette underpaid its three pension funds by $189,356 in 2021, and the state auditor general’s office said turnover in the fiscal office in 2020 and 2021 contributed to the error. The compliance audit of the city’s fire, police and nonuniformed pension plans recommended that Jeannette add the amount, plus interest,...
Rillton-Herminie robbery, kidnap suspect charged; 2nd man sought
State police used DNA evidence to arrest a North Huntingdon man Thursday in connection with what investigators described as a kidnapping and brutal beating in 2020. Trooper Steve Limani said Danny Joe Lambert, 59, and a second man were involved in the Sept. 25, 2020 incident in the Sewickley Township...
Homer City woman, police thwart utility bill scam
State troopers said they thwarted a scam this month in Indiana County and arrested a New Jersey man believed to be part of it. Trooper Cliff Greenfield said a Homer City woman noticed on Feb. 12 an unusual charge on a utility bill. A person who she believed was in...
Police file new charge against Coraopolis man accused in death of Murrysville businessman
A new charge was filed Wednesday against an Allegheny County man accused in the fatal shooting of a Murrysville businessman. Allegheny County Police said they believe Jeremy T. Fisher, 41, of Coraopolis, asked a former business associate to kill George Dayieb, 57, about a month before Dayieb’s Dec. 27 death,...
Mt. Lebanon man accused of insurance fraud has ties to Westmoreland County properties
A Mt. Lebanon man is accused of asking someone to set fire to a Pittsburgh property he controlled, filing a fraudulent insurance claim related to the loss and attempting to hide behind multiple fake bankruptcy filings in an effort to avoid paying debts, according to a federal indictment unsealed Wednesday....
Youngwood gun shop owner accused of keeping $153K generated from selling 34 ‘high end firearms,’ trooper says
Theft charges are piling up against a Youngwood gun shop owner who authorities said kept $153,000 from customers who either gave her firearms to sell on consignment or made down payments for purchases. Tracey G. McMahan, 66, of Hempfield is charged in four cases — two filed Wednesday — involving...
Greensburg police say driver with suspended license pursued, rammed another vehicle
A North Belle Vernon woman is accused of ramming another vehicle in Greensburg twice Friday morning, according to court papers. Cassie Ellen King, 33, was being held on $7,500 bail at the Westmoreland County Prison. Greensburg police said a male driver reported being yelled at by a woman in a...
Jeannette school board approves relaxed dress code
A relaxed student dress code policy at Jeannette City School District is official as school board members unanimously approved it Monday. School directors in December suspended the district’s dress and grooming policy, which allowed students to wear clothing they already had in their wardrobe instead of more structured and specific...
Police say Unity woman bought guns for minor boy
Editor’s note: A previous version of this story had an incorrect age for the boy. A Unity woman was arrested over the weekend after state police said a boy at her home was found with 14 guns that she bought for him, according to court papers. Rhonda M. Campomizzi, 54,...
Stipends help improve fire protection in Rostraver, Southwest Greensburg
Two Westmoreland County volunteer fire departments are looking at how they can continue offering a stipend to firefighters who staff the respective stations after grant funding runs out. Officials at both stations — Rostraver Central and Southwest Greensburg — said their response time has improved by a minute or more...
Prosecution alleges conspiracy to kill Murrysville businessman who was found dead at Clarion County camp
A Butler County man testified in court Friday that he fatally shot a Murrysville man at the urging of his uncle because the uncle promised to get him a work truck. Braden N. Elliott, 20, of Chicora testified that his uncle, Jeremy T. Fisher asked Elliott on Dec. 26 to...
Greensburg man jailed on rape charges
A Greensburg man was arrested Thursday on rape charges. Shamon M. Jackson, 23, was being held on $100,000 bail at the Westmoreland County Prison. Jeannette police spoke with the accuser early Jan. 27 at Westmoreland Hospital, according to court papers. She told authorities she was visiting a friend in Jeannette...
New Jeannette fire station OK’d for first phase of construction
Jeannette is moving forward with building a new fire station, but the project will have to be completed in phases while officials find more money. Council last week approved the first phase of the project using a $1.2 million grant the city received in 2022. That amount will foot the...
Homebuilder: Waiting list for housing at former Valley Green golf course
Infrastructure work on a housing development proposed at the former Valley Green Golf & Country Club is expected to start in the next couple months, as long as Hempfield supervisors approve the township’s part of the project. Chrissy Shuster, a co-owner of RWS Shuster Homes, said there’s a waiting list...
Drug, weapons possession indictments filed in federal court against 2 Westmoreland men
Two Westmoreland County men with long criminal histories are facing separate indictments in Pittsburgh federal court. Duran Foster, 29, of Jeannette, was indicted Tuesday on two counts of drug possession and single counts each of possessing a firearm and possessing ammunition as a convicted felon. A grand jury found that...
Derry Township man accused of sexual assault
A Derry Township man was jailed Monday on state police accusations that he sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl. Adam L. Boyer, 46, is charged with corruption of minors, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault and child pornography. The girl reported to troopers that Boyer gave her alcohol at a township home...
Wilmerding man facing drug charges after police sting in North Huntingdon
A Wilmerding man is behind bars after police said he sold an undercover officer five bricks of heroin/fentanyl Tuesday in North Huntingdon. Township police said Quadrikis A. Phillips-Turner, 30, exchanged the drugs for $940 at a Mills Drive location. He is charged with criminal use of a communication facility and...
Winter games a sporting, social event for Special Olympics athletes at Seven Springs
Athletes from three states are ready for their big moment at the Special Olympics Pennsylvania Winter Games at Seven Springs Mountain Resort. Matt Aaron, president and chief executive officer of Special Olympics Pennsylvania, said the competitors have been training for events in snowshoeing, skiing and snowboarding. Opening ceremonies were held...
South Huntingdon family seeks donations after losing everything in fire
Friends, family and community members have been rallying around the Comer family since their South Huntingdon home was destroyed in a fire last week, according to their niece, Mandy Comer. The home held great memories for the family. “They hosted a lot of our family events … we’ve spent a...
