Renatta Signorini stories, Page 58
Salem woman on probation for theft from Derry Presbyterian church now accused of theft from Methodist church
A woman on probation for stealing $20,000 from a Derry Borough Presbyterian church in 2017 and 2018 was arrested this week on accusations she racked up $5,560 in personal expenses on a credit card belonging to another borough church. Teri Sauers, 39, of Salem was working as a secretary at...
Police seeking truck that hit Hempfield toll booth
State police are looking for a vehicle towing an oversized load that damaged a toll booth Tuesday on Toll Route 66 in Hempfield. Troopers said the white truck tractor was headed south at 3:15 p.m. when the blade of the bulldozer it was towing on a semi trailer hit several...
Officials ponder how to dispose of 3 million gallons of water at Jeannette’s former Fort Pitt Brewery
Enough water to fill five Olympic-sized swimming pools is, in part, delaying efforts to tear down the former Fort Pitt Brewery in west Jeannette. Brian Lawrence, director of the Westmoreland County Redevelopment Authority and Land Bank, said officials are working out the best way to dispose of 3.3 million gallons...
Aggressive, distracted drivers targeted by police
It didn’t take long for police with an eye peeled for aggressive driving behaviors Wednesday in North Huntingdon to find a speeding motorist who was using a phone while behind the wheel. The traffic stop was one of many motorists can expect to see around the area as law enforcement...
East Huntingdon man accused of child sexual assaults that span about 10 years
An East Huntingdon man is behind bars after state police said he sexually assaulted a child dozens of times for nearly 10 years, according to court papers. Jeffrey D. Miller Jr., 49, was arraigned Tuesday on charges of rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and related offenses. The accuser said the...
Stove fire sparked blaze that destroyed McCali Manor in Mt. Pleasant
A stove fire sparked a blaze last week that destroyed an apartment building and former restaurant in Mt. Pleasant. Trooper Steve Limani said a state police fire marshal deemed the fire at McCali Manor accidental. It started on the second floor. The blaze was reported around 3 p.m. at the...
Jeannette police officer saves mom, artwork from house fire
Chris Mason bought a 1965 AC Cobra replica two years ago, a car he has dreamed about owning since he was 15. The Jeannette police corporal said he stopped by his mother’s home in the city Monday around 2 p.m. to fire up the engine for the first time since...
Uniontown man suffered injuries in crash on Route 66 in Hempfield
A Uniontown man was cut out of a pickup truck Saturday and taken to a Pittsburgh hospital with serious injuries, according to state police. Troopers said Jonathan M. Millikin, 41, was traveling north on Toll Route 66 in Hempfield just before 6 p.m. when the Ford Ranger he was driving...
2 arrested in North Huntingdon drug bust
Two people were arrested Wednesday after a reported drug bust at a North Huntingdon motel. A controlled buy was set up by an undercover officer through communication with a man who goes by the street name of “G,” according to court papers. Township police and authorities from the Westmoreland County...
Jeannette police seek funds for extra K-9 patrol unit
Police dog Kilo wants to get to work in Jeannette. He just doesn’t have a ride. The city police department is hoping to raise enough money to buy a patrol unit for the 5-year-old Dutch shepherd and its handler, Officer Matthew Painter, to add the out-of-work dog to the force....
Minor injuries reported in school van crash in Hempfield
Two people reportedly had minor injuries Thursday morning after a two-vehicle crash involving a school van in Hempfield, near the Greensburg border, according to a Westmoreland 911 dispatch supervisor. The crash was reported around 7:15 a.m. at Triangle Drive and East Pittsburgh Street, not far from Route 30. It was...
Trafford police accuse couple of running prostitution service from their home
A married couple was arrested Tuesday after Trafford police said they were running a prostitution service and two “Johns” claimed to pay for sex there. The “Johns” told investigators that they paid $150 per session at the Fairmont Avenue home after booking a woman through online escort services, according to...
Police say Unity woman loses $14K to scammer
A Unity woman was scammed out of $14,000 after an unknown person contacted her claiming there was an issue with her computer security software, according to Pennsylvania State Police. Troopers said the woman was contacted earlier this year by the person who claimed that her McAfee account erroneously was credited...
Youngwood man faces charges after high-speed chase
A Youngwood man is accused of being intoxicated when he crashed during a police chase, injuring a female passenger. Greensburg Police said Zachary J. Burkholder, 29, nearly hit a police car around 3 a.m. Saturday when he pulled onto Ehalt Street. Officers followed the Honda Civic onto College Avenue and...
Person flown by medical helicopter after Rostraver crash
A person was taken by medical helicopter to a hospital Monday morning after a crash in Rostraver. A vehicle was reported to be overturned on Cedar Creek Road just after 10:15 a.m. in the area of the Rostraver Sportsmen and Conservation Association, according to a Westmoreland 911 dispatch supervisor. The...
Sutersville man sentenced for using arrow to puncture tires, threaten neighbors
A Sutersville man was sentenced to three years and nine months to 7½ years in state prison Friday for using an arrow to puncture a neighbor’s tires and threaten another resident. Rickie L. Case, 61, was ordered to spend an additional five years on probation on charges of aggravated assault,...
Greensburg reaches $35K settlement with police officer who sued after not getting promoted
A Greensburg police officer who sued the city, claiming he was discriminated against after being passed over for the chief’s job, accepted a $35,000 settlement to end his lawsuit, according to federal court filings. W. Robert Jones on Wednesday formally accepted the settlement offer that was extended by the city...
Jeannette seeking donors so fees for nonprofits to use Clay Avenue amphitheater can be waived
Jeannette is seeking $6,000 in sponsorships this year in an effort to waive fees for nonprofits to use its Clay Avenue amphitheater. Chief fiscal officer Ethan Keedy said the city has already received about $2,500 in donations from the Jeannette Initiative, Jeannette Business Association and an individual. “If it’s successful,...
Chicago woman accused of being part of catalytic converter theft ring
A Chicago woman was jailed this week in connection with a catalytic converter theft ring in Southwestern Pennsylvania that authorities said caused $200,000 worth of damage. Westmoreland County authorities initially sealed the arrest papers for Maria D. Padilla, 37, because of ties to a street gang in Chicago and concerns...
Jeannette plans more than $300K in street paving projects
Jeannette is doubling its annual paving project to tackle sections of seven streets. Council on Tuesday approved a $321,000 bid from Derry Construction that chief fiscal officer Ethan Keedy said will be paid through liquid fuels money and American Rescue Plan funding. “This is hopefully the first of many street...
Drugs, weapons seized from New Stanton apartment
Two men from Detroit and a third from Louisiana were arrested Thursday after state police said they had drugs and weapons at a New Stanton apartment. Two residents of the one-bedroom South Center Avenue apartment told troopers that the trio was staying with them. Andrew J. Toster, 25, and Keeven...
Rostraver teens charged with attempted homicide after gas station shooting
Two Rostraver teenagers are facing attempted homicide charges after one of them is accused of shooting at a man at a North Belle Vernon gas station, according to court papers. The targeted man was not hurt. Aiden Christopher Becker, 17, is being charged as an adult. He was arraigned Friday...
Police arrest Hempfield man suspected of thefts from New Stanton vo-tech school
A Hempfield man is accused of stealing thousands of dollars worth of scrap metal and damaging three vehicles while state police said he trespassed on Central Westmoreland Career & Technology Center property. Officials at the New Stanton school told troopers they had been having issues with scrap metal and vehicle...
Westmoreland County to buy building housing District Judge Mahady’s office in Unity
Westmoreland County is buying the building and property that houses the Unity office of District Judge Tamara J. Mahady. The commissioners recently approved an agreement of sale to acquire the parcel from Main Street Properties for $375,000. Commissioner Gina Cerilli Thrasher said the county tries to negotiate with landowners when...
Greensburg police arrest Unity plumber on fraud charge
Greensburg police arrested a plumber who they said took $13,900 from a city resident and failed to replace a sewer line. Mark Loughran, 52, of Unity, who operates ML Plumbing, was arrested on a home improvement fraud charge. The Westminster Avenue resident told police she hired Loughran in June to...
