Renatta Signorini stories, Page 86
Elliott Group steps up to pay for Jeannette police camera lease for 2 years
The cost of dash and body cameras for the Jeannette Police Department will be paid for by Elliott Group for the first two years of a five-year lease. The donation was a surprise to city officials, who discussed this week adding the measure of protection for $15,700 annually. Council on...
Jeannette passes budget with no property tax increase
Jeannette Council passed a 2022 spending plan that does not raise property taxes, according to chief fiscal officer Ethan Keedy. The $6 million budget anticipates the city will get about $1.9 million in property taxes. The costliest departments are police at $2.2 million, trash collection at $998,000, the fire department...
Jeannette officials consider raising residential garbage rates
Jeannette council is considering raising residential garbage rates. Just how much remains to be seen. The group on Tuesday discussed potential amounts with no firm decision. They could vote on the measure at a council meeting Dec. 28. The sanitation department’s 2022 budget shows a decrease in expected net profit...
Penn-Trafford football team gets off to Hershey in styleVideo
Penn-Trafford High School students, family and community members sent their WPIAL championship football team off in style Friday morning as they cross the state seeking further glory. The Warriors will play in their first PIAA Class 5A championship game at 7 p.m. against Imhotep Charter at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey....
Blairsville man seriously hurt in Derry Township crash
A Blairsville man was seriously hurt in a two-vehicle crash Thursday morning in Derry Township, according to state police. Troopers said William A. Schietroma, 61, was driving a Hyundai Elantra north on Route 217 at 6:45 a.m. when he crossed over the center line and slammed into a Chevrolet Cobalt...
1 flown by medical helicopter from Derry Township crash
A man was flown Thursday morning by a medical helicopter to a Pittsburgh hospital from the scene of a head-on crash in Derry Township, according to Bradenville Assistant Fire Chief Nick Piantine. The crash was reported on Route 217 at 6:45 a.m. just outside of Derry Borough near Chef Dato’s...
2 killed in Fayette crash, including New Stanton man
Two people, including a New Stanton man, were killed in a two-vehicle crash Wednesday morning in Fayette County that state police attributed to wintry weather conditions. Troopers said a Ford Ranger being driven at 7 a.m. by Stanley A. Ohler, 26, of Connellsville, was traveling north on Route 119 in...
Jeannette looks to lease dash and body cameras for police department
Jeannette police could be getting another measure of protection — dash and body cameras. Police Chief Donald Johnston Jr. said having video evidence of arrests or incidents could help bolster criminal cases as well as deter potentially violent encounters with the public. “When you’re not able to provide that footage,...
Jeannette to use some federal American Rescue Plan money to buy new radios for firefighters
Jeannette firefighters are getting an upgrade to their radio systems with the help of American Rescue Plan funding. Fire Chief Bill Frye said he plans to purchase 23 new portable radios, a mobile radio for in a fire truck and a new radio repeater as well as upgrade the fire...
Jeannette officials debate how to spend $900K allocation from American Rescue Plan
A measure that would create a process for Jeannette businesses to apply for a portion of the city’s American Rescue Plan funding could be voted on during council’s Thursday meeting. Councilwoman Robin Mozley requested the item be placed on the agenda after officials heard from a business owner inquiring about...
Fill the Ambulance event in Hempfield will accept Toys for Tots donations
Lorenzo Garino isn’t sure how many toys will fit in an ambulance, but he’s going to find out this weekend. Mutual Aid Ambulance Service is partnering with Z&M Harley-Davidson in Hempfield for a Fill the Ambulance event benefiting Toys for Tots. Garino, Mutual Aid’s director of operations, said the Greensburg-based...
Police say 11-year-old’s 911 call from Brownsville school included background mention of firearm
An 11-year-old boy is facing charges through juvenile court after state police said he called Fayette 911 from Brownsville Area Elementary School on Tuesday and played a video that mentioned a firearm. The Luzerne Township school was locked down as a result and troopers said they used a police dog...
Damage in St. Vladimir fire valued at $4 million, police say cause undetermined
A devastating fire at an Arnold church over the weekend caused $4 million in damage, according to a state police fire marshal. Trooper Keith Sobecki said the cause of the blaze at St. Vladimir Ukrainian Catholic Church is undetermined, pending further investigation. The fire at the 74-year-old Kenneth Avenue church,...
Westmoreland County passes 1,000 covid-related deaths since pandemic began
An ominous mark is here: 1,000 covid-related deaths in Westmoreland County, making it the ninth county in Pennsylvania to reach four digits. Two deaths reported Monday pushed the county to 1,001 lives lost, according to figures from the state Department of Health. Of those, 400 deaths occurred in nursing homes....
Charges related to Scottdale standoff withdrawn upon man’s death
A criminal complaint against a Scottdale man who was the subject of a police standoff last month was withdrawn because of his death, according to court records and prosecutors. Toxicology results are pending for Matthew B. Gribble, 44, who died Nov. 24, according to the county coroner’s office. He was...
Local business owner carves out niche making toys, games through woodworking expertise
A factory supplying toys and games to people young and old is in high gear as the holiday season approaches. Dean Helfer Jr., who runs Channel Craft in Charleroi, said the 40 craftsmen and women have been working extra hours since June to catch up on a backlog of orders....
Hundreds of Pitt fans celebrate ACC championship peacefully in Pittsburgh
Hundreds of University of Pittsburgh Panthers football fans gathered in Oakland on Saturday night into Sunday morning to celebrate the team’s ACC victory. They first gathered at Forbes and Oakland avenues to cheer and sing Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline.” The group, many wearing blue-and-gold garb, then walked along Forbes to...
Man shot in parked vehicle in Pittsburgh drives self to hospital
A man drove himself to the hospital early Sunday after being shot while sitting in a parked vehicle on West Liberty Avenue, according to Pittsburgh Police. The shooting was reported around 2:45 a.m. in the street’s 2500 block. Police said they believe a suspect shot into the parked vehicle before...
Pittsburgh firefighters rescue person from Hazelwood blaze
A person was rescued by firefighters overnight after a house fire was reported in Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood neighborhood. The person was taken to a hospital, according to Pittsburgh Police. The blaze was reported just before 1 a.m. Sunday in a three-story home in the 200 block of Hazelwood Avenue. Firefighters brought...
What’s that? Old tipple in Ligonier Township stands as remnant of local railroad history
A concrete piece of history is visible to thousands of Route 30 motorists daily, but vehicle traffic is the reason it became defunct. The remnants of an old tipple stick out on the westbound side of the highway between Ligonier and Latrobe as a reminder of a time when railroads...
Tours at Animal Friends Sanctuary benefit shelter, promote compassion
Two-year-old Blake Burkley dissolved into a fit of giggles when it came time to feed the cows. Perched on her mother’s hip, the girl laughed as cows named Mary and Jesus searched with their tongues for a tasty treat. For Alexa Burkley of Irwin, a tour at Animal Friends Sanctuary...
People who use Great Allegheny Passage pump about $120M into economy, study finds
People using the Great Allegheny Passage pumped $121 million into local economies in 2019, according to a new study that gauged the economic impact of tourism along the 150 miles of trail stretching between Pittsburgh and Cumberland, Md. “I’m delighted that folks are using the Great Allegheny Passage and spending...
Penn Township man accused of recording sex, posting photo to Facebook without partner’s knowledge
Editor’s note: The criminal case against Shawn Gootz was dismissed on March 16, 2023, according to a court order. The accuser testified during the hearing, and afterward prosecutors moved to dismiss the case. Judge Scott O. Mears approved the prosecution’s request. A Penn Township man is accused of posting on...
Scottdale man accused of threatening woman with knife, hammer in domestic incident
A Scottdale man is free on unsecured bail after police said he used a knife and hammer to threaten a woman at his home, according to court papers. Mark Washington, 47, was arraigned Friday on simple assault, terroristic threats and harassment charges. Borough police were called at 12:30 p.m. Thursday...
Archaeology crew sifting through Ohiopyle State Park’s past in search of cultural treasure
A pilot project at Ohiopyle State Park has members of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps sifting through dirt, looking for items of cultural significance in advance of a campsite expansion. The cultural resource crew has been working for the past week in a wooded area near Kentuck Campground, said crew leader...
