Renatta Signorini stories, Page 87
North Huntingdon woman killed in crash
An elderly North Huntingdon woman died in a two-vehicle crash Sunday, according to Police Chief Robert Rizzo. Pauline Nagy, 94, was a backseat passenger in a car that collided with a van just before 5 p.m. at the intersection of Route 30 and Malts Lane, police said. She was pronounced...
Excela works to maintain sought-after national nursing designation
Excela Health officials are working on maintaining a sought-after designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center after first earning it in 2019. Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer Helen Burns said the System Magnet Designation was the culmination of a lot of paperwork and perseverance by the entire staff....
New Kensington man sentenced to probation, house arrest in drunken-driving arrest
A New Kensington man was sentenced to seven years of probation Tuesday after city police said they used a Taser on him during a drunken-driving arrest. Lee Edward Jones, 54, was sentenced to 18 months under electronic home monitoring on charges of fleeing from police, driving under the influence, resisting...
Virginia couple to face charges in girl’s disappearance with Westmoreland case resolved
A Virginia couple who authorities believe were caring for a 3-year-old girl when she died were sentenced this week in Westmoreland County court on receiving stolen property, drug and related charges. Assistant District Attorney James Lazar said Travis R. Brown, 29, and Candi Jo Royer, 41, both of Waynesboro, Va.,...
Jeannette officials consider special tax program to attract development
Jeannette officials are considering tax breaks in an effort to spur redevelopment in specific areas. Establishing one or more Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance zones around the city could allow developers the opportunity to get a break on increased property taxes in exchange for investing in dilapidated parcels. Fire Chief...
Jeannette seeking controller after woman who won lots drawing declines post
Jeannette is seeking applicants for the controller position after a woman selected through a lottery last week declined the job. Solicitor Tim Witt said letters of interest and resumes are being accepted. Someone will be appointed to the four-year post at council’s Jan. 3 reorganization meeting. The move came after...
Wexford pedestrian killed in I-79 crash, police say
A Wexford man was killed in a crash on Interstate 79 south Monday, according to state police. Troopers said Kevin Kass, 44, was on foot at 5:20 a.m. in the left lane of the highway near milepost 68.5 in Sewickley Hills when he was hit by a Ford F-150. He...
Vandergrift murder suspect to pursue psychiatric defense
The attorney for a Vandergrift woman accused in the 2018 fatal shooting of her cousin is expected to present a psychiatric defense at trial. Attorney Patrick Thomassey told Judge Scott Mears of the plan Monday during a hearing for Ashley Croft, 38. She is accused of fatally shooting John Edward...
Woman seriously hurt in crash into Derry Borough home
A Derry woman was seriously hurt after crashing into a house in the borough Saturday afternoon, according to state police. Rebecca M. Bennett, 33, was taken by medical helicopter to UPMC Presbyterian in Pittsburgh for treatment. Troopers said Bennett was driving a Chevrolet S10 on West Fourth Avenue at 2...
Excela chief doctor: Westmoreland could be on edge of another covid surge
Westmoreland County could be on the edge of a coronavirus case surge similar to one that hit around the holidays in 2020, Excela Health’s top doctor said. The number of deaths attributed to the virus has been higher than the same period last year and the rate of positive cases...
Diaper Bank looks to offer more help from its Mt. Pleasant location
Western Pennsylvania Diaper Bank officials are hoping to partner with health care providers at its Mt. Pleasant location to bring additional services to those in need. Co-founder Cathy Battle said the coronavirus pandemic has and continues to upend many lives, leaving some families without the ability to access health care....
Crumbl Cookies expects North Huntingdon franchise to open in early 2022
Crumbl Cookies, a fast-growing bakery sensation, is coming to Westmoreland County. Mark and Tammy Ornowski of North Huntingdon plan to open a location in the township in early 2022 after spending months learning about the Utah-based brand that has gained a following on TikTok. Crumbl is the fastest-growing gourmet cookie...
State parks, including Keystone, switching to paper products over plastic at concession stands
Food providers at state parks across Pennsylvania are switching to compostable, paper, wooden or plant fiber alternatives for packaging and consumption, according to Department of Conservation and Natural Resources officials. It’s part of an effort to reduce the amount of waste and plastics that are associated with concessions. New contracts...
North Versailles man gets federal prison term after being found with hundreds of child porn images
A North Versailles man was sentenced Tuesday to 40 months in a federal prison on a possession of child pornography charge after investigators said they found hundreds of illegal images on his cellphone, according to court records and prosecutors. Travis Kuhns, 28, was ordered to spend eight years and eight...
Former Hempfield drug treatment counselor indicted on fraud, identity theft charges
A former Greensburg woman was indicted by a federal grand jury after authorities said she used the identity of a person she met at a Hempfield drug treatment center to secure a bank loan and credit card, according to court papers. Nina Marie Barkley, 34, is charged with bank fraud...
As national overdose deaths top 100K in a year, Pa. official urges naloxone use
State officials are encouraging people to stock up on opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone as overdose deaths climb locally and nationally. The coronavirus pandemic upended a lot of progress officials statewide had made on reducing the number of drug overdoses, said Jen Smith, secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Drug...
Jeannette officials plan to use state law to tackle blighted properties
It’s been eleven years since a state law was created to help municipalities target blighted property owners who owe taxes and other bills, in part, because of a costly situation in Jeannette. City officials are planning to tap into the law’s powers. Solicitor Tim Witt has a draft ordinance prepared...
Pittsburgh man sentenced to federal prison in ‘abhorrent’ child porn case
A Pittsburgh man was sentenced Monday to 15 years in a federal prison on child pornography charges. Matthew J. Gourley, 49, was ordered to spend 10 years on supervised release after the prison term. In sentencing him, U.S. District Judge William S. Stickman IV said the crimes were “heinous, inexcusable,...
Jeannette’s employees may get $500 pandemic bonus
Full-time Jeannette employees are eligible to get a $500 bonus for working through the coronavirus pandemic. Council approved the measure this week in what Mayor Curtis Antoniak said was an effort to show workers they are appreciated. They deserve it, he said. “We have outstanding employees that worked through this,”...
No injuries in incident that snarled traffic on Route 30 in Unity
No one was hurt in an incident that snarled traffic on Route 30 Thursday afternoon after a bucket truck pulled down wires, according to state police. The incident was reported just before 2 p.m. in Unity near the highway’s intersection with Giffen Drive, near Burger King and a GetGo under...
Police: Torrance patient raped man in bid to go from state hospital to jail cell
State police accuse a patient at Torrance State Hospital of raping a mentally disabled man there in an effort to be moved to a jail, according to court papers. Keith Lloyd Saltonstall, 50, formerly of Glenmoore, Chester County, waived his right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday on charges of sexual...
Unity man suspected in Gross case pleads guilty to unrelated gun charges
A Unity man suspected in the 2018 disappearance of Cassandra Gross pleaded guilty Tuesday to unrelated federal weapons violations. Thomas George Stanko, 51, pleaded guilty to two counts of illegally having guns because he is a convicted felon. His admission came in a video conference hearing from the Allegheny County...
2 military airplanes to visit Unity airport for tours, rides
Two military airplanes will visit Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in June for rides and tours, said Gabe Monzo, Westmoreland County Airport Authority executive director. The B-29 Superfortress, named Fifi, and a B-24 plane will make the trip to Unity through the Commemorative Air Force, a Texas-based museum of military aircraft....
Clairview School teachers honored for their work with special needs students
Two educators at the Clairview School in Hempfield recently were honored by the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit. Adaptive physical education teacher Jeff Beard won the Annie Sullivan Award, and classroom assistant Beth Giesmann won the Outstanding Paraeducator Award. Both recipients were awarded during the unit’s board meeting in late October. Beard...
State agents accuse Greensburg nurse of writing fake prescriptions for thousands of pills
A Greensburg nurse is accused of writing fraudulent prescriptions for thousands of pills and filling them at pharmacies throughout the area, according to court papers. Kari A. Halaut, 54, used prescription pads belonging to her former employer after being fired and continued to write prescriptions while working at other nursing...
