Renatta Signorini stories, Page 92
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...
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...
