Rich Cholodofsky stories, Page 106
Cost savings of postponed primary in Westmoreland could be eaten up by mail-in ballots
The five-week postponement of Pennsylvania’s primary could save Westmoreland County taxpayers up to $84,000. Commissioners said they will rescind the deal to rent ballot scanners that are no longer needed for the primary but that additional costs still could be accrued to pay for an unanticipated increase in mail-in ballots...
Westmoreland jail population declines; Allegheny jail serves as model during pandemic
The number of adults and juveniles incarcerated in Westmoreland County corrections facilities continued to drop over the past week as the jail and juvenile detention center saw fewer new commitments while the public deals with the coronavirus pandemic. The jail had 519 inmates Monday, a decrease of more than 40...
Westmoreland officials say first responders are running out of personal protection equipment
Westmoreland County’s first responders could run out of personal protective equipment by next week, public safety officials said Monday. Public Safety Director Roland Mertz said the county’s stockpile of masks, gloves, medical gowns and other equipment used by first responders is quickly drying up, a situation made worse by the...
Westmoreland County under stay-at-home order as confirmed coronavirus cases grow
Westmoreland County residents have been ordered to stay at home. Gov. Tom Wolf announced an additional nine Pennsylvania counties will be under restrictions as part of the state’s efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The new order, which is in effect from 8 p.m. Friday through April 6,...
Westmoreland County to further reduce bus service during coronavirus crisis
Westmoreland County transit officials will further reduce commuter and local bus service starting March 30. Ridership has dropped about 80% over the last two weeks amid the coronavirus pandemic, Transit Authority Executive Director Alan Blahovec said Thursday. All non-life sustaining businesses in the state have been ordered closed, resulting in...
Westmoreland prepares to lay off hundreds of county workers
About 500 nonessential Westmoreland County government employees will be furloughed on April 3, county commissioners said Thursday. The layoffs come as county officials deal with balancing vital government functions during the coronavirus pandemic and ongoing budgetary concerns complicated by large overtime payments doled out to essential employees who were required...
Sheriff: Westmoreland gun permits will be issued starting next week
Westmoreland County Sheriff James Albert said his office will resume issuing permits to carry concealed guns next week. “We were getting a lot of blow back,” Albert said about his decision earlier this month to suspend the service as part of the county’s response to the coronavirus outbreak. The permitting...
Inquest unlikely for fatal New Kensington shooting
Westmoreland County Coroner Ken Bacha said Wednesday it is unlikely he will convene an inquest into a police-involved shooting this month in New Kensington that left a Lower Burrell man dead. “It looks like it is rather justified at this point,” Bacha said. Marc N. Morgan, 62, was killed March...
Mail-in voting proving popular in areas hardest hit by coronavirus
A lot of Pennsylvanians plan to vote by mail in the postponed spring primary. State officials said Wednesday that applications to vote by mail have topped 129,000. State lawmakers voted to move the primary to June 2, a postponement expected to be approved by Gov. Tom Wolf. The five-week delay...
Davanzo victory pre-certified in 58th state House race
Westmoreland County’s Elections Board on Wednesday pre-certified Republican Eric Davanzo’s victory in last week’s special election to fill the vacant state House seat in the 58th District. Davanzo, a union carpenter from South Huntingdon, defeated Democrat Robert Prah Jr. and Libertarian Ken Bach and will be seated next month to...
Westmoreland County controller’s office bustles to open contract bids, pay billsVideo
Jim Roach, owner of Wexford Contracting in Zelienople, said he needed a reason to leave the house. So Roach made the long drive in to Greensburg on Tuesday to attend a public bid opening at the Westmoreland County Courthouse. He was one of two bidders who attended. “I had to...
Westmoreland prison officials screening inmates to help avoid coronavirus outbreak
Westmoreland officials said Monday there are no comprehensive plans to reduce the inmate population at the county jail in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Throughout Pennsylvania, officials have begun releasing inmates from local lockups. Westmoreland officials said there is no dire need to take similar action at the facility in...
Lack of details on local coronavirus cases frustrates Westmoreland officials
Westmoreland County officials are frustrated with the lack of specific information disseminated about local coronavirus cases from the state health department. “We learn more from the media than from anywhere else,” Roland “Bud” Mertz, public safety director, said Monday. Mertz said he’s asked but has been unable to get any...
Westmoreland County parks reopen
Westmoreland County’s 10 parks reopened on Thursday. Public Works Director Greg McCloskey said padlocks that barred entrance to the parks were removed to allow individuals to enter the grounds. As part of the county’s decision to reduce operations in response to the coronavirus pandemic, officials opted to close the parks...
Westmoreland Register of Wills closes office except for emergency guardianship petitions
The Westmoreland County Register of Wills office will be closed through April 3. Since Wednesday, the office in the Greensburg courthouse operated on reduced hours as part of a partial shutdown of county operations but still accepted filings and processed marriage license applications. The office closure follows the state’s Supreme...
Prosecutors: Baby should be removed from South Huntingdon home due to deplorable conditions
A 10-month baby allegedly assaulted by his father should be removed from the custody of relatives because of deplorable conditions of their home, Westmoreland County prosecutors said. Assistant District Kelly Hammers on Thursday filed emergency petitions seeking to modify bond conditions for the baby’s mother, aunt, grandmother and grandmother’s boyfriend...
Westmoreland voting machine demos canceled
Public demonstrations of Westmoreland County’s new voting equipment are on hold, officials said Thursday. The elections bureau scheduled a number of events throughout the county before the April 28 primary to allow voters a chance to test drive the machines purchased last year. Officials said the ongoing coronavirus outbreak and...
Westmoreland water, sewer authority meet remotely as part of pandemic protocolVideo
Low-interest rates expected to be set in response to the drastic stock market decline could be a boon to the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County. Board members, who met by phone Wednesday as part of an unusual meeting amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, approved the refinancing of up to $50...
Westmoreland County survives 1st day of scaled-back operations
Editor’s note: Westmoreland County Register of Wills Sherry Magretti Hamilton announced Thursday that starting March 20 the office would only accept emergency guardian petitions. All other office functions will be suspended through April 3. Gallows humor was a theme in the Register of Wills office Wednesday as the handful of...
Republican Eric Davanzo poised to claim House 58th District special election
A Republican will continue to represent the state House 58th District. Eric Davanzo, 43, of South Huntingdon won a special election to fill the seat left vacant by the January resignation of Republican Justin Walsh. With all 66 precincts reporting, Davanzo received 52% of the vote. Democrat Robert Prah Jr....
Westmoreland municipal authority to meet via telephone
The Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County board will meet as scheduled Wednesday, but just how that will be done will be a bit unusual in these unusual times. Agency Solicitor Scott Avolio said board members will call in from home or other locations to allow the water and sewer utility...
Westmoreland County special election for House 58th District still scheduled Tuesday
Tuesday’s special election to fill the vacant 58th District state House seat is expected to be held as scheduled, despite widespread cancellations and shutdowns because of the coronavirus pandemic. The health scare has resulted in two polling locations, one in Rostraver and another in South Huntingdon, being moved at the...
Westmoreland County to limit courthouse business, close senior centers
A partial shutdown of the Westmoreland County Courthouse operations will start Wednesday, commissioners have ordered. Beginning mid-week only “essential” personnel will report to work to maintain government operations, Commissioners Chairman Sean Kertes said. “We don’t want people coming to the courthouse,” he said. The scaling back was delayed to accommodate...
58th state House candidates swap negative ads, complain of inaccuracy
Candidates for the vacant 58th District state House seat in Tuesday’s special election are spending the final days of the campaign responding to the flurry of what they called inaccurate negative ads. Both major party candidates, Democrat Robert Prah Jr. and Republican Eric Davanzo, said high-volume mailings, television and online...
Westmoreland County declares state of emergency to prepare for coronavirusVideo
Westmoreland County Commissioners declared a state of emergency Saturday morning, a move officials said will enhance government efforts to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. The emergency declaration gives county officials the ability to quickly activate emergency personnel and pay for needed responses, county officials said during a courthouse news conference....
