Rich Cholodofsky stories, Page 133
Hempfield man will attempt to reclaim Recorder of Deeds post
Republican Frank Schiefer will attempt to reclaim the Westmoreland County Recorder of Deeds post, a job he lost in 2015. Schiefer, 38, of Hempfield served as Recorder of Deeds from 2012 through 2015, when he was defeated by the man he originally beat four years earlier to win the office....
Rafferty announces run for Westmoreland judge
Jessica L. Rafferty, a lawyer from Unity, has announced she will be a candidate for one of two vacant seats on the Westmoreland County Court of Common Pleas. Rafferty, 38, works as a lawyer with the Greensburg firm of Quatrini Rafferty and focuses her practice on family law and civil...
Westmoreland judge denies bid to have Monessen man’s case dismissed
A Westmoreland County judge Tuesday rejected a defense bid to have the case dismissed against a Monessen man charged with conspiracy in connection with a 2017 shooting. Defense attorney Ryan Tutera argued intentional misconduct by prosecutors caused the premature ending to the attempted murder and conspiracy trial last month of...
Westmoreland sheriff staffer suspended, accused of working on political campaign at work
An assistant office manager in the Westmoreland County sheriff’s department has been suspended indefinitely without pay based on allegations she worked on a campaign while on the job, according to the county controller’s office. Officials would not publicly comment on the suspension of Tiffany Schomer, but sources at the courthouse...
Westmoreland prosecutors appeal judge’s evidence rulings in alleged rape case
Westmoreland County prosecutors have appealed a judge’s ruling that limited the evidence they can present in the trial of a Hempfield man accused of raping a woman who has since recanted the allegations. Assistant District Attorney Barbara Jollie contends Common Pleas Court Judge Tim Krieger made five errors that substantially...
Westmoreland Transit cancels more bus routes due to driver shortage
More route cancellations and changes to Westmoreland County Transit Authority bus service were instituted Friday as the driver shortages continued to plague the public transportation system. The authority announced the 4:15 p.m. bus — one of eight outbound trips from Pittsburgh on the 1F Route that operates through North Huntingdon...
Kyle Baxter announces bid to become Westmoreland County judge
North Huntingdon lawyer Kyle Baxter said Friday she will be a candidate for judge this spring to fill one of two vacancies on the Westmoreland County Court of Common Pleas. Baxter, 51, is a Republican but plans to cross-file to run in both the GOP and Democratic primaries in May....
Ligonier mother sues N.J. home health care provider, nurse over son’s death
The mother of a disabled 5-year-old Ligonier boy who died last year has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against a New Jersey-based home health care provider and a nurse who the family claimed did not properly care for the child. According to the lawsuit filed in Westmoreland County, Gabrielle Bronson,...
Sick days force Westmoreland Transit to cancel some Pittsburgh routes due to driver shortage
Driver shortages that caused Westmoreland County Transit Authority bus routes to be canceled this week are expected to continue for some time and could further disrupt daily schedules, officials said. One outgoing route from Pittsburgh was canceled Thursday, a day after the authority was forced to cut two bus runs...
Westmoreland water authority will seek repayment from gas driller for additional water tests
Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County officials said Wednesday the agency will seek repayment for the cost of water quality tests conducted this week at the Beaver Run Reservoir in the aftermath of a pressure drop at a deep gas well on the property. “We increased our testing to every day,...
Westmoreland water authority will seek repayment from gas driller for additional water tests
Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County officials said Wednesday the agency will seek repayment for the cost of water quality tests conducted this week at the Beaver Run Reservoir in the aftermath of a pressure drop at a deep gas well on the property. “We increased our testing to every day,...
Westmoreland water authority will test chlorine alternative in McKeesport
A small-scale treatment plant will be built at the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County’s McKeesport facility to test a new chemical additive that officials said could improve the taste and smell of the system’s drinking water. The authority will spend $170,000 to construct the mock treatment plant that will serve...
Westmoreland treasurer seeks third term
Westmoreland County incumbent Republican Treasurer Jared Squires announced Tuesday he will seek a third term. Squires, 41, of Mt. Pleasant Township, was first elected in 2011 and won re-election in 2015. “The Treasurer’s Office has continued to maintain a focus on customer service while keeping the costs of the office...
Westmoreland judge rejects request to overturn conviction in 2016 Latrobe murder case
Jurors had enough evidence to convict a Johnstown man for the 2016 murder of a friend in Latrobe, a judge ruled Tuesday. Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio, in a 32-page opinion, denied defense requests seeking to overturn the conviction and sentence for 20-year-old Austin Krinock, who following...
Westmoreland prison worker may be disciplined after inmate’s premature release
Westmoreland officials said Tuesday an investigation is ongoing to determine how to discipline a county prison worker responsible for the premature release last week of an inmate sentenced to serve up to 23 months behind bars. Sheriff Jonathan Held, who serves as chairman of the county’s prison board, said it...
Multiple rape cases against Mt. Pleasant cop to be tried together in Westmoreland County
Allegations that a suspended Mt. Pleasant Borough police officer raped and sexually assaulted six different woman in four counties can be tried together in Westmoreland County, a judge ruled on Monday. Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher Feliciani, following a brief hearing, reaffirmed a ruling he issued in 2017 that consolidated...
Fairfield cruelty case involving 99 animals to head to trial
Hundreds of animal cruelty charges against a Fairfield woman and her parents will go to trial after a Westmoreland County judge Monday refused to dismiss the cases. “It’s clear to me there is enough evidence to make a … case,” Common Pleas Judge Christopher Feliciani said after hearing testimony from...
Judge finds suspended Westmoreland sheriff’s captain not guilty of trespassing charge
A suspended Westmoreland County sheriff’s captain was acquitted Monday of trespassing at the state police barracks in Greensburg. Senior Common Pleas Judge Richard E. McCormick Jr., following testimony from three witnesses during a summary appeal hearing, ruled there was not enough evidence to support the citation issued against Travis Day...
Lawyer: Head injury effects render Laurel Mountain man unfit for murder trial
The lawyer for a Laurel Mountain man jailed nearly five years on charges that he killed his live-in girlfriend wants a county judge to rule him incompetent to stand trial. Defense attorney Brian Aston, in court documents filed this week, argued Gregory Randall, 62, suffers memory and cognitive impairments as...
Westmoreland pension fund reported in good shape
Westmoreland County’s pension fund lost more than $45 million in 2018 and for the first time in five years has been designated at a minimum distressed level. The account, which provides benefits to about 1,300 government retirees, has more than $415 million in assets after its value dipped by nearly...
Westmoreland Manor administrator out, replacement named
The private company that manages Westmoreland Manor has hired a new administrator to oversee day-to-day operations at the county-owned nursing home. Premier Healthcare Resources, the Penn Township-based firm that was paid more than $586,000 last year to run the 408-bed facility in Hempfield, this week replaced John Austin, the nursing...
Hempfield Republican announces bid for commissioner
A program director for a local senior citizens home on Friday announced she will be a candidate for Westmoreland county commissioner. Heather Cordial, 39, a Republican from Hempfield, said she will campaign on a platform of improving education and job creation in the county. “We have a major challenge in...
Ted Kopas announces re-election campaign for county commissioner seat
Westmoreland County Commissioner Ted Kopas said Thursday he will seek re-election for the seat he has held since 2010. Kopas, 45, a Hempfield Democrat, touted his role in enhancing economic development, upgrading county parks and reducing blight in communities throughout the county as well as his support of initiatives to...
County to borrow $44 million for new voting machines, other projects and to refinance debt
Westmoreland County commissioners said Thursday they won’t wait for more state funding — which could become available later this year — to buy a new voting system. “We have to move forward with this now so we have it in place before the presidential election. We want to make sure...
County to pay $25,000 to Hempfield man who claims guards beat him in Westmoreland jail
Westmoreland County commissioners on Thursday approved a $25,000 out-of-court settlement with a Hempfield man who claimed he was “savagely beaten” by guards while incarcerated at the county jail. Kevan Kolling, 68, was arrested in December 2014 and charged with burglary offenses. According a lawsuit filed last year, Kolling claimed he...
