Rich Cholodofsky stories, Page 138
New evidence triggers mistrial in Monessen attempted homicide case
A Westmoreland County judge on Thursday cut short the attempted murder and conspiracy trial of two Monessen men, saying damaging evidence against the defense was turned over too late by prosecutors. Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher Feliciani said the mistrial in the combined case against Joseph “Jo Jo” Heath III...
Judge limits evidence allowed in alleged Hempfield rape case
Statements that a Hempfield woman made — and later recanted — to police and medical personnel that she was raped last year cannot be used against the man she initially accused, a judge ruled on Thursday. Common Pleas Court Judge Timothy Krieger also said prosecutors will not be able to...
Pennsylvania casino revenue climbs above $3.2 billion
Pennsylvania’s 12 casinos generated more than $3.2 billion in revenues in 2018, setting a record for the most money earned in a year since gambling was legalized in 2006. The record revenues topped the previous high, set a year earlier, by more than $21 million. Revenue figures were released Wednesday...
Monessen shooting case begins despite defense claims of misconduct
A Westmoreland County judge refused to grant a mistrial or dismiss the cases against two men charged in connection with a shooting on a Monessen street despite defense attorneys alleging a clear case of prosecutorial misconduct. Testimony in the attempted murder and conspiracy case against Joseph Heath, 29, and Rashawn...
Westmoreland drug court participants will receive life-saving kits
Westmoreland County’s drug court participants will receive a kit with a life-saving dose of naloxone as part of a grant received Monday. Tim Phillips, executive director of the county’s Drug Overdose Task Force, said the county received 65 doses of the drug as part of program from the pharmaceutical company...
Jeannette man gets up to 23 months in jail for stabbing man in chest
A Jeannette man will serve up to nearly two years in jail for assaulting another man on the porch of his home last spring. Marlon C. “Star” Williams, 40, pleaded guilty Monday to charges of aggravated assault and reckless endangerment for the stabbing. Police said Williams used a three-inch knife...
Westmoreland’s Register of Wills to seek another term in office
Westmoreland County Register of Wills Sherry Magretti Hamilton has announced she will seek a second term in office. Hamilton, 42, a Republican from Hempfield, was first elected in 2015 to run the courthouse office that oversees estate records, orphans court and marriage licenses. She served one year as the office’s...
Anderson’s planned retirement to make it tough for GOP to regain power among Westmoreland commissioners
Westmoreland County Republicans expect the path to reclaim a majority on the board of commissioners will be more difficult this year with the impending retirement of popular incumbent Charles Anderson. Anderson announced last week he would not seek another term in office, leaving the local GOP with a huge hole...
Hempfield woman announces bid for Register of Wills
A Hempfield woman said Friday she wants to run the courthouse office where she has worked for the last 15 years. Katie Pecarchik, 50, announced she will be a candidate for Register of Wills, the office that oversees estates, wills, adoptions records and marriage licenses. She serves as a deputy...
Westmoreland seeks grant for drug court
Westmoreland County will seek a $30,000 state grant to help pay for the drug court program. Commissioners announced Thursday they will apply for the funds from the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts. “It will help out and reimburse our general fund for the program,” Commissioner Gina Cerilli said. The grant...
Latrobe man sentenced for hospital assault
A Latrobe man will serve up to three years in prison for assaulting security guards in the behavioral health unit of Excela Heath Westmoreland Hospital in Greensburg. Christopher Daykon, 33, pleaded guilty Friday to charges of aggravated assault in connection with two incidents in September 2017. Police said Daykon, a...
Jury finds Latrobe man guilty of second-degree murder in 2016 fatal robbery
It took a Westmoreland County jury just one hour Thursday afternoon to convict a Latrobe man of second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of his friend. The jury of eight men and four women found Zachary McGrath guilty in the Jan. 20, 2016, shooting death of Daniel McNerny in front...
Hempfield man, formerly state director of UFO group, enters Westmoreland commissioner race
A Hempfield man accused in a national magazine article of making racially insensitive statements on social media announced Thursday he will seek a position on the Westmoreland County board of commissioners. John Ventre, 61, a Republican, said his candidacy will focus on improving the county’s finances and criticized the current...
Staffer for Westmoreland Commissioner Charles Anderson seeking boss’ post
Sean Kertes, chief of staff to Westmoreland County Commissioner Charles Anderson, said Wednesday he wants his boss’ job. Kertes, 32, of Greensburg formally announced he will be a candidate for county commissioner, seeking to replace Anderson who will retire at year’s end after more than 11 years in office. “Having...
Witnesses testify Latrobe murder suspect admitted to firing fatal shots
A Latrobe man, while on the run for more than a day after a deadly shooting and robbery two years ago, repeatedly confessed to friends that he fired the fatal shots, witnesses testified Wednesday during the second day of Zachary McGrath’s murder trial. A series of friends testified that McGrath...
Municipal Authority water rates to remain steady in 2019-20 budget
Water rates for Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County will remain steady for the first time in four years. Authority board members on Wednesday unanimously approved a new $110 million budget for the 2019-20 fiscal year, which will start in April, retains the current water rate structure for the utility’s 120,000...
Tourism to be focus of new Westmoreland County visitor center on Route 119
Westmoreland County will open a visitor center next month as part of a renewed push to promote tourism. On Thursday, county commissioners are expected to approve an $81,000 contract with the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau to operate the facility in a plaza on Route 119, north of the Pennsylvania Turnpike...
Testimony begins in Latrobe murder case
Confronted by a gun-wielding masked man, Daniel McNerny took it upon himself to put a stop to what appeared to be an armed robbery in front of a Latrobe home nearly two years ago, an eyewitness testified Tuesday. McNerny, who had been visiting friends when he was alerted to the...
Trib appeals decision to delay release of juror names from Sheriff Held’s public corruption trial
The Tribune-Review on Tuesday filed an appeal of a judge’s order delaying the public release of the names of jurors who served in last month’s public corruption trial of Westmoreland County Sheriff Jonathan Held. Senior Common Pleas Judge Timothy Creany in late December ruled the names will remain private until...
Westmoreland County commissioner Anderson won’t seek re-election
Westmoreland County Commissioner Charles Anderson announced Tuesday he will retire at year’s end and will not run for re-election this year. Anderson, a Hempfield Republican, was first appointed to commissioner in 2008 and served a four-year stint as board chairman until the GOP lost its majority in 2015. “I’ve been...
Opening statements in Latrobe murder trial to begin Tuesday
Opening statements will begin Tuesday morning in the first-degree murder trial of a Latrobe man police said fired two shots on a city street, killing a friend who attempted to intervene in an armed robbery of a drug dealer. The prosecution contends Zachary McGrath, 23, concealed his identity when he...
County judges pick retired teacher to fill vacancy on Norwin School Board
A retired Franklin Regional school teacher is the newest member of the Norwin School Board. Westmoreland County’s nine Common Pleas Court judges Monday selected William Essay, 57, of North Huntingdon, to complete the last year of a term left vacant by the resignation of board member Shawn Petrisko in August....
Westmoreland County Judge Marsili leaves a long career in law, sort of
Judge Anthony Marsili’s career may have started out with him selling ties and shirts at a now-defunct Greensburg department store. But decades later, it’s a black robe that has defined his life’s work. Marsili, 67, of New Kensington, officially retired Sunday after serving 19 years as a common pleas judge...
Hempfield’s Paul Kosko announces bid for county commissioner
The man who oversees the computer systems at the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County announced Friday he will run for county commissioner. Paul Kosko, 57, a Republican from Hempfield, told about a dozen supporters who gathered in front of the courthouse he wants to serve as a bipartisan elected official...
Lawyer seeks way for New Stanton teen to plead guilty but mentally ill for killing mother, brother
A New Stanton teenager could plead guilty but mentally ill this year for killing his mother and younger brother, his lawyer said. Jacob Remaley, 16, is considering a resolution to his murder case that would allow him to serve a portion of his sentence in a mental health treatment facility...
