Rich Cholodofsky stories, Page 19
Hempfield man to serve prison sentence for woman’s assault
A Hempfield man was ordered to serve up to eight years in prison for a brutal attack against a woman nearly three years ago. Cody J. Mattei, 34, pleaded guilty in November to felony counts of strangulation, aggravated assault, victim intimidation and a weapons offense in connection with 2022 incident...
Westmoreland commissioners seek more oversight of juvenile detention center
Westmoreland County’s juvenile detention center, plagued for more than two years by staffing and other issues, may be getting more oversight, if county commissioners get their way. Commissioners, who account for a half of the board that oversees the eight-bed secured facility for juvenile offenders, said they want monthly updates...
Governor nominates Wian, Schimizzi to fill Westmoreland County Courthouse vacancies
Westmoreland County’s Register of Wills Office could be getting a new leader as part of a deal reached between Gov. Josh Shapiro and the state Senate to fill dozens of vacancies throughout Pennsylvania. The governor this month nominated Jon Wian, chief of staff to Republican Commissioner Sean Kertes, to serve...
Westmoreland water authority calls for reduction of use as winter freeze, thaw impacts supply
Nearly 122,000 Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County customers have been urged to conserve water as work crews identify leaks and service line breaks that resulted from last week’s cold snap. Officials said the frigid winter temperatures and this weekend’s thaw stressed the water system’s infrastructure and supply. Water line breaks...
Arnold Palmer Regional Airport bleeds cash as leaders pin hopes for brighter future on terminal project
Westmoreland County directs $2.6 million annually to support Arnold Palmer Regional Airport near Latrobe, but a drop in commercial flights over the past five years has left the facility “bleeding” money. Today, the once-thriving airport loses money every month it operates. As the new year gets underway, the county airport...
O’Barto announces reelection bid for Westmoreland prothonotary
Republican Gina O’Barto will seek reelection as Westmoreland County prothonotary. O’Barto, 61, of Unity, was first elected in 2021. She replaced longtime prothonotary Christina O’Brien, a Democrat who served 12 years in office but did not seek reelection four years ago. O’Barto defeated O’Brien’s handpicked successor, former Recorder of Deeds...
Guilty plea deal reached for man charged in 2019 Youngwood pharmacy robbery
The attorney for a Southwest Greensburg man told a Westmoreland County judge on Friday that his client was suicidal and in pain when he pointed a gun at staff at Hayden’s Pharmacy and demanded drugs. Gregory J. Cervo, 35, pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery, theft and flight from...
Westmoreland homeless count reveals growing shelter needs
Westmoreland officials said a study conducted Thursday morning identified 25 people across the county who were classified as homeless. It’s a number that is believed to be only a fraction of the true scope of homelessness in Westmoreland County. “We know that if we’re finding people there are definitely more....
Westmoreland-based water authority hikes rates, blames increase on inflation, upgrade needs
Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County customers will be charged an additional 9.5% for water and sewer services starting in April. The authority board approved a $129 million budget that included the second rate hike in the past two years. The latest, officials said, is attributed to costs for energy, construction...
Greensburg mother pleads guilty but mentally ill to young child’s attempted murder
A Greensburg woman could face up to 20 years in prison when she is sentenced this year for the attempted first-degree murder of her 8-year-old child. Skye C. Naggy, 32, pleaded guilty but mentally ill Tuesday to six criminal offenses in connection with an incident in which prosecutors claimed that,...
Lawyer for New Florence woman charged in mother’s slaying explores insanity defense
A New Florence woman will be evaluated by a psychologist to determine if she can be held criminally responsible for the killing of her mother last year. The lawyer for Melissa Sue Fox-Beacom told a county judge during a court hearing on Tuesday that questions remain about his client’s mental...
‘We’re getting our president back’: Republicans excited about Trump’s return to office
Roberta Corpuz stood just feet behind Donald Trump when bullets rang out at the Butler Farm Show grounds during a July campaign rally. Six months after watching Trump fall to the ground and then rise with a bloodied ear and raised fist following the Butler assassination attempt, Corpuz will be...
Westmoreland housing authority honors former chairman as it taps former Pa. Sen. Regola to lead board
Dan Wukich came to the Westmoreland County Housing Authority a quarter century ago as a disruptor. He is leaving with a plaque on the wall in a conference room that bears his name. Wukich, 86, of Penn Township resigned from the board at the end of December and was honored...
Westmoreland’s ‘librarian’s librarian’ honored
Westmoreland County’s library system is turning the page to 2025 and the woman appointed to serve as its chief traffic cop for all operations is expected to play a large role in what’s ahead. But, Melinda Tanner is no footnote to the system’s past success. She’s been credited with helping craft...
Westmoreland commissioners approve $1.7M tourism plan
Westmoreland commissioners Thursday allocated more than $1.7 million to promote and enhance tourism, with a primary focus on the county park system. Commissioners signed off on the 2025 tourism plan that is funded through 40% of the county’s hotel tax. The tourism plan this year focuses almost exclusively on Westmoreland’s...
Hempfield lawyer announces campaign for county judge
Hempfield attorney Matt Schimizzi on Wednesday announced his candidacy for a seat on Westmoreland County’s Court of Common Pleas. Schimizzi, 41, is making his second run for a judicial post after finishing third in both the Democratic and Republican primaries in 2019, in what was among the expensive local judicial...
Westmoreland to charge more to ensure the price is right
Westmoreland County’s department that ensures local consumers get what they pay for could charge business owners more to ensure checkout line scanners, gas pumps and other equipment remain accurate. Commissioners are expected to consider the change in fee structure this week. A plan was unveiled Tuesday to increase licensing fees...
Arnold Palmer airport expansion project on track to take off in December
A new terminal for passengers at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport is on track for completion by Christmas. Officials said Tuesday that work on the $22 million expansion is on schedule and a second phase of the overall construction project that includes new offices for the county airport authority is set...
Suspended Arnold police chief claims setup, seeks dismissal of criminal charges
Arnold’s suspended police chief on Monday claimed his arrest was a result of a setup orchestrated by his former wife. Joshua I. Stanga, 42, was charged with five misdemeanor counts including theft, obstruction of justice, tampering with evidence and related offenses in connection with what state investigators described as a...
Unity man pleads guilty to lesser charge in knife attack
A Unity man who faced attempted homicide charges in connection with a stabbing last year pleaded guilty to a lesser charge as part of a deal with prosecutors Monday. Prosecutors agreed to allow William Kennet Evans Jr., 62, to plead guilty to one felony count of aggravated assault. They dismissed...
Westmoreland officials say reduced children’s bureau staffing hours will have no impact on services
Westmoreland County’s Children’s Bureau officials said the expansion of its on-call program to process new reports after business hours will continue in 2025. The child welfare agency operates around the clock but, until recently, has had staff on duty at the courthouse complex offices until 6 p.m. to handle calls...
Mt. Pleasant woman guilty for drunken crash that injured pedestrians
A Mt. Pleasant woman was convicted Friday for her role in a drunken-driving crash more than four years ago that injured two pedestrians. Elizabeth M. Sirianni could serve at least one year in prison as a result of the verdicts rendered by a Westmoreland County jury following a three-day trial....
Jeannette man not guilty of ordering teen brother to shoot adversary
A Westmoreland County jury on Thursday cleared a Jeannette man of allegations that he ordered his teenage brother to shoot his opponent after losing a street fight nearly four years ago. Following just one of hour deliberations, jurors returned not guilty verdicts for all five counts against Brandon Ingram. Ingram,...
Jury finds Monessen man not guilty of rape, sex assault charges
A Monessen man was acquitted of sexual assault charges on Wednesday. After nearly two hours of deliberations by a Westmoreland County jury, Jerry Francis Griest, 63, was found not guilty of three charges in connection with allegations made by an autistic woman who claimed she was raped after she rejected...
Defense claims Mt. Pleasant woman’s drinking not the cause of crash that injured pedestrians
Westmoreland County prosecutors contend a Mt. Pleasant woman was severely drunk when she drove her sports utility vehicle off the road and struck two pedestrians in early July 2020. Assistant District Attorney Theresa Miller-Sporrer told jurors on Wednesday that Elizabeth Sirianni’s decision to drive home after drinking at two local...
