Local category, Page 2651
Plum officials appoint new council president, vice president
Plum Council has new leadership. Dave Odom and Dave Vento were unanimously appointed president and vice president, respectively, at a reorganization meeting Jan. 6. Their nominations were made by former council president, Mike Doyle. Odom is in the third year of his first term on council. “I’m extremely excited to...
Ligonier Township committee to consider plan for reopening Ligonier Beach
The shuttered Ligonier Beach could open to the public once more this summer, but visitors shouldn’t plan on bringing their swim trunks just yet. Ligonier Township in November bought the landmark swimming pool and restaurant along Route 30 just east of Ligonier from Sherry and Steven Kozar, for $230,000. This...
Monessen mayor attends 1st meeting in nearly 2 years, fires clerk and solicitor
After a 20-month absence from city meetings, first-term Monessen Mayor Matt Shorraw returned to local government Monday night armed with a majority of council votes and an unannounced agenda that angered some members of the public as well as the council members who have essentially run the city since spring...
2020’s 13 full moons to include rare blue moon, 2 super moons
If you like moon gazing, 2020 will not disappoint — as long as cloud cover over Southwestern Pennsylvania doesn’t obscure a rare blue moon on Oct. 31 and two supermoons included among this year’s 13 full moons. According to NASA, a Blue Moon is the second full moon in a...
City Theatre artistic producer leaving for position in D.C. theater
The artistic producer of City Theatre, based in Pittsburgh’s South Side, is leaving to take a similar position in the nation’s capital. Reginald L. Douglas will join Studio Theatre in Washington, D.C., later this month as associate artistic director. Since coming to City Theatre in 2015, Douglas earned a reputation...
Police: Tarentum homeowner chases burglars, uses discarded phone to call 911
A Tarentum homeowner interrupted a burglary at his Corbet Street home Tuesday morning and then used his cellphone to call 911 after one of the burglary suspects threw the phone into a yard as the homeowner gave chase, according to police. Joshua Michael Such, 19, of New Kensington and a...
Lack of passenger seat belts on bus a concern in deadly Pa. Turnpike crash
The lack of safety belts in a passenger bus involved in a deadly crash Sunday on the Pennsylvania Turnpike could be a critical factor as civil liability issues unfold, a transportation lawyer said. Three people — the bus driver and two passengers — died when they were ejected from the...
Brothers camp for charity inside Sprankle’s Neighborhood Markets
Two brothers and business partners are camping for charity at Sprankle’s Neighborhood Markets. Doug and Ryan Sprankle own the markets in Leechburg and Kittanning. They’re known for their store promotional antics on social media. Both set up tents inside their respective stores for their latest venture. Ryan owns the Kittanning...
Leechburg Area School District moves drop-off area to accommodate fire department
Leechburg Area School District parents and bus drivers will no longer be allowed to drop off students before school in front of the high school cafeteria on Siberian Avenue, district officials said Tuesday. Officials said that drop-off area causes traffic backups on First Street, and those backups could prevent firefighters...
North Huntingdon man accused of assaulting daughter gets probation
A North Huntingdon man was ordered this week to serve one year of probation for an assault against his 11-year-old daughter. Samuel Farrier, 46, following a two-day jury trial in October, was found guilty of one misdemeanor count of simple assault in connection with an altercation with his children and...
New Lower Burrell mayor appoints brother-in-law as acting police chief
One of John Andrejcik’s first official acts after being sworn in as Lower Burrell’s new mayor Monday night was to appoint brother-in-law John Marhefka as the city’s acting police chief. When asked after Monday’s council reorganization meeting whether making move could represent a conflict of interest, Andrejcik said, “Absolutely not.”...
Trial delayed for Greensburg man charged in Vandergrift woman’s death
The trial for a Greensburg man charged with the beating and strangulation death of a Vandergrift woman two years ago will begin in April. Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Tim Krieger on Tuesday granted a defense request to delay the trial for Walter W. Cable by two months. The...
$1.2 million Norwin pool project to more forward
Norwin is eyeing a Zelienople firm to serve as construction manager for an estimated $1.2 million project to repair and modernize the high school swimming pool. The board is scheduled to vote on hiring The Foreman Group at its Jan. 13 meeting. The Foreman Group and two other firms were...
Greensburg man sentenced for Hempfield police chase
A Greensburg man pleaded guilty Tuesday to aggravated assault of a police officer following a car chase last year. William J. Binnall, 39, was trying to avoid arrest after police stopped his vehicle near Locust Valley Drive in Hempfield on May 22 because of an expired registration. Police said Binnall,...
State Rep. Harry Readshaw announces retirement after 13 terms
It’s hard to escape one’s mortality when the family business is death. State Rep. Harry Readshaw III — a third-generation funeral director and owner of Readshaw Funeral Home in Carrick — announced Tuesday that he would retire at the end of the 2019-20 legislative session. The Democrat has represented the...
Former Penn Township man sentenced on child porn charges
A former Penn Township man will serve at least nine months in jail after he pleaded guilty Tuesday to possession of child pornography. Prosecutors said 22 images of child pornography were found on computers owned by Raymond Patrick Younger, 40, now of Blacklick, Indiana County. The images were of children,...
March 17 special election set to fill Justin Walsh’s former state House seat
A special election will be held March 17 to fill the remaining term of former state Rep. Justin Walsh, and it could require Westmoreland County to borrow money to pay for the early balloting, officials said. Walsh, a Republican, resigned at the end of December after serving a year of...
PennDOT driver cited in connection with Fawn crash
Police cited a PennDOT salt truck driver who they said drove into the path of a station wagon Monday morning in Fawn. John Graham, 36, of McKeesport failed to yield to oncoming traffic about 6:40 a.m. when he turned left from a Route 28 exit ramp onto Bull Creek Road, according...
Greensburg pavilion reservations starting soon, will be cheaper for some
It’s almost time to sign up for pavilion rentals in Greensburg, and some people living near the city will see a discount compared to years past. As always, rentals are cheaper for residents. But, this year, officials expanded the definition to mean anyone living within the Greensburg Salem School District,...
Point Park introduces new master’s program for environmental journalism
Point Park University will offer a Master of Arts in Environmental Journalism degree, with courses starting this fall. The 36-credit program combines journalism courses with graduate-level environmental science courses. “A unique facet of this program is its focus on coursework in environmental studies, enabling students not only to understand the...
2 newcomers join Monroeville council
Monroeville council welcomed two new faces and one familiar face Monday as a judge swore them in to begin four-year terms. Existing council members including Mayor Nick Gresock, congratulated councilmen Bob Williams, Steve Wolfram and Eric Poach after they were sworn in by Magistrate Jeffrey Herbst. The Rev. John Patterson...
Vacant land in Allegheny Township’s Town Center for sale at $750,000
Approximately 13 acres of mixed-use or commercial land are for sale in Allegheny Township’s Town Center shopping plaza. The land is listed by the real estate firm Avison Young and is near Giant Eagle and the township’s now-closed Peebles and Kmart buildings. The land has changed hands a few times...
Cops: Hempfield woman threw hot coffee on trooper at Youngwood restaurant
A Hempfield woman is in the county prison because she threw a cup of hot coffee on a state trooper, according to police. Sonya R. Connors, 52, was arraigned before District Judge Tony Bompiani on charges of aggravated assault, disorderly conduct, harassment, resisting arrest, retail theft and simple assault after...
Trash hauling changes hit North Huntingdon residents
North Huntingdon residents whose garbage collection was delayed after a new hauler was hired can take their garbage to a Dumpster at the township’s public works building off Route 30, officials said. The township’s trash hauler, Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill LLC/County Hauling Corp. of Rostraver, placed the Dumpster at the public...
Heinz Lofts drops dispute with Terrelle Pryor seeking $1,827 in unpaid rent
A landlord-tenant dispute involving free agent NFL player and Jeannette native Terrelle Pryor and his girlfriend has been resolved without a court hearing, according to online court records. The complaint was filed by Heinz Lofts 10 days after a Nov. 30 fight between Pryor, 30, and his girlfriend, Shalaya Briston,...
