Westmoreland category, Page 110
Obstruction charges filed against Blackburn Center staff in child custody case
Four employees of the Blackburn Center in Greensburg are facing charges after, state police said, they denied entry to troopers attempting to serve an emergency child custody order. Police reported prying a door open Oct. 1 in an effort to locate the child after repeated attempts to get inside a...
Westmoreland happenings: Oktoberfest dinner, collectibles sale, meetings, more
Fundraisers • Community Church of Hecla, 537 Hecla Road, Mt. Pleasant Township, will host a turkey dinner from 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 12 at the church. Dine in or takeout. Details and takeout orders: 724-516-0494 or 724-466-2855. • First United Church of Christ, Irwin, will have an Oktoberfest dinner...
Westmoreland approves tax break for developers restoring blighted property in Trafford
Developers seeking to set roots in Trafford will receive a tax break following approval by the county last week. Trafford Borough Council approved in June an ordinance establishing a Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance — or LERTA — zone that will give a real estate tax break to developers who...
Mega Millions lottery ticket price and jackpots to jump next year
Michelle Majocha figures the odds are pretty good that more than doubling the cost of the Mega Millions lottery ticket from $2 to $5 next April won’t help sales of a lottery game that offers a jackpot of millions. With the news this week the consortium directing the 45-state Mega...
Former Hempfield, Serra Catholic football coach Rich Bowen dies at age 60
Rich Bowen was never a fan of attention. Not as a star football player or a championship coach. Not as a good-natured husband and father, handyman or athletic director. Not as a man who impacted so many young lives, even up until his final weeks when he was fighting for...
North Huntingdon man to serve jail time for possessing child porn
A North Huntingdon man was ordered to serve at least nine months in jail after he was sentenced Tuesday for possession of child pornography. James Frederick Molzer, 32, pleaded guilty in July to 11 felony counts in which investigators said he possessed multiple images of children performing sex acts. According...
Jeannette police officer charged with falsifying traffic stop reports
A Jeannette police officer is facing 18 misdemeanor charges because, investigators say, he was falsifying reports related to traffic stops, according to court papers. Matthew S. Painter, 40, of Penn Township was charged Tuesday with tampering with records. He is on paid administrative leave, according to city Manager Ethan Keedy....
Greensburg officials weigh options for Advance Furniture site: park, merchants, apartments
An empty parcel in Greensburg’s downtown could be home to a small park, a spot for merchants and space for gatherings and activities. Calling it a “small but mighty lot,” Chelsea Puff, senior project manager with Strategic Solutions, said a simple approach is the tentative plan for the site. The...
Monessen ‘Wall of Fame’ class includes Joe Montana’s midget football coach
Carl Crawley’s favorite sport? Whichever one was in season. “I played volleyball and we won the state championship,” said the 1957 Monessen graduate. “I was a baseball player and could knock the ball out of the park. Basketball, football, I ran track. My favorite was the one I was doing...
Murrysville bridge over Turtle Creek to close for repairs
The small bridge carrying Old William Penn Highway over Turtle Creek in Murrysville will close next week for temporary repairs. Beginning Oct. 14, the bridge near the intersection Old William Penn Highway and Hills Church Road will close as work crews begin temporary repairs aimed at bringing its weight limit...
Greensburg considers ban on open burning to curb pollution
Greensburg council is considering enacting a ban on open burning that officials said is aimed at fires involving waste in an effort to control air pollution. An ordinance is set to be introduced at Monday’s council meeting and may be approved in November. Solicitor Zachary Kansler said the ordinance would...
Greensburg bishop calls Irwin pastor’s actions ‘an egregious failure’
An Irwin-area Catholic priest who resigned amid questions about how the parishes he led hired a man who had a criminal record has returned to ministry, Greensburg Catholic Bishop Larry J. Kulick said. But the Rev. John Moineau will be moving from his former post at Irwin’s Immaculate Conception and...
Attempted murder charge dropped as part of Penn Hills woman’s plea in East Huntingdon fight
A Penn Hills woman was ordered Monday to serve up to seven years in prison for her role in an 2022 incident at an East Huntingdon home that left one man injured. Kristen Marie Kruel, 28, pleaded guilty to lesser charges of theft, receiving stolen property and tampering with evidence...
Ligonier supervisor’s lawsuit claims he was targeted over calls for police department reform
A Ligonier Township supervisor contends he was targeted for retribution by local police over his efforts to reform the department. Supervisor Erik Ross, in a lawsuit filed this month against the Ligonier Valley Police Department and three officers, claimed they misused the criminal justice system in an effort to discredit...
Workshop offers insight on redevelopment projects, demolition work
A A one-day workshop slated for Oct. 25 is aimed at helping community members learn how to tackle a redevelopment project in an effort to address vacant lots being left behind in a large-scale demolition project. The Westmoreland County Redevelopment Authority and Land Bank is hosting the event at Westmoreland...
Greensburg YMCA Fall Fest includes ‘Pumpkin Pond,’ fire trucks on display
The community is invited to Greensburg YMCA’s Fall Fest set for Oct. 18. The family-friendly event, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., will include several activities such as a caricature artist, deejay, bounce house and food and refreshments. Swimming in the “Pumpkin Pond” will be held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m....
33rd edition of Turkey Trot 5K race set for Greensburg
Registration for the annual pre-Thanksgiving dinner footrace through Greensburg is now open. The Greensburg Thanksgiving Turkey Trot, in its 33rd year, is scheduled to start Nov. 28 at 9 a.m. It is a 5K run and walk that typically sees 2,000 participants. “The race has evolved into more than just...
Turning Point USA won’t be allowed to use Norwin High School for event
Norwin School District denied a conservative organization’s request to use the high school Oct. 24 for what it described as a motivational speech. A flyer promoting the speech in Norwin by Turning Point USA’s Stephen Davis, part of the organization’s speakers bureau, may have been posted prematurely, the district said....
Hanna’s Town plans final antiques sale of the season
The final Antiques & Collectibles Sale for 2024 is set for Sunday at Historic Hanna’s Town. Multiple vendors will be set up in a field, rain or shine, at the Hempfield site selling a wide variety of treasures. The gate opens at 7:30 a.m. Sunday and the market continues through...
Hempfield man sentenced for January stabbing incident near Slippery Rock University
A Hempfield man was sentenced to 11 months and 15 days to 23 months in the Butler County Prison last week in connection with a stabbing at an apartment complex near Slippery Rock University. Brennan James Steeley, 24, was ordered to spend three years on probation following the jail term,...
‘This isn’t the worst thing’: Western Pa. students, teachers adapt to cellphone restrictions
When Plum Senior High School announced in August it would require students to turn in their cellphones at the start of each class, Dhruv Thakkar could not have been more opposed to the change. “Me and my friends immediately jumped to the fact that our senior year was going to...
Greensburg fundraiser tops $200K as 12 children receive adaptive equipment
Shannon Riley, who watched her 9-year-old daughter, Thora, receive an adaptive bike and stroller Sunday, said the increased access the equipment will provide is “immeasurable.” Thora was one of 12 kids with disabilities who received adaptive equipment at Reason-To-Ride, a 28-week annual fundraiser hosted by Z&M Harley-Davidson in Greensburg. This...
Westmoreland happenings: Hobgoblin hike, meetings, senior citizen news, more
Church News • Living Word Congregational Church, 2003 Ridge Road, Penn Township, will have a Second Mile prayer and communion service at 11 a.m. Monday through Saturday at the church. Fundraisers • A takeout spaghetti dinner fundraiser will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 12 at Gary’s Chuckwagon, 109...
2 Westmoreland schools recognized by Special Olympics for inclusive programming
Two Westmoreland County schools were recognized by the Special Olympics for offering inclusive programming for students of all abilities. Mt. Pleasant and Hempfield Area high schools are two of 11 schools in the state to receive national recognition for their Unified Champion Schools programs — where students in special and...
Westmoreland job fair series to launch at Hempfield casino
Job seekers in Westmoreland County will have a new avenue to search for employment starting this month. Pennsylvania CareerLink and the Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce will host monthly regional job fairs at Live Casino Pittsburgh in Hempfield, with the first slated for Oct. 15. Employers from a variety of...
