Westmoreland category, Page 120
Ex-Greensburg hospital employee accused of locking special needs co-worker in freezer
A former Westmoreland Hospital employee is accused of locking a female co-worker who has special needs in a walk-in freezer when they were employed in the dietary department at Westmoreland Hospital. Greensburg police said Nick V. Casper, 25, of South Greensburg admitted in an email to his supervisor that he...
Westmoreland happenings: Harvest festival, hot dog sale, seminars, more
Festival • The Southwest Greensburg Harvest Festival will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Sept. 28 in the Brandon Street parklet. There will be food, games, a basket raffle and more. Children can bring a candy bucket. Bring a lawn chair. Fundraisers • Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church will sell...
County housing authority board OKs land purchase for 50-unit complex along Route 51 in Rostraver
With the population aging, Westmoreland County Housing Authority director Mike Washowich said he thinks a planned senior housing development in Rostraver will fill a need in that area. “There’s not anything else there,” he said. “We’re very excited about the location of the property.” That 6-acre location is near Willowbrook...
Tributes to doughboy, fire department part of Mt. Pleasant Glass & Ethnic Festival
Erik Greenawalt plans to head to Mt. Pleasant on Friday, the first day of the town’s three-day Glass & Ethnic Festival, with colored chalk in hand. It’s the third time the North Huntingdon man known as The Chalking Dad will be part of the celebration, creating a sidewalk art image...
Police: 2 former Westmoreland Hospital nurses took, shared inappropriate patient images
Two former Westmoreland Hospital nurses are accused of taking and sharing photos and making recordings of patients without their permission, including one instance where police say a suspect superimposed co-workers’ faces on a photo of a naked patient, court papers show. Greensburg police charged Peter Castellano, 36, of Pittsburgh and...
Murrysville officials, consultant look at modifying business overlay district
Murrysville officials are working with a consultant to modify the municipality’s general business overlay, part of a larger examination of the town’s zoning. Overlays are used to add extra zoning controls in a specific area, to address special community needs or objectives. An example would be Murrysville’s gas recovery overlay...
Housing authority plans solar panel installation on land adjacent to Hempfield Towers
The Westmoreland County Housing Authority is moving ahead with the purchase of 6 acres behind Hempfield Towers. Officials plan to build a solar farm on the property to provide power solely to the 202-unit affordable senior apartment building. “We don’t have a sales agreement at this point on that, but...
Dog named Lucky missing after carjacking at East Huntingdon Tractor Supply store
As they often did, Willard Martz and his 10-year-old Airedale terrier, Lucky, went for a ride Monday morning. When Martz parked outside the East Huntingdon Tractor Supply about 8:45 a.m., leaving a window open for his companion, and headed into the store, someone came up behind him, said his daughter,...
Hempfield Area votes to spend $100K to double its weapons detector devices
After purchasing six weapons detectors for its schools in advance of the academic year, the Hempfield Area School District will double up on its security measures. The district purchased six OpenGate weapons detectors for more than $111,000 in July. The devices — two parallel poles that create a gate for...
Trump pledges to create protectionist policies and deport immigrants before cheering crowd at IUP rally
Former President Donald Trump spoke to a capacity crowd at Indiana University of Pennsylvania on Monday night, detailing his protectionist policies of tariffs, criticizing immigrants’ impact on Pennsylvania towns, and keeping steel production in America. “We are going to keep U.S. Steel right here in America,” Trump said. “We have...
Saint Vincent College relaunches program in aviation management
When Leo Sun of Latrobe was the tender age of 6, he wanted to fly airplanes. He was interested in watching shows about air crash investigations rather than cartoons. Now 18, the Saint Vincent College student is getting that opportunity and is working his way toward that treasured license as...
Trump courts farmers’ support in visit near Smithton
Rachelle Davanzo’s life growing up on her family’s South Huntingdon farm wasn’t a typical childhood. “When normal kids went home to watch TV, I went home to milk cows,” she said. Now a beef farm still run by her family, the bucolic rural site was the backdrop for a visit...
Hempfield man denied bond reduction in alleged murder-for-hire case
A Hempfield man accused of trying to hire a hit man to kill his sister in April in a dispute over money and property he expected to inherit will not see his $250,000 bail reduced. Westmoreland County Judge Scott Mears said during a hearing Monday that the charge against Peter...
Trio pleads guilty to attempted metal theft from Hamill Manufacturing
Two men were sentenced to almost a year in prison Monday after pleading guilty to the attempted theft of U.S. submarine metal from a Penn Township manufacturer. Bobby Lucci, 27, and Marcello Miguel, 22, both of Mt. Ephraim, N.J., will serve from 364 days to two years, less one day,...
Westmoreland County Transit Authority cites ridership drop, flexibility in switch to smaller buses
Westmoreland County Transit Authority plans to replace 10 large commuter buses with smaller, more nimble versions that will both better navigate small city streets and match what has been declining demand. The authority approved the purchase of 33-seat buses that are fueled by compressed natural gas from California-based manufacturer Gillig....
Natural gas sensor alert leads to brief evacuation at New Stanton vo-tech school
A natural gas sensor alert led to the evacuation of Central Westmoreland Career & Technology School in New Stanton on Monday morning, according to school officials. “Two of our teachers came in with their gas sensors to say the levels were a little higher than normal,” said CWCTC Director Jason...
‘We have to make U.S. Steel great again,’ Trump says at IUP rallyVideo
Former President Donald Trump rallied supporters for about 90 minutes Monday evening in Indiana, Pa. He covered familiar topics, namely critiques of his opponent Vice President Kamala Harris, the border situation, migrants and his plan to enact tariffs on imported goods. A capacity crowd of 5,000 packed the Kovalchick Convention...
Gaming-based mental health counseling to be introduced at Greensburg event
Playing video games allows Rob Hamilton, Westmoreland County’s director of human services, to disconnect from the stress and anxiety of everyday life. “It challenges my mind differently than maybe my everyday stressors might,” he said. He and licensed professional counselor Steve Kuniak are hoping to create a pilot program for...
Organizers pleased with jump in attendance as Bigfoot tales and tours complement Derry Railroad Days
The legend of Bigfoot and the storied history of railroads don’t typically have anything in common. In Derry Borough, they do now. Organizers of Derry Railroad Days this year dipped a toe into the mysterious world of Bigfoot’s supposed presence in the area. Festival board member Nathan Bundy said the...
Fall fashions focus of Women in NAACP event in Hempfield
The Greensburg-Jeannette Women in the NAACP (WIN) fall fashion show and luncheon will be held Oct. 5 at Live Casino Pittsburgh at Westmoreland Mall, the second year the annual event has welcomed guests at the Hempfield venue. About 100 people turned out for last year’s event. Co-chairperson Ruth R. Tolbert...
Scottdale celebrates its 150th anniversary with plenty of style — make that styles
For years, Jayne Canose walked in parades around the Scottdale area outfitted in handmade regalia of a different time. On Saturday, she rode, waving a gloved hand at those who lined the streets to watch the parade. Canose was at one time the leader of the Scottdale American Women, also...
Lowber field day gives area students hands-on knowledge of mine drainage problem
Greater Latrobe senior McKenna Brackney recalled visiting an acid mine drainage treatment system near Saint Vincent College when she was in grade school. She took a more hands-on approach during her Friday trip to a similar passive wetland treatment site in Sewickley Township. Brackney was among about 140 area high...
N.J. residents accused over $10K in fake checks supposedly issued by Greensburg Salem
Two New Jersey residents are accused of cashing bogus checks worth more than $10,000 made out to a cyber school that falsely stated they were sent on behalf of the Greensburg Salem School District, according to court documents. Bryce C. Sanders, 24, of Franklinville and Alyssa Wright, 27, of Cape...
Jeannette youth football coach suspended, league rules out opposing players using racial slurs
A Jeannette youth football coach was suspended Friday afternoon after the local league ruled out allegations of the team’s players being called racial slurs by some opposing players from Penn-Trafford during a game Sunday. The Big East Youth Football League issued a statement to parents Friday, detailing the results of...
Convicted rapist, formerly of Greensburg, now accused of raping 3-year-old
A former Greensburg man who is serving a state prison sentence in a violent rape was arraigned Friday on new sexual assault accusations police said involved a 3-year-old child. Justin Owens Hall, 30, who is being held at SCI Smithfield, is accused of sexually assaulting the child at a Penn...
