Westmoreland category, Page 136
Teen sentenced up to 25 years in prison for shooting death of Monessen classmate
A month ago, Bethany Altomore accepted her son’s high school diploma. His cap and gown were draped over an empty chair at Monessen High School’s Class of 2024 graduation, a memorial of sorts for Amari Altomore, who was killed in 2022. “Then we had to go to the cemetery to...
Jeannette resident makes most of new musical directionsVideo
So, you find yourself thinking about what it would be like to make a new start. For someone who actually followed through, meet Jeannette resident Mick Francis. As lead vocalist and primary handler of details for the up-and-coming Pittsburgh pop-punk band Lotus Kid, he seemed to be headed in what...
Red Cross hoping for at least 190 blood donors at drive in Hempfield
In January, American Red Cross officials declared an emergency blood shortage in the U.S., citing a 20-year all-time low in donors. The Red Cross supplies roughly 40% of the nation’s donated blood and blood components like plasma. Red Cross officials will host a July 15 blood drive at Charter Oak...
Norwin OKs contract for Superintendent Natalie McCracken
Norwin’s new superintendent, Natalie McCracken, has a five-year contract with a 4.2% increase in the base salary she was to receive as the school district’s assistant superintendent. School board directors Christine Baverso, Bill Bojalad, Raymond Kocak, Tim Kotch Sr., Heath Shrum and Matt Thomas voted to approve the deal at...
Universal Lunch initiative would mean free meals for all students, regardless of family income
Hungry kids can quickly turn into hangry students. Rumbling stomachs can lead to classroom distraction and discipline issues, research shows, along with feelings of isolation for children whose families struggle to afford school lunches. “Not only do we see the benefits of full bellies in academics, but it’s social, too,”...
Mt. Pleasant Area School Board OKs 1-mill property tax hike, $38.1M budget
Mt. Pleasant Area School District property owners will see 1 mill added to their tax bills to help support the district’s 2024-25 budget of more than $38.1 million. That final spending plan approved Wednesday, June 26, represents a decrease from the $38.8 million tentative budget total proposed in May, when...
‘It takes a village’: Parents of Penn Township boy injured in lawn mower accident reflect on trauma, recovery 2 years later
Two years ago, 6-year-old Liam Lavelle took a ride with his dad on the lawn mower — something he had done many times before. The mower’s blades were not engaged, and the bagging system was turned off as Liam’s dad, Zach Lavelle, drove the vehicle to the edge of his...
Emmy winner, a North Huntingdon native, remains passionate about making movies
A North Huntingdon native was pursuing a career in computer engineering in Cleveland in the 1980s when she made an independent film that changed her life, setting her on course for an award-winning career. “I fell in love with making a movie,” said Annetta Marion about her first experience in...
Phased work to replace Route 711 bridge will restrict, detour traffic in Ligonier Township
A series of traffic restrictions and a temporary detour are set to begin on Monday as a PennDOT contractor replaces a bridge on Route 711 in Ligonier Township. Located between Slater and Peters roads, the bridge carries Route 711 over Koffer Run — a tributary of Loyalhanna Creek — on...
Sunday market at Greensburg center features plants, gifts
Old Salem Farmers Market is held Sundays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. through Oct. 20 in the rear parking lot at the Greensburg Garden & Civic Center, 951 Old Salem Road, Greensburg. The season for this new market began on June 9. Visitors could browse among 10 vendors during the...
Fido-friendly outdoor dining options plentiful in Western Pennsylvania
Sharing meal time with man’s best friend has never been easier as more local establishments roll out dog-friendly outdoor dining options. According to statistics from Yelp, online searches for businesses using “dogs allowed” increased by 58% between 2021 and 2023, and the company noted more than 47,400 U.S. businesses describe...
11th annual Yellow Tie Gala to kick off Great American Banana Split Festival in Latrobe
Ice cream fans looking for a sweet way to support a local nonprofit won’t need to look far in Latrobe this summer. The Robindale Great American Banana Split Celebration will be held the weekend of Aug. 24 and 25. The annual event honors the momentous 1904 invention of the banana...
2 more Hempfield fire companies start process to move under township management
Dave Ciarkowski, captain and president at Grapeville Fire Department, is looking forward to focusing on the work of responding to emergency calls again. His station is one of two that have recently sent in their letters of interest toward becoming “nonchartered” under Hempfield Township’s fire department. Once Grapeville and Adamsburg...
Rostraver church holds service for pets, owners
John Harkins and Lucy, his Schnauzer-Yorkie mix, have been together for just three months. They are a family and last Saturday, along with dozens of other local pets and owners, gathered at the First Presbyterian Church for the 9th annual Blessing of the Animals. Harkins, adopted Lucy in Florida earlier...
Equestrian therapy students display skills at Westmoreland Fairgrounds show
Saddling up has given Matthew Mitchell a new approach for tackling some of his personal challenges. The newly minted Southmoreland High School graduate claimed a prize on Saturday for the way he handled therapy horse Sid during the second annual horse show organized by Penn Township nonprofit, Making Strides. Mitchell,...
Hometown champ: Monessen honors former world heavyweight boxing champion Michael Moorer
Monessen honored one of its most famous sons on Saturday, recognizing former world heavyweight boxing champion Michael Moorer at the city’s Celebration in Park for his recent induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Moorer, 56, won the light heavyweight title in only his 12th professional fight, and not...
1 killed, 1 injured in 2-car crash in Ligonier Township
A South Huntingdon woman was killed and another motorist was injured when their cars collided Saturday morning on Route 30 in Ligonier Township. Wilma H. Bradish, 81, was taken from the scene to Independence Health Latrobe Hospital, where she was pronounced dead by an emergency room physician, according to Westmoreland...
Severe weather forecast, flood watch issued after 5 tornadoes hit Western Pa.
Workers have been clearing uprooted trees and broken branches from Winifred Sherman’s yard since a tornado whipped past her Penn Township home Wednesday. But with the potential for flash flooding, a tornado, hail and strong winds in this weekend’s forecast, local tree services and power companies may need to hit...
Feds seize cocaine, fentanyl, guns linked to 4 felons in Allegheny, Westmoreland counties
Four men are charged in federal court with drug distribution after federal investigators on Thursday seized more than 75 kilograms of cocaine, 90,000 doses of fentanyl and several guns after executing a series of search warrants. All of the men charged have previous felony drug convictions that prohibited them from...
Mt. Pleasant Township woman accused of shooting truck pleads guilty to lesser charges
An attempted homicide charge against a Mt. Pleasant Township woman accused of shooting her estranged husband’s pickup truck while he stood nearby was dropped Friday in exchange for her guilty plea on lesser charges. Fauna J. McDowell, 35, was sentenced to nine to 23 months in the Westmoreland County Prison...
Murrysville house cleaner has paid $7K, promises to pay more and plead guilty in jewelry thefts
A Murrysville woman accused of stealing thousands of dollars in expensive jewelry from homes where she worked as a cleaner plans to plead guilty in four cases, according to her attorney. But first, Holly L. Simpson has started paying off some of the restitution her attorney anticipates she will owe....
Despite pleas from mother, Mt. Pleasant Township man accused of stabbing mom will remain in jail on $500K bail
Judge Scott Mears decided Friday against lowering the bond for a Mt. Pleasant Township man accused of stabbing his mother, calling it one of the saddest cases he’s handled while sitting on the bench. It’s at least the second time in three months defense attorneys have asked in court that...
‘He was a joy’: Penn Township family mourns loss of pony after tornado
Darla Cynkar couldn’t believe it when her husband, Jim, told her a tornado had just whisked by their Penn Township home Wednesday night, toppling trees and scattering branches across their yard. She was even more shocked and heartbroken to hear that a fallen tree struck and trapped their 16-year-old pony,...
New errors discovered in Westmoreland Register of Wills Office lead to personnel changes
The ongoing review of records in the embattled Westmoreland County Register of Wills Office has unearthed more incomplete adoption files, leading to personnel changes enacted this week by the conservator appointed to oversee the office. According to court documents filed Thursday, conservator Jim Antoniono said staff found multiple cases of...
Unclaimed cremains buried in Potter’s Field near Westmoreland prison
No one at a memorial service Thursday in Hempfield knew the people they were honoring. The 54 names read aloud were unfamiliar to them, though still worthy of being treated with dignity and respect as they found their final resting place. “These individuals, though they may be strangers to us,...
