Westmoreland category, Page 266
Police: Woman used heroin before killing pedestrian in New Florence
An Indiana County woman is accused of being impaired when she hit and killed a pedestrian in New Florence late Monday and fled the scene, according to court papers. State police said Melissa Ann Anderson, 52, of East Wheatfield told them she used heroin just before the collision. Barry Lynn...
Madison tax collector fined for late payments says life events got in the way
Madison Borough’s tax collector is accused of ignoring requests from county auditors to access his records and as a result owes more than $2,800 for making late tax payments. Westmoreland County Controller Jeffrey Balzer said an audit released Monday of collections made by Madison tax collector John Fassett last year...
Inmate pleads guilty to assault of prosecution witness in New Kensington murder trial
A Wilkinsburg man was ordered to serve up to a year in prison for assaulting a jail inmate who testified last year in the trial of New Kensington man convicted of first-degree murder. Shawnti Eugene Shifflett, 27, pleaded guilty Monday to a misdemeanor charge of simple assault after Westmoreland County...
Police say scammers stole $1K in merchandise from Hempfield store
State police are trying to identify two people who made off with $1,000 worth of merchandise after investigators said they did a quick-change scam at a children’s clothing store in Hempfield. Troopers released surveillance images of the suspects on Monday in connection with the April 25 incident at Carter’s in...
3 men in jail after raid in Jeannette
Three men were jailed without bail Thursday after members of the Westmoreland County drug task force raided a Jeannette home and reported finding drugs and two guns, according to court papers. Police said they confiscated $1,000 and about 21 grams of suspected cocaine. Chad E. Foster, 29, of Jeannette; Charles...
Derry Township man charged after police say he shared child porn on Snapchat
A Derry Township man is being held at the Westmoreland County Prison after state police said he shared a video of child pornography through Snapchat. Timothy Allen Eckenroad, 32, was arrested Thursday on charges of child pornography and criminal use of a communication facility. Troopers said Snapchat notified the National...
Franklin Regional, conservation district officials seek grant for work on Haymaker Run
Franklin Regional School District officials recognize the value of their front yard at the elementary campus along Sardis Road in Murrysville. With several acres of natural habitat and the high-quality stream in Haymaker Run along its western border, “we’re looking at the Sloan campus as an environmental center,” Superintendent Gennaro...
Planned Hempfield park could see construction later this year
Construction on a planned park along Route 30 near Mount Pleasant Road in Hempfield might start this fall if all goes as expected. Township supervisors committed to funding the first phase of the Weatherwood Community Park, a 14-acre park on 42 acres of land paralleling US-30 off Weatherwood Lane, for...
Sewickley Township man testifies wife’s death at hands of a drunk driver is his nightmare
James Wardezek had little sympathy for the man police said was responsible for his wife’s death and the injuries he suffered that were caused by a drunk driver two years ago in Hempfield. “I hope this day finds you unwell. The problem is the decision you made for yourself,” Wardezek...
North Huntingdon property owners hoping to build homes await second decision on property rezoning
Two couples who invested $230,000 in a 95-acre industrial-zoned parcel in North Huntingdon might learn next week whether township officials will rezone the land so they can build their homes on the site. The township commissioners said they will revisit the issue of whether to rezone the land at 1000...
Flat Tire bike shop in Greensburg forms youth mountain bike race team
Kids interested in mountain bike racing are invited to check out the new Laurel Highlands Composite Mountain Bike Team being sponsored by Flat Tire Co. Bike Shop in Greensburg. “It’s our passion, it’s something we love, so we’re just trying to get more kids out there on bikes,” said shop...
Hanna’s Town marks a half-century of antiques and collectibles sale
From coffee mills and rolling pins to milk glass and empty bottles of questionable medicinal “cures,” vintage and antique shoppers had plenty to choose from Sunday at the 50th annual Hanna’s Town Antiques & Collectibles market. After a rainy Saturday, attendees and vendors couldn’t have asked for better weather than...
School board races serve as culture war battlegrounds
Darlene Ciocca had served nearly a dozen years as a member of the Norwin School Board and, in February, faced a decision that on the surface seemed completely out of place — one that involved a political calculation to determine whether to seek another term in office. The divisive political...
Election Day: What you need to know
Tuesday is Election Day. Allegheny County’s more than 890,000 and Westmoreland County’s more than 243,000 registered voters will head to the polls to nominate candidates for state judge, county offices including county execitive, county council, commissioner, judge and sheriff, as well as school boards, local city and borough councils and...
Allegheny, Westmoreland, Alle-Kiski Valley races to watch in Tuesday’s primary
Voters will go to the polls Tuesday with a slew of political races on the ballot. Allegheny County will be picking a Democratic nominee in a six-candidate race for county executive, while the county’s longtime district attorney is facing possibly his toughest primary challenge in more than two decades. There...
Murrysville law student takes part in national moot court competition in New York City
James Capone was anticipating a career in mechanical engineering — having earned a degree and started a job — when he was unexpectedly let go by the company where he was working due to cutbacks during the covid pandemic. “After that happened, I worked at my sister’s law firm as...
Out & About: Derby Day for Charity sprints to strong finish
The 149th running of the Kentucky Derby was plagued with issues, but not so the 9th annual Derby Day for Charity. Hosted by the Laurel Ridge Foundation, the event went off without a hitch on May 6 at Latrobe Country Club in Unity. The signature event of the Ligonier-based private...
Local programs help young voters dive into the realm of government
Eighteen-year-old Rachel Pasko has been surrounded by politics her entire life. As her family and friends spoke with conviction about administrations and foreign policy over the years, the Hempfield Area School District senior watched tensions rise and fall, and decided that she wasn’t interested in jumping into the conversation. Then...
Out & About: Afternoon tea benefits Ligonier Valley Education Trust
Nothing feels quite as fancy as sitting down to afternoon tea, at a table set with crisp linens, fine china and an array of dainty sweets and savories. The Ligonier Valley Education Trust provided the elegant tradition at three seatings on April 30 at Connections Cafe in Ligonier. Guests sipped...
Out & About: Greensburg Art Center presents ‘Biennial 2023’
As an art exhibit juror, Clayton Merrell said his fundamental approach is to look for work that “causes me to feel something or think something or see something in a new way. A painter and associate professor of art at Carnegie Mellon University, Merrell put that aesthetic to work as...
Out & About: Fort Ligonier hosts art conservator at annual meeting
Fort Ligonier welcomed artist and painting conservator Michael Mosorjak of Johnstown as speaker at the annual meeting and member reception on April 28. Mosorjak discussed the conservation techniques of British paintings, which comprise most of Fort Ligonier’s collection — many of which he has conserved. When asked if he had...
Out & About: The Westmoreland bids farewell to portrait exhibit
As a Black, gay, immigrant artist living in the Rust Belt, Gavin Benjamin has contemplated themes of isolation, both personal and for the wider communities of which he is part. The impetus behind his recent exhibit at The Westmoreland Museum of American Art, “Break Down and Let It All Out,”...
Charleroi native opening fitness studio in Rostraver
Natalie Raitano has lived in New York and Los Angeles. The fitness expert has acted on television shows and trained numerous celebrities. But for her, there’s no place like home. Raitano moved back to Charleroi, Washington County, right before the pandemic in 2020 to be closer to her family. “I...
Racin’ in the rain: Export event benefits Moose charityVideo
Stephanie Bruggeman of Delmont didn’t need an umbrella to stay dry on Saturday afternoon — her giant inflatable koala costume was doing the job just fine. Bruggeman and a street full of inflatable athletes turned out for the second annual “Blow Up Export” race down Washington Avenue. Proceeds from the...
A few sprinkles can’t spoil 9th annual Loyalhanna SojournVideo
Keystone State Park Manager Kris Baker wasn’t discouraged at all by the gray, drizzly morning that greeted kayakers at the ninth annual Loyalhanna Sojourn. “Sometimes this weather is better and more comfortable,” Baker said. “When it’s 85 degrees and sunny all day, it gets pretty hot out on the water.”...
