Westmoreland category, Page 3
Judge sets bail for Murrysville man accused of burglary, indecent assault
A Westmoreland County judge on Wednesday set $5,000 bail for a man accused of breaking into a Murrysville home and groping a female resident. Gregory P. Schneider, 47, had been held at the Westmoreland County Prison without bail since his arrest Sept. 2 on two felony counts of burglary and...
Westmoreland makes 12 temporary layoffs permanent as part of restructuring
A dozen Westmoreland County employees who have been furloughed saw their positions abolished Thursday, resulting in permanent layoffs. Seven of the positions were in the human services department, which director Rob Hamilton called a restructuring. The move will free up a chunk of money at a time when, he said,...
Mt. Pleasant man receives mandatory sentence in sexual abuse of child
A Mt. Pleasant man was sentenced to 10 to 20 years in state prison Thursday in connection with repeated sexual abuse of a teen. Joshua Jacob Tamblyn, 41, was convicted in July of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse of a child less than 16, four counts of indecent assault and one...
Spirit to resume Arnold Palmer Regional flights to Myrtle Beach
If the bitter cold weather on Thursday got you down, maybe thinking about a beach vacation in April might lift your spirits. Spirit Airlines said Thursday it is resuming its seasonal, five flights weekly nonstop service from Arnold Palmer Regional Airport near Latrobe to Myrtle Beach, S.C., beginning April 15....
Delmont the latest town to consider switching animal control provider
Delmont officials will consider changing their animal control provider next month. Councilman Chris Bigley invited representatives of Indiana County no-kill shelter Whiskey Acres Rescue and Sanctuary to council’s meeting Wednesday night to give a presentation on their services. Latrobe and Leechburg in recent weeks have opted to change from Salem-based...
Penn Township to gather public input on latest rezoning proposal
Penn Township will host a meeting next month to gather feedback on a series of proposed zoning changes. The meeting will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 9 in the cafeteria of Penn-Trafford High School, 3381 Route 130, Penn Township. The rezoning plan is intended to diversify the township’s...
Environmental group protects 2,400 acres on Chestnut Ridge
A conservation organization has protected more than 2,400 acres of undeveloped forest land on Chestnut Ridge in eastern Westmoreland County. The land contains the headwaters for several wild trout streams. The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy said agreements reached on land donations and a conservation easement on property owned by several families...
Officials worry for future as passenger levels at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport hit new lows
Air traffic through Arnold Palmer Regional Airport last year fell to its lowest level since 2011 even as local leaders brace for more decline while questions linger about the future of the facility’s lone commercial carrier. According to figures released this week, just 119,379 passengers went through the gates in...
Westmoreland happenings: MLK Jr. Day event, omelet breakfast, bird dog challenge, more
Art The Westmoreland Historical Society welcomes artists to participate in “Many Stories, One Place,” a commemoration of the county’s heritage. Original artwork inspired by the county’s history in all mediums is welcome. Entry is free. Selected works will be featured as part of the America 250 programming and cash prizes...
Sheetz in North Huntingdon sells $1.4 million winning lottery ticket
Someone who purchased a Match 6 Lotto game $2 ticket Wednesday at a Sheetz convenience store in North Huntingdon is a lot richer. The Pennsylvania Lottery said that a $1.42 million jackpot-winning Match 6 Lotto ticket was sold at the store at the intersection of Route 30 and Carpenter Lane....
Penn Township fires finance director after about 5 months on the job
The Penn Township commissioners unanimously voted Wednesday to fire Finance Director Jaime Peticca after about five months on the job. Peticca was hired by the township Aug. 20 to fill a vacancy left by Colleen Gain, who resigned in June. Township Secretary/Manager Mary Perez declined to comment on the reason...
Irwin OKs plans for Chipotle restaurant
Irwin officials gave the green light to a national Mexican food chain’s plan to build one of its 4,000 restaurants along Route 30 in the borough. Borough council on Wednesday unanimously approved the land development plan from Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. for its eatery at 9174 Route 30, the site...
Derry woman pleads guilty to forged death certificate scam
A Derry Township woman’s widowhood was only to last just long enough for her refund check to be cashed. Lori Shawley, 54, pleaded guilty Wednesday to two felony counts of forgery in connection to allegations she faked her husband’s death. Prosecutors said it was part of a scam designed to...
Probation imposed on massage parlor worker charged in prostitution ring raids
A New York woman was ordered to serve two years on probation for offering to perform illegal sex acts last year at a Hempfield massage parlor. Zhang Peiyun, 61, following a brief court hearing Wednesday was admitted into the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program for first-time nonviolent offenders. Peiyun was arrested...
Police say Bradenville taxidermist accepted animals, payment but never completed work
John Anthony hooked impressive fish on back-to-back days out of Sandy Lick Creek near Brookville in 2022. He was proud of the pair of catches and wanted to get the 21-inch rainbow trout and 15-inch brook trout mounted, so he sought help from Mike Chesla of Forever Ridge Taxidermy in...
Police: Shooter fired 3 times, beat up man dating his estranged wife outside East Huntingdon fitness center
A man accused in a shooting in an East Huntingdon plaza Tuesday afternoon fired a handgun three times, beat up his target and then walked to his pickup truck before driving 8 miles to Connellsville, according to Trooper Steve Limani. The wounded man has been dating 38-year-old Steven Heald’s estranged...
Greensburg OKs plan for Sheetz at East Pittsburgh Street
A subdivision and land development plan for a long-awaited Sheetz in Greensburg was approved by council Monday and officials said traffic calming measures will be added to allay concerns. Mayor Robb Bell said he felt comfortable approving the plan after having a conference call with Sheetz officials last week. He...
Attorney: New Florence murder suspect expected to testify for prosecution
One of three people accused in the murder of a New Florence grandmother will be tried separately from his two co-defendants, signaling a potential agreement to cooperate with prosecutors, an attorney said Tuesday. Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio pushed back the first-degree murder case against Robert Patrick Jack,...
Man hospitalized after being shot at East Huntingdon shopping plaza; suspect in custody, identifiedVideo
State police charged a Connellsville man after a brazen daylight shooting Tuesday in an East Huntingdon shopping plaza that sent a man to the hospital. Charges against Steven Henry Tris Heald, 38, include attempted criminal homicide, aggravated assault and stalking, according to court records. The shooting was reported about 1...
Rutter’s opens 1st store in Westmoreland CountyVideo
Rutter’s, the convenience chain founded by members of the Rutter farm family in York, opened its first location in Westmoreland County on Tuesday. The convenience store, gas station and truck stop located at the corner of Interstate 70 and Waltz Mill Road in Sewickley Township also includes a small bar...
Judge sets state prison sentence for man who punched, kicked and choked dog in South Huntingdon
After Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Ranger played graphic videos depicting the abuse of a dog in court Tuesday, she read messages the defendant sent laughing about his actions. “The dog can’t walk lol,” Zachary Hixson, 31, said in one message. “It’s paralyzed lol,” he said in another, as read by...
Greensburg moves another step closer to beginning Northmont flood control work
A $6,000 payment for an easement related to Greensburg’s Northmont flood control project was approved Monday. City council authorized the payment to John and Rebecca Rosebosly for access to 430 New Alexandria Road, the site of McDonald Auto Clinic. Solicitor Zachary Kansler said negotiations are underway with four more property...
Judge considers release for Murrysville man accused in neighbor’s assault
A Westmoreland County judge will decide by Friday whether to grant bail to a Murrysville man accused of breaking into a neighbor’s home to make sexual overtures. During a court hearing Monday, defense attorney Pat Noonan said Gregory P. Schneider, 47, was experiencing the effects of a medication change at...
Norwin school bus company facing driver shortages
Norwin’s bus transportation contractor, First Student, is faced with a driver shortage because of retirements and a rash of illnesses, forcing the district to scramble to get some students to school. “We communicate with First Student throughout each day to make and adjust plans to ensure that the driver shortage...
Defense demands dismissal of murder, arson charges in 1993 Jeannette fire case
Lawyers for a former Jeannette man awaiting retrial for the 1993 death of his wife and two young children claim Westmoreland County prosecutors cannot prove the fire that killed them was intentionally set. In pretrial motions submitted Monday, defense attorneys for James Young, 58, argued that homicide and arson charges...
