Westmoreland category, Page 357
Franklin Regional hires new assistant superintendent, assistant high school principal
Franklin Regional school board members filled a couple of the positions left open after the departure of several administrators in the past few months. School directors approved a new assistant superintendent and assistant high school principal, following the resignations of Robin Pynos and Ted Benning, respectively. Matthew Delp joins the...
Rain barrel workshop planned for Irwin
Irwin area residents who want to capture rainwater and use it for their garden, lawn or flowers, can learn how to make and use a rain barrel in a workshop conducted by a Penn State Extension educator from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Aug. 24 at the Irwin Public Works building,...
Hempfield Area policy change would expand parents’ role in review of challenged books
Changes under consideration by the Hempfield Area School Board would expand the role parents play in the review of challenged course material and library books. Board members have begun tweaking the review process, continuing a monthlong conversation that began after parents challenged two books available to high school students. “What...
Teen accuser described as desperate, jealous in Ruffs Dale sex assault trial
The lawyer for a Ruffs Dale man accused of having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl told a Westmoreland County jury on Monday the allegations were brought by a desperate and jealous teenager. Prosecutors contend Steven K. Stemmler, 39, had a sexual relationship with the teenager that started in...
Delmont woman pleads guilty for threats to Westmoreland County judge
A Delmont woman who pleaded guilty to harassing the judge who presided over a family court case she was involved in was sentenced to seven years’ probation and 18 months’ house arrest. Jennifer Gesuale, 43, pleaded guilty this month to three sets of criminal charges, including allegations she illegally recorded...
I-70 work triggers lane restriction in South Huntingdon, detours at Speers exit
PennDOT projects are scheduled to interrupt traffic Wednesday on Interstate 70 — at a work site near the Yukon exit in Westmoreland County and at a location farther west, in Washington County. Eastbound traffic will be restricted to a single lane from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. between the exits...
Jeannette council eases proposed fine for curfew violations
Fines for violations of Jeannette’s 11 p.m. curfew were reduced in a new version of a proposed ordinance approved by council last week. Solicitor Tim Witt said the updated proposal carries fines ranging from $25 to $300 for to curfew violations. The fines could be assessed to a minor or...
71-year-old man found dead in Hempfield home after fire extinguished
A 71-year-old Hempfield man was found dead inside his home Monday after firefighters extinguished a blaze, according to the Westmoreland County coroner. Witnesses reported smoke and flames at the mobile home on Ferens Lane around 4:30 a.m., according to the coroner. Thomas H. Smith was found inside the home on...
Hearing set for demolition of Fort Pitt Brewery in Jeannette
A demolition hearing will be held Sept. 13 for Jeannette officials to take testimony about whether the former Fort Pitt Brewery should be torn down or remain standing. Fire Chief Bill Frye said the hearing is a formality on the way to the ultimate goal of demolishing the crumbling multi-building...
Latrobe could enact stricter regulations for vacant, rental properties
Proposed changes to a Latrobe ordinance aim to rid the city of dilapidated and deteriorated buildings by enacting stricter regulations for vacant and rental properties. The changes, which were recommended by the Latrobe Planning Commission, now await council approval. They would grant the code officer permission to order immediate demolition...
TV Talk: Cable’s ID brings back ‘Homicide Hunter’ with Westmoreland native Joe KendaVideo
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen offers a viewing tip for the coming week. When Investigation Discovery’s “Homicide Hunter” ended its nine-season run three years ago, star/host Joe Kenda said the series wrapped because he ran out of cases and those that remained were too simple or too gruesome....
Murrysville developer earns state builder’s association’s Distinguished Achievement Award
When Jim Rumbaugh of Murrysville agreed to accept an appointment as chair for the Franklin Township Municipal Sanitary Authority board, he quickly recognized the challenges he faced. “Plum Borough was in the same basic situation 30 years ago, where the (Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection) shut down tap allocations and...
Man breaks leg in Cedar Creek Park accident
A man was rescued after breaking his leg in a fall on Sunday afternoon at Westmoreland County’s Cedar Creek Park in Rostraver Township. The unidentified man was hiking the Gorge Trail when the accident happened, according to the Rostraver Central Fire Department Facebook page. The post said RCFD units were...
Westmoreland broadband survey searching for service, speed
Ed Egloff still can’t understand why, after 25 years of having internet service at his Derry Township auto body shop and nearby home, he has been cut off from the web. “They’ve got to do something. This is terrible,” Egloff said. His properties sit a few miles north of Route...
Lammas Day: Derry historical society marks traditional beginning of harvest season
People who filtered in and out of New Derry’s Fulton House Sunday afternoon took a step back in time as they recreated the traditional Lammas Day observance, a celebration of the beginning of the harvest. Sunday’s festival, which marked the 17th year the Derry Area Historical Society has celebrated Lammas...
State officials: Bushy Run staff must consult with Native groups before staging reenactments
If historic Bushy Run Battlefield Park intends to host future reenactments or programs portraying Native Americans, park management first will have to consult with appropriate Native groups. That’s the policy of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, which oversees the Penn Township park. The commission says it also must approve...
Doug Mastriano brings gubernatorial campaign to Westmoreland County
State Sen. Doug Mastriano made a campaign stop Friday in Westmoreland County, where he received the endorsement in his race for governor from the county’s Republican Party chairman and state Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward. Speaking before a crowd of several hundred supporters in a clearing at the Slickville Sportsman’s...
Off-road vehicle, stretcher, ropes needed to rescue man from rugged terrain in Murrysville park
It took more than two hours Friday for emergency crews to rescue a man who suffered an apparent medical emergency and fell down a steep trail in Murrysville’s Duff Park. Off-road utility terrain vehicles and a rope system were used to transport the man across some of the park’s steep...
Westmoreland GOP retains top leaders
With recent successes at the ballot box and increases on the voter registration rolls, Westmoreland County Republicans voted to keep the party’s leadership team in place for another two years. GOP committee members gathered at Hempfield Park on Thursday and reelected, without opposition, the party’s executive team for a second...
‘Top dog’ pleads guilty for role in Westmoreland heroin trafficking ring
A Jeannette man who prosecutors described as the “top dog” of a multi-million dollar heroin trafficking ring that operated throughout Westmoreland County in 2017 has pleaded guilty to drug and conspiracy charges. Chauncy Bray, 32, has been behind bars since his arrest five years ago, when police said he and...
Woman, dogs escape injury in Jeannette fire
A woman and four dogs escaped injury Friday when a Jeannette home caught fire and was extensively damaged, leaving a family of four homeless. Jeannette fire Chief Bill Frye said flames were shooting out of the second-story windows of the front bedroom of the house on 14th Street when firefighters...
Coco’s restaurant in Hempfield aims to please all palates with upscale dishes
After Mary Ann Calabrase and Chris Lee lingered for several hours over a recent lunch at Coco’s Prodigious Food Artisans, Calabrase said, “If we had brought sleeping bags, we’d stay overnight.” That’s how much they enjoyed the experience. Their order included a Reuben sandwich and fries, beef barley soup, white...
Comments sought on plans for bridge replacement, detour in Derry Township
PennDOT intends to replace an aging bridge on Route 982 in Derry Township and is inviting the public to review and comment on plans for the project. Information and maps detailing the project, along with a proposed detour route, can be viewed online through Aug. 23. Visit PennDOT.pa.gov/District12. Click on...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County: Aug. 12-14Video
For the birds The park naturalist will lead a free “Birds at Dusk” program from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Keystone State Park, 1150 Keystone Road, Derry Township. Evening provides prime bird-watching opportunities as they forage for food before bedding down for the night. Program participants will identify birds...
Greensburg Hose Company No. 1 to welcome car enthusiasts for 2nd annual cruise
There were 126 vehicles entered in last year’s inaugural car and bike cruise at the Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department’s Hose Company No. 1. “A bunch of our guys have some old cars, so we figured we’d have a cruise and try to raise some money for the fire station,” company...
