Westmoreland category, Page 403
Greensburg man’s bid to bar sex video evidence rejected by judge
A Westmoreland County judge on Monday ruled a cellphone video showing a woman having sex with a boy was legally obtained by authorities. Charles Hunter, 35, of Greensburg is awaiting trial of multiple counts of rape of a child, possession of child pornography and related offenses in connection with the...
Westmoreland coroner appoints new chief deputy
The Westmoreland County Coroner’s Office has a new chief deputy. Newly elected Coroner Tim Carson announced Monday that he has tabbed Scottdale funeral director James Jacquillard as his second-in-command. Jacquillard, 50, has been a licensed funeral director for 28 years. He is a supervisor and funeral director at Graft-Jacquillard Funeral...
Greensburg man ordered to prison for rape of unconscious woman
A Greensburg man convicted of raping an unconscious woman and for an attempted sexual assault of another person told a Westmoreland County judge on Monday he wanted to take responsibility for his actions even as he maintained his innocence. Levi L. Evans, 24, at a nonjury trial in September was...
Monessen STEM instructor earns grant as Educator of the Year finalist
Matthew Strine’s students at Monessen Middle/High School have explored the fields of business and technology by using 3-D printers to create and sell custom key chains and cube-shaped fidget toys. It’s part of the district Maker Space program the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) teacher has worked to initiate...
Nurse anesthetist accused of stealing painkillers from Greensburg hospital operating rooms
A certified nurse anesthetist who worked at Excela Health Westmoreland was arrested by agents from the state Attorney General’s office on accusations of stealing powerful painkillers from locked cabinets in the Greensburg hospital’s operating rooms, according to court papers. Todd A. Hrtyanski, 59, of Unity, who worked at the hospital...
Man arrested after Export standoff, accused of threatening ex-girlfriend with shotgun
A former Export man remains in jail without bond after a standoff with police late Friday outside a former girlfriend’s residence, where he is accused of threatening her with a shotgun, according to state police. Alvin A. Kovatch Jr., 38, was arrested on charges of burglary, criminal trespass and harassment...
Western Pa. watershed groups have high hopes for tapping into abandoned mine cleanup funds
Into Crabtree Creek, every minute of every day, seemingly clear water pours out of a long-abandoned mine, only to turn the rocks over which it flows a solid orange — the color created when the iron sulfide in the mine water is exposed to the air, creating sulfuric acid. That...
Westmoreland YWCA’s used bookstore aims to support affordability, literacy
Children’s books, mystery novels, adventure tales and more line the walls of the Westmoreland County YWCA’s basement. The gently used books are the association’s latest venture to promote literacy and affordability in the community. For $1 per inch, Greensburg locals can purchase books through the YWCA’s year-round used bookstore. The...
Need a government permit? In Greensburg you’ll soon be able to do it online
Greensburg’s planning and development office soon will be more easily accessible as several processes traditionally completed at city hall move online. Members of city council this week unanimously approved an agreement with OpenGov, a California-based company that creates software and services for government agencies. In Greensburg, residents and developers will...
Gamblers at Live! Casino Pittsburgh donate to charities through ‘Giveback’ boxes
More than $21,000 was donated to Westmoreland County charities during the second quarter of 2021 through Live! Casino Pittsburgh’s donation boxes. In all, the Westmoreland County Marine Toys for Tots program received more than $11,945, and Greensburg’s Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 33 received almost $9,670. Two donation boxes, known...
Laurelville Retreat Center hosts backyard birding event just weeks after fire in maintenance facility
Despite a fire destroying a maintenance facility at Laurelville Retreat Center in Mt. Pleasant this month, almost 70 people gathered at the dining hall Sunday afternoon for a presentation on backyard birding. The lunch and learn on backyard birding taught attendees how to identify birds in the region, where to...
Out & About: Party at The Palace Theatre a winter wonderland of fun
The Palace Theatre in Greensburg was transformed into a winter wonderland for the annual Party at The Palace on Saturday night. About 250 revelers flocked to the event, happy to be partying in person after the signature fundraiser went virtual in 2020. Planners went all out with food, fun and...
Greensburg Salem High School pageant is back with ‘Secret Agents’ theme
Ten seniors at Greensburg Salem High School are on a mission to capture the title of “Mr. GS 2022” when the popular annual pageant returns. “Secret Agents” is the theme for the event, which is sponsored by the Student Council Association and raises money toward activities including homecoming, the spring...
Lawsuit claims Westmoreland County Children’s Bureau failed to protect New Ken 3-year-old killed in 2020
The maternal grandfather of a nearly 3-year-old New Kensington boy beaten to death in 2020 claims the Westmoreland County Children’s Bureau failed to protect the child after it received allegations he was subjected to repeated incidents of physical and sexual abuse at the hands his mother and her live-in boyfriend....
Murrysville, North Huntingdon Republicans blast new congressional map; Democrats invigorated by changes
Republicans in Westmoreland County towns included in a redrawn congressional district based in Pittsburgh said they fear their communities will be excluded from key decision-making and have a reduced voice in national politics. Meanwhile, local Democrats said the move to align the county’s largest municipalities with traditional Democratic enclaves will...
Unity man suspected in woman’s disappearance may part ways with attorney, court papers indicate
The attorney for a Unity man suspected in the 2018 disappearance of Cassandra Gross is seeking to be discharged from his unrelated federal gun case a month before sentencing. The move came after Thomas George Stanko, 51, wrote two letters this month to a federal judge, apparently citing his displeasure...
Terry Ranieri Memorial Scholarship Fund to distribute first Hempfield Area awardVideo
The legacy of the late Terry Ranieri, a staunch supporter of the Hempfield Area marching band and beloved community member, will live on through a scholarship fund. The Terry Ranieri Memorial Scholarship Fund will provide a qualifying Hempfield band member with $1,000 to help cover college expenses. The first scholarship...
North Huntingdon church helps girls find the perfect prom dress — for freeVideo
More than 100 girls sifted through racks of tulle and silk in many hues Saturday morning at Norwin Christian Church, searching for their perfect prom dress. The Dressed in Joy event transformed the North Huntingdon church into a boutique featuring rows of donated dresses, piles of high-heeled shoes, jewelry and...
Franklin Regional students prepare to stage ‘The Little Mermaid’ in March
Getting into character generally isn’t a huge challenge for Franklin Regional senior Haylee Phillips. Unless that character is Flotsam, an evil eel in Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.” Then it’s a little trickier. “I get to wear heelies, so I can skate around,” said Phillips, 17, referring to tennis shoes with...
Out & About: Weekend kicks off with Westmoreland Museum’s Art After Hours
The Westmoreland Museum of American Art stayed open late on Friday for Art After Hours, a happy hour-style event that offered a little something for a variety of tastes and interests. Pittsburgh fiber artist Tina Williams Brewer was on hand to talk with guests about her artistic process and the...
Trout stocking is underway. Here’s how the Westmoreland fishing community is preparing for the upcoming season
There’s something fishy in Westmoreland County’s waters. During the next three months, hatchery-raised rainbow, brown and brook trout will be released into the county’s waters for anglers to catch during trout season, which opens statewide April 2. Locally, the first trout of 2022 were released Tuesday in Loyalhanna Creek. Throughout...
1 in custody following brief standoff in Export
One person was taken into custody by state police around 11:30 p.m. Friday after a brief standoff in Export. State police and Murrysville police closed a small part of the lower section of Italy Road in the borough while responding to a domestic situation. Police were called to Italy Road...
Coroner: Warren County man killed in Madison crash
A Warren County man was killed Friday night after his car veered off the road and collided with a tree in Madison, according to the Westmoreland County coroner. John D. Kelly, 73, of Sugar Grove Township was the lone occupant of the vehicle when it crashed in the 300 block...
Time capsules at Westmoreland Intermediate Unit lock up items until 2072
Several hallmarks of 2022 were placed in a time capsule by Hempfield Area students for others to find in 50 years. Among them were a smartphone, a blank vaccine card, and gift cards to various stores and a movie theater that might not exist in five decades. Superintendent Tammy Wolicki...
Hempfield Area School District looks to add hundreds of Chromebooks; repair costs drop
Laptop repairs are down this year in the Hempfield Area School District. That’s a drastic change from last school year, when officials shelled out thousands of dollars to fix scores of portable computers. Between the start of the school year and Feb. 18, the district paid nearly $24,000 to repair...
