Westmoreland category, Page 404
Unity man sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for role in meth distribution ring
A 35-year-old Unity man was sentenced this week to federal prison on charges of violating narcotics trafficking laws, U.S. Attorney Cindy K. Chung said. Alan “Mugs” Masecar, currently in the Allegheny County Jail, was sentenced to 51 months in prison, followed by three years supervised release by District Judge Robert...
Greensburg police arrest 2 in Christmas Eve burglary case after tip from Somerset County
When Windber police this month nabbed two Johnstown men on charges of stealing firearms out of storage units in the small Somerset County borough, little did they know their case would be the gift Greensburg police needed to solve a Christmas Eve pawn shop burglary. City police used a tip...
Norwin lifts modified lockdown over bomb threat
The Norwin School District Thursday afternoon lifted the modified lockdown that the school district had been under since early morning as a result of a bomb threat, Superintendent Jeff Taylor said in a message. The district did not release any details of the bomb threat, which it announced around 11:45...
Ice storm warning issued in parts of Westmoreland, Fayette
The National Weather Service has issued multiple winter weather advisories for several counties in Western Pennsylvania. Jenna Lake, a NWS meteorologist in the Moon office, said a “mature and dynamic” weather system moving in from the plains/midwest section of the country will usher in a mixed bag of will rain,...
Olympics help spur interest in curling in Western Pa.
The sport of curling — somewhat akin to shuffleboard on ice — is growing in popularity, spurred by the recent Winter Olympics in Beijing, even though the U.S. teams missed out on winning medals. After watching the 2010 Olympics, Bryan Spang of Hempfield caught the curling bug. He started learning...
Police: Westmoreland County jail inmate pretended to be his brother
An inmate from Ohio arrested last summer in Unity on multiple drug counts and illegal possession of a 9 mm handgun also was charged with perjury Wednesday after authorities said he identified himself as his younger brother, who has no arrest record, according to court documents. Timothy J. Boyd, 40,...
Westmoreland’s western towns shifted to Pittsburgh-based Congressional district
Some Republican strongholds along the western edge of Westmoreland County will be part of a new Democratic-based Congressional district under a redistricting plan approved Wednesday by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. The county will continue to have two representatives in Congress. Irwin, Jeannette, Murrysville, North Huntingdon, Penn Township, Sewickley and part...
Stage Right presents Pittsburgh-area playwright’s new musical
Sometimes family is where you find it. That’s one takeaway from “Local Singles,” a Stage Right musical production coming this weekend to The Lamp Theatre in Irwin. With book, music and lyrics by Pine resident Nick Navari, “Local Singles” follows a group of young people looking for connections through a...
45 counterfeit $20s used at 2 Salem businesses, police say
The rash of counterfeit bills continues in Westmoreland County, this time in Salem at the Walmart and a Speedway gas station, according to state police. Troopers said two men were seen entering the Hollywood Boulevard store at 9:30 p.m. Saturday and used 41 counterfeit $20 bills to buy a Shark...
Police searching for 2 men in check theft, ‘washing’ scheme that netted $10K
State police are looking for two men who they believe stole a check from a mailbox belonging to a Ligonier accounting firm and used it to steal about $10,000 from Latrobe Municipal Authority. Michael G. Machay, 35, of Butler and Bryan A. McGraw, 30, of McKees Rocks are charged with...
Man accused by troopers of stalking 2 women in same Hempfield apartment complex
State police arrested a 54-year-old man Sunday after he was accused of stalking two women who live in the same apartment complex in Hempfield, according to court documents. Troopers said the investigation of Dale A. Murphy of Greensburg began Thursday when one victim alleged Murphy had occasionally followed her vehicle...
Westmoreland happenings: church services, fish fries and gift basket bash
Church news • An Ash Wednesday service will be at 7 p.m. March 2 at West Newton First Church of God, 157 N. Second St. Toothpaste and toothbrushes will be collected for the food bank at the March 6 service. • A World Day of Prayer service will be at...
Jeannette woman’s conviction for false report to police overturned
A judge Tuesday overturned a guilty verdict issued against a Jeannette woman who prosecutors said made false reports to local police. Deborah Samulski, 62, served more than three months in jail after she was convicted last summer of two misdemeanor charges of filing false reports with a local gas company...
Hempfield man pleads guilty to lesser charges in connection with knife attack
Westmoreland County prosecutors this week dismissed assault and strangulation charges against a Hempfield man accused in the stabbing of a woman during an argument over rent. During guilty plea hearing for Franz Nute Wade Tuesday, Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Echard told Common Pleas Court Judge Tim Krieger that “evidentiary issues”...
Norwin director claims assignment on racism was critical race theory teaching
A Norwin school board member claims that a high school social studies teacher gave students an assignment on systemic racism in America, which was an example of critical race theory instruction, despite the school administration’s previous assertion that it was not being taught in the district. Director Shawna Ilagan contended...
Renovate or build a new school? That’s the question being posed in Hempfield Area
Officials with the Hempfield Area School District are gearing up to make a decision next month on whether they will renovate or build a new high school. School board members this week unanimously voted to retain PNC Capital Markets LLC as underwriters once a project is chosen and hired Krakoff...
Documentary about opioid addiction crisis to be screened in GreensburgVideo
A documentary film about the drug addiction crisis being screened Friday in Greensburg is relevant to the entire community, said Richard Jones, executive director of Sage’s Army. It’s “very short-sighted” to think addiction doesn’t affect Westmoreland County as a whole, he said. “The truth is this applies to all of...
Monessen man jailed on $75K bond after accused by police of assaulting 3 children
A 34-year-old Monessen man is in the Westmoreland County Prison on $75,000 bond after city police arrested him on accusations he assaulted three children left in his care, according to court records. Darrelle D. Mott is accused of assaulting the children Feb. 17 at a residence. Police said they were...
Man arrested in theft of $8,200 bicycle from Greensburg shop
Several search warrants led Greensburg police to arrest a New York City man who they believe stole an $8,200 bicycle from a local shop, according to court papers. Joziha J. Clemens, 21, was arraigned Friday after being extradited to Westmoreland County. He was being held on $75,000 bail at the...
Seeing double: 2-22-22 is not your ordinary Tuesday
Some dates just stick out. Today is one of those. It’s Feb. 22, 2022, or 2-22-22. People are calling it “Twosday” and it falls on a Tuesday, which makes it even more of an anomaly. Known as a palindrome, which means it reads the same backward and forward, people take...
Man accused by police of stealing car from Bell driveway, setting it on fire after crashing it
A Kittanning man was arraigned Tuesday on state police accusations that he stole a car from a Bell home, crashed it and set the interior on fire, according to court papers. Robert James Booth, 29, is charged with reckless burning, theft, risking catastrophe and related offenses. Troopers said a Dodge...
Westmoreland fire departments, emergency medical services awarded state grants
Area fire and emergency medical service units are making plans about how they will use their share of $29 million in state grants announced by Gov. Tom Wolf and Acting State Fire Commissioner Thomas Cook. Two Westmoreland County volunteer fire departments will reap the benefits of 2021 consolidations — Hempfield...
Penn Township native returns to Pittsburgh as ‘Hamilton’ company manager
“Awesome” is an adjective often used to describe “Hamilton,” the widely acclaimed song-and-rap Broadway musical about American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. The same word can be used to summarize the nature of the undertaking to get the touring version of “Hamilton” from city to city. One of the company managers...
Dispatcher: 2 firefighters injured while battling garage fire in North Huntingdon
Two firefighters were injured while battling a garage fire Monday in North Huntingdon, according to a Westmoreland 911 dispatcher. The fire was reported at about 7:20 p.m. at 2005 Tomco Lane. According to the dispatcher, a firefighter from Circleville Volunteer Fire Department was taken to the hospital with chest pains....
Navy Super Hornet tactical demonstration joins Westmoreland air show lineup
A Super Hornet will be joining a Viper in the skies above Westmoreland County this summer. A Navy F-18 Super Hornet jet tactical demonstration is the latest addition to the lineup of attractions scheduled for this year’s Shop ‘n Save Westmoreland Airshow, set for June 11-12 at the Arnold Palmer...
