Westmoreland category, Page 438
Westmoreland commissioners to meet Thursday in courthouse lobby
Westmoreland County commissioners’ monthly voting meeting will be more public than usual. The Nov. 18 voting session, where commissioners are expected to unveil a preliminary 2022 budget, will be held in the courthouse lobby at 10 a.m. Commissioners typically convene public sessions in the large meeting room just off the...
Derry man accused of recording county court employee without permission
A Derry man was arrested Monday on accusations that he used a cellphone to record a Westmoreland County court employee at the Greensburg courthouse and later posted the video on social media, according to court papers. Justin Martinez, 41, is charged with violating wiretap laws. The employee in the court...
Kelly Tua Hammers sworn in as Derry Township district judge
Kelly Tua Hammers was sworn in as Monday as the new district judge in Derry Township. Hammers, 50, was appointed in October by Gov. Tom Wolf to fill out the remaining two months in the term of District Judge Mark Bilik, who retired in August. Bilik had been hearing cases...
Self-defense claimed in Arnold fatal shooting
The lawyer for the man charged in the fatal shooting of a man in Arnold last year told a Westmoreland County jury that his client acted in self defense. Devon Askew, 28, of Churchill feared for his life and fired two shots to protect himself, a woman and her young...
W.Va. man killed in turnpike crash in Somerset
A West Virginia man died in a weekend wreck along the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Somerset County. Ryan M. Smith, 35, of Huntington, W.Va., was killed when his car collided with the rear of a tractor-trailer at about 4:40 p.m. Saturday in the eastbound lanes of the turnpike, about five miles...
More new stores coming to Westmoreland Mall, with 2 set to reopen
A slew of new stores are set to open at Westmoreland Mall, including two that previously shuttered at the Hempfield site. Charlotte Russe and Christopher & Banks, which previously occupied storefronts at the mall, will be joined by locally owned Neecs Sneaks and Rock Bottom jewelry store. The announcements come...
Ohio driver jailed without bond after Murrysville crash, police say
An Ohio driver is in the Westmoreland County Prison without bond on multiple criminal and traffic charges after a two-vehicle crash in Murrysville that seriously injured an area couple last week. Mark C. Venable, 37, of West Carrollton, located near Dayton, was charged with driving without a license and suspicion...
2 Hempfield teens charged in botched robbery attempt at Lynch Field
Two Hempfield teenagers are charged as adults with aggravated assault and attempted robbery in connection with what police say was the botched robbery of another teen at Lynch Field. Janis Biller, 16, and Jackson J. Martin, 17, are charged with threatening another teen with a “large machete knife” about 7:15...
Easy ways to boost your home’s curb appeal for fall
This installment of “Home Sweet Home” is presented by Bella Construction As the weather gets colder and your green lawn turns brown, turn your attention to finding other ways to boost your curb appeal. Everything from front door wreaths to lighting throughout the yard is essential for dressing the front...
2 flown to hospitals after crash in Rostraver
Two people were injured early Sunday morning in a crash along Route 51 in Rostraver, near the Route 981 intersection, a Westmoreland County Public Safety supervisor said. The collision was reported at 6:40 a.m. and two people were flown from the scene by medical helicopter to area hospitals, the supervisor...
Norwin band takes title at national competition
The Norwin High School Band can rightfully lay claim to bragging rights as a champion among bands from across the country that competed this weekend in Indianapolis. The local marching band placed first in the semifinals competition in its class at the Bands of America Grand National Championships at Lucas...
One person killed in Somerset turnpike crash
One person was killed Saturday afternoon in a crash along the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Somerset County, between the Donegal and Somerset, state police said. The fatal accident occurred when a car hit the rear of a tractor-trailer in the construction zone of the turnpike around 4:40 p.m., a spokesman at...
Greensburg to close deteriorating hospital garage on Dec. 1
The decades-old deteriorating parking garage attached to Excela Westmoreland Hospital in Greensburg soon will close and be demolished because it is too costly to maintain and repair, a city official said. “It’s reached the end of its useful life,” Mayor Robert Bell said of the J. Edward Hutchinson Parking Garage,...
DA-elect Nicole Ziccarelli burst onto scene, but her rise should not come as a surprise
In the anxious days after the November 2020 election, Nicole Ziccarelli knew she had the votes to head to the state Senate to represent her adopted home in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the Mon Valley community where she grew up. But after a few tumultuous weeks of vote counting and...
New Ligonier bottle shop specializes in area winery, distillery brands
A lot of ideas get tossed around over a few drinks, but most of them don’t survive until the light of day. One that did resulted in Wandering Spirits, a boutique bottle shop that opened Oct. 8 in Ligonier. Owners are Emily and Ty Honhart, who live in nearby Laurel...
Veterans Day ceremonies: A tradition so that others do not forget
On a blustery Saturday morning, a group of some 25 veterans, family and friends paid their respects and remembered their comrades at honors rolls and cemeteries in Delmont, Export and Murrysville. To Army veteran Jerry Deible, 72, of Murrysville, who fought in the Vietnam War, “If we don’t do this,”...
Toys for Tots rail car caravan collects gifts to spread holiday joy
The Marine Corps Reserve’s annual Toys for Tots mini rail car caravan Saturday traveled through several communities in central and southern Westmoreland County and into Fayette County, collecting Christmas gifts and donations to make the upcoming holiday a bit brighter for children in need. “What a special meaning, to share...
Jeannette’s employees may get $500 pandemic bonus
Full-time Jeannette employees are eligible to get a $500 bonus for working through the coronavirus pandemic. Council approved the measure this week in what Mayor Curtis Antoniak said was an effort to show workers they are appreciated. They deserve it, he said. “We have outstanding employees that worked through this,”...
Missing Westmoreland County teen found to be safe, state police say
State police say a missing 13-year-old girl who had been last seen in Derry Borough has been found. Serenity Adams, 13, had been reported missing on Wednesday evening....
Former Saint Vincent College president who handled school’s coed transition dies
Much like the early church fathers, the Rev. Augustine Flood, OSB, traversed the world. During a life in the priesthood that spanned half a century, he served as a parish priest, missionary, theology professor and president of Saint Vincent College. The priest, affectionately known as “Father Gus,” studied in Italy,...
North Huntingdon mom opposes sentence in Westmoreland child corruption plea
The mother of a North Huntingdon girl who was sent sexually explicit photographs told a Westmoreland County judge she didn’t approve of the five-year probation sentence imposed. Tyler James Heck, 20, of Danville, Perry County, pleaded guilty to one felony charge of corruption of minors in a deal approved by...
State recount forces Westmoreland commissioners to relocate public meetings
Westmoreland commissioners are likely to relocate two scheduled public meetings next week to accommodate a state-ordered recount in the race to fill one of two seats on the state’s Commonwealth Court. Democrat Lori Dumas held a small lead over Republican Drew Crompton, by just 16,804 votes as of earlier this...
Officials break ground for Laurel Valley Transportation Improvement Project in Norvelt
Decades of planning for an upgrade of the Route 981 corridor south of Route 30 bore fruit Friday as PennDOT officials and local leaders kicked off the first phase of the Laurel Valley Transportation Improvement Project. Dignitaries took part in a ceremonial groundbreaking at the Little League field in the...
Irwin budget for 2022: No tax hike proposed
Irwin officials have proposed a $4.16 million budget for 2022 that holds the line on taxes without cutting any programs or services. The budget is available for review at the borough office. Council is scheduled to approve it at the Dec. 8 meeting. The borough last year raised property taxes...
Police: Standoff started after Hempfield man scared woman into trip to liquor store
When a bar along Route 136 was closed Wednesday evening, 46-year-old George J. Gardner asked a relative to drive him to the liquor store, according to court documents. She refused, the record states, instead telling him he had a drinking problem. Gardner fired a gunshot through the windshield, police said...
