Westmoreland category, Page 439
Defense unsure if Jeannette man accused in 2018 fatal fire will accept deal or go to trial
A Jeannette man accused of setting a fatal fire in 2018 has until Tuesday to decide if he’s going to plead guilty or go to trial. Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio set the deadline during a hearing Friday after learning little progress had been made in the case since a court appearance...
Guests at Rostraver hotel evacuated after small fire discovered in exterior stairwell
Guests at a Rostraver hotel were evacuated briefly Friday morning after a smoke alarm activated from a small fire in a basement stairwell. A Westmoreland County 911 supervisor reported the incident occurred about 8:30 a.m. at the Hampton Inn on Broad Street. According to Rostraver Central Fire Department, responding crews...
Greensburg Salem in a favorable financial position after full pandemic year
Greensburg Salem had to navigate educational, technological and logistical challenges while coping with the covid-19 pandemic during the 2020-21 academic year. But, the school board learned this week, the district ended the year in better financial shape than had been expected. District revenue in the past year totaled close to...
1 hurt after crash into Murrysville mortgage company
One person was taken by ambulance to a local hospital early Friday after a vehicle crashed into a Murrysville business, according to a Westmoreland 911 dispatcher. The two-vehicle crash was reported at 6:30 a.m. on Route 22. One of the vehicles slammed into the Murrysville branch of the Union Home...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County: Nov. 5-7
Somebody get me a doctor We ain’t talkin’ about love, we’re talking about runnin’ with the devil. We’re talking about Completely Unchained, the Van Halen tribute band coming to Irwin’s Lamp Theatre for a show at 8 p.m. Friday. From “Jump” to “Panama” to “The Cradle Will Rock,” the four-piece...
Police: Truck driver found naked after crashing on I-70 in Rostraver was drunk, had gun
A man who was driving a tractor-trailer that veered off Interstate 70 and crashed over an embankment Thursday night in Rostraver was found naked, standing outside his cab by another man who stopped to check on him, authorities said. Orelbis D. Cruz-Iglesias, 26, of Florida was arrested at Penn Highlands...
Historic Hanna’s Town: A gem by candlelight
Amber and Kevin Larson of Greensburg were making their first visit Thursday night to Historic Hanna’s Town, the recreated colonial village about six miles north of Greensburg. “It’s really cute. I want to come back and see more of it,” said Amber Larson, who recently moved to Westmoreland County from...
Export council may institute rental license fee, regular inspections
Export officials will look into an update to the way rental inspections are conducted in the borough that has the upshot of helping to plug a roughly $60,000 gap in the 2022 budget. Mayor Joe Zaccagnini asked council members to authorize solicitor Wes Long to draft an ordinance which would...
Ligonier Borough to receive award recognizing its scenic appeal
Ligonier Borough’s scenic appeals include its reconstructed 18th- century fort and its green spaces — in particular, its central Diamond Park and iconic bandstand. Because of those attractive assets, nonprofit Scenic Pittsburgh is set to present its Community Scenic Achievement Award to the borough on Saturday. The award is given...
Hempfield officials working to improve response of West Point’s volunteer firefighters
Since July 1, Hempfield’s West Point Volunteer Fire Company received 137 calls for service. It responded to 11. The station, like fire companies across the state, is struggling with low response rates and a dwindling number of volunteer firefighters. In an attempt to reverse those numbers, West Point has spent...
Murrysville council considers balanced $9.5 million budget for 2022
Murrysville Finance Director Diane Heming presented council members with a balanced $9.5 million budget for 2022 that does not call for a property tax increase, but does include revenue from hikes to both the earned income and real-estate transfer taxes. Council enacted its first tax bump since 2007 on Wednesday...
Children’s vaccine appointments filling up at pharmacies, clinics in Westmoreland County
Pharmacies and health care providers around the area are gearing up to give covid-19 vaccines to their youngest patients yet — those ages 5 to 11. Excela Health has three immunization dates this month that are filling up quickly at its North Huntingdon clinic. Hayden’s Pharmacy expects to open up...
Export council will consider $734,000 budget with no tax hike for 2022
Export officials next month will consider a 2022 budget with just under $734,000 in expenditures that will potentially use a combination of updated rental ordinances and un-designated funding to plug a gap of about $14,500. Initial revenue projections for 2022 were about $657,000. Mayor Joe Zaccagnini proposed updating the borough’s...
Westmoreland County Community College inks new transfer agreement
When the governors of 19 western states joined forces 24 years ago to establish a new kind of college, no one could have anticipated how it would grow. But grow it did, and now Western Governors University — a private nonprofit college that offers a low-cost, competency-based approach to higher...
Police: Accused robber asked mom for a mask before going into convenience store
The mother of a 25-year-old man arrested in a failed robbery of a Penn Township convenience store Wednesday told investigators she thought it was “weird” when he asked for a covid-19 mask before entering the store. After putting on the mask, the woman’s son, Jaime T. Shipley, exited his mother’s...
New Kensington woman sentenced to probation in drug scheme at Westmoreland jail
A New Kensington woman was sentenced to three years of probation Thursday for a minor role in what authorities have described as a year-long scheme to get drugs into the Westmoreland County Prison. Sandra Gonzalez-Morales, 24, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and criminal use of a communication facility. “I’m just looking...
Pavilion, pond restoration among plans for outdoor classroom at Greensburg Salem High
Greensburg Salem is considering construction of a pavilion and other improvements to make an outdoor area used by science classes into a space that can be used for a broader range of courses. Many area schools are looking for ways to get students outdoors more during the covid-19 pandemic. The...
Murrysville teen pushes through chronic illness, pain to set state powerlifting records
Editor’s note: Neighbor Spotlight is a monthly feature that aims to let our readers learn more about the people in their communities who are working to make them a better place, who have interesting stories to tell or who the community feels deserve “15 minutes of fame.” If you would...
Irwin artist inspired to draw ’13 Fallen Heroes,’ portraits of those killed by Kabul bomberVideo
Editor’s note: Neighbor Spotlight is a monthly feature that aims to let our readers learn more about the people in their communities who are working to make them a better place, who have interesting stories to tell or who the community feels deserve “15 minutes of fame.” If you would...
40 evacuated residents and staff return to Salem senior home after heat restored
About 40 residents and staff members evacuated from a Salem senior home Tuesday were able to return to the facility just after midnight Wednesday after firefighters were able to set up temporary heating sources in the building. Fire crews from Slickville and Forbes Road were called shortly before 8 p.m....
Murrysville Council approves 1st tax hike since 2007 on earned income, real-estate transfer taxes
Murrysville Council voted unanimously Wednesday to bump its share of the earned income tax from 0.5 to 0.7%, and its share of the real-estate transfer tax from 0.5% to 1%. It is the first municipal tax hike since 2007. Finance Director Diane Heming said she anticipates the move will bring...
Westmoreland GOP crows over election wins as Democrats look to redefine message
Westmoreland is a Republican county. While that has been the the case for the last several years, Tuesday’s GOP victories solidifies the party’s dominance in local politics. Those wins will give Republicans control of every elected office in county government as well as every state and federal office specific to...
Here’s how PennDOT trains snowplow drivers for the upcoming winterVideo
Unlike a lot of people, Ann Rogers does not mind driving in the snow. For the PennDOT driver, it’s something that comes with her job. “I really love plowing snow,” said Rogers, who has been keeping state roads in the Uniontown area clear for the past three years. Rogers was...
Ziccarelli ready for new job as Westmoreland County District Attorney
Nicole Ziccarelli knows her successful campaign that ousted six-term Democrat John Peck is only the beginning. The hard part begins in January, when she takes over as Westmoreland County District Attorney. “I’m glad I have two months to prepare,” Ziccarelli said Wednesday, hours after she received more than 57% of...
Man being questioned by Penn Township police after failed robbery at Harrison City gas station
Penn Township police questioned a man who they suspect is responsible for an unsuccessful robbery attempt at a convenience store-gas station in Harrison City Wednesday. Police Chief John Otto said the attempted robbery occurred about 11:15 a.m. when a man entered a BP station at the corner of Harrison City-Export...
