Westmoreland category, Page 447
Westmoreland commissioners told to ‘do the right thing’ with covid relief money
Westmoreland County residents have a big shopping list for federal coronavirus relief funds but one unified message: “Do the right thing.” That was the common refrain from the dozens who testified Thursday during two public hearings held at Westmoreland County Community College about how county leaders should spend $105 million...
Westmoreland commissioners told to ‘do the right thing’ with covid relief money
Westmoreland County residents have a big shopping list for federal coronavirus relief funds but one unified message: “Do the right thing.” That was the common refrain from the dozens who testified Thursday during two public hearings held at Westmoreland County Community College about how county leaders should spend $105 million...
Unity sewage authority sues over appointment to Latrobe authority, 199-year agreement
Unity Township Municipal Authority this week filed two civil suits in Westmoreland County — protesting in one of them how an appointee was chosen to represent the township authority on the board of the Latrobe Municipal Authority. In the other suit, the Unity authority (UTMA) is challenging the 199-year length...
Long-awaited Pa. Turnpike interchange in Penn Township set to become a reality
Penn Township will be getting a Pennsylvania Turnpike interchange as the commission overseeing the highway has been relieved of a multimillion-dollar annual obligation to PennDOT, officials announced Thursday. It remains unclear when work on the $30 million connection at Route 130 might start, but it won’t be completed sooner than...
Threats at 2 Westmoreland schools investigated; 1 connected to Florida incident
Social media threats in two area school districts were investigated this week and Greater Latrobe authorities connected a threat there to an arrest in Florida. Jeannette students switched to virtual learning Thursday out of “extreme caution,” Superintendent Matt Jones said in a letter sent to parents Wednesday. In it, he...
Delmont man, 21, charged with dealing drugs out of apartment complex
A 21-year-old Delmont man faces drug charges after police said a search of his apartment turned up more than 3 1/2 ounces of marijuana, 60 grams of THC vapor cartridges and more than 2 1/2 ounces of marijuana “wax.” Delmont Police Chief T.J. Klobucar said his department had been contacted...
Hammers appointed to serve as Derry district judge
The Pennsylvania Senate on Wednesday unanimously confirmed Kelly Tua Hammers to fill the remaining two months in the term of Derry Magisterial District Judge Mark Bilik, who retired in August. Hammers, 49, a Democrat from Derry, won both the Democratic and Republican primaries in May and is unopposed on the...
Defense seeks 2nd ballistics expert for Loyalhanna triple murder case appeal
A second expert will be sought to review ballistics as part of an appeal to be filed for a former Indiana County man on death row for the killing of his mother, sister and elderly aunt in 2009 at a family-owned automotive glass repair shop in Loyalhanna. Westmoreland County Common...
I-70 eastbound reopened near Yukon exit after 4-vehicle crash
The eastbound lanes of Interstate 70 reopened before noon Thursday after a crash among two tractor-trailers and two tri-axle trucks, according to PennDOT and a Westmoreland 911 dispatcher. The crash was reported just after 7 a.m. near the Yukon exit in South Huntingdon and the highway was shut down for...
Excela unveils $10 million robotic surgical center with focus on cancer
Excela Health unveiled a new $10 million surgical institute Wednesday with a focus on cancer treatment at the health system’s Latrobe Hospital. Officials said it will allow residents in the region to receive state-of-the-art robot-assisted surgery and care at the local facility. The robot-assisted surgery that has been performed the...
Family doctor guilty of giving patients opioid painkillers, Xanax in exchange for sex
A family doctor who practiced in Westmoreland and Fayette counties has pleaded guilty to illegally prescribing opioid painkillers in exchange for sex, federal prosecutors said. Emilio Ramon Navarro, 60, also pleaded guilty to health care fraud for billing the federal government to pick up the tab for illegal prescriptions, Acting...
Jeannette police, school officials ‘actively addressing’ incident with student
Jeannette City School District officials are working with police and a junior high student and his family after the student was removed from the cafeteria Tuesday by the school resource officer, according to Superintendent Matt Jones. He and Police Chief Donald Johnston Jr. said the issue stemmed from a disciplinary...
Westmoreland leaders set to hear from public about how to spend covid relief money
Westmoreland commissioners will conduct two public sessions Thursday to hear recommendations as to how the county should spend $105 million in federal funds allocated for coronavirus recovery programs. “We just want to hear from residents who have opinions and what thoughts they have,” said Commissioner Sean Kertes. Both sessions will...
Police: Monroeville man taped phone to shoe to take ‘upskirt’ photos at Murrysville Sheetz store
A Monroeville man is accused of taping a smartphone to his shoe to take inappropriate photos and videos under two women’s skirts at a Murrysville Sheetz, police said. Brandon Scott Bass was charged after a monthlong investigation into a Sept. 27 incident at the Route 22 convenience store where a...
St. Emma’s to host Lantern Saint Tour on monastery grounds Friday
Greensburg Catholic Schoolhouse and St. Emma Monastery on Friday will host the first Lantern Saint Tour. The lantern-lit walking tour around the grounds of the monastery, located at 1001 Harvey St. in Hempfield, will feature live saint portrayals in honor of the feasts of All Saints and All Souls. All...
2 boys to be charged in vandalism at Jeannette public works garage
Police said they plan to charge two boys after mowing equipment and items in the Jeannette public works garage were vandalized during the weekend. The pair went to the building on North Fourth Street Saturday and were seen on surveillance cameras discharging two fire extinguishers in the cab of the...
Hempfield supervisors approve development that includes 52 duplexes
Several duplexes are coming to Hempfield after supervisors this week granted final conditional approval for second phase development plans at Grandview Estates. Supervisors unanimously approved the project, which would bring 52 duplex lots and one single-family home to the township near Swede Hill Road. Mark Nikoula, co-owner of Cherry Hills...
El Diablo eatery brings wood-fired pizzas, grilled entrees to Greensburg
On opening day at El Diablo Brewing Co. & Wood-Fired Kitchen in Greensburg, Sierra Barner had a build-your-own pizza with white sauce, pineapple and sausage. She proclaimed it “fantastic.” The Greensburg resident had been watching signs of progress at the site for months when she visited the nearby Aerobic Center...
Westmoreland happenings: blood drive, Election Day food drive and comedy night
Art • Westmoreland Museum of American Art, 221 N. Main St., Greensburg, will host, “In Conversation: Curator Talk,” with Melissa Wolfe and Barbara Jones at 7 p.m. Oct. 28. The event is free, though registration is required. Registration: visit the events section at thewestmoreland.org Blood drive • White Valley AMVETS...
Six candidates compete for 4 open seats on Murrysville council
The six candidates competing for four open seats on Murrysville council in the Nov. 2 election have a wide range of goals if elected and concerns about current council officials potentially raising taxes for the first time since 2007. “The biggest issue facing Murrysville is its ability to effectively balance...
Latrobe police locate missing man
Latrobe police have canceled a missing person alert issued early Wednesday. Daniel Jacobs, 69, has been located, police posted to social media. He is safe and in good health, police said. Officers thanked the public for its help. Jacobs had last been seen walking in the city on Oct. 14....
Exotic dancer sues 2 Westmoreland adult clubs, claiming employment law violations
A North Huntingdon exotic dancer wants a local adult night club to pay her more than $58,000 in back wages and damages she says she is owed because the club misclassified her employment status. Deanna Betras, 41, alleges the owners of the former The Filly Corral in South Huntingdon —...
Greensburg woman’s appeal rejected in drug delivery resulting in death case
A Westmoreland County judge on Tuesday rejected an appeal from a Greensburg woman who was sentenced to serve a 14-year prison term for the sale of heroin that caused the fatal overdose of a woman last year. Jamie Lynn Dickant, 35, sought to rescind her guilty plea and contended she...
Lawsuit: FedEx truck driver’s headphones may have contributed to deadly 2020 Pa. Turnpike crash involving tour bus
If a FedEx truck driver hadn’t been wearing noise-canceling headphones, he might have avoided crashing into an overturned tour bus in January 2020 as part of a Pennsylvania Turnpike wreck that killed five people and injured 14 in Westmoreland County, according to a civil lawsuit. The complaint, filed in Philadelphia...
Appearing on Guy Fieri’s Food Network show a dream for chef at Hempfield’s IronRock Tap HouseVideo
Arnold Ivey’s decadeslong dream of competing on a culinary television show will come to fruition this week when “Guy’s Grocery Games” airs on Food Network. The 42-year-old executive chef at IronRock Tap House in Hempfield will appear alongside two other chefs on Wednesday’s episode “ABC Mania,” considered one of the...
