Westmoreland category, Page 493
Longtime Greensburg firefighter dies
Gov. Tom Wolf ordered state flags at all commonwealth facilities, public buildings and grounds in Westmoreland County to fly at half-staff in honor of a longtime Greensburg firefighter who died over the weekend. Richard A. Fry, 77, was found in his vehicle June 24 after participating in the Mt. Pleasant...
Prison sentence imposed for rape of Vandergrift child
A Greensburg man will serve up to eight years in prison for the rape of a 5-year-old Vandergrift girl. Eric Jermain Emory, 35, pleaded guilty last week to one count of rape of a child for repeated sexual assaults of a girl in 2019 and 2020 and three additional charges...
Lawyer’s alleged disclosure at issue in Arnold homicide case
The lawyer for a Churchill man charged in a fatal shooting in Arnold last summer told a judge that statements made to police by another attorney should not be used as evidence at his upcoming homicide trial. The trial for Devon Askew, 26, is scheduled to begin Nov. 15. Westmoreland...
Excela Health posts $72 million net income for 1st 9 months of fiscal year
Excela Health saw its net income jump to $71.9 million from July 2020 through March 31, a $100 million turnaround from the $34 million loss it posted from July 2019 through March 2020, according to a hospital report. The Greensburg-based health system, with hospitals in Greensburg, Latrobe and Mt. Pleasant,...
Commonwealth Court judge recuses himself from Murrysville fracking appeal case
A Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania judge whose previous career included helping craft state fracking legislation has recused himself from a case involving local fracking laws. Judge J. Andrew Crompton issued an order Monday granting the Murrysville Watch Committee’s request that he recuse himself from the panel adjudicating its appeal. The...
2 coronavirus cases reported at Westmoreland prison
Two Westmoreland County Prison inmates have active coronavirus infections but the facility’s warden on Monday said there is no sign of an additional outbreak at the Hempfield lockup. One inmate developed an infection while in quarantine and another tested positive after he was placed in a general population unit, said...
Unity man accused of assaulting, choking woman in Latrobe
A Unity man is charged by Latrobe police with breaking into a city residence and assaulting and choking a woman. Aaron M. Klingensmith, 38, was arraigned on multiple criminal charges including burglary, harassment, simple assault and strangulation after the alleged assault at 1:45 p.m. Sunday at a residence along Wagner...
Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra to offer free patriotic concert at Greensburg amphitheater
The Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra announced its free patriotic summer concert at St. Clair Park in Greensburg will return July 9. Titled “Summer Sparklers,” the annual outdoor concert will be conducted by WSO Artistic Director Daniel Meyer at 7 p.m. in the park’s Robertshaw Amphitheater. Program favorites will include “The Star-Spangled...
2 seriously injured in Route 30 crash in Hempfield, ambulance officials say
Two people were seriously injured in a multi-vehicle crash Monday that prompted the temporary closure of a portion Route 30 west in Hempfield, according Mutual Aid Ambulance personnel. The collision occurred about 1:50 p.m. at the highway’s intersection with North Greengate Road, a 911 dispatcher reported. The crash closed the...
Grass-cutting dispute led to assault in Hunker, troopers say
A Hunker man is headed to court next week after state police said he assaulted a neighbor with the butt end of a knife during an argument over cutting grass, according to court documents. Troopers last week arrested Ian Christian Cartia, 28, on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly...
The Palace Theatre to return to live shows starting July 30
In a bit of scheduling serendipity, The Palace Theatre in Greensburg will reopen to live audiences with a July 30 visit from The Happy Together Tour. Marking its 11th year of national touring, the show is headlined by The Turtles and features other hit-makers from the 1960s and ’70s, including...
Unity man accused of chasing woman on foot on Route 30 in Hempfield
A Unity man is behind bars after state police said he chased a woman on foot on Route 30 in Hempfield during a fight, according to court papers. Mucahit Demir, 25, is charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, harassment and walking on a highway. Troopers were called just before 1:30...
Salem man accused of fleeing, hiding from police in Route 30 chase
A Salem man is accused of speeding away from state police over the weekend on Route 30 and hiding in a wooded area before being caught, according to court papers. Aaron Patrick Weimer, 55, is charged with fleeing from police, driving under the influence and related offenses. Troopers were on...
2nd suspect charged in Jeannette shooting
A McKeesport man arraigned Monday is accused by police of ordering the April shooting of a 17-year-old boy in Jeannette, according to court papers. Brandon Lee Ingram, 24, was charged last week with solicitation to commit homicide, reckless endangerment and related offenses. Authorities said Ingram ordered his younger brother to...
Driver shortage limits Westmoreland shared-ride system; hiring event planned for July 1
Door-to-door shared rides on the Westmoreland County Transit Authority’s paratransit system will be limited because of an ongoing driver shortage, officials announced this weekend. Authority Executive Director Alan Blahovec said the Go Westmoreland system needs to hire up to 15 full-time drivers to ensure the service that provides subsidized rides...
Tastyland to open soon, as other Western Pa. ice cream shops welcome 2021 season
After nearly 45 years of owning Tastyland along Route 66 in Hempfield, owners Bill and Mary Kuhns passed the keys to the roadside ice cream shop and food stand on to someone new. Jill Gunniers became the primary owner of Tastyland in December because she wanted “an adventure” to pursue...
Family-run ‘Anything with Wheels’ show in Latrobe benefits local veteransVideo
Western Pennsylvania’s ninth Veterans Anything with Wheels Show was held Sunday at the Cooperstown Events Center grounds in Latrobe, drawing hundreds of showy vehicles amid the scorching heat. Ranging from vintage to modern-day, automobiles of all makes, shapes and sizes were on display for spectators, veterans and sponsors to judge...
As Pa. mask mandate ends, some rejoice, while others say they will keep masking up
As of Monday morning, mask wearing in Pennsylvania is no longer a mandate. “It’s about time,” said Joe Dibattista of North Huntingdon. Dibattista, 69, and his wife, Chris, were among the many on Sunday at Westmoreland Mall who said they were ready to move forward, with the coronavirus seemingly in...
Man dead in New Stanton crash of classic car
A 72-year-old man was killed Sunday morning when a classic car ran off a winding road near New Stanton, state police said. According to Westmoreland County 911, rescue crews were dispatched at 8:14 a.m. to South Center Avenue near Sandworks Road in response to a report that a person had...
Westmoreland County restaurants lean on combination of self, government helpVideo
After eight years of co-owning and operating J&M Export Deli, Michelle Gilson feels like it’s her first year all over again. Gilson, with co-owner Jennifer Minnick, was forced to make several cost-saving changes to the Export-based deli over the past year — like reducing the staff by three employees and...
Hiring still a problem across most industries
Despite inventive ways to lure new job candidates, owners and managers in many industries have been striking out for months on filling open spots. There was 20 openings in late May at Charley Family Shop ‘n Save stores in Murrysville, Hempfield and Greensburg. Co-owner Tom Charley said the grocer started...
Pandemic business survival a question of help, perseverance
Some relied on government funding to get through. In other cases, employees pitched in, volunteering their time instead of taking a paycheck. Others switched gears entirely, revamping their business plan. Whatever the means, local businesses found a way to survive months fraught with government-mandated shutdowns, capacity restrictions and headaches brought...
Drone program offers job skills to Westmoreland, Fayette studentsVideo
Hannah Sutton said flying drones runs in the family. The Uniontown native, who graduated last month from Laurel Highlands High School, wants to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps that saw him serve in the U.S. Air Force and later earn a license to pilot a drone. Sutton, 18, like her...
DA Peck takes over Cassandra Gross case, says missing Unity woman ‘has not been forgotten’
Kathe Gross sat on a bench outside the Westmoreland County Courthouse surrounded by friends and family, as passing cars honked in support. Despite the outpouring of support from her closest relatives, she couldn’t help but be painfully reminded of the one family member who was missing — her only daughter,...
Westmoreland struggles to give away pandemic cash grants to bars, restaurants, hotels
Like many in the hospitality industry, it was a rough year for Brady’s. The family-owned Acme restaurant that has operated in the Laurel Highlands since 1964 was closed for a while during the pandemic lockdown last year and has operated under pandemic restrictions for most of the latter part of...
