Westmoreland category, Page 497
GO Laurel Highlands seeks images for annual photo contest
Visitors to the Laurel Highlands expressed an increased interest in exploring the region’s outdoors this past year, amid the social distancing that was a priority during the height of the covid-19 pandemic. Wherever their interests have led them, visitors and residents alike who captured images of their surroundings will have...
No one hurt in Adamsburg trailer fire
No one was hurt in a trailer fire early Tuesday in Adamsburg, officials said. Crews responded to a blaze at about 6 a.m. along Penn Manor Road. Adamsburg Fire Chief Don Thoma said firefighters were able to knock it down quickly. Seven departments responded, he said. “It was empty, nobody...
Contractor dispute forces Franklin Regional to use contingency funds for Sloan playground
Several Franklin Regional school directors have been critical of the cost of change orders associated with the district’s ongoing Sloan “elementary campus” project. Now, pending approval by the board’s legal counsel, they will dip into their construction contingency fund for more than a half-million dollars so students at the new...
Bathroom hidden camera earns North Huntingdon man jail term
A North Huntingdon man will serve up to 23 months in jail for recording video of female co-workers in the bathroom of a business where they worked and eavesdropping on conversations another had with a supervisor. Nicholas Traill, 35, pleaded guilty to multiple counts of burglary, invasion of privacy, possession...
Police say video refutes Greensburg man’s alibi in woman’s murder
The man prosecutors contend killed a Vandergrift woman and burned her remains four years ago claimed he was at home and asleep when she died, a detective testified Monday. Westmoreland County Detective Ray Dupilka said Walter Cable admitted he was with 34-year-old Ronny Cable the night she disappeared but that...
Computer glitch excludes Westmoreland write-in winners; other results certified
Results from 14 Westmoreland County primaries were amended Monday to include additional winners after a weekend review of write-in votes identified discrepancies in how final totals were reported. “Out of an abundance of caution, we wanted to review them,” said Election Bureau Director JoAnn Sebastiani. Election officials said no additional...
Washington Township centenarian credits ‘good Italian genes,’ active lifestyle for longevityVideo
Frank Pugliano Sr. of Washington Township doesn’t let the grass grow under his feet. The new centenarian remains almost entirely self-sufficient, including handling his weekly lawn-mowing duties on his own. “I have to trim too,” Pugliano said. Pugliano, a World War II veteran, celebrated his 100th birthday with a large,...
North Huntingdon police say man sold informant 5 bricks of heroin in drug sting
North Huntingdon police said they used a confidential informant Sunday to set up a heroin purchase from a Pittsburgh man in the parking lot of a Route 30 motel, according to court documents. Jakarr “Fatz” Jenkins, 25, of Pittsburgh’s Larimer section, was arrested on two counts of manufacture, delivery and...
Leslie Rossi, Abby Major break records as they take office in Harrisburg
Pennsylvania’s newest lawmakers, state Reps. Leslie Rossi, R-Unity, and Abby Major, R-Ford City, are breaking molds with every step they take. The two, who won special elections last month to fill unexpected vacancies, were sworn into office Monday in Harrisburg. They are the first women to represent, respectively, the 59th...
Police accuse Irwin florist of hiding camera in arrangement to take nude photos of woman
Police charged a 57-year-old Irwin florist with possessing obscene materials, saying he hid a video recording device in a floral arrangement he placed in a woman’s bedroom and downloaded nude images of her to his computer, according to court papers. North Huntingdon police also charged Eric J. Belak, a township...
Fallingwater’s artist in residence to showcase American dream through Black American lives
A portrait of longtime Fallingwater cook Elsie Henderson will be a highlight of a 2022 exhibition at The Westmoreland Museum of American Art. “Stephen Towns: Declaration & Resistance,” scheduled for Jan. 30-April 24 at the Greensburg museum, will examine the American dream through the lives of Black Americans. Henderson, who...
Westmoreland Symphony plans Summer Sparklers, more outdoor concerts
After last year’s hiatus, Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra’s Summer Sparklers concert will return to St. Clair Park in Greensburg. The popular program of pops music and patriotic anthems is scheduled for 7 p.m. July 9. Admission is free. The symphony also will host a series of three Live on the Lawn...
Murrysville Community Park amphitheater concept proposes long-term vision
Murrysville officials got several different visions this month of what an amphitheater and recreation space in Murrysville Community Park could look like. Having delayed the project last year during the pandemic — and armed with a nearly $300,000 grant from the state — council hired a consultant earlier this year...
Dryridge fire department in Unity thinks out of the ‘basket’ when it comes to fundraising during pandemicVideo
Some things were borne out of the coronavirus pandemic. Take volunteer fire department fundraising as one example. Live raffle drawings for just about anything such as firearms and other merchandise including grilling equipment, porch furniture, Yeti coolers and vacations tip boards for cash. Lottery tickets and food orders are now...
Ligonier Township woman accused by police of stabbing father during argument
An 18-year-old woman was arrested Saturday by Ligonier Valley police, accused of stabbing her father twice in his left shoulder during an argument in their home. Mollie E. Fichet of Ligonier Township was arraigned Sunday on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and simple assault in connection with...
Work underway to revive League of Women Voters in Westmoreland County
The hotly contested 2020 elections opened more than a few eyes to the importance of the ballot box. Rebecca Wyss, a recently retired metallurgical engineer, said, for her, it underscored the need for a nonpartisan conversation about the process. As she cast about for kindred souls, Wyss learned the League...
Hot housing market a boon for sellers in Westmoreland, Pittsburgh region
Record-low inventories of homes for sale in Western Pennsylvania have resulted in historically high sale prices as the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact the local housing market. Real estate experts said the seller’s market for existing homes in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties is likely to continue into next year, a...
PA Hero Walk in 13th year helping veterans holds event in Mt. PleasantVideo
Bad legs kept 70-year-old Vietnam War veteran Martin Majercak Jr. from taking part in the PA Hero Walk on Saturday through downtown Mt. Pleasant to Veterans Memorial Park, but he “made darn sure” he came out to VFW Post 3368 to support the organization. While most benefactors of the 13-year-old...
Johnstown native’s mob book chronicles ‘3 men from Greensburg’ in gambler’s death
What do “three men from Greensburg” have to do with a small-time Johnstown gambler whose body was found floating behind the Conemaugh River Dam in Derry Township some six decades ago? The three unidentified men were fingered by an aging Johnstown gangster — “Rip” Slowmason — as the possible murderers...
Allegheny, Westmoreland county projects among those hoping for state RACP funding
A wish list of 90 projects in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties are among hundreds across the state seeking funding in the latest round of the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program. They include $5 million to redevelop a former Alcoa site in New Kensington, $5 million for a health sciences center at...
Ligonier’s Bethlen Communities reopens wellness center, makes changes at 100 yearsVideo
A new chapter has begun in the 100-year history of Ligonier’s Bethlen Communities. Founded by the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America, the nonprofit’s mission long ago shifted from caring for the orphans of miners killed in a 1907 explosion in Rostraver to serving the needs of more than 180 older...
Latrobe party supply shop set to expand with move to former church outreach center
Paper Heart Affairs, a Latrobe party supply shop, is preparing for expansion, with a move around the corner to a former church outreach center. Emily Pasqualino is planning a moving sale at the store’s current location, 337 Main St., from Wednesday through Saturday, June 12, during the town’s Mister Rogers...
Scottdale man sentenced to prison for role in robbery, shooting of Derry drug dealer
A Scottdale man was sentenced Friday to serve up to five years in prison for his role in the shooting and robbery of a Derry drug dealer last year. Brandon Eugene “Lil-Drizzy” Thomas, pleaded guilty to felony charges of robbery and conspiracy. Westmoreland County prosecutors agreed to dismiss attempted homicide,...
Southmoreland school official challenges primary results, claims county ballot error
Editor’s note: This story was amended on June 7, 2021, to correct the name of Southmoreland school board candidate Candice Raymond. A Southmoreland School Board member on Friday challenged the results of last month’s primary, claiming the Westmoreland County Election Bureau failed to include an open two-year seat on the...
Famed trial attorney F. Lee Bailey remembered for Greensburg trial
He came to town with a flourish. It was the late 1980s and word spread quickly through the Westmoreland County Courthouse that famed defense attorney F. Lee Bailey was in the building. He was due to appear before Judge Charles Loughran to defend his legal acumen. The dapper lawyer —...
