Westmoreland category, Page 532
5 Republicans vie for 4 council seats in Trafford primary
When Republican voters in Trafford head to the polls Tuesday for the primary election, they will find a slate of five hopefuls seeking four open seats on borough council. Incumbent Zack Cole is seeking reelection. He will be joined on the ballot by newcomers Justin L. Batzel, Brian M. Lindbloom,...
3 candidates vie to fill vacancy in 59th district special election
Ligonier Democrat Mariah Fisher, Unity Republican Leslie Baum Rossi and Ligonier Libertarian Robb Luther will square off Tuesday in a special election to fill the vacancy in the 59th Legislative District created by the Jan. 2 death of state Rep. Mike Reese. Reese, a 42-year-old Republican rising star from Mt....
Irwin chief emphasizing community policing; add part-time officer
Irwin police have been taking steps to get out of their patrol cars and mingle with residents and will continue to emphasize community policing, the chief said Wednesday. “The community is noticing” those efforts, Chief Dan Wensel told Mayor William Hawley and borough council. When Wensel was promoted to chief...
Airport grants help with Pittsburgh International cargo expansion, Arnold Palmer Regional signs
Pittsburgh International Airport’s cargo amenities and Arnold Palmer Regional Airport’s passenger terminal got a boost Wednesday from PennDOT grants totaling more than $2.8 million. The bulk of the funding, $2.4 million, will assist the Allegheny County Airport Authority’s plan to develop expanded air cargo facilities at Pittsburgh International, including buildings...
Infant showing ‘signs of improvement’ after falling into 55-gallon fish tank at Murrysville home
A 9-month-old boy showed signs of improvement late last night after falling into a 55-gallon fish tank at a home, Murrysville police said Wednesday. Shortly after 6 p.m., emergency crews responded to the home in the 5200 block of Sardis Road after the infant had been pulled out of the...
North Huntingdon man accused of smuggling 18 heroin stamp bags in his buttocks
A 41-year-old North Huntingdon man was charged by detectives Wednesday after they claim he attempted to smuggle heroin into the county prison by hiding 18 stamp bags in his buttocks. Jeremiah B. Reynolds of Larimer was charged by county Detective James Williams this week with illegal possession of a controlled...
North Huntingdon police accuse Irwin firefighter of setting vacant mobile home fire
An Irwin firefighter is charged with arson after police say he sent a Snapchat message to some fellow firemen alerting them to be ready for a call moments before an abandoned mobile home was set ablaze April 27. Shawn R. Mann, 25, of North Huntingdon was arraigned on charges of...
Allegheny County nears 100,000 covid cases, but at slower pace than rest of year
As Allegheny County draws nearer to reaching the 100,000 mark for covid-19 cases, it’s doing so at a slower pace in May than it has the rest of the year. The Allegheny County Health Department reported 183 additional cases on Wednesday, with the county’s total reaching 99,567. For May, the...
Westmoreland happenings include Election Day luncheon, gun safety class, day camp
Class • Rostraver Sportsmen’s & Conservation Association will offer a gun safety program, “NRA Basics of Pistol Shooting,” 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Sunday, 539 Cedar Creek Road, Rostraver Township. Reservations required: thepurplegun.com/event or 724-557-5651 Contest • Ligonier Valley Chamber of Commerce is accepting entries for the annual calendar contest. Photographs should...
Summer concert series returning to Hempfield ParkVideo
After being canceled last year because of the covid-19 pandemic, Hempfield is bringing back its summer concert series. Scheduled to begin May 29, the series will include concerts from several area bands, as well as shows from Greensburg-based Stage Right theater group. The series, which will be subject to covid...
Greater Latrobe to consider tentative 1-mill tax hike, $57.7M budget
Greater Latrobe School District officials have recommended that the school board include a 1-mill property tax hike when it approves a proposed 2021-22 budget at its May 25 meeting. District business administrator Dan Watson suggested the tax increase, to 85 mills, to help cover an expected shortfall of $345,000 in...
Lawyer: No evidence to support homicide charge in Derry mother’s shooting death
The lawyer for a Unity man accused in the shooting death of a Derry mother contends murder charges should be dismissed for a lack of evidence. Police contend Nathan Quidetto, 21, sought revenge for a drug deal gone awry when at 4 a.m. July 20 he fired shots into a...
Jeannette police could get new in-car computers
Jeannette police could be getting in-car technological upgrades after an update to a statewide system left officers without the ability to look up certain background information. Officer Derek Manley said updates to the JNET system made it incompatible with computers, which run on Windows 7, in city patrol units. JNET...
Teen arrested after Hempfield crash in stolen car
A 16-year-old boy was taken into custody Tuesday night after troopers spotted him driving a stolen car, according to state police. The Cadillac Northstar had been reported stolen to Latrobe police and troopers spotted it speeding on Route 119 south around 8:30 p.m. The driver attempted to make a right...
‘Hometown Heroes’ celebration planned in Greensburg this weekend
The response to the Hometown Heroes program was a real eye-opener for Ashley Kertes, executive director of Greensburg Community Development Corp., which sponsored the project. In 2020, GCDC asked community members to nominate local heroes whose photos would be displayed on banners throughout downtown Greensburg and in Southwest Greensburg. “Doing...
North Huntingdon mom’s diseases puts her among ‘Millions Missing’Video
A North Huntingdon mother of four is among about 2 million Americans part of a group — “Millions Missing” — that no one wants to join because it means having chronic fatigue syndrome and multiple complications she has had to deal with for about 25 years. “When I walk, my...
Baby flown from Murrysville after ‘water rescue’ at Sardis Road residence
A child younger than 1 year old was flown by medical helicopter after a 911 call for a water rescue in Murrysville. Westmoreland 911 officials said the incident was reported around 4:07 p.m., on the 5000 block of Sardis Road in Murrysville. The child was transported to Sardis Fire Department...
Westmoreland County puts out call for poll workers
Westmoreland officials said Tuesday that dozens of poll workers are needed to staff the county’s 307 voting precincts for the May 18 primary. In all, the county needs 11 judges of elections and as many as 50 poll workers, Election Bureau Director JoAnn Sebastiani said. Judges of elections are needed...
Citizen group appeals to Commonwealth Court to overturn Murrysville fracking ordinance
The Murrysville Watch Committee, a citizen group seeking to overturn the municipality’s unconventional gas drilling ordinance, had its appeal heard this week by the state’s Commonwealth Court. The hearing began with attorney John Smith, representing the Watch Committee, requesting that Commonwealth Court Judge Drew Crompton recuse himself from the proceeding....
State Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward reveals breast cancer diagnosis
State Sen. Kim Ward, R-Hempfield, revealed Tuesday that she has undergone treatment for stage-one breast cancer for several months and soon will undergo surgery with the hopes of preventing the disease from returning. Ward said she learned of the diagnosis in December, weeks after she won reelection and made history...
Philadelphia man jailed without bond after North Huntingdon drug arrest
A Philadelphia man who was arrested after police seized two bricks of suspected heroin in a North Huntingdon drug sting was denied bond Tuesday when he could not provide officials with a verifiable address, according to court records. District Judge Wayne Gongaware also noted that Rysheid M. “Cheese” Baldwin, 39,...
Action on restaurant lease at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport delayed until at least June
The Westmoreland County Airport Authority is delaying any decision on the future of the restaurant space at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport until its next meeting, rescheduled for June 15. In April, the county commissioners urged the board to entertain competitive bids to operate the airport’s upper-level dining area, currently leased...
Latrobe looking for new city secretary, finance director
Latrobe is searching for a new city secretary and director of finance and administration. City manager Michael Gray declined to discuss the departure of Roxanne Shadron, who recently held the dual positions. Two people had applied for the vacancy as of Monday, Gray said. He said the city will allow...
New dog park at Hempfield Park set to open this weekendVideo
Part of a $1.8 million project aimed at updating several aspects of Hempfield Park is set to debut this weekend. A new off-leash dog park will open Saturday following a grand opening ceremony, according to Aaron Siko, director of parks and recreation with the township. The dog park consists of...
Greensburg Art Center 2021 Biennial includes ‘sociopolitical statements’
The Greensburg Art Center 2021 Biennial will open on Saturday — although the open juried exhibition technically could be called a triennial, said co-chair Pat Majcher. The show should have taken place in 2020, but was delayed by the pandemic, she said. It will run through June 25 at the...
