Westmoreland category, Page 6
Woman’s death at Westmoreland prison was suicide by hanging, coroner says
A woman who was found dead in her cell at the Westmoreland County Prison in October died from asphyxiation due to hanging, according to a ruling from the county coroner’s office. Amber Knepshield’s death was deemed a suicide, chief deputy coroner Ken Bacha said Tuesday. Knepshield, 32, was pronounced dead...
Penn-Trafford to spend nearly $667K to purchase tablets for middle school students
Penn-Trafford will spend nearly $667,000 in the next four years to buy iPads for its middle school students. The school board voted unanimously Monday night to purchase the 1,300 devices. It will cost about $166,700 per year through the 2029-30 academic year. The vote comes nearly a year after the...
Secret Service probes $5M Unity scam as duo indicted in similar multi-state ‘gold bar’ scheme
The U.S. Secret Service is investigating a scam that netted more than $5 million from a local resident through transactions in Unity. Meanwhile, two men are facing an indictment in Ohio federal court for a similar multi-state scheme that tricked senior citizens, including a West Newton man who reported losing...
Delmont will hold special meeting to fill council vacancy
Delmont council will hold a special meeting Wednesday to fill a vacant council seat. The meeting will be at 6 p.m. at the borough council chambers, 77 Greensburg St. Council members are expected vote to fill the vacancy created by former Councilman David Weber, who was appointed mayor earlier this...
Greensburg council to vote on $1.06M fire truck purchaseVideo
Greensburg Council is expected to vote next week on buying a new fire truck for Hose Company No. 1. Councilman Randy Finfrock proposed taking $1.067 million from parking revenue to pay Pierce Manufacturing in full for a new rescue pumper. That option comes with a $110,000 discount on the total...
Western Pa. school districts tally expected savings from cyber charter tuition reform
Three months after the state approved changes to the cyber charter tuition formula, administrators from Western Pennsylvania’s K-12 public schools are beginning to tally the expected savings. The state’s latest budget, approved in November after a 4½-month impasse, allows school districts to reduce their tuition payments for students to attend...
Westmoreland deputy sheriffs appeal court ruling to dismiss lawsuit
Ten Westmoreland County deputy sheriffs have appealed a federal judge’s decision to toss out a lawsuit claiming they were harassed and improperly investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police. The lawsuit, filed last year, alleged members of the sheriff’s office fugitive apprehension unit were targeted by frivolous accusations of impropriety by...
7 men plead guilty in interstate robbery scheme at Pa. rest stops
A group of seven men who used a phony lottery win to lure and rob motorists at Pennsylvania service plazas and truck stops pleaded guilty Monday in Westmoreland County. The men — six from Ohio and one from Tennessee — admitted to stealing cash and jewelry from drivers in Dauphin,...
New restaurant at Live Casino Pittsburgh, Mangia, to feature DeLallo Italian Market
The new restaurant at Live Casino Pittsburgh will showcase DeLallo Italian Market, the iconic local brand, the casino announced Monday. The new eatery, Mangia, will open April 9 and “feature the best of DeLallo’s recipes and marketplace,” the casino said. It replaces Guy Fieri’s American Kitchen & Bar, which closed...
Delmont committee seeks input to help develop Westmoreland Heritage Trail connectionVideo
The Delmont Visionary Committee will undertake a study to determine how best to bring a spur from the Westmoreland Heritage Trail into the borough. The committee received a $20,000 grant from the state Department of Natural Resources that will evaluate two routes for a borough trail to connect with the...
Dog abandoned in filthy apartment in Rostraver dies; 2 women charged
Authorities have charged two women with animal cruelty after a maintenance worker found a “lifeless and barely breathing” dog abandoned in a feces-covered Rostraver apartment in January. The dog, a shih tzu, was later euthanized after an animal hospital was unable to treat it due to its poor health. Skylar...
Jeannette native Jasmine Jones returns home with Olympic bronze
Jasmine Jones, the Jeannette native who competed in this year’s Winter Olympics in Italy, remembers the moment a childhood dream 15 years in the making came true. Jones, 29, was on her first Olympic journey last month with the U.S. women’s bobsled team. German athletes were dominating the first three...
From weave poles to world stage: Agility dogs vie in Latrobe for European Open
As a wily border collie named Rose zipped above a fake-grass-covered ring in Latrobe on Saturday, the 6-year-old agility competitor appeared to rarely touch the ground as she glided through an obstacle-laden, 230-yard course. She cleared 2-foot-tall hurdles without hesitation. It took her about 4 seconds to effortlessly zigzag between...
Westmoreland happenings: Fallingwater lecture, bingos, meetings, more
Class • Rostraver Sportsmen and Conservation Association, 539 Cedar Creek Road, Rostraver, will offer a hunter and trapper education class for youths and first-time hunters from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 14 at the club. The class is a requirement for first-time hunters and there will be a certification...
Former Greensburg officer Regina McAtee, convicted in drug case, fights to keep city pension
A retired Greensburg police officer convicted in a federal drug trafficking scheme is appealing a decision that rescinded and forfeited a portion of her pension. The lawyer for Regina McAtee claims the Greensburg police pension commission erred this month when it ordered she return more than $75,000 in retirement benefits...
‘She was just a good dog’: Greensburg Bloodhound Team announces death of Darcy
Darcy was an accomplished member of the Greensburg Bloodhound Team. She successfully helped find numerous missing adults and children and helped state police get key information about a suspect in a bank robbery in Westmoreland County. In that case, she followed scent trail to where the suspect parked. “She was...
Intervala expands at former Westmoreland Sony site, plans to hire 45 workersVideo
The former Sony site in East Huntingdon once hummed with television production; today, it is finding new life as a high-tech anchor thanks to a $6 million expansion by electronics manufacturer Intervala. The company, which moved into the RIDC Westmoreland Innovation Center near New Stanton in 2021, announced Thursday it...
Beyond churches, Western Pa. restaurants are reeling in diners with fish frenzy
The Lenten season ushers in a dining fish sandwich frenzy at many restaurants in Western Pennsylvania. Whether it’s fried, broiled or baked, fish Lenten specials are popping up on most menus, offering an tasty and easy way to enjoy fish — and keep your kitchen clean. Turn Fridays into Fry-days...
Jeannette’s Buster Clarkson Field to receive $19K in repairs, but coaches say more is neededVideo
Improvements are on the way at West Jeannette’s Buster Clarkson Field, but the high school baseball coach and youth league president agree more are needed. Lou Altieri, president of Jeannette Baseball Association, said he hopes the new pitcher’s mound and infield grading will be complete before the high school season...
Holy fish fries: Fish consumption skyrockets during Lent
Lent becomes a feeding frenzy when it comes to fish fries. Tons of breaded or beer-battered cod and haddock are consumed in Southwestern Pennsylvania during the 40-day holiday period in which Catholics abstain from meat on Fridays leading to Easter. Imperial-based wholesaler Nappies Food Service exports to churches and restaurants...
Here are 5 things to do in Westmoreland this weekend: Feb. 27-March 1
We’re moving into March, and whether you’re still bundled up and feeling cozy or you’re ready to get a jump on spring, there’s an event for you in Westmoreland County this weekend. Here are some ideas: Latrobe Soup Mania Cold weather calls for soup, and this weekend, Latrobe will be...
Mt. Pleasant man charged in connection with monkey torture videos
A Mt. Pleasant man has been charged in federal court with paying people overseas to torture monkeys and video record the acts. Joseph Garrett Buckland is charged with conspiracy to create and distribute “animal crush” videos. Animal crushing involves intentional crushing, burning or other torture. It is illegal for anyone...
Here’s what students will perform during 2026 high school musical season
As spring approaches, high school theater kids all over the region are dusting off their tap shoes, doing vocal warm-ups and memorizing their lines. Here’s a look at which schools are doing which shows this spring musical season. Apollo-Ridge: “Mamma Mia!” March 12-14 Avonworth: “The Phantom of the Opera,” March...
Single-lane closures for bridge work will begin Monday on Route 119
Single-lane restrictions will go into place starting Monday on Route 119 between the New Stanton and Youngwood exits, according to PennDOT officials. Crews will be repairing deteriorated bridge areas and beam ends. The single-lane restriction is expected to remain in place until late March. The work is part of a...
Rodent infestation closes Ollie’s location in GreensburgVideo
The Greensburg Ollie’s Bargain Outlet has been shut down because of a rodent infestation, according to the state Department of Agriculture. A Tuesday inspection report showed there was evidence of rodent activity in multiple areas of the store. There were excess droppings and urine found, wrote the inspector from the...
