Westmoreland category, Page 710
North Huntingdon man sues township over tree-cutting order
Three North Huntingdon officials are being sued in federal court after the township had 10 trees removed from a resident’s front yard in October. Curt Orner of 500 Oakhurst Drive alleges in the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh on Dec. 30 that the defendants — township Manager...
Westmoreland Transit buses run normally after county operations takeover
Lisa Snow drove the Westmoreland County Transit Authority’s 4F bus to and from Pittsburgh on Thursday, the same route she’s operated over the past few years. There were no differences in how and where the bus traveled, but for Snow and her passengers, it was the start of a new...
Monessen police file multiple charges against man who barricaded himself in home
Monessen Police filed charges Thursday against a 47-year-old man who was involved in a 10-hour New Year’s Eve standoff at his home after city police attempted to serve him with a protection from abuse order. Jason G. Johnson was taken into custody 12:45 a.m. Jan. 1 by the state police...
Jeannette hikes property taxes by almost 6%
Jeannette property taxes are increasing by almost 6% this year. After approving a $5.5 million preliminary budget in late November that carried no property tax increase, council approved a final 2020 spending plan this week that raises the tax rate by 2 mills, an increase of 5.9%. City officials expect...
State licensing process delays opening of Hempfield hospitalVideo
Almost two months after officials held a grand opening ceremony for one of the region’s first “micro-hospitals,” doors to the new facility remain closed. The 120,000-square-foot Allegheny Health Network Hempfield Neighborhood Hospital, located at Route 30 and Angew Road, was slated to open in the weeks following the Nov. 9...
Mt. Pleasant Township woman jailed after New Year’s Day standoff with troopers
A Mt. Pleasant Township woman faces multiple charges stemming from a domestic altercation early New Year’s Day that resulted in a short standoff with state troopers. Kelly J. Wigginton, 35, was arraigned Thursday on charges of resisting arrest, simple assault, theft and illegal possession of a firearm as a result...
Ligonier Ice Fest planning more frosty fun for 29th year
As the January chill sets in, thoughts in Ligonier turn to ice. The Ligonier Valley Chamber of Commerce will host its 29th annual Ligonier Ice Fest on Jan. 25 and 26. DiMartino Ice Co. of Jeannette will begin carving at 10 a.m. Saturday and noon Sunday, with ice sculptures to...
New Derry man accused in Latrobe police chase
A New Derry man was arrested Thursday after Latrobe police said he fled a traffic stop and crashed into a boulder. Nicholas E. Armitage, 19, is charged with fleeing from police and reckless endangerment along with 19 summary traffic violations. An officer attempted to pull over a Toyota Scion at...
Police: Suspect claimed to be Westmoreland sheriff’s deputy in $7K scam
A man claiming to be a Westmoreland County sheriff’s deputy scammed a New Alexandria woman out of $7,000, according to state police. The suspect told the woman in November that she could get out of a warrant for her arrest if she bought Reloadit prepaid cards. The man falsely represented...
Penn Township targets growth with comprehensive plan
Penn Township last adopted a comprehensive plan for the community in 2005. A lot has changed since then. Officials hope an updated plan will position the community for growth in the decade ahead. New housing developments are cropping up all over the township. Plans for a high-speed rail line, once...
Westmoreland’s first baby of 2020 arrives week earlier than expectedVideo
Serena Rose Spino came into the world a week earlier than expected — just in time to be Westmoreland County’s first baby born in 2020. She emerged at 6:29 a.m. New Year’s Day at Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital in Greensburg. Serena Rose, the daughter of James Spino, 31, and his...
Going, going, gone: Bill Mazeroski’s sports memorabilia a big hit at New Year’s Day auctionVideo
“Long ago, it must be,I have a photographPreserve your memories,They’re all that’s left you.”— Simon & Garfunkel, “Bookends” (1968) Hundreds of photographs, trophies, baseball bats, cases of baseballs, gloves, signed cards and jerseys from Bill Mazeroski’s 17-year Hall of Fame career as a Pittsburgh Pirate were sold on New Year’s...
One injured in Ligonier fire
One person was taken to the hospital after a house fire in Ligonier on Tuesday, according to Westmoreland County 911. The fire started in the basement of the Griffith Street home, a dispatcher said. It was reported at 4:12 p.m. and was quickly extinguished by Ligonier’s Waterford Fire Department and...
Baseball merger coming to Greensburg, South Greensburg and Southwest Greensburg
Greensburg, South Greensburg and Southwest Greensburg are joining forces, combining their youth baseball programs in an effort to save the struggling sport. “All of our programs were dying off,” said Southwest Greensburg recreation Chairman Miles Webb. Starting in the spring, the newly created Greater Greensburg Athletics organization will administer baseball...
Overdose deaths in Westmoreland, Allegheny counties on course to drop againVideo
Drug overdose deaths in Westmoreland County appear to have dropped for the second year in a row. Through Dec. 1, 90 people died from drug overdoses in the county and 14 more cases are being investigated as overdose deaths, according to coroner statistics. Coroner Ken Bacha said he expects eight...
Franklin Regional superintendent to be keynote speaker at chamber prayer breakfast
Gennaro Piraino, superintendent of the Franklin Regional School District, will give the keynote address at the Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce’s annual prayer breakfast on Jan. 31. Piraino is the Superintendent of the Year as chosen by the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators. The breakfast will mark the 45th year...
Hempfield band performs in concert series ahead of New Year’s paradeVideo
The Hempfield Area Marching Band took a break from sightseeing Monday evening as several members of the wind ensemble took the stage to perform in the annual London New Year’s Day Parade Concert Series. The series, which features the “finest young musicians,” according to their YouTube page, included 15 bands...
Cops: Argument over TV volume results in arrest of Unity man for assaulting father
An argument about the volume of an animated cartoon show on television resulted in the arrest of a Unity Township man this week for allegedly attacking his father. State police charged Johnathan W. Owens, 22, with harassment, reckless endangerment, simple assault and strangulation following the incident that occurred around 7:20...
A look at top stories from around Westmoreland County in 2019
Some of the biggest stories of 2019 in Westmoreland County and the region carried over from the last calendar year, including reconciliation efforts from the Catholic priest sex abuse scandal and the ongoing celebration of all things related to Fred Rogers. Here is a look at some of the stories...
Herminie VFW, Donegal eatery cited by state liquor agents
The Herminie Veterans of Foreign Wars Post and a Donegal restaurant were cited Monday for allegedly violating state liquor laws. The VFW at 501 Church St., was cited for allegedly failing to maintain complete records covering the operation of the business from Oct. 27, 2017, to Oct. 29, 2019. The...
Parents charged after kids found in ‘uninhabitable conditions’ in Hempfield home
A Hempfield couple is accused of child endangerment and animal neglect by sheriff’s deputies who say they discovered the family living in “uninhabitable conditions” when they served a warrant at the home last week, according to court documents. Cloyd A. and Melissa S. Zimmerman, both 38, of North Drive each...
‘Piggyback’ flight of World War II bombers recalledVideo
After what he endured on Dec. 31, 1944, while under heavy attack during an ill-fated bombing mission over northern Germany, Glenn H. Rojohn had no interest in popping a bottle of champagne and ringing in the new year. “We never celebrated New Year’s Eve,” said his son, David Rojohn of...
2 more stores close at Westmoreland Mall
While December brought droves of shoppers to Westmoreland Mall, one store has shut its doors and another has announced its impending closure. PacSun, also referred to as Pacific Sunwear, is slated to close, according to signs posted around the store. Based in Anaheim, Calif., the clothing store caters to teens...
Cops: Argument leads to stabbing, arrest in Youngwood
An argument over a woman resulted in the arrest of Youngwood man for allegedly stabbing another man outside an apartment early Sunday, state police said. David W. Rundle, 33, was arrested outside his Sunny Terrace Lane home about 1 a.m. on charges of aggravated assault, simple assault and harassment. Trooper...
Penn woman sentenced to state prison in baseball bat assault
A Penn woman was sentenced Monday to one to two years in a state prison for beating a woman with a baseball bat at a Jeannette housing complex. Heather L. Kunkle, 32, was ordered to serve a year of probation after the prison term. She pleaded guilty Monday to charges...
