Westmoreland category, Page 711
Penn Township man returned to Westmoreland County Prison to await trial for firing at cops
A Penn Township man is back in jail after allegedly threatening a witness in an upcoming case. Jody J. Martz, 55, was released from the Westmoreland County prison last spring to await trial for firing a rifle shot that nearly hit a police officer in 2016. Martz is scheduled to...
Scottdale volunteer praised for efforts to boost local watershed, preserve architectureVideo
A discarded nail punctured Jonathan Fox’s foot in June, but the wince-inducing wound merely caused an intermission in the Scottdale man’s daylong efforts on behalf of the Jacobs Creek Watershed Association. Fox’s dedication to the group on that day and many others has earned him recognition as the nonprofit association’s...
Norwin seeks ‘distinguished alums’ nominees
The Norwin Alumni & Friends Association is taking nominations until 4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 8 of Norwin graduates or its predecessor schools who have had distinguished careers to be part of the 2020 Class of Distinguished Alumni. Norwin community residents can nominate a maximum of two alumni who graduated from...
‘Kill for Thrill’ murderer remains on death row 40 years after Western Pa. killing spree
Jim Clawson hopes that one day he will watch the last breaths of the man who killed his friend and fellow police officer 40 years ago. Clawson has been waiting for decades to be summoned as a witness to John Lesko’s final day. He wants to be seated behind a...
Police interview suspects in Westmoreland Mall assault
A 22-year-old Leechburg man and two juvenile boys have been identified by state police at Greensburg as the three suspects in the strangulation and simple assault of a juvenile girl at the Westmoreland Mall in Hempfield on Friday night. Police said early Sunday morning they have interviewed the three suspects...
Latrobe looks to turn up lights on town’s holiday displays
As the 2019 holiday season winds down, Latrobe officials are looking to add more sparkle to the city’s downtown displays next year. The city placed seasonally themed banners on decorative lamp posts recently installed along downtown streets in a cooperative effort with the Latrobe Community Revitalization Program. But Mayor Rosie...
Greensburg barber Ed DeBone hangs up clippers after 47 yearsVideo
After 47 years of cutting the hair of county commissioners, judges, attorneys, priests, mayors, and just plain folks, Ed DeBone has hung up his clippers and razors at his downtown Greensburg barber shop. “It was time,” said DeBone, who closed his 2nd Street Cuts barber shop in Greensburg on Saturday...
Penn Township veteran’s Quilt of Valor was a ‘labor of love’Video
Homer Lyons sat in the chair of his Penn Township living room, the center of attention, as his three children and several grandchildren gathered around him Christmas Eve. Around the shoulders of this World War II veteran was draped a special quilt, a Quilt of Valor presented to him because...
Gander Outdoors closes Greensburg location
Less than two years after reopening under the Gander Outdoors name, the Greensburg location has permanently shut its doors. A sign reads: “It is with great regret that we announce the closing of Gander Outdoors of Greensburg, PA. We have enjoyed serving our customers in the community and sincerely apologize...
Latrobe man could serve up to 20 years for child sex assaults
A Latrobe man was sentenced Friday to 5 1/2 to 20 years in state prison in three sex assault cases involving children. Johnathan Rosario, 27, was ordered to spend seven years on probation following the prison term. He entered a general guilty plea in October to all charges, including rape...
Reorganized Westmoreland commissioners’ board to address ‘State of the County’
Those attending Westmoreland’s 2020 State of the County luncheon will have an opportunity to hear from and question the three county commissioners on issues of interest to the business community. The annual event will be held at 11:30 a.m. Jan. 9 at the Ramada by Wyndham Greensburg Hotel and Conference...
Hempfield puts focus on planning in 2020Video
Hempfield leaders are looking to the future as they shift their focus to planning in the township during the coming year. Supervisors voted unanimously to create a director of planning and zoning position, which establishes a department specifically for planning purposes. Current planning coordinator Patrick Karnash will take over as...
Greensburg denies age discrimination in response to lawsuits
Greensburg officials said two former city employees were dismissed because of job performance, not their age, according to court filings in age discrimination lawsuits. Barbara Ciampini, 58, and Frank Lehman, 59, who respectively worked as planning director and recreation director, filed their federal lawsuits in October. The city finally filed...
Hempfield Area band headed to London for New Year’s Day parade to be broadcast live
All those Hempfield Area band hoagie sales are finally paying off. High school band members leave Saturday for London to perform in its 2020 New Year’s Day parade after months of practices and intensive fundraising efforts. More than 150,000 hoagies were sold to raise money for the $640,000 trip, said...
5 things to do in and around Westmoreland County: Dec. 27-29Video
This whole week may have seemed like a weekend to some of us. Those lucky enough to wrap up school and work commitments early are probably ready for a little rest and relaxation after all of that partying and celebrating, right? Nah, its Friday. Maybe you’ve got house guests to...
Westmoreland commissioners reacquire oversight of real estate program
Westmoreland County Commissioners reclaimed control of a real estate program that generates as much as $2 million annually. Commissioners last week voted to transfer the Unified Parcel Identifier department back to their control, stripping it from oversight responsibilities of incoming Recorder of Deeds Frank Schiefer. “It makes sense for the...
Westmoreland County court fees to increase in 2020
The new year will ring in higher court costs for criminal defendants in Westmoreland County. Eight different fees will be increased by about 2% when the courthouse opens for business on Jan. 2, Clerk of Courts Bryan Kline said. “I have the authority to raise fees every three years and,...
Unity woman touts importance, ease of donating stem cellsVideo
While attending a Goo Goo Dolls concert at the Palace Theater in 2016, Cassandra Nedelco of Unity didn’t think twice about getting her cheek swabbed at a booth run by nonprofit DKMS, an international group that seeks to match stem cell and bone marrow donors with patients in need. It...
State rep Bob Brooks files for reelection in House’s 54th District
State representative and former Murrysville mayor Bob Brooks filed for reelection in the House’s 54th District. He will host a petition signing kick-off event from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 28 in Murrysville. “When I ran for state representative two years ago, I pledged to focus on people, not politics,...
Westmoreland County election winners sworn into officeVideo
Months of campaigning and election-night nerves were a thing of past on Thursday as Westmoreland County’s new slate of government officials were sworn into office. The former candidates and now newly elected officials, with family members and supporters by their sides, one-by-one came before the county’s Common Pleas Court judges...
Jeannette hemp plant fined, permitted to reopen
The owners of a shuttered hemp processing facility in Jeannette may resume limited operations under the terms of a Christmas Eve consent agreement with the state that calls for it to pay a $29,000 fine for air quality violations. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection ordered Patriot Shield Pennsylvania to...
Christmas Eve stabbing in New Stanton leads to assault charges
A couple’s fight late on Christmas Eve left a man with stab wounds and a New Stanton woman facing aggravated assault charges. State police initially responded to a 911 call from the mother of Julie L. Thomas, 21, who said she’d received text messages from Thomas that Jamel C. Miles...
Undecking the halls: How long do you leave your holiday decorations up?
When Shawn O’Mahony was growing up, it wasn’t unusual for his mother to let the Christmas tree stick around until Easter. That tradition didn’t carry over to her son. “When I decorated, the decorations were down before the new year,” said O’Mahony, a Penn Hills resident. “I like to start...
Big Shot Bob’s to open new Hempfield location
Big Shot Bob’s House of Wings is expanding once again, this time outside Westmoreland Mall. The wing joint will be located at the former Winghart’s spot in Westmoreland Crossing behind the mall. Owner Keith Wassel said he hopes to open the Hempfield location, which will serve over 100 flavors of...
Judge denies Yakopec’s request for transfer back to Westmoreland prison
A Westmoreland County judge Tuesday rejected a request from the son of a Lower Burrell district judge to be transferred back to the county’s jail to finish serving out a six-month sentence for drug offenses. The attorney for Stephen Yakopec III, 29, of Lower Burrell in court documents filed this...
