Westmoreland category, Page 746
Pugs and more pugs race, revel at PugtoberfestVideo
David Godin could not envision himself owning a dog — singular. That was before his wife, Kim, decided they needed a pug. On Saturday, the Somerset County man who never saw himself owning a dog found himself proudly introducing his family’s five pugs to a reporter who stumbled on the...
Latrobe football alumni dinner will honor ’59, ’60 champion squads
Varsity gridiron champions from six decades ago will be honored anew Oct. 5 at the Latrobe Wildcat Football Alumni Association’s Kick-Off Dinner in Unity. The second annual buffet dinner, set for 6:30 p.m. at Giannilli’s II Restaurant on Route 30, will recognize the 1959 and 1960 Latrobe Wildcats football squads....
In-town fields part of high school football tradition across Western PennsylvaniaVideo
Greensburg’s Offutt Field was thrust into the spotlight on Nov. 2, 1962, and on Sept. 9, 1988 — though for opposite reasons. Nestled in a dip between hills on the city’s eastern end, the field originally known as Athletic Park has played host to a variety of community events and...
Westmoreland Night of Worship unites area churchesVideo
An estimated 1,400 people came to Greensburg’s Palace Theatre on Friday night to worship. The inaugural Westmoreland Night of Worship was a free concert that brought together Christian groups from across the county. Tickets were free but needed to be reserved ahead of time, and all had been taken days...
Pirates give grants to 38 youth baseball programs
Pirates Charities has given grants to 38 youth baseball and softball programs in three states — including 13 in Westmoreland and Allegheny counties. The “Fields for Kids” program is an annual initiative led by the Pittsburgh Pirates’ charity organization, which issues matching grants from $1,000 up. This grant money can...
Judge: Penn Township man cannot use drunkenness as defense for firing at police
A Penn Township man charged with firing a rifle at police will not be allowed to argue to jurors at his upcoming attempted murder trial that his actions are less serious because he was drunk. Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Tim Krieger ruled during a hearing Friday that jurors...
$11M federal grant approved for Arnold Palmer runway widening
The Federal Aviation Administration has approved an $11.1 million grant that will allow Arnold Palmer Regional Airport to proceed with widening of its runway. The Westmoreland County Airport Authority, which operates the Unity airport, learned of the anticipated funding this week. The federal grant will cover the majority of the...
Greensburg man appeals rape conviction, wants new trial
A Greensburg man serving a 12-year prison sentence for the rape of an unconscious woman claims he should receive a new trial. Benjamin Melvin Davis, 22, in an appeal filed Friday, argued that evidence presented at his June trial did not support the guilty verdict. “… In particular, the credibility...
Penn Township man gets prison time for ax attack
A Penn Township man will serve up to 10 years in prison for attacking his former girlfriend and her boyfriend with an ax last year. Benson William Perry, 37, pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated assault and burglary in connection with a March 2018 incident in North Irwin. Police said...
Jeannette religious groups protest abortion despite national decline
Black-and-white placards with a jagged red EKG line running through the center to a red heart have cropped up in yards and roadsides across Jeannette and Greensburg. The message emblazoned on the signs: Unborn Lives Matter. In smaller print along the bottom are the names Knights of Columbus — a...
Rostraver learning center owner charged with forging records
A West Newton woman is accused of forging documents related to child clearances and training certificates for herself and other employees at the now-closed Bright Start Learning Care Center in Rostraver, according to court papers. Diane J. Mesiarik, 52, was arrested Thursday on numerous charges of forgery and tampering with...
Norwin elementary school given Blue Ribbon AwardVideo
A Norwin elementary school was given the National Blue Ribbon Award for academic excellence, becoming the first school in the district to win the award. Students at Sunset Valley in kindergarten through fourth grade erupted into cheers Friday morning as Principal Jason Cendroski announced the achievement, which was given to...
Police pull crack cocaine from Jeannette toilet during drug raid
Nearly 10 grams of crack cocaine was pulled from a Jeannette toilet Thursday by police during a raid at a North Third Street home, according to court papers. As police entered the home, four people were seen near the second-floor bathroom and the toilet was running. Arrested on drug, conspiracy...
Police: Suspect in Jeannette standoff had guns, drugs
Police found guns, ammunition and drugs in a Jeannette apartment after a man was involved in a standoff with investigators Thursday on Gaskill Avenue, according to court papers. Taylor Eliard Foster, 26, was being held in the Westmoreland County Prison on $250,000 bail Friday. Jeannette police and agents from the...
Orthodox churches in New Kensington, South Greensburg offer Arabic servicesVideo
The Rev. Meletios Zafaran is preaching on the birth of John the Baptist. He’s speaking in Arabic, so not everyone in the congregation understands what he’s saying. During the Sunday evening sermon, he touches his temple and then brings his hand down and points to his heart — a gesture...
5 things to do in Westmoreland this weekend: Sept. 27-29Video
It looks to be a fabulous fall weekend, and early leaf peeping, long hikes in the cooler temperatures and grilling dinner or assembling s’mores around the bonfire might be in order. And, of course, if it’s autumn in Westmoreland County, festivals and outdoor markets are getting ready for their last...
‘Scottie Pride’ returns as community relishes Southmoreland’s undefeated football seasonVideo
The last time the Southmoreland Scotties made the WPIAL playoffs, the Pittsburgh Pirates were World Series champions. That was in 1979. Today, the Scotties (5-0) are the highest-scoring team in the WPIAL Class 2A Century Conference — and they’ve already clinched their first playoff berth in four decades. “Everyone’s really...
Bradenville fire chief: Fund drive phone calls are bogus
Phone solicitations Derry Township residents have received from callers claiming to represent the local volunteer fire department are bogus, according to Bradenville Fire Chief Mark Piantine. “Some people have been getting phone calls soliciting for the fire department for a fund drive, and we do not solicit on the phone,”...
‘Yappy Hour’ dog-friendly event at Craft Beer Week event raises money for … cats?
A dog-friendly “Yappy Hour” was held Thursday at Petagogy in Hempfield as part of Greensburg Craft Beer Week, which runs through Sept. 28. The nine-day, multi-venue event showcases breweries, restaurants, local businesses and more through craft beer-centric events and community involvement throughout the Greensburg area. Thursday’s event featured beverages from...
Son of Lower Burrell judge sentenced to 6 to 23 months in jail for part in drug ring
The son of a Lower Burrell district judge and a nephew of Westmoreland County District Attorney John Peck will serve up to 23 months in jail for what prosecutors said was his role in a million-dollar marijuana distribution ring. Stephen Yakopec III, 29, of Lower Burrell told a Westmoreland County...
Jeannette residents: Hemp-drying warehouse stinks
A new hemp-drying facility delivered jobs to Jeannette, but neighbors are unhappy with the odor that emanates from a large warehouse on Thomas Avenue. City officials said Patriot Shield Security failed to get an occupancy permit prior to opening a few weeks ago. Solicitor Tim Witt said Thursday that the...
2 people escape fire at Greensburg homeVideo
The cause of a fire that ripped through a Greensburg home Thursday afternoon is under investigation. Responding to 307 Seminary Ave. shortly after 4 p.m., firefighters found the fire started in a second-floor bathroom, said Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department Chief Thomas Bell. According to Bell, two people were sitting in...
Standoff ends in Jeannette, man in custody
One person was taken into custody Thursday after a brief standoff when Jeannette police and agents from the state Attorney General’s Office attempted to serve an arrest warrant, police said. Investigators shut down a block of Gaskill Avenue after the suspect hid in an apartment of a quadplex in the...
Jeannette couple accused of trying to get drugs to jail through court bathroom
A Jeannette couple is accused of trying to get drugs from a city district court bathroom into the Westmoreland County Prison, according to court papers. Takeya Shantail Woods and Maurice Williams, both 24, were arrested Thursday after authorities found a piece of paper with suspected K2, or synthetic marijuana, sprayed...
Red Sand public art project represents human traffickingVideo
Volunteers gathered at Excela Frick Hospital in Mt. Pleasant this week for this year’s final local installation of the Red Sand Project. Snipping open small bags, they poured the brightly colored sand into sidewalk cracks outside the hospital’s emergency entrance. The Blackburn Center is sponsoring the public art installation, which...
