Westmoreland category, Page 789
Greater Latrobe bids superintendent farewell with tuneful tributeVideo
Greater Latrobe School Board provided Superintendent Judith Swigart a glowing sendoff Tuesday at her final public meeting with the school directors before her July 31 retirement. The tributes to Swigart’s nearly 11-year tenure leading the district included remarks by school board President Eric Hauser, a standing ovation, an impromptu vocal...
Union resignation provision may become part of new contract with state
A federal judge in Pittsburgh has agreed to stay a lawsuit involving the right of state employees to resign their union membership at any time. U.S. District Court Judge Cathy Bissoon signed the joint motion to pause proceedings after the state and the Service Employees International Union, Local 668, said...
More drama surfaces as Greensburg woman’s lease of ‘Dance Moms’ studio ends
Filming for season 8 of Lifetime channel’s “Dance Moms” has concluded, but a different drama is unfolding behind the scenes at the Penn Hills dance studio where Abby Lee Miller became a reality TV star. A rift has developed between Miller and a former dance student who has leased the...
Norwin hires teachers for upcoming school year
Norwin replenished its teaching staff for the next school year, hiring secondary and elementary teachers, along with full-time, long-term substitutes. The five full-time secondary teachers hired by the Norwin School Board Monday under the 2019-2020 school year budget were: Rebecca Shakely, music; Dylan McElfresh, social studies; Marissa Pecora and Aimee...
Police: Wrong-way driver seriously hurt in Route 22 crash in Salem
An Export man was seriously hurt Monday after crashing head-on into another vehicle while driving west in the eastbound lanes of Route 22 in Salem Township, according to state police. Troopers said David J. Foti, 71, started driving in the wrong direction near the intersection of routes 819 and 22...
Greensburg police warn of ransomware attack on businesses
Greensburg police are advising area businesses and residents not to open unfamiliar or suspicious emails after reporting that several local businesses were subjected to ransomware attacks on Tuesday. One business in the city was among those that had files corrupted and encrypted in the attack, police said. Hackers requested that...
Q&A with Vicki Lawrence as she brings ‘Mama’ to Greensburg
She’s made us laugh for decades, first on the “Carol Burnett Show,” then on “Mama’s Family,” and now, in person, at The Palace Theatre in Greensburg. Vicki Lawrence — actress, comedian and singer — brings everyone’s favorite senior citizen, “Mama,” to the stage for the performance of “Vicki Lawrence &...
Greater Latrobe OKs 1-mill tax hike, $57M budget
Greater Latrobe School District property owners will pay an additional 1 mill of taxes to help support a 2019-20 district budget of $57 million. The board this week adopted a final version of the spending plan by a 7-1 vote, with Merle Musick absent. Board member Michael O’Barto cast the...
Murrysville Medic One will demonstrate dive team skills at swim club
The Murrysville Medic One dive team has searched for missing people, evidence and even for severed fingers. They’ve searched ponds, creeks and quarries. But they’ve never searched a swimming pool. Searching is just one of the things Medic One divers will demonstrate June 28 at the Murrysville Swim Club in...
Driver of rig that struck Westmoreland County Transit bus on Route 22 cited
A tractor-trailer driver who allegedly caused a crash Thursday at the intersection of Routes 22 and 819 in Salem, sending six people to area hospitals, was issued three traffic citations by state police at Kiski — including one accusing him of running a red light. Ibrahim Mulder, 49, of Lyndhurst,...
Greensburg woman serving life sentence claims she can’t leave prison for appeal hearing
Westmoreland County prosecutors argue a former Greensburg woman serving a life prison sentence for her role in the murder of a former boyfriend in 2006 should appear in person for her upcoming appeal hearing. Jennifer Vinsek, 37, contends she should receive a new trial based on allegations that her former...
Lawyer: Latrobe vet with PTSD wants to withdraw attempted murder plea for attack on wife, others
A Latrobe man told a Westmoreland County judge Tuesday he wants to withdraw a guilty plea to charges he attempted to kill three women in 2017. Scott A. Matuszky, 47, said he received bad legal advice from his former lawyer when he pleaded guilty last year to attempted murder, aggravated...
Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling could favor doctors in defamation suit against Excela Health
Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that a lawyer for Excela Health waived attorney-client privilege when he turned over a confidential document to a private media relations firm hired to oversee publicity related to allegations that patients were subjected to unnecessary cardiac procedures. Attorneys for doctors George Bousamra and Ehab...
Real ID seminar to be hosted at Hempfield Area High School
Have questions about getting a Real ID? State Sen. Kim Ward, R-Hempfield, is hosting a July 8 seminar along with PennDOT officials to discuss where people need to go to get an ID and what documents are required. PennDot officials will give three 20-minute presentations throughout the day starting at...
Cops: Woman ran up $17K in online purchases on ex-husband’s tab
The ex-wife of an 80-year-old Derry Township man was arrested Tuesday for using a credit line and bank accounts to defraud him of $17,464 since August, state police allege. Theresa L. Kinney, 48, of White Township, Indiana County, was arrested by state police at Kiski on charges of theft, access...
Westmoreland County native selected as new United Way CEO
United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania has decided to hire from within to replace its retiring CEO. United Way announced Tuesday that Bobbi Watt Geer, 53, senior vice president of administration, will succeed Bob Nelkin as president and CEO, effective July 1. Watt Geer’s selection is the result of a seven-month...
Police: Seward man tried to steal money from mom’s flower shop
A 33-year-old man broke into his mother’s flower shop in Bolivar to steal money from a safe, Pennsylvania State Police said. The son of the owner of K&K Flowers was arrested late Sunday by state troopers, according to court documents. Chad E. Botteicher, 33, of Seward was arraigned Monday on...
Nemacolin Woodland Resorts plans ‘extravaganza’
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort is extending the Fourth of July celebration, with an “Americana Extravaganza” set for July 6 at the Farmington, Fayette County, site. Planned are carnival games, crafts and face-painting for kids of all ages. According to event planners, the 6 p.m.-midnight event will include more than 10 acts...
Hempfield Area School Board member submits resignation
Voters will see a few more candidates on Hempfield’s school board ballot in November after current member Chris Rossman submitted his resignation Monday night. Rossman, who was not immediately available for comment, submitted his resignation because he is being relocated for his job, Superintendent Tammy Wolicki said. The resignation will...
Interstate 70 crash caused delays to Tuesday morning commute
A minor crash Tuesday morning on Interstate 70 westbound in South Huntingdon Township caused traffic backups. A Westmoreland 911 dispatcher said the crash happened at the Yukon exit at 8 a.m. There were no injuries reported. Traffic was moving freely by about 10 a.m., according to a PennDOT traffic map....
Franklin Regional school board awards $48.62 million in contracts for Sloan project
After three years of planning, multiple town hall meetings and mounting opposition from residents, Franklin Regional school board members this week agreed to spend $48.62 million for the Sloan school project. The board voted 8-1 to award bids for renovating Sloan Elementary School and converting it into a lower elementary...
Thief pepper sprays Unity man as he to stop car break-in, police say
A Unity Township man was pepper-sprayed in the face and eyes late Sunday night as he attempted to stop a man from breaking into his vehicle. State police charged Christopher W. Reynolds, 37, of Blairsville, with five counts each of theft from a motor vehicle, receiving stolen property and loitering/prowling...
Several Westmoreland County school districts replacing artificial turf
The turf’s up at four Westmoreland County school districts — Franklin Regional, Greensburg Salem, Norwin and Penn-Trafford — and being installed at Jeannette. Shaw Sports Turf of Calhoun, Ga., has removed artificial turf from stadiums at Norwin, Greensburg Salem and Penn-Trafford and will have the fields ready by the time...
New York woman says PA troopers conducted improper search of vehicle, wants criminal charges dismissed
A lawyer for a New York woman arrested near Donegal following a traffic stop last year on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in court Monday claimed an improper search of her vehicle led to the discovery of $500,000 of heroin stashed in a hidden compartment. Defense attorney Komron Jon Maknoon said police...
3 injured in Route 22 crash
Three people were transported to area hospitals following a head-on, two-car crash Monday afternoon on Route 22 in Salem. A Westmoreland 911 supervisor said the crash happened around 5:15 p.m. along westbound Route 22, just east of its intersection with Route 819. Forbes Road VFD Chief Bob Rosatti said a...
