Westmoreland category, Page 856
Police: Trafford man intimidated victim by calling her 157 times after assault arrest
A Trafford man is being held without bail after police said he made 157 phone calls to a woman who he previously was arrested for assaulting. Authorities said Nigel Christopher Hogan, 29, threatened the woman on Sunday to not testify against him at a hearing today or “she would regret...
Cops: Women tried to steal $3K worth of merchandise at Hempfield Walmart
Two 20-year-old women were arrested early Tuesday by state police trying to flee the Walmart store in Hempfield without paying for $3,276 worth of items. Megan M. Bender of Connellsville and Julie L. Thomas of New Stanton were arraigned on charges of robbery, retail theft and harassment following the incident...
Pittsburgh area jobless rate remains at 4.2 percent
The Pittsburgh region’s unemployment rate remained at 4.2 percent in December, a drop of .7 percent from a year ago as the region added 9,600 nonfarm jobs compared to December 2017. Among the seven counties in the Pittsburgh region, Allegheny County’s jobless rate held steady at 4.2 percent, while Westmoreland...
Loyalhanna Watershed group seeks 6 conservation interns
The Loyalhanna Watershed Association is looking for six student interns to help with conservation and improvement projects this summer at Forbes State Forest. High school seniors or older students who are enrolled in a college program have until March 1 to apply for a local 2019 Youth Conservation Corps internship,...
2 convicted in 2001 Bell Township murder get life sentences reduced
Tyler Gett has just a few fuzzy memories of his grandfather, murdered nearly 18 years ago in a Bell Township field. On Monday, Gett, 22, and other family members watched as two of the now-grown men convicted of the 2001 beating and shooting death of 48-year-old Larry Dunmire were given...
Crews make repairs to historic Westmoreland County covered bridge
Editor’s note: Bells Mills Road and bridge reopened Tuesday. Crews worked Monday to repair parts of a historic covered bridge damaged recently in an apparent hit-and-run. Part of Bells Mills Road had been closed for several days. The damage on Bells Mills Bridge, which connects South Huntingdon and Sewickley townships,...
Irwin fielding calls to buy Rite Aid building
The building housing the soon-to-close Rite Aid store in downtown Irwin has attracted a few potential buyers at the same time a business organization is pleading with the company to keep the store open. Irwin Borough Manager Valerie Morton said Monday she has fielded calls for Rite Aid from interested...
Man arrested after assaulting woman in Southwest Greensburg apartment, cops say
A Greensburg man is accused of assaulting his ex-girlfriend Friday, returning to her home after being ordered to leave following an argument, borough police allege. Giovanni L. Meighan, 26, was arrested about 1:15 a.m. when police followed up with the victim after the first call and found her running down...
Cops: Pittsburgh man tossed 50 bricks of heroin from car during North Huntingdon pursuit
A Pittsburgh man who led state troopers on a three-mile chase along Route 30 in North Huntingdon late Friday tossed 50 bricks of heroin out of the window before jumping from the still-moving car and fleeing on foot, according to court documents. Laplez G. Cummings, 34, was captured with the...
Diocese of Greensburg will use National Catholic School week to recruit for its 13 schools
Karen and Jake Stilley weren’t planning on sending their children to Catholic school. In fact, they moved to the area intending to send Julia, 10, and Tommy, 7, to public school. But they really liked the preschool Julia attended at Aquinas Academy Parochial School, and the Hempfield family has stuck...
Westmoreland hopes to have third-party rental sites collect occupancy tax
Pennsylvania lawmakers are working to make taxes on sites such as Airbnb, VRBO and HomeAway easier to collect by putting the pressure on companies rather than property owners. But it’s an issue Westmoreland County is still trying to solve. Between the state and county, people who rent out their homes,...
Elderly Westmoreland woman scammed out of $58K
An elderly Westmoreland County woman was scammed out of $58,000 this month after handing over prepaid gift cards and cash to a person she knew only as “Dave” in Hempfield Township, according to state police. Troopers said the suspect identified himself as a Publishers Clearing House executive when he contacted...
Gina Cerilli to seek another term as Westmoreland County commissioner
Westmoreland County Commissioner Gina Cerilli announced Monday she will seek a second term in office. The Democrat from Hempfield was the top vote-getter in 2015 when she won in her inaugural attempt for public office and became the first woman in four decades to serve as chairwoman of the board...
Western Pennsylvania’s craft beer market grows with the flowVideo
John Titus and Tim Molinari are taking the plunge into the competitive world of craft beer brewing, after toiling for months to open their New Crescent Brewing Co. taproom in a converted storefront in downtown Irwin. Although craft brewers dot Route 30 in North Huntingdon and others are planned for...
Ice artists create more than 70 sculptures for Ligonier Ice Fest, continues SundayVideo
Ernie DiMartino’s ice carvers have been working behind the scenes for weeks. And they’re not done yet — nine workers are transforming blocks of ice into beautiful sculptures at Ligonier’s Diamond Park. “There’s a lot going on, the weather’s perfect,” said Cindy Purnell, chairwoman of the 28th annual Ligonier Ice...
Registered sex offender in Greensburg accused of asking girl, 16, for sex
A Greensburg man who is a registered sex offender is accused of repeatedly asking a 16-year-old girl for sex, according to court papers. Henry Lee Bailey Jr., 31, is being held at the Westmoreland County Prison on $125,000 bail on charges of corruption of minors and harassment. The girl reported...
Trafford home gets new furnace thanks to charity program
A home in Trafford will be heated well this winter after a new furnace was installed for free Saturday morning through a charity program. TUDI Mechanical Systems and Dollar Bank provided 20 furnaces to Pittsburgh-area families through the annual Heat For The Needy program, according to a news release. Employees...
Jeannette couple sentenced in 2016 North Huntingdon armed robbery case
A Jeannette couple pleaded guilty Friday to charges they shot a man during an armed robbery more than two years ago in North Huntingdon. Romel Crosby and Brittany Kruel, according to police, lured their victim, 32-year-old Ronald Hines Jr. of Penn Township, to an alley in the Westmoreland City section...
Norwin World Color Guard show includes former ‘American Idol’ contestant
The Norwin World Color Guard ensemble is making its 2019 show a little more interesting with the help of a former “American Idol” contestant. The show, titled “Out of My Mind,” features Aubrey Burchell, a Norwin senior who competed in “American Idol” in March, making it to the top 70...
Jack’s Run bridge replacement will detour Hempfield motorists
A detour is ahead for motorists in Hempfield as PennDOT plans to replace a bridge on Keystone Avenue. The bridge over Jack’s Run will be closed beginning Feb. 7, shutting down traffic on a section of Keystone between Route 119 South and Club Way, according to PennDOT. The posted detour,...
Deputy running for Westmoreland sheriff’s post
A Hempfield man who has served as a Westmoreland County deputy sheriff for eight years now wants to run the office. Sam Pilato, 56, announced he will be a Republican candidate in the May primary seeking the job as county sheriff. “If elected (my) mission is to return the sheriff’s...
Hours weighed as rec board takes over Latrobe Farmers Market
The Latrobe Farmers Market will be under new management this summer, but patrons may not notice much change. Organizers intend to meet Monday to discuss dates and times for the market, now that Latrobe-Greater Latrobe Parks & Recreation has taken over operation of the popular event from the Latrobe Community...
Nobody hurt in Monessen crash involving pregnant woman
First responders shut down part of Grand Boulevard in Monessen following a two-car crash that left a pregnant woman trapped inside her vehicle, according to Westmoreland County 911. Nobody was hurt in in the crash, which was reported around 7:30 p.m. Thursday dispatchers said. People were trapped inside both vehicles...
Pittsburgh Pirates spend day at Painting With a Twist, prepare for PiratesFest
Several members of the Pittsburgh Pirates put down their bats, stepped off the field and picked up a paint brush Thursday afternoon. Working with Passavant Memorial Homes children’s programs, the players and coaches helped kids with intellectual disabilities, autism and behavioral health issues paint a picture at Greensburg’s Painting With...
Hempfield High student to face charges after allegedly issuing threat
A Hempfield Area High School student will face charges after allegedly using social media to threaten students at the school, Principal Kathleen Charlton said in a letter posted on the school’s website. According to the letter, the student sent a message Thursday to friends that threatened the safety of students...
