Technology, fingerprints helped troopers solve 1999 abduction, rape case
Decades of advances in forensic technology, combined with fingerprints obtained from drunk-driving arrests in Maryland, resulted in a break that allowed troopers to arrest a man for the 1999 abduction and rape of a 10-year-old Somerset County girl, police said Thursday. Timothy D. Nelson Jr., 50, of Cumberland, Md., was...
County leaders see comprehensive plan as key to bringing young blood into a graying Westmoreland
More millennials could soon call Westmoreland County home if things called for in a new comprehensive plan adopted by county commissioners come to fruition. The plan, presented during Thursday’s 2019 State of the County luncheon, aims at making Westmoreland more attractive to young professionals by upgrading downtown areas and creating...
Man working on helicopter decapitated at Florida airport
BROOKSVILLE, Fla. — Authorities say a man was hit in the head by the main rotor blades and killed while working on a helicopter at a Florida airport. A Hernando County Sheriff’s Office news release say 62-year-old Salvatore Disi died Thursday afternoon near the hangars at Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional Airport....
5 people displaced by Thursday morning fire that spread to attic of Greensburg home
Five people were displaced by a fire that damaged the second-floor bedroom and attic of a house in the 500 block of Mt. Pleasant Street, Greensburg fire Chief Tom Bell said. Firefighters from multiple companies battled the blaze into early Thursday morning as it spread from the bedroom to the...
Unabomber, Boston Marathon bomber attorney to represent Tree of Life shooting defendant
A prominent San Diego attorney who has represented such high-profile defendants as the Boston Marathon bomber and the Unabomber has been named to help lead the defense team for the man accused of fatally shooting 11 worshippers at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Squirrel Hill. Judy Clarke, of the...
Allderdice student killed in Homewood shooting
A junior at Pittsburgh Public Schools Allderdice HIgh School died in the hospital after being shot in Pittsburgh’s Homewood South neighborhood Wednesday night. Jonathan Freeman, 16, of the city’s Stanton Heights neighborhood died at 10:01 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s office. “A high achieving student, Jonathan...
GOP senators promise Barr wouldn’t touch Mueller’s investigation if confirmed
WASHINGTON — Top Senate Republicans emerged Wednesday from meetings with attorney general nominee William Barr insisting that if confirmed, he would not hinder Robert Mueller III’s investigation of the Trump campaign’s Russia ties, despite previous statements blasting the probe for looking into whether President Trump attempted to obstruct justice. “Based...
Irwin police officer loved sports, especially racquetball
Chances are good that if you hurt yourself horsing around in Irwin Park during the 1960s and ’70s, you went to John O’Connell’s house to call your parents. And if your injury was a little more serious, it was probably Mr. O’Connell who took you to the emergency room. “We...
Nielsen says 35 million people watched Trump speech
NEW YORK — An estimated 35.3 million people saw President Trump and Democratic leaders speak to the nation on border security and the partial government shutdown. That’s about 10 million fewer viewers than Trump had for his 2018 State of the Union address. The Nielsen company said Wednesday it was...
Murder suspect still missing after chase in Philly; 3 officers hurt in crash
PHILADELPHIA — The manhunt for a “person of interest” in several Delaware murders wreaked havoc Wednesday afternoon in Philadelphia, as three officers chasing the man by car were hurt during a crash on Interstate 95, the suspect subsequently crashed his car into a SEPTA bus, and four schools were placed...
Daisyfield sausage recalled, may contain rubber
An Ohio company is recalling about 1,719 pounds of Daisyfield brand raw pork sausage products that may be contaminated with rubber. J. H. Routh Packing Co. of Sandusky issued the recall for seven varieties of the ground sausage products that were produced from Jan. 1 through Friday and were distributed...
Two new Marcellus shale gas sites proposed in Upper Burrell
Huntley & Huntley has applied to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for permits to drill unconventional gas wells at two sites in Upper Burrell. The sites are on industrial property owned by Acronic and Alcoa. The “Selene” and “Calliope” well pads are about a mile apart, located off of...
Staffer for Westmoreland Commissioner Charles Anderson seeking boss’ post
Sean Kertes, chief of staff to Westmoreland County Commissioner Charles Anderson, said Wednesday he wants his boss’ job. Kertes, 32, of Greensburg formally announced he will be a candidate for county commissioner, seeking to replace Anderson who will retire at year’s end after more than 11 years in office. “Having...
West Leechburg turkey captures hearts while eluding apprehensionVideo
A white turkey roaming free in West Leechburg has captured the hearts of some borough residents. It has managed to elude capture, and the identity of its owner remained a mystery Wednesday night. West Leechburg police Chief George Lebetz said his department received multiple calls about the turkey, including reports...
Vatican moves quickly toward punishing ex-cardinal McCarrick for sexual abuse
Vatican investigators have finished collecting evidence in the sexual abuse case of disgraced ex-cardinal Theodore McCarrick, according to a person familiar with the investigation, indicating that the Catholic Church is moving quickly toward sentencing the cleric in its secretive justice system. The former prominent archbishop of Washington, who now stands...
Apollo officials keeping services afloat, look to fill key positions
The lights are out on the Apollo Bridge, and the borough isn’t sure how to turn them back on. The lighting outage is just one of many tasks at the Apollo Borough office that need to be handled in the absence of a borough manager. Council Vice President Diane Bradshaw...
Routine food inspections halted by government shutdown
NEW YORK — Routine food inspections aren’t getting done because of the partial government shutdown, but checks of the riskiest foods are expected to resume next week, the Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday. The agency said it’s working to bring back about 150 employees to inspect riskier foods such...
Norwegian police: Missing wife of tycoon was abducted
COPENHAGEN — The wife of a Norwegian multimillionaire missing since Oct. 31 probably has been kidnapped, police said Wednesday, adding that her suspected abductors have demanded a ransom reported to be $10.3 million. Police say they have no suspects in the disappearance of Anne-Elisabeth Falkevik Hagen, the 68-year-old wife of...
Westmoreland County businesses, groups awarded $475,000 in tourism grants
Living Treasures Wild Animal Park is doing something different with this year’s $15,000 in tourism grant money — they’re bringing in rare, popcorn-scented animals known as binturongs. Owner Tom Guiher was prepared to pick up the three Southeast Asian animals Wednesday after nearly $475,000 was awarded to local tourism-based businesses...
Trump, California spar over money for wildfire relief funds
SACRAMENTO — President Trump threatened Wednesday to withhold money to help California cope with wildfires, a day after new Gov. Gavin Newsom asked him to double the federal investment in forest management. Trump again suggested poor forest management is to blame for California’s deadly wildfires and said he’s ordered the...
Route 28 northbound lane reopens 2 hours after crash
Allegheny County officials said no one was injured in a vehicle crash along Route 28 northbound near the RIDC exit Wednesday evening. The accident occurred around 5:30 p.m. Traffic was reduced to one lane around the scene. The lane was reopened within two hours....
Witnesses testify Latrobe murder suspect admitted to firing fatal shots
A Latrobe man, while on the run for more than a day after a deadly shooting and robbery two years ago, repeatedly confessed to friends that he fired the fatal shots, witnesses testified Wednesday during the second day of Zachary McGrath’s murder trial. A series of friends testified that McGrath...
New neonatal intensive care unit opens at West Penn HospitalVideo
West Penn Hospital on Wednesday unveiled a new, $23 million neonatal intensive care unit to provide care for premature babies. The 16,500-square-foot unit at the Bloomfield facility features 23 private rooms and state of the art treatment capabilities. Three of the rooms are designated for twins. There also are beds...
Pittsburgh, public works union agree to 5-year contract with 3% raises
Several hundred Pittsburgh Public Works employees will receive raises of 2 percent and 3 percent under a five-year contract approved by the city and a union representing the workers. Public works employees will receive 2 percent retroactive raises for 2018 and 3 percent raises each subsequent year. Mayor Bill Peduto...
Troopers say Indiana County woman missing for a week discovered ‘safe’
State police in Indiana said an Indiana County woman who was reported missing by her family since Jan. 3 was discovered safe Thursday. According to police, Megan Sue Durand, 35, was last seen at about 4 p.m. Jan. 3 at a residence on Red Street in the village of Iselin...
