Westmoreland category, Page 15
Murrysville massage parlor worker pleads guilty to prostitution
A woman charged in connection with a raid at a Murrysville massage parlor pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor prostitution charge on Wednesday. Police said Weihong Wang, 63, was one of two women working last month during a raid of the Asian Garden Spa on Route 22. Police said Wang offered...
WPIAL football playoffs compel communities to adjust Halloween parade, trick-or-treat plans
Costumes and candy are about to collide with high school football playoffs Friday, and some communities either playing host or traveling to games have tweaked traditional holiday schedules in response. Halloween last fell on a Friday in 2014, and it won’t do so again until 2031. In Harrison, township officials...
Solar farm eyed in Ligonier Township passes initial hurdle; emergency plans, buffer required
Ligonier Township Supervisors unanimously approved a permit for a proposed solar farm on Springer Road on the condition that developer SunVest Solar agrees to plant a buffer and coordinates with first responders on handling any emergencies that may occur at the site. “This is the first step of many, but...
IU to borrow $2 million; layoffs coming if there’s no state budget by the new year
Westmoreland Intermediate Unit employees and the special needs students they serve got a bit of good news Tuesday, along with potentially bad news. The good news for them is that the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit 7 board approved a $2 million revenue anticipation note that will hold off any layoffs or...
Commissioners vow to keep Westmoreland government running as state funds dry up
Westmoreland County government will continue to function as state funding dries up amid the ongoing budget impasse in Harrisburg, commissioners said Tuesday. Despite the uncertainty, county officials plan to keep operating essential human service programs as they await word on a pending application to the state Treasury for a $14...
Murrsyville man held for trial after attack with baseball bat
At first, Elizabeth Hobbs thought the baseball bat a Murrysville man grabbed out of his backseat during a fight was plastic. She quickly realized it was metal as Reno James Roberts, 26, began attacking her and her boyfriend with it outside a Salem gas station Oct. 16, she said. Hobbs...
Haunted Path in Irwin: Fascination with Halloween helps feed the needy
An Irwin man, whose lifelong fascination with Halloween started when he was a youngster, spent two months and thousands of dollars to create a haunted audiovisual experience in his backyard. The creator of the unique experience, called the Haunted Path, is Jesse Vargo, 38, who worked with his husband, Nick...
State police seek information on transient man found dead near Mannitto Golf Course in Loyalhanna
State police are trying to figure out how a man, who they described as transient, ended up dead on state game lands near New Alexandria over the weekend. “Still early on in our investigation … (we’re) really leaning into the public to hope that we get some help,” Trooper Steve...
Utility merger to fold Peoples Natural Gas into $63B conglomerate
American Water and Essential Utilities, two top players in the Pennsylvania utility market, have agreed to merge into a water, wastewater and natural gas conglomerate worth $63 billion. New Jersey-based American Water would absorb Essential in the $12 billion, all-stock transaction announced Monday, getting 69% control of the combined company...
Donnie Iris and the Cruisers returning to Palace TheatreVideo
King Cool will be making a return to a palace. Donnie Iris and the Cruisers on Monday announced a Feb. 21, 2026, show at the Palace Theatre in Greensburg. Iris, known for songs like “Ah! Leah!” and “Love Is Like A Rock,” was also a member of The Jaggerz, which...
Run, then eat: Greensburg Turkey Trot returns
The tradition of running in a race in Greensburg on Thanksgiving morning to burn off calories before gobbling down a big meal returns this year with the 34th Greensburg Turkey Trot on Nov. 27. The race begins and ends at the Westmoreland County Courthouse on Main Street. It attracts thousands...
Presbyterian minister’s jazz group mixes spirituality and saxophone solos
The Rev. Bill Carter remembers the story his mother told him about attending a Louis Armstrong concert in Venango County as a teenager in the early 1950s. It was an all-white audience gathered to hear a racially mixed band. “As a Black man, Armstrong could not get a hotel room...
Murrysville council rejects rezoning request for multi-phase development off Wilson Road
Murrysville council opted to reject a request to rezone property at the corner of Wilson and Manor roads, part of a group of properties slated for a corporate campus for medical business Dedicated Nursing Associates along with other commercial, retail and residential aspects. The first phase of the development is...
Murrysville considers creating registry for vacant properties
Murrysville doesn’t have a big problem with vacant, blighted properties. But when one does make its way onto the municipality’s radar, they’d like to be able to address it sooner than later. Chief Administrator Michael Nestico provided council with a proposal for a new ordinance that would create a registry...
Schools working to keep children fed ahead of potential SNAP benefits shutdown
As the federal government shutdown lingers, food assistance is in jeopardy for about 2 million people across the state. With the largest anti-hunger program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, on course to shut down Saturday, school districts are ramping up efforts to make sure children continue to be...
Man found dead near Loyalhanna golf course, state police rule death ‘suspicious’
A man was found dead Saturday morning on state game lands near Loyalhanna Township, according to state police. Robert Friend, 64, was found near Mannitto Golf Course, state police said. His death is being considered suspicious. His place of residence is unknown, said Trooper Steve Limani. Westmoreland County Coroner Tim...
Westmoreland happenings: Halloween events, health screenings, kolache sale, more
Fundraisers • St. Florian Church, 4263 Route 981, Mt. Pleasant Township, is accepting orders for a kolache sale. Varieties: 14- to 15-inch rolls with nut, apricot, poppyseed or prune fillings, $17. Order deadline: Nov. 3. Pick-up dates: 4 to 6 p.m. Nov. 15 and 10 a.m. to noon Nov. 16...
Pitt-Greensburg cybersecurity program receives national recognition
Michael Pry is finally seeing the outcome of a goal he has worked toward for four years. The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg information technology instructor said the Hempfield campus cybersecurity program has been recognized by the National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security. Pitt-Greensburg joins at least 494...
Write-ins help fill slate of candidates for Delmont council
Delmont had to rely on write-in votes to garner enough candidates for council in the Nov. 4 election, and five candidates will compete for four open seats in the borough. Write-in votes propelled Delmont couple and former council members Julie and Bob Walczer both onto the ballot. Incumbent Republican Pamela...
Impact of property tax relief from gambling revenue clouded by outdated formula
Pennsylvania property owners have received tax relief for the last two decades as part of the deal that legalized casino-style gambling. Property owners are slated to receive more than $1 billion in tax relief this fiscal year, a nearly 42% increase over the last 10 years. But as the pot...
Impact of property tax relief from gambling revenue clouded by outdated formula
Before casino floors across Pennsylvania were filled with the clatter of slot machines and the flashing lights of jackpots, supporters of legalized gambling promised the expected revenue would be a sure bet to reduce property taxes. Today, state gambling officials and creators of Act 1, known as the Taxpayer Relief...
Monessen pedestrian killed in Rostraver vehicle crash
A Monessen man died after being struck by a vehicle Saturday in Rostraver, according to Westmoreland County Coroner Tim Carson. Darren C. Snyder, 52, was walking in the area of 845 Rostraver Road in Rostraver around 6:30 a.m. when he was struck by a vehicle, Carson said. Rostraver police said...
Council member challenges incumbent Jeannette mayor
There are two candidates on the Nov. 4 election ballot for Jeannette mayor — the incumbent and a council member. Incumbent Curtis Antoniak is being challenged by Michelle Langdon, who has spent the last four years on council. The two candidates have diverse perspectives on what they hope to accomplish...
3 vie for 2 spots on Jeannette City Council
Two newcomers and an incumbent are seeking two open spots on Jeannette City Council in the Nov. 4 election. Michelle Langdon, who has spent the last four years on council, and newcomers Donald Johnston Jr. and Denise Ward will be on the ballot for the two four-year terms. Council members...
Pipe replacement will restrict traffic on road in Derry Township
Motorists will encounter a single-lane restriction beginning Monday on a section of Route 982 in Derry Township. Flaggers will control traffic between McCullough and Barchesky roads while PennDOT crews replace a pipe. The work will be underway on weekdays through mid-November, depending on weather conditions. Project managers abandoned an initial...
