Westmoreland category, Page 194
Hempfield man charged with aggravated assault by vehicle
A Hempfield man was denied bail Thursday after state police said he drove recklessly around his neighborhood, nearly hitting a pedestrian. Troopers said Tyler Cecconello, 20, had a 2-year-old girl in his SUV at the time. They were called to Menock Manor near Swede Hill Park at 4:40 p.m. after...
Trafford man charged in fight, stabbing in front of his home
A man was hospitalized for treatment of a stab wound Thursday night after a fight on South Seventh Street in Trafford, according to police. Anthony Michael Salvadore, 48, of Trafford, was denied bond on charges of attempted homicide, aggravated assault and related offenses in connection with the stabbing. Borough police...
Delmont decorating fundraiser will be featured on NBC’s ‘Today’ showVideo
Since 2020, residents in Delmont’s Monticello neighborhood have decorated their homes to the hilt for the holiday season, part of a fundraising competition that allows them to present an annual gift to two local charities. On Christmas Day, they will get their own gift — a nationally televised segment on...
North Huntingdon man’s overdose death leads to charges against Hempfield man
A Hempfield man is accused of providing a fatal dose of drugs to a North Huntingdon man who had been clean for about two years until being contacted by the suspect, his former drug dealer, according to township police. Authorities said powerful opioid fentanyl and animal tranquilizer xylazine were present...
2 more charged in Unity stabbing incident
Two more people have been charged in connection with a stabbing and robbery in Unity this week. Troopers filed charges Thursday against Michael J. Hafner, 22, of North Versailles, and Antonio James McMahon, 20, of McKeesport. Hafner was arraigned Thursday night and denied bail. An arrest warrant was issued for...
Luminary Night gathers holiday cheer in downtown Greensburg
The streets of downtown Greensburg were transformed into a holiday wonderland Thursday evening, complete with elves, cookies, hot chocolate, horse-drawn carriages, a live Nativity , and a visit from Santa for the 54th annual Luminary Night. Hosted by the nonprofit Greensburg Business and Professional Association, the event gathers local organizations...
Teen claims he feared for his life when he fatally shot New Kensington man
A New Kensington teenager told a Westmoreland County jury he feared for his life when he shot and killed an armed man as the victim fled from the lobby of an apartment building last year. Amir Kennedy, 16, testified he fired off 11 rounds from a semiautomatic rifle to protect...
Derry man charged with rape, bail denied
A Derry Borough man is accused of raping a woman over four hours in November. Richard C. McElheny, 55, was arraigned Wednesday and was being held without bail. The woman reported the situation to borough police on Nov. 8. She told an officer that she was sexually assaulted in the...
U.S. Rep. Summer Lee opens Jeannette satellite office
U.S. Rep. Summer Lee opened a satellite office at Jeannette city hall in November and plans to have regular office hours there to provide support to constituents. Staff members will be available in council chambers on the first and third Thursday of every month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m....
Ex-Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Felipe Vazquez expelled from U.S., returned to Venezuela
Former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Felipe Vazquez has been returned to his native Venezuela, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Vazquez, 32, was taken to Venezuela on Dec. 1 by members of Enforcement and Removal Operations in the Philadelphia Field Office. He was convicted in Westmoreland County court in 2021...
Watch the Franklin Regional marching band perform at today’s Pearl Harbor parade in Hawaii
Franklin Regional Panther Marching Band members will take part in the annual Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade today in Hawaii, and school officials have provided a link to watch the parade live. Livestreaming at 9:30 p.m. (4:30 p.m. in Honolulu), the parade will be the culmination of the band’s weeklong trip...
Hempfield Area makes it easier to search students with security policy update
Hempfield Area School District students and their belongings can be searched at the discretion of the superintendent under a revised policy the school board approved this week. The changes allow the district to search students and their belongings with metal or weapons detectors regardless of whether there has been a...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County: Dec. 8-10
Chestnuts are roasting on the open fire, and Jack Frost is already starting to nip at noses. If that isn’t enough to get you in the holiday spirit, there are plenty of activities that will this weekend in Westmoreland County. Free improv workshop Leaders of StoryZ, a nonprofit theater and...
Murrysville council approves budget, beer distributor, short-term rental regulations
About $2.7 million in capital projects including road work and park improvements is funded in Murrysville’s 2024 budget. The spending plan, approved Wednesday does not include a tax increase. Property taxes will remain at 12.15 mills in the $15.6 million budget. Just under 3.5 mills dedicated for Murrysville’s capital improvement...
Any Hempfield Area tax hike capped at 6.5% next year
The Hempfield Area School District board approved a resolution that limits any tax increase to support the 2024-2025 budget to the 6.5% ceiling set by the state. Any increase above that index would have required approval from voters in the district or the state in a process governed by a...
Unity man stabbed, 2 suspects identified
A gathering among friends Monday evening in Unity turned violent when a group of people stabbed a man in the leg, took his guns and $5,000, according to state police. The wounded man was taken to AHN Forbes Hospital in Monroeville for treatment and charges were filed against two suspects....
Volunteers sought for North Huntingdon trail work
A North Huntingdon group is seeking volunteers to do light maintenance work from 9 a.m. to noon Dec. 9 and from 9 a.m. to noon Jan. 14 on at least two trails at Braddock’s Trail Park in North Huntingdon. The Friends of Norwin Trails plans to clear existing trails and...
Murrysville Council OKs lease for gas, oil rights under 2 parks
Murrysville Council has approved oil and gas rights leases for several hundred acres of land beneath its two largest parks. Council voted 4-2 Wednesday to enter into separate leases with the sole bidder, Olympus Energy, for 74 acres below Duff Park and just under 306 acres of Murrysville Community Park,...
New Kensington slaying co-defendant testifies shooting victim was feared
One of the seven people charged with robbery and murder of a man last year in New Kensington told a Westmoreland County jury that the shooting victim was a known drug user and thief who was feared in the community. Raquan Carpenter, 20, of Pittsburgh, testified Wednesday for the prosecution...
Western Pa. lands $144M in federal funding for expanded passenger rail service
It’s all aboard for more passenger rail service in Western Pennsylvania. Federal lawmakers said Wednesday that the Federal Railroad Administration is putting $144 million toward a project that will add a daily round trip on Amtrak’s passenger rail line between Pittsburgh and New York City. The funding will be used...
Greensburg woman charged after police say she boarded school bus, berated driver
A woman is charged with disorderly conduct and unauthorized entry of a school bus after police said she boarded a Greensburg Salem School District bus and berated the driver a few days before Thanksgiving. City police were called to Allegheny Street near the Autumnbrook Apartments on Nov. 20 for a...
Youngwood bartending school featured on ‘World’s Greatest’ show
A Youngwood business that trains students in high-end bartending, service, sommelier skills and even the basics of owning and operating their own bar will be featured on national television. Wines, Steins & Cocktails was chosen by the “World’s Greatest” series as “World’s Greatest Professional Bartender School” and will be part...
Norwin OKs 6.8% state set cap on any possible tax hike
Property owners in the Norwin School District will not see a tax increase for the 2024-2025 school year that is more than the state-permitted maximum of 6.8%. The Norwin School Board this week unanimously adopted a resolution that it would not seek to raise taxes higher than the amount determined...
Former Pa. state cop sentenced to federal prison for child porn offenses
Sean R. McKenzie said he joined the Pennsylvania State Police in 2008 in hopes of doing good and helping others. Instead, he did the exact opposite, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Heidi Grogan. McKenzie, 39, was sentenced Wednesday to 23 years in a federal prison on child pornography possession charges....
Westmoreland 250: 10 things to see in Sewickley, South Huntingdon
(Editor’s note: To mark Westmoreland County’s 250th birthday this year, we’ve come up with a list of 250 things — 10 things in 25 communities — that we consider to be important to the makeup of our area. This is the final installment of the 25-part series.) South Huntingdon and...
