Westmoreland category, Page 218
North Huntingdon seeks to fill 6th Ward commissioner’s seat
North Huntingdon residents in the township’s Sixth Ward have a chance to be selected as a commissioner for that district, replacing the incumbent who will resign on Saturday. Sixth Ward Commissioner Lyndsay Wengrzyn-Romano is resigning because she moved to Penn Township. A Republican, she was elected to the board in...
Latrobe man sentenced in police chase
A Latrobe man was sentenced to two to five years in a state prison Monday in connection with a police chase in Indiana County. Matthew Rebar, 30, who also lists a Connellsville address in court records, pleaded guilty in June to aggravated assault, fleeing from police, driving under the influence...
Former Latrobe woman gets probation in cat neglect case
A former Latrobe woman was sentenced Monday to three years of probation after police said she left 24 cats in an abandoned home. Kristine M. Pfeffer, 42, of Mt. Pleasant Township, pleaded guilty to three counts of neglect of animals. The remaining 93 charges against her were dismissed as part...
Allegheny County DA’s detective back on job after drug case is dismissed, but charges could be refiled
A Westmoreland County district judge dismissed charges last week against a former detective with the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office who police said provided testosterone and Adderall to his son when he played high school football. The DA’s office rehired Raymond Bonacci, 57, of Elizabeth after the charges were dismissed,...
Drones to light up North Huntingdon 250th celebration
North Huntingdon plans to cap its 250th anniversary celebrations in September with a bang — plenty of fireworks at the township’s public works property and a light show featuring about 300 drones in the sky. The Jim Shorkey Auto Group Sestercentennial Summer Celebration will go from 5 to 9 p.m....
North Huntingdon settles suit with former assistant manager
North Huntingdon’s former assistant manager has settled his federal lawsuit with the township over his claims that his contract was breached, without getting the $49,000 in a severance payment he was seeking. In a 5-2 vote Sept. 20, the township commissioners approved the settlement with Michael Turley of South Park,...
Apple harvest time: Wild swings in weather, slow spring start impact production
The fruits of the Simon family’s labors are on display for all to see at the Simon’s Apple Orchard store in Mt. Pleasant Township. The sweet smell of freshly harvested apples permeates the air as bags of apples are made ready for sale. “It was decent. Not a full crop...
League of Women Voters to host public school funding speaker at Greensburg Hempfield Area Library
Westmoreland County’s League of Women Voters is set to host a speaker event on public school funding and the importance of selecting school directors in the upcoming election. The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 11 in the second floor conference room in the Greensburg Hempfield Area Library, 237...
Pair charged in attack on Greensburg woman
Arrest warrants have been issued for two people accused of beating and robbing a Greensburg woman during the weekend. City police said the suspects — Christopher McAteer, 38, of Derry Township, and Karisa A. McAteer, 35, of Bell — fled from the scene on Alexander Avenue after the 4 a.m....
North Huntingdon man arrested in connection with Penn Township crash
The back seat passenger of a car being pursued by police Sunday in Penn Township was seriously hurt when it crashed into a guide rail, according to court papers. Township officers said Collin Joseph Turley, 19, of North Huntingdon, was behind the wheel. He was being held on $10,000 bail...
Westmoreland County prison board accepts warden’s resignation, names interim leader
After about two and a half years leading the Westmoreland County Prison, Bryan Kline resigned as warden just as Monday’s prison board meeting was set to begin. The last-minute move was approved by the board immediately after a brief executive session related to personnel at the start of the meeting....
Live Casino seeks to connect with community through 3-day block party
Live Casino will host a three-day carnival at the end of the month as part of its Live in the Community campaign. The Live in the Community Block Party will take place from Friday through Sunday in the casino parking lot at Westmoreland Mall, 5256 Route 30 in Hempfield. It...
Bushy Run to host car cruise, Paranormal Night on same day
Bushy Run will be lined with classic cars during the day on Saturday, but as the sun begins to set, the park will play host to ghosts and spirits during Paranormal Night. The car cruise is the second- largest fundraising event for Bushy Run, said museum manager Matt Adams. It was...
Rain can’t keep glassmakers, visitors away at Mt. Pleasant festival
Peter O’Rourke can’t help but return to the Mt. Pleasant Glass and Ethnic Festival every year. As a longtime attendee and glass vendor at the event, O’Rourke jokes he’s “addicted” to glass. He has attended the event and showed off his trade there for all but a few of the...
Grand View Senior Residences apartment building starting to take shape near Norwin library
After months of extensive earth moving, the wooden framework for the first floor of a 50-unit apartment building for senior citizens is taking shape behind the Norwin Public Library. The building should be ready for residents next spring, a housing authority executive said. “Outside of any setbacks, the project is...
Registration open for 32nd annual Greensburg Turkey Trot
Halloween is still several weeks away, but it’s not too early to start making plans for Thanksgiving Day. About 2,300 people started last year’s turkey day by running or walking in Greensburg’s 5K Turkey Trot. With registration now open, organizers are hoping to attract the same or more participants for...
‘He’s just one of those kids’: Pitt student balances heart research, academics, hockey
Ben Leslie works in a Pitt heart research lab while maintaining a full academic load. In his time off? He serves as a captain for the university’s varsity hockey team. Leslie, a 2019 Penn-Trafford graduate, used to doubt there was enough time in the day to pursue all of his...
‘Hometown hero’: Longtime Jeannette police officer, Marine veteran known for work ethic, fairness
(Editor’s note: This is part of a series about Westmoreland County residents who have been honored as Hometown Heroes. The program honors local military and non-military heroes by displaying photos on decorative banners in area communities.) Ray C. Leydig Hempfield 1944-2020 A veteran of the Marine Corps, Ray C. Leydig...
Art competition win gives Greater Latrobe student hope for professional career
When Bella Muir found out her drawing was selected to be published in Celebrating Art.com’s Summer 2023 National Anthology book, she “felt really proud.” Muir, 17, of Latrobe, a junior at Greater Latrobe Senior High School and member of the high school’s National Art Honor Society, decided two years ago...
Pleasant Lane Farms takes home 1st place in World Dairy Expo for gouda cheese
Pleasant Lane Farms in Unity had a gouda showing at this year’s World Dairy Expo — literally. The Creamery at Pleasant Lane Farms received four medals, including a first place win for its 1976 reserve gouda cheese. Its cheddar cheese curds placed second, its buffalo ranch cheese curds placed third...
Route 30 traffic disruptions expected during demolition of Hempfield bridge
Traffic on Route 30 in Hempfield will be halted intermittently overnight beginning Monday, Sept. 25 as crews from contractor Charles J. Merlo demolish the old bridge that carried East Pittsburgh Street over the highway. Traffic will be stopped for up to 15 minutes at a time, as needed, between 8...
Westmoreland transit readies real-time bus tracking
Westmoreland County Transit Authority bus passengers will be able to track their rides online next year. Agency officials said training for a real-time tracking program is expected to begin this fall, with an anticipated launch date in January. Global positioning software is being installed on the authority’s fleet of more...
Work nearly finished on reconfigured Route 119 in Youngwood; safety upgrades a priority
The end is within sight for motorists in Youngwood, now that PennDOT has completed all but the finishing touches on its $23.5 million reconstruction of the Route 119 corridor through the borough. The arrival of the covid-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020 disrupted work on the road, which has...
Greensburg Sheetz will close for renovation through March
The Sheetz location in Greensburg is set to close for several months starting Oct. 1 for a major remodel. Signs posted at the Harvey Avenue gas station and convenience store near Lynch Field indicate it will reopen in April. Sheetz public relations manager Nick Ruffner said the new design will...
Salem woman’s image part of Down syndrome program in Times Square
Getting her daughter out to local events or new experiences has been a goal for Peggy Slezak. “We’ve always advocated for Emma to be part of the community,” she said. “I think her personality makes it easy to do that.” A much broader audience met Emma Slezak of Salem in...
