Westmoreland category, Page 25
Why a stream near Monroeville Mall is glowing bright blue
In the valley below Monroeville Mall, a small stream that starts in Penn Hills winds its way downhill alongside Stotler Road, before breaking southeast and following the road that bears its name, Thompson Run. As the stream nears a bridge carrying Thompson Run Road over top, the water has an...
Penn-Trafford launches youth cross country, track and field program
Basketball, soccer, flag football, wrestling — Greg Shogan’s 6-year-old son, Connor, has tried out almost every youth sport available to him. Wrestling has become a favorite. But when it came to the other sports, the part Connor enjoyed the most was not the game itself, Greg Shogan said. “When he...
DEP faces concerns about air pollution from proposed Homer City power plant
State environmental regulators were peppered with questions from Indiana-area residents Wednesday concerned about the air pollution that will be emitted from a proposed 4.5-gigawatt, natural gas-fired power plant outside Homer City and the potential for impacting their health. “We don’t feel they took any shortcuts on evaluating the (air pollution)...
Vigil for Franklin Regional student set at Murrysville church
A candlelight vigil is planned Thursday night in memory of Tayson Foltz, the Franklin Regional student who was found dead outside the senior high school last weekend. The event will be held at 7 p.m. at Newlonsburg Presbyterian Church, 4600 Old William Penn Highway in Murrysville. Family members said in...
E-bike rider gets probation after police say he ignored order to avoid crash scene
A Greensburg e-bike rider pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of disorderly conduct after police said he stumbled into and refused to leave the scene of a fatal hit-and-run crash in Hempfield this summer. Jonathan V. Mezeivtch, 35, was sentenced to one year of probation. He was charged after police...
Former Jeannette man awaiting retrial for 1993 fatal fire seeks release from jail
A former Jeannette man jailed for more than three decades in connection with the deaths of his wife and two young children wants to be released from custody as his case moves through the court system. Lawyers for James Young, 58, contend his speedy trial rights have been violated. They...
Suspect in lawnmower explosion denied bail, ex-landlord says he feared volatile relationship
An observant off-duty state trooper helped end a nearly two-month manhunt Tuesday evening when he spotted a man accused of trying to kill his landlord with a pipe bomb. The suspect was riding a bicycle on a trail in Indiana County. Trooper Steve Limani said the trooper, who was on...
Kayaker who died during incident in Acme Lake, Mt. Pleasant Township, identifiedVideo
A Hempfield man died Wednesday during a kayaking incident at Acme Dam Lake. Westmoreland County Coroner Tim Carson identified the victim as David Dirado, 67. Carson said in a brief statement that Dirado with friends and family when “it appeared he fell out of his kayak into the water.” He...
Westmoreland happenings: Soup and hot dog sale, Back to Church Sunday, spaghett dinner, more
Church News • First Baptist Church of Jeannette, 131 N. Second St., will host “Back to Church Sunday” at the 10:45 a.m. service on Sept. 21. The Rev. Jeffrey Johnson, former head of evangelism for American Baptist Churches of Pennsylvania and Delaware, will be the guest speaker. Cake and refreshments...
On the 3rd try, Jeannette school board selects member to fill vacancy
A new member was appointed to the Jeannette City School Board this week to fill the seat left behind after Janice Smarto’s death last month. The board voted 6-2 to appoint Susan McFarland to the vacant seat. She will serve until the board’s reorganization meeting in December. Smarto died Aug....
Morning Roundup: 18 arrested as guns, drugs seized in McKeesport; infections reported in Monessen school
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, Sept. 17: 18 arrested as guns, drugs seized in McKeesport A joint operation between local and state authorities in the McKeesport area this summer yielded 18 arrests, 17 firearms and about $40,000 worth of cocaine, according to Attorney...
Southmoreland district, teachers in legal fight over weight-loss drugs
Southmoreland School District is in a legal battle with its teachers union over insurance coverage for prescription weight-loss drugs. The district has filed a lawsuit in Westmoreland County, asking a judge to overturn an arbiter’s decision that sided with the union. According to court filings, the district’s decision to stop...
Route 22 side streets in Murrysville will close for signal-control repairs
Drivers in Murrysville will be detoured briefly on Friday, as work crews repair a traffic signal control box that was damaged in a crash where Manor and Mellon roads meet Route 22. Murrysville Chief Administrator Michael Nestico said crews will begin repairs around 7:30 a.m. Friday morning. The work is...
Suspect in rigged lawn mower explosion in Salem arrested in Indiana County
A Westmoreland County man charged with rigging a lawn mower to explode has been arrested in Indiana County. James Sever, 54, of New Alexandria was taken into custody early Tuesday evening, according to state police. An off-duty trooper reported seeing Sever about 7 p.m. along Hoodlebug Trail in Center Township....
Westmoreland Housing Authority OKs $17.1 million budget
Westmoreland County Housing Authority board members on Tuesday approved the agency’s annual operating budget that officials hope will be an accurate spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year. Rachel Fritz, the authority’s chief financial officer, told board members the budgets for administrative costs and public housing programs total $17.1 million...
Norwin Art League renovates studio
The Norwin Art League’s studio in downtown Irwin has undergone a significant transformation, offering a completely refurbished space for artists to learn and create. The recent renovations, which began in June, included a full overhaul of the facility. To create a more open and natural environment, the league removed old...
Derry Township woman accused of faking husband’s death to recoup $2,800 down payment for garage
A Derry Township woman is accused by police of forging a death certificate for her husband in an effort to get out of a $14,800 contract for a metal garage to be built at her house, according to court papers. Lori L. Shawley, 54, was charged this week with felony...
Police: Owner of car involved in Hempfield e-bike fatality charged with resisting arrest
A Jeannette man who state police said owned the car involved in a fatal hit-and-run in Hempfield was charged Monday in connection with an alleged incident at his home during the investigation. Troopers said they were led to the North Third Street home of James S. Grady II, who was...
Pa. Turnpike lane in Westmoreland reopens after closure for emergency repairs
An eastbound lane of the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Westmoreland County is now open after bring closed for more than eight hours Tuesday. Turnpike crews made emergency repairs to a void discovered under the surface . The problem was discovered at about 10 a.m. Tuesday near mile marker 62.4, between the...
Greensburg Civic Theatre kicks off 74th season with ‘Seussical’
If the “Seussical” musical was a person, it would surely be related to Mallory Grantz’s Monroeville family. “This is the fifth time in our family that one or more of us has been involved in ‘Seussical,’” said Grantz, 39, who will direct a production of the show to kick off...
After Pittsburgh Riverhounds project stalls, North Huntingdon to consider setting rules for leasing township land
North Huntingdon is considering a new set of rules for anyone who wants to lease township-owned land. The township commissioners are expected to vote Wednesday to advertise a new ordinance that aims to prevent the kind of controversy that arose last year when officials considered leasing land for a $30...
Therapy dogs, youth boxing demo join lineup for Latrobe’s National Night Out on Wednesday
Therapy dogs and a youth boxing demonstration will be first-time features at this year’s National Night Out in Latrobe, set for Wednesday at Memorial Stadium. The free event, meant to promote police-community relations and crime prevention, will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. In addition to seeing a Westmoreland...
Police pensions suspended for 2 former Greensburg officers convicted of drug crimes
Greensburg’s police pension board voted Monday to suspend benefits paid to two former officers, both of whom are serving sentences for federal drug crimes. Notice of the suspensions will be provided to Shawn Denning, 41, of Delmont and Regina McAtee, 52, of New Kensington. They have 30 days to appeal...
Franklin Regional has counseling options in place after student suicide
Flowers were left at the entrance to Franklin Regional Senior High School on Monday, a gesture of sympathy after a student committed suicide behind the school early Sunday morning. Franklin Regional officials said resources from Westmoreland County Behavioral Health as well as the University of Pittsburgh’s youth counseling service will...
Norwin won’t attempt to retrieve deleted videos, may consider new records policy
A North Huntingdon resident’s attempt to get Norwin School District to spend money on retrieving deleted school board meeting videos has been denied. Bill Bojalad, board president, said last week there is no support among board members to hire a data recovery company to try to find the videos that...
