Westmoreland category, Page 290
Westmoreland DA hopes to expand trauma intervention program in schools
A pilot program launched last year in response to the murder of an 9-year-old New Kensington boy has helped as many as 45 school-age children deal with ongoing trauma, according to the Westmoreland County district attorney. Nicole Ziccarelli wants to expand the program, which provides aid and comfort to children...
Norwin board members file suit over superintendent assessment
Four members of the Norwin School Board have sued the board president and two other directors, alleging a 2022 assessment of the superintendent was a fraud. The assessment excluded their comments and scores of his performance, according to a lawsuit filed this week in Westmoreland County court. Directors Christine Baverso,...
United Way shopping spree haul donated to Westmoreland food bankVideo
Sarah Garrison had to drive all the way from Fairmont, W.Va., to Greensburg to do her grocery shopping Wednesday morning. It was for a good cause: The Murrysville native’s mother, Kathleen Maurer, was chosen for the United Way’s annual shopping spree at the Charley Family Shop ’n Save on North...
Westmoreland Democrats seek to refocus commissioner campaign with Thrasher out of the race
Less than 24 hours after the surprise announcement that Westmoreland Commissioner Gina Cerilli Thrasher would not seek reelection, county Democrats said Wednesday they are ready to move forward with a campaign to reclaim a majority at the courthouse. That plan, party officials conceded, is reliant on another candidate coming forward...
Javanese music comes to Greensburg, courtesy of Pitt ensemble
The music of the Sundanese people of the Indonesian island of Java is coming to Greensburg, courtesy of the University Gamelan of the University of Pittsburgh. The ensemble will play a free concert at 4 p.m. Sunday in the Seton Hill University Performing Arts Center, 100 Harrison Ave. A gamelan...
Latrobe man charged with crimes involving 15-year-old girl
A Latrobe man was arrested Tuesday on state police accusations that he sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl he met on Facebook. David A. Fortino, 35, is charged with criminal solicitation, indecent assault, unlawful contact with a minor and related offenses. He is free on $25,000 unsecured bail. The accuser told...
Westmoreland happenings: Lenten fish fries, spaghetti dinner fundraiser, elder law seminar
Submissions from nonprofit organizations for Briefly Speaking can be emailed to Carol Pinto-Smith at cpinto-smith@triblive.com or mailed to Briefly Speaking, 210 Wood St., Tarentum, PA 15084. Include a complete address and daytime phone number. Submissions are due at least two weeks before the event. Each announcement is printed once; there...
Arona man pleads guilty to fatal drunken-driving crash in Hempfield
An Arona man pleaded guilty Tuesday for his role in a fatal crash nearly two years ago in Hempfield that killed a woman and injured her husband in a two-vehicle collision. Ronald A. Jaffre, 55, was charged last year with vehicular homicide and other offenses in connection with the April...
Westmoreland seeks housing options for juveniles charged with adult crimes
Westmoreland County court officials scrambled this week to find proper housing for juveniles who must remain incarcerated as they await trial on charges of serious adult offenses. As many as eight teens charged in Westmoreland County cases were being held in the youthful offenders pod in Allegheny County Jail, but...
Summer interns sought for Forbes State Forest conservation tasks
College students ages 18-22 who are interested in a nature-focused summer gig might consider applying for a spot in the Youth Conservation Corps program at Forbes State Forest, based in Laughlintown. The YCC program is sponsored by the Loyalhanna Watershed Association and the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources...
Hempfield school board votes to consolidate 3 middle schools into 2
Despite pleas from parents and a petition that purportedly garnered more than 800 signatures, the plan to consolidate Hempfield’s three middle schools into two was approved Tuesday night. Only one school board director voted against consolidation, which will move all sixth, seventh and eighth grade students into Wendover and West...
Westmoreland County Commissioner Gina Cerilli Thrasher won’t seek reelection
Westmoreland County Commissioner Gina Cerilli Thrasher announced Tuesday she will not seek reelection. “After careful consideration, I have decided to not run for a third term as county commissioner,” Thrasher said in a news release issued Tuesday night. “I truly enjoyed my time as county commissioner, it afforded me the...
Soccer complex proposal draws criticism from neighbors in Murrysville
A proposal for a soccer complex along School Road South near the Murrysville-Penn Township border is drawing criticism from nearby residents. More than a half-dozen residents are opposed to the proposal to develop a sports complex with one full-sized and one seven-on-seven soccer field in the 4900 block of School...
Route 30 openings and closings — Aldi in, Boston Market out
Construction is busy on and around Route 30 in Hempfield. Here’s a roundup of happenings in the area. Aldi plans second location 6207 US-30 A second Aldi location is headed to Hempfield. The supermarket chain known for its low prices could move into the space that houses Staples near Sam’s...
Moore takes another shot at North Huntingdon district judge’s post
A North Huntingdon attorney who is the solicitor for the Westmoreland County Sheriff’s office is taking another shot at becoming a district judge. Henry L. Moore, 61, is running in the May 16 primary for a six-year term as North Huntingdon district judge. The office is being vacated at the...
Westmoreland Performing Arts production of ‘The Nerd’ brings cast full circle
Rehearsing for the Westmoreland Performing Arts production of “The Nerd” has taken cast members back to the early days of their careers and their time with Saint Vincent Summer Theatre. “It has tied us all back to a very happy time in our theater careers,” said director and cast member...
Man believed dead after chase that ended near Cloverleaf Golf Club in Salem
Police believe a man died by suicide Monday near the border of Penn and Salem townships in an incident that prompted a large police response along a road south of Route 22. Trooper Steve Limani said authorities were notified of a man having a mental health issue around 10 a.m....
Trivia Night to benefit Delmont trough repairs
Delmont Historical Preservation Society is inviting residents to test their knowledge of local history while they help to renew an iconic landmark in the town. The society will host a Trivia Night from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, at Red Barn Winery, 275 Manor Road, Delmont. The event...
United Way, Westmoreland County partner to use 211 service to help residents
Westmoreland County residents looking for help finding behavioral health or developmental services will be funneled through United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania’s 211 service under a new partnership. Rob Hamilton, Westmoreland County director of human services, said call takers will be trained on such offerings through county government and in the...
Community leaders, neighbors welcome latest round of blighted property removals in Westmoreland County
Community leaders and neighbors alike are lauding Westmoreland County officials after they approved funding to demolish six blighted structures as part of an ongoing effort to remove dilapidated structures. County commissioners authorized spending up to $225,000 from a special fund created in 2017 to pay for the demolition projects. It’s...
Hempfield’s middle school consolidation vote: Here’s what you need to know
The beginning of Hempfield Area High School’s $128 million revitalization project is edging closer. This summer, the district plans to kick off construction on the project that will gut the school to its structural system and replace everything as new. But before ground can be broken, the school board and...
Coin enthusiasts gather, share interests at Greensburg collector show
Don’t rustle around in your wallet just yet — the coins on display at the Greensburg Coin Club show Sunday were a little more unusual than your average pocket change. Around 16 coin dealers and a whole host of coin-collecting enthusiasts gathered at the Circleville Volunteer Fire Department to show...
North Huntingdon sets budget for 250th anniversary events
North Huntingdon anticipates spending about $148,000 for the township’s celebration of its 250th anniversary, which begins with a time capsule reveal and concludes with two days of festivities in mid-September. While the 2023 budget did not include money specifically for the semiquincentennial celebration, township Manager Harry Faulk said that money...
Murrysville attorney announces district judge candidacy
Murrysville attorney Bob Klingensmith has declared his candidacy for district judge in Export. Klingensmith, 59, is a Republican and Franklin Regional graduate, and attended both Penn State University and Duquesne University’s School of Law. “Throughout my career, I have personally dealt with nearly every legal issue that a district magistrate...
Ligonier police officer declares candidacy for district judge
Shawn Knepper of Ligonier has announced his candidacy for district judge in Ligonier. Knepper is a graduate of both Greensburg Central Catholic and Saint Vincent College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in theology. He graduated summa cum laude from the Westmoreland County Police Academy, where he was also elected...
