Westmoreland category, Page 319
Attorney for Irwin man denies sex crime allegations
The lawyer for an Irwin man charged with sex crimes against a 10-year-old girl on Tuesday told a Westmoreland County jury his client denies any wrongdoing. Justin Hartung, 40, is charged with two misdemeanor counts, indecent assault and indecent exposure, based on allegations from a now 14-year-old girl who claimed...
Sen. Kim Ward makes history as 1st female pro tempore of Pa. Senate
State Sen. Kim Ward keeps making history. On Tuesday, the Hempfield Republican became the first woman to be appointed by fellow lawmakers as president pro tempore of the state Senate. She will oversee operations of the governing body and serve as its leader in the new position, holding the responsibility...
Man arrested after police use megaphone, flash bangs outside Latrobe home
Police used a megaphone and flash bangs Tuesday morning at a Latrobe home where they believed an armed man was holed up with a gun, blocking off the neighborhood for about an hour. Peter A. Letso, 49, came out of the Oak Street home after a police dog handler told...
Merchants, motorists frustrated as Route 119 redo in Youngwood approaches its final year
Merchants and motorists in Youngwood are frustrated with the street closures and traffic interruptions that have been associated with reconstruction of the Route 119 corridor through town. They’ll have to bear with some disruptions for about another year, as the $24.1 million project isn’t scheduled to be completed until fall...
Cold-weather shelters open in Allegheny, Westmoreland
With frigid temperatures creeping in this week, cold-weather shelters in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties are open. The United Way is working with the Welcome Home Shelter in Greensburg and Union Mission, just outside of Latrobe, to provide emergency housing and transportation. Both will be open when nighttime temperatures drop below...
Police: Maryland trio use stolen cards at Hempfield, North Huntingdon Walmart stores
Three Maryland residents arrested after using a stolen credit card at stores in Hempfield and North Huntingdon told state police they were involved in a global identity theft crime ring, according to court papers. The three suspects used the stolen credit card Nov. 9 to purchase nearly $2,000 in gift...
5th lawsuit claims Mammoth Park’s Giant Slide is unsafe
A fifth lawsuit claims the rebuilt Giant Slide in Mt. Pleasant Township’s Mammoth Park is unsafe. The attraction at the 408-acre park owned by Westmoreland County includes two 100-foot steel racing slides along with a smaller 50-foot slide for children. The current $1.1 million configuration, which opened in July 2020...
Can collections help fund Thanksgiving meal in Jeannette
A group’s efforts to collect aluminum cans in the West Newton-Yukon-Collinsburg areas will pay off in a big way this week as they provide a free Thanksgiving dinner in Jeannette. “I look at it as a way of helping people in need,” said Joseph Muscenti, 67, of Wyano, a retired...
Westmoreland County begins provisional ballot count
Nine bipartisan two-person teams spent Monday sifting through more than 600 provisional ballots cast last week at Westmoreland County’s 307 voting precincts. Election Bureau Director Greg McCloskey said the counting of provisional ballots is expected to be completed Tuesday, leaving just a small number of overseas and military votes to...
Westmoreland Conservation District adds 5 staff members
Four residents from Western Pennsylvania and another from the eastern end of the state have joined the Westmoreland Conservation District staff. Brandon Basinger of West Newton, Allie Shreffler of Mt. Pleasant, Kelly Linsenbigler of Apollo, Kylie Schultz of Pittsburgh and Ryan Peckheiser of Pottstown are the most recent additions to...
Colleges helping students get leg up with professional attire for job interviews
Ryan Cameron of Scottdale was checking out some clothes recently at the Pitt-Greensburg campus in Hempfield, where he is a sophomore. “This will help a lot,” said Cameron, 19, a Southmoreland High School graduate, said of the Career Closet carved out of an office on the second floor of Chambers...
Vehicle overturns in North Huntingdon crash
Two people were reported trapped in vehicles late Monday night in a two-vehicle crash along Morris Avenue in North Huntingdon, according to emergency dispatchers. One vehicle went into a yard and a pick-up truck overturned along Morris Avenue at Barnes Avenue, near the entrance to Oak Hollow Park, at about...
Single-lane traffic to begin on I-70 near Yukon
Traffic will be restricted to a single lane in each direction during daylight hours beginning Tuesday on Interstate 70 near the Yukon and Madison interchanges in South Huntingdon and Sewickley townships. The lane restriction will be in place, as needed, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., through Friday, according to...
Fire reported in Rostraver’s Collinsburg neighborhood
A renovated mobile home was destroyed by fire Monday in the Rostraver neighborhood of Collinsburg. Fire Chief Joel Koricich said the home was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived after 11 a.m. A resident of the Collinsburg Road home had left to take a dog for a walk and returned...
Out & About: Saint Vincent College galleries host thought-provoking exhibits
Even though masks no longer are required in most settings, organizers of a new exhibition at Saint Vincent College think they’re still a relevant conversation topic — in more than one way. The topic is explored in “Through the Mask: Conversations About Masks and Masking,” a juried multimedia exhibit that...
Police locate 3 teens who escaped from Derry Township treatment facility
Three teenagers who escaped from a residential treatment facility in Derry Township over the weekend were found Sunday in Pittsburgh, according to state police. Troopers sought the public’s help in locating the teens, two 15-year-old girls and a 14-year-old girl, after they escaped the Adelphoi facility at 9:45 p.m. Friday....
Westmoreland commissioner about to get new job title: Mom
Gina Cerilli Thrasher is getting a new job: mother. She will become the first Westmoreland County commissioner to give birth while in office later this month when she and husband, Ernie Thrasher, welcome their first child, a boy. She knows the demands of motherhood will be a challenge, on top...
Parenting and politics are a rare mix
Motherhood in elected office is uncommon. Westmoreland County Commissioner Gina Cerilli Thrasher is joining a small group of elected officials to give birth while in public office when she and husband, Ernie Thrasher, welcome their first child, a boy, this month. Jean Sinzdak, associate director of Rutgers University’s Center for...
Franklin Regional Thespians share world premiere of new play, ‘Elsewhere’
Members of the Franklin Regional Thespians typically have a good deal of reference material when they’re looking for ideas about how to stage a play or present a character. As the group prepares to perform “Elsewhere” later this month, that material is nowhere to be found. That’s because they are...
Greensburg looks to use block grant to help lower-income homeowners make repairs
Greensburg homeowners who can’t afford to make property repairs could get some help from a federal grant program. Council will vote Feb. 14 on an application to the Community Development Block Grant program for about $295,000 in 2023 funds. The bulk of that money would be spent on improvements to...
Wood whittler proudly displays pieces at Westmoreland Museum of American Art
To whittler Rod Cross of Bear Rocks, there is life in each block of wood. “I have to introduce myself to the wood. When I get down to the carving, I will know what to do,” said Cross, 73, who has been whittling wood all his life. Cross brought about...
Thanksgiving turkeys say no to inflation, but everything else up
National headlines predict doom and gloom at the Thanksgiving dinner table this year. “Inflation is so bad you may be better off dining at a restaurant for Thanksgiving this year,” Fortune magazine prognosticated, while the Eating Well website proclaimed, “Your Thanksgiving Turkey Might Be Twice as Expensive This Year.” Wells...
Seton Hill University’s ‘castle building’ gets $4M state grant for renovation
Sullivan Hall just marked 93 years on the Seton Hill University campus and is poised for an update. A renovation project has been approved for $4 million in funding through Pennsylvania’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program. Sullivan Hall is popularly known as “the castle building” — reflecting its Norman chateau-style architecture,...
Donations needed to help firefighters deliver holiday meals to Greensburg families in need
Members of the Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department regularly come to the rescue when residents are threatened in emergency situations. During the holiday season, the local firefighters also take action — to set a table for community members who are experiencing a financial hardship. Starting about four years ago, the department’s...
Delmont seeks state grant funding for sewage, stormwater projects
With Delmont officials staring down the barrel — or pipe, perhaps — of millions of dollars in sewage projects, along with other state-mandated pollution reduction work, the search for grants is on. Borough engineer Kevin Brett recommended getting the application process started for two potential grants offered by the Pennsylvania...
