Westmoreland category, Page 380

This story was updated March 18, 2022, to correct Hempfield Manor’s ownership information. Since March 2020, long-term health care workers have been sick more, battled stress and fought fatigue because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Pennsylvania Health Care Association hosted a “Day of Caring” Thursday at Hempfield Manor to mark...

A Westmoreland County judge this week rejected the appeal of a Washington County man serving a life sentence for the 2013 murder of his father-in-law in Donegal Township. Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher Feliciani, in a 12-page opinion, ruled there was no evidence to support claims made by Michael Martin...

After weeks of tying up loose ends on carefully crafted brackets, Western Pennsylvanians joined millions of Americans putting their March Madness predictions to the test in a wave that will eclipse Super Bowl LVI’s record-breaking number of bettors. Predictions are that 45 million people will wager a combined $3.1 billion...

Latrobe Council this week awarded a $231,000 bid for repairing a compactor at the city’s solid waste transfer station — and the sooner the work is done, the better. The city is seeking additional bids for improvements in and around its municipal parking garage. The aging compactor, which is used...

State police investigating a Derry Township man for firing a handgun off his back porch Wednesday later arrested him after troopers said they seized 17 handguns, rifles and shotguns along with more than a half pound of suspected cocaine and $30,000 cash found inside his home. Anthony “JR” Desport, 33,...

A Greensburg man jailed since January, accused of burglary and criminal trespass in the break-in of a Hempfield home to steal silver coins, was charged Thursday with burning down the house. Randy W. Bryner, 58, of Greensburg is charged with arson and reckless endangerment. State police fire marshals also charged...

Westmoreland County has millions of dollars at the ready to help residents pay their back rent and bills, with much of that cash yet to be spent. The county has received another nearly $3.4 million from the state to bolster the ongoing rental assistance program authorized through federal coronavirus relief...

Franklin Regional School Board members, administrators and parents on Wednesday continued their discussion about the district’s decision to pause the teaching of “Persepolis,” Marjane Satrapi’s award-winning graphic novel, in the ninth grade honors English class. District officials said earlier this month that the school board’s curriculum committee wanted to make...

Jonathan Held, the former Westmoreland County sheriff once tried by state prosecutors in a public corruption case, pleaded guilty Thursday to a misdemeanor theft charge. A judge sentenced him to serve six months on probation. Held, 48, formerly of Hempfield, lives in Cape Coral, Fla. As part of his plea...

The Greensburg Police Department is gearing up to replace several pieces of equipment over the next few months. Council members approved the purchase of a 2022 Ford Interceptor for use by the department’s K-9 unit. They also approved the purchase of 32 Glock 9 mm handguns. Both purchases will be...

The Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County has filed a lawsuit against more than two dozen chemical companies, accusing them of manufacturing toxic substances and contaminating the local water system. The six-count lawsuit filed in Westmoreland County seeks damages associated with chemicals that leached into the water supply but also for...

Greater Latrobe School Board this week approved a restructuring of the district’s central administrative staff that will increase responsibilities — and, eventually, pay levels — for four employees. Those pay increases, expected to total about $30,000 next school year, raised concerns for Andrew Repko, the sole board member to vote...

A Penn Township man will serve up to 10 years in prison for stealing a neighbor’s jewelry in 2019. Michael Joseph Lapaglia, 31, was convicted in November by a Westmoreland County jury of felony burglary and trespassing as well as misdemeanor counts of theft and receiving stolen property. According to...

Two men were charged Wednesday in connection with the December fatal shooting of two dogs that were later found in a wooded area of Hunker. State police said James P. Hill, 76, and his neighbor Jason W. Beal, 35, shot and killed Hagrid, 5, and Aspen, 4. The bodies of...

Shoppers hoping to explore locally owned stores in downtown Greensburg will have additional opportunities to do so thanks to a new “Third Thursday Shop & Stroll.” For the event, which kicks off Thursday, participating businesses will stay open until 8 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month. “We’re trying...

Facing challenges in hiring summer workers, North Huntingdon Township raised the wages for its summer laborers, and the Norwin School District is considering doing the same. Township commissioners this week unanimously approved raising the wages of summer employees from $11 an hour to $15 an hour. The township needed to...

There will be a lot of Ukrainian symbols tucked into Ginette Simpson’s pysanky eggs this year. The intricate decorations will feature blue and gold colors and Ukraine’s national flower. “I’ve really focused on sunflowers,” she said. “They’re featured in a lot of my designs.” The New Alexandria woman will have...

A 55-year-old man was arrested for stalking and related charges by Murrysville police after a former girlfriend said he entered her yard to look through her windows and repeatedly drove his car along her street. Brian Begor of Mt. Lebanon was arraigned Tuesday on multiple charges of harassment, prowling and...

After being canceled last year because of the covid-19 pandemic, Hempfield’s health and wellness fair is set to return this weekend. The Healthy, Happy Hempfield — Community Health & Wellness Fair is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the township athletic complex, 220 Forbes Trail Road. The...

Church news • St. James Church, New Alexandria, will offer a Lenten Young Adult and Adult Education Formation series from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through March 29 in the church social hall, 306 St. James Lane. Childcare for young children will be available by reservation. For childcare, send an...

Bots battled, sparks flew and high school students cheered at Westmoreland County Community College. The college on Tuesday hosted the second round of preliminaries for BotsIQ, a regional competition in which student-made robots fight each other gladiator-style. A third round will be held Thursday on the Hempfield campus. Dozens of...

The disagreement over whether a Norwin High School lesson on racism in the United States was an example of critical race theory laid bare a split over what to teach about race relations in 21st-century America — including whether systemic racism exists in a country that has laws intended to...

While PixCams of Murrysville is best known for its live Pittsburgh Hays bald eagle webcam, the small company has been expanding and now has 30 live webcams. They rolled out a new product for the public, businesses and nonprofits to set up their own live webcam system and broadcast it...

Melva Simon never sat still. The Mt. Pleasant native served as a Navy secretary during World War II, co-ran an orchard, raised a family, co-taught premarital classes at her church and kept up with a myriad of hobbies. “Don’t tell her she can’t do something,” Melvajo Bennett, Simon’s daughter, said....