Westmoreland category, Page 406
Jeannette woman’s conviction for false report to police overturned
A judge Tuesday overturned a guilty verdict issued against a Jeannette woman who prosecutors said made false reports to local police. Deborah Samulski, 62, served more than three months in jail after she was convicted last summer of two misdemeanor charges of filing false reports with a local gas company...
Hempfield man pleads guilty to lesser charges in connection with knife attack
Westmoreland County prosecutors this week dismissed assault and strangulation charges against a Hempfield man accused in the stabbing of a woman during an argument over rent. During guilty plea hearing for Franz Nute Wade Tuesday, Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Echard told Common Pleas Court Judge Tim Krieger that “evidentiary issues”...
Norwin director claims assignment on racism was critical race theory teaching
A Norwin school board member claims that a high school social studies teacher gave students an assignment on systemic racism in America, which was an example of critical race theory instruction, despite the school administration’s previous assertion that it was not being taught in the district. Director Shawna Ilagan contended...
Renovate or build a new school? That’s the question being posed in Hempfield Area
Officials with the Hempfield Area School District are gearing up to make a decision next month on whether they will renovate or build a new high school. School board members this week unanimously voted to retain PNC Capital Markets LLC as underwriters once a project is chosen and hired Krakoff...
Documentary about opioid addiction crisis to be screened in GreensburgVideo
A documentary film about the drug addiction crisis being screened Friday in Greensburg is relevant to the entire community, said Richard Jones, executive director of Sage’s Army. It’s “very short-sighted” to think addiction doesn’t affect Westmoreland County as a whole, he said. “The truth is this applies to all of...
Monessen man jailed on $75K bond after accused by police of assaulting 3 children
A 34-year-old Monessen man is in the Westmoreland County Prison on $75,000 bond after city police arrested him on accusations he assaulted three children left in his care, according to court records. Darrelle D. Mott is accused of assaulting the children Feb. 17 at a residence. Police said they were...
Man arrested in theft of $8,200 bicycle from Greensburg shop
Several search warrants led Greensburg police to arrest a New York City man who they believe stole an $8,200 bicycle from a local shop, according to court papers. Joziha J. Clemens, 21, was arraigned Friday after being extradited to Westmoreland County. He was being held on $75,000 bail at the...
Seeing double: 2-22-22 is not your ordinary Tuesday
Some dates just stick out. Today is one of those. It’s Feb. 22, 2022, or 2-22-22. People are calling it “Twosday” and it falls on a Tuesday, which makes it even more of an anomaly. Known as a palindrome, which means it reads the same backward and forward, people take...
Man accused by police of stealing car from Bell driveway, setting it on fire after crashing it
A Kittanning man was arraigned Tuesday on state police accusations that he stole a car from a Bell home, crashed it and set the interior on fire, according to court papers. Robert James Booth, 29, is charged with reckless burning, theft, risking catastrophe and related offenses. Troopers said a Dodge...
Westmoreland fire departments, emergency medical services awarded state grants
Area fire and emergency medical service units are making plans about how they will use their share of $29 million in state grants announced by Gov. Tom Wolf and Acting State Fire Commissioner Thomas Cook. Two Westmoreland County volunteer fire departments will reap the benefits of 2021 consolidations — Hempfield...
Penn Township native returns to Pittsburgh as ‘Hamilton’ company manager
“Awesome” is an adjective often used to describe “Hamilton,” the widely acclaimed song-and-rap Broadway musical about American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. The same word can be used to summarize the nature of the undertaking to get the touring version of “Hamilton” from city to city. One of the company managers...
Dispatcher: 2 firefighters injured while battling garage fire in North Huntingdon
Two firefighters were injured while battling a garage fire Monday in North Huntingdon, according to a Westmoreland 911 dispatcher. The fire was reported at about 7:20 p.m. at 2005 Tomco Lane. According to the dispatcher, a firefighter from Circleville Volunteer Fire Department was taken to the hospital with chest pains....
Navy Super Hornet tactical demonstration joins Westmoreland air show lineup
A Super Hornet will be joining a Viper in the skies above Westmoreland County this summer. A Navy F-18 Super Hornet jet tactical demonstration is the latest addition to the lineup of attractions scheduled for this year’s Shop ‘n Save Westmoreland Airshow, set for June 11-12 at the Arnold Palmer...
Greensburg becomes 8th municipality to join Westmoreland SWAT team
Greensburg is the latest municipality to join a special response team largely made up of police officers from the Alle-Kiski Valley, ultimately expanding the program from northern parts of the county to a more centralized region. City officials unanimously signed off on an ordinance authorizing Greensburg police officers to participate...
Westmoreland transit authority sees signs of rebound after years of pandemic-related declines
After months of declines in ridership during the coronavirus pandemic, Westmoreland County Transit Authority buses appear to have turned a corner. Transit officials said last week the agency’s fixed-route bus service, which operates 18 weekday and six Saturday routes throughout Westmoreland County and commuter service to Pittsburgh, has seen marginal...
Candidates being accepted for Greensburg’s Hometown Hero Banner project
Greensburg is once again honoring local veterans and first responders through the Hometown Hero Banner project. The program — a coalition by the Greensburg Community Development Corp., city of Greensburg and Southwest Greensburg — is a way to honor local military and non-military heroes by displaying photos on decorative banners...
Compass Inn fireside chats will explore ‘Histories and Mysteries of Language’
If you’ve wondered whether a crayfish is a fish or who put the “nick” in nickname, the Ligonier Valley Historical Society had you in mind when planning its four-part series of programs on the “Histories and Mysteries of Language.” The series of informal fireside sessions will be held from 2...
Nature club will host winter botany hike at Keystone State Park
When M.J. Seipler of Penn Township goes out into the woods, she always wants to know more about what is around her. “It’s nice to know about the birds and plants, the creatures who share the Earth with us,” Seipler said. “And we’re lucky in a place like Pennsylvania where...
Murrysville council hears pitch for acid-mine remediation project
Murrysville and Export have the unfortunate distinction of being home to two of the largest mine water sources in the Turtle Creek Watershed. That is not through any fault of their own. Long-abandoned mine activity, combined with the natural flow of stormwater, has resulted in the slow leakage of various...
Resignations leave Westmoreland coroner’s office short-staffed
Tim Carson, Westmoreland County’s new coroner, has lost 40% of his full-time staff as the office’s top lieutenant resigned and one of its longest- serving deputies retired. Chief Deputy Kirk Nolan and deputy John Ackerman, both holdovers from former Coroner Ken Bacha’s administration, are off the job, Carson said. The first-term...
Snowstorm doesn’t deter apple pruners at Murrysville nature reserve
A cold, blustery morning punctuated with a 30-minute snowfall Saturday didn’t stop about a dozen people from joining in an educational experience of pruning wild apple trees in part of the 183-acre Morosini Reserve in Murrysville. As Camie Szantner of Export watched her 6-year-old daughter, Callie, carefully cut a small,...
2 Black community leaders recognized for Greensburg-area community outreach
The founder of a Jeannette-based nonprofit that focuses on educating athletes, as well as the pastor of a Greensburg church were recognized Saturday for their work in reaching out to help the Black community in the region. Dorsey Cox of Jeannette, chief executive officer of Educated Athletes First, and Bishop...
Greensburg Hose Company No. 1 planning first Spring Vendor Show
After successfully hosting their first car cruise last year, members of the Greensburg Hose Company No. 1 have their sights set on a new event. The Spring Vendor Show is planned for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 21 at the McLaughlin Drive station. The event will feature 36 vendors...
‘You should be inclined to be skeptical’ police chief says about cash scam targeting elderly
The calls seemed so real. It played on their emotions — relatives were in jail and needed cash to post bond. But two Westmoreland County women were too wise and didn’t fall for the trick. Both received similar phone calls this week as state police warn residents of numerous reports...
Additional construction slated for Westmoreland Technology Park in Hempfield
A Pittsburgh-area developer said it will increase its presence in Westmoreland County with plans for an industrial building and warehouse on nearly 15 acres at an industrial park in Hempfield. Westmoreland commissioners, acting as the county’s Industrial Development Corp., approved a deal to sell the parcel at the Westmoreland Technology Park...
