Westmoreland category, Page 407

Some pews in the sanctuary at Calvary Church in North Huntingdon were occupied, though not by parishioners this Christmas week. Instead, they were filled with bags of toys, games and dolls, along with clothing and boxes of nonperishable food for a special meal on Christmas Day. “I really love it...

Christmas Eve services Churches across the area will open their doors for Christmas Eve services Friday. For those without a regular church home, there are plenty of ways to find a service to attend. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg, which includes parishes in Armstrong, Fayette, Indiana and Westmoreland counties,...

Dinnertime, for an Italian family, is sacred. It’s an opportunity to gather around the table, share a meal, drink some good wine and engage in great conversation. The spread on Christmas Eve represents the heart of this tradition. The Feast of the Seven Fishes — for which seven seafood items...

Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. Before the pandemic, Lisa Stagon and her son Chris had their care routine figured out. Chris, who is 26 and has...

Westmoreland County’s largest municipalities are beginning to line up to join the county in a proposed national settlement of lawsuits against drug companies stemming from the ongoing opioid epidemic. Unity Township, in a special meeting Thursday, was one of the latest to sign on for the proposed $26 billion national...

Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish a blaze Thursday limiting damage to a home in Penn Township, Harrison City Volunteer Fire Chief Gene Good said. The fire at the residence on Chris Drive was reported just before noon. “We were able to contain it to an upstairs bathroom,” Good said....

A Fayette County man who said he planned to harm relatives in Scottdale in a barrage of text messages this week intentionally swerved his car toward a responding police officer who was investigating the threats, according to court papers. The Scottdale patrolman, Michael Whipkey, said in court documents he turned...

A retired Penn Township policeman was cited by the state game commission this month for five summary hunting violations. Authorities said Augustine DeGuffroy, 66, illegally shot an antlerless deer on Dec. 1 along Richmond Drive in Penn Township. DeGuffroy, a township resident, did not have a hunting license at the...

State police arrested an Allegheny County woman early Thursday after she was accused of stabbing a 37-year-old Derry Township man during a domestic argument, according to court records. Betty J. Babb, 36, of Verona, was arraigned on charges of aggravated assault, harassment and simple assault. She was ordered held in...

Nine-year-old Zyire Sanu reached deep into a shopping cart loaded with toys to locate a package containing boxing gloves that he had picked from a shelf at Walmart in North Huntingdon. After locating the gear and declaring them his favorite selection of the day, the Pittsburgh kid turned to his...

Hempfield supervisors plan to use up to $33 million in bonds to complete capital projects in 2022. The plan, unanimously approved this week by supervisors, includes refinancing a 2015 bond — which could save the township $130,000. “It’s a positive vote,” said George Reese, supervisors chairman. “It’s going to be...

Greensburg officials approved a new five-year contract with Texas-based Waste Management that will increase residential rates. Council members approved the measure this month. According to the five-year contract, city residents will see collection costs rise from $17.45 per month per household to $23 per month per household. That’s a $5.55...

A Sewickley Township woman is accused by state police of being under the influence of controlled substances when she hit a bicyclist, seriously injuring him, according to court papers filed last week. Kimberly Lynn Kustra, 46, is charged with aggravated assault by vehicle while driving under the influence and related...

Westmoreland County District Attorney-elect Nicole Ziccarelli said Wednesday she and her new administrative team are set to begin work Jan. 3 to replace outgoing prosecutor John Peck, who she said has so far refused to cooperate with the transition. “My predecessor is not interested in creating a transition team with...

Carl Smith was a young father, worried about disappointing his children 50 years ago when he spun a Christmas tale that became a family tradition. At the time, he had no idea the tale would take on a life of its own, going so far as to be featured in...

A federal lawsuit filed by a former Westmoreland County Prison inmate who claimed he was beaten by a guard in 2018 has been settled. The county commissioners this month approved a $27,500 settlement to end the case filed by DaRob Wright of New Kensington. “It was completely unjustified,” attorney John...

For decades, Leroy Ferri has proudly displayed a handmade Christmas ornament on his tree, a reminder of his 34-year career as a music teacher at Hempfield Area School District. Dubbed “Fragile Dad” because of the way it is packaged, the ornament depicts Ferri on a concert night as seen by...

If all goes as planned, Greensburg Salem students who receive holiday presents through the district’s Giving Tree program won’t realize how the gifts ended up under their trees. At the middle school, only coordinator Barb Garofola, who is the student council adviser, knows the identities of the 81 students who...

An Export man is facing 12 drug-related charges because, state troopers allege, he tossed a bag of methamphetamine from his shirt pocket when they came to his home to serve him with a warrant. Ronald I. Askey, 49, was in the county jail without bond Wednesday after his arraignment. Cpl....

Mt. Pleasant on Wednesday celebrated the life and times of Gerald Lucia, the longtime Mt. Pleasant mayor and fire chief. Lucia died Dec. 17. He was 76. On Wednesday, there was a procession of fire trucks before and after his funeral. A volunteer firefighter for 46 years, Lucia served as...

A Greensburg man died Tuesday after being hit by a vehicle in Jeannette, according to police Chief Donald Johnston Jr. and the Allegheny County Medical Examiner. Ronald Momeyer, 65, was in a cross walk on Claridge-Elliott Road heading into work at Elliott Group at 6:15 a.m. Monday when he was...

A Duquesne man was jailed this week on fleeing and related charges filed by state police in connection with a 135 mph chase that started in Derry Township earlier this year. Bail for Nicholas D. Lomax, 28, was set at $100,000. Troopers said they were stationed on Route 22 in...

A Greensburg man awaiting trial on charges that he directed his ex-girlfriend to have sex with a child and record the act now contends the case is based on an improper police search of his cell phone. A new lawyer for Charles Jason Hunter, 35, in court documents made public...

The Greensburg Police Department is gearing up to buy a new Ford Explorer, which will be used for one of the city’s newest police dogs. Costs for the vehicle will largely be covered by a $46,696 donation from the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office, which council members voted to accept...