Westmoreland category, Page 466
Hempfield man accused of sexually assaulting teen girl at party
A Hempfield man is free on bond after state police charged him with sexually assaulting a teen girl during a party near his home last year, according to court papers. Chad M. Flow, 47, is charged with several counts including involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, corruption of minors...
Masks remain optional at Greater Latrobe after elementary mandate fails by slim margin
When Greater Latrobe parents send their elementary students back to the classroom beginning Monday, they will have the option of deciding whether their children should wear a mask upon entering their school building. The school board this week was just one vote away from amending its July 27 mask-optional policy,...
Fired Westmoreland election bureau director claims commissioners set her up to fail
Former Westmoreland County Election Bureau Director JoAnn Sebastiani said she worked sometimes 16 hours a day and struggled through health issues as she was belittled and set up for failure by her bosses before being ultimately fired without cause. Sebastiani, 63, appeared with her lawyers at virtual news conference Tuesday...
Wrongful death lawsuit filed over 2020 crash that killed popular West Penn Power lineman
Relatives of a New Stanton man killed Oct. 21, 2020, when a tractor trailer slammed into the rear of his car along Interstate 70 sued the rig’s driver and his California employer for wrongful death, according to court papers. The administrator of the estate of Dillon W. Walton, 27, a...
3 serious crashes in 3 days in Derry Township leave motorists hospitalized
One person was flown by medical helicopter from a two-vehicle crash Tuesday in Derry Township, according to state police. The crash was reported about 11:15 a.m. at the intersection of Route 217 and Pizza Barn Road, just south of Blairsville. Sean R. Ober, 24, of Latrobe, drove a Hyundai Santa...
Trout Unlimited to host fishing day for military veterans
Veterans, including those who are disabled, will have the opportunity to fish for trout, bass and panfish at a Derry Township sportsman’s club. The Oct. 2 event will be held at the Kingston Veterans Sportsmen Association at its facilities along Route 217. The Forbes Trail Chapter of Trout Unlimited will...
Monessen man killed in Washington County motorcycle crash
A Monessen man died after a motorcycle crash Friday in Washington County, according to state police. Dennis Sepesy, 60, was headed north on Route 43 in California just after 8 p.m. when he drove his Harley-Davidson onto the side of the road near milepost 32, police said. After one-tenth of...
Damage contained, no one injured in Loyalhanna bedroom fire
Firefighters quickly knocked down a bedroom fire and were able to contain damage to one room Monday night at a modular home in Loyalhanna Township. Crews were dispatched before 10 p.m. to the dwelling along Moween Road in Loyalhanna Township. “We had a pretty good knockdown,” Saltsburg Fire Chief John...
2 taken to hospital after car-pickup collision in Unity
Two motorists were taken by ambulance to Excela Latrobe Hospital for treatment following a two-vehicle crash Monday night in Unity. Firefighters responded just before 9:30 p.m. after a car and pickup truck collided on Marguerite Road, between Marguerite Lake Road and Kimberly Drive. All occupants were able to free themselves...
Bethel Park man, Rostraver native competes in Paralympic Triathlon in Tokyo this week
Eric McElvenny never shied away from a challenge. This week, the 38-year-old Bethel Park father of three will face a new one. The Rostraver native will take to an international stage as a member the U.S. Paralympic Triathlon Team in Tokyo. Like the Summer Olympic competitions that wrapped up there...
Latrobe eyes technology, paving upgrades with pandemic recovery funding
Latrobe Council on Monday voted to amend the city’s $6.5 million 2021 budget to include more than $409,000 the city expects to receive in an installment of federal pandemic recovery funding. City Manager Michael Gray also proposed a series of projects and other expenditures where the money could be applied....
Westmoreland’s former elections director claims political coercion and scapegoating in federal lawsuit
JoAnn Sebastiani, former director of the Westmoreland County Election Bureau, claimed in a federal lawsuit filed Monday against all three county commissioners that she was “scapegoated,” belittled and discriminated against before she was fired without adequate cause. Sebastiani, 63, had been on the job for 10 months when she was...
Westmoreland controller questions approved raises in new union contract
Raises handed out to about 250 employees in Westmoreland County’s court-related offices appear to be double what was estimated when a new four-year labor contract was ratified in April, according to an analysis from Controller Jeffrey Balzer. Balzer said the deal with the Westmoreland County Court Related Employees Association, approved...
Vandergrift’s Casino Theatre receives Westmoreland Cultural Trust art installation
Volunteers installed a wing-themed art installation on the grounds of Vandergrift’s Casino Theatre on Saturday as part of the Wings Across Westmoreland initiative. Vandergrift was the eighth location included in Westmoreland Cultural Trust’s countywide art initiative featuring metal wings inspired by places in various locations in Westmoreland County. “The Casino...
Photo ID program for Westmoreland veterans unveiled
A new photo identification card program for veterans was unveiled this month, part of a renewed effort to entice former military members to officially register their discharge documents with Westmoreland County. Matt Zamosky, director of the county’s Veteran Affairs Office, on Monday urged the county’s nearly 30,000 former military members...
2 arrested in Irwin drug bust
Two people were charged by North Huntingdon police during the weekend after a drug bust at an Irwin home, according to court papers. Heidi Renee Mohammed, 43, and Colton Hayden Koett, 19, are being held at the Westmoreland County Prison on $25,000 bail each. Township and borough police said they...
Westmoreland County youths show off hand-crafted clothing at fair
They already had won blue ribbons for the clothing items they sewed. But now, it was more about stage presence while wearing them. Fifteen-year-old Ava Kozar of Loyalhanna wowed the judges Sunday, taking home top prize after expertly walking the stage during the 4-H modeling contest at the Westmoreland Fair....
The Digital Foundry takes shape in a bid to tap the digital world to remake New Kensington
The digital world is colliding with the real one, only this time it’s not on a movie set but on the gritty streets of New Kensington. Workmen are setting the steel for The Digital Foundry at New Kensington, the brainchild of a coalition brought together by Penn State New Kensington...
Norwin PTAs seek to raise $600,000 for new, upgraded playgrounds
Playgrounds at Norwin’s four elementary schools and its intermediate school would be replaced and upgraded through an ambitious initiative undertaken by Norwin PTA committees seeking to raise $600,000 over the next few years. The PTAs from the elementary schools and Hillcrest Intermediate School have joined with the school district and...
Mask debates rage in Western Pa. as schools return to class
The debate over whether students should wear masks to school this fall shows no signs of cooling down at area districts, with the start of classes arriving as the covid-19 transmission rate rises across the region. Officials in Harrisburg have recommended that local districts follow guidance from the Centers for...
State troopers urge motorists to be alert for school buses, pedestrians, bus stopsVideo
As the new school year gets underway, Pennsylvania State Police are reminding motorists to be alert for the bright yellow buses, pedestrians and gatherings at bus stops. Motorists may have become used to fewer school buses on highways in the 2020-21 school year, when many districts adopted remote instruction because...
Hundreds from Murrysville church perform ‘uncommon’ community service in JeannetteVideo
Millie Warren’s backyard in West Jeannette is recognizable again, thanks to the hard work of volunteers from a Murrysville church. Within a couple hours Saturday morning, a crew from Cornerstone Ministries Church cleared several truckloads of brush and an old fence, leaving behind neatly trimmed trees and grassy space. They...
Westmoreland County free of West Nile virus as 2021 season nears end; Allegheny spraying set
No cases of West Nile virus have been found so far this year in Westmoreland County, which means officials haven’t had to apply spray to combat the mosquitoes that can transmit the disease. The Westmoreland Conservation District, which traps mosquitoes to be tested for signs of the disease, reports that...
Out & About: Latrobe Art Center paints the town yellow with annual gala
Staff members of Latrobe Art Center and Ricolita’s Cafe got a jump on the Yellow Tie Gala by taste-testing prototypes for the event’s signature cocktail. Assistant Director Joe Bellack was the mixologist. The quaff that received final approval was served at the annual nightclub-slash-block party held Friday in the center...
Rape suspect sues Westmoreland DA for malicious prosecution
A Greensburg man who once served a six-year prison sentence for the sexual assault of a young runaway and is currently in jail awaiting trial on charges that he raped a co-worker wants the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office to pay him more than $250,000 for the malicious prosecution of...
