Westmoreland category, Page 579

A former Oklahoma Borough man told a Westmoreland County jury he knew he couldn’t stick around after he and another man left their unconscious friend across the front seats of his pickup parked in the New Kensington Taco Bell parking lot two years ago. Keith Klingensmith testified he didn’t know...

A tip to the state Attorney General’s child predator unit from Twitter resulted in the arrest Thursday of a Belle Vernon man on child pornography charges. Benjamin D. Powell, 37, was arraigned on three counts of possessing child pornography and one count of criminal use of a communication facility filed...

A Facebook page belonging to The Aerobic Center at Lynch Field in Greensburg has been hacked, apparently by a company hawking shirts featuring the rock band Pearl Jam. “We’re trying to get it straightened out,” said center general manager Marianne Anzovino. “I’m furious.” Anzovino’s personal page also was hacked, she...

Westmoreland County saw its highest single-day spike in cases on Thursday, adding 69 new cases, as well as two new deaths, the Pennsylvania Department of Health reported. The county’s total cases are now 2,608 with 2,446 confirmed and 162 probable since the first cases were reported in March. There have...

A three-vehicle crash last month on Route 22 in Salem that killed an 81-year-old man remains under investigation, according to state police. John H. Meyer of Plum, who was a passenger in a Honda sport utility vehicle driven by his wife, Elinor, 79, was killed in the 10:29 a.m. Sept....

Penn-Trafford High School is getting into the burgeoning esports scene with the creation of one of the area’s first high school teams. “We understand esports is over a billion-dollar business right now, and is projected to go up to $2 billion,” said Dennis Kosoglow, who oversees the team with fellow...

Over the summer and at previous Murrysville Council meetings, Chief Administrator Jim Morrison noted that the municipality will need to identify new revenue sources to provide the same level of services residents now enjoy. That extends to emergency services as well, and council on Wednesday discussed a proposed ordinance to...

Hempfield residents have an opportunity to give their input on two proposed parks for the township. A survey, posted on the township’s website and Facebook page, allows residents to give their opinion on conceptual plans for parks slated for Walden Court Drive and at a property along Route 136 near...

Despite months of uncertainty surrounding the end date for the census, self-response rates in Westmoreland and Allegheny counties have surpassed 2010 rates. According to a census map, about 72% of people have responded in Allegheny County compared to 71.3% of people a decade ago, while 73.1% of people in Westmoreland...

Full-day kindergarten will resume next week as Hempfield Area School District leaders ease into the second phase of their reopening plans. During a committee of the whole meeting this week, Superintendent Tammy Wolicki announced kindergarten students will attend full-day sessions starting Oct. 13. Kindergarten students have been attending half days...

Ligonier Township was awarded a $42,500 state grant toward the cost of renovating the former Ligonier Beach swimming pool and restaurant as a recreational site. “It’s nice that we got this funding, but it wasn’t the total amount we wanted,” said Terry Carcella, township manager. While township supervisors have yet...

Mt. Pleasant Area students next month will be able to double the number of days they receive in-person instruction from district teachers. The school board voted at a special Wednesday meeting to modify the district’s hybrid instructional model, allowing students to report to classrooms four days per week instead of...

The Greensburg Salem School District is hoping to take advantage of rock-bottom interest rates to refund some of its debt, a move that is expected to save about $230,000 over six years. The school board Wednesday unanimously approved borrowing up to $13.25 million and using that money to pay off...

Two guards at the Westmoreland County Prison tested positive for coronavirus and the Hempfield jail was placed on lockdown status Wednesday. “The prison continues to follow all appropriate and currently recommended protocols to mitigate the spread of covid-19 to keep the employees and prison population safe,” according to a statement...

Norwin will close its high school, middle school, intermediate school and Hahntown and Sunset Valley elementary schools because of an outbreak of coronavirus among students, the district said Wednesday afternoon. Superintendent Jeff Taylor said the state Department of Health notified the district Wednesday about five new cases, in addition to...

Two residents at Westmoreland Manor have died after contracting the coronavirus. County officials reported Wednesday the two deaths as well as another significant increase in the number of infections at the county-owned nursing home in Hempfield. Westmoreland County Coroner Ken Bacha confirmed a report that one of the residents who...

Westmoreland County added 39 more coronavirus cases for the second day in a row. The 39 new cases bring the county’s total to 2,539, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. There were no new deaths reported, leaving the county’s total at 57 for the third day. The county added...

The Democratic challenger seeking to oust incumbent state Sen. Kim Ward in the 39th District issued a strong rebuke on Wednesday of Ward’s decision to hold a campaign fundraiser last week in which one elected county leader who attended has since tested positive for the coronavirus. Westmoreland County Commissioner Doug...

Costumed dogs are invited to pay a special visit this weekend to the residents of Hempfield Manor. Rodney Little, owner of Youngwood Top Dog Services, decided this year to hold his annual Halloween Doggy Costume Walk outside the personal care facility, rather than at Twin Lakes Park, to brighten the...

Level Green and Sunrise elementary schools in the Penn-Trafford School District are closed as the number of district students and staff who have tested positive for the coronavirus increased on Wednesday. Superintendent Matt Harris notified parents and staff on Wednesday that five additional coronavirus cases had been reported at Penn-Trafford....