Westmoreland category, Page 791
Duquesne man pleads guilty to drug offenses
A Duquesne man who is the ex-husband of a former Norwin High School teacher convicted of selling heroin to a police informant on Friday himself pleaded guilty to two drug offenses. Marc Anthony Rodnicki, 39, was sentenced to serve two years on probation for two misdemeanor drug counts in connection...
Mosquito spraying to take place in Scottdale, East Huntingdon
Parts of Scottdale and East Huntingdon will be sprayed for mosquitoes late Monday to reduce the risk of West Nile, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. A truck-mounted sprayer will be used from 8:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. in the area of Mt. Pleasant Road in Scottdale, and...
New Stanton interchange repairs will detour traffic headed to Youngwood
PennDOT is preparing to transition to a new phase and a new detour in its ongoing update of concrete pavement and lighting at the Route 119 and Toll Route 66 interchange in New Stanton. Crews are expected by next week to reopen the ramp used by motorists heading from northbound...
Cops: Salem man fired handgun at 3 fishermen he accused of trespassing
A 78-year-old Salem man was arrested for allegedly firing a handgun at three fishermen he accused of trespassing Thursday afternoon, according to state police at Kiski. Arthur Sarn was arraigned on charges of aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, simple assault and making terroristic threats filed by police after the incident at...
Hempfield fire departments ready for giant fireworks retailer
Practically in the shadow of the tiny Bovard Volunteer Fire Department in Hempfield, Westmoreland County will welcome a new business neighbor Saturday with the grand opening of Phantom of Greensburg — 35,000-square-feet of firecrackers, bottle rockets, bursting fountains, mortar kits and sparklers, to name a few of the explosive goods....
Hempfield receives grant to improve park
Improvements are coming to Hempfield Park after the township received a $143,875 grant. The funds will be used for the construction of accessible pathways and new handicapped parking spots in the park, said Aaron Siko, director of parks and recreations. Construction will start in late 2019 or early 2020. The...
Norwin OKs tax hike; maintains staff, programs
For the fifth consecutive year, Norwin property owners will be hit with an increase in school taxes under a tight 2019-20 budget the school board narrowly adopted Monday. By a 5-4 vote, the school board approved a $73.6 million budget that includes a hike in property taxes in the Westmoreland...
U.S. Army 28th Infantry Division Band to perform in Hempfield
The United States Army 28th Infantry Division Band is slated to play at Hempfield Park next week. The free performance will be at 7 p.m. June 28 at Hempfield Park’s amphitheater. Food and drink will be available for purchase. The 40 part-time citizen soldier band is based in Torrance in...
‘Puppy dog eyes’ are as convincing as they seem, researchers say
If you think it’s adorable when a dog raises its eyebrows and makes sad-looking eyes, you are not alone. Apparently, evolution is to thank for that heart-melting expression that can result in extra treats or cuddles. A group of researchers, including a Duquesne University professor, have determined that while dogs...
Police: Hempfield man solicited sex from agent posing as 14-year-old boy
A Hempfield volunteer firefighter allegedly set up a meeting for sex with who he thought was a 14-year-old boy through a social media messaging service, according to court papers. But when Tyler Richard Byerly, 21, arrived at the planned meeting spot Thursday in Hempfield, he was arrested by agents from...
Greater Latrobe OKs salary bump for facilities director outside of public vote
Greater Latrobe School District’s recently approved 2019-20 budget includes a one-time salary adjustment of nearly 8% for Kurt Thomas, the district’s director of facilities, operations and planning. The additional pay hike for Thomas, based on his abilities, was discussed as a budgetary item during a Feb. 26 school board retreat,...
Police: Pedestrian struck, injured by car in Hempfield parking lot
A Derry man is believed to have a serious injury after being hit by a car in a parking lot on Monday, according to state police. Troopers said in a news release issued Friday that Roy R. Yost, 71, was walking through Eastgate Plaza in Hempfield at 1 p.m. when...
Latrobe car cruise to benefit city police
A car cruise tonight in Latrobe will raise funds to assist the city’s police force. The E C Cruisers Car Club event is set for 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Lil’ Cruisers Favorite Food and Ice Cream, 702 Industrial Boulevard. Dash plaques will be presented to the first 50...
Judge: Confession in Youngwood man’s stabbing death, robbery to be allowed at trial
A confession given to police nearly a week after the stabbing death of Matthew Genard will stand, a Westmoreland County judge has ruled. Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher Feliciani said prosecutors can tell jurors about the statement made by Jason Sullenberger, 41, of Youngwood, about his role in Genard’s murder...
Greensburg Salem business manager resigns
Greensburg Salem School District’s business manager has crafted his last budget for the district. This week, just as the district passed its 2019-20 budget, James Meyer announced he’s resigning in August to take the same position in the Yough School District. Meyer joined Greensburg Salem as assistant business manager in...
Greensburg police seek suspected counterfeiter
City of Greensburg Police are asking for the public’s help identifying a suspected counterfeiter. According to police, the man used a counterfeit $100 bill Thursday at Precision Care Pharmacy on East Pittsburgh Street. They released a blurry security image of the man on Facebook. Investigators believe he is driving a...
Penn Twp. Democrats to clean Bushy Run monuments
The Penn Township Democratic Committee will be performing a service project at Bushy Run Battlefield along Route 993 at 9 a.m. Saturday. In an effort to help beautify the park and honor first responders, the group will clean and landscape around the first responder monuments. For more information, contact Christine...
New Stanton man appealing sentence in deadly hit-run
A New Stanton man convicted of third-degree murder for the Christmas Eve 2016 death of an East Huntingdon pedestrian wants a new trial. Matthew Ramsay, 31, is appealing his conviction, claiming evidence presented at trial in March was not sufficient to support a guilty finding. “While the commonwealth’s evidence may...
Keystone Park sewage suggestion: Spread cost among Derry Township authority customers
Many, but far from all, who attended an informational meeting last week voiced support for a proposed project that would extend public sewer lines and a recreational trail through Derry Township, from New Alexandria to Keystone State Park. The problem supporters of the project are faced with: How to pay...
Salem woman serving life says addiction to blame for mother’s violent murder
A Salem woman serving life in prison for bludgeoning her mother to death in 2013 wants her story to serve as an example of the horrors of drug addiction, she told a Westmoreland County judge. In a legal appeal, Sarah Vercauteren, 30, contended she received bad advice when she was...
Records will remain sealed in Unity woman’s disappearance
Search warrants related to the disappearance of a Unity woman will remain sealed for the time being, a Westmoreland County judge ruled Thursday. Prosecutors said public disclosure of documents supporting 15 search warrants obtained last year could interfere with the ongoing investigation into the whereabouts and possible death of Cassandra...
Greensburg man’s alleged attempt to avoid taxi fare ends in ride to jail
A Greensburg man’s alleged attempt to stiff a taxi driver out of an $89 fare instead got him a ride to the Westmoreland County Prison on Wednesday. Keith T. Hohman, 29, was charged by city police with theft of services because a cab driver reported Hohman ran out on a...
Ligonier Beach site of Titanic movie filming
No, Ligonier Beach is not open. The shuttered pool, however, has been the site for the last few days of filming for an independent movie about the sinking of the Titanic and its aftermath. The familiar summertime sight of the pool full of water caught some off guard, Ligonier Township...
Mother Nature soaks Greensburg pool’s reopening
Even with a return of a summer-like weather forecast for Friday, when the sun is expected and temperatures could reach into the 70s, there is no guarantee the freshly refurbished Veteran’s Memorial Pool at Greensburg’s Lynch Field will be open. “Believe me, nobody — and I mean no one —...
Lower Burrell man moving closer to priesthood after spending year at Murrysville parish
Mark Dunmire didn’t always want to be a priest, but that didn’t stop him from thinking about it. Now that he’s about to be ordained a deacon, he’s well past the point of accepting a calling that began years ago with a suggestion from his parish priest. Dunmire, 35, of...
