Westmoreland category, Page 830
Officials: Oil leak spreads to Youghiogheny in South Huntingdon
About 20 gallons of oil spilled into a tributary of the Youghiogheny River in South Huntingdon Township Monday evening, according to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. A heating-oil tank officials thought to be empty was in the basement of a home being demolished along Fitz Henry Road, said Mike...
Police: Hempfield man was drunk following crash, assault on trooper
A Hempfield man allegedly put his hand around the throat of a state trooper who was trying to arrest him for driving under the influence after a one-vehicle crash in January, according to court papers. Peter Billey, 78, was charged Wednesday with aggravated assault, driving under the influence, resisting arrest...
Kid literature experts to speak at Pitt Greensburg conference on Friday
University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg will host its 23rd annual Children’s Literature Conference Friday, inviting librarians and educators to spend a day learning more about what gets kids reading. There are two featured speakers this year. Ellen Oh will kick off the conference at 8:30 a.m. Friday. She’s the co-founder...
Western Pa. nursing home staff to be recognized at awards ceremony
Several nursing facility staff members will be honored at the annual Bravo! Awards hosted by Grane Healthcare. Staff from the Greensburg Care Center, the LaurelWood Care Center, the Highland Park Care Center, the Cambria Care Center and the Harmon House Care Center will be recognized May 16 at an awards...
Michigan men arrested in Virginia linked to $5K electronics theft at Walmart near Delmont
Murrysville police have obtained arrest warrants for three Michigan men they claim stole more than $5,000 worth of electronics at the Walmart store near Delmont in January. Shawn T. Acklin, 27, and Adarius D. Ferguson, 28, both of Benton Harbor, and Brandon L. Franklin, 23, of Detroit, are charged with...
Bridge ordered closed in Unity Township
Unity Township Supervisors Tuesday closed a bridge that carries Buffenmeyer Road over the Norfolk Southern Railroad for motorist safety. The emergency closure of the bridge followed a result of a recent inspection. PennDOT reported that the road will remain closed until further notice. The detour uses Route 1026, also known...
Bail set at $100K in 2 new cases against Unity man linked to woman’s disappearance
Bail was set Wednesday at $100,000 in two new cases against a Unity man who has been linked to the homicide investigation of Cassandra Gross, a woman last seen more than a year ago. Thomas Stanko, 48, was arraigned on new solicitation allegations filed by state police. He remains in...
Man accused of causing disturbance, fighting with Monessen Police
A 46-year-old Monessen man was accused of fighting with city police, kicking one in the stomach, as he was taken into custody Tuesday when officers responded to a report of a disturbance inside an apartment building. Kyle R. Ross was arraigned on charges of aggravated assault, resisting arrest, defiant trespass,...
Police conduct active shooter drill at Idlewild
State police and local law enforcement on Wednesday morning conducted an active shooter drill at Idlewild Park in Ligonier Township, according to Westmoreland County 911. Emergency radio reports of a shooter and child abduction at the park were all related to the drill, dispatchers said. The theme park is closed....
North Huntingdon woman’s book inspired by son’s death
A North Huntingdon woman has written a book about miracles from God, inspired by the unexpected death of her son in September 2013. Laurie R. Sweeney is the author of “Have You Found Your Penny,” a book she says has been five years in the making because it was inspired...
Man hit by car in South Greensburg dies; restaurant owner collects donations for reward
The owner of a South Greensburg restaurant plans to offer a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the driver who hit an elderly man outside the establishment almost two weeks ago. Clarence Wolff, 86, of Hempfield died Tuesday at a Pittsburgh-area hospital, according to the Allegheny...
Fire hits house in Derry just before midnight
Multiple fire departments responded to a fire at a house in Derry Borough late Wednesday night. The fire was reported at about 11:55 p.m. at 111 Walters St., according to Westmoreland County Department of Public Safety. Initial dispatches from the scene said that the occupants of the house escaped the...
Model train tour includes Latrobe, Derry Township stops
Seven stops, three of them new additions, are on the itinerary for the Ligonier Rail Road Association’s May 18 tour of local model railroad layouts. The association operates a rail museum in the restored Darlington Train Station in Ligonier Township. It decided not to hold a tour last year when...
Westmoreland airport director returns home after liver transplant
Westmoreland County Airport Authority Executive Director Gabe Monzo reached a milestone in his recovery from a liver transplant when he returned to his home in Unity Monday. “It’s nice to be home,” Monzo said via telephone Tuesday afternoon. “Everything’s going good.” Though he is tired, he said, “I’m feeling really...
Sewickley Township man rejects plea deal for rape charges
A Sewickley Township man Tuesday rejected a plea bargain in which he would have received a 20-year prison sentence for the rape of a mentally disabled woman. Wayne Smith, 74, told Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher Feliciani he would not plead guilty and asked that his case be...
Monessen man offered plea for role in July 2017 shooting in city street
A Monessen man could serve up to six years in prison if he accepts a plea deal for his role in a shootout in which police say he was wounded and more than 20 rounds were fired on a city street. Delaney Huggins, 31, was originally charged with attempted murder...
Trial date set for Jeannette woman accused in boyfriend’s 2016 death
Jury selection for the murder trial of a Jeannette woman accused in the bludgeoning death of her 19-year-old boyfriend will begin May 13. During a brief hearing Tuesday, Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher Feliciani said Crystal Belle’s first-degree murder trial is expected to take about a week to...
Hempfield Project 18 students to host local election forum Thursday
Project 18 students at Hempfield Area High School are gearing up for a political forum that will host candidates for the upcoming township supervisor and school board elections — a forum students have been preparing for all school year. The class, which teaches high school seniors about state and local...
Man linked to Unity woman’s disappearance facing new charges from jail
Criminal charges continue to pile up against a Unity man who is under investigation in connection with the death of Cassandra Gross, who has been missing for more than a year. State police Tuesday filed two new cases against Thomas Stanko, 48, accusing him of asking a woman to falsify...
Westmoreland County 2019 high school rankings released
The top Westmoreland County high school ranked 63rd among public schools in Pennsylvania, according to new rankings released by U.S. News & World Report. The magazine did not provide specific rankings for schools listed from 516-673. Rankings are based on college readiness, math and reading proficiency, math and reading performance,...
Public meeting set for adoption of South Greensburg comprehensive plan
Swapping blight for beauty, including through public spaces and building improvements, is a key component for South Greensburg’s future. So are better parks, improved recreation opportunities, restored infrastructure and a revamped and reimagined town center radiating from the intersection of Broad Street and Huff Avenue that draws visitors through arts,...
Donated clothes to help victims of domestic violence, rape
More than 20 boxes filled with newly purchased clothes sat in the basement of the First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Greensburg, a handmade cross carefully placed underneath the clear plastic lid. Five Excela Health emergency room nurses sat to the side, waiting to take the clothes to the system’s three...
Ligonier Valley museums set date for free admission
The history and culture of eastern Westmoreland County will be on display at no charge Sunday as part of the annual Ligonier Valley Free Museum Day. Visitors will be welcomed with free admission from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at six participating museums along the Route 30 and Route 711...
No injuries in Murrysville car-versus-cow crash
No one was injured Monday night when a car driving on School Road South in Murrysville struck a cow, county emergency dispatchers said. That includes the cow. “I believe the cow walked away,” said Murrysville Police Chief Tom Seefeld. However, it is not the first time a motorist has come...
Lymphoma survivor from North Huntingdon raising funds for leukemia society
A North Huntingdon man who recently celebrated one year in remission from lymphoma is raising money for research into fighting blood cancer. Charles Colletti, 53, a business development manager for Touch of Color Flooring, is among a group of 12 candidates — six men and six women — competing for...
