Renatta Signorini stories, Page 20
Mom, son sue Greensburg Salem district, claiming discrimination and mistreatment
A mother and her son filed a federal lawsuit Monday against Greensburg Salem School District, claiming officials there discriminated against the boy when he was mistreated in an elementary school special education classroom. The mother said in the suit that she repeatedly told officials at Robert. F. Nicely Elementary School...
Morning Roundup: Pair of South Side robberies under review; Pittsburgh activates 6 warming centers
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Tuesday, Jan. 14: Pair of South Side robberies under review Pittsburgh police are reviewing surveillance video related to two robberies at South Side businesses. Two males dressed in black hooded sweatshirts and masks threatened employees at the BP gas...
Coroner identifies man killed in Route 993 crash in Manor
An Irwin man was killed Monday morning on Route 993 in Manor when a passing dump truck hauling a trailer rolled over onto his car, the Westmoreland County Coroner said. Vincent B. Neal, 86, was driving a Hyundai Kona northwest on the road when the collision with the southeast-bound truck...
Morning Roundup: Route 28 crash causes backup in O’Hara; burglary at Bethel Park gun shop
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Monday, Jan. 13: Crash on Route 28 causes backups in O’Hara A crash along Route 28 southbound Monday morning caused traffic backups for several hours, according to 511 Pennsylvania. The crash was reported around 6:30 a.m. in the area...
Man killed in mining incident in Somerset County
A Windber man was killed Friday afternoon in a Somerset County mining incident, according to Pennsylvania State Police. Joshua Mock, 34, was operating a piece of underground machinery when he suffered fatal injuries, police said. He was working in Acosta Deep Mine in Jenner Township. That mine is operated by...
Climate change will continue with warmer, wetter conditions predicted
Jim Bonner used to associate mockingbirds with the southern part of the United States. His backyard is home to one, it’s indicative of how weather changes have impacted the avian species, and likely will continue for other types of birds. “I see more mockingbirds now that I ever did 20...
Program to send text message alerts to residents starting in Jeannette
Municipal information will soon be texted to interested Jeannette residents. Council unanimously approved a one-year contract with Simple Texting for about $590. “This is going to be used anytime there’s a change in garbage (collection) or important information,” said city manager Ethan Keedy. “Residents can sign up to receive text...
Vintage Harley-Davidson motorcycle restored for Greensburg police
A 1959 Harley-Davidson Servi-Car that has been stowed away by Greensburg police for decades is close to hitting the road again. The relic, once covered by a blue tarp in a storage garage, has been painstakingly restored over several months and is awaiting decal lettering as a final touch to...
Mother, daughter accused of stealing $4.4M from Greensburg Beverage CEO’s estate
A mother and daughter were arrested Thursday on police accusations they stole a relative’s $4.4 million inheritance from the estate of the CEO of Greensburg Beverage, according to court papers. Angela Lynne Valesky, 26, of Murrysville, and her mother, Lisa Anne Skatell-Valesky, 51, of Jeannette, are charged with theft and...
Former Derry Area Aqua Club president accused of stealing $24K from organization
The former president of the Derry Area Aqua Club was jailed Wednesday on police accusations that she used money from the organization to pay for gambling and sports betting, according to court papers. Josie Faye Ruffner, 35, of Latrobe, is charged by Westmoreland County detectives with dealing in proceeds of...
Attorney for Jeannette officer seeks probationary program in case of false traffic stop reports
The attorney representing a Jeannette police officer accused of falsifying reports related to traffic stops said he hopes to get his client into a probationary program. Matthew S. Painter, 40, of Penn Township, waived his right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday on 18 misdemeanor counts. There was no agreement struck...
‘I want our employees to feel safe’ Jeannette mayor says as city eyes updated panic buttons
Jeannette Mayor Curtis Antoniak on Tuesday called for panic alarms to be installed at city hall after an unnerving situation was reported last week by the administrative assistant. “We need to protect these workers,” Antoniak said. Andrea M. Beneke said a person came into her office at city hall last...
Florida man accused in theft of $156K check from Mt. Pleasant Township company
A missing $156,000 check written by a Mt. Pleasant Township manufacturer led state police to a Florida man who is accused of intercepting it and taking it for himself. Potensky Jean-Pierre, 26, was jailed over the weekend on charges including theft, forgery, corrupt organizations and dealing in proceeds from an...
4 juveniles charged, staff members injured in riot at Fairfield youth facility
Four juveniles are charged as adults in connection with what police described as a riot that caused significant damage at a Fairfield youth facility. State Trooper Steve Limani said more charges are likely as police continue to examine surveillance video from Outside In School of Experiential Learning. The chaos started...
Man struck by plow truck in Hempfield parking lot
A man hit by a pickup truck clearing snow from a Hempfield orthopedics office parking lot Monday morning is expected to survive his injuries, according to state Trooper Steve Limani. The 74-year-old man was walking in the parking lot on Pellis Road just before 8 a.m. when a Chevrolet Silverado,...
Although the building is gone, former Monsour hospital workers retain ‘family’ foundation
Editor’s note: “From the archive” is a recurring series highlighting vintage photos submitted by community members or gathered from the Tribune-Review’s files. If you have a photo you would like to see featured here, please contact gtrcity@triblive.com. In its heyday, Monsour Medical Center was ahead of its time, said Deborah...
4 homicides logged in Westmoreland County in 2024, but more cases pending
There were four confirmed homicide deaths in Westmoreland County in 2024, but that figure could rise as officials are awaiting rulings in a few more cases. Coroner Tim Carson said the four cases involve: • Diana Rebold, 73, of New Kensington. Her son Brian Rebold, 38, has been deemed competent...
‘Lockerbie’ TV series draws criticism from families of plane crash victims
Families of those killed when a bomb destroyed Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, are pushing back against a television drama series about the terrorist attack. That includes Glenn Johnson of Hempfield whose daughter, Beth Ann, a senior at Seton Hill University, was on her way home from a...
Westmoreland DA says no charges will be filed in June shooting of Daniel Chicka in Export
No criminal charges will be filed in connection with a June fatal shooting in Export after investigators ruled it self defense, Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli said in a statement. Video evidence provided to investigators showed Daniel Chicka, 65, and Matthew Allen Miller, 32, were involved in an argument...
AHN Cancer Institute Hempfield moves radiation services to Monroeville
Cancer patients of Allegheny Health Network undergoing radiation therapy will no longer be served at AHN Cancer Institute Hempfield. The move, effective Tuesday, means patients will be directed to the cancer center at AHN Forbes Hospital in Monroeville, according to a statement from the health care system. The Hempfield location,...
Latrobe father in ‘prison of grief’ after son’s drug overdose, he tells judge at drug dealer’s sentencing
Robert J. Verscharen helped his mother pick out flowers every spring and summer and hang suet cakes for birds in the fall. Now, Carole and Robert S. Verscharen mourn their son daily, after he died from a drug overdose nearly four years ago. “I continue to talk with him now...
Extending a life story: Westmoreland coroner’s office joins effort to encourage organ donation
Even though her father isn’t a phone call away anymore, Cassidy Gamble knows his kind nature is still making an impact on others. James Forish became a tissue donor after his Aug. 1 death, allowing his life to continue on in a different sort of way, helping to heal others....
Volunteer shortage compels Kecksburg ambulance service to close
Kecksburg Rescue Ambulance Service is set to answer its final call. The volunteer-based ambulance service, believed to be the last of its kind in Westmoreland County, will cease operations in Mt. Pleasant Township. Its last day in service will be Dec. 31. Longtime chief Maureen Hutter said it has been...
Steelers vs. Ravens: What they’re saying in Baltimore after win
By soundly defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday, the Baltimore Ravens achieved two goals, head coach John Harbaugh told reporters after the game. The first goal — win the game, which they did with a score of 34-17 before 71,313 fans at M&T Bank Stadium. The second goal — make...
Greensburg’s Nevin ice arena seeing more skaters than ever since its renovation
A record number of skaters has been hitting the ice in the 16 months since Greensburg completed a $3 million renovation of its Kirk S. Nevin ice arena. Parks and recreation superintendent Glenn Moyer said there are more teams than ever competing with the Westmoreland Hockey Association. “We’ve seen outstanding...
