Renatta Signorini stories, Page 34
Missing dog may have motivated man to shoot at car in Hecla, police say
A man escaped injury Sunday after state police said his vehicle was shot at five times on Hecla Road. Troopers arrested William K. Dodrill, 44, of Mt. Pleasant Township, on charges of attempted homicide, aggravated assault and related offenses in connection with the shooting. Police reported in court papers that...
Out of the ashes: Unity fitness center clients help owner recover from devastating fire
For many clients of My Fitness Kitchen in Unity, seeing the damage left behind by a fire this week at the business was heartbreaking. Knowing owner Mark Rullo’s passion and livelihood was in jeopardy made it even worse. That pushed dozens of them to show up Friday morning to the...
Mt. Pleasant man charged in connection with Jan. 6 riot in Washington, D.C.
A man arrested Thursday in Mt. Pleasant is accused of following a crowd into the U.S. Capitol during the riot on Jan. 6, 2021. William Irvin Fuller, 31, was taken into custody on federal charges of entering and remaining in a restricted building, disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted...
Fayette County district attorney working with forensic anthropologist in death of 17-year-old
It will take some time before authorities can come to an official conclusion about what led to the death of 17-year-old Kaitlin Whoolery, according to Fayette County District Attorney Michael Aubele. Whoolery’s remains were found this month in North Union, months after she was last seen in November. Local authorities...
Hempfield man turns himself in after 3-hour police standoff last week in village of Darragh
A Hempfield man turned himself in Thursday morning on charges related to nine guns seized after a three-hour police standoff at his home last week. State police said they were attempting to serve warrants at 10:40 a.m. April 17 for Timothy M. Pugh, 46, who lives in the village of...
Access to mental health care may get boost from change in counselor licensing requirements
Dozens more professional counselors could be approved for associate licenses soon under a new state law meant to expand mental health care in Pennsylvania. For college students set to graduate this spring and move on to their clinical experience requirements, getting started in the field could be a quick turnaround...
Victim: Man ‘went crazy all of a sudden’ in stabbing at Hostetter Hotel in Unity
A man accused in a stabbing Wednesday at the Hostetter Hotel in Unity told state troopers that he wished the wounded person would have died, according to court papers. William Kennet Evans Jr., 62, was arrested after the altercation with another man and charged with attempted homicide, aggravated assault and...
Greensburg man charged in connection with drug overdose death
A Greensburg man is facing charges in connection with a fatal drug overdose last year. City police charged Hugh J. Hawkey Jr., 48, on Friday with drug delivery resulting in death and related offenses. In a criminal complaint, police said they believe Hawkey is responsible for providing a fatal dose...
Sellers Avenue, one of the bumpiest roads in Jeannette, to be repaved
A road that Jeannette city manager Ethan Keedy pegged as one of the worst in the city will be repaved. The entirety of Sellers Avenue — which Keedy described as one of the worst roads to drive on in Jeannette — will be resurfaced. That work will include Sellers Avenue/North...
Open mic nights in Jeannette to provide new outlet for local performers, artists
Performers looking to share their artistic craft are getting a chance through new monthly open mic nights in Jeannette. It’s an opportunity that hasn’t been regularly available in Jeannette since the Keynote Cafe, once a popular spot for local musicians, closed in 2019. Councilman Chad Krawtz said he hopes the...
Rostraver man killed in crash on I-70
A Rostraver man was killed Friday morning when his car crashed along Interstate 70 in Rostraver. State police said Joseph E. Troyer, 35, was pronounced dead at the scene after the eastbound Ford Focus he was driving struck a tree with its passenger side and flipped onto its roof, trapping...
Who killed Deborah Waggoner? Police seek info on 1990 homicide at Hempfield car wash
State police have evidence that might help them solve a 1990 homicide at a Hempfield car wash, but they need some leads. The possibility that troopers can crack the case still exists, especially with the technological advances since Deborah June Waggoner’s death 34 years ago, Trooper Steve Limani said. But...
Latrobe man accused of threatening 7 students
A Latrobe man is accused by city police of threatening seven students who were waiting for a school bus outside his apartment earlier this month, according to court papers. Stanley Edward Brosnick, 51, was arrested this week on several counts each of terroristic threats, simple assault and harassment. Officers said...
Westmoreland seeking wound kits to combat nasty side effect of xylazine use
Wound kits could be delivered this summer to Westmoreland County agencies that are seeing more people dealing with a particularly nasty side effect of using the powerful animal sedative xylazine. “We are seeing the unfortunate increase in the wounds from the xylazine,” said Tim Phillips, director of the county’s department...
Despite support, state game commission puts hold on marten reintroduction plan
A plan to reintroduce a native species of weasel into the Pennsylvania wild is on hold indefinitely as the majority of the state Game Commission’s board of commissioners again asked for more time. Commissioner Dennis Fredericks said he was satisfied with the American marten reintroduction plan but sought the postponement...
Jeannette house will be razed to make way for new fire station
A house on South Second Street in Jeannette will be demolished to make way for a new fire station. City council on Thursday accepted the donation of the dilapidated property, which neighbors the empty lot where the station will be constructed. The donated property was deemed a public nuisance in...
Jeannette couple donates $10K to help cover cost of fixing ladder truck damaged in fatal fire
Jeannette business owners stepped up this week to help the city cover about half the $20,000 it will take to repair a ladder truck that was damaged in a March 20 fire that killed five members of a family of eight. “They blew me away when they came in (Thursday)...
‘It is fitting’: Westmoreland courthouse law library renamed for woman who showed caring, compassion to all
If a defendant unable to afford representation walked into the law library at the Westmoreland County Courthouse looking for help, librarian Betty Ward treated them the same as an attorney with decades of experience. Watching Ward work was on-the-job training, said Pamela Snyder, who served as librarian assistant since 2016....
Westmoreland jury issues split verdict in case surrounding Unity man’s fatal drug overdose
A man was acquitted Friday of supplying the fentanyl-laced heroin that killed a Unity man in 2021, but was convicted of other drug counts. A Westmoreland County jury deliberated for about four hours before returning the split verdict against Andrey Young, 43. He was found not guilty of drug delivery...
Jeannette police officers, neighbor honored for rescues made at fatal house fire
Miranda John wiped away tears as the six men who rescued her and two of her children from their burning home in Jeannette were honored Thursday night. “I am grateful for them because, honestly, if it wasn’t for them, I probably wouldn’t be here,” she said afterward. “Yes, they couldn’t...
Jeannette police chief seeks to improve fleet of patrol cars
Jeannette police Chief Derek Manley is working on a system to better use the department’s fleet of patrol cars while adding three new vehicles. One of them will be used to transport six portable scales that weigh a total of about 250 pounds and are needed for commercial motor vehicle...
Jeannette mulls paying for repairs to damaged ladder truck to keep insurance rates in check
Jeannette is considering dipping into its budget to cover at least $20,000 in repairs to the city ladder truck damaged by heat responding to a March 20 fire that killed five people. “That’s better than having a higher insurance deductible or insurance premium,” said City Manager Ethan Keedy. The ladder...
You’ve got court: Text messaging is latest tool in effort to reduce warrants for missed hearings
Westmoreland County Special Courts Administrator Christopher Haidze used to get a call every few months from District Judge Charles Conway, asking for a way to send digital reminders to defendants about their court dates. “My answer was always the same: ‘They’re working on it,’ ” Haidze said. Conway retired last...
Rostraver firefighter remembered for dedication to department
There was an important rule to remember at the Bunardzya house — don’t turn down the volume of the scanner. Also, keep quiet when the fire sirens are blaring. Chryste Zimmerman said she quickly learned those moments were key for her dad John “Bill” Bunardzya to know where the emergency...
1 person injured in East Huntingdon accident along Route 31; driver suspected of DUI
One person was flown by medical helicopter to a hospital Tuesday morning after a car apparently drove through a yard and onto railroad tracks in East Huntingdon. Fire Chief Brian Kite said firefighters cut the roof off a Honda Accord to free the male passenger who was trapped inside. The...
