Renatta Signorini stories, Page 49
Rafting fatality inquest jurors recommend drastic changes at Ohiopyle
Jurors in a coroner’s inquest examining an August 2022 rafting death on the Youghiogheny River in Ohiopyle recommended drastic changes Thursday in hopes of preventing future fatalities. The panel suggested guides be present in every raft on commercial trips and physical modifications be made to Dimple Rock and a second...
Inquest examines dangers of rafting near Dimple Rock at Ohiopyle
Julie Ann Moore thought she was going on a beginner-friendly whitewater rafting trip, one that would be appropriate for her 13-year-old twin daughters. The Ohio woman sent text messages to her mother-in-law and a friend that said she and the girls were going to meet her boyfriend of two years,...
30 bricks of fentanyl seized, Rankin man charged after bust in Salem
State police seized 30 bricks of suspected fentanyl Tuesday during a bust in a Salem fast food restaurant parking lot, according to court papers. Troopers said they learned the drugs would be delivered by Cerick Seibles, 23, of Rankin, around 2:45 p.m. off Route 22 to a person known by...
Western Overlook to be dedicated at Flight 93 National Memorial
A new project at the Flight 93 National Memorial will be finished in the coming weeks. Work on the Western Overlook is being completed and a dedication ceremony is planned for Sept. 9 after the annual Heroes’ Walk, said Friends of Flight 93 executive director Donna Gibson. The renovated area...
Penn Hills woman accused of animal cruelty after pets left behind in Jeannette home
A former Jeannette woman relinquished her rights to seven dogs, four cats, five cockatiels and a gecko that police said she left behind in a condemned home after moving out of town, according to court papers. Paula Kessler-Nock, 45, of Penn Hills, is free on $30,000 unsecured bail after being...
Man accused of setting fire at Knights Inn motel in Southwest Greensburg
A South Greensburg man awaiting trial for throwing rocks at passing vehicles in Greensburg last year is being held without bail after police said he lit several items on fire at the Knights Inn. James G. Wilbur, 55, is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Friday on charges of arson, dangerous...
Latrobe police: Meth lab operated near elementary school
A Latrobe man remains behind bars after police said they found evidence of methamphetamine manufacturing in his apartment during a home visit last month from Westmoreland County probation officers, according to court papers. Ryan William Nupp, 28, was arrested last week on charges of operating a methamphetamine lab, risking catastrophe,...
Greensburg man charged in meat cleaver attack
A Greensburg man is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Thursday in connection with a stabbing at his home that left another man hospitalized with several wounds, according to court papers. City police and Westmoreland County detectives said Liwu Tian, 57, admitted through an interpreter that he lost a fight with...
Backdrops enhance experience at Greensburg’s SummerSounds concerts
(Editor’s note: Behind the Art is a recurring series highlighting artistic works throughout the county.) It’s not just the musical performance, but the added artistic touches that makes SummerSounds in Greensburg special. The backdrops that hang behind the bands at Robertshaw Amphitheater in St. Clair Park were made by local...
State legislation could ease burden on local ambulance services
Shuttered Jeannette EMS will have to repay a loan and grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture even as proposed state legislation to help the finances of ambulance agencies continues to work through the system. Ambulance Association of PA executive director Heather Sharar said support from state legislators is a...
With costs expected to keep increasing, Jeannette seeks bids for fire station as it looks for ways to pay for project
Jeannette will begin seeking bids for a new fire station while continuing to look for more funding as fire Chief Bill Frye said he expects the total project cost to be much higher than originally anticipated. The city in 2022 received a $1.2 million grant for the new station through...
$1.7M in Jeannette park improvements underway but tree planting project halted
Tree planting projects in three Jeannette locations have been put on hold while $1.7 million playground and park renovations get underway. Council on Thursday awarded a contract to Franjo Construction of Homestead for installation of playground equipment and other improvements at six city recreational facilities. “We’re ecstatic for that,” said...
Jeannette aims to curb truck traffic on residential streets
Commercial trucks traversing residential neighborhoods in Jeannette are damaging city streets, and officials hope increased education and potentially fines will curb that activity. Sgt. Derek Manley said he intends to start commercial motor vehicle enforcement next month after he wraps up the lengthy certification and training process through state police....
Jeannette man jailed since June 2018 for fatal fire sentenced to probation
A case manager will help a Jeannette man navigate life outside of jail after he was sentenced to two years of probation Friday in connection with a fatal 2018 house fire in Jeannette. Brian Rendon, 38, was set to be released from the Westmoreland County Prison where he has been...
Derry Township man held for court in 16-year-old murder case
During one of their daily meetings to use drugs, Timothy Smartnick said Charles E. Ream told him a secret. They were at a hotel in Monroeville sometime in 2009 or 2010 when Ream said he went to Samantha Lang’s Derry Township home in 2007. Smartnick testified during Ream’s preliminary hearing...
Rankin man jailed in 2 Westmoreland drug cases
An Allegheny County man was arrested Monday because, authorities say, he sold 1,500 stamp bags of drugs to an undercover police officer in North Huntingdon, according to court papers. Damar D. Pearson, 21, of Rankin is being held at the Westmoreland County jail. Investigators with the Westmoreland County Drug Task...
Garbage truck worker jumps out of path of speeding pickup before collision, police say
Two people were hospitalized with serious injuries Friday after a crash involving a garbage truck in Hempfield. State police said a Ford Ranger being driven on Arona Road at 9:30 a.m. by Franklin Klavora, 87, of Irwin was speeding as it approached the garbage truck from behind. A worker on...
I-70 project in Westmoreland lauded for use of technology in site design
A $93 million project along Interstate 70 in Westmoreland County received a regional America’s Transportation Award for its use of technology. The reconstructed interchanges at the Yukon and Madison exits, and 4 miles of highway in between them, used aerial photography rather than traditional on-the-ground surveying and software that modeled...
Tub overflow damages apartments at Pershing Square in Greensburg
A Greensburg man was charged with causing catastrophe after police said he let the water in his bathtub run “for an extended period of time,” flooding his apartment and damaging three other units, according to court papers. Firefighters were called to Pershing Square on West Third Street at 7 a.m....
Washed away: 1 year after devastating flood, life in Unity village of Dorothy is quiet, still undone
One thing seems out of place in Jean Kirkpatrick’s living room — the plug-in wax warmer, wafting the scent of cinnamon apple pie. A message on it scrawled in script — “Hope” — has quite the loaded meaning. It’s been a year since Kirkpatrick was forced out of her Dorothy...
Five Star Trail mural makes its debut
A colorful, welcoming mural on the Five Star Trail came together far faster than artist Zachary Rutter anticipated. It took a little more than two weeks to complete, progress that Rutter attributed to support from volunteers. “We had about a dozen people that were just passionately excited about this project...
3 face charges for illegal deer hunting in Fairfield
Three people are facing felony charges for illegally hunting deer in Fairfield, according to court papers. Investigators with the Pennsylvania Game Commission filed charges against the trio of suspects this week after getting a tip Nov. 22 that they may have been involved with the unlawful taking of a buck...
Penn Hills man charged after undercover drug bust in North Huntingdon
Raw fentanyl and 1,000 fentanyl-laced pills were seized from a Penn Hills man Thursday after an undercover buy-bust in North Huntingdon, according to court papers. Police said they were given permission by Letonio C. Morand, 20, to search his apartment after a confidential informant bought 1,000 stamp bags of suspected...
2 new businesses — bakery, Italian eatery — open in downtown Jeannette
The scent of hard work at two new businesses in Jeannette wafts out the front doors, rising from baked goods and Italian fare. Jennifer Toughlian and David Avolio spent months preparing to open their doors and said this week they were thrilled with the response they’ve received from the community....
Police, PennDOT urge motorists to keep eyes open for motorcycles
Being a motorcycle officer with the Pennsylvania State Police carries a unique set of demands. You have to answer the police radio and keep an eye out for lawbreakers while also staying safe on the road, just like any other motorcyclist. “It was an additional challenge being a motorcycle officer...
