Rich Cholodofsky stories, Page 48
Hempfield man pleads guilty to possession of child pornography
A Hempfield man was ordered to serve up to 23 months in jail after he pleaded guilty to possessing hundreds of videos containing child pornography. Scott J. Lynch, 60, was originally charged in September 2021 with more than 711 counts of possession of child pornography . According to court records,...
Westmoreland DA crash racks up nearly $33,000 in SUV repairs
Although Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli described the crash she had in her county-provided SUV last year as minor, it resulted in a nearly $33,000 repair bill. According to documents obtained by the Tribune-Review under the state’s Right-to-Know law, the 2021 Ford Explorer XLT four-wheel drive SUV assigned to...
Judge upholds sex assault convictions of Mt. Pleasant Township man
A Westmoreland County judge denied the appeal of a Mt. Pleasant Township man who is serving a 50-year prison sentence after being convicted of sexually assaulting two young girls. Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Mears said there was no basis to overturn the convictions against Kenneth Daniels. Following a three-day...
Former Mt. Pleasant cop paroled after 2 sexual assault convictions overturned
A former part-time Mt. Pleasant police officer was freed from jail Monday and ordered to serve an additional five years on probation for the sexual assault of a woman eight years ago. John A. Brown, 50, of Mt. Lebanon was convicted of misdemeanor indecent assault and simple assault offenses based...
Westmoreland Republicans back incumbent office holders
Westmoreland County Republicans announced their support for the party’s slate of incumbents at a meeting organized before candidates can formally enter the race. “We know incumbency is not necessarily a guarantee, but having a chance to vet candidates early is what prompted the timing,” Republican Committee Chairman Bill Bretz said....
Westmoreland gears up for 2023 election, first batch of ballot applications mailed
Applications were sent last week to nearly 53,000 Westmoreland County residents who previously signed up to be “permanent” mail-in voters. “We are required to do this every year,” said Election Bureau Director Greg McCloskey. “It’s permanent just for one year.” Voters are required each year to update their permanent mail-in...
Local districts await fallout from Pa. court ruling on school funding
Funding Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts was never going to be an easy equation to solve. The diverse nature of the state — rural and urban, wealthy and poor — coupled with funding decisions enacted by Pennsylvania lawmakers resulted in a lawsuit being filed eight years ago, claiming bias in the...
Butler police investigate shooting
Butler City police are investigating the shooting of a man wounded Sunday morning on West New Castle Street. Police said officers were alerted by a neighbor who heard a single shot fired and yelling. When they responded to the scene at 2:25 a.m. officers found Robert Green, 43, of Butler...
Man found shot in head on Pittsburgh’s North Side dies in hospital
A 23-year-old man was found Sunday afternoon on Pittsburgh’s North Side with a gunshot wound to the head. Pittsburgh police said officers responded just before 1:15 p.m. to the 600 block of Chautauqua Street for reports of a man unresponsive inside a vehicle with a gunshot wound to the head....
Squires announces reelection bid for county treasurer
Westmoreland County Treasurer Jared Squires announced he will run for a fourth term in office. Squires, 45, a Republican from Mt. Pleasant Township, was first elected in 2011 and reelected in 2015 and 2019. “I will continue to bring my experience, knowledge and passion for public service to the position...
Seton Hill students perform community service projects, help renovate teen’s new home
Ashley Shaplye’s life is about to change. The Norwin High School senior spent Saturday with members of the Seton Hill University men’s soccer team and athletes renovating what is expected to be her new home later this year. Shaplye’s new home is being renovated as part of a Habitat for...
Westmoreland water authority lifts water warning
Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County officials have announced a potentially hazardous substance found last fall in a portion of the local water supply has fallen below state and federal guidelines. In November, about 50,000 water customers south of Route 30 in Westmoreland and Fayette counties were notified that averages of...
Mt. Pleasant man sentenced to jail for sale of drug in fatal overdose
A judge rejected a defense request Friday to allow a Mt. Pleasant man who pleaded guilty late last year to selling a fatal dose of fentanyl-laced heroin to serve out a sentence while at home. Westmoreland County Judge Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Mears said the circumstances of the case...
Additional jail time ordered for Jeannette man who shot at neighbor’s home
A Jeannette man acquitted of the attempted murder of a neighbor was sentenced Friday to serve up to 23 months in jail for firing a shotgun at the man’s home. Dale A. Shaw, 66, was ordered by Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Mears ordered to serve at least...
Former part-time cop gets probation for improper traffic stop
A former Southwest Greensburg part-time police officer was sentenced Friday to serve one year on probation for making an illegal traffic stop while off duty and outside of his jurisdiction. James Edward Shaw, 56, of Connellsville was convicted of the misdemeanor offense following a nonjury trial in December. It stemmed...
Ohio truck driver sentenced to prison for fatal crash on Interstate 70 in South Huntingdon
An Ohio truck driver will serve up to two years in prison for causing a fatal crash along Interstate 70 that left a New Stanton man dead and severely injured two motorists . Charles C. Walker, 59, of Columbus, Ohio, pleaded guilty in December to charges of vehicular homicide, aggravated...
Westmoreland County Courthouse garage construction behind schedule
The $7 million reconstruction project of a two-story underground parking garage at the Westmoreland County Courthouse is about six months behind schedule, but officials said final preparations are being readied to complete the work by the end of April. Work started last April to demolish and rebuild the parking structure...
Suspect’s mental health questioned in Woodpeckers fatal shooting
The lawyer for a Lower Burrell man awaiting trial in a fatal 2021 shooting at an Upper Burrell bar said his client’s mental health could limit his criminal responsibility for the homicide. Public defender Wayne McGrew told a Westmoreland County judge during a hearing Thursday that Daniel Moles should be...
Bell Township bar sued by woman who claimed injuries caused by drunken fall from stool
A Bell Township bar was sued this week by a woman who claimed she was left a quadriplegic when she was served too much alcohol and fell off a stool. According to the lawsuit, Mary Jo Jordan, 55, of Avonmore contends her injuries two years ago were caused by negligence...
Trial for Rialto shooting suspects delayed until March
The attempted homicide trials of two men charged in connection with a shooting last year in downtown Greensburg has been postponed until March. The joint trial for Evan Curley, 24, of Greensburg, and Stevin “Twogunz” German, 28, of Uniontown was to begin Feb. 6, but following in court discussions on...
Local water systems prepare to deal with stricter regulations for ‘forever chemicals’
New regulations that place stricter limits on the presence of “forever chemicals” in Pennsylvania’s public drinking water are not expected to heavily impact the local water supply, officials said. While the revised standards dramatically reduce the levels of two forms of the toxic chemicals that collectively are known as PFAS,...
Westmoreland commissioners approve shelter plan
Westmoreland commissioners this week unanimously approved a $3.6 million plan for the construction of a new homeless shelter. Officials earlier this month outlined a plan, funded by American Rescue Plan through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, to build 12-bed shelter that will include private accommodations for temporary...
Westmoreland birthday celebration, park upgrades funded in $2.1 million tourism plan
Westmoreland County’s $2.1 million tourism plan this year will include funding for events to mark the county’s 250th anniversary. Commissioners approved the plan that also is focused on upgrades at county parks at their meeting Thursday. Funded through a portion of the revenue collected through the county’s 5% hotel tax,...
Westmoreland County to hold job fair in February
Westmoreland County will hold a job fair in February at Westmoreland Mall in Hempfield. The fair will be conducted from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 23 at the mall’s Center Court, where on-site interviews will be conducted for dozens of vacant positions. The county said it is seeking to...
Westmoreland public defender staff shortage leads to canceled hearings
Ongoing staffing issues in the Westmoreland County Public Defender’s Office resulted in criminal cases being postponed Thursday at a Jeannette district judge’s office. Judge Joe DeMarchis said all five cases scheduled before him had to be canceled after his office was notified there were not enough attorneys on duty to...
