Westmoreland category, Page 302
Greensburg Salem Mini-THON dance, auction to benefit pediatric cancer battle
Greensburg Salem community members are invited to visit the high school gym Saturday, March 25, to help the school’s students kick off their Mini-THON dance marathon. It’s part of an annual student-led campaign that supports the battle against pediatric cancer. Those who attend the all-ages community portion of the event,...
$1M instant lottery ticket winner sold in North Huntingdon
A frequent scratch-off lottery ticket buyer at a North Huntingdon pharmacy parlayed his hobby of purchasing a $20 Millionaire Maker chance into a $1 million winner. “I was in disbelief when I scratched it off. I saw that (winning ticket) and thought ‘You’ve got to be kidding me,’ ” said...
Former Latrobe woman facing animal cruelty charges
A former Latrobe woman is facing animal cruelty charges after city police said she left 24 cats in an abandoned home. In July, police responded to the Spring Street home and found the felines in deplorable conditions with no food or water, according to court papers. Some of the cats...
Westmoreland happenings: Charity race, diversity program, class reunion, more
Submissions from nonprofit organizations for Briefly Speaking can be emailed to Carol Pinto-Smith at cpinto-smith@triblive.com or mailed to Briefly Speaking, 210 Wood St., Tarentum, PA 15084. Include a complete street address and daytime phone number. Submissions are due at least two weeks before the event. Each announcement is printed once;...
Pitt-Greensburg students build bonds, outfit Tennessee homes on Habitat for Humanity trip
Measure twice and cut once is the sage advice long applied to working with wood. But first you have to know how to use a tape measure. That’s among the home improvement skills Pitt-Greensburg student volunteers picked up during the school’s recent spring break. They headed to Tennessee for a...
Westmoreland Transit open house attendees want longer hours, shorter waits for bus trips
More frequent bus trips available at later hours and with shorter wait times were among the top requests passengers had for the Westmoreland Transit Authority at a public input session Tuesday afternoon. Eliot Rivera of Greensburg said he’d like to see the authority restore its level of service to pre-pandemic...
Sewickley man convicted of illegal weapons possession
A Sewickley Township man serving a prison sentence for the sexual assault of a teen was convicted Tuesday of illegally possessing of a cache of guns and ammunition. Steven K. Stemmler, 40, was found guilty of one misdemeanor firearms offense in connection with an allegation that authorities found 15 guns,...
2 plead guilty to armed robbery of driver in Mt. Pleasant Township
Two men pleaded guilty this week to an armed robbery two years ago in Mt. Pleasant Township. Elijah Ben Chaabane and Jake Daniel Franklin, both 20, along with another juvenile, originally were charged in connection with Dec. 19, 2020, incident in which police said a man hired to drive to...
Truck strikes, closes bridge over I-70 in Rostraver
The Crawford Lane Bridge in Rostraver was closed to traffic Tuesday afternoon after it was struck earlier in the day by a truck driving below on Interstate 70. Inspectors were evaluating damage to the bridge Tuesday. The driver of the truck stopped at the scene, and no injuries were reported,...
Jeannette man pleads no contest to drug sale in fatal overdose
A Jeannette man pleaded no contest this week to selling drugs used in the fatal overdose of a friend two years ago in a Hempfield high-rise apartment building. The defense lawyer for Rick Paul Petros, 54, said his client continues to question whether the drugs are to blame for the...
Carmichaels man arrested in Maryland in connection with assault, robbery
A Carmichaels man was charged with robbery, theft and assault of a Latrobe woman after being arrested Tuesday by Maryland State Police. Heath Allen Rankin, 41, is accused of robbing a woman in an elevator and stealing her car. He was arrested after being accused of stealing another car in...
Penn-Trafford goes ‘Under the Sea’ with spring musical ‘Little Mermaid’
For seniors in the Penn-Trafford Drama Guild, this year’s musical is exciting but perhaps a little bittersweet, it being their last before graduating. But it’s not stopping any of the 16 seniors from working as hard as they can to make “The Little Mermaid” a show to remember. “It’s a...
Mt. Pleasant woman’s body found on Route 119 in East Huntingdon
The body of a Mt. Pleasant woman was found early Tuesday on Route 119 in East Huntingdon, prompting the road to be closed for a few hours during the investigation. Coroner Tim Carson said Dana Marie Grzywinski, 45, was found dead just after 3:30 a.m. on Route 119 southbound near...
Mothers embrace as Export man pleads guilty to Vandergrift woman’s murder
Two mothers embraced as they shared a moment of grief and understanding Monday morning in a Westmoreland County courtroom. Lisa Rodgers offered an apology for her son, who had just pleaded guilty for his role in the violent murder of Beverly Richason’s daughter nearly six years ago. “I know you...
Unity man who fired fatal shots into house pleads guilty
A Unity man who killed a Derry Township woman in her bed when he fired four shots into her home will serve up to 42 years in prison. Nathan J. Quidetto, 23, pleaded guilty Monday to a lesser charge of third-degree murder in connection with the July 20, 2020, shooting...
No damage to building after heat lamp damaged plastic at Baggaley elementary
There was no damage to Baggaley Elementary School Monday night after a heat lamp melted a piece of plastic in a classroom, according to Superintendent Michael Porembka. Firefighters vented smoke from the area after being called to the Unity building on Route 982 around 8:30 p.m. “Our fourth grade students...
Police seek Carmichaels man for robbery in Latrobe
Police are looking for a man who is accused of robbing and attacking a woman in an elevator last week in Latrobe. Heath Allen Rankin, 41, of Carmichaels, was identified by police based on security footage in which a man grabbed a woman’s neck in an elevator at an apartment...
Police: Hempfield man beat woman, stole her car after she refused to take him to work
A woman was hospitalized Friday after state police said a Hempfield man beat her, according to court papers. Troopers said the woman had three broken teeth and severe injuries to her mouth and face. Richard J. Lantzy, 22, was being held without bail at the Westmoreland County Prison in connection...
Strands of community: Fiber arts fans find friendship, fulfillment in crafting
When Toni Ritchey-Ridella first attended a large Pittsburgh-area fiber arts show in 2008, she found herself awestruck. “I walked in for the first time, and my mouth was open, I thought, where do you start?” she said. “There are so many different yarns, so many different bases. Everything mostly is...
Police accuse Greensburg woman of bruising 9-month-old
A Greensburg woman spent the weekend in jail on police accusations that she caused several bruises found on a 9-month-old boy. City police said the child had a few bruises on his forehead upon examination at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Anastasia Grigoryeva, 21, was arraigned Friday on charges of...
Greensburg Salem consultant tackles truancy; survey notes concern for bullying, substance abuse
Greensburg Salem School District is using a consultant to curb high school truancy. School officials also release results of a survey of families that revealed mixed feelings from parents about the district. Statistics indicate just under 76% of students at the high school had regular attendance during the 2021-22 school...
Peoples pays city $351K to repave Greensburg streets after gas line work
Greensburg’s public works department will take charge of repaving portions of 15 streets this spring and summer after Peoples completes work on its natural gas utility lines. Peoples is paying the city $351,782 for the paving work under an agreement approved this month. “It lets us pave the streets instead...
Outreach into community an important mission for churches, Presbyterian pastor says
A small Rostraver church just outside North Belle Vernon celebrated its connection to the community Sunday — “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood Church” — and its mission to increasingly become part of its neighborhood. “The neighborhood is a wonderful community on the edge of three communities in three different...
Man wanted in Ohio faces drug, gun charges after traffic stop in Irwin
A traffic stop in Irwin last week resulted in state police finding multiple firearms, drugs and a man who was wanted in Ohio, according to troopers. Justin D. Grandison, 32, of White Oak was being held at the Westmoreland County Prison without bail. Police said they conducted a traffic stop...
Murrysville Medic One officials hope for strong response to subscription drive
Murrysville Medic One staff members responded to more than 15,000 calls in 2022, an average of more than 40 a day. To continue that level of service, they are hoping for a good response to their annual fundraising drive. “Many residents believe in a mistaken way that they may never...
