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Westmoreland category, Page 71

Pope Francis, first Latin American pontiff, dies at 88
13-year-old charged with first-degree murder in stabbing of 10-year-old in Donegal Township
A 13-year-old boy was charged as an adult Thursday in connection with the fatal stabbing of a 10-year-old boy in Donegal Township. James C. Campbell is accused of stabbing Hunter Meyers in the head multiple times, according to state police and the Westmoreland County coroner. Campbell wore blue scrubs and...
Westmoreland County clothing designer charged in Jan. 6 Capitol attack
A gold lapel pin on his breast pocket. Dark brown sunglasses. Distinctive gray and brown boots. The FBI used those fashion elements to link a Westmoreland County clothing designer to the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol. They filed charges against him this week. On Wednesday morning, an FBI...
Have a gripe about your flight? Pa. AG launches online aviation complaint form
Pennsylvania travelers facing issues such as flight delays, cancellations or boarding problems now can file complaints through an online form launched Wednesday by the state Attorney General’s Office. Attorney General Michelle Henry said a national uptick in consumer complaints prompted her to act. State residents and travelers who experience airline...
Stranger charged with stalking, harassing Unity woman
A Philadelphia man is accused of stalking in connection with sexual messages sent to a Unity woman, one of which was a picture of her face superimposed on a nude woman, according to court papers. Shane P. Cassidy, 24, is accused of using images from the Unity woman’s social media...
Derry Township bans open burning
Derry Township officials have issued a ban on open burning in the township until further notice. Township supervisors said recent dry conditions prompted the ban, which includes recreational fires and fireworks. Rainfall on Tuesday provided some relief, but not enough to lift the ban. A short distance under the ground...
Fire damages planes, hangar at Rostraver Airport
A fire that damaged a privately owned hangar and at least two airplanes Wednesday at Rostraver Airport was quickly extinguished, said Gabe Monzo, Westmoreland County Airport Authority executive director. With other buildings and hangars just feet away from the fire, as well as the potential dangers inside them, the fast...
Summer Fest has fun for kids, adults, pets at Twin Lakes Park
The third annual Summer Fest at Twin Lakes Park will have activities for kids, adults and even dogs. Organized by Greensburg-based Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Laurel Region, the event is set for noon to 5 p.m. Sunday along the park’s Lower Lake, near Pavilion No. 7. It is...
Community blood drives scheduled for August to address shortage
Vitalant, a nonprofit blood and biotherapies health care company based in Pittsburgh, is planning a series of community donor drives to help boost blood supply in the region. The company has declared an emergency shortage of type O blood — the most transfused blood type. While O blood types are...
Find a ‘cooler weather’ road trip in Western Pennsylvania
Bruce Gezon of Murrysville is no stranger to a nice, scenic drive. Gezon, a member of the Sports Car Club of America’s Hall of Fame, has been designing rally courses for a half-century. With late-summer temperatures continuing to stay in the 80s and 90s, spending an afternoon outdoors might not...
Judge rejects effort to dismiss charges against East Huntingdon man injured in police shootout
A Westmoreland County judge has rejected defense calls for dismissal of charges against an East Huntingdon man wounded by Pennsylvania State Police in an exchange of gunfire last winter. Defense attorney Jill Devine during a court hearing Tuesday contended there was no evidence James R. Miller Jr. intended to kill...
Westmoreland happenings: August Fun Fest, Bible school, fire station open house, more
Church News • St. James Church, 306 St. James Lane, New Alexandria, will have all-day Eucharistic Adoration Aug. 6 for the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. Mass will be celebrated at 8 a.m., adoration will begin at 8:30 a.m. and benediction will be at 6 p.m. Drop in...
State officials visit Strengthening Families program in Monessen
The simple act of untangling a human chain can teach a lot about trust and teamwork. On Tuesday, participants in the Westmoreland Drug and Alcohol Commission’s Strengthening Families program mashed together, crossed their arms and grabbed hands. Next, they worked together to undo the knot they had formed. Jessica Anderson,...
Dominican trucker faces second deportation for New Stanton fentanyl sale
Westmoreland County prosecutors said a Dominican Republic national faces deportation for the second time after he serves an eight-year prison sentence for selling fentanyl to an undercover state trooper two years ago in New Stanton. Leonardo Antonio Ramirez was convicted in May by a Westmoreland County jury of three drug-related...
PennDOT plans Route 119 detour in New Stanton
PennDOT road work is set to trigger a detour beginning Wednesday on Route 119 in New Stanton and traffic interruptions on Thursday on Route 51 in Rostraver. Motorists heading south on Route 119, from Youngwood toward Connellsville, will be diverted along a detour because the southbound ramp they normally use...
Jeannette Public Library closed after bomb threat
The Jeannette Public Library was closed Tuesday after a bomb threat was called into city hall, according to library board members. The threat was called in on Monday and indicated a bomb would be present at the library Tuesday, said board president Joann Billheimer and board member Chad Krawtz. Police...
Police say Sewickley Township man charged at neighbor with a knife
A Sewickley Township man is behind bars after state police said he charged at his neighbor over the weekend with a knife, according to court papers. Kurtis C. Baker, 33, was arrested after the neighbor grabbed the knife and held the suspect down until troopers arrived. Baker is charged with...
Motorcycle riders, Derry walkers to honor local Army Ranger, 2 others killed in Battle of Mogadishu
Angie Burd and members of her family will lead the way Saturday as a group of motorcycle riders takes a patriotic road trip from Hempfield to Derry Borough. They’ll be at the forefront of the sixth annual Fallen Hero Ride — an event that will honor her uncle, Derry native...
Global program pushes male athletes to talk about dating abuse, sexual violence
Ryan Reitz is used to having difficult conversations. For the past seven years, Reitz has facilitated the Coaching Boys Into Men program with male athletes in locker rooms across Westmoreland County — diving into topics such as consent, respect and dating violence. Sometimes, encouraging athletes to participate in the conversations...
Amazon’s New Stanton facility could provide economic boost, challenge for small businesses, officials say
Amazon’s efforts to attract 600 workers for its new warehouse in New Stanton is like a double-edged sword for Westmoreland’s economy — great for job creation but potentially tough on small businesses that must compete for talent with the multibillion-dollar behemoth. “It’s great that they have selected New Stanton,” but...
Westmoreland County braces for revenue drop as FCC caps inmate calling fees
Westmoreland officials are bracing for what could be a substantial cut in revenue generated through phone and video calls made by county prison inmates. A new rule issued earlier this month by the Federal Communications Commission limits the amount private companies can charge inmates for calling services. Those new rules...
New Kensington man pleads guilty to sexual assault of teen
A New Kensington man pleaded guilty Monday to the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl. Nasai Minon Parker-Hill, 19, will be sentenced later this year to three to seven years in prison under terms of a plea deal reached with prosecutors in which the most serious allegations — rape and...
Monessen man charged with drug delivery resulting in death of Jennifer Vukovich
A Monessen man is accused by state police of connecting a Youngwood woman to a dose of drugs last year that proved to be fatal. Troopers said James M. Cillo Jr., 31, met with Jennifer Vukovich on March 3, 2023, and the pair went to a location in Monessen where...
Police say man repeatedly beat a dog in South Huntingdon home
A man is behind bars after, state police said, he repeatedly beat a dog in South Huntingdon and recorded videos of the abuse. Zachary Robert Hixson, 30, is charged with neglect and two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals. Troopers were called Friday to a home just outside West Newton...
World War II reenactors share living history at Hanna’s Town
Hunter Wilford’s eyes were barely visible when he pulled a reproduction of a World War II U.S. Army airborne unit helmet down over his head. But there were plenty of other military artifacts and displays for the 8-year-old Derry Township boy to explore Sunday when his family stopped at an...
Dry conditions prompt burning ban in Unity
A ban on burning is in effect until further notice in Unity. Township supervisors and the Township Fire Bureau issued the ban late last week, citing recent dry conditions and the heightened risk of a potential fire. Open burning, recreational fires and fireworks are prohibited during the ban. The Pittsburgh...


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