Westmoreland category, Page 715
Irwin man paroled after pleading guilty to role in killing of dog
A man was paroled Wednesday after he was sentenced to serve 28 days in jail for his role in the killing of a dog last summer on railroad tracks in North Huntingdon. Anthony Keith Harper, 28, of Irwin pleaded guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to torture an animal...
Jeannette officials move to abate long-standing public hazard at former bank building
Broken windows have been cleared out and boarded up at a long-vacant Jeannette building that has been the subject of 11 building code citations since 2013. Fire Chief Bill Frye said he got a search warrant last month so firefighters and public works crews could go into the former bank...
Greensburg woman accused of injuring 3-week-old child
A Greensburg woman is accused of assaulting and seriously injuring a 3-week-old child, according to police. Destiny M. Pratt, 24, is being held in the Westmoreland County Prison without bond on aggravated assault and child endangerment charges. Greensburg police reported that they received a ChildLine report last month that detailed...
‘Seculosity’ author to speak on future of American religion, spirituality
Author, editor and podcaster David Zahl will speak at Ligonier Town Hall on March 12 on the decline of organized religion and the rise of “replacement” religions. Zahl is the author of “Seculosity: How Career, Parenting, Technology, Food, Politics, and Romance Became Our New Religion and What to Do about...
Rahmael Holt officially sent to death row for killing New Kensington Officer Brian Shaw
Rahmael Holt simply said “no” when asked Wednesday whether he had anything to say before his death sentence was formally imposed. Holt, 31, of Harrison, Allegheny County, officially became the 133rd person on Pennsylvania’s death row when he was condemned to death by lethal injection for shooting and killing New...
Hempfield officials look to standardize ‘Spartans’ logo
Hempfield school officials could spend $2,400 to standardize the district’s “Spartans” logo. This week, school board members discussed hiring Base Design Studio of McCandless to create “a professional and standard appearance,” according to Superintendent Tammy Wolicki. The design agency would be responsible for creating a uniform Spartans logo that could...
Golden retriever ‘Daniel’ from Ligonier Twp. captures hearts at Westminster dog show
Everybody loves a golden retriever, and everybody’s favorite golden after this week’s Westminster dog show is Ligonier Township’s very own Daniel. The 5-year-old, bred and trained by Tammy Tomlinson of Hillock Golden Retrievers, won best-in-breed and best sporting dog at the 144th annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at New...
Cops: Sutersville man jailed on $500K bond for rape, sexual abuse
A 41-year-old Sutersville man was arrested Monday by state police on charges of allegedly raping a 12-year-old and sexually assaulting a 9-year-old. Ronald E. Styche III was arraigned before Rostraver District Judge Charles Christner on charges of rape, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault and statutory sexual assault. Christner ordered Styche...
Greater Latrobe math scores on rise in 7th grade, need boost in other gradesVideo
Greater Latrobe Junior High ranked third out of 20 Westmoreland County middle schools last year, based on students’ state academic assessment results and attendance. Students outperformed state average achievement levels in 2018-19, but district administrators say they’re focusing on more than just standardized test results as they prepare local youth...
Latrobe looks to curb misrouted downtown truck traffic
Latrobe’s public works crew plans to install signs to guide large trucks properly through key downtown intersections to help protect from damage to traffic signals and curbs that soon will be upgraded there. Public works Director Scott Wajdic told city council this week that PennDOT has approved signs that will...
Delmont readies for borough-wide spring cleaning
Delmont Borough has its spring cleaning all planned out. The weekend of April 25-26 will see the annual borough-wide cleanup take place, with Dumpsters on hand for residents to make drop-offs, but the Delmont Visionary Committee also will patrol borough streets with volunteers picking up trash. “We’ve got trash bags...
Greater Latrobe School District eyes $30K reduction in electric bill
Greater Latrobe School District expects to slash $30,000 from its annual electric bill if it locks in a price now for 2021-22. The school board, at its Feb. 18 meeting, will consider a one year electricity procurement agreement with Direct Energy, setting a rate of slightly more than 3.7 cents...
Latrobe police schedule 2 more community outreach events
The success of Latrobe Police Department’s inaugural meet-and-greet session in early February prompted two follow-up community outreach dates in the weeks ahead. On Feb. 28, children attending Latrobe Elementary School will have the opportunity to “Lunch with a Cop,” when city officers will share a meal with the school’s 680-some...
Former Mt. Pleasant woman pleads guilty to defrauding 2 employers
A former Mt. Pleasant woman pleaded guilty in two separate fraud indictments, according to U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady. Jennifer L. Clark, also known as Jennifer Gill, 42, is a former Mt. Pleasant resident now living in Pinellas Park, Fla. Clark pleaded guilty to four counts in connection with two...
Scottdale man gets 3-8 years in prison for sex assault; victim gets support from biker groupVideo
A teenage girl was kept hidden by her new biker friends outside a Westmoreland County courtroom Tuesday so she didn’t have to see the man she said sexually abused her last year. Members of the Southwest Pennsylvania Bikers Against Child Abuse formed a human shield to surround the girl, who...
Mt. Pleasant Township district judge’s office to close
The district judge’s office in Mt. Pleasant Township will be shuttered next month as part of plan to redistrict Westmoreland County’s remaining 16 local courts. The move comes on the heels of last week’s resignation of Senior District Judge Roger Eckels, who for three decades presided over the court, hearing...
Cops: Man who ran from Penn Township police had heroin, marijuana
Penn Township Police say the man they chased along Route 130 early Tuesday was holding more than 120 stamp bags of heroin and told officers he won $1,254 cash “playing Russian roulette.” Police didn’t buy the story and charged with Larry T. Richardson, 24, of Pittsburgh, with manufacturing, delivery and...
GM hired for soon-to-be Hempfield mini casinoVideo
Operators of the soon-to-open casino in Hempfield have tapped a former general manager of the Meadows Racetrack & Casino to serve the same role at Live! Casino Pittsburgh. Sean Sullivan, who has worked in the gaming industry for over 40 years, will oversee development along with day-to-day management and operations...
Norwin elementary school again recognized as top 5% in Pennsylvania
For the second consecutive year, Norwin’s Sheridan Terrace Elementary School is a Title I Distinguished School. Sheridan Terrace won the designation for the 2018-19 and the 2019-20 school years, according to the state Department of Education’s federal programs division. It was one of 94 schools to receive the award for...
Man accused of exposing himself in Greensburg restaurant
Greensburg police are looking for a former Latrobe man after they said he exposed himself over the weekend to workers at a city restaurant. Eric Trice, 43, is accused of showing his genitals to waitresses and a female patron at Dino’s Sports Lounge, according to court papers. He was charged...
NASA exhibit sought for 2021 Westmoreland air showVideo
After taking a year off, officials hope to land some help from NASA when the air show returns for Memorial Day 2021 at the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport. “We’re checking into something new,” said Gabe Monzo, executive director of the county Airport Authority. Monzo said he was not certain what...
Donegal Lake refilling, set to reopen to trout anglers in AprilVideo
Jeff Shaffer, a longtime Donegal Township taxidermist, has missed the sight of Donegal Lake when looking out his front window the past three-plus years. “I really have missed seeing the water, but it won’t be too long now that it will be back,” Shaffer said, discussing the Pennsylvania Fish and...
Fort Allen teachers, students raise money during Kiss a Goat event
Three Fort Allen Elementary School teachers had the chance to kiss Chuck Norris — the goat. Students and teachers on Jan. 31 raised more than $900 for Relay for Life of Greensburg through their Kiss a Goat for a Cause fundraiser paired with the annual pie-a-teacher in the face event,...
Norwin to launch iPad program for students
Norwin plans to launch a program next school year to give iPads to students, starting in fifth grade and continuing over four years, so that all students from fifth through 12th grades will study on computer tablets that eventually will replace textbooks. The multi-year One to World program giving Apple...
Michael Gray returns as Latrobe city manager following successor’s resignation
The tenure of the mayor’s cousin serving as Latrobe city manager didn’t last beyond the honeymoon. City council this week officially accepted the resignation of John Antinori, who served less than three months after the board unanimously hired him in November. On Monday, council again voted unanimously — this time...
