Renatta Signorini stories, Page 133
Fire damages home in Jeannette
Firefighters were called Sunday afternoon to a blaze at a building in Jeannette, according to a Westmoreland 911 dispatcher. The fire was reported at 4:28 p.m. on the second floor of a home along South 12th Street. No injuries were reported....
Truck flips on railroad tracks in South Huntingdon, 2 people inside
A truck apparently flipped over on a set of CSX railroad tracks on Sunday afternoon in South Huntingdon Township, according to a Westmoreland 911 dispatcher. The incident was reported at 4:35 p.m. along Sutersville Road. Rail traffic was being affected in that area. Two people who were inside the truck...
Police: Man steals cash register in Pittsburgh robbery
A man took a cash register from a market during a robbery Saturday night, according to Pittsburgh police. Officers were called to the Brighton Road store around 8:15 p.m. in the city’s Brighton Heights neighborhood. Police said the suspect went inside the store, grabbed the cash register and fled on...
Wind advisory expires for part of region, unseasonably warm temperatures to remain
A wind advisory expired Sunday morning, but the area will continue to see unseasonably high temperatures throughout the week, according to the National Weather Service in Moon Township. The highest wind gust was reported at Butler County Airport with 56 mph, according to the weather service. Meteorologist Jenna Lake said...
1 hurt in West End Circle crash
A man was hurt Saturday when the vehicle he was driving crashed into a wall in the West End Circle, according to Pittsburgh police. The man was taken by ambulance to Allegheny General Hospital in critical condition. Police said the one-vehicle crash was reported on Steuben Street around 12:30 p.m....
Orthodox Christians enjoy balmy weather for lakeside blessing serviceVideo
They didn’t need winter coats this year. Instead, parishioners at St. Michael’s Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church in South Greensburg on Saturday wore light jackets and had gloveless hands as they tossed ice crosses into the upper lake at Twin Lakes Park. “This is a treat for me,” said Jim Laffin,...
1 killed in Route 51 crash
A Charleroi man died following a two-vehicle crash Saturday that shut down part of Route 51 in Baldwin, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner. Reyon Harris, 21, was pronounced dead at UPMC Mercy Hospital at 2:30 p.m. The head-on crash was reported at 5:12 a.m. on the highway just...
Police investigating South Greensburg residential burglary
South Greensburg police are investigating a burglary at a home on Tuesday. Investigators said someone broke the glass on a door to get inside a home in the 1600 block of Pine Street sometime between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m. No one was home at the time. An undetermined amount...
Police: Uniontown man accused in baby’s death charged with injuring another child
A Uniontown man accused in the 2019 death of an East Huntingdon baby was charged Tuesday in connection with injuries to his 14-month-old son, according to court papers. Derrick A. Bass, 29, was watching the boy in Monessen in October 2018 when police said the child was hurt. Bass is...
Latrobe man hurt in vehicle-pedestrian crash
A Latrobe man was hospitalized Sunday after police said he was hit by a vehicle. Steven Fleischer, 62, was hurt at the intersection of Main Street and Truman Avenue just after 6 p.m., said Beth Straka, community service officer. He was taken to Excela Health Latrobe Hospital and transported by...
Police: 4 hurt when Jeannette man hits them with pickup while drunk
Four people were hospitalized after state police said a Jeannette man hit them with a pickup truck early Saturday. Dominic Giovanni Bellone, 20, was drunk when he hit two men and two women in Derry Township and fled, according to court papers. He is being held at the Westmoreland County...
Jeannette hikes property taxes by almost 6%
Jeannette property taxes are increasing by almost 6% this year. After approving a $5.5 million preliminary budget in late November that carried no property tax increase, council approved a final 2020 spending plan this week that raises the tax rate by 2 mills, an increase of 5.9%. City officials expect...
New Derry man accused in Latrobe police chase
A New Derry man was arrested Thursday after Latrobe police said he fled a traffic stop and crashed into a boulder. Nicholas E. Armitage, 19, is charged with fleeing from police and reckless endangerment along with 19 summary traffic violations. An officer attempted to pull over a Toyota Scion at...
Police: Suspect claimed to be Westmoreland sheriff’s deputy in $7K scam
A man claiming to be a Westmoreland County sheriff’s deputy scammed a New Alexandria woman out of $7,000, according to state police. The suspect told the woman in November that she could get out of a warrant for her arrest if she bought Reloadit prepaid cards. The man falsely represented...
Overdose deaths in Westmoreland, Allegheny counties on course to drop againVideo
Drug overdose deaths in Westmoreland County appear to have dropped for the second year in a row. Through Dec. 1, 90 people died from drug overdoses in the county and 14 more cases are being investigated as overdose deaths, according to coroner statistics. Coroner Ken Bacha said he expects eight...
Penn woman sentenced to state prison in baseball bat assault
A Penn woman was sentenced Monday to one to two years in a state prison for beating a woman with a baseball bat at a Jeannette housing complex. Heather L. Kunkle, 32, was ordered to serve a year of probation after the prison term. She pleaded guilty Monday to charges...
1 killed, 1 injured in Fayette County crash
One person was killed in a two-vehicle crash in Fayette County early Monday, state police said. Raekwon Stevenson, 24, of Charleroi, was speeding on Thornton Road at 2:22 a.m. in Luzerne Township when he crossed the center line and hit another vehicle head-on, troopers said. He was pronounced dead at...
‘Kill for Thrill’ murderer remains on death row 40 years after Western Pa. killing spree
Jim Clawson hopes that one day he will watch the last breaths of the man who killed his friend and fellow police officer 40 years ago. Clawson has been waiting for decades to be summoned as a witness to John Lesko’s final day. He wants to be seated behind a...
Latrobe man could serve up to 20 years for child sex assaults
A Latrobe man was sentenced Friday to 5 1/2 to 20 years in state prison in three sex assault cases involving children. Johnathan Rosario, 27, was ordered to spend seven years on probation following the prison term. He entered a general guilty plea in October to all charges, including rape...
Hempfield Area band headed to London for New Year’s Day parade to be broadcast live
All those Hempfield Area band hoagie sales are finally paying off. High school band members leave Saturday for London to perform in its 2020 New Year’s Day parade after months of practices and intensive fundraising efforts. More than 150,000 hoagies were sold to raise money for the $640,000 trip, said...
Johnstown man accused of hunting under the influence in Laurel Ridge State Park
A Johnstown man is accused by state game wardens of being under the influence of marijuana while he was hunting on Laurel Ridge State Park property this month, according to court papers. David R. Bruner, 53, set out a mineral lick on Dec. 3 in St. Clair Township, wardens said....
North Huntingdon woman accused of obstruction in case against husband
A North Huntingdon woman is accused by Westmoreland County detectives of obstructing the prosecution of child rape allegations against her husband, according to court papers. Kelley Jo Wilbanks, 40, was charged Friday with hindering prosecution, child endangerment and obstructing law enforcement. John M. Wilbanks, 38, was arrested Oct. 29 by...
Christmas tree recycling sites opening soon in Westmoreland
Live Christmas trees can be recycled starting Thursday at several locations around Westmoreland County. Trees that are recycled will be chipped into mulch and spread at community parks, rather than taking up space at a landfill if they are thrown out with the trash, according to Westmoreland Cleanways. One tree...
Police: North Versailles man hid drugs in mouth, buttocks
When police arrested a North Versailles man in Manor on Thursday after an apparent drug deal, they found the suspect had drugs hidden in his mouth and clenched between his buttocks, according to court papers. Damian Igles, 22, is charged with drug offenses, criminal use of a communication facility and...
Jeannette charity looks for miracle to keep St. Vincent de Paul thrift store running
Volunteers at the St. Vincent de Paul store in Jeannette are hoping for a Christmas miracle. The thrift store is being forced to close after the three-story Clay Avenue building where it is housed is being sold. Volunteers said the prospective owner, who they didn’t identify, has other plans for...

