Renatta Signorini stories, Page 152
Father of accused New Kensington cop killer charged with threatening a witness
The estranged father of a man accused of killing New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw in 2017 was arrested Thursday and accused of sending messages to a witness in his son’s case, authorities said. Gregory Baucum, 48, is accused by police of contacting the witness Jan. 8 through Facebook. “So...
Police: Philadelphia man hid 20K stamp bags of heroin in SUV on Pa. Turnpike
State police found 20,000 stamp bags of suspected heroin Wednesday hidden in a sport utility vehicle heading east on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, according to court papers. Troopers pulled over Cristobal Rosa-Robles, 48, of Philadelphia, for a traffic violation at 1:30 p.m. near mile marker 78 in Mt. Pleasant Township. Police...
Westbound Pa. Turnpike reopens in Westmoreland after crash cleared
A portion of the westbound Pennsylvania Turnpike in Westmoreland County reopened Thursday morning after a tractor-trailer crash was cleared, according to a Westmoreland 911 dispatcher. The truck reportedly overturned at 8:43 a.m. near mile marker 86 in Mt. Pleasant Township, shutting down the westbound lanes between the Donegal and New...
Banana Split Princess to be selected during pageant prior to Latrobe festival
A pageant will now be part of becoming the Banana Split Princess, who will reign over Latrobe’s annual Banana Split Celebration. The pageant on June 2 at Latrobe Elementary School is open to any Derry, Latrobe or Ligonier student between ages 9 and 11, according to the Greater Latrobe-Laurel Valley...
Chase the Wolf 5K set for June 1 at WCCC
Registration is open for the Chase the Wolf 5K race at Westmoreland County Community College on June 1. Proceeds benefit the Council on Undergraduate Research, which has helped students with travel expenses to a national conference where they represent the community college. The race is a run or walk with...
Annual TakeOff Race honors fallen Trooper Iwaniec at Saint Vincent College
The 10th annual TakeOff Race in memory of Trooper Kenton Iwaniec will be held April 13. The charity race raises money for a nonprofit foundation Debby and Ken Iwaniec, of Cook Township, created after their 24-year-old son died after an impaired driver hit his vehicle in Chester County. There are...
Jeannette microbrewery seeking volunteers for cleanup day
A lot of junk inside an old building in Jeannette needs to be cleared out before craft beer can be served there. Sobel’s Obscure Brewery is hoping for some volunteer help this weekend. The craft beer community “likes being involved in the start-up in breweries,” said owner Jackie Sobel. But...
Westmoreland, Pa. watch ‘historic’ $270M settlement in Oklahoma opioid lawsuit
The potential impact of a $270 million settlement announced Tuesday between a drug manufacturer and the state of Oklahoma remains to be seen when it comes to dozens of similar lawsuits filed in Pennsylvania, including one by Westmoreland County officials in 2017. But experts said it could be a model...
Free Smiley Cookie for fans wearing Pirates gear for home opener
Regardless of the outcome of Monday’s Pirates home opener, fans can get a sweet treat at Eat’n Park restaurants. Any fan who wears Buccos gear to a restaurant that day will get a free Smiley Cookie, the restaurant chain said. The promotion lasts all day at any of Eat’n Park’s...
$8 million loan awarded to replace roof of East Huntingdon business park
The roof of an East Huntingdon business park will be replaced through an $8 million low-interest loan. The roof is leaking in several places of the 2-million-square-foot site that previously housed the Sony plant, according to state Rep. Justin Walsh. The building is being repurposed by RIDC Westmoreland to house...
Laundry Love to open Westmoreland location in Irwin
Cleaning clothes can be a lonely chore at a coin laundry service. It can also be an expense area families have a tough time fitting into their budget. A Harrison City woman wants to lighten the load while sharing some love along the way. “People that have clean clothes, they...
Sen. Kim Ward posts online survey regarding Sunday hunting, legalizing pot
State Sen. Kim Ward, R-Hempfield, wants to know what Westmoreland County residents think about Sunday hunting and the legalization of recreational marijuana. She is starting a new feature on her website that poses survey questions about issues being considered by legislators. “I’m going to start doing this on a regular...
Police: Woman attacked child, driver of vehicle on Route 30 in Hempfield
A Mt. Oliver woman was arrested Saturday after state police said she slapped a 6-year-old boy repeatedly in a moving vehicle and attacked the driver. Troopers found an open can of malt beverage Four Loko in the backseat where Christina Dawn Hall, 38, was sitting, according to court papers. Hall...
Woodland Hills community grieves over Rosfeld verdict, looks to unite
Woodland Hills High School students will discuss this week how they want to honor and remember their 17-year-old classmate, Antwon Rose II, who was shot and killed by a police officer in June. For now, the community is coping with the fallout from a four-day trial after ex-East Pittsburgh police...
Mother of crash victim testifies at suspect’s sentencing hearing: ‘I don’t want to be me’
Shannon Lakenan-Rowland can remember her mother holding her younger brother Joshua Jordan when he was a baby. On Thursday, Lisa Lakenan carried an urn containing his remains into a Westmoreland County courtroom. She placed it on the wooden ledge of the witness stand. “I would never wish anybody to be...
4 Jeannette streets to be paved in $157K project
Four Jeannette streets will be reconstructed in this year’s paving project. Council awarded the $157,000 contract to Tresco Paving of Plum. City clerk Michelle Langdon said the following streets will be part of the project: • Charles Street, from Division Street to Clark Avenue. • Highland Avenue, from Charles to...
2 accused in Jeannette shooting arrested, taken to jail
Two people accused of involvement in a shooting that injured a Jeannette woman last week surrendered to police Wednesday, said Chief Shannon Binda. Elijah T. Miles, 22, and DeJanette Ivy Crosby, 23, both of Mt. Pleasant, were taken to the Westmoreland County Prison. Police had been looking for the pair...
Jeannette police cars to have ‘In God We Trust’ decals
Jeannette police cars soon will be adorned with new decals that read “In God We Trust.” City council unanimously approved the measure. Fejes Signs in Jeannette is working on a design. “It is our country’s motto,” said Mayor Curtis Antoniak. “I’m very proud of our country.” Antoniak came up with...
North Side man set for April sentencing in drug overdose death
A North Side man pleaded no contest this week to a drug delivery resulting in death charge in connection with a fatal overdose two years ago. Darnell Stephens, 23, is set for sentencing April 26. The case was the first in which Pittsburgh police charged an alleged dealer in connection...
4 DUI arrests on St. Patrick’s Day weekend reported by Laurel Highlands task force
Members of the Laurel Highlands DUI Task Force made four driving under the influence arrests during St. Patrick’s Day weekend, according to a post on Latrobe Police Department’s Facebook page. The task force did roving patrols from Friday to Sunday and stopped 92 vehicles. They issued five citations for underage...
Sheriff’s deputies seize $1,700, heroin while serving arrest warrant
A New Derry woman is facing drug charges after Westmoreland County sheriff’s deputies seized $1,750 and heroin from her Monday, according to court papers. Deputies were picking up Rachel Carol Johns, 37, at a Unity home on an arrest warrant when they noticed a needle and other drug paraphernalia in...
Attempted homicide, related charges filed in Jeannette shooting
Jeannette police filed criminal charges Tuesday against two people accused of involvement in a shooting last week that injured a woman. Arrest warrants were issued for Elijah T. Miles, 22, and DeJanette Ivy Crosby, 23. Police Chief Shannon Binda said Tuesday the female victim was recovering from a leg wound....
Police: Man faked credentials for security firm, didn’t pay Greensburg man
Pennsylvania State Police say a New Jersey man who claimed to operate an area security firm had fraudulent credentials and was using a state certification number that belongs to someone else. Kenneth L. Wilson, 48, was charged in Greensburg with theft and tampering with public records. A warrant has been...
Pa. National Guard members deploying to Poland
About 500 members of the Pennsylvania National Guard are preparing to deploy to Poland this spring, according to the state department of military and veteran affairs. Those members assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment will be mobilized there as part of NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence mission, according...
Derry Township constable ordered to stand trial on theft, extortion accusations
The situation seemed to make sense at first for a Hempfield man who gave a Derry Township constable $2,000 last year for a purported shooting competition. Matthew Sellers signed up for what he thought was a couple sponsorships and gave Brian McDowell, 35, some extra cash to fix a scope...
