Got to Category

Westmoreland category, Page 45

Pope Francis, first Latin American pontiff, dies at 88
Jury finds Belle Vernon man guilty in Rostraver road rage killing
A Westmoreland County jury after more than two hours of deliberations Thursday night convicted a Belle Vernon man of third-degree murder for a road rage killing nearly three years ago in Rostraver. Prosecutors contended Anthony Hairston, 29, was guilty of the first-degree murder and the intentional killing of 59-year-old Holly...
Bird’s eye view: Construction underway at $15M Hempfield Municipal Complex
Construction is continuing at the future site of the Hempfield Municipal Complex on Weatherwood Lane. The first phase of the $15 million development includes infrastructure, such as stormwater management and utilities, as well as the creation of pads for planned buildings and a 14-acre park, said township manager Aaron Siko....
Latrobe attorney accused of stealing $31K from female prison inmate
A Latrobe attorney is accused of exploiting an elderly jail inmate from New Kensington to get access to her bank account, stealing $31,300 and then using the money to gamble at a casino, according to court papers. Assistant District Attorney Katie Ranker said attorney John Allen Roth used his position...
5 things to do this weekend in Westmoreland: Nov. 8-10
Take a break from work and errands. It’s a good weekend to relax, take it slow and find time to see a concert or go to a fundraiser. Here are a few ideas for this weekend: Three Dog Night concert The nostalgic tunes of Three Dog Night will rock the...
Murrysville man, former Allegheny County detective, now accused of asking son to lie
A former Allegheny County detective is accused of asking his son to lie about where an alleged crime happened, which resulted in a criminal case against him being dismissed last year, state police said in court papers. Troopers said Raymond Bonacci, 58, of Murrysville, “encouraged and/or demanded” his son to...
Several Westmoreland municipalities issue burn bans in light of dry conditions
At least three Westmoreland municipalities have enacted burn bans in light of dry conditions in the region. Derry Township issued a burn ban Monday, and Mt. Pleasant Township announced a burn ban Tuesday that will remain in effect until further notice. Hempfield issued a burn ban Tuesday that will remain...
Greensburg Hempfield Area Library will take budget hit as Southwest Greensburg repeals tax
Word that the Greensburg Hempfield Area Library is set to lose thousands of dollars in annual revenue was not welcome news for patrons who visited the Greensburg library Wednesday afternoon. The previous day, voters in Southwest Greensburg approved a referendum repealing a 1-mill portion of the borough’s 28-mill property tax...
Vertiports for drones proposed for Arnold Palmer Regional, Johnstown airports
Airport officials in Westmoreland and Cambria counties envision creating a facility for a drone that could deliver cargo, fly passengers or transport a patient to a hospital in an electric-powered aircraft that can take off and land vertically, just like a helicopter. “The possibilities are endless. We have all the...
‘Overjoyed’ or ‘disgusted’? Western Pa. voters weigh in on Trump presidential victory
Philip Manns stayed up until 2 a.m. watching the election returns on TV on Tuesday, pleasantly surprised by now President-elect Donald Trump’s performance Election Day. “I was watching all night, and I was just surprised he was doing so well,” said Manns, 81, of Hempfield. “I think the pollsters all...
Passengers describe events surrounding 2022 New Year’s shooting in Rostraver
A group of four people heading to a Rostraver bar to continue ringing in 2022 was irritated to come upon a red SUV traveling slowly on Rostraver Road, Shaquala Poole testified in Westmoreland County court Wednesday. Her boyfriend at the time — Anthony Hairston — was behind the wheel of...
Westmoreland County set to review, count provisional ballots
Westmoreland County on Friday will begin counting an estimated 1,200 provisional ballots cast at the polls on Election Day. County officials said it appears nearly 83% of Westmoreland’s more than 255,000 register voters cast ballots during the November presidential election. According to unofficial totals, more than 211,000 ballots were cast....
‘We need to hear their stories’: Seton Hill to host Holocaust education conference for K-12 teachers
Seton Hill will host a conference next week to support local educators teaching the Holocaust. Scheduled for Sunday through Wednesday, the conference will focus on telling the stories of individuals involved in the Holocaust, said James Paharik — director of the university’s National Catholic Center of Holocaust Education. The center...
Westmoreland happenings: Turkey dinner, book sale, omelet breakfast
Art • The Loyalhannon Spinners Guild will host a free display of some of its finished works and the raw fleece and tools used to get wool ready for spinning through Nov. 14 during regular operating hours at the Greensburg Hempfield Area Library, 237 S. Pennsylvania Ave., Greensburg. Membership in...
Incumbent Jill Cooper retains seat in Westmoreland state House race
With 100% of precincts reporting, incumbent Republican Jill Cooper will retain her seat in the state House. With more than 38,000 votes cast, Cooper beat out Democratic challenger Davon Magwood, 67% to 32%, in the 55th District race in northern Westmoreland County. “I’m grateful for the trust that people have...
Incumbent Leslie Rossi retains seat in Westmoreland state House race
Garnering nearly 70% of the vote, Republican state Rep. Leslie Rossi will keep her seat representing Pennsylvania’s 59th District, according to unofficial election results. With all of the district’s precincts reporting, Rossi, a Unity Republican who has served in the state House since May 2021, collected 69.68% of the votes...
Reschenthaler heads to landslide win to retain U.S. House seat
Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler is expected to win a fourth term in Congress as vote totals continued to be tallied Tuesday night. According to unofficial results from the district’s five counties, as of 10 p.m., Reschenthaler had received 64% of the vote with Democratic challenger Chris Dziados receiving...
Westmoreland mail-in vote numbers down from 2020
There were fewer people voting by mail this year in Westmoreland County, compared to the last presidential election. Westmoreland elections bureau Director Greg McCloskey said more than 55,100 mail-in packets were received from voters as of 8 p.m. Tuesday. There were about 59,500 mail-ins in 2020. Still, McCloskey said, because...
Prosecutors say Rostraver woman was ‘killed because she was driving too slow’ as trial opens
Holly Vadella insisted on going to her Rostraver home after ringing in 2022 with her mother. The pair spent New Year’s Eve together, along with their dogs, at Dolores Coulson’s Fayette County home. Coulson testified in Westmoreland County court Tuesday she repeatedly asked her daughter to spend the night instead...
Greensburg property owners might see 3.3% tax hike in 2025
Property owners in Greensburg might see a 3.3% real estate tax increase next year. City council is set for an initial vote next week on a proposed $13 million budget that carries a 0.9-mill property tax increase. Councilman Randy Finfrock said the increase would amount to $20 more annually for...
Taxes would jump 11.4% under proposed Mt. Pleasant budget
Mt. Pleasant council is proposing an 11.4% property tax hike but still will need to draw money from the borough’s reserve fund to help support a tentative 2025 budget of about $1.5 million. With the 2 mill hike, to 19.5 mills, the borough would plan to draw almost $9,500 from...
Toys for Tots railcars November tour adds a stop in South Greensburg
A new stop has been added for this year’s caravan of railcars that collect donations for Toys for Tots around Westmoreland County. Organizer John Gonder said the railcars will take a spur on the Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad line to stop near Huff Avenue in South Greensburg about 12:45 p.m. “It’s...
Controversial Mt. Pleasant Halloween parade entry not a hate crime, officials say
An entry in Mt. Pleasant’s annual Halloween parade that disturbed many people with an apparent depiction of Democratic Vice President and presidential candidate Kamala Harris handcuffed and tethered to a golf cart did not rise to the legal definition of a hate crime, according to borough officials. Borough Solicitor Leslie...
Charleroi Pyrex plant closing temporarily blocked
A federal judge has temporarily blocked the closing of the Pyrex-making glassware plant in Charleroi, which the company intends to shutter in February, according to the state Attorney General’s Office. If it goes through, operations would move to Ohio and eliminate some 270 jobs in the Mon Valley. Centre Lane...
Irwin man pleads guilty but mentally ill to killing girlfriend at Monroeville hotel
An Irwin man pleaded guilty but mentally ill on Monday for killing his girlfriend at a Monroeville hotel nearly three years ago. Matthew Gribschaw, 40, will be sentenced on one count of third-degree murder by Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Susan Evashavik DiLucente on Jan. 30. Police say Gribschaw killed...
Consent order updates eliminate 4M gallons of water flow during Franklin rainstorms
Just under three years ago, the Franklin Township Municipal Sanitary Authority delivered a model to state environmental officials mapping out the flow of sewage through its 330-mile system. It was among the mandatory goals in a 2019 consent order entered into by FTMSA as well as its client communities, with...


Editor's Picks

Front Porch Theatricals’ musical ‘Baby’ is a labor of love

Washington townhouse on the market for $1,225,000
Folk legend Bruce Cockburn gives uplifting performance at City Winery
‘Champagne & Chapeaux’: Westmoreland Symphony’s annual soiree for a good cause
Jimmy Stewart’s P-51 Mustang stops in hometown for museum anniversary
More Editor's Picks >