Westmoreland category, Page 14
Mt. Pleasant man pleads guilty to torture of girlfriend’s dog
A Mt. Pleasant Township man is facing a 4-year prison sentence for the torture of a dog owned by his now former girlfriend. Zachary Robert Hixson, 30, pleaded guilty Monday to two felony counts including aggravated cruelty to animals, neglect of an animal and animal cruelty in connection with allegations...
Woman in stable condition after crashing vehicle off Penn Township road
A woman who crashed her vehicle over a hillside along Paintertown Road in Penn Township Monday morning is in stable condition, according to Ed Grant, Penn Township Ambulance operations director. The vehicle went over a steep embankment, rear end first, shortly after 10:45 a.m., traveling about 30 feet down from...
Murrysville and Export assess damage from weekend storm, flooding
Friday’s downpour generated so much stormwater that it destroyed a culvert built by Murrysville public works crews along Lyons Run. “Forty-eight tons of R-7’s and asphalt are now somewhere else,” Murrysville Public Works Director Bill Paiano said in a memo to town officials in his initial assessment of the damage...
At UPMC’s Stroke Camp, survivors build their skills and strut their stuff
After getting a little help with his footing, Jay Perino used his legs to push his body up the rock wall, reaching for the closest handhold. For someone with limited mobility on the left side of his body as a result of a stroke, it was no easy feat. Must...
Former Greensburg Diocese Bishop Lawrence E. Brandt dies
Bishop Emeritus Lawrence Eugene Brandt, bishop of the Diocese of Greensburg from 2004 to 2015, died Sunday morning. He was 86. Church officials credit Brandt, the Greensburg Diocese’s fourth bishop, for leading the diocese through a series of changes, including improving finances and addressing the declining number of Catholics. “It...
Westmoreland happenings: Frontier Family Days, safe driving class, art exhibit, more
Art • Greensburg Art Center and Greensburg Hempfield Area Library will sponsor an exhibit, “The Figure Drawing Artists of Greensburg,” through July 29 at the library, 237 S. Pennsylvania Ave., Greensburg. Church News • Community United Presbyterian Church, 1640 Keystone Park Road, New Alexandria, has begun to observe a summer...
Greensburg seeks bubble gum lovers for shot at world record
Hundreds of bubble gum blowers are needed in Greensburg in an effort to break a world record. The Greensburg Business & Professional Association is hoping to get at least 1,200 people to converge Saturday on downtown in an attempt to top the record for the most people blowing a chewing...
Route 217 bridge rehab will trigger detour in Derry Township
A section of Route 217 in Derry Township will be closed to traffic beginning Monday while work is underway to rehabilitate a bridge that carries the road over McGee Run. The closure, between Ankney Road and Hillside Road/Old Route 217, is expected to continue through July 3, depending on weather....
Classic characters, bubbly beverages and pampered pups: 3 new businesses come to Greensburg area
Jess Kunkle is on a twofold mission: to pursue her lifelong career aspiration and help revitalize the business scene in Greensburg, the town she has called home for nearly a decade. “I wanted to help put a business back into downtown Greensburg,” Kunkle said, “because downtown Greensburg has been kind...
Newborns, high school grads, elderly rescued from floods by Westmoreland County swift-water teams
The emergency response to flooding in the Murrysville area Friday night threw everything and the kitchen sink to swift-water rescue teams. The 95 evacuations in the roughly 300-yard space between Ginny’s Neighborhood Pizza Joint and Penn Vista Apartment complex included: a weeks-old baby, half a dozen Franklin Regional High School...
Mister Rogers Family Days features week of events in and around Latrobe
Mister Rogers Family Days featured a series of events held each day last week in downtown Latrobe. On June 2 an open house at the Fred Rogers Institute in Unity and Greater Latrobe High School featured Fred Rogers themed exhibits Daily activities included a farmer’s market, night market, children’s book...
Scottdale man celebrates 200,000 miles of bicycle riding
Lorne Peachey of Scottdale has ridden across the United States and on almost every rail-to-trail path imaginable on his way to 200,000 miles on a bicycle. Peachey, 86, celebrated his achievement with about 150 family, friends and bicycling acquaintances Saturday afternoon at the West Overton Village events barn near Scottdale....
Residents, businesses in Murrysville-Export area clean up from Friday’s deluge
Kim Zannikos has seen flooding before at her Murrysville town house, but nothing like what she saw Friday. It was so bad that her SUV, parked at the far end of the property, away from Old William Penn Highway, and with Turtle Creek on the other side, was not spared....
SummerSounds opens season with The Seven Wonders
The Seven Wonders, a Fleetwood Mac tribute band, opened the SummerSounds concert series in Greensburg’s St. Clair Park. The concert series amassed a combined attendance of 28,500 people and drew more than $1 million in economic impact to Greensburg last season, co-founder Gene James said. SummerSounds has focused on best...
Flooding hammers Murrysville, areas near Turtle Creek; 95 people evacuated by first responders
Tim Wagner’s family was getting ready to watch him graduate from Franklin Regional Senior High School on Friday night when stormwater began rushing into their Murrysville basement. “We’ve never seen it like this before,” Bonnie Rockette-Wagner said. Thunderstorms roared through the region late Friday afternoon, and flash flooding hammered northern...
Former Franklin Regional, North Allegheny basketball coach was ‘dedicated to excellence’
Robert Greenleaf’s slogan with his Franklin Regional basketball team was “Dedicated to Excellence.” And the longtime educator and basketball aficionado lived the motto in all aspects of his life, friends and family said. “He was well-known and well-loved,” said Bob Bozzuto, who worked with Greenleaf in both the Franklin Regional...
Marbles engaged to settle tie votes from Westmoreland primary
In years past, ties between Westmoreland County election candidates were broken by drawing marbles from an old Dr Pepper soda bottle covered in tape. On Friday, election officials upgraded their system somewhat and drew marbles from a reusable water bottle to determine the winners of three ties in the May...
Clairton man found guilty of attempted murder in 2023 police chase, shooting
Throughout his trial, Bruce Alvarado has watched a large television screen in the courtroom as prosecutors played police body camera footage showing the chaos of a chase that ended in Allegheny Township with a police officer being shot twice. On Friday, the Clairton man stood and watched as jurors convicted...
Westmoreland court sets deadline to apply for Ligonier Valley School Board appointment
Eligible residents of Ligonier Valley School District have until June 25 to apply to Westmoreland County Court to be considered for appointment to a vacant seat on the school board. The court set that deadline for receiving resumes and letters of recommendation from those who are interested in filling a...
Here are 5 things to do in Westmoreland this weekend: June 6-8
Summer is finally in the air. Are you ready to get outside and rock? Or run? Or shop? Here are some events in Westmoreland that will help you celebrate the nice weather. The return of SummerSounds The SummerSounds free concert series is back for another season starting this week. Every...
Irwin theater company reprises shows from founding years in 10th season
Rob Jessup is taking a step back in time, reprising his role as director for the first show Split Stage Productions performed in its inaugural season 11 years ago. Split Stage Productions spawned out of a conversation between Jessup and his friend Nate Newell about the lack of risqué or...
Ex-girlfriend testifies accused police shooter stole her Jeep, handgun
Tiffany Haten of Monroeville had been trying for weeks in October and November 2023 to get her Jeep Patriot back from her ex-boyfriend. She was unsuccessful through text messages and phone calls to Bruce Alvarado, 40, to get him to return the vehicle or a new handgun she bought. “I...
Write-in candidates will play a role in Delmont, Murrysville council elections
Write-in votes will play a role in the 2025 general election for members of Murrysville and Delmont councils. In Murrysville, incumbent Republican Jamie Lingg did not receive enough votes on the GOP ballot, but, according to unofficial results from the county election bureau, she received 54 Democratic write-in votes. That...
Separate charges dropped in Washington County for man accused in Rostraver killing
A man accused of killing a Rostraver woman is no longer facing charges in an unrelated Washington County case, according to court records. Burglary, robbery and related charges against Dorian Jeri-Greene, 39, were dismissed Wednesday during his preliminary hearing in Washington County district court, according to court records. A woman...
Westmoreland happenings: Blessing of animals, collectibles market, class reunion, more
Church News • First Presbyterian Church of Belle Vernon, 501 Fayette Ave., will have a blessing of the animals service at 10 a.m. June 7 at the church. All pets are welcome. Donations of cash, pet food and pet supplies will be collected for Mon Valley Paws. Details: 724-929-7616. Fundraisers...
