Renatta Signorini stories, Page 20
Lack of road salt deliveries prompts Jeannette mayor to declare emergency
Time is ticking for Jeannette officials to secure road salt, and Mayor Curtis Antoniak declared a public health emergency as the city’s supply dwindles. City manager Ethan Keedy said Tuesday he was checking with other suppliers after five salt orders this month totaling 500 tons have gone unfilled by Compass...
Greensburg man charged after dog’s severe infection noticed at bar
A Greensburg man was jailed over the weekend and his dog seized after police said it had a severe infection related to an improper tail docking procedure, according to court papers. The dog’s injuries were reported to authorities while Bryan J. Thompson, 56, was at Harry’s Bar Friday with the...
Snow means flurry of work for road crews across Western Pennsylvania
Many, if not all, municipal road crews around the area might agree with Plum public works director Bill Binnie: “It’s like Groundhog Day.” And it’s true — snowflakes flew on a daily basis for the first 16 days of January, said Timothy Cermak, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in...
Morning Roundup: Police charge 2 teens in knifepoint robberies; vehicle hits, injures woman carrying child
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, Jan. 17: Police charge 2 teens in knifepoint robberies Two 15-year-old boys have been arrested in connection with two knifepoint robberies earlier this week at businesses on Pittsburgh’s South Side. Anthony Bennett of Pittsburgh and Adrian Butera of...
Former CEO of Mutual Aid EMS said resignation was related ‘directly to issues within the workplace’
Gene Komondor said in a statement released Thursday that he resigned as CEO from Mutual Aid EMS for workplace-related issues, not personal reasons as asserted in a news release distributed by the ambulance agency this week. “While my decision to resign was, in fact, highly personal, I did not resign...
Work underway for development of former Monsour Medical Center site in Jeannette
More details are expected to be released publicly in the coming months related to a long-awaited proposed development at the former Monsour Medical Center property in Jeannette. Mayor Curtis Antoniak hinted at the potential movement during a council meeting last week. “This is a big one. Don Tarosky Jr. has...
New Alexandria man files suit against state police related to 2023 arrest
Two versions of the same incident have emerged in court papers filed by state police and a man they arrested in Unity two years ago. In a lawsuit filed in federal court in Pittsburgh this month, Denton Krapf, 48, of New Alexandria claims that three state troopers used excessive force...
Snow in the forecast for Western Pa.
The National Weather Service Pittsburgh released this forecast Thursday morning: The area is under a winter weather advisory until 4 a.m. Friday. Widespread accumulating snow is predicted to start Thursday morning and will continue all day, impacting both the morning and afternoon rush hours. Accumulation in the lower elevations will...
Penguins presence still felt as Jaromir Jagr plays last season in Czech Republic
A few Jaromir Jagr Penguins jerseys were in the crowd during a December game of the Kladno Knights, the team he owns and still plays for, in the Czech Republic, according to an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer. The news outlet sent a reporter to Europe last month to watch...
Morning Roundup: Police say woman attacked 2 people with a snow shovel in South Side Slopes
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, Jan. 15: Police: Woman attacked 2 with snow shovel in South Side Slopes A Pittsburgh woman is being held without bail after city police said she attacked two people with a snow shovel at home in the South...
Jeannette man accused in hatchet attack now faces rape charges
A Jeannette man accused of attacking another man with a hatchet last year is now facing rape allegations. Additional charges were filed last week against Kyle Joseph Bair, 32. State police said their investigation into rape accusations started in February after a man reported Bair raped him while he was...
Stretch of snowy, cold weather pulls cross country ski lovers onto Laurel Highlands trails
Jean Thompson learned one thing Friday — don’t lean back. That tip made the Fairchance woman’s first time cross-country skiing alongside her friend, Kristin Dunham, a fun experience. Despite the cold air atop Laurel Ridge at the border of Fayette and Somerset counties, both women had smiles on their faces...
Mom, son sue Greensburg Salem district, claiming discrimination and mistreatment
A mother and her son filed a federal lawsuit Monday against Greensburg Salem School District, claiming officials there discriminated against the boy when he was mistreated in an elementary school special education classroom. The mother said in the suit that she repeatedly told officials at Robert. F. Nicely Elementary School...
Morning Roundup: Pair of South Side robberies under review; Pittsburgh activates 6 warming centers
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Tuesday, Jan. 14: Pair of South Side robberies under review Pittsburgh police are reviewing surveillance video related to two robberies at South Side businesses. Two males dressed in black hooded sweatshirts and masks threatened employees at the BP gas...
Coroner identifies man killed in Route 993 crash in Manor
An Irwin man was killed Monday morning on Route 993 in Manor when a passing dump truck hauling a trailer rolled over onto his car, the Westmoreland County Coroner said. Vincent B. Neal, 86, was driving a Hyundai Kona northwest on the road when the collision with the southeast-bound truck...
Morning Roundup: Route 28 crash causes backup in O’Hara; burglary at Bethel Park gun shop
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Monday, Jan. 13: Crash on Route 28 causes backups in O’Hara A crash along Route 28 southbound Monday morning caused traffic backups for several hours, according to 511 Pennsylvania. The crash was reported around 6:30 a.m. in the area...
Man killed in mining incident in Somerset County
A Windber man was killed Friday afternoon in a Somerset County mining incident, according to Pennsylvania State Police. Joshua Mock, 34, was operating a piece of underground machinery when he suffered fatal injuries, police said. He was working in Acosta Deep Mine in Jenner Township. That mine is operated by...
Climate change will continue with warmer, wetter conditions predicted
Jim Bonner used to associate mockingbirds with the southern part of the United States. His backyard is home to one, it’s indicative of how weather changes have impacted the avian species, and likely will continue for other types of birds. “I see more mockingbirds now that I ever did 20...
Program to send text message alerts to residents starting in Jeannette
Municipal information will soon be texted to interested Jeannette residents. Council unanimously approved a one-year contract with Simple Texting for about $590. “This is going to be used anytime there’s a change in garbage (collection) or important information,” said city manager Ethan Keedy. “Residents can sign up to receive text...
Vintage Harley-Davidson motorcycle restored for Greensburg police
A 1959 Harley-Davidson Servi-Car that has been stowed away by Greensburg police for decades is close to hitting the road again. The relic, once covered by a blue tarp in a storage garage, has been painstakingly restored over several months and is awaiting decal lettering as a final touch to...
Mother, daughter accused of stealing $4.4M from Greensburg Beverage CEO’s estate
A mother and daughter were arrested Thursday on police accusations they stole a relative’s $4.4 million inheritance from the estate of the CEO of Greensburg Beverage, according to court papers. Angela Lynne Valesky, 26, of Murrysville, and her mother, Lisa Anne Skatell-Valesky, 51, of Jeannette, are charged with theft and...
Former Derry Area Aqua Club president accused of stealing $24K from organization
The former president of the Derry Area Aqua Club was jailed Wednesday on police accusations that she used money from the organization to pay for gambling and sports betting, according to court papers. Josie Faye Ruffner, 35, of Latrobe, is charged by Westmoreland County detectives with dealing in proceeds of...
Attorney for Jeannette officer seeks probationary program in case of false traffic stop reports
The attorney representing a Jeannette police officer accused of falsifying reports related to traffic stops said he hopes to get his client into a probationary program. Matthew S. Painter, 40, of Penn Township, waived his right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday on 18 misdemeanor counts. There was no agreement struck...
‘I want our employees to feel safe’ Jeannette mayor says as city eyes updated panic buttons
Jeannette Mayor Curtis Antoniak on Tuesday called for panic alarms to be installed at city hall after an unnerving situation was reported last week by the administrative assistant. “We need to protect these workers,” Antoniak said. Andrea M. Beneke said a person came into her office at city hall last...
Florida man accused in theft of $156K check from Mt. Pleasant Township company
A missing $156,000 check written by a Mt. Pleasant Township manufacturer led state police to a Florida man who is accused of intercepting it and taking it for himself. Potensky Jean-Pierre, 26, was jailed over the weekend on charges including theft, forgery, corrupt organizations and dealing in proceeds from an...
