Renatta Signorini stories, Page 45
Vacant home, site of fire, a longtime nuisance for East Huntingdon neighbors
For two years, squatters in an abandoned home just outside Scottdale have been a nuisance to neighbors. Wednesday morning, the home along Mt. Pleasant Road in East Huntingdon caught fire. “The fire was a blessing. It’s just too bad it didn’t burn more,” one of the neighbors said. “I hope...
Jeannette projects $75K more in wage tax collections in 2024 budget
Jeannette plans to hold the line on its property tax rate for 2024. City manager Ethan Keedy said the $6.15 million budget is balanced without a tax increase. Council was expected to tentatively approve the spending plan Thursday in advance of a final OK next month. Work on the budget...
Unity mother reflects on ‘the worst 4 months of my life’ as probe into daughter’s killing stalls
Bruna Vesco Leonard had a few video chats with her 25-year-old daughter on the evening of June 9. Brianna Lartz was visiting a friend in Jeannette, and they were getting ready to eat dinner. Hours later, Leonard was panicked to hear about a shooting at the friend’s home. Leonard said...
Hempfield man charged with child rape
A Hempfield man is behind bars after state police said he raped a girl over the summer, according to court papers. Bryan D. Rockmore, 32, was arrested Tuesday on charges of rape of a child, aggravated indecent assault of a child and indecent assault of a person younger than 13....
6 squatters escape blaze in abandoned East Huntingdon house
No one was hurt in a fire at an abandoned house Wednesday morning in East Huntingdon. East Huntingdon Second Assistant Chief Chris Brinker said six people were squatting inside the two-story house and made it out safely. The house, on Mt. Pleasant Road, is just outside Scottdale and close to...
It was a night of firsts amid local, national election results
History was made around the U.S. — and in Western Pennsylvania — on Tuesday as several newly elected candidates earned firsts for their respective offices. In Allegheny County, Democrat Sara Innamorato became the first woman to win the county executive seat after she defeated Republican Joe Rockey. On the other...
Morning Roundup: Police say Shadyside restaurant worker injured in assault; 2 winners in record Pa. jackpot
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, Nov. 8: Police say Shadyside restaurant worker injured in assault A Shadyside restaurant employee was treated for a cut on the head after three masked men reportedly robbed and assaulted him Tuesday night, according to Pittsburgh police. The...
Former Westmoreland-Fayette Boy Scouts employee accused of theft
A former employee of the Boy Scouts of America’s Westmoreland-Fayette Council is accused of taking $87,000 from the organization in a period of about four years, according to court papers. Jonathan C. Stoops, 42, of Greensburg previously worked as the manager of the council’s Scout shop, according to a social...
Western Pa.-filmed ‘Unsinkable’ movie to debut at Three Rivers Film Festival
An independent movie filmed at several locations in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties is set to premiere Wednesday at the Three Rivers Film Festival. “Unsinkable,” directed by Cody Hartman and produced by PMI Films, follows a U.S. Senate inquiry and investigation into the cause of the Titanic sinking April 15, 1912....
Morning Roundup: Assault charges over McDonald’s coffee order; shots fired into Braddock council candidate’s home
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Tuesday, Nov. 7: Police charge Latrobe man with assault over McDonald’s coffee order Pennsylvania State Police said a Latrobe man’s coffee order turned violent last week after he attacked a worker at the Unity McDonald’s when his drink was...
Greensburg woman accused of setting fire to own home after argument
A Greensburg woman was arrested after police said she set a fire at her home Sunday following a domestic dispute, according to court papers. Georgia Zowacki, 59, was being held at the Westmoreland County Prison on $15,000 bail. Police and firefighters were called to her Adams Street home around 8:15...
3 people taken to hospital after fire at Greensburg’s Pershing Square apartments
Three people were taken to a hospital Monday after a fire in an apartment at Pershing Square in Greensburg that displaced residents of four units. Two of the injured were a city firefighter and the occupant of the unit where the flames started, according to Fire Chief Tom Bell. “The...
Derry man accused of pointing gun at bar patrons, using racial slur
A Derry Borough man is behind bars after Latrobe police said he pointed a gun at two men and directed a racial slur at them. Charles Noel, 67, is charged with two counts each of aggravated assault, terroristic threats and ethnic intimidation. The incident was reported at 10:30 p.m. Saturday...
Drop in Jeannette’s Democratic voters reflected in city council shift
In the past 20 years, the number of Democrats registered to vote in Jeannette has decreased by about 2,000 while the number of Republican voters has risen by 400, according to West moreland County statistics. Now, that shift will be reflected in city council. After Tuesday’s election and once a new...
Hempfield man gives $19,000 to scammer claiming to need bail money
An elderly Hempfield man lost $19,000 Thursday in a scam, according to state police. The man got a phone call from a person who claimed to be a family member in jail and made a request for money to post a fictitious bail. Another person claiming to be an attorney...
Normalville woman dies in Fayette crash
A Normalville woman was killed in a crash this week in Fayette County. State police said Brittany R. Nicholson, 31, crashed a Subaru Outback that had been reported stolen. Nicholson was driving north on White Road in Saltlick Township, between Bear Rocks and Normalville, on Tuesday when troopers said she...
Steelers vs. Titans: What they’re saying in Tennessee after loss
Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis got to hear “Renegade” by Styx a lot recently. “That song is a banger,” he said, according to The Tennessean sports columnist Gentry Estes. “We’ve been playing it all week in practice.” The song typically is played during potentially pivotal moments of Pittsburgh Steelers home...
‘I love these people’ Santa says during another Westmoreland Mall visit from New Jersey
It may be the final time Michael Collins dons his red and white Santa Claus suit at the Westmoreland Mall. The New Jersey resident, who portrays a beloved version of the Christmas character, said his health is declining. “For the people, I’ll make the trip every year that I can,”...
Hempfield man charged with rape of mentally disabled person, false imprisonment
A Hempfield man was charged Thursday in connection with state police accusations that he raped a woman who has an intellectual disability, according to court papers. Dennis M. Hertzog, 56, is free on $125,000 bail in two cases. Troopers said the accuser reported being sexually assaulted by Hertzog multiple times...
Ligonier Valley Police seek witness to ‘traumatic crash’ on Route 271
A male driver was seriously injured after crashing head on into a cement mixer truck on Saturday, according to Ligonier Valley Police. Sgt. James Friscarella said authorities believe a Subaru Outback was speeding south on Route 271 in Ligonier Township around 9 a.m. when it came upon a black pickup...
Steelers great Terry Bradshaw’s jersey part of sports auction
There are 17 days left to get your hands on a Pittsburgh Steelers jersey that Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw wore during at least two games. But you’ll have to pay up. The starting bid for the jersey was $10,000. As of Wednesday morning, 11 bids were in and...
Charges filed against Pa. trooper accused of domestic violence in Derry Township are subject of probe
State police are reviewing why a domestic violence allegation against a state trooper based in Greensburg initially resulted in a summary harassment charge. The harassment citation was not the charge recommended by the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office based on its review of the case which was investigated by state...
Charges dismissed against man accused of stealing Steelers QB Kenny Pickett’s SUV
Charges were dismissed Monday against a Murrysville man who had been accused by police of taking Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett’s SUV from a car dealership in Monroeville. Court records show charges were dismissed by District Judge Jeffrey L. Herbst. Christopher Carter, 60, who had been scheduled for a preliminary...
Coroner reveals Steeler Clark Haggans’ cause of death
Former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Clark Haggans died from complications of chronic alcohol use, according to the Larimer County Coroner’s Office in Colorado. Haggans, 46, died June 19 at a home in Fort Collins, Colo. He was a starting outside linebacker for the Steelers’ Super Bowl XL winning team in 2006....
Women who lost children help lead effort to reduce Black infant mortality rate in Allegheny County
Jenea Edwards sometimes feels a twinge of sadness when she sees a little girl. There was a time when Edwards looked forward to matching mother-daughter outfits and making visits to the nail salon together. Now it’s a reminder of what could have been. With one big kick on the way...
