Renatta Signorini stories, Page 51
Squatters were cooking canned ravioli over indoor fire at dilapidated Jeannette row house, chief says
Some of the 10 Jeannette properties deemed public nuisances Wednesday have been broken into repeatedly by squatters, but one in particular stood out. The row house at 422 S. Fifth St. has been a “prime spot” for illegal activity, fire Chief Bill Frye said. The property is boarded up and...
Donors to GoFundMe account created by parents of Delmont boy can request refund
Donors to an online fundraiser started by a Delmont couple arrested last week in the death of their 5-year-old adopted son can request refunds, according to a GoFundMe spokesperson. The online fundraiser started by Lauren E. Maloberti, 34, and Jacob N. Maloberti, 33, has been removed from the GoFundMe platform....
Ex-Greensburg police chief waives hearing on theft of evidence charges
Former Greensburg police Chief Shawn Denning waived his right to a preliminary hearing Tuesday, two days before he was scheduled to appear in district court for the proceeding on accusations that he took items from the department’s evidence room. Court records showed Denning, 42, of Delmont waived all five misdemeanor...
Unity man accused of taking $380,000 from relative
A Unity man is accused of stealing $380,000 from a relative for whom he shared power of attorney duties, according to state police. Christopher H. Treasure, 50, is free on $50,000 unsecured bail on a theft charge. He was arraigned last week. He became power of attorney for the Hempfield...
Truck fire affects traffic in Murrysville, Washington Township
Traffic was restricted Tuesday in the area of the Route 366 (Greensburg Road) and Route 380 interchange at the border of Murrysville and Washington Townships after a triaxle truck fire and fuel spill, according to a Westmoreland 911 dispatch supervisor. The triaxle apparently caught fire and a saddle tank ruptured...
Westmoreland coroner turns tragedies into prevention program
After two infants in Westmoreland County died this year following unsafe sleep practices at home, Coroner Tim Carson started searching for a way to prevent more parents from suffering that loss. He landed on Cribs for Kids, a Pittsburgh nonprofit that connects families with free cribs and education classes. “Two...
Attempted homicide charge filed against Monessen man after stabbing at Valley Manor apartments
A Monessen man is facing attempted homicide charges after city police said he stabbed another man Friday evening during an argument at Valley Manor apartments, according to court papers. A witness told police that she and her brother asked Robert W. Varner, 60, to be quiet a few times around...
Gatling gun fires off interest at Historic Hanna’s Town Civil War event
As a young boy, Keith Takacs knew he wanted a Gatling gun. The rapid-fire weapon, a precursor to modern machine guns patented in 1862, looked cool in old cowboy movies. Fast-forward a few decades, and Takacs dropped about $12,000 on one in 2019. “Saw it, wanted it, made it a...
Person freed from ticket booth at Idlewild amusement park after vehicle crash
Firefighters freed a person from a ticket booth Sunday afternoon at Idlewild & SoakZone amusement park after a vehicle crashed into it. A Westmoreland 911 dispatch supervisor said a person in the vehicle had a medical emergency around 2 p.m. at the park in Ligonier Township off Route 30. The...
Portion of Route 28 reopens after crash
Part of Route 28 in Pittsburgh reopened Sunday after being shut down for several hours following a crash. The inbound lanes of the highway were affected during the closure between the exits for the 31st Street Bridge and I-579, according to PennDOT. Video of the scene from Tribune-Review news partner...
Murrysville ministry volunteers plan to paint mural in Jeannette
Cornerstone Ministries is finalizing plans for a mural on the side of a building in Jeannette, said Pastor Brandon Vieth. Once leaders at the Murrysville church complete that process, young adult volunteers are going to get to work with paint brushes, hopefully next month. It’s a way to help the...
Unity company holds First Responders Appreciation Day to benefit local volunteers
The blue skies arrived just in time for Saturday’s annual First Responders Appreciation Day. The event outside Nickos Chimney Co. on Route 30 in Unity was started four years ago by employee Lisa Tatsch. It’s a way for workers and volunteers to give back to local first responders. All proceeds...
Body of 17-year-old McKeesport boy recovered from Monongahela River
The body of a 17-year-old boy was recovered from the Monongahela River overnight, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner. Benjerman T.N. Coleman of McKeesport went into the water around 8:15 p.m. Friday in the area of Harrison Street in Glassport. Search and rescue boats spent several hours looking for...
Derry Township man accused of slaying Samantha Lang 16 years ago
A man long suspected in the 2007 death of 22-year-old Samantha Lang was arrested by state police Wednesday on homicide charges. Troopers believe Charles Earl Ream, 53, of Derry Township is responsible for Lang’s death at her father’s home. Ream is being held without bail on charges of homicide, robbery,...
Police: Monessen man sold drugs to informant multiple times
A Monessen man is facing drug charges after, police said, he sold five bricks of a drug mixture containing fentanyl to a confidential informant on as many occasions in January, according to court papers. Justin P. Smith, 38, was arraigned Wednesday. Members of the Westmoreland County Drug Task Force said...
Police say speeding vehicle led to Route 22 crash in Salem
An Ohio man was speeding westbound on Route 22 in Salem Tuesday morning just before a crash that snarled traffic on the highway for hours, according to state police. Ricardo P. Hardy, 22, was driving a Volkswagen SUV in the center of Route 22 and slammed into the back of...
Jeannette man faces arson charges in February fire at abandoned home
A Jeannette man is accused of going into an abandoned house in February twice in about seven minutes before it went up in flames, according to court papers. Jeannette police said they used surveillance video to track Jason Anthony John’s movements on Feb. 15, tying him to an arson at...
Contractor bids anticipated on 3 million gallon cleanup at former Jeannette brewery
About 3 million gallons of water in the basement of the former Fort Pitt Brewery in West Jeannette is expected to be removed in the coming months. Bids are due Wednesday from contractors who believe they can rid the dilapidated building of water and sludge, said Brian Lawrence, director of...
Derry Township man loses $1,000 in gift card scam
A Derry Township man is out $1,000 after state police said he fell victim to a gift card scam this month. Troopers said the man believed he was buying an enclosed trailer from Montana for $1,000 with free shipping through an ad on Craigslist that was related to an eBay...
Greensburg legal services office merges with regional organization
Laurel Legal Services in Greensburg is now known as Summit Legal Aid after merging operations with Southwestern Pennsylvania Legal Aid in Washington. The organizations have the same mission, to provide individuals with limited resources free community legal services in family, housing, financial security and domestic violence matters. As Summit Legal...
Police: Hempfield woman stole money while working at Citizens Bank
A Hempfield woman was arrested Friday on police accusations that she stole $3,300 from a bank where she worked, according to court papers. Rachel A. Bates, 25, is free on $10,000 unsecured bail on felony charges of theft and receiving stolen property. An investigator from Citizens Bank contacted Westmoreland County...
Pa. antlerless deer license sales double last year’s pace as 2nd round nears
The second round of 2023-24 antlerless deer license sales begins at 8 a.m. Monday as the Pennsylvania Game Commission tries to catch up with a huge increase in the number of permits sold during the first round. The agency is allowing antlerless deer licenses to be purchased anywhere hunting licenses...
Police try to ID suspect in East Huntingdon quick-change scam
State police are looking for a man who they said turned a water bottle purchase into a $1,000 theft at the East Huntingdon Walmart in a quick-change scam. Troopers released a surveillance image of the suspect on Thursday. They said he scammed the cashier on July 10 out of $1,000...
Bank forecloses on Jeannette EMS building as state health department plans talks with agency
A bank wants to take possession of the Jeannette EMS station to cover a $340,000 debt. KeyBank filed the mortgage foreclosure action Wednesday in Westmoreland County court claiming the ambulance station on South Sixth Street defaulted on repayments of a $275,000 line of credit issued in 2008. The agency used...
2 sought in beating of Jeannette man
A Jeannette man was left with several facial fractures stemming from an assault last week and police are looking for two suspects. Andrew J. Eberhardt, 22, of Greensburg, and Cassie Ann Sorice, 20, of Pitcairn, are charged with conspiracy in connection with the beating at a North Seventh Street apartment...
