Rich Cholodofsky stories, Page 46
Westmoreland explores relocation of youth shelter program
Because of the growing number of children facing adult criminal charges, Westmoreland County is looking to buy a home or large facility near Greensburg to accommodate its juvenile shelter program. With the purchase, the county is hoping to relocate the shelter program from the Regional Youth Services Center in Hempfield....
Appeal seeks to remove Westmoreland GOP commissioner challengers from primary ballot
The chairman of the Westmoreland County Republican Committee has renewed his effort to have two GOP candidates for county commissioner removed from the primary ballot. Bill Bretz on Monday filed an appeal with Commonwealth Court challenging a one-sentence ruling issued March 17 by Common Pleas Judge Jim Silvis. The judge...
Animal sedative poses increased threat in local drug overdoses
A powerful tranquilizer normally used by veterinarians treating horses and cows was found in more than 18% of fatal overdose cases in Westmoreland County, according to the Coroner’s Office. Officials said the drug, xylazine, is becoming an increasingly popular additive to heroin, fentanyl and other drugs. Its presence has local...
Westmoreland water authority, CNX reach $600K settlement
The Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County is set to receive more than $600,000 to settle a federal lawsuit it filed in 2016 against the energy company that operates dozens of gas wells at the Beaver Run Reservoir. Board members this week approved the settlement with CNX Resources. The lawsuit involved...
Ashley Kertes, wife of Westmoreland commissioner, dead at 36
Ashley Kertes, the 36-year-old wife of Westmoreland County Commissioner Sean Kertes, died unexpectedly Friday morning. Greensburg Mayor Robb Bell said police were called to Kertes’ home shortly before 7:30 a.m., where she was found unresponsive in bed. No foul play is suspected. The cause of her death has not been...
Federal grant to pay for security upgrades in Westmoreland public housing
The Westmoreland County Housing Authority said it will use a portion of a $4.5 million federal grant to upgrade security efforts in its local communities. Money will be allocated to pay to install and upgrade security cameras throughout the authority’s public housing system as part of security enhancements that include...
Westmoreland GOP boots candidate from committee for supporting his own campaign
A Westmoreland County commissioner candidate said he has been booted off the county Republican committee for backing his own campaign. Party officials confirmed this week that Paul Kosko was removed from the committee for actively campaigning against incumbents Sean Kertes and Doug Chew in the lead-up to the Republican primary...
Rain closes county-owned Twin Lakes Dog Park near Greensburg
Man’s best friend will have to wait until at least the weekend to run and play at Twin Lakes Dog Park. Westmoreland County officials said Thursday morning’s heavy rains led to the closure of all three sections of the attraction at Twin Lakes Park, east of Greensburg. “It’s on a...
Sewickley man convicted of illegal weapons possession
A Sewickley Township man serving a prison sentence for the sexual assault of a teen was convicted Tuesday of illegally possessing of a cache of guns and ammunition. Steven K. Stemmler, 40, was found guilty of one misdemeanor firearms offense in connection with an allegation that authorities found 15 guns,...
2 plead guilty to armed robbery of driver in Mt. Pleasant Township
Two men pleaded guilty this week to an armed robbery two years ago in Mt. Pleasant Township. Elijah Ben Chaabane and Jake Daniel Franklin, both 20, along with another juvenile, originally were charged in connection with Dec. 19, 2020, incident in which police said a man hired to drive to...
Jeannette man pleads no contest to drug sale in fatal overdose
A Jeannette man pleaded no contest this week to selling drugs used in the fatal overdose of a friend two years ago in a Hempfield high-rise apartment building. The defense lawyer for Rick Paul Petros, 54, said his client continues to question whether the drugs are to blame for the...
Mothers embrace as Export man pleads guilty to Vandergrift woman’s murder
Two mothers embraced as they shared a moment of grief and understanding Monday morning in a Westmoreland County courtroom. Lisa Rodgers offered an apology for her son, who had just pleaded guilty for his role in the violent murder of Beverly Richason’s daughter nearly six years ago. “I know you...
Unity man who fired fatal shots into house pleads guilty
A Unity man who killed a Derry Township woman in her bed when he fired four shots into her home will serve up to 42 years in prison. Nathan J. Quidetto, 23, pleaded guilty Monday to a lesser charge of third-degree murder in connection with the July 20, 2020, shooting...
Teens accused in shootings in Jeannette, New Kensington to be prosecuted as adults
Suspects in three separate shootings over the past two years will be prosecuted as adults after judges Tuesday rejected requests to transfer their cases to juvenile court. Khalil Lamont Myers of Export was 16 when he was charged as an adult with shooting two men in Jeannette on Oct. 21,...
Prosecutors say Jeannette man confessed to setting fatal fire during calls from jail
Westmoreland prosecutors said a Jeannette man accused of setting a fire in 2018 that killed an elderly woman confessed his guilt in telephone calls he made from the county jail. Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Ranger told a judge Wednesday that prosecutors this week obtained 400 calls made by Brian Rendon...
Westmoreland candidates face lawsuits that could boot them from primary ballot
Several candidates for contested races in the May primary are facing challenges to be removed from the ballot because of perceived flaws in their nominating petitions. Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Jim Silvis will hear the challenges at 11 a.m. Friday in the cases. Silvis is hearing the cases because...
Westmoreland to bank another $26 million from 2nd opioid lawsuit settlement
Westmoreland County is expected to receive another $26 million as part of a national settlement of opioid lawsuits, officials said Tuesday. Pennsylvania so far has secured about $2.2 billion in payments that resolved litigation against drug manufacturers and distributors accused of spreading opioid abuse throughout the United States. The county,...
Westmoreland County judge withdraws from hearing election lawsuits
Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Harry Smail Jr. has recused himself from presiding over election challenges this spring. Smail, in a court order signed Monday, said his candidacy for a vacant seat on the Pennsylvania Superior Court created an appearance of potential impropriety and withdrew from hearing a lawsuit...
Westmoreland GOP head seeks to remove 2 commissioner challengers from ballot
Attempts to remove two Republican challengers for Westmoreland Commissioner from the May ballot will be heard this week. Two lawsuits were filed late last week by the chairman of Westmoreland County’s Republican Committee alleging John Ventre and Paul Kosko, both making their second attempt to run for commissioner, did not...
Pedestrian killed in McCandless hit-and-run identified
A pedestrian was killed Saturday night as a result of a hit-and-run crash in McCandless. Donald Gene Leach, 78, of Wexford, was identified Monday by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner as the man killed in the incident. Police said a black Honda struck Leach at 10:15 p.m. near the Pine...
Man killed in Penn Hills shooting identified
Allegheny County Police are investigating the fatal shooting of a man early Sunday morning in Penn Hills. Police said the shooting occurred in the parking lot of the Penn Towers apartment building on the 11000 block of Frankstown Road at 3:11 a.m. First responders found a man who had been...
Police investigating Hempfield, Salem road rage incident
State police are investigating an alleged road rage incident Thursday night in Hempfield and Salem townships. Police said two vehicles traveling northbound along Business Route 66 and west on Route 22 at 8:30 p.m. were spotted weaving in and out of traffic. A grey Mercedes sedan and a white Ford...
Sewickley library adapts to building closure as preparations made for move across town
Even a building closure can’t keep the Sewickley Township Public Library from its role as a community gathering place. Structural concerns last month shuttered the library and the township’s recreation center, which for decades, operated out of the former Sewickley Township High School building on Highland Avenue in Herminie. But...
Stowe arson suspect arrested in Colorado
A McKees Rocks man suspected in setting the Aug. 12, 2021 fire that destroyed a Stowe duplex and caused injuries to four firefighters was captured in Colorado this week, Allegheny County police said Saturday. Andre Quinones, 30, who had been on the run for nearly 20 months, was detained Thursday....
Mt. Pleasant Township man pleads guilty to starving dogs
A Mt. Pleasant Township man was ordered to serve up to 23 months in jail for starving three dogs at a rental home in 2020. Howard Wayne McCloy, 36, pleaded guilty this week to three felony counts of aggravated animal cruelty. Police say one adult dog and two puppies were...
