Rich Cholodofsky stories, Page 104
Masked man who police say planned to rob North Huntingdon bank gets prison sentence
A man who police say wore a rubber mask depicting a heavily wrinkled, middle-aged man as part of a failed bomb plot and bank robbery in North Huntingdon could serve up to two years in jail. Luke Joseph Dell, 35, of Ohio pleaded guilty Tuesday to terroristic threats and bomb...
County officials ‘knocking on wood’ Westmoreland Manor remains virus-free
As nursing and personal care homes have been the hardest hit by the coronavirus throughout the country and state, precautions put in place have so far enabled the 400-bed Westmoreland Manor to be spared, officials said Tuesday. The county-owned nursing home, the largest of the 66 nursing home or personal...
Judge rules former Leechburg police chief Diebold must remain in jail during pandemic
Michael Diebold, the former Leechburg police chief, will remain in jail as he awaits a hearing to determine if he violated parole terms for a sex offense, a Westmoreland County judge ruled. Diebold contended ongoing serious health problems put him at risk should he contract coronavirus and sought an early...
Westmoreland prison population cut by almost 30%
The Westmoreland County Prison inmate population has been reduced by nearly 30% over the past month as jail officials continue to tighten restrictions designed to prevent a potential coronavirus outbreak. Warden John Walton on Monday told members of the prison board there are 176 fewer inmates than incarcerated a month...
Former South Greensburg secretary wants out of jail early because of coronavirus
A South Greensburg man wants to be released from jail more than a year early for stealing money from his father to pay a court debt from a previous case and lying to a county judge. Dennis Lee Kunkle, 56, will appear before two county judges next week, claiming health...
Pregnant New Ken woman, convicted of helping cousin after killing cop, released from jail due to covid-19 fears
A New Kensington woman awaiting a potentially long prison sentence was released from custody on Friday to ensure the safety of her unborn child amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Lisa Harrington, 33, was being held without bond after being convicted of felony offenses for helping her cousin evade capture in...
Westmoreland to upgrade another 4 miles of freight rail lines
Work could begin soon on a $2.3 million project to replace more than four miles of track on Westmoreland County’s freight rail system that services local business and industry. Commissioners, acting as members of the Westmoreland County Industrial Development Corp., on Thursday hired Frontier Railroad Services of New Stanton to...
Westmoreland officials cautiously optimistic about state reopening plansVideo
Westmoreland leaders are hopeful the county’s slow growth of new coronavirus cases will allow for the easing of restrictions early next month as part of the governor’s plan to reopen parts of the state. “We’re still two weeks away from the May 8 deadline. We will be talking about it,...
Courts continue under emergency rules, making plans to resume hearings, trials as restrictions lift
A Westmoreland County judge leaned close to his web camera and offered timely advice to a jail inmate who was granted an early parole after serving seven months for a burglary conviction. “Wash your hands as frequently as you can and wear that mask,” said Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher...
New Kensington woman convicted of helping cop killer asks for release from jail
A New Kensington woman awaiting sentencing for helping a cousin avoid capture following the murder of a city police officer claims she is at high risk to contract the coronavirus and should be released from jail. In court documents filed this week, Lisa Harrington, 33, claims her pregnancy and a...
Westmoreland extends county property tax deadlines
Westmoreland County taxpayers will have four additional months to pay county property taxes at a discounted rate. Commissioners said Tuesday they will vote later this week to extend the discount period for property tax payments until the end of August. The discount period was slated to expire April 30. Taxpayers...
Derry Twp. nursing home with coronavirus cases tests positive for Legionella bacteria
A Westmoreland County nursing home already infected with the coronavirus now has tested positive for the bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ Disease. Department of Health officials on Tuesday confirmed that a water sample recently tested at the Loyalhanna Care Center in Derry Township was positive for Legionella, a bacteria that causes...
Steelers great Troy Polamalu donates gift cards to furloughed Westmoreland workers
More than 400 furloughed Westmoreland County government workers will have a meal courtesy of Steelers’ Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu and his wife. County officials said Monday the former Steelers great donated gift cards to local restaurants to help employees who were temporarily removed from the payroll as government services...
Westmoreland won’t send mail-in ballot applications unless voters request them
Westmoreland County voters won’t automatically get applications for mail-in ballots ahead of the June 2 primary. County commissioners said Monday they opted against a mass mailing based on county’s tenuous financial condition and a reluctance to recommend to voters how they should cast ballots this spring. “At this point, we...
Allegheny County reports 3 more coronavirus deaths; total cases up to 1,035
Allegheny County on Sunday reported three more deaths from the coronavirus, bringing the countywide total to 50. The 50 people who have died range in age from 56 to 103 years old, with the most deaths occurring in people over 70, county data show. The county also reported 26 new...
2 injured in crash in Pittsburgh’s Beechview neighborhoodVideo
Two people were injured Sunday morning when their pickup truck slammed into a pole and a building in Pittsburgh’s Beechview neighborhood. Police said a man and a woman, who were not identified, were removed from the vehicle and taken to a hospital where they are listed in critical condition. The...
Self-employed, independent contractors, others can now get state, federal jobless benefits
Pennsylvania’s self-employed workers and independent contractors can now file applications for unemployment benefits. The state’s Department of Labor and Industry said Saturday that workers who were previously ineligible for unemployment compensation will be permitted to seek benefits for wages lost because of the coronavirus pandemic. Department officials said state residents...
Allegheny County coronavirus cases top 1,000; county notes more test results
Allegheny County saw a jump of 62 new coronavirus cases over the last 24 hours. New data released Saturday morning revealed that a total of 1,009 cases of the virus have been reported in Allegheny County since March 14, when the first positive case was identified. That compares to 22...
Sheetz designates special hour for high-risk shoppers
Sheetz stores will set aside one hour each on Sunday for customers who are high risk to contract covid-19. Sundays from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. will be reserved for those who are at a higher risk to contract the disease brought on by the coronavirus. The program will be...
Judge denies Crystal Belle’s murder appeal for Jeannette killing
The third-degree murder conviction of a Jeannette woman serving up to 30 years in prison for the beating death of her live-in boyfriend nearly four years ago will stand. Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher Feliciani this week denied the appeal of Crystal Belle, who contended evidence presented against...
Broadband internet survey deadline extended for Westmoreland, other regional counties
Westmoreland County planners have extended the deadline for residents to participate in a study of local broadband internet needs until the end of April. The online survey is part of an eight-county assessment of infrastructure needs for the service that has become increasingly relevant as more residents have been routed...
Westmoreland Transit bus driver tests positive for coronavirus
A Westmoreland County Transit Authority bus driver has tested positive for the coronavirus. Transit officials learned about the positive test result on Wednesday. They said the driver last worked Saturday and determined the worker had little in-person interaction with other authority employees or riders that day. The bus operated by...
Pennsylvania bill would ensure full pay for first responders stricken with coronavirus
State Rep. Eric Nelson this week proposed an amendment to state law that will ensure police and firefighters continue to be paid should they have to miss work because of the coronavirus. Nelson, R-Hempfield, said the proposed legislation will expand the state’s Heart and Lung Act that requires certain emergency...
Unity lawyer is new Westmoreland Bar Association president
Unity lawyer Scott Avolio is the new president of the Westmoreland Bar Association. More than 70 lawyers convened via a virtual gathering earlier this week as part of the association’s annual meeting to select its new leadership. The bar association includes about 500 practicing lawyers in the county, many of...
Westmoreland coroner says county has 11 coronavirus deaths
Westmoreland County has 11 deaths related to coronavirus, according to Coroner Ken Bacha. Pennsylvania’s Department of Health reported one death in the county through Thursday, with that number rising to five in its Friday update. But Bacha said Friday morning that 10 additional fatalities are attributed to covid-19, all of...
