Rich Cholodofsky stories, Page 115
Appeal denied for Youngwood man convicted of sexually assaulting 2 teen girls
A Westmoreland County judge denied the appeal of a Youngwood man who is serving up to 17 years in prison for the sexual assaults of two teenage girls in 2016. Darell Deisean Walker, 23, was convicted of multiple counts of sexual assault and related offenses following a three-day trial in...
Weather expected to impact Westmoreland voter turnout on Tuesday
Beth Lechman, Westmoreland County elections director, predicted a turnout of 25% to 27% for the county, expecting voters to be deterred by the weather forecast of high winds and rain. The county has two Common Pleas judge positions up for election in addition to elections for county commissioner, sheriff and...
Republicans, Democrats run separate races for county commissioner, but both parties want to win controlVideo
Westmoreland County’s next board of commissioners will have a similar look, as three of the four candidates running want as little change as possible. Tuesday’s election features two incumbents and the chief of staff of retiring Commissioner Charles Anderson along with a challenger who is vying for his first elected...
2 Westmoreland County judges up for retention on Tuesday
Westmoreland County voters on Tuesday will decided whether two Common Pleas Court judges get new, 10-year terms. Judges Michele Bononi and Chris Scherer are up for retention through a simple “yes” or “no” vote. Both were elected to the bench in 2009. Bononi, 59, of Unity, has spent her entire...
Westmoreland County judge candidates tout experience to court voters
The three candidates for two spots on the Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court bench combined to spend more than $800,000 this year as their campaigns approach next week’s finish line. Voters on Tuesday will choose among Hempfield lawyer Michael Stewart II, Unity attorney Jessica Rafferty and Justin Walsh, a two-term...
State grant expected to bolster Westmoreland County’s drug court program
A state grant approved Thursday is expected to help expand Westmoreland County’s drug court program. Officials said the two-year $50,712 grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency will pay for enhanced drug testing of participants that will improve supervision and monitoring efforts of the four-year-old program. “This will...
Westmoreland County Transit will bring bus and paratransit services in-house next yearVideo
Westmoreland County Transit Authority board members on Wednesday approved the takeover of all agency operations in a move that officials said will improve bus and paratransit services at a reduced cost. Board members during a specially scheduled meeting unanimously voted to operate the authority’s fixed-route bus service and operation of...
Former Hempfield student sues teacher over battery, emotional distress
Parents of a former Hempfield Area High School student filed a lawsuit this week, claiming their son was assaulted, intimidated and harassed by a teacher and, ultimately, forced to move to another school. According to the Westmoreland County court filing, the family contends John Testa Jr., a technology education teacher,...
Westmoreland commissioner hopefuls tout their goals but offer few specifics at forum
The four candidates for Westmoreland County commissioner looked to the future Tuesday night during one of the last campaign events leading up to next week’s general election. Each candidate said the county needs to attract new residents and to promote jobs and tourism but offered few specific programs or policy...
Judge allows defense to get expert for appeal in Loyalhanna murder case
A Westmoreland County judge on Tuesday authorized defense attorneys for an Indiana man on death row for the shooting deaths of his mother, sister and aunt to use up to $2,500 of taxpayer money to help formulate another appeal of his murder convictions. Common Pleas Court Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio approved...
Westmoreland among 8 counties in $100K study of broadband internet service
Westmoreland County will participate in a study expected to clarify the status of local broadband internet service and what might be needed to improve coverage in the region. The Southern Alleghenies Planning and Development Commission was awarded a $50,000 grant to map out broadband needs in Westmoreland along with Bedford,...
Jail sentence of Lower Burrell judge’s son to be delayed by a month
A Westmoreland County judge on Monday deferred the start of a jail sentence to be served by the son of a local district judge. Common Pleas Judge Tim Krieger ruled that Stephen Yakopec III, 29, of Lower Burrell will have an additional month before he is required to report to...
Westmoreland prison population surge expected to be temporary
Warden John Walton said the inmate population at the county prison spiked during the last month, but the numbers of those incarcerated are expected to dip before year’s end. Walton told members of the prison board the Hempfield facility housed 677 inmates on Monday, bringing its population closer to capacity...
Westmoreland commissioner hopefuls spent more than $600K on campaigns this year
Westmoreland County Commissioner Gina Cerilli is the top spender so far among four candidates seeking election next week. Cerilli listed more than $126,000 in new expenses, bringing the total cash she’s used for her reelection since the start of this year to more than $275,000, according to finance reports that...
Election forum planned for Westmoreland commissioner candidates
Four candidates running for Westmoreland County commissioner will have their first, and most likely last, chance this week to appear together publicly to discuss campaign issues leading into the Nov. 5 general election. Democratic incumbents Gina Cerilli and Ted Kopas are seeking new four-year terms on the three member board....
Westmoreland sheriff candidates view the office very differentlyVideo
Candidates for Westmoreland County sheriff have clearly different views of the office. Two-term Republican incumbent Jonathan Held says his seven-year stewardship of the office has resulted in professionalism and cost savings. The more than a dozen lawsuits filed against him and his administrative team by current and former staffers and...
Murder, arson trial for Jeannette man delayed until January
The trial of a Jeannette man accused of setting a blaze that killed an elderly woman last year was pushed back to January. Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio on Friday agreed to delay the trial for Brian Eric Rendon after defense attorneys said they needed more time...
Westmoreland County commissioner candidates push drug court to fight opioid epidemicVideo
Editor’s note: Candidates for Westmoreland County commissioner discussed their views on various subjects with the Tribune-Review, which will be published weekly leading up to the Nov. 5 election. The fourth installment features excerpts of the candidates’ views on how they plan to combat the ongoing opioid epidemic, which has produced...
Blairsville convicted murderer wants public to pay for appeal expert
Taxpayers should not foot the bill to help a former Blairsville man craft a new appeal for his murder convictions in the execution-style slayings of his mother, sister and aunt, Westmoreland County prosecutors said in court Thursday. District Attorney John Peck and Assistant District Attorney Jim Lazar argued there was...
Suspect who blamed Jeannette murder on his twin now says he was in Florida at time of killing
An Allegheny County man awaiting trial for a 2017 Jeannette murder now claims he was in another state at the time of the fatal shooting. The lawyer for Darrelle Tolbert-McGhee filed court documents Wednesday in which he said he will pursue an alibi defense at trial, which is scheduled to...
Alex Hribal’s appeal rejected in Franklin Regional rampage
A Pennsylvania appeals court on Wednesday upheld the 60-year prison sentence for Alex Hribal, the Murrysville teen convicted of wounding of 20 teens and a security guard during a 2014 knife rampage at Franklin Regional High School. A three-judge panel rejected the appeal from Hribal, 22, who claimed the sentencing...
Judge: Prosecutors can say suspect in killing of Brian Shaw had gun conviction
A Westmoreland County judge on Wednesday ruled against a defense request to remove gun charges from the upcoming capital murder trial of the man accused in the slaying of New Kensington police officer Brian Shaw. Judge Rita Hathaway said that doing so would limit the prosecution’s effort to present motive...
Ex-Derry mayor, accused of brandishing gun near children, seeks to have charges reduced
The lawyer for Derry borough’s former mayor, accused of brandishing a loaded gun near children, said felony aggravated assault charges filed in the case should be dismissed. In a hearing Tuesday, defense attorney Tim Andrews argued Kevin Gross merely pointed a weapon as he attempted to intervene in a physical...
Ex-South Greensburg secretary will plead guilty to stealing from father, attorney says
South Greensburg’s former secretary, convicted last year of stealing more than $155,000 from the borough, will plead guilty next month to charges that he stole from his elderly father and lied about it to a county judge, his attorney said. During a hearing Tuesday, Assistant Public Defender Chris Haidze said...
Madison man sentenced to jail for drunken police chase that damaged cruiser
A Madison man pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges in connection to a high-speed police chase. Police said Brian Allen Smith, 48, appeared suspicious when he was spotted Jan. 12 in Sewickley sitting in a black Honda, which he drove away after refusing to speak with a state state trooper who...
