Mon-Yough River Valley Rotary Club members got the help of other service organizations a business and volunteers to put the project into motion Service projects often come to Rotarians through calls for help — but in Monessen City Park a Rotary initiative turned into a project that quite literally raised the roof It all began when Mon-Yough River Valley Rotary Club member Donna Vesely joined Monessen City Council member Karen Cosner on a walk through the park No one was injured in a fire early Thursday morning that destroyed a Monessen home Multiple fire departments responded to the fire at the house at 1516 Jones St Monessen Fire Chief Delmar Hepple said the call came in at 2:55 a.m “The fire came in as a porch fire,” Hepple said “I was there within two minutes and it was already a house fire We had pretty sustained winds coming off the hillside that pushed the fire through pretty fast but I had to pull them out due to the deteriorating factors of the fire.” Hepple added that heavy smoke made it appear that two houses were on fire when firefighters arrived Hepple said the four inhabitants of the home – husband and wife child and grandfather – were able to escape the home unharmed The American Red Cross is assisting the family The cause of the fire is still to be determined Hepple said he was at the scene Thursday with the fire marshal from the state police barracks in Uniontown If you have an account and are registered for online access sign in with your email address and password below Never been a subscriber and want to subscribe Copyright © Observer-Reporter | Contact | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy Greensburg Central Catholic’s Blase Bugosh runs against Monessen during their WPIAL Class A first-round playoff game Friday. Monessen’s Tyvaughn Kershaw (0) is brought down by Greensburg Central Catholic’s Collin Snively (3) and Jackson Lowden (23) during their WPIAL Class A first-round playoff game Friday. Monessen’s Tavian Taylor runs against Greensburg Central Catholic during their WPIAL Class A first-round playoff game Friday. Monessen’s Tim Kershaw (2) runs against Greensburg Central Catholic during their WPIAL Class A first-round playoff game Friday. Monessen’s Tyvaughn Kershaw runs against Greensburg Central Catholic during their WPIAL Class A first-round playoff game Friday. Greensburg Central Catholic quarterback Samir Crosby threw four touchdown passes, rushed for a touchdown and returned a 70-yard kickoff return for a score as the Centurions outlasted No. 12 Monessen, 54-38. Landon Honick had five catches for 126 yards and three scores. Monessen running back TyVaughn Kershaw, not even close to being 100%, pretty much matched Crosby play-for-play. He rushed for 206 yards and two touchdowns and switched to quarterback and completed 8 of 12 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns, both to Tavian Taylor, who had six catches for 144 yards. Monessen’s regular quarterback, Dennis Hawkins, played receiver because he had an injured hand. No. 5 Greensburg Central Catholic (8-2) next will face No. 13 Jeannette, which stunned No. 4 Neshannock, 23-7, in the quarterfinals. These teams put up 65 points in the first half with GCC clinging to a 33-32 at halftime lead, but GCC took control against the beat-up Greyhounds in the second half. “I knew they were a good football team and very athletic,” GCC coach John Thompson said. “The running back was tough, and he was tough to bring down. He was very physical. “We got up, and I think we got complacent, and Monessen never quit. Special teams were a big reason we won this game.” The Centurions grabbed a quick 13-0 lead by converting two turnovers into scores. After a Monessen fumble, Crosby and Honick connected on a 31-yard touchdown. The lead went to 13-0 when Bobby Smithnosky blocked a punt and returned it 21 yards for a score. “We had too many turnovers,” Monessen coach Wade Brown said. “That really hurt us, and you can’t win games, especially in the playoffs against a good team. “We came into the game banged up, and we got banged up a lot more. But there are no excuses, we tried out best.” But Monessen (7-4) wouldn’t quit. Kershaw connected with Taylor on an 18-yard score to trim the lead to 13-8, and Kershaw scored on a 2-yard run to make it 16-13. That lead was short-lived as Crosby fielded a squib kickoff on the run and returned it 70 yards for a touchdown for a 20-16 lead. But Monessen answered as Kershaw rolled left and found Taylor for an 80-yard score and a 24-20 lead. Crosby then did a magic act. Monessen seemed to have him hemmed in but he scrambled and was able to find Jackson Lowden for a 43-yard score. Monessen then failed to cover the ensuing kickoff, and GCC recovered at the 30. “He’s a dynamic player,” Brown said of Crosby. “We had him bottled up there, and he makes a great play and great throw.” Crosby and Honick connected on a 22-yard score for a 33-24 lead. Kayden Kolbeck scored with 8 seconds left in the opening half to cut the lead to 33-32. Crosby scored on a 26-yard run and then connected on a 24-yard score to Honick to make it 47-32 in the third quarter. Kershaw added his second score in the fourth quarter on a 12-yard scamper, but GCC iced the game way as Luke Semelka scored on a 2-yard run. “We didn’t have the best week of practice, and it showed,” Thompson said. “They agreed. Now we get to play against our rival, and it should be a great game.” If Javascript is disabled browser, to place orders please visit the page where our photos are available to purchase of Waynesburg is led in to be arraigned in the shooting deaths of Kevin Lamar Williford Monessen Fire Department was called to Pacific Boulevard at about 7:16 p.m Thursday after a vehicle went over a hillside and crashed into a garage the woman driving the vehicle was transported to Penn Highlands Mon Valley Hospital with minor injuries The fire department was on scene for about an hour stabilizing the garage Copyright © Herald-Standard | Contact | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy Lillie Mackey and Kendra Jones waited backstage Friday for Monessen High School’s Grand March to begin. Jenn Codeluppi / Mon Valley Independent Monessen’s Rodney Johnson shoots against Union in the WPIAL playoffs Feb. 21. Monessen boys basketball coach Dan Bosnic said to reach the WPIAL playoffs for a 43rd consecutive season “We always expect to be competitive and be right there,” said the Greyhounds’ high-energy bench boss whose otherwise gentle demeanor steadily has guided Monessen to a 98-46 record since he took over the Class A power in 2018 from longtime coach Joe Salvino Salvino is entering his seventh season at Belle Vernon having won more than 700 games in a career spanning four decades Bosnic echoed his predecessor’s chief goal “We want to make sure we’re putting our guys in positions to be successful in the playoffs.” But — and Bosnic insisted it’s not an excuse — Monessen will miss high-scoring Lorenzo Gardner a freshman at Westmoreland County Community College who averaged 23 points per game during his final two high school seasons Monessen rolled into the PIAA playoffs last season before suffering a first-round loss to District 9 Elk County Catholic to end a second straight season of at least 20 victories The Greyhounds finished 20-6 following a 21-4 mark in 2022-23 but there are guys back with at least some varsity experience,” Bosnic said “We’re just looking to see where we can find guys to fill gaps It’s just life in the Single-A landscape.” Just 12 teams make up the classification in the WPIAL though some schools have changed positions following the latest enrollment reclassifications While Monessen and Geibel Catholic remain in Section 2 Their spots in Section 2-A have been filled by Environmental Charter Monessen returns two three-year starters — senior guard Davontae Robinson and junior forward Rodney Johnson — as well as a group of promising reserves from a year ago led by a pair of 6-foot-4 underclassmen in junior forward Tayvin Craggette and sophomore forward Dennis Hawkins we don’t have a ton of experience,” Bosnic said “A lot of our offense in the past came from (Gardner’s) ability to put the ball in the hole We don’t have guys who’ve done it at this level so we’re going to have to be better on defense if we’re going to make some noise.” Last year’s record: 20-6 (9-1 Section 2-A) passed away peacefully at home on April 29 She was a homemaker and was preceded in death by her husband of 26 years She was the daughter of the late John Fedarko and Margaret Krivacek Fedarko Kenneth (Jill) Galante; five grandchildren A private club in Monessen is being sued over claims that failed security led to a member’s injuries last month 697 knowingly served an intoxicated guest and failed to act when he brandished a firearm during a fight outside the Knox Avenue club of Monessen and fired at least one shot on March 20 that struck Reid in the arm According to the lawsuit filed in Westmoreland County Court Reid suffered a shattered arm that required emergency surgery She is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages Police last month charged Minnie with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and other related offenses. He was jailed on March 25 and, according to court records, was released the same day after posting $100,000 bail. Minnie was not named as a defendant in the lawsuit. He is scheduled to appear before District Judge Wayne Vlasic on May 16 for a preliminary hearing. Reid claims the club was negligent in providing inadequate security and for allowing an armed man, who was not a member, on to the premises and continuing to serve him alcohol while he was visibly intoxicated. Club representatives could not be reached for comment. Monessen police said the shooting was captured on traffic cameras in the intersection. The injured woman told investigators she saw Minnie lift up his shirt during the fight and pull a handgun from his waistband. She identified him from surveillance images from inside the bar, police said. Monessen’s TyVaughn Kershaw carries against Charleroi on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. Kershaw rushed for 169 yards and had five total touchdowns. Monessen’s Tim Kershaw III runs against Charleroi on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. Monessen’s TyVaughn Kershaw carries against Charleroi on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. Only two of those touches counted as scores but that was more than enough for Kershaw and the Greyhounds as they rolled to a 59-12 win over the Cougars on Friday night at Memorial Stadium Week Zero game,” Monessen coach Wade Brown said “I am happy to come out of here with a win and it’s a big win in a rivalry game but we still have a lot to learn and build from It was a productive night for us on offense.” The season-opening victory was the first for the Greyhounds (1-0) since 2018 The Greyhounds amassed more than 400 yards of total offense who ran for 169 yards on only seven carries and accounted for a total of five touchdowns: three rushing and two kickoff returns Dennis Hawkins had a strong game under center for the home team as the sophomore wwent 10 of 11 for 176 yards and three passing scores Rodney Johnson was Hawkins’ main target as the 6-foot 230-pound tight end caught four balls for 108 yards and a score the Cougars (0-1) got a stellar game from quarterback Jackson Keranko who finished with 262 yards on 15-of-29 passing with two touchdowns and three interceptions Daniel Nusida hauled in eight balls for 103 yards and a touchdown and Noah Pletcher snagged three catches for 59 yards and a score Charleroi was looking for its first victory over Monessen since 2017 but I am still so excited with our progress,” Charleroi coach Ty Aeschbacher said “We have made substantial progress since Week 0 last season and we don’t practice kickoffs too much But the guys competed till the end and our passing game was effective.” Kershaw quickly started the scoring with the opening kickoff as he made one cut and was basically untouched in the middle of the field for a 98-yard touchdown After a high snap resulted in a fumble for the Cougars the Greyhounds made it 13-0 when Kershaw scored from 15 yards on the ground followed by a successful PAT by Kayden Kolbeck Hawkins found Johnson for a 23-yard catch-and-run to give Monessen a 19-0 lead at the end of one and we want them all to touch the ball,” Brown said “It’s not just Tyvaughn with our offense We can attack you in a lot of different ways Dennis was solid with giving the ball to the open guy A lot of our receiving yards was run after catch The Cougars’ offense found a spark on their first drive of the second quarter and drove it to the 6-yard line but the Greyhounds played takeaway with an interception by Tavian Taylor in the end zone the home team made it 25-0 when Hawkins hooked up with Tim Kershaw for a 15-yard touchdown pass with 5:12 left in the first half Charleroi bounced back on its next possession and punched it into the end zone with an eight-play drive that covered 75 yards and was capped with a 12-yard scoring strike to Pletcher from Keranko on fourth-and-four Monessen grabbed back the momentum when Tyvaughn Kershaw broke loose for an 89-yard return The Greyhounds held a 33-6 lead at halftime After the Cougars trimmed the deficit to 33-12 with a 19-yard touchdown pass to Nusida from Keranko the Greyhounds bounced back with two scores in a 12-second span Hawkins connected with Devontae Robinson for a 10-yard touchdown pass after Monessen recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff Taylor dashed to the goal line for a 15-yard score who came into the game with 2,000-plus rushing yards in his two years with the Greyhounds added the final two scores of the contest via runs from 32 and 50 yards in the final quarter but it’s only going to get tougher for us,” Brown said “We have to learn from our mistakes and come out with an attitude of wanting to get better every week We limited their running game and only gave up 12 points but they hit some big pass plays against us We have to communicate better in the secondary and the guys just have to make plays against those combat catches.” Both teams will be back home in nonconference action next Friday If Javascript is disabled browser, to place orders please visit the page where our photos are available to purchase. A ribbon-cutting marked the addition of five modular homes on Motheral Avenue. Block by block, hope is becoming more visible in the neighborhoods of Monessen. Five new modular homes recently built on Motheral Avenue will provide opportunities for area residents to become homeowners, and they’ve brought new life to a street that used to be lined with blighted properties. Westmoreland Community Action held an open house Tuesday for the houses, built by Manorwood Homes, to give stakeholders, interes... The family launched an online fundraiser to help with Carl Watson’s funeral expenses. A Monessen firefighter passed away unexpectedly, and the family needs help covering funeral costs. Carl Watson, who served as a captain of Monessen Volunteer Fire Department No. 2, died Friday. The Watson family launched an online fundraiser through GoFund-Me to raise funds for the funeral. “Due to this being very unexpected, my family is in desperate need of funeral funds,” Madison Watson, who said Carl was her father, wrote on the GoFundMe page. “We didn’t have any of this planned because he was only 49 years old. Anyone who knows my dad knows how willing he was to help anyone he could.” In the post, Madison Watson said her father collapsed outside their home while letting their dogs outside. “We were unaware that he had collapsed; he was out there for some time. Unfortunately, when we came to realize he was still outside, it was too late,” Madison Watson wrote. “He had gone into cardiac arrest and already passed away. I had to make the gruesome phone call to 911 as I was trying to console my mom, while also giving CPR to my dad.” Gov. Josh Shapiro ordered all United States and Pennsylvania flags at half-staff Monday at state facilities, public buildings and grounds in Westmoreland County in honor of Watson. The flags will remain at half-staff until sunset on Monday. Watson served in the U.S. Army from 2001 to 2014, according to his obituary. He completed two tours of duty in Iraq, receiving a combat medic badge. He also spent time as an EMT and served as a dispatcher for Westmoreland and Armstrong counties. As of press time, the Go-FundMe has raised $9,452 of its $10,000 goal. “He spent 14 years as a medic in the U.S. Army, had years of being an EMT, and has been a volunteer firefighter ever since I could remember,” Madison Watson wrote about her father. “We hope you are all able to and willing to help us the way he has helped everyone he’s come in contact with. We just really need the help right now.” The Ferguson Funeral Home & Crematory Inc, in Belle Vernon is in charge of funeral arrangements. To donate to the Watson family, go to gofundme.com/f/urgent- funeral-funds-for-the-watson- family?. Monessen’s Madison Johnson dribbles against Riverview during the WPIAL playoffs Feb. 22. Schmidt — don’t call him a Junior — takes over as coach of the Monessen girls basketball team who has retired after combining for 365 victories in a career that in addition to her six seasons with the Greyhounds Greensburg Salem and Jeannette high schools as well as NCAA Division III Pitt-Greensburg “She’s been really helpful with transitioning me into this role,” said Schmidt “We’ve gotten caught up with some of the girls I have E’Dazjia Solomon-Green and Schmidt’s dad Schmidt — don’t call him a Senior — Monessen will press on “It’s been a dream of ours to coach a high school team together,” the elder Schmidt said of their endeavor “I’ve been coaching for almost 20 years and Jason has been helping me since he was 16 We can definitely do this because Jason has always had a passion for coaching and he’s wanted to pursue a job at the varsity level for some time now.” Two starters — junior forward NaJazia Carter and junior guard Madison Johnson — return to Monessen which raced through an undefeated season in Section 2-A and closed Vertacnik’s final year of coaching with a 20-7 overall mark following an uncharacteristically lopsided loss to District 9 Elk County Catholic in a PIAA first-round playoff game The Greyhounds five times under Vertacnik’s leadership qualified for the WPIAL playoffs winning two consecutive WPIAL section championships with the current senior class is hoping to lead the program to continued success sooner than later He’ll go about it having had coaching experience mainly at the youth level in basketball and football Monessen will rely on Carter and Johnson for leadership but there are others he’s been hoping will step up “We’re very young,” he said as candidates for starting jobs are sophomore guard Rayniya Lyons sophomore forwards Jaidyn Rankin and Erriol Washington and freshman guard Amirra Brewer “I’ve been telling the girls that everyone loves to win but you’ve got to hate to lose,” Jason F Schmidt also worked for one season as an offensive assistant high school football coach at Elizabeth Forward and hoped that experience would help him adjust to the high school level “I’m happy to support him,” Jason J a former football player at McKeesport and an interior lineman for two seasons each at Division III Thiel and Division II Edinboro said he’s planning to use his experience as a youth engagement support specialist for Pittsburgh-based nonprofit Pressley Ridge as a tool He mainly interacts with students in the McKeesport School District and I’ve always lived in McKeesport,” he said “There are striking similarities (to Monessen) where I’m from and who I am can only help these girls improve “I believe I have the right temperament and since I’ve been given this opportunity Last year’s record: 20-7 (10-0 Section 2-A) Returning starters: NaJazia Carter (Jr. Latrobe breaks a huddle on Saturday at the WCCA Shootout at Jeannette. That is a scary proposition for opponents. “He’s the best athlete I have ever coached,” Wildcats coach Brad Wetzel said. “There isn’t a better jumper. He has an unlimited ceiling.” After a slow start, DeCerb and the Wildcats jumped over Monessen, cruising to an 80-55 victory on Saturday afternoon at the sixth Westmoreland County Coaches Association Showcase at Jeannette. DeCerb scored a career-high 25 points and senior teammate Max Butler added 24 as Latrobe (7-1) cruised to two wins in two days. DeCerb used to be a striker in soccer, but now he strikes from the low block, finishing at the rim and rebounding with purpose. “I see myself as a basketball player,” DeCerb said. “I am constantly working on my game, lifting and trying to be better. We played last night, but I woke up with a lot of energy and was ready to go.” The Wildcats, who are averaging nearly 70 points, beat Laurel Highlands, 61-47, on Friday night. Monessen (3-3) had an 18-17 lead after the first quarter, but Latrobe ran off 15 straight points to start the second and steadily pulled away. “We started out flat,” DeCerb said. “When the (first) quarter ended, we looked at each other and said, let’s buckle down. We had nine turnovers in the first quarter but cut it to two in the second.” Senior Kyle McNeil added 12 points for the Wildcats, who took a 41-26 advantage into halftime. Latrobe had 24 points in the second quarter and 22 in the fourth. DeCerb and Butler combined for 16 points in the second quarter. “We had some self-inflicted things in the first quarter,” Wetzel said. “Too many turnovers. It was nice to come into today, after a win last night, and play well. We did a better job of taking care of the ball and we showed good character.” Sophomore Dennis Hawkins led the Greyhounds with 19 points and junior Rodney Johnson added 13. Latrobe’s lead didn’t dip below 13 in the third, and ballooned to 28 in the fourth. Monessen dropped a 72-46 decision to Neighborhood Academy in its Section 2-A opener Friday. Latrobe will be off for a few days to enjoy Christmas before heading to the state of Indiana for a holiday tournament beginning Thursday. TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need A former Monessen volunteer fire department president has been charged with stealing more than $30,000 from the department’s bank account over the past four years Fellow firefighters told police he admitted to taking the money and did not pay it back after being granted nearly nine months to do so 1 were consolidating the department’s bank accounts and asked Gaydos — fire department president at the time — to close a Citizens Bank account for the “Volunteer Fire Department and Relief Association Monessen PA Club Dues.” the department’s board of directors chairman said Gaydos turned in $7 and some change and said he’d closed out the account according to court records — that he knew there was significantly more money in the account which the department had used for its fundraising and social hall rentals When Palmer went to Citizens Bank to find out more about the account and that the names on the account included Gaydos as well as firefighter Paul Buchko Palmer told police he was not aware that Buchko still had access to the account and when Palmer contacted him to get bank statements for the past few years he saw numerous ATM transactions and bank account transfers that were not authorized by the department Palmer told police he was not aware that Gaydos had a debit card for the department’s account Palmer said he and others confronted Gaydos about the transactions and transfers and told police Gaydos admitted the transfers were to his bank account and he had taken the money Police independently spoke with other board members in attendance Palmer said Gaydos also offered to sell one of his rental properties and pay the money back to the fire department Working with the fire department’s attorney an agreement was drafted requiring Gaydos to pay back the total taken within 60 days and resign from the department The agreement was signed and notarized in the presence of a district magistrate Palmer told police Gaydos had issues selling the property and another agreement was signed in August and $1,000 per month until he reached a total of $5,000 When Gaydos again failed to pay back any of the money Palmer called city police to say that Gaydos had not paid back any of the money Police were granted a search warrant in December for records pertaining to a Citizens Bank account belonging to Gaydos and his business where they were able to confirm the transactions and transfers An attorney was not listed in court records police said Gaydos undertook more than 120 transactions and money transfers between late 2020 and 2024 He was charged on Wednesday and released on $100,000 unsecured bond 24 before in Judge Wayne Vlasic’s Monessen court Patrick Varine is a TribLive reporter covering Delmont, Export and Murrysville. He is a Western Pennsylvania native and joined the Trib in 2010 after working as a reporter and editor with the former Dover Post Co. in Delaware. He can be reached at pvarine@triblive.com Stay up-to-date on important news from TribLIVE 1-800-909-8742 © 2025 Trib Total Media | All Rights Reserved About Us Advertise Career Opportunities Contact Advertising Contact Circulation Contact Newsroom Contact Us Feedback Request Correction Resource Center Scholarship Opportunities Send Letter to the Editor Send News Tip Subscribe Subscriber Services Blog eFeatures Email Newsletters eTrib Facebook Home Delivery Instagram LinkedIn Marketing Minute Store Locations TribLIVE App - App Store TribLIVE App - Google Play X (formerly Twitter) Arts & Entertainment Best of the Best Business Directory Circulars Contests Coronavirus Lifestyles Local News YaJagOff Obituaries Opinion Our Publications Photos Real Estate Sports Video Weather Cookie Settings Privacy Policy Terms of Service Mike Thomas stands in front of a framed portrait of Pope Francis as Epiphany of Our Lord in Monessen held a Mass Saturday for the pope’s funeral Vincent Concepcion and Tommaso Gigliotti of Monessen Three mayoral candidates in Jeannette and one in Monessen were removed Monday from May’s primary ballots Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Harry Smail Jr ruled Democrat Robin Mozley and Republicans Ron Kastner and Ed Day failed to submit the proper paperwork needed to run for office in Jeannette Nomination documents submitted by Monessen mayoral hopeful Mary Jo Smith also were deficient Those rulings mean Jeannette’s two-term incumbent Republican Mayor Curtis Antoniak will be unopposed this spring and in November will likely face Democrat Michelle Langdon as a result of Monday’s court action First-term Democrat Ron Mozer will be unopposed in his bid for another term as Monessen’s mayor Antoniak sought the removal of his challengers saying Day and Kastner failed to file nomination petitions with the required 100 signatures of qualified Republican voters and statements of financial interests with the city’s clerk and what I wanted to do is follow Pennsylvania state law in running for office You don’t want someone in office who doesn’t follow state laws,” Antoniak said Two of the three Jeannette mayoral candidates bounced from the ballot submitted statements of financial interest with the county election bureau earlier in March but none filed required duplicates with the city’s clerk office a technicality the judge said is a fatal error under existing state law Day met the signature threshold but told the judge the provision that required the filing of his financial disclosure should be waived because Jeannette relocated its clerk’s office to a new location in city hall and placed it under the auspices of the city manager was confused about the requirement to file two financial documents a former one-term mayor who was the first woman elected to head Monessen’s government was removed from the ballot after the judge ruled she was three signatures short of the required number needed to appear on the ballot She did not appear in court for Monday’s hearing Smail also issued an order to remove Franklin Regional School Board candidate Republican Susan Ilgenfritz from the primary ballot for filing her financial disclosure form with the district six days late Five candidates seeking four board seats remain on the Democratic and Republican primary ballots Rich Cholodofsky is a TribLive reporter covering Westmoreland County government, politics and courts. He can be reached at rcholodofsky@triblive.com A Monessen man is accused of leading state police on a high-speed chase Monday night before crashing into another car in Rostraver Township State police said Nikolas David Friedline was speeding while driving east on Interstate 70 near the Charleroi/Allenport exit in Speers Borough shortly after 5 p.m. prompting a trooper stationed at the interchange to initiate a traffic stop crossing into Westmoreland County and drove on the right shoulder of the interstate trying to pass other vehicles He eventually exited the highway at the Donora/Fayette City interchange in Rostraver Township and began driving north on Route 201 Police said Friedline passed other vehicles using the oncoming lane and reached speeds of more than 80 mph in an area of the roadway with a speed limit of 35 mph He eventually struck another vehicle driven by a 23-year-old Elizabeth woman who was traveling on Route 201 near Iron City Hill Road Friedline’s vehicle then traveled through a field and behind several houses before coming out on Iron City Hill Road where he finally stopped his car for the pursuing troopers Troopers pulled Friedline from his vehicle and he allegedly admitted to them that “he should’ve just stopped and did not know why he did that,” according to the charging documents was charged with one felony count of fleeing police and a misdemeanor charge of accident involving damage He was arraigned Monday night by District Judge Lou McQuillian who released him on $10,000 unsecured bond Police did not say if the other motorist was injured or the extent of the damage to her vehicle A Monessen man is charged attempted homicide in connection with a shooting last week that left a woman hurt Monessen police believe Jamont Anthony Minnie outside a private club in the area of Knox Avenue and 10th Street sustained a broken arm and will have to have bullet fragments surgically removed Police were called to the club at 1:30 a.m Witnesses reported hearing gunshots during a fight among a group of people outside Monessen Elks Oaky Lodge on Knox Avenue The shooting was captured on police cameras in the intersection The injured woman told investigators she saw Minnie lift up his shirt during the fight and pull out a handgun from his waistband She identified him in surveillance images from inside the bar She was driven to Penn Highlands Mon Valley Hospital by someone at the bar and later flown by a medical helicopter to Allegheny General Hospital A warrant has been issued for Minnie’s arrest reckless endangerment and related offenses He didn’t have an attorney listed in online court records Renatta Signorini is a TribLive reporter covering breaking news, crime, courts and Jeannette. She has been working at the Trib since 2005. She can be reached at rsignorini@triblive.com 2 responded to two calls for a rubbish fire that extended to a concession stand and a downed utility pole at Monongahela Street and Second Street 1 said all units cleared both incidents without injury Council voted unanimously to hire Joseph Volpe who previously held the same position in Donora Monessen hired another part-time code enforcement officer during Thursday’s council meeting council authorized the hiring of Joseph Volpe as a part-time code enforcement officer Volpe previously served as a code enforcement officer for Donora The hiring comes after the death of code enforcement Officer Marvin Davis in February which has greatly affected the department’s work.. she was the daughter of the late Leo and Margaret Rensi Zattiero She attended Christian Life Ministries on Patton Avenue she attended Monessen High School while working at Olsavisk’s Grocery Store in 1944 and together they traveled extensively during their 77.. Aniya Glendenning had a fine start to the season for Wash High softball had four RBIs and was the winning pitcher with two strikeouts to help Washington defeat Monessen 16-5 in five innings Saturday Faith Partozoti added a pair of hits and drove in three runs for the Prexies Washington (1-0) scored 14 runs through the first three innings singled and had an RBI for the Greyhounds (0-1) Lebanon’s Rebecca Davis proved too much to overcome for Avella including two doubles and a homer to lead the Blue Devils (1-0) to a 29-7 five-inning victory at the Ripken Experience in Tennessee Saturday Madison Rush and Haleigh Rush homered for Avella (0-1) tossing five shutout innings as South Fayette picked up an 11-1 victory in six innings over Regis (N.Y) Saturday in Florida Rynn struck out three and yielded only three hits Trey Skeen singled twice and plated four runs for the Lions (2-0) and Bo Stover tripled Demolition of the former apartment building is underway, while the construction of five modular homes began as well on Motheral Avenue. Monessen’s Jay’veon Jeffries pulls in a catch during the Willie Thrower quarterbacks camp in June at Valley High School. Monessen quarterback Dennis Hawkins throws during the Willie Thrower quarterbacks camp in June at Valley High School. comes dangerously close to not having enough players some weeks then manages to qualify for the WPIAL Class A playoffs It has happened in each of coach Wade Brown’s three seasons at the helm and 2024 likely will shape up in similar fashion The Greyhounds regularly had between 20 and 25 players for summer workouts Maintaining a roster count somewhere near 25 would be a coup for Brown especially considering there were a couple of games last season when Monessen dressed 15 players 3-4 in the Tri-County South last season) is preparing for what seems to be the inevitable “That’s just how it’s been all our life,” said junior running back Tyvaughn Kershaw we would go into games with like 11 players and we’re still going to have to figure out something to do because I know we’re going to be low.” The good news is many of the players likely to stick around saw plenty of playing time last season were all-conference performers: running back Kershaw fellow running back Tavian Taylor and offensive/defensive linemen Rodney Johnson and Torrence Taylor Kershaw rushed for 741 yards and 10 touchdowns and also was a threat as a receiver … We’re really going to try to lean on him going into his junior year.” the Greyhounds figure to have a strong 1-2 punch in the running game But teams might be forced to respect Monessen’s passing game Dennis Hawkins played quarterback for most of the 2023 season and the freshman produced six scoring passes and only three interceptions a win over Mapletown in the penultimate game of the season that helped get Monessen into the playoffs but Brown expects his sophomore signal-caller to take steps forward “He’s a 4.0 student,” Brown said adding that Hawkins’ height will help him see over defenses “We’re depending on him to run the offense It’s always great to have a kid who is a 4.0 kid running your offense and he’s growing seemingly by the day.” One player who might surprise is senior two-way lineman Jacob Savage (6-2 He played his first season of football last year but showed tremendous upside Brown also is counting on — as usual — a group of incoming freshmen to bolster the lineup Brown hopes there is a silver lining in his team’s traditionally small roster He hopes young players will realize the opportunity they have to contribute right away He also hopes all the players learned valuable lessons from last season’s late rally “It would have been easy for these kids to just lay down and quit and say The season is over,’ ” Brown said “But for the kids to stick with it and fight through it … that’s big.” • Last season’s victory over Mapletown was the Greyhounds’ first under Wade Brown • Sophomore quarterback Dennis Hawkins was class president last year • Three of the Greyhounds’ four wins last season were at home A Monessen man was acquitted of sexual assault charges on Wednesday After nearly two hours of deliberations by a Westmoreland County jury was found not guilty of three charges in connection with allegations made by an autistic woman who claimed she was raped after she rejected his sexual advances a maintenance man at her apartment building befriended her and invited himself to her home in August 2022 to watch television he made multiple sexual advances that she rejected before he led her into the bedroom and forced himself on her Griest’s accuser and a police detective were the only two witnesses to testify during the two-day trial Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher Feliciani at the conclusion of the prosecution’s case dismissed felony counts of rape and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse the two most serious charges against Griest The judge ruled prosecutors could not prove Griest used or threatened the use of force aggravated indecent assault and indecent assault were ultimately rejected by the jury Assistant Public Defender James Spriestersbach argued the sex between Griest and his accuser was consensual He told jurors the woman claimed rape for religious reasons “Her Christian faith led her to say it was rape I’m sorry to say the only way to make sense of it to her Lord is it had to be rape an assault,” Spriestersbach told jurors Prosecutors said Griest ignored the woman’s refusal to engage in sexual relations Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Echard argued the accuser twice rebuffed requests for sex but eventually decided not to fight him off out of fear for her safety She stopped saying no when she was afraid he would beat her up He took advantage of her disability,” Echard said was expected to be released from custody Wednesday night Monessen’s TyVaughn Kershaw scores against Serra Catholic on Friday. Monessen’s Tayvian Taylor tries to break free against Serra Catholic’s Kai’ree Chavez-Harrington (72) on Friday. Serra Catholic’s Brady Vricic runs against Monessen on Friday. Serra Catholic’s Mason Jones runs against Monessen on Friday. Monessen’s Davontae Robinson (5) breaks up a pass thrown by Serra Catholic’s Quadir Stribling on Friday. Monessen’s Rodney Johnson scores against Serra Catholic on Friday. Monessen found a way to come from behind and edge Serra Catholic in the Black Hills Conference opener for both teams 1-0) leaned on the powerful running of their captain who racked up 166 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries Kershaw continues to impress for the Greyhounds as he came into the game as one of the leading rushers in the WPIAL with 16 rushing touchdowns in just three games His performance against Serra Catholic was a testament to his hard work and leadership which is something that hasn’t gone unnoticed by coach Wade Brown “He’s one of our hardest workers for sure,” Brown said “He’s worked his way into the captain position but he always finds a way to deliver.” Monessen had to overcome a late push by Serra Catholic The Greyhounds struck first with a 4-yard touchdown pass from Dennis Hawkins to Rodney Johnson securing an early 6-0 lead late in the first quarter Serra Catholic responded with a passing touchdown of its own with just under three minutes remaining before halftime and carried that momentum — and a 7-6 lead — into the break Kershaw’s first touchdown came shortly after as he broke free for a 37-yard run that set up a first-and-goal opportunity He capped the drive with a short touchdown run giving Monessen a 12-7 lead with just over a minute remaining in the first half Serra Catholic’s offense found a spark in De’reon Washington who quickly answered Kershaw’s touchdown with a 62-yard scoring reception just two plays later Washington was a dynamic playmaker throughout the night accounting for both of Serra Catholic’s touchdowns in spectacular fashion He finished with 44 rushing yards and 82 receiving yards His versatility extended to defense as well where he secured a crucial interception that kept Serra Catholic within striking distance Serra Catholic’s Brady Vrcic also had a strong game it was Monessen’s ability to control the clock and lean on Kershaw’s ground game that made the difference The Greyhounds scored the winning touchdown early in the fourth quarter after they recovered a fumble on the Eagles’ side of the field setting them up perfectly for Kershaw’s second touchdown and the 2-point conversion The Greyhounds were able to put a stop to the Eagles’ last offensive effort and run out the rest of the clock and Serra Catholic continues to search for their first victory The game marked the first section game of the season as both teams look to begin their push for the playoffs “It’s still early in the season but this is the time of year when every game matters a little more,” Brown said but we want to make sure we’re playing our best football as we move into section play and continue to improve every week.” Serra Catholic coach Jose Regus remained optimistic despite the loss praising his team’s resilience and effort and the game was much closer than their earlier defeats giving them something to build on moving forward and I believe we’re getting better each week,” Regus said “We just need to put it all together.” daughter of Raenetta Johnson and Dwayne Hall was recently recognized as the Monessen Lions Club April student of the month Rayne is a participant in the CNX Mentorship Academy Future Business Leaders of America and Spanish National Honor Society Her achievements and awards include: FBLA Education Award high honors and Spanish National Honor Society Education Award Laura Borne of the Mon Valley Independent’s circulation department took this photo of a car fire early Saturday morning in Monessen’s Park Center Plaza off Grand Boulevard Greensburg Central Catholic took advantage of the miscues for a 9-7 win in the nightcap of Monessen fired at least one shot on March 20 that struck Reid in the arm According to the lawsuit filed in Westmor.. in Kadima Rehabilitation and Nursing Center he found joy in the simple pleasures of life — camping with family riding his banana bike — Tom was the first to get a bike amongst the six children — and hanging on “The Hill” with his friends These early experiences were filled with laughter curiosity and the kind of freedom that defined his spi.. A Brownsville man is behind bars after police said he shot at another man in Monessen late Thursday Investigators said when they attempted to serve a search warrant early Thursday at a home near the shooting they learned Jay Din R It ended when Eleam attempted to run from the Leeds Avenue home around 9 a.m according to Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office spokesperson Melanie Jones aggravated assault and related offenses in connection with the shooting Monessen police believe the shooting stemmed from an argument between Eleam and the mother of his child The woman was driven to Leeds Avenue around 11 p.m Eleam came out of the house and fired a gun at the vehicle they were in The woman drove him to Penn Highlands Mon Valley hospital where he was flown by medical helicopter to a Pittsburgh facility Police said there were two bullet holes in the windows of the car Police from several surrounding agencies attempted to serve the search warrant at 4:30 a.m The state police Special Emergency Response Team was requested to help at the standoff Eleam did not have an attorney listed in online court records He was being held at the Westmoreland County Prison The first show will take place June 29 at City Park A judge determined that the Monessen mayor’s only challenger didn’t have enough qualifying signatures Monessen Mayor Ron Mozer will run unopposed in his reelection bid after Democratic challenger Mary Jo Smith was removed from the ballot in a court ruling Monday ruled Smith was three signatures short of the required number needed to appear on the ballot Mozer submitted documents to the court last week disputing the validity of Smith’s nomination petition claiming some of its signatures do not belong to registered Democratic voters Mozer said he noticed names of people who are not registered Democrats while looking over Smith’s nomination petition told the Mon Valley Independent she asked each person who signed the petition if they were a registered Democrat they didn’t tell me the truth,” Smith said When asked why he felt compelled to take the matter to court there’s laws and it was just the right thing to do.” Smith said she will not challenge the judge’s decision Smith added that she began collecting signatures late because she had COVID for a week and a half “And I wasn’t going door to door to spread it,” she said The period to collect signatures and file nomination petitions started Feb candidates are required to obtain 100 signatures to get on the ballot Mozer is in line to become the first Monessen mayor to secure a second term in office during the 21st century Robert Leone was the last mayor elected to a second term in Monessen He led the city’s government from 1990 through 1997 While there are no challengers on the ballot Mozer said he will be “campaigning as hard as ever” to ensure he stays in office according to Westmoreland County’s unofficial candidate list There are no challengers running for council daughter of the late Jesse Alvin and Kathryn Skruber Wilson She was retired from Charleroi High School She is survived by her husband of 62 years Kelly (John) Tividor and Tracy (Ray) Mosco; brother A 23-year-old woman was shot in the wrist outside a private club Thursday in Monessen City police and Westmoreland County detectives are investigating the shooting that was reported at 1:30 a.m The woman was taken to Penn Highlands Mon Valley Hospital and flown by a medical helicopter to a Pittsburgh-area hospital spokesperson for the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office Police haven’t charged anyone in connection with the shooting Jones said investigators don’t believe there’s any threat to the public Anyone with information is asked to call Monessen police at 724-684-4620 or county detectives at 724-830-3287 A Monessen man was sentenced Friday to state prison for stabbing a man at an apartment complex where they lived in 2023 The victim of the attack declined to testify during the sentencing hearing for Robert W but the fact that he didn’t waive a mandatory two- to four-year sentence was important to Judge Christopher Feliciani “That speaks volumes with regards to what his position is,” Feliciani said ”I have to take that into consideration.” Varner was sentenced to two to four years in a state prison followed by five years of probation in connection with the June 28, 2023 attack A witness told police that she and her brother asked Varner to be quiet a few times at Valley Manor apartments They argued and Varner stabbed the man five times in the back and chest Varner entered a general plea in December to aggravated assault possession of an instrument of crime and reckless endangerment Though he didn’t want to make a statement in court the victim told Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Echard he continues to have medical issues in addition to dealing with the stress and trauma Varner turned to apologize to the victim during the hearing “The day of the incident I had been drinking,” he said “I take full responsibility of my actions even though I was drinking.” Feliciani gave Varner credit for time served in the Westmoreland County Prison since his arrest in July 2023 but at least it might help to explain the behavior,” Feliciani said At least one person was flown to a Pittsburgh hospital following a two-vehicle crash shortly before 7 p.m Wednesday on the Charleroi-Monessen bridge 1 and Charleroi had to use extrication tools to free one of the occupants of the vehicles The patient was transferred over to the care of Mon Valley EMS and then transported by medical helicopter