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For the first time 13 years, Westmoreland County’s 1,400 retired government employees will not receive cost-of-living increases. “This is a very difficult budget and one where we couldn’t afford to do a COLA this year. Difficult decisions had to be made,” said Commissioner Ted Kopas. Retirees received 8.1% cost-of-living increases
When a 16-year-old charged with second-degree murder fled from house arrest in November, Westmoreland County authorities scrambled to find a place to house him. The county’s juvenile detention center had closed temporarily in June amid staffing shortages. Calls to numerous private and publicly owned facilities throughout Pennsylvania that house children
Republicans will retain control of the Westmoreland County board of commissioners. Incumbents Sean Kertes and Doug Chew were reelected Tuesday to second terms in office and will continue to serve as the board majority along with Democrat Ted Kopas. Democrat Lisa Gephart finished fourth. With all 307 precincts reporting, Kertes
Westmoreland County commissioners have agreed to settle a lawsuit that claimed excessive force was used against a teen at the county’s juvenile detention center in Hempfield. In the federal lawsuit, the teen said four corrections officers at the Regional Youth Services Center put him into a choke hold and slammed
After about two and a half years leading the Westmoreland County Prison, Bryan Kline resigned as warden just as Monday’s prison board meeting was set to begin. The last-minute move was approved by the board immediately after a brief executive session related to personnel at the start of the meeting.