Observer-Reporter

Observer-Reporter The Observer-Reporter is a daily newspaper covering Washington and Greene counties and the Mon Valley Parent company Observer Publishing Co.

The award-winning Observer–Reporter has been part of Washington and Greene counties since the early 1800s, and the Mon Valley since 1986. Headquartered in Washington, Pa., we cover news, sports, opinion, community stories and more. also publishes The Almanac, a weekly newspaper in the South Hills, as well as monthly magazines and other special-interest publications, and related Web sites.

A Chartiers Township woman whose vehicle crossed into oncoming traffic on Interstate 79 and crashed head-on into another...
04/24/2025

A Chartiers Township woman whose vehicle crossed into oncoming traffic on Interstate 79 and crashed head-on into another motorist pleaded guilty to homicide by vehicle just before her trial was set to begin this week.

Rachel Ann Phillips pleaded guilty Monday to the one felony charge just before jury selection began for her trial at the Washington County Courthouse in the Aug. 23, 2023, crash that killed a New York man.

A Chartiers Township woman whose vehicle crossed into oncoming traffic on Interstate 79 and crashed head-on into another motorist pleaded guilty to homicide by vehicle just before her trial was set to begin this week. Rachel Ann Phillips pleaded guilty Monday to the one felony charge just before jur...

A Maryland woman accused of attempting to take nearly $400,000 from a Washington County man’s retirement fund pleaded gu...
04/23/2025

A Maryland woman accused of attempting to take nearly $400,000 from a Washington County man’s retirement fund pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor theft charge and was given credit for time served.

Omolabake Oyebola Adedeji, 44, of Essex, Md., pleaded guilty to theft by unlawful taking and was immediately sentenced by Judge Valarie Costanzo to serve one to 11 months in jail.

A Maryland woman accused of attempting to take nearly $400,000 from a Washington County man’s retirement fund pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor theft charge and was given credit for time served. Omolabake Oyebola Adedeji, 44, of Essex, Md., pleaded guilty to theft by unlawful taking and was immedi...

An audit by Washington County’s acting controller revealed that the county spent more than $100,000 on last month’s Real...
04/23/2025

An audit by Washington County’s acting controller revealed that the county spent more than $100,000 on last month’s Real Estate Expo, with revenue from sponsorships and vendor fees falling well short for the event to break even.

Acting Controller Heather Sheatler released the audit Thursday showing the expo cost $122,877 and brought in about $71,000, although Commission Chairman Nick Sherman disputed some of the figures and questioned the legitimacy of the report.

An audit by Washington County’s acting controller revealed that the county spent more than $100,000 on last month’s Real Estate Expo, with revenue from sponsorships and vendor fees falling well short for the event to break even. Acting Controller Heather Sheatler released the audit Thursday show...

Jeanine DeBor is following her grandfather’s tracks.“The reason I love this place goes back to my grandfather, Tony DeSe...
04/22/2025

Jeanine DeBor is following her grandfather’s tracks.

“The reason I love this place goes back to my grandfather, Tony DeSensi,” she said Wednesday morning, inside the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum, where DeBor is deputy executive director of the Chartiers Township complex – and where the accent is on fun, fun, fun.

Trolley cars were a passion with her grandfather, starting at age 8 at the Tylerdale Car House in Washington. He would watch his father, Patsy, work there, and where his dad would occasionally let him run a trolley around the loop – even though Tony could barely see over the wheel.

Jeanine DeBor is following her grandfather’s tracks. “The reason I love this place goes back to my grandfather, Tony DeSensi,” she said Wednesday morning, inside the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum, where DeBor is deputy executive director of the Chartiers Township complex – and where the accent...

Tradition is trending. Nationally and locally, a younger generation is skipping brunch to spend Sunday morning inside Ca...
04/22/2025

Tradition is trending. Nationally and locally, a younger generation is skipping brunch to spend Sunday morning inside Catholic and Orthodox Christian churches.

“When me and my wife started attending (the Orthodox church), we were in our mid-20s. It was a lot of legacy families. It was kind of your standard Pittsburgh parish situation: It had seen better days and, over the decades, declined significantly,” said Daniel Thacker, who, together with his wife, Emily, was baptized into the Orthodox faith at St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church in Canonsburg in 2020.

Tradition is trending. Nationally and locally, a younger generation is skipping brunch to spend Sunday morning inside Catholic and Orthodox Christian churches. “When me and my wife started attending (the Orthodox church), we were in our mid-20s. It was a lot of legacy families. It was kind of your...

The Diocese of Greensburg police force has captured national attention and is being modeled by other dioceses in the sta...
04/21/2025

The Diocese of Greensburg police force has captured national attention and is being modeled by other dioceses in the state and beyond.

The force provides full-time coverage at each of its 12 schools with 23 police officers who have at least a decade of law enforcement experience.

latest news for Washington County, Greene County, and the Mon Valley

The state Department of Transportation secretary spoke in Washington Thursday urging the Pennsylvania Legislature to pas...
04/21/2025

The state Department of Transportation secretary spoke in Washington Thursday urging the Pennsylvania Legislature to pass Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed budget calling for an additional $292 million for mass transit.

Mike Carroll was joined by Sheila Gombita, the executive director for Freedom Transit, at the Washington Transportation Center on East Chestnut Street to discuss how the increase in funding could benefit Washington County residents who rely on public transportation.

The state Department of Transportation secretary spoke in Washington Thursday urging the Pennsylvania Legislature to pass Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed budget calling for an additional $292 million for mass transit. Mike Carroll was joined by Sheila Gombita, the executive director for Freedom Trans...

Freedom Transit will appear before the South Strabane Township Board ofSupervisors next week for a public hearing on its...
04/18/2025

Freedom Transit will appear before the South Strabane Township Board ofSupervisors next week for a public hearing on its new facility.

The organization, also known as the Washington County Transportation Authority, is seeking approval on a conditional use application to operate a “bus depot” at 375 Berry Road.

Freedom Transit will appear before the South Strabane Township Board ofSupervisors next week for a public hearing on its new facility. The organization, also known as the Washington County Transportation Authority, is seeking approval on a conditional use application to operate a “bus depot” at ...

An 81-year-old Canton Township man accused of sexually abusing two pre-teen children pleaded guilty Wednesday to lesser ...
04/18/2025

An 81-year-old Canton Township man accused of sexually abusing two pre-teen children pleaded guilty Wednesday to lesser charges after he was acquitted last month in the other case.

Victor Charles Ardeno Sr. pleaded guilty to corruption of minors and child endangerment, and was immediately sentenced by Judge Valarie Costanzo to serve 11 ½ to 23 months in jail as part of his plea agreement with prosecutors.

An 81-year-old Canton Township man accused of sexually abusing two pre-teen children pleaded guilty Wednesday to lesser charges after he was acquitted last month in the other case. Victor Charles Ardeno Sr. pleaded guilty to corruption of minors and child endangerment, and was immediately sentenced....

When Marryka Beck didn’t receive her mail ballot as expected ahead of the November 2024 election, the West Virginia Univ...
04/17/2025

When Marryka Beck didn’t receive her mail ballot as expected ahead of the November 2024 election, the West Virginia University student knew she would have to drive back to Pennsylvania and vote provisionally on Election Day.

At her polling place in Washington County, Beck says she followed the staff’s instructions. She said that after she had finished marking her choices on the provisional ballot, poll workers told her to hand it back without placing the ballot in its secrecy envelope.

Votebeat, a nonpartisan news organization covering local election administration and voting. Sign up for Votebeat’s free newsletters here. When Marryka Beck didn’t receive her mail ballot as expected ahead of the November 2024 election, the West Virginia University student knew she would have to...

Bentleyville police charged an Allegheny County man Friday in connection with the theft of more than $500,000 from a loc...
04/17/2025

Bentleyville police charged an Allegheny County man Friday in connection with the theft of more than $500,000 from a local forklift dealer.

William F. Rohan is accused in court documents of stealing parts from his employer, TruPar America in Bentleyville, and selling them in a scheme dating back to 2017.

Rohan, 59, of Munhall, faces felony charges of theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, theft by deception and unlawful use of a computer.

Bentleyville police charged an Allegheny County man Friday in connection with the theft of more than $500,000 from a local forklift dealer. William F. Rohan is accused in court documents of stealing parts from his employer, TruPar America in Bentleyville, and selling them in a scheme dating back to....

When Mike Gualtieri heard a loud crashing noise just outside his home Tuesday morning, he thought it was a spring storm....
04/16/2025

When Mike Gualtieri heard a loud crashing noise just outside his home Tuesday morning, he thought it was a spring storm.

“It sounded like thunder to me, but my wife was in the kitchen and saw the whole thing,” said Gualitieri. “She yelled up the steps at me and said ‘someone hit the post office.”

When Mike Gualtieri heard a loud crashing noise just outside his home Tuesday morning, he thought it was a spring storm. “It sounded like thunder to me, but my wife was in the kitchen and saw the whole thing,” said Gualitieri. “She yelled up the steps at me and said ‘someone hit the post off...

Police are asking for the public’s help in locating a person of interest in connection with a woman’s shooting death in ...
04/16/2025

Police are asking for the public’s help in locating a person of interest in connection with a woman’s shooting death in Rostraver Township last week after her SUV was discovered in Monongahela shortly after her killing.

Rostraver police responded to a home in the 400 block of Lenity School Road in the township shortly after noon Friday and found the body of 24-year-old Jennah Marie Seibert inside, according to the Westmoreland County coroner’s office.

Police are asking for the public’s help in locating a person of interest in connection with a woman’s shooting death in Rostraver Township last week after her SUV was discovered in Monongahela shortly after her killing. Rostraver police responded to a home in the 400 block of Lenity School Road ...

Canon-McMillan School District is almost in the clear to begin construction of a new Wylandville Elementary School build...
04/15/2025

Canon-McMillan School District is almost in the clear to begin construction of a new Wylandville Elementary School building.

The district is awaiting approval for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit from the federal Environmental Protection agency, according to Dr. Joni Mansmann, the district’s director of business and finance.

Canon-McMillan School District is almost in the clear to begin construction of a new Wylandville Elementary School building. The district is awaiting approval for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit from the federal Environmental Protection agency, according to Dr. Joni Mansma...

Kurtis Lowe is a bit “green” when it comes to having a green thumb, but he’s trying his hand at gardening for the first ...
04/15/2025

Kurtis Lowe is a bit “green” when it comes to having a green thumb, but he’s trying his hand at gardening for the first time this year.

Lowe, of Dunlevy, and his wife attended their second Seed to Supper class in Charleroi this past week with a goal of starting a home garden. Lowe said he hopes to take a step toward being self-sustaining and having a healthier lifestyle.

“To me, in my opinion, it’s more of a healthier option than getting produce and groceries from the store,” Lowe said.

Kurtis Lowe is a bit “green” when it comes to having a green thumb, but he’s trying his hand at gardening for the first time this year. Lowe, of Dunlevy, and his wife attended their second Seed to Supper class in Charleroi this past week with a goal of starting a home garden. Lowe said […]

Nearly 2,000 Pennsylvania drivers were cited last year for distracted driving, and the rules surrounding mobile device u...
04/14/2025

Nearly 2,000 Pennsylvania drivers were cited last year for distracted driving, and the rules surrounding mobile device use are about to get stricter come June.

Last year Gov. Josh Shapiro signed Senate Bill 37, or Paul Miller’s Law, which prohibits the use of any handheld device while on the road.

Nearly 2,000 Pennsylvania drivers were cited last year for distracted driving, and the rules surrounding mobile device use are about to get stricter come June. Last year Gov. Josh Shapiro signed Senate Bill 37, or Paul Miller’s Law, which prohibits the use of any handheld device while on the road....

The NAACP Washington branch has announced its recipient of the 2025 NAACP Human Rights Award.Cameron, of Washington, is ...
04/14/2025

The NAACP Washington branch has announced its recipient of the 2025 NAACP Human Rights Award.

Cameron, of Washington, is well-known in the community for her advocacy for the LGBTQA+ community.

The NAACP Washington branch has announced its recipient of the 2025 Louis P. Waller Human Rights Award. The NAACP will honor Kathy Cameron during its 65th annual awards banquet at 6 p.m. Friday, May 2, at the DoubleTree by Hilton, Meadow Lands. Cameron, of Washington, is well-known in the community....

Marine Corps veteran Thomas D. Rizor couldn’t stop smiling as he was honored by a veterans’ contingent on Tuesday mornin...
04/11/2025

Marine Corps veteran Thomas D. Rizor couldn’t stop smiling as he was honored by a veterans’ contingent on Tuesday morning at Transitions Health Care in Washington.

“I died and went to heaven,” he said as he looked around the room. “All of my friends are here.”

Surrounding him were family, friends and representatives of the local Marine Corps League, American Legion Post 175 of Washington, American Legion Post 639 of Claysville, the Patriot Guard, the American Legion Riders and the Washington County Veterans Affairs Office. His medical staff stood nearby..

Marine Corps veteran Thomas D. Rizor couldn’t stop smiling as he was honored by a veterans’ contingent on Tuesday morning at Transitions Health Care in Washington. “I died and went to heaven,” he said as he looked around the room. “All of my friends are here.” Surrounding him were family...

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