News

A public meeting has been scheduled from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 10 at the Indian Creek Valley Community Center, 628 Indian Creek Valley Road, Indian Head, to announce results of a trail feasibility study in extending the Indian Creek Valley Hike-Bike Trail.

The Mountain Watershed Association Inc. and its partners in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will hold the public meeting.

This study, which has taken more than 18 months to complete, has examined the viability of extending the Indian Creek Valley Hike-Bike Trail to the north and south of its location in Saltlick.

The trail extends six miles along Indian Creek, a tributary of the Youghiogheny River, on an abandoned railway corridor. The Indian Creek Valley Trail could eventually span 15 miles and connect with the popular Great Allegheny Passage bike trail, which links Pittsburgh with Washington.

For directions or more information, call the Mountain Watershed Association at 724-455-4200.

South Union

Man charged in

ax attack; no injuries

State police at Uniontown arrested Douglas Clingan, 55, of Uniontown in connection with an attack Monday evening at the residence of Zachary Clingan of Uniontown.

Douglas Clingan reportedly broke into the home about 6:35 p.m. and began to swing a large ax at Zachary Clingan. Zachary Clingan retreated into another room of the house and called police. He was not injured.

Douglas Clingan was arraigned before Senior District Judge Brenda Cavalcante on charges of burglary, aggravated assault, simple assault, harassment, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness. Cavalcante set bond at $20,000 straight cash. Douglas Clingan was taken to the Fayette County Jail.

Uniontown

Toys for Tots

final registration set

Daniel Martin, coordinator for the Marine Corps Reserves Toys for Tots program in Fayette County, announced final registration for Toys for Tots will be from noon to 5 p.m. Monday at the Uniontown Mall.

Toys are for children through age 12 who are residents of Fayette County.

To be registered, applicants must bring these items: EBT/medical card for parent and children, proof of birth date for the children, photo identification for the parent registering children and proof of residency.

Do not call Uniontown Mall for sign-up information. There is no phone registration for Toys for Tots.

Uniontown

Convicted killer

plans new appeals

A Fayette County man who had his 24-year-old guilty pleas in a double homicide thrown out --- only to be convicted of the killings at trial -- has initiated a new set of appeals.

Joseph G. Nara, 57, filed notice of his intent to appeal to state Superior Court his guilty convictions and life sentence for the Jan. 28, 1984, slayings of his wife, DeLorean Nara, 23, and mother-in-law, Virginia Ruth Churby, 61.

Nara spent 24 years in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree murder in 1984. Through a series of appeals, he won the right to a trial.

A Fayette jury last month found him guilty of first-degree murder in the women's deaths. During the sentencing phase of the trial, the jury sent Nara to prison for life rather than impose the death penalty.

According to trial testimony, Nara shot the lock off the door to Churby's mobile home, then shot his wife twice and her mother three times.

Two of his children, who were ages 2 and 3 at the time, were in the mobile home at the time of the shootings.

Nara's attorney, Mark Mehalov, filed the notice of appeal on Nov. 19.

LaBelle

Boy receives

Make-A-Wish grant

Chase Rutherford of LaBelle received his wish for a shopping spree on Nov. 23. Rutherford, who was diagnosed with lymphoma, received his wish from the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Rutherford, who loves to play sports, was escorted in a limousine to Uniontown Mall to buy a Boxing Bob and a tree stand. He also picked up some clothes and other sports items at Dunham's. He ended his day with a pizza and chicken wing dinner at Pizza Hut.

Connellsville

Holiday Gift Club

donations sought

The Daily Courier is collecting toys until Dec. 15 for its annual Holiday Gift Club to provide needy children (infant to age 12), mainly in the Fayette County area, with a toy for Christmas.

The Daily Courier is working with the Marine Corps' Toys for Tots program.

Those wishing to make the holidays a little brighter for a needy child are asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy (toys for older children are especially needed, but all toys are welcome) to the Daily Courier office, 127 W. Apple St., Connellsville, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. A Daily Courier photographer will take photos of the donors and their toys for publication. For more information about the Gift Club, call Linda Keffer at 724-626-3541 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays.

Weather drawings

are welcome

The Daily Courier welcomes weather drawings from local students.

The drawings are used in the weather package, which appears on Page A2.

Please submit drawings to the Daily Courier, 127 W. Apple St., Connellsville, PA 15425. Make sure to include the name of the child and the school he or she attends. Call Roxanne Abramowitz at 724-626-3530 with questions.

Uniontown

Red Cross announces

blood drives

The American Red Cross will be holding a number of blood drives in Fayette County in December.

Individuals 17 or older, who weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health, may be eligible to donate blood. In Kentucky, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia, 16-year-olds may donate blood with parental consent. Those with specific eligibility questions should contact the nursing collections office at 800-542-5663. Most donors are eligible to give blood every 56 days.

Upcoming drives include:

• Tuesday, 1 to 7 p.m., Trinity Lutheran Church, 126 E. Fairview Ave., Connellsville

• Dec. 13, 1 to 7 p.m., Liberty Baptist Church,183 Oliver Road, Uniontown

• Dec. 18, noon to 6 p.m., Perryopolis Township Fire Hall, South Liberty Street, Perryopolis

• Dec. 29, noon to 6 p.m., Third Presbyterian Church, 425 Union St., Uniontown

Washington

Sending packages

to soldiers overseas

Rep. John Murtha has received requests from people throughout Western Pennsylvania asking how to send holiday cards/care packages to service members. Murtha's office has identified the following ways in which to provide a card, care package or gift card to service members. For more information, also visit http://www.americasupportsyou.mil.

• The American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes have partnered to deliver holiday cards to American service members, veterans and their families in the United States and throughout the world. Last year, they mailed out more than 600,000 holiday cards, and this year their goal is to distribute 1 million. Visit http://www.redcross.org/email/saf/ for guidelines and additional information. All cards must be postmarked by Dec. 10.

• The U.S. Postal Service is offering free military package kits, which include priority mail boxes, tape and labels, to make it easier to send a holiday package to service members throughout the world and across the United States. Call 800-610-8734 to request a kit. The Postal Service suggests holiday care packages being sent to troops serving in Iraq or Afghanistan be sent as soon as possible. For other military bases, the recommended deadline is Dec. 11.

• Gift cards can be purchased through the Army & Air Force Exchange Service and troops can use these at any AAFES (both overseas and throughout the United States). Visit https://thor.aafes.com/gcs/default.aspx for instructions and additional information.

• The Fisher House Foundation Inc. participates in a program that provides military families in need with gift certificates that can be used to buy food and staples through the commissary. It has provided more than $100,000 in assistance through the program. Visit http://www.fisherhouse.org/support/support.shtml for additional information.

South Huntingdon

Bar owner accused

in drug scheme

The owner of Pappy's Bar in Jacobs Creek, South Huntingdon, and two bartenders are accused of a yearlong scheme to sell cocaine to patrons.

Amanda Lee Gluz, 28, of Jacobs Creek, and Dennis Michael Millon, 53, of Belle Vernon, face charges of manufacture, delivery and possession, criminal conspiracy and corrupt organizations filed last month with Scottdale District Judge J. Bruce King.

The last charge refers to delivery of cocaine that monetarily benefited the bar and owner Robert Welty or Gluz and Millon, who received either cocaine or cash.

According to criminal complaints filed with King, Gluz and Millon conspired with Welty to sell 1.75-gram packages of cocaine, known as "teeners," to customers for $80 each, between Oct. 3, 2007, and Oct. 3 of this year.

Welty, 48, of Jacobs Creek, was earlier charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, marijuana and psilocybin mushrooms after police raided his bar, police said. In addition, he was charged with delivery of a controlled substance, criminal conspiracy and corrupt organizations.

Welty is free on $250,000 bond. He faces a preliminary hearing Jan. 22 before King.

Jasup Peter Hoffman, 54, of 704 Michigan Ave., Jeannette, was charged in October with selling cocaine to Welty. Police said Hoffman sold about $12,000 worth of drugs every seven to 10 days.

Hoffman is charged with violation of the state Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act and criminal conspiracy.

Police executed a search warrant Oct. 3 at Pappy's Bar. Six ounces of cocaine -- both in bulk and packaged for sale -- $8,000 in cash and several firearms were found.

According to the criminal complaint, Welty offered to cooperate with police and said Hoffman would deliver the cocaine either to the bar or to Hoffman's residence.

Police said Welty told them Hoffman was a member of the Pagans motorcycle gang. Hoffman is free on $50,000 percentage bond. He faces a preliminary hearing Jan. 27 before Jeannette District Judge Joseph DeMarchis.

Gluz is free on $50,000 percentage bond. Millon is free on $30,000 percentage bond. Both waived their rights to preliminary hearings before King.

South Huntingdon

Drug charges

filed against woman

A Wyano woman is the fourth person to be charged in connection with a state Attorney General investigation last month that led to drug charges against several men in South Huntingdon.

Kelly Wislosky, 27, of 2195 First St., was charged after Clinton Ferris, an agent with the Attorney General's Office, obtained a search warrant for the Wyano residence of Rashika Jamaul Porter, 32. The warrant was based on alleged cocaine trafficking by Porter in Westmoreland and Allegheny counties.

Porter was charged on Nov. 17 along with Harold Lee Eddings, 32, of 7109 Tilden St., Pittsburgh, and Robert Lanella Woods, 33, of 5720 Stanton Ave., Pittsburgh.

According to a criminal complaint filed with Scottdale District Judge J. Bruce King, Wislosky and the three men were in the residence when it was searched by Ferris, additional agents from the Attorney General's Office, municipal and state police officers. Six kilograms of cocaine and a digital scale were seized, the complaint stated.

Wislosky was charged with criminal conspiracy, manufacturing, delivering and possession and possession of a controlled substance.

Porter, Eddings and Woods face identical charges.

Porter also is charged with use/possession of drug paraphernalia and criminal use of a communication facility. The last charge came from Porter's alleged use of a telephone on various dates to commit an unspecified felony, according to the complaint.

Wislosky is free on bond.

Porter, Eddings and Woods remain in the Westmoreland County Prison in lieu of $300,000 straight cash bond.

All four face preliminary hearings before King.

Greensburg

Restoration work

to start at courthouse

Restoration of Westmoreland County's deteriorating courthouse walls will begin later this month.

County commissioners this week approved a $33,800 project to repair the historic, ornate masonry in courtrooms, an effort that was delayed in October because cost estimates came in higher than anticipated.

A leak in the century-old structure's roof caused delicate masonry in two fourth-floor courtrooms to crumble and fall to the floor. Some log-sized chunks crashed down in recent months.

In October, bids came in about $10,000 more than county officials budgeted. They blamed the high price on the expensive 22-karat gold leaf needed for repair work.

The winning bid came from Ringler Restoration of Greensburg and was about $2,000 under budget.

Work is expected to begin later this month and take about two weeks to complete. The court schedule will not have to be altered during the repairs.

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