Jeff Himler stories

The Pittsburgh police’s Collision Investigation Unit responded Tuesday night to the city’s East Allegheny neighborhood after a man was found dead along Route 28. Police said they received reports at about 7:30 p.m. of a man who may have fallen in the road near the Chestnut Street exit. First responders...

The Derry Township Supervisors on Tuesday approved a permit for a proposed solar farm along Newhouse Road after hearing objections to the project from several neighboring residents. The supervisors indicated they aren’t any more pleased about the proposed 27-acre solar array than residents are. But they said they are issuing...

Hempfield photographer Kyle Rose enjoyed a double dose of excitement on the Fourth of July. On a trip to the Ligonier area with his family to see a later fireworks display, he came upon another amazing sight: an otter swimming in nearby Loyalhanna Creek. “It was awesome,” said Rose, who...

Westbound motorists on Interstate 70 will encounter a lane restriction and a ramp closure and detour beginning Monday in Hempfield. Meanwhile, vehicles that exceed a new weight limit on a bridge in Allegheny Township also are being directed to follow a detour, according to PennDOT. Westbound I-70 drivers will not...

Joyce Eger, assistant director of admissions at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, had a spooky experience involving a light with an apparent mind of its own at the Hempfield campus building where she works. “I reached in and totally overshot the light switch, wasn’t anywhere near it, and the...

Editor’s note: This is the second in an occasional series on real estate market trends in Western Pennsylvania. Across Western Pennsylvania, families are finding their way back to houses that once belonged to parents and grandparents, drawn by a mix of nostalgia, practicality and economics. Whether it’s the comfort of...

Visitors to the Latrobe 30 Shoppes plaza in Unity will have an opportunity Saturday to learn about fire prevention while meeting local first responders and checking out their emergency vehicles. The Unity Township Bureau of Fire is hosting a Safety Saturday event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the...

A Blair County man was found dead Thursday morning after an ultralight aircraft he was piloting crashed in an Indiana County corn field. The body of David Edward Wittmer, 75, of Logan Township and his aircraft were found after 10:30 a.m. Indiana County Coroner Jerry L. Overman Jr. said the...

Matthew Mols, assistant superintendent at McKeesport Area School District, is set to take on the role of superintendent at Ligonier Valley School District. Ligonier Valley School Board at a special Wednesday meeting voted unanimously to hire Mols under a five-year contract, with a starting base salary of $160,000. Mols was...

PennDOT has unveiled online its plans for repairing slides along three roads in North Huntingdon and another in Allegheny Township. Work is expected to begin in December, with two of the slides in North Huntingdon — along Baker School and Leger roads — scheduled to receive attention first. PennDOT project...

A bridge preservation project and related detour are set to begin Monday in Fairfield while similar work continues just outside Hunker. The Fairfield project will close a section of Midget Camp Road, between Tantlinger Hollow and Beaufort roads, that crosses Tubmill Creek. According to PennDOT, the closure is expected to...

The view and stream quality along Derry Township’s Atlantic Road have improved now that three abandoned mine refuse piles have been removed. As part of a Pennsylvania program, Latrobe-based Robindale Energy Services cleared the piles at no cost to the state and renewed the 6.2-acre site with vegetation. Some of...

Plans for a pedestrian bridge to improve safety for students who walk to Ligonier Valley High School moved a step closer this past week as the Ligonier Township supervisors accepted additional funding for the project. Township Manager Michael Strelic expressed hope the $588,000 grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation,...

Mt. Pleasant Area Historical Society will unveil a window into the past on Sunday, during the community’s annual Glass and Ethnic Festival. Visitors to the historical society’s headquarters at 422 Washington St. will be able to view a newly restored stained-glass window that hasn’t seen the light of day in...

A Cranberry couple is accused of lying under oath when they said they weren’t aware of water damage to their former Westmoreland County home they sold in September 2020. Westmoreland County detectives have charged Michael James Pierce, 57, and Carrie Ann Pierce, 54, with perjury in the case. The Pierces...

Patients who will be arriving for appointments Friday at Modern Dental Associates in Greensburg may have a variety of oral care needs, but they all will share the status of military veteran. The dental practice at 1040 Towne Square is clearing its regular schedule to provide free care to veterans...

Traffic at a key Donohoe Road intersection in Hempfield could go with the flow, instead of backing up twice a day, if the four-way stop there is transformed into a proposed roundabout. PennDOT will hold a public meeting on Wednesday to unveil its plans for a roundabout at Donohoe and...

When Ligonier Valley police Officer Shawn Knepper makes a traffic stop, he may end up taking the driver’s blood as well as his or her name, age and license number. Knepper recently became one of 19 municipal law enforcement officers in the state who have gained certification as a phlebotomist...

At 60 feet tall and 75 years old, Jumonville’s Great Cross of Christ is starting to show its age. As the Jumonville Camp and Retreat Center welcomes visitors to the North Union site for the landmark’s anniversary celebration today, leaders also are seeking donations to help restore and preserve the...

Eastbound motorists on Interstate 70 in Rostraver and North Belle Vernon will encounter a ramp closure and detour as well as a single-lane restriction from 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19 through 6 a.m. Monday. During closure of the eastbound on-ramp from Route 906, motorists headed north on Route 906 will...

Bill Rigby believes he had a face-to-face encounter with Bigfoot several years ago in Ohio. On Saturday, he’ll guide passengers on a Derry bus tour of sightings of the legendary creature closer to home — on portions of Chestnut Ridge overlooking the town. Offered five times throughout the day, the...

An eastbound lane of the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Westmoreland County is now open after bring closed for more than eight hours Tuesday. Turnpike crews made emergency repairs to a void discovered under the surface . The problem was discovered at about 10 a.m. Tuesday near mile marker 62.4, between the...

Therapy dogs and a youth boxing demonstration will be first-time features at this year’s National Night Out in Latrobe, set for Wednesday at Memorial Stadium. The free event, meant to promote police-community relations and crime prevention, will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. In addition to seeing a Westmoreland...

Motorists will encounter nighttime lane restrictions beginning Monday as crews perform maintenance on two Westmoreland County bridges. Single-lane restrictions will be in place between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. Monday and Tuesday on the Route 30 bridge in South Greensburg. The same restrictions will occur on the Matthew Smelser Memorial...