Jeff Himler stories, Page 16

An 84-year-old man was killed and six people who lived in neighboring homes were displaced after a Friday morning fire in Connellsville, authorities said. Ronald Veshnesky, was pronounced dead by Fayette County Deputy Coroner Bob Furin. The blaze destroyed one home and damaged two others on the 400 block of...

Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, Dec. 27: Somerset County man accused of assaulting pregnant woman A Somerset County man was placed in the county jail on Christmas Eve, charged with assaulting a pregnant woman. The Dec. 19 incident began with a verbal altercation...

Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Thursday, Dec. 26: Horse dies in Indiana County barn fire A horse perished in a barn fire Wednesday morning in Indiana County. Crews from multiple fire departments were called at about 7:30 a.m. to the blaze along Kauffman Road...

A 79-year-old woman was fatally injured when she was struck by a vehicle while crossing Route 19 on Wednesday evening in Peters Township, Washington County. Peters Township police said Thursday morning they were not releasing the name of the woman until family members have been properly notified. The crash occurred...

A Greensburg man is charged with stealing a phone that he was supposed to deliver while working for FedEx. State police filed theft-related misdemeanor charges against 29-year-old Mohammad Hat Alshamasin following a sting operation they set up after several Greensburg-area residents reported they didn’t receive electronics Alshamasin was expected to...

Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Tuesday, Dec. 24: Police investigate Beaver County homicide Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver County are seeking the public’s help as they investigate a homicide that occurred Sunday in Aliquippa City. Police said the crime happened in an alley off...

A 26-foot-tall green-and-white addition to the Saint Vincent Basilica awaits members of the local Catholic parish when they arrive Tuesday evening for 5 p.m. and midnight Christmas Eve Masses. For the first time in several years, a single towering Christmas tree once again will provide a backdrop for the holiday...

Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Monday, Dec. 23: State trooper struck during Somerset roadside assist A Pennsylvania State Police trooper was struck and injured Saturday by a passing vehicle while assisting with a disabled vehicle along Route 31 in Somerset County. The trooper was...

The developers of a proposed solar farm haven’t decided whether to appeal rejection of the plans by the Unity Township zoning hearing board. The board nixed the plans for the site along Charles Houck Road in Unity Township after the developer and township officials clashed on determining if the facility...

Facing east as it commands a hillside off Old Lincoln Highway in Ligonier Township, the new A-frame home that attracted considerable attention during its construction this summer is dubbed Diamond View for good reason. The use of exterior glass in the home allows unobstructed views of nearby picturesque Ligonier Borough...

Greater Latrobe School District administrator Becki Pellis will take on the additional role of interim superintendent on Jan. 1, as the school board begins a search for the successor to retiring Superintendent Mike Porembka. Board members voted unanimously at a special meeting Tuesday to give Pellis the additional role and...

Laurel Mountain Ski Resort is set to open for the season Friday. The skiing venue atop Laurel Ridge then will be open every day through New Year’s Day, except for Dec. 23, according to Vail Resorts, which operates the site. According to the site’s Facebook page, regular operating hours will...

Officials are trying to determine how a statue of the Virgin Mary was toppled and damaged this past week outside St. Peter Catholic Church in Pittsburgh’s North Side neighborhood. Maintenance workers arriving Friday morning discovered the damage where the statue had stood near a side entrance to the church, according...

Allegheny County Police are investigating a shooting that left a man dead Saturday night in Swissvale. First responders answering a 911 call shortly after 8 p.m. found the man dead in an apartment in the 7500 block of Dickson Street, according to police. Officials said they were working to identify...

When 6-year-old Jason McClary placed a memorial wreath Saturday morning at Murrysville Cemetery, he represented all those who lost a loved one in military service — just as he lost the father whose name he shares. The Washington Township boy was less than a year old, and his older brother,...

As the deadline approaches for the Sharky’s Café holiday dinner drive donations are less than they were in previous years, the co-owner of the Unity restaurant said. “The community always seems to pull through,” Sharky’s co-owner Jamie Huemme said. The deadline for the 5th annual drive is Dec. 18. As...

Derry Borough is searching for a new police chief after the town council this week accepted Randy Glick’s retirement resignation. The borough also is entering negotiations with officials at Derry Area School District in an attempt to reach a new agreement for the police to provide coverage at the school...

He calls them Fauxberge. They’re blinged-out Christmas ornaments that had their height of popularity half a century ago and have become a passion of collector Patrick Hubert of Mt. Pleasant Township. Hubert employs the punny term to describe the holiday decorations because some of the finest examples pay tribute, in...

Mike Porembka’s final day as superintendent of Greater Latrobe School District is set for Dec. 31. The school board is expected at a meeting next Tuesday to accept Porembka’s resignation and select an administrator to lead the district in the interim while a search is underway for his successor. In...

Latrobe has agreed to increase its real estate transfer tax and the annual fee it charges for some mechanical devices as city officials continue to fine-tune the proposed $7.4 million 2025 budget. Council members this week unanimously backed City Manager Terry Carcella’s proposal to double the realty transfer tax to...

PennDOT is planning to replace a bridge on Leger Road in North Huntingdon that has historic significance but is in overall poor condition. The project is slated for construction in 2026. It will involve a 5-mile detour, sending traffic over sections of routes 30 and 993 and Brownstown Road. According...

The ski season will begin Saturday at Hidden Valley Resort in Somerset County. Operated by Vail Resorts, Hidden Valley will offer skiing from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. The slopes will be closed on Monday, reopening on Dec. 20 for the season’s...

It wasn’t uncommon for neighbors to see Elizabeth Pollard out and about, walking with her 5-year-old granddaughter, tending to her flower garden and hosting a popular stop for neighborhood children during Halloween trick-or-treating. Family members said Pollard’s pride and joy was helping to raise her granddaughter after tragedy struck the...

A Trafford man is accused of extorting money from his elderly Murrysville uncle. Joseph Calisti, 40, is accused of defrauding the man of more than $10,000 in purported legal fees in a scheme authorities say involved a bogus claim the uncle’s properties were under investigation by state environmental officials. Investigators...

The Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System will hold a Veterans Town Hall session Monday, both online and at its campus in O’Hara. Open to the public and geared toward veterans, their families and other stakeholders, the session is meant to provide updates on Veterans Affairs services while accepting feedback on...