Jeff Himler stories, Page 4

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...

The City of Latrobe is partnering with the nonprofit Latrobe Foundation to pursue demolition of a vacant commercial building on Main Street. Decades ago, the building at 319 Main St. was home to the Olympic Theater movie house. Most recently, it was occupied by vending machine supplier Westmoreland Amusements. The...

When firefighters serving with a Westmoreland County trench rescue team arrived near a Unity restaurant in early December to help search for a woman who had fallen into an abandoned mine sinkhole, it didn’t take long for them to realize that this incident would challenge them in new ways. Until...

Crews are slated on Thursday to begin milling a lengthy stretch of Lincoln Avenue in Latrobe and neighboring Derry Township in preparation for a joint paving project. The work will extend between Route 982 in Derry Township and Main Street in Latrobe. Latrobe public works director Scott Wajdic said the...

Officials at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport are exploring a company’s proposal to add a canopy of solar panels above some of its parking spaces, to save on the Unity facility’s electric bills and to take advantage of related energy credits. Under the proposal from Veregy, which has an office in...

Westmoreland County Airport Authority officials say they’ll stick with Spirit for commercial flights at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport although the budget carrier is headed into cloudy skies with its second bankruptcy declaration in less than a year. Spirit initially sought bankruptcy protection in November and emerged from Chapter 11 in...

Derry Township Volunteer Fire Department is looking for state funding to help accommodate extended stays by firefighters at the department’s station in Bradenville. Fire Chief Mark Piantine estimated it would cost about $140,000 to fit out the station’s second story with separate bunk rooms and showers for male and female...

Indiana University of Pennsylvania President Michael Driscoll remembers how shocked he was nearly 24 years ago when he first learned of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States. On Thursday morning, when he takes part in the university’s annual program marking the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, he’ll...

Repairs on a section of Paintertown Road and a resulting traffic detour are expected to begin Wednesday in North Huntingdon. PennDOT officials said the road will be closed between Station Street and Bickerstaff Road while crews make repairs to a slide and the road shoulders, complete paving and upgrade guide...

The town of Indiana, seat of Indiana County government, also has been a key center of higher education in Western Pennsylvania for 150 years. The ongoing story of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, since its beginning in 1875 as Indiana Normal School, is the subject of the university’s current sesquicentennial celebration...

A hometown sports standout of the early 20th century will get his due this weekend as Latrobe celebrates Italian-American heritage and culture. Paul Ciotti, one of the organizers of the fourth annual Latrobe Italian Festival, is helping to prepare a lineup of Italian-themed entertainers, food vendors and a bocce tournament...