Jeff Himler stories, Page 7
Police say Greensburg man broke into a Unity home and assaulted a mom and her son
Pennsylvania State Police are searching for a Greensburg man who is accused of breaking in and assaulting a woman and her son in their Unity home. Police said Seth Michael Vanderella, 33, forced his way into the home in the middle of the night on July 27 and attacked the...
Website upgrade, visitor center proposed for Unity-based Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor
The Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor is looking to roll out an improved website and is considering setting aside a visitor information center at its museum headquarters in Unity. Those are two ways the nonprofit organization hopes to better promote sites farther east along its six-county corridor while partnering with other...
Woman’s body recovered from Monongahela River near Pittsburgh’s South Side Marina
First responders recovered the body of a woman from the Monongahela River on Tuesday evening near Pittsburgh’s South Side Marina. According to a spokesperson for Pittsburgh Public Safety, city police, firefighters, medics and River Rescue crews were dispatched to the 2600 block of South Water Street at about 6:30 p.m....
Cash stolen in early morning break-in at Aldi in East Huntingdon
State police are looking for a man caught on camera burglarizing an Aldi grocery store early Monday in East Huntingdon. According to police, the suspect broke into the store office at about 2 a.m. and made off with five black metal till drawers containing an unspecified amount of cash and...
PennDOT extends work, detour through mid-August for bridge rehab in North Huntingdon
Work to rehabilitate a bridge on Route 993 in North Huntingdon and a resulting traffic detour have been extended until at least mid-August. The project by Gulisek Construction began July 7 on the bridge that carries Water Street over Brush Creek. Completion originally was expected in early August, according to...
Public invited to help shape Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor’s future
The public Monday will have an opportunity to weigh in on upcoming plans for historical preservation, interpretation and programming along the six-county Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor. Working with New Jersey- based consultant Relevant Strategies & Solutions, the transportation-focused heritage organization will present ideas for updating its Management Action Plan (MAP) —...
While PennDOT works to raise bridge clearances, it suggests 511PA app for alerts
When drivers try to squeeze trucks under bridges with inadequate vertical clearance, it can tie up traffic and cause damage to the vehicle and the overhead structure. A too-tall vehicle on Interstate 70 struck and damaged the Route 51 overhead bridge in December 2021 in Rostraver. It led to traffic...
Ligonier Tavern auction features kitchen equipment, decor from iconic restaurant
For those looking for a last taste from the iconic Ligonier Tavern and Table, now’s your chance. Everything from commercial dough mixers to beer tap handles and signed artwork is going to the highest bidder in a liquidation auction of items at the shuttered restaurant. The online-only auction by Greensburg’s...
Union stages walkout at Derry Township’s Pace Industries; health coverage costs major issue
Union workers at Pace Industries’ Derry Township plant walked off the job early Thursday morning, after local labor leaders said talks broke down for a new contract with the facility that makes aluminum die-cast parts for customers that include Harley- Davidson and Polaris. Union President Duke Reed said members of Laborers’...
PennDOT sets nighttime I-70 lane restrictions in Rostraver, ramp closures at North Belle Vernon
Motorists traveling at night on Interstate 70 in Westmoreland County will encounter lane restrictions in Rostraver and ramp closures at the North Belle Vernon exit this week as PennDOT contractors work on road improvements. The North Belle Vernon exit and entrance ramps for westbound traffic on I-70 (Exit 42) will...
Rooney family connection with Saint Vincent College spans generations
No matter where you look on the Saint Vincent College campus, it’s hard not to find the influence of the Rooney family. From Rooney Hall and Chuck Noll Field to the Verostko Center for the Arts and the under-construction Dunlap Family Athletic and Recreation Center, the Rooneys — and by...
Rooney family connection with Saint Vincent College spans generations, runs deeper than Steelers football
No matter where you look on the Saint Vincent College campus, it’s hard not to find the influence of the Rooney family. From Rooney Hall and Chuck Noll Field to Verostko Center for the Arts and the under-construction Dunlap Family Athletic and Recreation Center, the Rooneys — and by extension...
1 flown to trauma center after motorcycle crash in Lower Burrell
An adult patient was airlifted by medical helicopter to an area trauma center after a crash involving a motorcycle Friday evening in Lower Burrell, according to first responders. The crash occurred on Route 56 in the vicinity of Hill Crest Country Club. Chief Brennan Sites said Lower Burrell Volunteer Fire...
Arrests, ICE detention of Beaver County immigrants, spark protest; 2 observers charged
Advocates have expressed alarm about the arrests of at least 10 people Thursday evening in Ambridge in a roundup involving Ambridge police and federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. In a statement released Friday, Casa San José — a Pittsburgh community center that advocates for Latinos — accused Ambridge...
Steelers fans at Latrobe festival enjoy close encounters with players, exotic critters
Visitors to this year’s Steelers Fest in Latrobe got to meet a member of the team’s 1970s Super Bowl dynasty and some members of the wild kingdom as well. Well over 100 people lined up at mid-afternoon Friday at the city’s Legion Keener Park to get an autograph from John...
Motorcyclists to honor Westmoreland service members lost in Vietnam War
Robert Acalotto was less than two years out of Norwin High School on Feb. 20, 1971, when the 20-year-old volunteered for risky Army duty in southeastern Laos. He was never seen again after his four-man helicopter crew was shot down while providing gun cover for an emergency resupply mission. “I...
Portrayals from the past will bring history to life at Unity Cemetery and Chapel
The history of Unity Cemetery and Chapel will come alive on Saturday as presenters portray four citizens of earlier eras, each with a connection to the site near Latrobe. The free program is set for 4 p.m. in the chapel at 130 Chapel Lane, off Unity Cemetery Road in Unity...
Exotic animals, Super Bowl team members will greet fans at Latrobe’s Steelers Fest
Visitors to Friday’s annual Steelers Fest in Latrobe will have the opportunity for close encounters with members of past Super Bowl teams and with a few members of some exotic species. A new feature at the free event, set for 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Legion Keener Park, will...
West Nile, Jamestown Canyon viruses found in Westmoreland mosquitoes; Lyme risk high
Westmoreland Conservation District is urging residents to take precautions against tick and mosquito bites as samples of the pests collected in the county have tested positive for Lyme disease, West Nile virus and a less familiar new threat: Jamestown Canyon virus. Chrissy Edwards-McCune, West Nile virus coordinator for the conservation...
Southmoreland High graduate battling cancer adds scholarship to foundation efforts
A Southmoreland High School graduate who is battling cancer has joined in the fight against the disease and now wants to inspire a younger generation of students to make a difference in the lives of others. Corey Rhodes of East Huntingdon, through his Rhodes Cancer Foundation, has established a $2,500...
Interstate 70 ramp repairs will trigger nighttime detours in Rostraver
Nighttime ramp closures and detours will affect westbound drivers on Interstate 70 at the Fayette City (Route 201) exit beginning Monday in Rostraver. A series of overnight closures, between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. will allow contractor Golden Triangle Construction to patch concrete pavement, make drainage repairs and replace barriers...
Pittsburgh woman accused of working as nurse without license at area nursing homes
A Pittsburgh woman is accused of working as a nurse although she lacked professional licensing when she was employed at nine Western Pennsylvania nursing homes between Oct. 1, 2024, and April 2 — including one facility in Westmoreland County and three in Allegheny County. State police said Shannon Nicole Womack,...
Resurfacing slated for sections of routes 30, 130 in Westmoreland County
Road surface improvements will affect motorists traveling on five state routes in Westmoreland County during the coming months. The $11.3 million project will begin Monday — resulting in single-lane alternating traffic, where needed, between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays. Depending on weather conditions, work on the project is expected...
Windmill turbine blade accident prompts closer review of large loads on Route 982 in Derry Township
PennDOT says it will require a more extensive review before permitting any oversize load longer than 100 feet to travel through a sharp 90-degree curve in Derry Township. The change comes after a massive wind turbine blade recently damaged an adjacent business when a truck driver was unable to negotiate...
Bat cam: Streaming video reveals secret life of colony at Land Trust site in Hempfield
They only come out at night. Still, the Westmoreland Land Trust has shed some light on the lives of close to 50 bats that inhabit an old barn at its Hempfield nature park — thanks to some flexible cameras and ultrasonic detectors provided by trust board member Bill Powers. For...
