Megan Swift stories, Page 32
The Paper Heart to host 2nd annual Holly Jolly Jingle Ball in Latrobe
Latrobe will ring in the holiday season at The Paper Heart’s upcoming second annual Holly Jolly Jingle Ball. Held from 6-9 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 1 at the event space — 807 Ligonier St. — the town holiday party will feature a Pasqualino’s Italian Dinner, drinks, music bingo, holiday-themed games...
2 write-ins, 2 newcomers react to Greater Latrobe School Board election win
Tom Gockel, a write-in candidate who emerged victorious in the four-year term Greater Latrobe School Board race, said he was “honored” by the unofficial election bureau results. “It shows that our messaging worked, and the voters were angry,” said Gockel, 50, of Latrobe. “They just wanted a change.” He cited...
Experts weigh single-sex vs. coed models in light of The Kiski School’s switch
The all-boys campus The Kiski School near Saltsburg isn’t the first of its kind to make the switch to coed for economic reasons. Financial struggles related to declining enrollment continue to be the main issue for private schools, according to Gary Niels, executive director of the Pennsylvania Association of Independent...
Write-in candidates win 2 seats on Greater Latrobe school board
Two write-in candidates won seats on the Greater Latrobe School Board, according to unofficial results released Thursday by the Westmoreland County Election Bureau. Write-in John Petrarca finished third in the race for five, four-year terms on the board, and write-in Tom Gockel finished fifth. Out of the five winners, only...
Norwin moves forward with Hahntown Playground project
The Norwin School Board voted to begin the next step of the Hahntown Elementary School playground project — the first in a multiyear initiative to renovate the district’s playgrounds. After three different conceptual designs for the playground at Hahntown were presented, the board approved a contract with the company Pashek...
Latrobe trash fees, zoning permit costs will increase in 2024
Latrobe will hike garbage collection fees and zoning permit costs in the new year. There will be a 2% rate hike for residential customers and a 5% hike for commercial customers in 2024 — based on a rate increase from Latrobe’s collector, Republic Services, for a one-year contract extension. Roll-off...
Shinsky Bridge overhaul expected to begin next spring in Unity
The Shinsky Bridge over the North Branch of Sewickley Creek in Unity is set to be replaced beginning next spring. Unity officials sought a $1 million state grant to help pay to replace the bridge, said Mike O’Barto, chairman of the township supervisors. The local service grant through the gaming...
Latrobe chamber holds annual awards dinner to honor locals impacting community
For Jason Brinker, owner of the Lopatich-Brinker Funeral Home, winning small business of the year in Latrobe took him “completely by surprise.” “I never felt that a funeral home would be on the radar for something like that,” said Brinker, 35, of Latrobe. “I guess I’ve never viewed ourselves as...
Free art event in Latrobe will help kids ‘feel less alone’ this Children’s Grief Awareness Day
Local kids who are grieving loved ones will have the opportunity to decorate pots and plant seeds of hope on Children’s Grief Awareness Day. This year, the day falls on Thursday, Nov. 16, and Maria Graziano-Bickerstaff, funeral director at the Hartman-Graziano Funeral Home in Latrobe, said its intent is to...
3 injured in crash that shut down parts of Interstate 70 in Westmoreland County
An adult and child were flown to a hospital after being injured in a two-vehicle crash that shut down parts of Interstate 70 in Westmoreland County Thursday night. Dispatchers from 911 said another person was taken to a hospital by ambulance. The adult who was flown had been ejected from...
Boil water advisory lifted for Ligonier area following repair, testing
Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County water customers in the Ligonier area no longer have to boil or conserve their water. The water advisory was lifted as of 6 p.m. Thursday. A water main break Sunday near Waterford caused the disruption, specifically along the transmission line from the Greater Johnstown Water...
Commission: Jeannette City school board member, former president fined for violating Ethics Act
A Jeannette City school board member was fined $500 for violating the state Ethics Act, the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission said. Mark Gogolsky violated the state’s Ethics Act when he filed deficient statements of financial interests between 2016 and 2020 by failing to disclose all reportable sources of income, according...
Unity supervisors express concern over Greater Latrobe’s multimillion-dollar revitalization project, planned tax hikes
When Mike O’Barto learned of Greater Latrobe school board’s multimillion-dollar revitalization plan that will raise taxes through 2039, he said he thought it was “ludicrous.” The district will proceed with the plan after 19 months of study, review and public comment, with an expected cost between $182 million and $198...
Arnold Palmer airport celebrates 3 millionth passenger, looks toward expansion
When Steve Smith arrived at the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport on Monday for a flight to Myrtle Beach, he became the 3 millionth passenger to leave there on a Spirit Airlines flight. “I didn’t even look at my ticket,” said Smith, 66, of Saltlick. “Usually, my wife’s the lucky one.”...
‘Sky’s the limit’: 2 flying club members receive Wright Brothers awards for 50 years of flight
Ever since they were children, John Dyke and Ed Patrick have been fascinated by airplanes. “I could spend hours on the observation deck watching planes take off and land,” said Dyke, 75, of Carnegie. For Patrick, 81, of Murrysville, the first ride he took in a smaller plane was the...
Motorcyclist found 30 feet over embankment in Bell Township after collision with deer
A motorcyclist was found about 30 feet over an embankment Thursday after a collision with a deer in Bell Township. According to Westmoreland County 911, police received a call at 5:48 p.m., and the male driver was conscious with “numerous head injuries.” The collision occurred at the intersection of Pine...
2 injured after pickup, tractor trailer collide on Route 22 in Derry Township
The driver and a passenger in a pickup truck were injured Thursday afternoon when the truck collided with a tractor trailer traveling westbound on Route 22 in Derry Township. The crash was reported at 1:50 p.m. near the Rushwood Road intersection, east of New Alexandria. According to fire Capt. Justin...
6 candidates compete for 5 seats on Greater Latrobe school board
On the heels of Greater Latrobe school board’s passage of a multi-million dollar revitalization plan that will raise taxes through 2039 is the Nov. 7 general election. Six candidates are vying for five, four-year seats on the board. The incumbents include: Susan Mains, who is seeking a ninth term, Michael...
Operation Santa Claus will provide holiday dinners to local families for 40th year
Operation Santa Claus is back for its 40th year — with the goal of feeding 2,500 families in eight counties. The campaign is an annual cooperative effort by Trib Total Media, Shop ’n Save and the Salvation Army to provide holiday dinners to local families. This year, the campaign had...
Laurel Highlands ‘Bonfires, Barrels & Brews’ event will feature variety of craft beverages
Go Laurel Highlands is offering a “Bonfires, Barrels & Brews” event for the first time this fall — featuring a fire, food and craft beverages. Part of the Laurel Highlands Pour Tour, the event will be held rain or shine from noon until 5 p.m. on Nov. 5 at Yinzer...
Latrobe trust will honor Southern Alleghenies Museum during annual gala
This year’s Art Gala hosted by the Greater Latrobe School District Art Conservation Trust will honor the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art in Ligonier Township. The annual event supports the trust’s work to oversee and care for Greater Latrobe’s art collections, which were generated by two teachers: James Beatty and...
Coroner identifies 2nd person who died in Washington County house fire
The second victim in a Washington County structure fire Tuesday has been identified. Coroner S. Timothy Warco identified the second victim as Kimberly Montes DeOca, 39. Warco said the coroner’s office has “exhausted all attempts to locate and notify” DeOca’s family. Warco is asking anyone who may have information about...
Singer/actress Reneé Rapp puts on ethereal show for sold-out crowd in Pittsburgh
Wednesday night’s Snow Hard Feelings tour performance at Stage AE wasn’t Reneé Rapp’s first time in Pittsburgh. “It’s so good to be here,” Rapp said to the sellout crowd. “I used to come here all the time growing up.” She opened her show with “Talk Too Much,” followed by “Poison...
Alumni group raises $500,000 in push against admission of girls at The Kiski School
Some alumni of The Kiski School have been raising money in an attempt to get the all-boys boarding school in Loyalhanna Township to reverse course on welcoming girls in fall 2024 — ending a storied 136-year tradition. Joseph Garcia, a 1985 alumnus, is the chairman of the Friends of Kiski...
Witches ‘cackle’ through Ligonier during annual bike brigade fundraiserVideo
Carla Arnone and her fellow witches could be spotted bicycling around downtown Ligonier on Sunday, cackling as they went. The Ligonier Witches Bike Brigade began in 2016 with 70 people, and now, Arnone, 53, of Ligonier, said it’s grown to more than 1,100 registered participants, with as many as 5,000...
