Megan Tomasic stories, Page 52
Hempfield slated to host first blood drive
Hempfield officials are slated to host their first blood drive next week with the American Red Cross. Located at the Hempfield Township Athletic Complex, 220 Forbes Trail Road, the event Friday, March 6, will run from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Those interested can preregister at the American Red Cross...
Despite low unemployment rate, applicants flock to Hempfield job fairVideo
A low unemployment rate didn’t keep hundreds of job seekers from a career expo Wednesday. The Westmoreland Assists Native Talent (WANT) Job and Career Expo, held at the Ramada by Wyndham Greensburg Hotel and Conference Center in Hempfield, featured more than 65 employers and a range of potential employees. Expo...
Annual brunch brings Greensburg Salem students, business leaders togetherVideo
It wasn’t exactly out of a Miss Manners column, but the Wednesday brunch at Greensburg Salem High School did give students a taste of what it’s like to participate in a business meeting. “This group is to help the students within the club, help them be more prepared for the...
Hempfield Area cheerleading team wins back-to-back national championships
When the Hempfield Area Competitive Cheer team travels to Orlando, Fla., each year for the National High School Cheerleading Championships, they go to win. This year, the Hempfield Area Competition Cheer senior club team brought home its sixth national championship title and the satisfaction of becoming back-to-back champions, coach Suzannah...
$3.4 million sewer project underway in HempfieldVideo
A $3.4 million sewer project is underway in Hempfield. Located along Business Route 66, also known as Sheridan Road, the project to extend sewer lines along the highway started last week, said Brian Hohman, business manager at the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County. Crews have started work on a $3.4...
‘What a ride’: Wexford’s Christina Aguilera won Grammy for best new artist 20 years agoVideo
Wexford native Christina Aguilera’s wish came true 20 years ago after being dubbed Best New Artist at the 42nd Grammy Awards. The award, which came after the release of the single “Genie in a Bottle” and her first self-titled studio album, pitched her against other ’90s and early 2000s icons...
Week in review: August Wilson Center makes comeback, Pirates legend puts home up for auctionVideo
The August Wilson African American Cultural Center is making a comeback five years after confronting a sheriff’s sale and over a decade since its 2009 grand opening. Last year, the center held 227 events, of which 87 were produced and presented by the center. The number of privately booked rentals...
Scottdale street closed after bricks fall from former Mennonite Publishing Co. building
Falling bricks from the former Mennonite Publishing Co. building forced Scottdale officials this week to close a section of Walnut Avenue. Yellow police tape, wooden barriers and traffic cones were set up to keep passersby off the block after bricks started flying around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, some bouncing into the...
Route 30 reopened following 3-vehicle crash in North Huntingdon
All four lanes of Route 30 at Skellytown Road in North Huntingdon were closed Friday morning because of a vehicle crash, according to a township dispatcher. Crews responded shortly before 7 a.m. for the crash that involved three vehicles. One person was trapped following the incident, but was extricated around...
Crews battle early-morning house fire in Fayette County
Crews are battling a house fire in Fayette County. According to a Fayette 911 dispatcher, officials responded to Sickle Ridge Road in Henry Clay Township shortly before 3 a.m. Thursday. No injuries were reported....
Crews battle overnight fire at Kittanning auto body parts store
Owners of a local auto body parts store plan on rebuilding after a fire ravaged through their Kittanning location earlier this week. Crews spent hours battling a fire at api Autobody Products that started around 9:20 p.m. Wednesday. The scene was not cleared until around 3 a.m. Thursday. “It’s obviously...
SWAT, police respond to Hazelwood for reported domestic incident
SWAT officers were called to a Hazelwood home Tuesday night after a woman reported a man assaulted her with a handgun, according to police. Pittsburgh police responded to the 210 block of Winston Street around 10:30 p.m. According to officers, the woman, who had left the home to call police,...
Westbound lanes of Pa. Turnpike reopen between Beaver Valley, New Castle
Part of the Pennsylvania Turnpike was closed Tuesday morning due to an overturned tractor-trailer. The westbound lanes were closed for almost three hours between the Beaver Valley and New Castle exits. The lanes reopened shortly before 10 a.m. No injuries were reported. BREAKING NEWS UPDATE: No Reported Injuries and No...
Pittsburgh police searching for missing woman
Pittsburgh police are searching for missing woman. Stacy Childs, 55, has been missing since last February. She is 5 feet 3 inches tall, 150 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Police said Childs’s family describes her as a “free spirit” who frequents Homewood, Wilkinsburg and Rankin. They are concerned...
12-year-old boy reported missing found Tuesday, police say
A 12-year-old boy reported missing was found Tuesday afternoon, according to Pittsburgh police. Taesean Gibson was last seen at Martin Luther King School shortly after 3 p.m. Monday. Police did not believe Gibson was abducted or is in danger, noting that he frequents Carnegie Library on Federal Street in the...
Police: Man found dead outside Pittsburgh church
A man was found dead outside of a city church, police said. Officers responded to the 5400 block of Centre Avenue around 9 a.m. Sunday after a maintenance worker found the man and unsuccessfully tried to wake him, police said. When officers arrived on scene they found the man inside...
1803 Hempfield school house restoredVideo
New life has been breathed into a Hempfield schoolhouse originally built in 1803. After sitting vacant for 15 years, the Middletown School House — along School House Lane — was purchased by Donna Acito in 2017. Originally planning to tear down the structure, Acito decided to restore it after learning...
Hempfield to host first health and wellness fair Feb. 29
Hempfield is hosting its first health and wellness fair. Located at the township’s athletic complex, the Feb. 29 fair will offer the community the opportunity to meet with organizations and health providers while also learning about youth sports organizations and programs and facilities offered by the parks and recreation department....
Crews responded to working fire in Hempfield Friday night
Firefighters responded to a house fire in Hempfield Friday night, according to a Westmoreland 911 dispatcher. Crews responded to 141 Brush Creek Road at about 9:50 p.m. for a roof fire. The fire was out before 10:20 p.m. However, further details were not immediately available....
Pizza Hut is latest chain restaurant to close in Hempfield
Another chain restaurant has shuttered in Hempfield. Pizza Hut, located along Route 30 near Westmoreland Mall, officially closed Monday, according to a sign posted on the door. “We want to thank all of our loyal customers,” the sign reads, in part. It also encourages people to visit other area Pizza...
Former Slickville woman loved to bake, made family a priority
Eleanor Pishko embodied Pittsburgh’s wedding cookie tradition. “She loved to bake … she made over 10,000 cookies for my wedding,” Pishko’s daughter, Pamela Weirs said, remembering the day they moved the cookies to the reception venue. Pishko learned of her love for baking from her mother-in-law, Weirs said, noting that...
Hempfield officials look to standardize ‘Spartans’ logo
Hempfield school officials could spend $2,400 to standardize the district’s “Spartans” logo. This week, school board members discussed hiring Base Design Studio of McCandless to create “a professional and standard appearance,” according to Superintendent Tammy Wolicki. The design agency would be responsible for creating a uniform Spartans logo that could...
Hempfield reinstates wrestling coach after suspension
After a two-day suspension, the Hempfield wrestling team once again has a head coach. Tommy Dolde, who was suspended last week because of a personnel matter, was reinstated after several parents expressed frustration to school board members Monday at the decision to suspend the coach near end of the season....
North Huntingdon woman had passion for travel
Eileen Vlasick and her husband, Tom, achieved a feat many people only dream of doing — visiting all 50 states. While not a goal they initially set for themselves, the couple’s passion for travel took off after they started driving to Denver to visit their sons, stopping to explore towns...
GM hired for soon-to-be Hempfield mini casinoVideo
Operators of the soon-to-open casino in Hempfield have tapped a former general manager of the Meadows Racetrack & Casino to serve the same role at Live! Casino Pittsburgh. Sean Sullivan, who has worked in the gaming industry for over 40 years, will oversee development along with day-to-day management and operations...
