Quincey Reese stories, Page 15
Hempfield Area renews contracts for assistant superintendents
Hempfield Area’s assistant superintendents will remain in their roles for another three years following a contract extension approved by the school board Tuesday night. Assistant superintendent of elementary education Kimberlie Rieffannnacht has been in the role since 2020. Her predecessor, Matthew Conner, has served as assistant superintendent of secondary education...
‘A piece of tattoo history’: Greensburg shop owner earns patent for machine design
Greensburg tattoo shop owner Nick Christofano has inked himself into the industry history books. After 28 years in the business, Christofano received a patent late last year for a tattoo machine he designed. “Tattooing has been such a huge part of my life. I’ve been doing it nearly 30 years,”...
Westmoreland offers special education certificate program aimed at bolstering teacher workforce
Schools in Westmoreland County are struggling to fill special education teaching positions. They’re not alone. More than 2,000 teaching positions were vacant in Pennsylvania as of October, according to data released by the state. Though schools in and around Philadelphia bear the brunt of the shortages, Westmoreland County needs 30...
Hempfield high school boys basketball coach resigns amid investigation
Less than a week after Hempfield Area announced an investigation into boys high school basketball coach Bill Swan, he has resigned from his coaching duties. Swan was placed on paid administrative leave from his coaching and guidance counselor positions Jan. 14 as the district investigated an allegation that school officials...
‘This is a big deal for Greensburg Salem’: District launches mental health program for its educators
Doug Sweitzer believes he can help transform the personal and professional lives of Greensburg Salem School District staff. A former employee of the Red Lion Area School District in York County, Sweitzer will train about six Greensburg Salem teachers in a mental health program after approval by the school board...
Extreme cold prompts opening of warming shelters in Allegheny, Westmoreland, Armstrong counties
As single-digit temperatures loom in Southwestern Pennsylvania’s forecast for early next week, warming shelters in Allegheny, Westmoreland and Armstrong counties will be available for those seeking a break from the cold. Temperatures in the Pittsburgh area are forecast to dip from 6 degrees on Monday to as low as minus-10...
Forensic pathologist: Ligonier woman found buried in Cook died by homicide
Exactly four months after the remains of a Ligonier woman were found buried on a property in Cook, a forensic pathologist has ruled her death a homicide. Amy Shipley, 45, was reported missing Sept. 13, five days after she was last seen. Ligonier Valley police and FBI Pittsburgh’s evidence response...
Workout class, spaghetti dinner slated to support Penn Township mom diagnosed with breast cancer
When Justine Holmes has a tough day raising her 8-month-old daughter, Bella Jo, she looks to the example of her cousin-in-law, Stefanie Cortazzo. Cortazzo of Penn Township is a stay-at-home mom to five boys, ranging from ages 3 to 16. She’s never missed one of their sporting events, Holmes said...
North Huntingdon fire crews work to douse flames at Otis Drive fire
A number of North Huntingdon’s seven fire departments worked Wednesday night to douse the flames that ripped through a home along the township’s Otis Drive. Firefighters were dispatched to the 1400 block of Otis around 7:40 p.m. according to a Westmoreland County 911 dispatcher. No injuries were immediately reported, according...
Westmoreland municipalities, organizations benefit from casino revenue
Revenue from Hempfield’s Live Casino Pittsburgh will provide $800,000 to help the North Huntingdon Township Municipal Authority replace one of its 14 pump stations. And the money couldn’t have come at a better time. “With each passing year, the structural integrity of this station comes into question, and it’s been...
Mutual Aid CEO resigns from post after less than 2 years
The CEO of Westmoreland County’s largest ambulance service resigned this week after less than two years on the job, according to a statement released by the service’s board of directors Tuesday. Gene Komondor was hired as CEO of Mutual Aid in April 2023. He served as North Huntingdon’s emergency management...
Cardinal Coffee opens cafe in Jeannette, continues legacy of owner’s deceased son
The past 15 years of Robert Zollinger’s life would undoubtedly look different if it weren’t for the dream of his son, Jason. Jason Zollinger envisioned running his own coffee roastery — a vision he put into motion through Cardinal Coffee Co. in 2010. Inviting his dad to join in on...
Wooden bouquets among the attractions at cultural trust’s wedding expo in Greensburg
Wedding bouquets designed by Grace Stickle never wilt. They are all made of wood. Struggling to find affordable fresh flowers for her own wedding, Stickle learned to make the unique bouquets. Friends and family began asking her to make their wedding flowers, and Stickle Stems was born. Bouquets of the...
Annual antique show slated for Greensburg Country Club
The Southwestern Pennsylvania Council for the Arts will host its annual antique show and sale Jan. 24-26 at the Greensburg Country Club. Opening at 6 p.m. on Jan. 24, the show features thousands of antique items from vintage to mid-century modern — including furniture, paintings, rugs, sterling silver, European porcelains,...
Homestead police shoot Braddock man in hand during shoplifting investigation
A Braddock man was shot in the hand early Sunday morning by a Homestead police officer who was investigating a shoplifting incident along East 8th Avenue. Homestead police were dispatched to the 200 block of the Homestead roadway shortly after 1 a.m. Sunday for a report of shoplifting, according to...
Student information system used by Southwestern Pa. schools grapples with cybersecurity breach
School districts across Southwestern Pennsylvania might be impacted by a cybersecurity breach of global student information system PowerSchool, the company said. PowerSchool is a internet-based platform where educators can store student information, according to its website — including academic performance, class schedule, demographics, behavior and health. Launched in 1997, the...
Wilkinsburg man dead after Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar crash
A Wilkinsburg man is dead after crashing his car over a hillside Friday night in Pittsburgh’s Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar neighborhood. Leondre Johnson, 28, crashed his car near the intersection of Paulson Avenue and Rowan Street just before 6 p.m. Friday, according to a release from Pittsburgh Public Safety. Pittsburgh EMS performed CPR...
Greensburg Salem eyes proposal for school upgrades
Nearly five months after hiring an energy savings company to help the district tackle an overhaul of its facilities, the Greensburg Salem School Board will vote next week on the first phase of renovations. Though the district has made minor improvements at its schools in recent years, its last major...
Greensburg Salem art students display work at Seton Hill gallery, gain ‘authentic’ experience
After four months of brainstorming, sketching and developing a portfolio of artwork, nine Greensburg Salem High School students’ art is on display at the Seton Hill Art Center. The art show, displayed in Seton Hill’s Jodee Harris Gallery, is considered the final exam for Greensburg Salem’s AP Art and Portfolio...
Greensburg Salem considers accepting grant to train teachers in mental health program
Greensburg Salem teacher Taylor Guido has seen firsthand how taking care of her mental health benefits her students. But it wasn’t until she attended a mental health-focused camp in Somerset County that she learned this valuable lesson. That’s why the district has proposed a program to train its teachers in...
Snow doesn’t mean postponements for W.Pa. school districts, although some still opt to cancel
Before snow started to fall Sunday night, many Western Pennsylvania school districts made the decision to cancel Monday’s classes or shift to remote instruction. Districts opting to use a flexible instruction day asked students to use computers to complete schoolwork from home. Students in districts that canceled classes enjoyed what...
‘I just like the nature of it’: Bushy Run volunteer of the year says of site
Melissa Fligger looks fondly on her childhood days spent walking Bushy Run Battlefield’s 218 acres of woods, trails and open fields. She and her father often took the two-minute walk from their Penn Township home to the state historical site of the 1763 clash between the British and Native Americans...
Pa. environmental board to review Penn Twp. fracking gas well permit renewals
Nearly a year-and-a-half after an environmental nonprofit appealed the Department of Environmental Protection’s renewal of permits for two Penn Township gas wells, the case will be reviewed by the state Environmental Hearing Board. Environmental advocacy organization Protect PT, based along Route 130 in Penn Township, appealed permit renewals for unconventional...
Greensburg’s Abie & Bimbo’s Pizza closes after 57 years
New Year’s came with a wave of sadness for Doug Mirolli, as he announced the closure of the pizza restaurant he has owned for nearly two decades. Mirolli, 47, of Greensburg has owned Abie & Bimbo’s Pizza along Greensburg’s Highland Avenue since 2007. Known for its Pizzaroni subs and giant...
Greensburg, Hempfield areas see changes in fast food, retail business scene
As fast food chains and other popular retail locations close in the Greensburg-Hempfield area, the region’s business scene will see some changes in the new year. Dick’s Sporting Goods While Westmoreland Mall prepares to welcome a Dick’s Sporting Goods House of Sport, one of the chain’s stores along Route 30...
