Westmoreland category, Page 104
Hempfield park solar power project to be revisited
A proposed solar power project at what is to be Hempfield’s new emergency management headquarters and municipal park was put on hold last week over concerns that federal funding designed to fuel clean energy projects might be in danger because of the actions of the new administration. But that hold...
Historical society marks 65th anniversary of Southern lunch-counter protests
Kelton Edmonds doesn’t just know the history of the “Greensboro Four,” the group of Black freshman students at North Carolina Architectural & Technical State College, who staged the first lunch-counter sit-in protest. He got a firsthand account of it from Jibreel Khazan, who was known then as Ezell Blair Jr.,...
Donegal man accused of scamming insurance companies out of $30,000
A Donegal man faces multiple counts of insurance fraud and theft on accusations that he scammed two insurance companies on separate occasions with false claims totaling more than $30,000. Walter A. Smith Jr., 45, was charged on Friday by the state Attorney General’s Office. Smith faces eight counts of insurance...
Jeannette couple plans to distribute $10K in scholarships through nonprofit
A $1,000 boost from a local nonprofit helped Jeannette native Noah Sanders buy books and pay for student housing at college while he works on a degree in business and finance. A 2024 high school graduate, Sanders is hoping to become an accountant after completing coursework at Defiance College in...
Failing private wastewater treatment prompts $10.8M Donegal Township sewage project
Failing private sewage systems have led to excess levels of ammonia and fecal coliform bacteria in Donegal Township’s Minnow Run. To help clean up that stream, whose waters ultimately wind up in Indian Creek and the Youghiogheny River, the township is preparing to construct its first-ever public sewage system. Tom...
Longtime physical therapy business in Scottdale sold to regional group
George Hoffman can only speculate about how a new ownership group will run his former business, Scottdale Rehabilitation. But he’s pretty sure about one thing — they won’t be making deals with patients where payment comes in the form of a pie or cake. “My wife used to make fun...
Massachusetts man accused of impersonating a police officer in Hempfield during alleged fraud scheme
A man who state troopers said portrayed himself as a Pittsburgh police officer on a Hempfield doorstep Friday morning is behind bars. State police said they were called to a home on Crows Nest Road just before 10 a.m. by a resident who reported a suspicious person knocking on her...
Freeze-thaw cycle wreaks havoc on road surfaces
Greensburg Public Works Director Tom Bell took a good bit of verbal abuse this week about a road he’s not even responsible for maintaining. “Next time, leave your phone number, and I can explain to you why and who maintains that roadway and takes care of those potholes,” Bell wrote...
Experts warn Trump tariffs could depress U.S. economy
Bill Mohler can see hard times coming. Co-owner of Sendell Volkswagen, east of Greensburg, Mohler said President Trump’s expected 25% tariff on goods from Mexico and Canada will have a dramatic impact on his business. “It will mean the price of cars and parts could go up 25%,” Mohler said...
Hempfield woman charged after 7 cats found dead in Unity home
A Hempfield woman is accused by state police of leaving seven cats behind when she moved out of a Unity home, according to court papers. The felines were found dead amid garbage in the apartment after the new owner reported hiring a contractor to clean it out, troopers said. The...
Latrobe Municipal Authority hikes rates, asks customers for voluntary water conservation
Latrobe Municipal Authority customers will see a 50-cent hike in usage and debt service rates beginning Saturday and increases in sewage rates two months later. The authority meanwhile is asking customers to voluntarily conserve water since drought conditions have left levels below normal in its reservoir. A recent spate of...
Greensburg Salem High School students use art, manufacturing skills to honor school board
As Lola Slavnik put the finishing touches on her landscape painting during art class at Greensburg Salem High School, she had no idea her work would be shared with the community. Prints of Slavnik’s painting were among the handmade gifts given to the district’s nine school board members in January...
Latrobe, Mutual Aid officials in talks to return ambulance, crew to city hall
Talks are underway for Mutual Aid EMS to once again house an ambulance and crew at Latrobe’s city hall after the service has been without a station in the city for nearly two years. Mutual Aid moved its equipment and personnel out of bays at the city building in April...
Lifelong Hempfield resident announces run for township supervisor
A lifelong Hempfield resident wants to serve as a township supervisor. In announcing her candidacy, Becky Durbin said she intends to focus on implementing a community alert system, supporting the township’s fire departments and the public works department. It’s important, she said, to maintain green space and make good decisions...
Here are 5 things to do in Westmoreland this weekend: Jan. 31-Feb. 2
After an especially chilly January, we’ll all be waiting with bated breath to see what fate Punxsutawney Phil has in store for us on Sunday. Whether he sees his shadow or not, you can still celebrate like spring is just around the corner with these events. Valentine’s Day Pop-Up Market...
Hempfield family uses cold to make rainbow blocks for front yard igloo
The Szekely family of Hempfield wasn’t about to miss its second chance at building an igloo. “We tried in 2018, but the weather wasn’t cold enough,” said Marta Szekely, who lives with her husband, Matt, and their children near Hempfield Park. There isn’t much traffic in the Szekelys’ neighborhood, but...
Westmoreland Symphony’s ‘Love Stories’ evening features renowned cellist
The Westmoreland Symphony will present a special Valentine’s weekend concert titled “Love Stories” with special guest artist Zlatomir Fung at the Palace Theatre in Greensburg on Feb. 15. The centerpiece of the evening is Dvořák’s “Cello Concerto in B minor” featuring Fung. “He’s a brilliant cellist and an artist on...
Prosecutors reveal suspected motive for St. Clair mother’s murder
Westmoreland County prosecutors contend a long simmering period of discord between a New Florence woman and her mother provided a motive for her killing in late 2023. According to a court filing, investigators believe the Dec. 11, 2023, fatal shooting of 71-year-old Alice Robson was the culmination of years of...
Clairton man nabbed in West Newton drug sting
A Clairton man is behind bars after police said he sold 160 bricks of drugs to a confidential informant in West Newton and took $30,750 to settle drug debts, according to court papers. Ismail A. Hamlin, 28, is facing numerous drug and weapons violations in Westmoreland and Allegheny counties as...
Irwin man who can’t recall killing girlfriend sent to prison for up to 20 years
An Irwin man who has no memory of killing his girlfriend at a Monroeville hotel three years ago will serve at least 71⁄2 years in state prison. Matthew Gribschaw, 40, pleaded guilty but mentally ill in November to third-degree murder for killing Rochella Anderson, 49. On Thursday, Senior Judge Katherine...
Greensburg craft, gift store invites young artists to sell work
Hannah Smith has created art for as long as she can remember. But until last week, Smith, a homeschooled sophomore who lives in Hempfield, never envisioned her artistic talent could turn into a career. Smith is one of five young artists who stocked the shelves of downtown Greensburg’s Artisans of...
Jeannette man sentenced to up to 9 years for narcotics offenses
Nearly four years after police seized drugs and almost $10,000 from a Jeannette man, he was sentenced to serve up to nine years in prison, according to Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli’s office. Larry Frederick, 35, was arrested in February 2021 after investigators seized from his home nearly 3...
Pa. student scores on national testing lower than pre-pandemic, results show
Pennsylvania public schools still may be grappling with the impact of the covid-19 pandemic, according to a national report on reading and math proficiency among fourth grade and eighth grade students. The 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress — released Wednesday by the National Center for Education Statistics — shows...
Judge sets $1M bond for daughter charged with theft of Greensburg Beverage CEO’s estate
The lawyer for a Murrysville woman who, along with her mother, is accused of taking more than $4 million of a relative’s inheritance, told a Westmoreland County judge the case against his client has no factual basis. “Their theory is not supported by the evidence,” said defense attorney Paul Ellis...
Greensburg man to serve 20-to-40 year prison term for child rape
A Greensburg man was ordered to serve up to 40 years in prison for the rape of a child. James Dickant Jr., 35, was convicted of nine counts in a nonjury trial in October in which prosecutors claimed he had repeated sexual contact with a young child over a period...
