Westmoreland category, Page 120
Nonprofit gives adaptive strollers to 3 Westmoreland families
Tears filled Melanie Skibicki’s eyes as she sat in the Fred Rogers Room of the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit in Hempfield on Friday morning, waiting to receive an adaptive stroller for her son. Aiden Ward, 6, was born nonverbal and diagnosed with autism. For years, Skibicki has stayed home from her...
FEMA ponies up $524K for North Irwin fire truck
It’s taken five years of trying for North Irwin firefighters to be awarded a hefty federal grant — $524,000 — for a new fire engine. “They’re very difficult to get,” said fire Chief Glenn Geiger. Now, it’ll likely be another three years before they can get that new truck on...
Westmoreland happenings: Birding walk, community festival, meetings, more
Festival • The West Newton Community Festival will be from 6 to 10 p.m. Sept. 6, noon to 10 p.m. Sept. 7 and 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sept. 8 in Vine Street Park. There will be entertainment, games, food trucks, crafters, a basket sale and more. A parade will...
Westmoreland County Community College eyes search firm to fill vice president position vacant since 2022
Amid the search for a new president, Westmoreland County Community College soon could hire a search firm to help fill a vice president position that has been vacant for two years. The board of trustees voted Wednesday to pay $39,000 for Massachusetts-based search firm Spelman Johnson to identify a vice...
Hempfield addressing speed, safety issues on Fosterville Road
Turn onto Fosterville Road near Hempfield Area High School on Route 136 and you’ll find yourself among well kept homes in a heavily residential area. The speed limit is 25 mph, but that’s often not followed, said resident Dan Laskey. “They’re going too fast,” he said. There are plenty of...
Here are 5 things to do in Westmoreland this weekend: Aug. 30-Sept. 2
There’s good news and bad news. The bad news is that we’ve arrived at Labor Day, signaling an unofficial end to summer. The good news is that a three-day weekend is coming up. Here are some fun events to take the sting out of summer’s close and help you enjoy...
Slinging suds: Salem beer distributor expects to move about 40,000 cases this weekVideo
Pallets holding more than 150,000 six-packs moved through the Frank B. Fuhrer Wholesale warehouse just off Route 22 in Salem this week. That should get the Labor Day weekend going. Summer is far and away the busiest season for beverage wholesalers like Fuhrer, which opened the 335,000-square-foot distribution facility —...
Retired Latrobe police dog takes on volunteer work with Ligonier Township fire department
Former Ligonier Valley police dog Zeus is now a fire dog for Ligonier Township Fire Department No. 1. Zeus debuted as a fire dog Tuesday during a National Night Out community outreach event organized by the Ligonier Valley Police Department in Ligonier Borough. “He’s the first fire dog we’ve ever...
UPMC posts $313 million loss for first half of 2024
UPMC lost $313 million in the first six months of the year, the Pittsburgh-based health care giant said. The company announced the financial picture at a time when it is cutting about 1,000 jobs. UPMC said Thursday its expenses topped $14.7 billion, but had $14.47 billion in revenue from its...
Memorial wall’s stop in Mt. Pleasant a moving tribute to fallen Vietnam veterans
Two days after New Year’s 1967, Dennis Kubic of Mt. Pleasant Township was wounded, and a friend and fellow infantryman was killed by enemy gunfire in Vietnam. That fateful encounter came back vividly to Kubic on Thursday morning as he located the name of his wartime buddy — Frederico Perez...
North Huntingdon man charged in opiate prescription scheme
A week after a Penn Township man pleaded guilty to writing fake prescriptions for thousands of opiate pills, police charged a second man who they said was involved in the scheme. Curtis A. Stewart, 55, of North Huntingdon, was charged Thursday with acquisition by misrepresentation, forgery, identity theft, criminal use...
Latrobe eyes regulations, tax abatement to boost property values, curb blight
Latrobe officials are eyeing a registration system that could help hold owners accountable for vacant, abandoned properties in town. The city also is looking to offer a real estate tax abatement to encourage owners to make improvements to their properties. The dovetailing measures are meant to promote economic development while...
Driver in bulletproof vest attempts to flee police after drug bust in Murrysville
A Pittsburgh man was wearing a bulletproof vest when Murrysville police said he led them on a chase Wednesday afternoon following a drug bust, according to court papers. Authorities said Keyshawn H. Campbell, 23, also had a sweatshirt with body armor sewn in it wrapped around the drivers seat of...
Sheetz in Youngwood slated to permanently close in October
A Sheetz convenience store and gas station in Youngwood is set to permanently close Oct. 7. Employees were offered jobs at other locations around the area, according to Nick Ruffner, public relations manager for Sheetz. Company representatives did not respond to Trib questions about how many employees work there. The...
State urged to reject Donegal mine’s renewal of permit to discharge water
Almost two dozen Donegal-area residents and environmental activists urged state regulators Wednesday to reject a mining company’s request to renew its permit to discharge water from its Donegal Township mine. They contend that the water pollutes the creek, and digging out coal has damaged homes and water supplies. “Our community...
Payroll irregularities lead to suspension of Westmoreland purchasing director, deputy
Westmoreland County’s director of purchasing and his deputy are suspended without pay over allegations they and four staffers were paid for extended workdays without prior approval. Purchasing Director Kristopher Cardiff and his deputy, Kristen Coyne, have been off the job since Aug. 15 after county commissioners authorized suspensions for both...
Westmoreland happenings: Car show, senior citizen news, more
Fundraiser • The Western Pennsylvania region of the Antique Automobile Club of America will host its 60th annual Paul P. Bell Memorial Auto, Custom and Street Rod Show from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sept. 1 at Legion Keener Park, 1658 Catherine St., Latrobe. Vehicle fields will include class judged...
Traveling Vietnam wall brings tribute to fallen service members to Mt. Pleasant
At nearly 300 feet long and 6 feet tall, the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall is a three-fifths scale replica of the original in Washington, D.C. Like the one that inspired it, the mobile wall destined for Mt. Pleasant lists the names of more than 58,000 Americans who gave their lives...
Lyft driver pleads guilty to North Huntingdon 3-vehicle crash
An Allegheny County woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to being drunk when she caused a three-vehicle crash in North Huntingdon that injured six people. Police said Slobodanka Bulatovic, 48, of North Versailles, was a driver for ride-sharing company Lyft and was en route to North Huntingdon for a fare when she...
Westmoreland commissioners urged to switch to paper ballots for November election
The Westmoreland County commissioners were urged Tuesday to abandon touch-screen computerized voting at the polls in November in favor of paper ballots. A group of about a half-dozen residents spoke during the commissioners public agenda meeting at the courthouse and claimed the system used by the county since 2020 was...
Police say DNA tests link former Latrobe man to alleged rape of teenage girl
Police charged a former Latrobe man Tuesday in connection with rape accusations made by a teenage girl. Authorities said DNA found on the girl’s clothing was a match for Randy B. Shipley Jr., 39, who is now an inmate at a state prison in Central Pennsylvania. The girl reported the...
Hempfield hopes to bolster identity among its multiple neighborhoods
Hempfield officials can now start looking for funding to turn a signage and branding plan into visible markers in the community. Township supervisors approved the plan Monday that could lead to a new logo and signs at entry points and in neighborhoods, among other changes, said manager Aaron Siko. “Hempfield...
Watershed group opposes renewed permit for Donegal area mine discharge
A watershed group is lobbying against a renewed water discharge permit that mine operator LCT Energy is seeking for the Rustic Ridge coal mine. The Mountain Watershed Association claims the new version of the discharge permit would increase the risk of flooding and erosion in Champion and Indian creeks while...
West Nile virus infections reported in 7 Westmoreland communities
West Nile virus has been detected in five more Westmoreland County communities as high levels of the virus are being found across the state. Since Aug. 7, mosquitoes have tested positive for the virus in Youngwood, Midway, Scottdale, Trafford and New Kensington — joining infected insects sampled earlier this season...
Fundraiser set for family of Paintertown firefighter killed clearing storm damage
A fundraiser will be held at an Irwin art and gift shop on Sept. 15 for the family of an 18-year-old Penn Township firefighter killed this summer while clearing trees downed by a tornado. Feathers Gift Shop at 102 Fourth St., will hold a special event 11 a.m. to 4...
