Westmoreland category, Page 159
Ambulance stationed in Jeannette again, at least temporarily
An ambulance is once again stationed in Jeannette, at least temporarily. A Mutual Aid EMS ambulance has been based out of city hall and the fire station for about nine days. Its previous home in that part of the county — the old Rescue 14 ambulance station on Edna Road...
Greensburg council to vote on body-worn camera grant, event approval process
Greensburg is expected to outfit its police force with its first set of body-worn cameras. City council will vote next week to accept a $140,000 grant from the state Department of Community and Economic Development to purchase 27 body-worn cameras — one for each of its police officers, said Chief...
Hempfield: Demolition plans advancing for former state prison
Nearly a year after purchasing the SCI Greensburg property, Hempfield is securing funding and establishing a timeline on demolition of the former state prison. “We are basically wrapping up demolition plans currently,” township manager Aaron Siko said. The 350,000-square-foot prison was built to hold 900 inmates and employed about 360...
Greensburg woman stopped with loaded firearm at Pittsburgh International Airport checkpoint
A Greensburg woman is accused of attempting to make it through a security checkpoint at Pittsburgh International Airport with a loaded gun, Transportation Security Administration officers said. The 9mm handgun was loaded six bullets and had one bullet in the chamber when it was discovered Friday. Officials said it was...
New Kensington cook wins Democratic primary to run for state House seat
Nearly 9,200 write-in votes were cast by Westmoreland County voters in last month’s Democratic and Republican primaries. Election Bureau Director Greg McCloskey said the county elections board is expected to issue a preliminary certification of results on Tuesday. Those results will include a victory for one candidate who did not...
Demolition of former Jeannette brewery topic of meeting at city hall
A public meeting regarding the demolition of the former Fort Pitt Brewery is scheduled for 5 p.m. Thursday at Jeannette City Hall. County officials will review what residents can expect during the demolition, which could start this summer, and answer their questions, as well as hear ideas about the potential...
SUV crash closes Westmoreland City post office; operations shift to Manor facility
The Westmoreland City Post Office was closed until further notice Monday after an SUV crashed into it. North Huntingdon Township building inspector Tom McGuire said the SUV damaged a load-bearing wall that faces the parking lot. “The building’s going to be condemned until it’s repaired,” he said. That is a...
Greensburg YMCA extends management deal with Pittsburgh branch
The search for new leadership of the Greensburg YMCA will be suspended until at least next year as officials continue efforts to strengthen the financial health and operational structure at the downtown facility. Board president Sydney Beeler confirmed this week that an agreement with the Greater Pittsburgh YMCA to serve...
Museums in Ligonier Valley draw hundreds on day of free admission
Free admission was a good incentive Sunday for some to learn more about the history of where they live. “We decided to check out our backyard,” said Kathy Vargo while standing in the shade outside Fort Ligonier. She lives in Hempfield but was spending a couple days with her husband,...
Wet spring greets seasonal hunt for disease-bearing mosquitoes, ticks
Beginning Monday, Chrissy Edwards-McCune will be out and about in Westmoreland County — setting traps to collect mosquitoes that might be infected with diseases and could bite humans and make them sick. “I’ll set traps at about 30 sites each week,” said Edwards-McCune, who is a West Nile virus technician...
Westmoreland happenings: Diaper drive, bus trip, 80’s party, more
Art • Greensburg Art Center will sponsor a bus trip June 11 to the Cleveland Museum of Art. The current exhibit is, “Africa and Byzantium.” Cost: $65, includes transportation and museum admission. The bus will leave at 8:30 a.m. from the center in Hempfield. It will leave the Cleveland museum...
A look at 18th century living: Historic Hanna’s Town opens for the season
Historic Hanna’s Town opened for the season Saturday with living history displays about what life was like in the 18th century. The Revolutionary War-era site in Hempfield was established in 1773 as the first seat of government in Westmoreland County. There are several log structures, a fortress and an education...
Derry Area School Board holds tax line for 2024-2025, eyes $1.2 M in capital projects
Derry Area residents will see their school property taxes hold steady for the fourth year in a row under the district’s tentative $43.4 million 2024-25 budget. Approved at this past week’s school board meeting, the proposed budget calls for tapping the district’s fund balance to cover a $2.1 million gap...
Unity teen leads way as Greater Latrobe Senior High grows aviation course offerings, partnerships
Brayden Johnson soon will be taking off into the world of post-secondary studies, as he hopes to land a job as a commercial airline pilot. The senior at Greater Latrobe Senior High has a head start because he did initial flight training at the nearby Laurel Highlands Aeronautical Academy at...
Pressure cooking: Teams vie for top chef honors in inaugural competition at WCCC
The three members of the Sizzle Squad combined all the right ingredients to pull off a win in Westmoreland County Community College’s inaugural culinary competition. Brittany Martin of Belle Vernon drew upon her previous experience working in a restaurant and her love of food-based TV reality shows as she led...
A growing concern: Greensburg Garden Center’s May Mart
Carol Martinek is focusing on sprucing up her Cheswick backyard this year. She picked up a few flowering plants at the Greensburg Garden Center & Civic Center’s May Mart on Saturday to put toward the project. Among her purchases were candytuft, cranesbill geranium and the tiny blue flowers of forget-me-nots,...
PennDOT paving to begin Monday on 2 routes on outskirts of Greensburg
PennDOT paving work is scheduled to be underway beginning on Monday, May 6 on the outskirts of Greensburg, simultaneously restricting traffic for several days on two routes providing access to the city from the east. Depending on weather, crews from Tresco Paving Corp. are set to begin milling and resurfacing...
Greensburg officials mum on ex-police officer’s pension after guilty plea in drug case
Retired city police Officer Regina McAtee collected at least $46,280 in pension payments before admitting her role in a methamphetamine distribution operation with the disgraced former Greensburg police chief. Now that McAtee, 51, of New Kensington pleaded guilty in federal court this week to engaging in a drug conspiracy, it’s...
Former Ligonier Valley police chief charged with sexual assault
The former Ligonier Valley police chief was arrested and jailed Friday afternoon on allegations that he sexually assaulted a patient at a Donegal Township addiction recovery center, according to court papers. John E. Berger, 52, of Ligonier Borough was charged by state police with aggravated indecent assault, institutional sexual assault...
Mutual Aid EMS follows Pittsburgh’s lead to provide blood at trauma scenes
Mutual Aid EMS this week added a lifesaving tool to its emergency response — blood. Dr. Bill Jenkins, the Greensburg-based ambulance service’s medical director, said it will help paramedics better care for patients who are in hemorrhagic shock from some type of trauma, such as a gunshot wound or vehicle...
New Mexico man fights extradition to Florida after license plate readers used to track him to New Stanton
The lawyer of a man arrested this week at a Pennsylvania Turnpike service plaza told a judge he will challenge efforts to extradite his client to Florida to answer charges that he shot and killed his own brother. John William Tolbert, 58, of New Mexico, is expected to remain in...
Derry Area set to update high school track, seeks funding for new roofing
Derry Area School District is spending some money this summer to help keep its student-athletes running smoothly. The school board this week awarded a contract to American Athletic Track and Turf to resurface the track at the high school stadium. The board meanwhile is hoping for state funding assistance to...
Luke Bryan’s Farm Tour visits Westmoreland County in SeptemberVideo
Luke Bryan is coming to Westmoreland County this fall. The country music star’s annual Farm Tour will visit Cunningham Family Farm in South Huntingdon on Sept. 28. The farm is located at 355 Fitz Henry Road. Bryan, who also serves as a judge on “American Idol,” is known for songs...
‘A lot more than usual’: 11 sets of twins in Norwin’s class of 2024
Norwin High School senior Julia Walko remembers the time her track coach, Brian Fleckenstein, penciled in her sister to run in a relay in a track meet. “Coach Fleckenstein entered Jenna by mistake,” said Julia Walko. It’s not that Julia was upset at being bumped by her sister, the problem...
Trout-raising program at Hempfield Area brings conservation to the classroom
From the moment Hempfield Area junior Hayden Simmons heard about her science class’s trout project, she knew she wanted to get involved. “He said we were getting fish, and I was like, ‘When can I start?’ ” she said. “I just wanted to help.” Each morning during homeroom, and each afternoon...
