Westmoreland category, Page 189
En garde! Western Pa. clubs explore historical German, Italian fencing
Jon Mullin and Brendan Bailey’s clash is not flashy like an Errol Flynn duel in one of those classic black-and-white swashbuckling films. Then again, flashiness is not a typical feature of effective, real-world sword-fighting. The goal is not to look impressive; the goal is to win the fight. Mullin and...
Pedestrian suffers head injury in Downtown Greensburg hit-and-run, police say
An elderly woman was injured by a hit-and-run driver late Thursday night while crossing South Main Street in Greensburg, city police said. The victim, whose identity was not available, suffered a head injury from the collision with the vehicle at about 9:45 p.m. and was transported to Allegheny Health Network...
Fayette County man charged in fatal 2022 North Huntingdon crash
A Fayette County man is accused of driving more than 70 mph through a red light in North Huntingdon last year, colliding with another vehicle and killing its driver, according to court papers. Four others were injured in the crash on Route 30 at the Colonial Manor Road intersection on...
Dollar General resolves traffic issues in Murrysville store proposal
Murrysville council approved Dollar General’s plans for a store just south of Delmont along Route 66. Again. The project was originally approved in August 2022. “The developer has had some difficulty receiving (Pennsylvania Department of Transportation) approvals for some of the sight-line distances and they’ve been working on that,” Murrysville...
Greensburg Salem teacher, aide charged in assaults of 3 Nicely Elementary students
A Greensburg Salem School District elementary teacher and her aide are accused of mistreating special needs students on multiple occasions by spraying lemon juice and a soap into the mouth of one child and restraining that child and two others with soundproofing mats, police said. Brooke A. Stanko, 34, of...
5 things to do in Westmoreland: Dec. 29-31
It’s the final weekend of 2023, and there are plenty of ways to celebrate. Live Casino New Year’s Eve party On Sunday night, Live Casino Pittsburgh will host a New Year’s Eve ’70s disco inspired celebration at the Hempfield casino, off Route 30 adjacent to the Westmoreland Mall. Starting at...
After 60 years, Ligonier barbers hang up their clippers
When cousins Ken Knupp and Walt Boyd closed the doors of their Ligonier Borough barbershop Wednesday, one thing was clear — they will miss their customers the most. After working as barbers for more than 60 years, the two decided to retire together from their longtime practice at Knupp’s Barbershop....
Westmoreland DA wants to review police video before it’s released to public
Four months after police released body camera video showing an officer shooting a Ligonier Township man, the Westmoreland District Attorney’s Office is asking local police departments to have prosecutors review similar footage before it is released publicly. The request hasn’t been opposed by police, but legal, law enforcement and open...
Fayette County native Rachel Duda takes over reins of PennDOT District 12
A 1984 fire that destroyed Rachel Duda’s childhood home in Fayette County had a major impact on her life in more ways than one. For two years, Duda lived with relatives in California. That’s where she set her mind on a career in civil engineering, one that has led her...
2 tractor trailers involved in Pa. Turnpike crash east of Donegal
Emergency crews responded to a Pennsylvania Turnpike crash involving two tractor trailers Wednesday afternoon, Westmoreland 911 officials said. The crash happened about 4 p.m. in westbound lanes of the turnpike at mile marker 91.2 just east of Donegal. Additional information was not immediately available....
Seton Hill offers free online genocide, Holocaust education certificate program to local teachers
Seton Hill will waive tuition costs for 15 local teachers to complete an online genocide and Holocaust education certificate program starting in March. The nine-credit program features three courses that will give secondary education teachers the strategies to address topics like genocide in the classroom, said James Paharik, director of...
Penn Township holiday project enters 8th year supporting Western Pa. homeless shelters
The best part of Kellie Haldie’s Christmas is delivering gifts, clothes and personal care items to people living in local homeless shelters. About 35 volunteers join Haldie in the annual giving project, Blessing Our Sheltered Hearts, which started in 2016. This year, volunteers supported three shelters and about 150 families...
North Huntingdon holds line on taxes
North Huntingdon property owners will not pay higher real estate taxes to operate the municipality’s government in 2024. The budget retains the tax rate at 11.55 mills. Of that 9.23 mills is devoted to the $15.8 million general fund, which was reduced from $16.4 million this year. Revenue from an additional...
Michigan teens jailed after police investigate gift card theft in Ligonier
Three teenagers from Michigan were jailed over the weekend after police said they provided fake names while authorities were investigating a theft of $400 in gift cards in Ligonier Borough. Keenen E. Reese II, Rashad A. Shahid and Malik S. Spillers, all 18, of Flint, Mich., all are being held...
Jeannette man jailed on DUI charges after crash injures woman, child
A Jeannette man is behind bars after police said he was driving while impaired during a crash that seriously injured two people. Allan M. Beech, 33, was jailed last week on $250,000 bail on charges of aggravated assault by vehicle while driving under the influence, child endangerment and related offenses...
Jeannette passes budget, holds tax line
Jeannette Council passed the city’s 2024 budget on Tuesday by a 4-1 vote. The budget does not call for a property tax increase, keeping the millage rate at 35.62 mills. Councilwoman Michelle Langdon cast the dissenting vote because she said she felt the earned-income tax should have been lowered. One...
Westmoreland happenings: Bus trip to performance of ‘Daniel’; holiday fun day
Arts • West Newton Church of God will sponsor bus trips April 15 and May 2 to see the stage production “Daniel” at Sight & Sound Theatres near Lancaster. Cost: $180, includes bus transportation, show ticket and lunch. The bus will leave from the Christian Church parking lot in Turkeytown....
Amtrak anticipates spending $6.6M on Greensburg, Latrobe station projects
As Amtrak, the state and Norfolk Southern Corp. are planning major improvements to the rail line from Pittsburgh to Harrisburg, the passenger rail service is projecting it will spend $6.6 million over the next two years on improvements to two Westmoreland County train stations, in Greensburg and Latrobe. Amtrak has...
What $200M in expanded passenger rail service means for Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania is poised to add passenger rail service for the first time in decades, thanks to federal and state funding and a deal made with Norfolk Southern. PennDOT is investing $200 million for corridor upgrades that will allow Amtrak to run a second daily round trip between Pittsburgh and...
Pedestrian struck Christmas Eve on Route 30 in Hempfield
A Monroeville man was taken to the hospital after he was struck by a car Sunday in Hempfield. State police were called to Route 30 near West Hills Drive just after 6 p.m., after 30-year-old Agusto N. Tojil of Monroeville was struck by a car as he attempted to cross...
First Presbyterian of Greensburg hosts 3rd Christmas Day meal delivery
Volunteers at First Presbyterian Church of Greensburg offered free Christmas Day meals for the third year in a row Monday morning. This year about 60 volunteers spent Friday, Saturday and Sunday before Christmas prepping food, containers and transportation to serve approximately 650 meals to residents in surrounding communities including Hempfield,...
Free-Op Community Store opens in Jeannette, follows pay-what-you-can model
In the first few days of being open, a pay-what-you-can store in Jeannette was already making a difference. Madison Feidner said someone in need of a Christmas tree left with one and others were picking up presents. “This week was so important to me to just have some hours to...
Vehicle catches fire behind church in Hempfield Township
A single vehicle caught fire in the back parking lot of Word of Life Church in Hempfield Township on Sunday morning. Fort Allen Volunteer Fire Department and Carbon Volunteer Fire Department responded to the church on Route 136, according to Westmoreland County 911 dispatchers. The fire was put out and...
2 people flee on foot from Belle Vernon vehicle crash
Police responded Sunday morning to a two- vehicle crash in Belle Vernon — where two individuals fled on foot, leaving their vehicle at the scene. The crash occurred in the 400 block of Graham Street, according to Westmoreland 911 dispatch. One minor injury was reported, and the person was treated...
Caring on Christmas: How health care, emergency workers handle holiday shifts
Patrick Merkel knows that when someone calls the Allegheny County 911 center on Christmas, they might be experiencing the worst day of their life. Merkel is just one member of the team on the front lines on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. With up to 70 people working each shift...
