Westmoreland category, Page 299
Lives of pregnant Penn-Trafford teacher, baby boy saved by school nurse, staff
Until two months ago, Penn-Trafford School District nurse Rhaeann Shepler had never performed CPR on a real person. Her first shot at it saved not one life but two. A little before 9 a.m. on a chilly Dec. 12 morning, Shepler sprang into action along with six of her co-workers...
Export officials want to better coordinate utility and paving work
Export officials would like their freshly-paved streets to stay in that condition. So, in addition to efforts to coordinate local utility construction with street work, they are also considering an ordinance that strengthens the requirements for restoring streets following utility work. During a discussion about the use of federal grant...
Westmoreland happenings: Valentine’s Day parties, soup sale, turkey dinner, more
Submissions from nonprofit organizations for Briefly Speaking can be emailed to Carol Pinto-Smith at cpinto-smith@triblive.com or mailed to Briefly Speaking, 210 Wood St., Tarentum, PA 15084. Include a complete address and daytime phone number. Submissions are due at least two weeks before the event. Each announcement is printed once; there...
Former Greensburg police detective announces run for mayor
A former Greensburg police detective is seeking the Democratic nomination for mayor. Jerry Vernail, 60, said he was motivated to run for the office after the recent arrest of the force’s police chief by federal investigators, which makes the third city officer charged with a crime since 2016. One of...
Former Export man sentenced for role in bogus tax-collection scheme
A former Export man was sentenced to one year in federal prison Monday for his role in a bogus tax-collection scheme, according to prosecutors. Michael Galanis, 34, was ordered to spend two years on supervised release after the prison term and pay $7,500 in restitution. He pleaded guilty in April...
Site prep work begins on senior housing project in Irwin
More than $1 million of site preparation work has started on a 50-unit senior citizen housing project in Irwin. Workers are removing a large swath of trees for the building to be constructed across from the Norwin Public Library and an access road for the Westmoreland County Housing Authority’s Grand...
Excess additive in gas lines causes large volume of 911 calls in Murrysville, Export, Delmont
An excess of the additive that gives natural gas its “rotten-egg” smell caused more than 300 calls to Westmoreland County 911 since Tuesday night, reporting an odor of natural gas, according to Peoples Natural Gas officials. Calls began coming in to Westmoreland County 911 around 9 p.m., according to a...
Jeannette woman accused of trying to steal her own dog found not guilty of most charges
A Jeannette woman accused of robbery, theft and assault after she attempted to take back her own dog was found not guilty of most charges against her. Cynthia Finch, a 30-year-old mother and college student, described herself as the “victim” of the situation, in which her dog watcher apparently took...
Greensburg Civic Theatre’s ‘Sweeney Todd’ plumbs depths of human psyche
Greensburg Civic Theatre will present the macabre tale of the demon barber of Fleet Street this weekend at the Greensburg Garden & Civic Center, 951 Old Salem Road. Curtain times for “Sweeney Todd” will be at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. The Stephen Sondheim musical is...
Police seek driver of stolen SUV who led them on chase in Hempfield, Jeannette
State police are seeking help to identify the driver of a stolen vehicle who led them on a chase Sunday afternoon in Hempfield and Jeannette. While troopers were patrolling on Toll Route 66 northbound in Hempfield near mile marker 3 around 4:45 p.m., they attempted a traffic stop on a...
Former Westmoreland commissioner Kopas seeks return to office
Former Westmoreland County commissioner Ted Kopas is vying yet again to have a seat at the table. Kopas announced Monday he will campaign for the Democratic nomination for county commissioner on the May primary ballot. Kopas previously served as a commissioner between 2010 and 2020, but was ousted from the...
Greensburg remains mum on city probe of police following chief’s arrest, resignation
Greensburg officials aren’t yet ready to comment on their plan for moving the police department forward nearly two weeks after the force’s former chief, Shawn Denning, was arrested on federal drug charges. The city launched its own internal probe after an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration resulted in Denning’s...
Sheriff’s deputies: Fugitive found hiding in Hempfield hotel room
Three people are facing drug and conspiracy charges after authorities said they found a fugitive hiding in a Hempfield hotel room last week. Westmoreland County sheriff’s deputies were searching for Kelly W. Preacher Jr., 29, of Derry Township, on Jan. 31 when they were led to the hotel room and...
Hempfield woman’s goal: Hike a state park every week in 2023
A Hempfield mother of five has a set an ambitious goal of hiking at least one state park a week for the rest of the year. “I really discovered my love of hiking in 2022. I started thinking about it (setting the goal) at the end of the year,” said...
Learning Lamp receives grant for pre-K programs in Greater Latrobe, Derry Area, Ligonier Valley
Nontraditional preschool programs in the Ligonier Valley, Derry Area and Greater Latrobe school districts boast a combined enrollment this year of 80 children ages 2 to 5, and leaders are hoping a new grant will help build on the momentum. Tiny RAMs, Tiny Trojans and Latrobe Little Learners kindergarten readiness...
Mt. Pleasant and New Alexandria communities support family after devastating fire
Two communities have come together to support a Mt. Pleasant family after they lost their home to a house fire in January. Amber Breakiron and her family lost everything, including their family dog, when their home in the Mt. Pleasant Township village of Hecla went up in flames. Breakiron’s sisters...
Pa. agency explains why it enacted new ‘no force-on-force rule’ for Bushy Run, other sites
The end to battle reenactments at Bushy Run Battlefield has left many members of the community saddened and frustrated. But in Harrisburg, officials with the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission consider the new “no force-on-force” policy a positive for state history. “There are more impactful and safer educational methods through...
Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor seeking new executive director
The Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor is seeking candidates to fill the position of executive director, overseeing its 200-mile heritage corridor and the Lincoln Highway Experience museum in Unity. The search is made necessary by the resignation of Executive Director Lauren Koker. “While I love the work I do for the...
‘George Washington’ ready to celebrate in Irwin
Although George Washington likely never visited Irwin borough, he will be making an appearance there this month. Gary Ed of North Huntingdon will portray our nation’s first president during a 250th anniversary celebration marking the founding of Westmoreland County. The event is from 6 to 11 p.m. Feb. 23 at...
Squires announces reelection bid for county treasurer
Westmoreland County Treasurer Jared Squires announced he will run for a fourth term in office. Squires, 45, a Republican from Mt. Pleasant Township, was first elected in 2011 and reelected in 2015 and 2019. “I will continue to bring my experience, knowledge and passion for public service to the position...
Seton Hill students perform community service projects, help renovate teen’s new home
Ashley Shaplye’s life is about to change. The Norwin High School senior spent Saturday with members of the Seton Hill University men’s soccer team and athletes renovating what is expected to be her new home later this year. Shaplye’s new home is being renovated as part of a Habitat for...
‘Opportunity to redefine’: 7 Westmoreland County communities envision a future free of blight
Seven Westmoreland County communities from Greensburg to New Kensington to Monessen are getting a unique opportunity — the ability to re-create neighborhoods and business districts free of blight. Using $10.4 million in federal money, the project calls for identifying as many as 500 properties for demolition, although some might end...
Derry Area student’s memoir wins competition
Derry Area sophomore Timothy Miller, 15, is one of 13 students to win the New York Times‘ 100-word personal narrative contest with his entry, “Baby Tim.” Miller entered the contest to complete a narrative writing assignment in his Advanced English II class. His teacher, Mark Curcio, enters his students in...
Out & About: Westmoreland County prayer breakfast stresses core values
“Love, Listen, Learn and Lead” was the theme of the Westmoreland County Chamber Annual Prayer Breakfast, held Jan. 27 at Ferrante’s Lakeview in Hempfield. Those values were separately explored in a series of spiritual readings. “Love” was covered by Heather McLean, outreach coordinator for Mental Health America of Southwestern PA;...
Westmoreland water authority lifts water warning
Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County officials have announced a potentially hazardous substance found last fall in a portion of the local water supply has fallen below state and federal guidelines. In November, about 50,000 water customers south of Route 30 in Westmoreland and Fayette counties were notified that averages of...
