Westmoreland category, Page 305
15-year-old charged after assault at Fairfield juvenile treatment center
A 15-year-old boy is charged as an adult after state police said he attacked a worker at Outside In School of Experiential Education in Fairfield. Anthony Jenkins is being held on $200,000 bail on charges of aggravated assault, resisting arrest, strangulation and related offenses. Troopers were called to the facility...
Derry Area student surprised with full tuition scholarship to Thiel
When Derry Area High School senior Cydney Wierzbowski was called down to the school guidance office early Tuesday morning, for a moment, she thought she might be in trouble. “I was in math class, and I was pulled out to go to guidance for I did not know what,” Wierzbowski...
Time to change antiquated Pa. tax system, municipal league says
In 1965, Lyndon Johnson was president of the United States, the country was involved in a war in Vietnam, and the Fab Four — The Beatles — held what many consider to be the first stadium rock concert in New York City. Without as much fanfare, Pennsylvania leaders that same...
Greensburg man seriously hurt after being struck by truck on Route 119
A Greensburg man was seriously hurt after he was hit by a pickup truck Monday while walking along Route 119 in Hempfield, state police said. David A. Green, 30, was hit by a Ford F-350 and a trailer it was towing, according to troopers. The pickup was traveling southbound in...
Norwin director wants to ban book that uses derogatory term he used on social media
Norwin School Board member Alex Detschelt last week called for the district to ban another book from its curriculum. Detschelt has courted controversy since he was elected to the board in 2021. His latest target is “Al Capone Does My Shirts,” Gennifer Choldenko’s 2005 young adult novel that was a...
Irwin ballfield fee hikes has some crying foul
Irwin Borough’s plan to double the fees for use of ballfields at its two community parks had several representatives from a youth sports group crying foul last week. Council plans consider changing the fee structure from $10 to $20 per session for use of the ballfields at Irwin Park and...
Dunkin’, renovated public works building headed to Youngwood
A new Dunkin’ and renovated public works building could be in store for Youngwood in 2023. During Wednesday’s borough council meeting, the council approved signatures on the land development plans for Dunkin’. The quick-service restaurant could arrive in the borough this summer, borough Manager Diane Schaefer said. This will be...
Brothers charged in Greensburg Puff n Snuff burglary
Two brothers are facing charges in connection with one of two burglaries earlier this month at the Puff n Snuff store in Greensburg. Joshua L. Jording, 33, and Cory L. Jording, 24, both of Latrobe, were arrested after Westmoreland County sheriff’s deputies serving unrelated arrest warrants found them with bags...
Penn Township facing delays in receiving new police vehicles
Penn Township police will be getting a trio of new SUVs this year. The board of supervisors approved the purchase of three 2023 Ford Explorer all-wheel-drive police vehicles at $37,680 each, for a total of $113,040. The township will pay an additional $54,035 for emergency lighting, sirens and other equipment,...
On the move: High school scholarships, band festival, dean’s lists
Viva Kreis, a senior at Belle Vernon Area High School, was named the female recipient of the $10,000 2022 Heisman High School Scholarship. She is a member of the U.S. Women’s National Team Handball Team and competes across the globe while also playing three additional varsity sports. Viva is valedictorian...
Coroner: Man takes own life in standoff with police at Hempfield mobile home park
A man who was barricaded in a Hempfield mobile home park died by suicide Monday night, officials said, following a standoff with state police that left the community paralyzed for much of the day. Westmoreland County Coroner Tim Carson identified the man as Gerald A. Long Jr., 54, and said...
North Huntingdon considers fee for property owners to fund stormwater projects
Faced with an estimated $9 million in stormwater projects to help North Huntingdon meet the requirements of the federal Clean Water Act, township officials this week were presented with a plan for raising money by levying a fee on property owners. To reach an estimated collection of $1.8 million annually...
Hempfield Area seniors eager to raise money at Mini-THON
After a roughly five-year hiatus, Mini-THON is making a comeback at Hempfield Area High School. In March, 180 seniors will dance for 12 hours in the field house during the no-sitting event that raises money to fight pediatric cancer. Hempfield Area senior Ella Jones is organizing the event after attending...
Tiny house, big dreams for Irwin man
Got to get back to the land And get my soul free … And we got to get ourselves Back to the garden — “Woodstock” by Joni Mitchell Benjamin D’Amico of Irwin is going on a life-changing venture and getting back to the land, at least for the foreseeable future,...
‘Remembrance is the thing’: Owners of vintage, antique stores report big business
The rapid growth of Yesterday’s RAVE in Greensburg has been a surprise to co-owner Patty Wolfe. The store that specializes in antique and vintage items with 15 vendors in a renovated space at the former Schaller’s Bakery building on Highland Avenue opened in November 2021. As more sections of the...
Westmoreland doubles plans for broadband upgrade projects
As much as $3 million will be spent this year on four projects aimed at improving high-speed internet access in Westmoreland County, commissioners said. These broadband upgrades come as a followup to a study by the county last year that, according to preliminary results, determined as much as 71% of...
Westmoreland County struggles with public defender staffing shortage
Westmoreland County Chief Public Defender Wayne McGrew has served more as an administrator than a courtroom attorney in recent years, supervising a team of lawyers responsible for representing indigent clients in the criminal and juvenile court systems. But that is expected to change in the coming months as McGrew’s staff...
Out & About: Fort Ligonier hosts Colonial-style Twelfth Night Celebration
Imagine a Colonial-era dance party. Fortified by a cup of rum punch, revelers kick up their heels in a few rounds of English country dancing. After that, they raise their voices to sing some popular tunes of the day. At least that’s the way it was for the Twelfth Night...
Penn Area Library teen group fosters creativity, love of reading
On a counter at the Penn Area Library In Harrison City, a pile of neatly folded glossy publications sits among fiction and nonfiction books, waiting to be perused. Upon opening a copy of the library’s Teen Zine, readers can find 12 pages full of colorful art, poetry, collages, articles, photos...
Western Pa. folks excel at state farm show
From square dancing to cheesemaking to rabbit handling, Southwestern Pennsylvanians know the agricultural industry. Here is just a sample of regional folks who won big at the 2023 Pennsylvania Farm Show. The annual event, held Jan. 7 to 14 in Harrisburg, is the largest indoor agricultural exposition under one roof...
Disc golf course proving popular in North Huntingdon park
The weather outside might get frightful, but that won’t deter those who love to play golf at a North Huntingdon park, albeit with a twist —disc golf that requires the player to throw a specially designed Frisbee into metal basket rather than hitting a small ball into a hole. “We’ll...
Vehicle slams into North Huntingdon house in the middle of the night, flees scene
A North Huntingdon woman spent much of Saturday on the hunt for the driver who crashed into her home and then drove away. By the evening, she said she was notified by township police that they had identified the driver in the 1 a.m. incident. “It was less than 24...
Sunday service will kick off 175th anniversary events at Greensburg’s Zion’s Lutheran Church
A difference over languages spurred the founding of Zion’s Evangelical Lutheran Church of Greensburg. “A number of people wanted to worship in the language of commerce, which is to say English,” said the Rev. Brian Chaffee, 23rd in the line of pastors who have led the congregation since Jan. 16,...
Feathers Artist Market in Irwin to host local author open house
Tracy Alaia, owner of Feathers Artist Market and Gifts in Irwin, describes herself as “a crazy book person.” “I read 48 books last year, and I’ve already read five books in January,” she said. “Reading is my peace and my stress relief. If I can’t sleep, I read; I prefer...
Greensburg Salem School District eyes improved website, alert system
Greensburg Salem School District plans to upgrade its website this year and offer an improved alert system for communications with local families. The district will revamp its online presence through an agreement with Finalsite, an educational technology company based in Connecticut. The school board this week approved an agreement with...
