Westmoreland category, Page 365
Trafford to unveil town’s version of Wings Across Westmoreland
Trafford is getting its own version of Wings Across Westmoreland. The artwork promotes community history and encourages viewers to pose for a photo in the middle of it. Borough officials will unveil the metal wings at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Trafford Borough Municipal Center parking lot, adjacent to the...
Out & About: Ligonier museum program tracks fashion through the ages
“Petticoat” and “bodice” are familiar clothing terms, but what about “farthingale” and “stomacher”? Saint Francis University costume designer Bonnie Resinski discussed them all — and more — during the second annual fashion show and purse auction on June 25 at the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art at Ligonier Valley. Her...
Murrysville Export Emergency Management Agency provides support network for first responders
When it comes to large-scale emergencies, preparation is the key to a proper response. When something such as a ruptured gas line or a late-night power outage at a senior assisted living facility happens, first responders need to be able to do their jobs and rely on a support network...
Scholarship to help high schoolers, adults entering public service in memory of Mt. Pleasant firefighter, EMT
After EMT and firefighter Andrew Beck died suddenly in January at just 23 years old, his friend and mother wanted to carry on his legacy of service in Westmoreland County. In February, the pair co-founded the Andrew Logan Beck EMS and Fire Scholarship Fund, which will provide funding for local...
Penn Borough man accused by troopers of assaulting woman over cellphone photo
A woman told state troopers Tuesday that a Penn Borough man became so angry over a photograph he found on her cellphone that he woke her from her sleep, assaulted her and then refused to let her summon help. Shawn M. Ressler, 20, was charged with aggravated assault, criminal mischief,...
Delmont man accused of shooting at neighbor’s home to be reevaluated for trial
A Delmont man will be reevaluated to determine whether he is now able to help with his defense after years of delays in a 2019 attempted homicide case. Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Timothy Krieger said Tuesday he will order a competency reevaluation for Terrance Kurhansky, 82. Rebecca Trout, program...
Police: Latrobe woman assaulted, choked after asking man to lower radio volume
A 32-year-old woman was punched and strangled by a man outside a Latrobe apartment complex after she asked him to lower the volume of his radio, police said. The woman was flown by medical helicopter to a Pittsburgh hospital because of the extent of her injuries. The man, Lionel Thomas,...
Police chase from New Alexandria to Latrobe reached speeds of 90 mph
A New Alexandria man is free on unsecured bail after state police said he led them on a chase through a campground near Keystone State Park during the Fourth of July weekend. Police said they apprehended Luis A. Marsales, 26, along Loyalhanna Creek in Latrobe. He is charged with fleeing...
Students with disabilities thrive in Saint Vincent’s Bearcat BEST program
In Pennsylvania, students with intellectual or developmental disabilities are able to attend high school until they’re 21 years old — but many of these students want to move on to bigger and better things with their same-age peers. That’s where Saint Vincent College’s Bearcat BEST program comes into play. The...
Latrobe’s Rose Style Shoppe celebrates its 90th anniversary
In June 1932, Rose Rubinoff Buchman opened a shop at the corner of Ligonier and Depot streets to sell bridal dresses and formal clothing to the women of Latrobe. Nine decades and countless changes later, Rose Style Shoppe is still bustling with business. Ronda Goetz, third-generation owner and Rubinoff Buchman’s...
Out & About: Karaoke fundraiser proves ‘Westmoreland Has Talent’
It wasn’t your run-of-the-mill karaoke night. The performers brought a little something extra to Westmoreland Has Talent, a fundraiser for the Westmoreland Diversity Coalition, held June 25 at Live! Casino Pittsburgh in Hempfield. University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg president Robert Gregerson channeled Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top with a beard,...
People celebrate return of July 4 parade in Latrobe
A crowd of people lined the streets of Latrobe Monday morning, not only in honor of the Fourth of July but also to celebrate the return of the city’s holiday festivities that were put on hold for two years because of the covid-19 pandemic. The “Celebrate Latrobe” Fourth of July...
Saint Vincent Gristmill has been staple in Unity since 1854
In 1854, millers ground their first batch of flour at the Saint Vincent Gristmill, creating a facility that not only benefited the lay brothers but also surrounding farmers. Located along Beatty County Road in Unity, the mill has been used for centuries to store wheat and other grains grown on...
More than 300 turn out to honor memory of late state Rep. Mike Reese
As word spread that participation in the Mike Reese Memorial 5K Run/Walk Sunday would likely surpass the inaugural event a year ago in Westmoreland County’s Mammoth Park, it did not surprise his childhood friend Chad Zaucha. After all, Zaucha and his family had driven 360 miles from Yorktown, Ind., to...
Unity couple founds nonprofit to provide housing for veterans
Andrew and Shela Gornik always have made a point of thanking veterans for their service. They’ve taught their four children to do the same. “If our kids walked past a veteran, even when they were small, we would tell them, go right back there and say, ‘Thank you for your...
Westmoreland Arts & Heritage Festival featuring nearly 170 vendors through Sunday
For the three straight day, music, arts, historical reenactments and more were on display Saturday at the Westmoreland Arts & Heritage Festival. Canceled in 2020 and 2021, the festival returned for its 48th year Thursday, and it continues through Sunday at Twin Lakes Park, east of Greensburg. Festivalgoers will encounter...
Return of Claridge Fair benefits Penn-Trafford Soccer Club; event continues Sunday
A few of the inflatable rides at the new Claridge Fair in Penn Township were still a little wet from the rain early Saturday, but it didn’t slow down 6-year-old Nina Garafalo as she swiftly descended a slide erected on the fields at the Penn-Trafford Soccer Club complex. “It’s still...
Rostraver restaurant closed under deal with district attorney
A popular Rostraver restaurant and tavern that was the site of a double shooting early Sunday morning has been closed. Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli said Friday in Rostraver her office reached an agreement with owner Debra Hardy Maley to permanently close Sweeney’s Steakhouse at 1713 Rostraver Road, before...
Out & About: Fourth of July weekend starts with a bang at Fort Ligonier
The Fourth of July weekend started with a bang during the Friday evening Cannons and Cocktails party at Fort Ligonier. Literally. The festivities included mock cannon firings in the hilltop stockade of the restored French and Indian War-era historical complex. Guests had an opportunity to sample a George Washington Rye...
Western Pa. farmers battle weather, price hikes, shortages to produce sweet corn this summer
For Rita Firestone, growing, harvesting and selling sweet corn has been an integral part of her life ever since she and her late husband started The Original Firestone’s sweet corn stand 52 years ago along Route 30 in Unity. “I do it because I want to do it, not because...
Post-July 4 traffic interruptions planned in West Newton, Salem
Motorists traveling in Westmoreland County after the Fourth of July weekend will encounter a road closure in West Newton and Route 22 lane restrictions in Salem. PennDOT has announced drivers will be detoured around a section of West Newton’s East Main Street (Route 136) beginning at 7 a.m. Tuesday. The...
Delmont librarian announces retirement at end of 2022
When Louisa Fordyce first got involved volunteering at the Delmont Public Library, she didn’t have a lot of contact with director Denni Grassel. “But I knew how active she was and how much work she put into the library,” Fordyce said. Today, Fordyce is a member of the library’s board...
Photo gallery: Westmoreland Arts & Heritage Festival
Music, arts, historical reenactments and more were on display Friday at the Westmoreland Arts & Heritage Festival....
Derry rape suspect found in Mexico
A former Derry man who was charged in 2013 with the rape of a child has been found in Mexico and will be returned to Westmoreland County to stand trial, said District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli Ziccarelli announced Friday that U.S. located Efrain Fernandez-Nicolas nearly eight years after he was originally...
Homicide victim’s mother tells Mt. Pleasant man: ‘No more drugs’
Cathy Clawson had a simple message for the man who pleaded guilty Friday to causing her daughter’s death in 2020. “Just come out a better man. No more drugs,” Clawson told Robert Seth Barnhart after he was sentenced to serve 3-6 years in prison for his role in the crash...
