Westmoreland category, Page 522
PennDOT to unveil updated plans for Route 51 interchange upgrade on Interstate 70
PennDOT is ready to display updated plans for improving the Route 51 interchange on Interstate 70 in Rostraver. Virtual project plans will be displayed at i-70projects.com from 5 p.m. Wednesday through 5 p.m. April 21. Those who lack online access can pick up a project handout and comment form during...
Hempfield Area temporarily closes 2 elementary schools because of covid-19 cases
Two Hempfield elementary schools will close for two days this week because of positive covid-19 cases, district leaders announced Monday. West Point and West Hempfield elementary schools are closed Tuesday and Wednesday after two students at each school contracted the virus, according to a letter from Superintendent Tammy Wolicki. Students...
Unity zoning panel turns down couple’s appeal to keep chickens in their backyard
Jeff and Kristin Kuhns are considering their options now that Unity’s zoning hearing board denied a variance they sought to continue raising chickens in their backyard. After the board voted to deny the variance at a special meeting this week, chicken owners Jeff and Kristin Kuhns said they would await...
2 taken to hospital following multi-car crash in Salem
Two people were transported by ambulance from a multi-vehicle crash Monday afternoon on William Penn Highway, emergency officials said. Emergency responders were called to Route 22 eastbound near its intersection with Hollywood Boulevard, near the border between Murrysville and Salem, shortly after 5 p.m. for a four-car crash, according to...
Former Scottdale district judge dedicated to God, family, community
Former Scottdale police officer and longtime District Judge J. Bruce King was a man dedicated to the important things in life, his friends said. “He was first dedicated to God. Second, dedicated to his family and, third, dedicated to his community,” said Roger Eckels, a former Mt. Pleasant Township district...
Inmate infections continue downward trend at Westmoreland jail; court appearances to resume
Westmoreland officials said Monday an additional inmate at the county jail tested positive for coronavirus as the overall number of new cases has declined over the last three weeks. Warden Bryan Kline said there are 17 inmates at Westmoreland County Prison with active cases of the virus during the second...
Countryside Plaza sold in East Huntingdon
An East Huntingdon shopping plaza near the intersection of routes 119 and 819 has been sold to an Oakmont-based development firm for $8.5 million, according to filings with the Westmoreland County Recorder of Deeds. PDQ Israel Family Countryside L.P. of Pittsburgh last month sold the 16.9-acre Countryside Plaza property to...
Security upgrades planned for Westmoreland County Housing Authority sites
Eight public housing complexes throughout Westmoreland County will see security upgrades later this year. Those upgrades included installation of high-definition security cameras at seven county Housing Authority sites in Irwin, Latrobe, Scottdale, Monessen and Trafford, and modernized door locks at a facility in New Kensington. The project will be paid...
Former Southwest Greensburg part-time cop heading to trial in Fayette County cases
A former part-time Southwest Greensburg policeman ordered to stand trial in Westmoreland County last month on an official oppression charge is facing multiple criminal complaints in Fayette County. Last week, James Edward Shaw, 54, of Mt. Pleasant Township waived his right to preliminary hearings on multiple criminal charges of false...
Latrobe man pleads guilty to 2018 fatal Memorial Day crash in Derry
A Latrobe man pleaded guilty Monday to charges he was under the influence of drugs when he crashed his car into an oncoming motorcycle, killing its rider and injuring a passenger on Memorial Day nearly three years ago in Derry. Preston C. Haines, 34, will be formally sentenced Tuesday morning,...
Man charged after 13 animals seized from deplorable conditions in New Stanton apartment
A former New Stanton man is set for a preliminary hearing Wednesday on neglect charges after state police said they seized 13 animals from deplorable conditions at his home. Mason Timothy Fronius, 25, of Connellsville, is facing 39 misdemeanor animal neglect counts along with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. Troopers...
Clearfield County man accused of shooting at SUV on Route 22 at Indiana-Westmoreland border
State police arrested a Clearfield County man over the weekend and charged him with shooting at another vehicle along Route 22 near the border of Indiana and Westmoreland counties, state police said. Elijah N. Helmick, 23, of Osceola Mills, was arrested in connection with an incident at 5:39 p.m. Saturday...
$12.9M rental, utility assistance program opens for Westmoreland applicants
An emergency aid program opened Monday for Westmoreland County residents who are behind on their rent or unable to pay utility bills. Before noon, 40 applications had been received, said Dan Carney, executive director of Union Mission of Latrobe Inc., which is in charge of distributing $12.9 million the county...
New covid cases still high in Pennsylvania, but data show signs of surge easing
While Pennsylvania continues to see new covid cases at higher numbers than last month, there are signs that the surge is easing a bit. In the state Department of Health’s latest two-day report of new cases released Monday, the state added 6,450 new cases — 3% fewer new cases than...
Why doing something you love boosts your brain health
This installment of “Active Aging” is presented by Redstone, Westmoreland County’s leading lifestyle community for older adults Constantly worrying about endless to-do lists and crowding your schedule to “get it all done” leaves little room in your life for doing things that bring you joy. However, taking time to do...
1 hurt in Bell motorcycle crash
A Saltsburg man was hurt Saturday in a motorcycle crash in Bell, according to state police. Arthur K. Gohn, 64, was driving a Harley-Davidson east on Route 380 near Lantz Road at 5 p.m. when troopers said he lost control around a bend. Police said the motorcycle hit a crack...
Girl, 14, hospitalized after being hit by SUV in Unity
A 14-year-old girl was hospitalized Saturday after state police said she was hit by an SUV in Unity. The crash happened at 11:30 a.m. on Sussex Way. Troopers said a 40-year-old woman had pulled out of a driveway and was headed down the street when the girl stepped in front...
Gun sales booming with no end in sight
Some local gun owners think it could be a year or more before the current record firearm sales level out. They pointed to a larger number of people turning to firearm ownership as a means of protection amid a litany of reasons, including the coronavirus pandemic, calls for less policing,...
Air traveler numbers are taking flight at Pittsburgh, Westmoreland airports
The number of passengers traveling through Pittsburgh International and Arnold Palmer Regional airports is on the rebound, in step with a national resurgence in air travel after a 2020 pandemic-fueled slump. “We’re seeing similar increases in passenger traffic as the rest of the industry,” said Alyson Walls, a spokeswoman for...
Student exchange program looks to rebound locally after pandemic challenges
Ethan Kelley found himself unexpectedly boarding an international flight a little over a year ago in Frankfurt, Germany. The arrival of the covid-19 pandemic in March 2020 prompted the Greensburg teen’s early departure from a student exchange program in Bavaria that was supposed to continue through the following June. “I...
Jeannette woman recognized by Blue Ribbon Champion for Safe Kids AwardVideo
A Westmoreland County woman was recognized by a statewide child abuse prevention organization for her work with the Allegheny County Department of Human Services. Jeanine Rasky, 63, of Jeannette was one of five people who received the Blue Ribbon Champion for Safe Kids Award, given by the Pennsylvania Family Support...
Leading the class: Seton Hill, Saint Vincent found ways to bring students back safely
Jessie Delio was thrilled when she learned Seton Hill University would welcome students back to classrooms at its hilltop campus in Greensburg last fall. Like millions of other college students across the country, the Erie woman gathered her books, packed her bags and headed home in spring 2020 when schools...
Westmoreland municipal leaders awaiting answers on expected pandemic relief money
Part of the recently passed $1.9 trillion federal pandemic relief package includes a good chunk of money intended for local governments — with up to about $2.4 billion for municipalities in Pennsylvania. Like elsewhere in the state, many in Westmoreland County still are wondering just how much they will get...
Cokeville memories: Former residents, hikers revisit ghost of Derry Township villageVideo
Ron Ross remembers the demise of Cokeville. His family’s property served as sort of a passageway for homes that were trucked out of the Derry Township village in the early 1950s — an exodus forced by the building of the Conemaugh Dam. Ross, 77, estimated he watched 50 homes be...
Norwin Elks to host Military Share Food Distribution program
Norwin Elks is set to host a Military Share Food Distribution program next month. The event, scheduled for May 13, is the first program of its type to be hosted by the Norwin Elks, according to Don Rohac, chair of veterans affairs for the organization. It is being held in...
