Westmoreland category, Page 612
97-year-old Latrobe resident’s Facebook baking page going strong; cookbook in the worksVideo
At a friend’s suggestion, Mary Ellen Raneri of Latrobe posted a video on Facebook of her 97-year-old mother baking one of her time-tested recipes. That single video in March led to the “Baking With Lucy” Facebook page as a way for the pair to offer connection and encouragement to others...
Owner of Medicine Shoppe in Jeannette denies ‘price gouging’
As owner of the Medicine Shoppe in Jeannette for 27 years, pharmacist James Beatty believes he’s served the needs of the community to the best of his ability. That’s why word this week that state Attorney General Josh Shapiro and Beatty entered into an agreement in response to a recent...
Westmoreland leads region in fatal overdose prosecutions
Carmen Capozzi knows all too well the horrors associated with drug addiction. For three days in 2015, he sat quietly in a Westmoreland County courtroom and watched the trial of a Wilkinsburg man charged with selling his 20-year-old son a fatal dose of heroin three years earlier. Capozzi’s silence ended...
Officials probe death of Hempfield man found over embankment behind his home
A 76-year-old man who hadn’t been seen in three days was found dead Friday afternoon over an embankment behind his Hempfield home. Foul play isn’t suspected, according to Westmoreland County Coroner Ken Bacha. He said the man’s name wouldn’t be released, pending notification of next of kin, and the cause...
Greensburg Salem Education Foundation provides $26,300 in ‘crisis funds’ for teachers
Greensburg Salem School District teachers will have some extra help during the coronavirus pandemic, thanks to a “crisis grant” from the nonprofit Greensburg Salem Education Foundation. The foundation is made up of community members, teachers and school officials. It issues grants to help fund programs, tools and materials for schools...
Rillton man accused of fighting with state agents, police serving search warrant
A Rillton man who blamed a 2015 bank robbery on a heroin addiction was jailed Thursday on $100,000 bond after allegedly fighting with police and state narcotics agents serving a search warrant at his home. Justin W. Buckholz, 31, was arraigned on three counts of possession of a controlled substance...
Greensburg YMCA announces temporary closure of gym and pool, citing pandemic
The Greensburg YMCA will close its doors to members for at least six months, though it will continue to operate its other programs, officials announced Friday. The gym and pool will close Sept. 30. Child care programs, the Y’s adult training facility, after-school programs and youth sports will continue as...
Neighbors concerned about traffic, blasting at proposed Unity limestone quarryVideo
Nearby Unity residents let Hanson Aggregates know they’re concerned about the heavy truck traffic and blasting that would be associated with a limestone quarry the company hopes to develop. The Connellsville company is seeking township approval of a site development plan as well as state permits for operating on underground...
Westmoreland tax delinquent property sale expected to be very different this year
Hundreds of tax delinquent properties could be auctioned off Monday as part of Westmoreland County’s annual sale, but this year’s event will look different in the age of the coronavirus pandemic. The tax sale will be conducted at Science Innovation Center Theater in Science Hall on the Youngwood campus of...
‘Orange sky made me want to go back’: Ligonier man home after battling Calif. wildfires
Many people viewing the startling images of wildfires ravaging millions of acres in California might shy away from an opportunity to get in the middle of a dry-season inferno. Not Joshua Derk, a state-certified wildland firefighter and second lieutenant with Ligonier’s Valley Hose Co. Derk, 30, returned Tuesday from Point...
Export Maker Space will feature a blend of old-school, modern technologyVideo
If someone in Export has a good idea for a project, Tom Spears wants to give them the tools to make it happen. “We want to hit all the ‘maker’ markets,” said Spears, who will open the Export Maker Space on Kennedy Avenue in the fall. Spears has taken the...
North Huntingdon commissioners debate fine points of noise ordinance
As they develop a township noise ordinance, North Huntingdon commissioners this week focused on what should be considered quiet hours. “I think the hardest thing to consider is what we designate as ‘quiet hours,’” said Commissioner Brian Blasko, who said he felt 7 a.m. was early enough to allow construction...
North Huntingdon commissioners agree to consider special-use permit for chickens
North Huntingdon commissioners may be at odds over allowing residents to keep chickens, but they did come to a consensus on how to move forward in updating the existing ordinance. Board members Thursday agreed to take a look at President Zachary Haigis’ suggestion of requiring a special-use variance to keep...
Westmoreland County reports 20 additional coronavirus cases
Westmoreland County on Friday reported 20 new cases of covid-19, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The county’s total case count now stands at 1,945. Of the new cases, 19 are reported as confirmed and one is probable. Westmoreland County coronavirus by dayInfogram With no new deaths reported Friday,...
Modern string quartet next up in WSO outdoor concert seriesVideo
Beo String Quartet will perform Sept. 25 in Hempfield Park, as part of the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra’s “Live on the Lawn” summer concert series. Music will begin at 7 p.m. in the amphitheater of the park at 220 Forbes Trail Road. The Pittsburgh-based quartet’s two earlier dates in the series...
Jeannette council OKs new K-9 vehicle, seeks additional donations for program
A new police SUV for Jeannette’s K-9 funded solely by donations is closer to fruition, but the city still is short about $7,000. Council on Thursday approved the $47,611 purchase of a 2020 Ford Interceptor for Sgt. James Phillips and police dog Arees and accepted $41,000 in donations for it....
Jeannette, former employee reach agreement in overpaid retirement deal
Jeannette council approved a $12,000 settlement agreement with its former community development director Thursday after she was overpaid for accrued leave upon her retirement last year. Solicitor Tim Witt said the city found out in the spring that Diana Reitz was given more money than she was entitled to through...
Unity seeks grants for handicapped-accessible play equipment, paving village streets
Unity’s latest wish list of projects includes handicapped-accessible playground equipment outside the township office complex and paving streets in three villages. The supervisors on Thursday agreed to submit those four prioritized projects for potential funding through 2021 Community Development Block Grant dollars made available by the federal Department of Housing...
New VP of gaming operations hired for Hempfield casinoVideo
A 27-year gaming veteran is joining the ranks of those working to open a new casino at Westmoreland Mall in Hempfield. Brent Colston was named vice president of gaming operations at Live! Casino Pittsburgh, which is set to open before Thanksgiving. In his position, Colston will manage and direct table...
Appeals court upholds conviction of former state trooper from Plum
A former Pennsylvania State Police trooper’s appeal of his conviction for assaulting and threatening his wife was denied Thursday. A three-judge panel of the state’s Superior Court upheld the guilty verdicts issued by an Allegheny County judge against Scott Richard Mang, 34, on charges of simple assault and making terroristic...
Former Excela Health Latrobe medical education coordinator accused in thefts
The former coordinator of Excela Latrobe Hospital’s student programs was accused this week of stealing more than $75,000 from the medical residency program and the Andrew Bagby Memorial Scholarship Fund. Suzanne N. Strickler, 37, of New Stanton was charged with 31 counts of theft, 11 counts of forgery and one...
YWCA’s 15th annual ‘Girls in Pearls’ fashion show goes virtual
Fashionistas can check out the latest in affordable fall fashion from the comfort of their homes, as the annual YWCA Westmoreland County Girls in Pearls Fashion Show goes virtual. Set for 5:30 p.m. Oct. 26, the 15th annual show will feature clients, customers and friends of the YWCA modeling clothing...
Bushy Run Lions Club to host chicken barbecue dinner
After being canceled this spring due to coronavirus, the Bushy Run Lions Club is hosting its annual chicken barbecue dinner. The event is scheduled for Sept. 27 at the Bushy Run Lions Community building in Claridge. Dinners will be served from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., or until sell-out. Boy...
‘Fat’ hummingbird migration in full force, keep those feeders up
Their bags are packed for a 1,000-plus-mile flight to Mexico and Central America. The essential luggage for a ruby-throated hummingbird? Up to an extra gram of fat. Yes, fat on the smallest breeding bird in the eastern United States is discernible, desirable for migration and definitely measured at the banding...
Jeannette gallery project bringing art into the community
If people can’t come to the art, You Are Here will take art to the people. The downtown Jeannette gallery is being transformed temporarily into a maker space for collaborative, original works of art to be placed at locations around the community. “It seemed like everyone we talked to was...
