Westmoreland category, Page 614
Novice drummers find their rhythm in Greensburg parkVideo
About 20 people got an outdoor drum lesson Tuesday at an unorthodox “drum circle” in Greensburg’s St. Clair Park. “This isn’t really a drum circle, it’s more of a weird drum line, semicircle kind of thing,” said Matt Mikeska, who led the event. Participants were seated on the park’s bleachers...
New Stanton mayor Ronald Echard, dead at 68, remembered for civic involvement
When visitors and residents in New Stanton admire the town’s new holiday lights this year, in large part, they’ll have Ron Echard to thank. Echard, who most recently served as mayor, is credited as a driving force behind the planned holiday display — along with his wife, Linda, who serves...
Greensburg hears from long list of applicants for vacant council spot
About a dozen people have expessed interest in filling a vacancy on Greensburg City Council. Council will appoint one new member to fill the vacancy left by Cheryl Lennert, who resigned last month. Lennert oversaw the city’s parks & recreation department. The new member will as well, according to Mayor...
Judge declines to lower bond for Monessen woman charged with attempted murder
A Westmoreland County judge on Tuesday rejected a bond request from a Monessen woman awaiting trial for the attempted murder of a neighbor. Tiffany Grogan-Howard, 38, is charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault and reckless endangerment in connection with a Nov. 25 incident in which police contend she stabbed her...
Jeannette inmate gets more time for trying to smuggle drugs into Westmoreland jail
A Jeannette man will serve up to 23 months in jail for an attempt last year to smuggle drugs into the Westmoreland County Prison. Adam Brandonio, 46, pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy, drug counts and other offenses in connection with an incident police described as a sting operation at a...
Route 22 traffic advisory issued in Murrysville for VP Mike Pence’s visit Wednesday
Murrysville police say travelers on Route 22 should expect minor traffic delays between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Wednesday during Vice President Mike Pence’s visit to Cornerstone Ministries. The vice president is scheduled to land in Air Force Two at 10:30 a.m. at the 171st Air Refueling Wing in Moon...
Murrysville artist’s work on display at East Suburban Artists League library galleryVideo
Until a few years ago, Darlene Miklos of Murrysville only pulled out her easel and paintbrushes once a year to make the cover for her annual Christmas card despite a lifelong love of painting. “I worked downtown for 14 years,” Miklos said. “Between the bus commute and the job, I...
Greensburg man jailed for assaulting, choking woman, cops say
A 29-year-old Greensburg man was ordered held in the county jail after assaulting a woman and threatening harm to her 1-year-old infant early Monday. Kevin M. Reese, of Eastmont Drive, was charged with endangering the welfare of children, flight to avoid apprehension, harassment, simple assault and strangulation after the 4:37...
Arnold Palmer airport begins final phase of runway widening, suspends flights
A final push to complete improvements to the runway at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport was set to begin Tuesday night, with the airport suspending all flights for more than two weeks to accommodate construction. Spirit Airlines, the Unity airport’s sole commercial carrier, is expected to hit the pause button on...
Hempfield man jailed after shot fired during struggle over gun
A Hempfield man accused of wielding a shotgun that fired during a struggle with a woman over the weapon is being held in the Westmoreland County Prison without bond. Jared Wesley Wallak, 29, was arrested Friday on charges of aggravated assault, discharge of a firearm into an occupied structure, terroristic...
Westmoreland County adds 10 new coronavirus cases
Westmoreland County saw 10 new cases of covid-19 added to its total Tuesday, the Pennsylvania Department of Health reported. There were nine new cases on Monday, 20 on Sunday and seven on Saturday. The seven-day average for the county is 13 cases. There have been 88 cases reported in September....
Southwest Pennsylvania again takes center stage in presidential campaigns this week
Pennsylvania’s importance in the Nov. 3 election is apparent again this week in a series of stops planned in the Pittsburgh region by the Trump and Biden campaigns. Former Vice President Joe Biden stopped in Harrisburg on Monday for Labor Day. The week will ramp up Wednesday with Vice President...
Neighborhood dispute over football in yard leads to Hempfield man’s arrest, police say
A backyard family reunion Sunday in Hempfield turned sour when state police said neighbors refused to return a football to children at the party after it was thrown on their property. The situation escalated from a neighborhood dispute to an alleged assault when Joseph Martino, 60, fought with state troopers...
Latrobe Art Center hosts 10th annual Mr. Rogers juried exhibition
The 10th annual Mr. Fred Rogers Juried Art Exhibition opens Wednesday at Latrobe Art Center. Paying tribute to the children’s television icon and Latrobe native, the show will feature 65 pieces by local and regional artists including two- and three-dimensional works, paintings in a variety of mediums and photography. The...
Franklin Regional students return to class amid covid-19 restrictions
Students in the Franklin Regional School District returned to classes Tuesday, and elementary students got to check out the newly renovated Sloan Elementary School. The board last month pushed back the start date to Sept. 8 after state guidelines changed regarding the coronavirus. Students through eighth grade had three options...
Westmoreland County adds 9 new coronavirus cases
The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported nine new cases of covid-19 in Westmoreland County on Monday. There were 20 new cases on Sunday, 7 on Saturday and 10 on Friday. The seven-day average for the county is 12 cases. There have been 78 cases in September. The county’s total cases...
State police looking for Saltsburg man who they say had stamp bags marked ‘covid-19’
State police are looking for a Saltsburg man who they say had cash and 677 stamp bags, some of which were marked “covid-19,” in a safe found during an Indiana traffic stop. Monty Gene Smith, 36, was charged on Friday with drug and related offenses after troopers pulled him over...
Westmoreland County adds 20 new coronavirus cases
Westmoreland County saw 20 new cases of covid-19 added to its total Sunday, the Pennsylvania Department of Health reported. There were 7 new cases added on Saturday and 10 cases on Friday. The seven-day average for the county is 11 cases. This is the highest total for the county since...
Westmoreland County looks to fight ‘brain drain’ caused by department head resignations
Westmoreland County lost five of its top administrators this year through resignations and retirements, creating what one official called a “brain drain” in local government. The latest to leave was Amanda Bernard, who resigned as the county’s human resources director in late August to take a similar job with a...
Westmoreland Labor Day craft show a major draw on weekend of limited festivities
Scores of art and crafts and food vendors plied their wares to shoppers Saturday on the opening day of a three-day festival at the Westmoreland Fairgrounds. The 27th annual Pennsylvania Labor Day Arts & Crafts Retail Marketplace, which features 150 vendors spread across the 100-acre fairgrounds, is among a handful...
Best to Never Wear It: Arnold Palmer was, simply, ‘The King’Video
Latrobe has a mayor, and the PGA Tour has a commissioner. With apologies to those individuals, for about a half century, each was presided over by The King. Arnold Palmer went from a humble Westmoreland County upbringing to being one of the world’s most recognizable athletes. A seven-time major champion...
Westmoreland County adds 7 new coronavirus cases
The Pennsylvania Department of Health on Saturday reported 7 new cases of covid-19 in Westmoreland County, continuing a week of relatively low case counts. No additional deaths were reported, leaving the death toll at 49 — where it has remained for 17 days. The county last reported a death from...
Pence to campaign in Westmoreland and Beaver counties Sept. 9
Vice President Mike Pence will campaign in Western Pennsylvania on Wednesday, as President Trump’s reelection effort continues its focus on swing state voters. Pence is scheduled to appear at events in Murrysville and New Sewickley in Beaver County. The two stops, less than a week after Trump’s rally at the...
Murrysville first responder injured in hit and run crash
A hit-and-run crash Friday night left a Murrysville Medic One crew member injured when a pick-up truck crossed the yellow line and struck an ambulance that was traveling on Sardis Road, near Hickory Hill Road, according to the ambulance service. A post on the Medic One Facebook page said the...
Scottdale places shuttered swimming pool up for auction
A Scottdale landmark where generations of local kids learned to swim is on the auction block. Online bids are being accepted for the borough-owned swimming pool building through 4 p.m. Oct. 7, on the Municibid website. Constructed in the early 1970s by the local YMCA, the brick-and-block building is located...
