Westmoreland category, Page 648
Murrysville Black Lives Matter protest set for Sunday
Aryanna Hunter of Murrysville wasn’t able to attend Pittsburgh protests against police brutality over the past week. An Army veteran, Hunter works as head of the University of Pittsburgh’s Office of Veteran Services, and wanted to rally support in her hometown as well. She’ll get to do it this weekend...
Unity dairy family finds success with cheese, offers tips to veterans interested in farmingVideo
Jason Frye, his brothers, Todd and Chad, and their father, Ralph, have made the most of government programs while exploring a new niche in the region’s cheese-making industry. The Fryes offer pickup of online orders during limited times at the family’s dairy farm in Unity. “We’ve sold out of our...
Charges held for court in Westmoreland prison drug smuggling case
According to police, David McGinnis told his mother that leaving a threatening voice mail for the accuser in a case against his cellmate could be considered a “job interview.” McGinnis, 27, of Bolivar, can be heard instructing his mother, Denise McGinnis, 49, of Bolivar, on recorded phone calls from the...
Baby hawks rescued in Sewickley Township after tree falls
When Jason Magill went to cut up a neighbor’s tree that had fallen during storms last month, he didn’t expect to be rescuing three baby red-shouldered hawks. But when Magill, of Sewickley Township, went to work on May 29 with the help of his son Jake, that’s exactly what he...
State officials: Westmoreland adds 9 new covid cases, no new deaths
Westmoreland County on Friday had nine new covid-19 cases, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases to 483, according to Pennsylvania health officials. No new deaths from the virus were reported in Westmoreland. State officials continued to report 38 deaths, while county coroner Kenneth Bacha reports 32 deaths as of...
Greensburg Central Catholic to air virtual commencement
Photos of the Greensburg Central Catholic Class of 2020 will be featured during a virtual commencement on the school’s Facebook page and YouTube channel Wednesday at 7 p.m. Greensburg Diocese Bishop Edward C. Malesic, Principal Ben Althof and Dr. Maureen Marsteller, superintendent of Catholic schools, will address the 63 graduates....
North Huntingdon singer hits No. 1 on country radio chart
When Ashley Puckett of North Huntingdon released her debut album, “Never Say Never,” this past Valentine’s Day, she didn’t expect recognition to come so quickly. The 28-year-old’s single, “Bulletproof,” secured the No. 1 spot on the country radio chart in the June 12 issue of New Music Weekly magazine. The...
Unity woman’s rhododendrons envelop part of house
When the flowers bloom at Jo Ann Hemminger’s home in Unity Township, it’s quite a show. “We say every year we’re going to cut them down, and then I just think ‘oh, no, not this year,’” said Hemminger, pointing to the massive stand of rhododendrons that covers one side of...
5 Star Trail Poker Run goes do-it-yourself this summer
The 21st annual Five Star Trail Poker Run is adopting a “do-it-yourself” format this year. Participants can choose to bicycle, walk or jog the trail stretching from Greensburg to Youngwood during sessions on July 18, Aug. 15 or Sept. 19 — or on more than one date. There will be...
Fort Ligonier reopens to visitors today
Fort Ligonier will resume welcoming visitors today. For the time being, the historic site will be open 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Friday through Sundays, with plans to expand hours of operation at a later date. Future programming includes: • Sunset tour, 7-9 p.m. June 26 — Guests 21 and older will...
Man dies after being pulled from backyard pool in South Huntingdon
A 51-year-old Sewickley Township man died after being pulled from a backyard swimming pool in South Huntingdon on Thursday afternoon, state police said. The victim, Jason Kukonik, died Thursday at Monongahela Valley Hospital, Washington County, said Trooper Robert Schmid of the Belle Vernon station. Schmid said an autopsy would be...
Unity OKs site plans for Dollar General store, Airpark building
Construction could begin this summer on a new Dollar General store in Unity after the township supervisors this week granted provisional approval of a final site plan. “We’ll be starting by the end of the summer, hopefully,” said William Owen, assistant vice president of engineering and permitting for PennTex Ventures,...
Many Westmoreland taxpayers not noticing extended discount period
Many Westmoreland County residents aren’t taking advantage of this year’s extended discount period for property taxes, and it’s causing headaches for local tax collectors. Earlier this spring, the county commissioners extended the deadline for the 2% property tax discount — which usually ends in April 30 — through Aug. 31...
Work on West Newton railroad crossing will cause detour
Traffic will be detoured around a section of West Newton’s Robertson Street next week so CSX crews can perform maintenance on a railroad crossing. Work is set to begin at 8:30 a.m. on Monday and is expected to wrap up by 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. The street will be closed...
Diaper wrap event planned in Greensburg
The Western Pennsylvania Diaper Bank is looking for volunteers to help repackage donated diapers . The event, scheduled for June 19 at 5 p.m., will take place at Lynch Field in Greensburg. Volunteers will wrap 25 diapers in plastic wrap while another group will distribute them to 26 social service...
3 students named to military academy appointments
A pair of recent Greensburg Salem High School graduates and a Penn-Trafford High School graduate are headed to U.S. service academies. U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Lehigh Valley, announced their appointments Thursday. He said Penn-Trafford graduate Zachary Rocco and Greensburg Salem graduate Kiera Flanigan accepted appointments to the U.S. Military Academy...
State officials: Westmoreland adds 1 new covid case, no new deaths
Westmoreland County on Thursday had one new covid-19 case, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases to 474, according to Pennsylvania health officials. No new deaths from the virus were reported in Westmoreland. State officials continued to report 38 deaths, while county coroner Kenneth Bacha reports 32 deaths as of...
Man arrested in connection with 2007 rape in East Huntingdon
A Butler County man is accused by state police of giving a teenage girl alcohol in 2007 and raping her in East Huntingdon, according to court papers. Michael Anthony Bauer, 33, of Zelienople, was arrested Wednesday on charges of rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault and related offenses....
Unity businessman plans Fourth of July fireworks at Westmoreland FairgroundsVideo
Fireworks will light up the night sky to celebrate the Fourth of July in Mt. Pleasant Township as a way for a local businessowner to give back to the community. Marcus Wisneski is planning a “drive-in fireworks show” to celebrate Independence Day at the Westmoreland Fairgrounds. It is one of...
Hempfield school officials consider waiving driving fees, allowing carpooling
Hempfield school officials want to limit the number of students utilizing school buses during the coming year to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. During Monday’s public meeting, Superintendent Tammy Wolicki presented a preliminary plan that could give high school students more leeway when driving to school, making room...
Pennsylvania names veteran as new director of Linn Run State Park
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources named a new director of the Linn Run State Park Complex in Westmoreland County. Corey J. Snyder, 40, previously worked as the manager of Tyler State Park in Bucks County. He succeeds Doug Finger, who recently retired. The complex includes the 612-acre...
Irwin to let emergency declaration expire
Irwin Borough will no longer be under a covid-19 emergency declaration as of July. Council on Wednesday rejected a motion to extend the March 21 disaster declaration another 90 days. The current declaration runs through June 30. Mayor Bill Hawley had issued the declaration of a state of emergency for...
Briefly Speaking – Jun. 11, 2020
Fundraiser Find some treasures as Fairview Church of God holds a sale in its “rummage buildings.” Clothes will be sold in one building and assorted goods in the other. The sale is set for 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 20 on the church grounds located on Route 982, between...
Westmoreland water authority mulls hunting leases near Beaver Run Reservoir
Hunters may have a new area to harvest deer in 2021. Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County board members this week approved an update to the agency’s policy that protects its water sources, including a provision that could open up a 3,000-acre site around the Beaver Run Reservoir in Bell for...
Greensburg YMCA reopens with restrictions
The Greensburg YMCA is opening its doors to members this week for the first time since March 15 when it was forced to close because the governor had placed restrictions on non-life-sustaining businesses. The YMCA, on South Maple Street, had a “soft reopening” with limited hours on Wednesday and will...
