Westmoreland category, Page 662
Cops: Hempfield man arrested for assaulting woman
A woman had to be airlifted to a Pittsburgh hospital this week for treatment of a serious head injury after allegedly being assaulted by a Hempfield man, state police said. Brian J. Halko, 38, was charged by state police with aggravated assault, criminal mischief, harassment and simple assault after the...
87-year-old Unity golfer scores 1st hole-in-one after coronavirus banVideo
At 87, Don Ferlin thought he’d never sink a hole-in-one. Heck, with the coronavirus pandemic dragging on and golf courses declared off-limits by Gov. Tom Wolf until May 1, the Unity man wondered whether he would ever tee off again. But Thursday, Ferlin and his longtime golfing buddies, Sonny Baughman...
Westmoreland-based nonprofits bide time through fundraiser cancellations
Both the Westmoreland Cultural Trust and Old Joe Club Charities were able to hold their largest annual fundraisers before the coronavirus prompted a statewide lockdown. The Trust’s Party at the Palace and Old Joe’s Men’s Night Out both took place in February, about a month before event cancellations began to...
Monroeville company cleans Westmoreland emergency vehicles for free
Nearly 150 emergency service vehicles in Westmoreland County got a thorough cleaning for free last month from Premier Automation in Monroeville. Nine employees at the engineered solutions company volunteered for more than a week to clean 148 fire trucks, police cars, ambulances and other vehicles, according to an announcement from...
Flags headed to Westmoreland County veterans’ graves, with help of local groups
Seven pallets of graveside flags were distributed Friday at the Westmoreland County Courthouse in Greensburg to veterans groups, which are to place them in area cemeteries in time for Memorial Day, according to county Veterans Affairs Director Matt Zamosky. Members of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association and the Westmoreland County...
Delmont fire company plans mini-parade through borough to honor moms
Fire department volunteers are among the first responders in their communities, and with Mother’s Day coming up on Sunday, Delmont librarian Denni Grassel approached members of the borough fire department with an idea. “She mentioned that moms are kind of like the ‘first responders’ of the household,” Delmont Fire Chief...
Hempfield fire stations face ‘growing pains’ as township supervisors enforce service agreements
A Hempfield fire station might be forced to pay debt on one of its vehicles if it doesn’t agree to follow a plan laid out by township supervisors at the start of the year. Members of the High Park Volunteer Fire Department are asking the township to pay nearly $62,000...
Collaboration between WCCC, Hempfield allows students to graduate with associates degree
Hempfield students are now able to graduate with more than a high school diploma. A new collaboration between the school and Westmoreland County Community College allows students to obtain an Associates of Arts degree from the college’s School of Humanities, Social Sciences and Public Services while still attending high school....
Hempfield recognition ceremony moved online due to coronavirus
Almost 130 Hempfield middle school students were honored virtually this week after an annual Academic Breakfast was canceled because of the coronavirus. Each year, students from Harrold, Wendover and West Hempfield middle schools who finish in the top 10% of their classes attend the breakfast where they are awarded for...
Greensburg woman charged with stalking sheriff’s deputy
Westmoreland County detectives have issued an arrest warrant for a woman who allegedly stalked a sheriff’s deputy and made a fake 911 call that brought police to the deputy’s mother’s home. Westmoreland County Sheriff’s Deputy Casey Cameron told investigators he’s never met Nishee Sanford, 41, but that her behavior has...
Cops: Couple jailed on $200K bond after chase, shooting near Saltsburg
A Westmoreland County woman and her boyfriend were jailed on $200,000 bond each after a vehicle chase and shooting Wednesday. The incident began in Indiana County and ended along Route 981 in Westmoreland County, according to state police. Cheyenne S. Nipps, 21, of Loyalhanna Township, and her boyfriend, Steven Aukerman,...
Westmoreland Museum offers free face coverings, pen pal program
The Westmoreland Museum of American Art has developed two new outreach programs, one to supply face coverings to community members and another to to keep in touch with senior citizens during the covid-19 quarantine. Several staff members applied their sewing talents to the Free Face Coverings Project, creating masksfor people...
Open-business rally proposed in Unity to urge easing of covid-19 restrictions
Local restaurant and small business owners anxious to see covid-19 restrictions eased in order to welcome back patrons plan to rally this month along Route 30 in Westmoreland County. Jamie Huemme, co-owner of Sharky’s Cafe in Unity, and township Supervisor Mike O’Barto are organizing the rally. They plan to hold...
Excela offers support for teens feeling overwhelmed by pandemic
Students and high school seniors could be dealing with emotions such as grief, anxiety, guilt and loss as the coronavius pandemic disrupts their lives. Their eating and sleeping habits might be different than normal and dreams could be getting disturbing, said Marcie Stover-Jividen, outpatient behavioral health therapist at Excela Health....
Whoa Nellie Dairy Farm in Fayette County to be featured on Fox News’ ‘Daily Briefing’
A Fayette County dairy farm that made a quick turnaround to pasteurize, bottle and sell its own milk instead of dumping supplies due to a milk glut will be featured at 2 p.m. Thursday on “The Daily Briefing” on Fox News. Ben and Mary Beth Brown, owners of Whoa Nellie...
Greensburg debates looser food truck restrictions
Greensburg is revisiting its food truck ordinance, and reviving a debate about whether mobile eateries help the local economy or jeopardize brick-and-mortar restaurants. The city implemented its current ordinance in 2016 over the objections of food truck operators. It limits trucks operating on city streets to between the hours of...
Westmoreland Arts & Heritage Festival canceled
The Westmoreland Arts & Heritage Festival, scheduled for July 2-5 in Twin Lakes Park, has been canceled. “It was a difficult decision for the board to make, and we waited as long as we possible could,” said Executive Director Diane Shrader. “But public safety has to come first, and there...
South Greensburg man marks 80th birthday with surprise parade thanks to friends, familyVideo
Robert “Boo” Shrader thought he was going to have a quiet 80th birthday celebration on Wednesday with pizza, cake and family. Until he was instructed to put his coat and shoes on and get outside. On an unseasonably cool May day in his South Greensburg neighborhood, about 40 vehicles filled...
Westmoreland coronavirus death toll rises by 1 to 32
A man died from the coronavirus in Westmoreland County, bringing the death toll to 32, officials said Thursday. Coroner Ken Bacha is keeping a running total on his website because he is being notified of the deaths sooner than the state health department, which is tracking the virus across Pennsylvania....
Franklin Regional plans ‘back-to-school task force’ to plan for 2020-21 year
As of early May, there’s just no telling what education in Pennsylvania could look like in the fall. Whatever form it takes, and whatever may happen during the 2020-21 school year related to the coronavirus, Franklin Regional school officials want to be prepared. “Right now none of us have a...
Senate bill would mandate safety protocols for Pennsylvania nursing homes
Long-term care facilities that have become the epicenter of Pennsylvania’s covid-19 fatalities would be subject to new safety protocols during emergency disaster declarations under a measure state Sen. Kim Ward is promoting. Pennsylvania has recorded 3,106 deaths from covid-19, with about two thirds of those coming from 495 nursing homes...
Suspect wanted for attempted homicide of S.C. cop arraigned for multiple vehicle thefts in Westmoreland
After Brian J. Stoltie fled South Carolina, where he was wanted for shooting at a sheriff’s deputy last year, members of the state police auto theft task force allege that he went on vehicle theft spree in Westmoreland County. State police captured Stoltie, 39, who has ties to Westmoreland and...
Cops: ‘Joyride’ in North Huntingdon causes $20K in damages, closes small airport
A North Huntingdon man arrested for DUI told police he was out “joyriding because he enjoys racing in the mud,” but the sloppy trip could leave him liable for nearly $20,000 in landscaping damages, according to court documents. Jonathan M. Galka, 39, was charged Tuesday with DUI, reckless driving and...
Derry Area High School plant sale offers curbside option
Plants from the Derry Area School District greenhouse will be sold to the public weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Friday through May 22. As part of covid-19 precautions, a maximum of four adults will be permitted in the greenhouse at a given time and are required to wear...
Drive-thru plant sale culmination of student projects at Ligonier Valley greenhouseVideo
Plants grown by Ligonier Valley students soon will be taking root in home gardens in the area — and raising money for educational programs at the school district and at the Loyalhanna Watershed Association. The inaugural sale of herbs and flowering and vegetable plants, started from seed early this year...
