Westmoreland category, Page 681
Westmoreland County first responders safeguard against coronavirus
The coronavirus may be relatively new, but Penn Township Ambulance’s director of operations believes anyone calling for help will notice very little, if any, change in response from emergency workers. “The term coronavirus is certainly new, but we’ve responded to contagious diseases before … hepatitis, tuberculosis cases to name a...
Westmoreland County Food Bank desperate for volunteers
Food banks are feeling the pinch from the coronavirus. The Westmoreland County Food Bank put out a call for volunteers Monday. “Some of our food partners are experiencing very low volunteer turnout,” CEO Jennifer Miller said. “We’re really in desperate need of volunteers.” Miller said one primary source of volunteers...
Gun and ammunition sales soar; permits issued more than double in Western Pa.
In 100 years, the Army Navy & Indoor Pistol Range in Latrobe has seen just about everything, said owner Mark Boerio. But nothing like coronavirus. Boerio is not planning to close the store as the virus spreads across Western Pennsylvania. As of Tuesday, Allegheny County reported seven confirmed cases while...
These cleaning chemicals do not mix, warns Westmoreland hazmat team
As residents and businesses continue deep cleaning efforts, those attempting to eradicate germs as a part of battling coronavirus need to keep their own health and safety in mind. Mixing some cleansing agents and inhaling the vapors can be toxic, experts warn. The Westmoreland County Hazardous Materials Response Team 800...
Westmoreland County special election for House 58th District still scheduled Tuesday
Tuesday’s special election to fill the vacant 58th District state House seat is expected to be held as scheduled, despite widespread cancellations and shutdowns because of the coronavirus pandemic. The health scare has resulted in two polling locations, one in Rostraver and another in South Huntingdon, being moved at the...
Westmoreland County to limit courthouse business, close senior centers
A partial shutdown of the Westmoreland County Courthouse operations will start Wednesday, commissioners have ordered. Beginning mid-week only “essential” personnel will report to work to maintain government operations, Commissioners Chairman Sean Kertes said. “We don’t want people coming to the courthouse,” he said. The scaling back was delayed to accommodate...
Hempfield Sen. Ward postpones human trafficking forum
State Sen. Kim Ward has postponed a human trafficking discussion previously scheduled for March 26 at the Westmoreland County Community College near Youngwood. A spokeswoman for Ward said the event — which was to have featured spokesmen for the U.S. Justice Department, the Pennsylvania State Police and domestic and sexual...
Hempfield woman accused of sexually assaulting teen boys
A Hempfield woman is accused by state police of sexually assaulting two teenage boys over the summer, according to court papers. Police say Brandy Lynn Sturtz, 35, provided the boys with alcohol and marijuana. She was arrested Monday on charges of statutory sexual assault, corruption of minors and related offenses....
Excela, Western Pa. hospitals tighten visitation rules to slow spread of coronavirus
Allegheny Health Network, Excela Health and UPMC facilities have tightened their visitation policies to help prevent the spread of covid-19. Excela Health announced on Monday that visitors are limited to one adult per patient in the ER and other areas of the hospital. For obstetric patients (new or laboring mothers),...
Sewickley halts township-related activities; Manor and Penn Township close offices; Jeannette, Hempfield and North Huntingdon declare emergencies
In an attempt to prevent the spread of the coronavirus that causes covid-19, several municipalities in Westmoreland County are closing offices or municipal-related activities, while others are asking that residents interact with office personnel only when necessary. Sewickley Township canceled all activities, gatherings and events affiliated with the township, as...
Friends of Murrysville Parks founder has love of natureVideo
Every morning as a child, Pia van de Venne would look out the window of her home in Vught, Netherlands, and marvel at the trees. She does the same now in her Murrysville home — that is, when she is not spending her time working in the township’s parks. Van...
Firefighters practice rescues from confined spaces in JeannetteVideo
The victim: a 180-pound dummy dressed in firefighter gear trapped underneath Fifth Street in Jeannette. The mission: squeeze through a manhole and a few feet of old brick street for a rescue. “One patient down, unconscious,” Penn Township medical rescue technician Bobby Scott said through a radio after he touched...
Norwin School Board cancels meeting
The Norwin School Board has cancelled its meeting that was scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, because the school district is closed for two weeks as a result of the governor’s orders to combat the spread of the coronavirus that causes covid-19. The school district has yet to reschedule the meeting,...
Western Pa. restaurants offer free lunches to schoolkids during hiatus over coronavirus fearsVideo
School lunches are getting an upgrade from restaurants around the area that are offering free mid-day meals to children in light of a two-week shutdown of schools amid concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. Many owners said they felt the need to help after Gov. Tom Wolf on Friday ordered all...
Greensburg author, musician Karen Dietrich publishes ‘dark thriller’Video
Evelyn Gibson, the protagonist in Greensburg author Karen Dietrich’s novel “Girl at the Edge,” is a 16-year-old girl living in Florida with her loving, slightly unconventional family. “I’m into kind of dark stories, darker crime,” says Dietrich, 43. So the fact that Evelyn has always known her father was a...
58th state House candidates swap negative ads, complain of inaccuracy
Candidates for the vacant 58th District state House seat in Tuesday’s special election are spending the final days of the campaign responding to the flurry of what they called inaccurate negative ads. Both major party candidates, Democrat Robert Prah Jr. and Republican Eric Davanzo, said high-volume mailings, television and online...
Greensburg police searching for missing mother and son
Greensburg police are searching for a mother and her 1-year-old son. Aziyza King, 37, and Zayn went missing March 6. They were last seen leaving their residence on Grove Street. According to a police department Facebook post, King had told a neighbor she would be walking to the Dollar General...
Don Bailey: Football great, decorated soldier, state official, congressman, but also fun-loving dad
When Don Bailey’s six children were in trouble, he’d bring out the deposition recorder. He would set the stage with the time and date for the recorded family meeting and detail the issue. Afterward, he would write up a contract and have them sign it. “I was 7, and I...
Some in Greensburg, Irwin celebrate St. Patrick’s Day ahead of looming virus spread
The threat of picking up a virus spreading around the globe didn’t chase away the luck of the Irish from Irwin on Saturday. Sherry Goughenour of North Huntingdon said it was important to her to support the community. “The local businesses, it’s hard on them,” she said. “I’m not in...
Irwin’s Lamp Theatre postpones gala and 2 shows
The fear of the spread of the coronavirus has claimed another victim — the fundraising gala that The Lamp Theatre in Irwin had planned for Friday. The gala, featuring a Roaring ’20s theme, may be rescheduled for sometime this summer, said John Gdula, president of the Lamp Theatre Corp. board...
Westmoreland County declares state of emergency to prepare for coronavirusVideo
Westmoreland County Commissioners declared a state of emergency Saturday morning, a move officials said will enhance government efforts to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. The emergency declaration gives county officials the ability to quickly activate emergency personnel and pay for needed responses, county officials said during a courthouse news conference....
Allegheny, Westmoreland libraries closed amid coronavirus fears
Westmoreland County’s libraries and satellite offices will be closed until March 30 amid fears over the coronavirus, officials announced. Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s locations will close Sunday until March 31. Guidance on the closure came from the Pennsylvania Department of Education Office of Commonwealth Libraries on Friday after Gov. Tom...
SeaBase in Greensburg announces temporary closure
SeaBase Family Fun Center will be closed through at least the end of March amid coronavirus concerns. The Greensburg facility is asking anyone who has a party scheduled there over the next few weeks to get in touch to either reschedule the date or cancel it, according to a Facebook...
Expert: Prepping for quarantine should focus on basic nutrition
People are shifting to disaster mode as the coronavirus further impacts daily lives, with shelves of Clorox wipes, hand sanitizer and other products stripped clean at stores across the region. After President Trump’s speech on Wednesday night about his administration’s attempts to mount an effort to stop the spread of...
Westmoreland Museum of American Art closes for rest of March, citing coronavirus concerns
Coronavirus concerns have prompted the Westmoreland Museum of American Art to close its doors to the public beginning Saturday and continuing through the end of March. The decision was triggered by Gov. Wolf’s order on Friday closing all Pennsylvania schools for 10 business days. “We believe this decision is in...
