Westmoreland category, Page 11
‘Deep negotiations’ ongoing for 2nd carrier at Palmer airport amid Spirit cuts, official saysVideo
Talks have intensified with a potential second commercial airline to fly out of Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Unity, Westmoreland County officials said Thursday. But those negotiations for expanded service face stiffening headwinds as the airport’s longtime carrier scales back its local footprint. The cuts come amid growing industry consolidation...
Here are 5 things to do in Westmoreland this weekend: March 6-8
Brush away the cobwebs, pull out the spring clothes and get ready to hit the town this weekend. Rain or shine, there’s art to see, music to hear and laughs to be had around Westmoreland. Charter Day at Bushy Run Battlefield Bushy Run Battlefield will celebrate the 344th anniversary of...
Jury deadlocks in trial of Hempfield man accused of rape of mentally disabled woman
A Westmoreland County jury deliberated more than seven hours Thursday and was unable to reach a verdict in the trial of a Hempfield man charged with the rape of a mentally disabled woman. Common Pleas Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio declared a mistrial in the case against Dennis Hertzog, 58, who prosecutors...
Greensburg Salem discusses adjustment to board meeting schedule
Greensburg Salem school board could streamline its monthly meeting schedule. The board meets twice a month — once to discuss agenda items and again to vote. Three committees — facilities, finance and education — each have their own meetings, typically once a month. Under a proposal by Superintendent Ken Bissell,...
Delmont council fills vacancy created by mayor’s appointment
Delmont Council appointed Amanda List to replace former Councilman David Weber at a special meeting Wednesday night. Weber was recently appointed mayor to fill out the term of Alyce Urban, who resigned unexpectedly in late 2025 a few months after running unopposed and winning reelection. Council voted 5-1 in favor...
Westmoreland happenings: Fireside chat, hobbit brunch, spaghetti dinner, more
Class Penn State Extension will offer a workshop from its Mental Wellness Garden series, “Helping Others In Distress,” noon to 1 p.m. March 10 at the Westmoreland Conservation District, 218 Donohoe Road, hempfield. Topics will include maintaining positive mental health and exploring how garden practices can support overall well-being. Cost:...
Penn-Trafford area: Pancake breakfast, Lego bingo, Charter Day, more
Pancake breakfast The Level Green Lions Club will host a pancake breakfast from 7 a.m. to noon March 14 at the Level Green Community Building, 123 Murrysville Road in Penn Township. Meals include all-you-can-eat pancakes — including buttermilk, blueberry, chocolate chip and buckwheat — sausage and a beverage. Admission is...
Pittsburgh regional gas prices spike as Mideast conflict creates oil uncertainty
The pain at the pump has returned for Western Pennsylvania motorists as U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran create uncertainty over the global oil supply, a volatility that economists say could wreak havoc on the local economy. Gas prices across the Pittsburgh region jumped between Monday and Wednesday as the...
Don’t go there: Independence Health thoracic surgeon warns Hempfield Area students about vaping
Independence Health thoracic surgeon Michael Szwerc asked Hempfield Area’s ninth grade students to raise their hand if they believe vaping is dangerous. Nearly all 360 students seated in the Harrold School auditorium Wednesday afternoon shot a hand into the air. Szwerc, who has practiced thoracic surgery for 26 years, has...
Spirit drops Orlando service from Arnold Palmer Regional Airport
Spirit Airlines is pulling the plug on its long-running Orlando service from Arnold Palmer Regional Airport next month, a move that leaves the Unity airfield without its most popular year-round destination. The discount carrier confirmed Wednesday it has removed the Florida destination from its schedule effective April 15. The following...
Hempfield man on trial in rape of mentally disabled woman
A Westmoreland County jury is expected to begin deliberations Thursday morning in the case of a Hempfield man accused of raping a woman with an intellectual disability in late 2022. Dennis Hertzog, 58, is on trial on charges of rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and aggravated indecent assault. The charges...
Greensburg Ollie’s Bargain Outlet reopens after rodent infestation closure
Ollie’s Bargain Outlet in Greensburg has reopened after an eight-day closure related to a rodent infestation. Signs announcing the closure were removed from the front doors, and shoppers were going in and out of the store Wednesday afternoon. Greensburg code enforcement officer Steven Kohl said he reinspected the store Wednesday....
Hempfield man charged with animal cruelty after bringing injured parakeet to Greensburg bar
A Hempfield man was charged this week with animal cruelty after Greensburg police said he took an injured parakeet to a bar. Police said the bird, which had a broken leg and was underweight and weak, was taken to an emergency animal hospital, according to court papers. Officers were called...
Export seeks funding to create historical mine area, trail connectionVideo
Export officials have spent the past decade shining a light on its future, revamping the borough’s downtown area and paving its central parking lot. Now, they want to shine a light on its past. But it will take a big chunk of grant money to get it done. The borough...
Applications for Hempfield senior tax rebate available
Applications for Hempfield’s new senior tax rebate program are available. The program was created in January after township supervisors added a 3-mill tax to fund the fire department. For residents who qualify, it will essentially wipe out the cost of the added tax, keeping their township property tax bills steady....
Ligonier Country Market lease negotiations continue as traditionally scheduled opening nears
With the Ligonier Country Market’s May 16 opening day just over two months away, the future of the 50-year-old local tradition remains in limbo as organizers and their longtime landlord attempt to resolve a soured lease dispute. The Loyalhanna Watershed Association, which has hosted the market on its 9.6-acre property...
Westmoreland commissioners to revamp airport authority board
The board that oversees operations at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Unity is poised to be significantly revamped through a series of new appointments Westmoreland County commissioners are expected to vote on this week. Commissioners Sean Kertes and Doug Chew said they will appoint four new members to the nine-person...
Irwin still seeking solution to replacing closed bridge
Irwin officials Tuesday once again were faced with the reality that there will be no easy solution to reopening the closed Colony Drive Bridge, which is the closest connection between a 226-unit apartment complex and Route 30. Colony Drive Bridge was closed Jan. 15 because of a hole in the...
West Newton man pleads guilty to accessing intimate images on hundreds of victims through their Snapchat accounts
A West Newton man pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to hacking into hundreds of individual Snapchat accounts, accessing intimate videos and images stored there and then trading them online. Michael Yackovich, 30, will be sentenced on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft by Chief...
Judge rejects Westmoreland sheriff’s request to halt inmate transports
A lawsuit that sought to reverse a court order issued two decades ago requiring the Westmoreland County Sheriff’s Department to transport jailed inmates to preliminary hearings was dismissed Tuesday. Common Pleas President Judge Christopher Feliciani issued a one-paragraph order that terminated the legal action filed in January by Sheriff James...
Woman’s death at Westmoreland prison was suicide by hanging, coroner says
A woman who was found dead in her cell at the Westmoreland County Prison in October died from asphyxiation due to hanging, according to a ruling from the county coroner’s office. Amber Knepshield’s death was deemed a suicide, chief deputy coroner Ken Bacha said Tuesday. Knepshield, 32, was pronounced dead...
Penn-Trafford to spend nearly $667K to purchase tablets for middle school students
Penn-Trafford will spend nearly $667,000 in the next four years to buy iPads for its middle school students. The school board voted unanimously Monday night to purchase the 1,300 devices. It will cost about $166,700 per year through the 2029-30 academic year. The vote comes nearly a year after the...
Secret Service probes $5M Unity scam as duo indicted in similar multi-state ‘gold bar’ scheme
The U.S. Secret Service is investigating a scam that netted more than $5 million from a local resident through transactions in Unity. Meanwhile, two men are facing an indictment in Ohio federal court for a similar multi-state scheme that tricked senior citizens, including a West Newton man who reported losing...
Delmont will hold special meeting to fill council vacancy
Delmont council will hold a special meeting Wednesday to fill a vacant council seat. The meeting will be at 6 p.m. at the borough council chambers, 77 Greensburg St. Council members are expected vote to fill the vacancy created by former Councilman David Weber, who was appointed mayor earlier this...
Greensburg council to vote on $1.06M fire truck purchaseVideo
Greensburg Council is expected to vote next week on buying a new fire truck for Hose Company No. 1. Councilman Randy Finfrock proposed taking $1.067 million from parking revenue to pay Pierce Manufacturing in full for a new rescue pumper. That option comes with a $110,000 discount on the total...
