Westmoreland category, Page 136
Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival marks half-century
At Seton Hill College in 1974, the first Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival had around 20 booths. Fifty years later, the festival will pack 380 booths across 8 acres at Twin Lakes Park east of Greensburg. “We continue to grow and continue to get recognition locally and nationally,” executive director...
A traveling replica of George Washington’s headquarters on display at Fort Ligonier this weekend
A traveling replica of George Washington’s headquarters and sleeping tent is on display at Fort Ligonier through Sunday. The large linen tent is filled with reproductions of period artifacts and equipment. Presented by Philadelphia’s Museum of the American Revolution, the exhibit includes costumed interpreters who assembled a replica of another...
Mt. Pleasant borough manager gets 27% pay raise; council fires part-time cop
Mt. Pleasant Borough Manager Sharon Lesko’s duties have expanded once again, following her promotion from assistant borough manager shortly after the May 4, 2023, death of Jeff Landy. Her salary’s growing, too, after council this week approved a contract that gives her a 27% pay raise, from $55,000 to $70,000...
‘I think … we’re through the surprises,’ overseer of Westmoreland Register of Wills Office says
Work evaluating stacks of files reportedly found in the former chief deputy’s office at the embattled Westmoreland County Register of Wills Office continues while an office retiree is back on the job to help train staff members. Attorney Jim Antoniono, who has been appointed conservator to oversee the office, said...
New Florence mosquito tests positive for virus similar to West Nile
A mosquito sample taken in New Florence has tested positive for a rare disease that first cropped up in Colorado in 1961 and has been known to cause severe conditions including infection of the brain and spinal cord. There haven’t been any reported cases of the Jamestown Canyon virus being...
Drug case proceeds against suspect in fatal Export shooting
A man who police say was involved in a deadly shooting last month in Export waived his right to a preliminary hearing on drug charges Tuesday, sending that case to Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court. Matthew A. Miller, 32, of Export has yet to be charged in connection with the...
Westmoreland happenings: Blood drive, free admission, more
Church news • Greensburg Church of the Brethren will host a night of fun and fellowship for individuals and groups with developmental disabilities from 5 to 7 p.m. Mondays at the church, 554 Stanton St., Southwest Greensburg. Dinner is included. Participants must be accompanied by a family member or caregiver....
When George Washington was a general, what was his tent like? Find out at Fort Ligonier
A traveling replica of George Washington’s headquarters and sleeping tent will be featured at Fort Ligonier fort Friday through Sunday. The large linen tent is filled with reproductions of period artifacts and equipment. Presented by Philadelphia’s Museum of the American Revolution, the exhibit includes costumed interpreters who will assemble a...
As solar farms begin to blossom in region, some townships look to adopt regulations
Ella Lenhart has a bird’s-eye view of what might be the largest solar panel farm in Westmoreland County: hundreds of panels spread across an enclosed area of a 134-acre parcel in Cook Township. It’s a sight Lenhart does not find all that pleasing. “I had a really nice view until...
Spirit to cut back on Palmer Regional flights to Orlando
Spirit Airlines plans to eliminate daily flights from Arnold Palmer Regional Airport to Orlando in August and September, the Florida-based airline said Monday. Spirit will fly only four days a week — Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday — from the Unity airport to the Orlando MCO airport during those two...
Cleanup of Bushy Run Battlefield tornado damage could take months, officials say
Standing at the head of one of Bushy Run Battlefield’s wooded trails on Monday, it’s hard to tell that a footpath through the trees ever existed. Downed trees, branches, leaves and debris completely block the way, leaving clearings where there once was forest and thickets where paths were once passable....
Long-troubled Shuman to reopen Tuesday under new management
Three years after the troubled Shuman Juvenile Detention Center was shut down and its license revoked, the facility will reopen Tuesday on the same site in Pittsburgh but under new management, giving Allegheny County a dedicated place to keep troubled youths for the first time since 2021. Highland Detention at...
Connellsville man accused in road rage incident in South Greensburg
WPA 7/2A Connellsville man is accused of causing $2,680 in damage to another motorist’s vehicle during a road rage incident last month in South Greensburg. Borough police said Michael James Gravely, 36, directed racial slurs at the other driver while both were stopped at a red light on Route 119...
Teen sentenced up to 25 years in prison for shooting death of Monessen classmate
A month ago, Bethany Altomore accepted her son’s high school diploma. His cap and gown were draped over an empty chair at Monessen High School’s Class of 2024 graduation, a memorial of sorts for Amari Altomore, who was killed in 2022. “Then we had to go to the cemetery to...
Jeannette resident makes most of new musical directionsVideo
So, you find yourself thinking about what it would be like to make a new start. For someone who actually followed through, meet Jeannette resident Mick Francis. As lead vocalist and primary handler of details for the up-and-coming Pittsburgh pop-punk band Lotus Kid, he seemed to be headed in what...
Red Cross hoping for at least 190 blood donors at drive in Hempfield
In January, American Red Cross officials declared an emergency blood shortage in the U.S., citing a 20-year all-time low in donors. The Red Cross supplies roughly 40% of the nation’s donated blood and blood components like plasma. Red Cross officials will host a July 15 blood drive at Charter Oak...
Norwin OKs contract for Superintendent Natalie McCracken
Norwin’s new superintendent, Natalie McCracken, has a five-year contract with a 4.2% increase in the base salary she was to receive as the school district’s assistant superintendent. School board directors Christine Baverso, Bill Bojalad, Raymond Kocak, Tim Kotch Sr., Heath Shrum and Matt Thomas voted to approve the deal at...
Universal Lunch initiative would mean free meals for all students, regardless of family income
Hungry kids can quickly turn into hangry students. Rumbling stomachs can lead to classroom distraction and discipline issues, research shows, along with feelings of isolation for children whose families struggle to afford school lunches. “Not only do we see the benefits of full bellies in academics, but it’s social, too,”...
Mt. Pleasant Area School Board OKs 1-mill property tax hike, $38.1M budget
Mt. Pleasant Area School District property owners will see 1 mill added to their tax bills to help support the district’s 2024-25 budget of more than $38.1 million. That final spending plan approved Wednesday, June 26, represents a decrease from the $38.8 million tentative budget total proposed in May, when...
‘It takes a village’: Parents of Penn Township boy injured in lawn mower accident reflect on trauma, recovery 2 years later
Two years ago, 6-year-old Liam Lavelle took a ride with his dad on the lawn mower — something he had done many times before. The mower’s blades were not engaged, and the bagging system was turned off as Liam’s dad, Zach Lavelle, drove the vehicle to the edge of his...
Emmy winner, a North Huntingdon native, remains passionate about making movies
A North Huntingdon native was pursuing a career in computer engineering in Cleveland in the 1980s when she made an independent film that changed her life, setting her on course for an award-winning career. “I fell in love with making a movie,” said Annetta Marion about her first experience in...
Phased work to replace Route 711 bridge will restrict, detour traffic in Ligonier Township
A series of traffic restrictions and a temporary detour are set to begin on Monday as a PennDOT contractor replaces a bridge on Route 711 in Ligonier Township. Located between Slater and Peters roads, the bridge carries Route 711 over Koffer Run — a tributary of Loyalhanna Creek — on...
Sunday market at Greensburg center features plants, gifts
Old Salem Farmers Market is held Sundays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. through Oct. 20 in the rear parking lot at the Greensburg Garden & Civic Center, 951 Old Salem Road, Greensburg. The season for this new market began on June 9. Visitors could browse among 10 vendors during the...
Fido-friendly outdoor dining options plentiful in Western Pennsylvania
Sharing meal time with man’s best friend has never been easier as more local establishments roll out dog-friendly outdoor dining options. According to statistics from Yelp, online searches for businesses using “dogs allowed” increased by 58% between 2021 and 2023, and the company noted more than 47,400 U.S. businesses describe...
11th annual Yellow Tie Gala to kick off Great American Banana Split Festival in Latrobe
Ice cream fans looking for a sweet way to support a local nonprofit won’t need to look far in Latrobe this summer. The Robindale Great American Banana Split Celebration will be held the weekend of Aug. 24 and 25. The annual event honors the momentous 1904 invention of the banana...
