Westmoreland category, Page 375
Out & About: Greensburg Civic Theatre celebrates 70 years on stage
Greensburg Civic Theatre has accomplished something rare in the realm of community theater — it has survived and thrived through 70 seasons. To mark the anniversary, the troupe hosted the “GCT Goes Platinum” gala on Sunday evening at Greensburg Garden & Civic Center. About 100 guests gathered for a cocktail...
Truck driver who spilled hot dog filler on I-70 will be charged, police say
A tractor-trailer driver who crashed on Interstate 70 in Rostraver, spilling more than seven tons of hot dog filler on the highway and snarling traffic for five hours Friday, will receive multiple citations — including one for speeding, police said. Makendy Lachald, 30, of Laurel, Del., was speeding westbound near...
Pa. Turnpike reopens between New Stanton and Breezewood after crash cleared
The Pennsylvania Turnpike reopened Monday afternoon following a lengthy closure in both directions between New Stanton and Breezewood because of an overturned tractor-trailer. The crash happened around 9 a.m. between the Somerset and Bedford exits, according to PennDOT. The road reopened at 2:30 p.m. after the wreckage was cleared. Some...
Irwin: Police officers hired, zoning officer resigns, paving contract awarded
Irwin officials hired full-time and part-time police officers to replace two members of the force who recently resigned. Council hired Stephen Novotnak of North Huntingdon as a full-time officer. Previously a part-time officer, he will be paid the starting patrolman’s rate of $25.62 per hour, plus benefits afforded in the...
Officials probe cause of fire that destroyed vacant Greensburg house
Officials said they are investigating the cause of a fire that destroyed a vacant house early Monday in Greensburg. The blaze was reported shortly before 3 a.m. in the 600 block of Stanton Street, according to a Westmoreland County 911 dispatch supervisor. A passerby spotted burning embers on the roof...
Flight of the Flags ceremony planned during Westmoreland air show
A new tribute to deceased service members and first responders will debut June 11 at this year’s Shop ‘n Save Westmoreland Airshow in a ceremony called Flight of the Flags. Families of the deceased who have received trifold flags in honor of their loved ones will have an opportunity to...
Pa. hopes apprenticeship program can help alleviate skilled-worker shortage
Chad Warhold, owner at Warhold Mechanicals in North Huntingdon, has plenty of business. He just needs to find some additional skilled employees, or those willing to learn. “That’s part of why we got into apprenticeships,” said Warhold, whose company does heating, ventilation and air conditioning, plumbing and gas line work...
Murrysville Community Library marks 100th anniversary
Nowadays, patrons of Murrysville Community Library can reserve an e-book from the comfort of their own homes, or attend a presentation from an astronaut at NASA by way of the library’s Tech Nook. It’s a long way from the mid-1980s, when former librarian Denise Sticha would return from the grocery...
Motorcyclists seek blessing ahead of spring riding season
George Cunningham knows both the joys and the potential dangers of motorcycle riding. Cunningham, 50, of Derry was among the nearly 100 bikers who gathered late Sunday morning at the Holy Family Catholic Church in Latrobe for the 18th annual Blessing of the Bikes. “I’m on two wheels, so it’s...
Out & About: Westmoreland Art Nationals return live after 2 years of virtual shows
The Westmoreland Art Nationals lives up to its name, with exhibiting artists hailing from as near as Greensburg and as far as Florida, Massachusetts and Alaska. The first of two annual juried exhibitions associated with the Westmoreland Arts & Heritage Festival opened with a Saturday evening reception at Westmoreland County...
Blacksmiths show off their skills at Laughlintown’s Compass Inn Museum
Visitors to Laughlintown’s Compass Inn Museum on Saturday found a gathering of blacksmiths. About a dozen area blacksmiths demonstrated their skills on the grounds of the historic Route 30 inn, which has been restored to its prime 1830s appearance. The “Hammer-In” event included members of the Pittsburgh Area Artist Blacksmiths...
Hometown heroes honored in Greensburg
George Whipkey sat in the front row Saturday morning at St. Clair Park in Greensburg and watched as city leaders honored him and more than 90 hometown heroes. But Whipkey, 81, a Marine Corps veteran and Southwest Greensburg police sergeant, wasn’t quite ready to acknowledge his place among the honorees....
Truck hauling meat overturns on Interstate 70 in Rostraver
A tractor-trailer hauling meat products crashed Friday evening in Rostraver, temporarily restricting westbound traffic on Interstate 70. The wreck happened shortly after 6:30 p.m. as the truck left the roadway near mile marker 43, according to a Westmoreland 911 dispatch supervisor. Two people who has been riding in the overturned...
Monessen police seek man accused of using cinderblock in assault, robbery
Monessen police are seeking a 55-year-old man accused of beating a man with a cinderblock during a robbery in the city early Friday. Dwayne M. “Peenie” Grogan is charged with attempted homicide, assault and robbery in connection with the 12:50 a.m. attack at a home in the 200 block of...
Former Mt. Pleasant funeral director, state legislator Eugene Saloom spent life ‘helping people’
Whether it was helping a constituent acquire a replacement driver’s license, working on a grant application for a local community or assisting someone with funeral preparations, former state representative and Mt. Pleasant funeral director Eugene G. Saloom always enjoyed helping others, according to family members. Saloom, 87, of Mt. Pleasant...
PennDOT plans bridge closure, line painting along I-70
PennDOT plans to close a North Belle Vernon bridge that crosses Interstate 70 on Monday, the day when line painting also is scheduled to begin on the interstate. The Fayette Street bridge, slated for replacement, is expected to remain closed to all traffic through mid-September, depending on weather that might...
As population continues to decline, the fate of some communities could be in jeopardy
Bob Davis spent only seven years of his childhood in Adamsburg before his family moved to Greensburg in 1966, but the borough made an impression. Davis lived in an old farm house along Main Street. He fondly recalls a bustling town filled with several businesses. There was a service station...
Hempfield school board to continue discussion of books available to high school students
The Hempfield Area School Board will discuss next month tweaking a policy related to reevaluating course materials. It’s part of a monthslong conversation that stems from the challenging of two books available to high school students. The board’s policy committee on Wednesday decided not to move forward with any immediate...
Bushy Run Battlefield race to aid fight against human trafficking
Runners will have a chance to compete in a 3.1-mile race at the Bushy Run Battlefield along Route 993 in Penn Township on June 18 and raise awareness of human trafficking, sexual abuse and assault, and homelessness in the region. Those participating in the race, Colors for a Cause, will...
Hempfield Area middle school consolidation, timeline topic of meeting
Leaders in the Hempfield Area School District are hosting an informational session this week to discuss possible middle school consolidation plans. The session is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday in the Harrold Middle School auditorium, 1368 Middletown Road. Officials will discuss consolidating sixth, seventh and eighth grade students into Wendover...
Greensburg Salem OKs proposed budget with no tax hike, locks in electricity rate
Greensburg Salem School District property owners won’t have to dig deeper into their pockets to pay their 2022-23 tax bill, according to a proposed district budget approved Wednesday at a school board meeting. The board unanimously approved a $49.2 million spending plan that would hold the tax rate at 89.72...
Compass Inn goes rogue — blacksmiths and ‘scoundrels’ featured at Laughlintown site
Visitors to Laughlintown’s Compass Inn Museum will find a gathering of blacksmiths on Saturday. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. , as many as 25 area blacksmiths will be demonstrating their skills on the grounds of the historic Route 30 inn, which has been restored to its prime 1830s appearance....
Monessen woman ordered to pay $66K in restitution in pandemic unemployment fraud case
A Monessen woman was sentenced to 18 months in a federal prison after, authorities said, she received $66,240 in fraudulent pandemic unemployment assistance. Amanda Fairfax, 37, was ordered to spend three years on supervised release after the prison term. Fairfax pleaded guilty in January to five counts of mail fraud....
5 things to do in Westmoreland County: May 20-22
Here’s your sign Grammy Award-nominated comedian Bill Engvall brings his “Here’s Your Sign ‘It’s Finally Time’ Farewell Tour” to The Palace Theatre for shows at 6 and 9 p.m. Friday. The tour takes its name from Engvall’s 1996 platinum debut album, “Here’s Your Sign,” based on a routine in which...
Fit4Boxing gym in Murrysville, Hampton offers program for those with special needs
When Fit4Boxing opened in Hampton in 2015, its owners already had an eye toward working with people of all abilities. “We started working with people affected by Parkinson’s disease when we first opened,” said Brett Burkhart, managing partner with Fit4Boxing. “My uncle had been training with a guy from Sewickley...
