Westmoreland category, Page 388
Greensburg’s St. Clair Park was initially a cemetery
St. Clair Park in downtown Greensburg is more than just a recreation hub in the city. Gravestones and monuments to lives both notable and now anonymous dot the 10-acre park that hosts weekly free concerts during the summer months. St. Clair Park, deeded to the city in 1808 by landowner...
Big Brothers Big Sisters Summer Fest draws big crowds at Twin Lakes Park
Elise Glad of Uniontown, a Big Sister with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Laurel Region, was hanging out with her “Little” on Sunday. They were enjoying all the activities at the organization’s Summer Fest event, which drew hundreds of people on a beautiful, sunny day to Twin Lakes Park...
Westmoreland County Special Olympics teams, athletes capture medals in state competition
All five Westmoreland County Special Olympics basketball teams brought home either gold, silver or bronze medals this past weekend in the state’s Special Olympics competition at Penn State University. “Every one of our teams — three five-on-five (teams) and two three-on-three — won medals,” said Anthony Monstrola of Greensburg, coordinator...
The Westmoreland’s new curator Jeremiah McCarthy hits the ground running
Jeremiah McCarthy says his first few weeks as curator of American art at The Westmoreland Museum of American Art have been “very fun and very intense.” He had to hit the ground running. After coming on board April 19, he had less than three weeks to put together his first...
Excela Health’s proposed merger with Butler likely a bulwark against competitors, experts say
The landscape of health care in Westmoreland, Butler and Clarion counties could soon be changing in the wake of last week’s announcement that Excela Health and Butler Health System have inked an intent-to-merge agreement. It is likely an effort by both systems to better position themselves as a player in...
Franklin Regional students create art for 2 local nonprofits
Franklin Regional students aren’t just competing math problems and reading books during class — they are learning how to give back to the community. An FR senior and FR fifth graders have created two separate art projects to support two local nonprofits. Students in Franklin Regional Senior High School’s entrepreneurship...
Rodeo at Westmoreland Mall draws big crowd
Rodeo fans packed the stands at the Westmoreland Mall parking lot in Hempfield on Saturday to watch riders try to stay atop bulls for more than a few seconds and riders steer their horses around a barrel course at Live! Casino’s Pro Bulls & Barrels & Concert. Among a few...
Relay raises money to battle cancer; family members, survivors join walk
Like so many others at the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life of Westmoreland County on Saturday, Carly Bishop of Hempfield was walking around a path at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg in memory of a loved one who died from cancer or in honor of a cancer survivor....
New library box near Ligonier will honor late social worker, conservationist
People searching for a good summer read and tips on outdoor activities soon will find a new resource just outside Ligonier. Derry resident Kristy Mathews, with help from family and friends, plans on Sunday to install a Little Free Library on the grounds of the Loyalhanna Watershed Farm, 6 Old...
North Hempfield fire station improvements eyed
Hempfield supervisors are considering plans to overhaul the North Hempfield fire station while making space for a Mutual Aid ambulance housed at the facility. Supervisors recently got a first look at renderings from Unity-based Ulery Architecture for the Business Route 66 station. “It’s an exciting time for the fire service....
Bluegrass band Sideline is first SummerSounds concert of the season
Bluegrass music kicked off St. Clair Park’s start to the summer as Sideline performed during a Friday night concert. SummerSounds hosted the nationally touring band during its first concert of the season. The group hit the stage at 7 p.m. in the Greensburg park. Formed in 2012 as a jam...
Westmoreland Democrats leadership vote delayed in fallout over GOP Senate primary vote count
Despite the fact that David McCormick dropped out of the Republican primary race for U.S. Senate, it was the fallout from the continued fight over votes that prompted Westmoreland County Democrats on Friday to indefinitely postpone their weekend meeting to elect a new party chairperson. Democratic Committee Chairwoman Tara Yokopenic...
Casino brings weekend rodeo, concert stage to Westmoreland Mall parking lots in Hempfield
Looking from Route 30, the hustle and bustle at Westmoreland Mall in Hempfield this week appeared normal. But nestled in a parking lot toward the back of the shopping center sat more than 1,000 tons of dirt surrounded by a dozen 50-foot bleachers standing upright. The chirps of two skid...
Mister Rogers Family Days event in Latrobe to bring back some pre-pandemic activities
The 2022 Mister Rogers Family Days will aim to mesh pre-pandemic activities with last year’s week-long event structure, according to Latrobe Art Center Executive Director Michael Tusay. Tusay anticipates a week of fun during the sixth-annual event, which will be held from June 6-11 in Fred Rogers’ hometown of Latrobe....
89 Republican congressmen urge U.S. inspector general to evaluate Pitt’s fetal tissue research
Nearly 90 Republican congressmen are asking U.S. Health and Human Services Inspector General Christi Grimm to conduct an audit into the University of Pittsburgh’s fetal tissue research that some legislators allege included illegal and unethical activities. In a May 24 letter, the Republicans address why they believe Pitt’s research, published...
Troopers seek man accused of passing fake $100 bills in Derry Township
Police are seeking help to identify a man accused of passing several counterfeit $100 bills at two discount stores in Derry Township last month. Trooper Steve Limani said the first incident occurred 6 p.m. May 18 at the Dollar General store in Millwood where a white male entered and purchased...
Westmoreland public pools prepare for summer season
Despite some setbacks over the past few years, public pools in the area are looking forward to opening this week. Making it to opening day amid the coronavirus pandemic and recent labor shortages hasn’t been easy, according to Glenn Moyer, arena and pool manager for Greensburg’s parks and recreation department....
Irwin disc jockey still spinning ’50s, ’60s tunes in his 80s
When George Reccelle was growing up in McKeesport in the 1950s, he listened to legendary Pittsburgh disc jockey George “Porky” Chedwick on the Homestead radio station WAMO and fell in love with the music he heard. “He played mostly African-American music on WAMO. He was a groundbreaker for playing that...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County: June 3-5
Dance, dance, dance The SHU Dance Academy will present end-of-semester recitals this weekend in the Seton Hill University Performing Arts Center, 100 Harrison Ave., Greensburg. The schedule includes a showcase of solos, duets and trios, 6:30 p.m. Friday; Formal Dancers Division performances, 1 and 6:30 p.m. Saturday; and Young Dancers Division...
Westmoreland Democrats to select new party leaders
Amid voter registration declines and defeats at the polls, Westmoreland County Democrats will pick new leaders this weekend with an eye toward reinvigorating the political party that, two decades ago, held a dominant position in local politics. Current committee chairwoman Tara Yokopenic was elevated to the job in early 2020...
Latrobe-area leaders upbeat about proposed merger of Excela, Butler health systems
Leaders in the Latrobe area expressed optimism about the future of health care in their community after an announcement that the local system of medical providers, Excela Health, is planning to merge with a similar organization in Butler and Clarion counties. Officials with Westmoreland County-based Excela have said the move...
Westmoreland County on pace to finish recount in GOP Senate race on Friday
Westmoreland County election officials said the state-ordered recount of ballots cast in last month’s Republican U.S. Senate primary is on pace to be completed Friday. About 15 county staffers worked 12-hour shifts Wednesday and Thursday to scan the more than 87,000 ballots cast this spring. “The worst-case scenario is we...
Westmoreland Heritage Trail officials prepare for annual herbicide application
Westmoreland Heritage Trail officials will delay applying herbicide to the woods along the trail until after a festival this weekend. “We posted signs last Friday to perhaps do the spraying this week,” said trail president Stan Rudge. “But our maintenance chairman had forgotten about the Trail Towns Festival happening, so...
Westmoreland County doctor trades in his scrubs for potter’s wheel
It’s not that Dr. Francis DeFabo didn’t love medicine — it’s just that he loved making pottery more. The Unity resident retired in November from his gynecology practice with Athena Women’s Care in South Greensburg. On May 26, he opened fdp studio shop in Pleasant Unity. The shop at 2082...
Latrobe’s 1st Humble Rumble to feature vendor show, car cruise bike run
Cars, bikes and more than 80 vendors will crowd Latrobe this Sunday. The city’s first “Humble Rumble” event will kick off at 8 a.m. in the Memorial Stadium parking lot. Hosted by the Westmoreland chapter of Alliance of Bikers Aimed Toward Education, the daylong occasion will raise money for the...
