Westmoreland category, Page 413
East suburbs mountain biking team seeks new members as 2022 season approaches
When Becket Pottinger of Murrysville advanced to the U.S. Ski & Snowboard U14 Eastern Ski Championships this month, his father credited his training — both on and off the slopes. “He was beating kids by three and four seconds, and honestly a lot of that has to do with biking,”...
Monessen program to explore Italian Jews, history and persecution
The flight of Jews from Spain to Italy — and, ultimately, to places like Western Pennsylvania — is a largely unknown tale. An Italian-Jewish historic program this weekend in Monessen, which has been two years in the making, intends to shed light on this part of international and local history....
Pittsburgh metro area loses population, leads nation in natural population decline
The Pittsburgh metropolitan area lost 13,755 residents between July 2020 and July 2021, according to U.S. Census estimates. The biggest factor of that loss was the region’s natural decline, which is when an area experiences more deaths than births. The Pittsburgh metro area’s natural decline of 10,383 was the largest...
Students from Bangladesh, Poland find common ground during exchange stay in Hempfield
As Russian missiles devastate Ukraine, people around the world are yearning for the day when peace will return to Eastern Europe. A hemisphere away, in Hempfield, two young men from disparate countries and cultures have achieved more than just peaceful coexistence. Mansib Rahman, 18, of Bangladesh and Bartosz “Bartek” Zielinski,...
Greensburg officials eye options to demolish parking garage used by Excela
Greensburg leaders are looking for money to demolish the J. Edward Hutchinson Parking Garage, which closed last year because of high costs of maintenance and repair. The city is working with local lawmakers to discuss what funding might be available to help tear down the garage “so it’s not an...
Police ID man who ripped state flag from pole at Hempfield gas station, charges expectedVideo
State troopers on Friday identified a man who ripped the Pennsylvania state flag from a pole outside a Sheetz convenience store in Hempfield. The flag was flying at half-staff in honor of two troopers who were killed in the line of duty this week. Trooper Steve Limani said tips from...
Stained-glass windows from former Mt. Pleasant parish rescued by historical society
A last-minute rescue this month resulted in several pieces of century-old Mt. Pleasant history being returned to Western Pennsylvania after spending almost two decades of being stored inside a warehouse near Columbus, Ohio. Nine stained-glass windows, weighing between 700 and 900 pounds each, that adorned the former Transfiguration Roman Catholic...
Bolivar man accused of inappropriately touching child
A Bolivar man is in custody after state police said he inappropriately touched a child several times last year, according to court papers. David Allen Luther, 74, is charged with indecent assault, corruption of minors and child endangerment. The accusations were reported in January. The child’s age and gender were...
Irwin officials to review plans for housing project
Plans for a four-story, 50-unit senior living apartment building next to Norwin Public Library will be publicly unveiled this week. The Westmoreland County Housing Authority is scheduled to present plans for Grand View Senior Residences to the Irwin Planning Commission at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 30. The panel offers recommendations...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County: March 25-27
Travel photos Jeannette resident Rob McLaughlin will display his photos depicting the beauty and culture of Italy and Ireland from 4-9 p.m. Friday and noon-4 p.m. Saturday at the Jeannette Area Historical Society, 415 Clay Ave. The exhibition is offered in honor of the late John Howard, who was a...
Idlewild sets earlier park opening day, boosts pay for seasonal work
Officials at Ligonier Township’s Idlewild and SoakZone have some good news for fans of the family amusement park as well as those interested in working at the attraction. Responding in part to heightened public interest in picnic reservations, the park will open May 7 — two weekends earlier than previously...
Mt. Pleasant Township man convicted in gun case
A Mt. Pleasant Township man was convicted Thursday of illegally having multiple firearms. Jurors deliberated for about an hour before returning the guilty verdict on nine counts of unlawful possession of a firearm. Authorities said Michael Charles Lint, 36, was not permitted to have weapons because of past felony convictions....
Jeannette officials continue discussion about use of federal covid relief cash
Jeannette officials have a lot of work to whittle down a wish list of projects that could be funded with what is left of the city’s $950,000 allocation from the American Rescue Plan. With $287,000 already earmarked, there are far more proposed uses than the $662,000 available will pay for....
Troopers recover stolen box truck in Salem after reports of 2 people on drugs
Complaints Tuesday about two people acting strange near a church and fire department in Salem led state troopers to recover a stolen commercial vehicle, according to court papers. Police arrested the pair, who they said appeared to be under the influence of drugs. Kody Ronald Nicholas Konop, 29, of Hempfield,...
People flock to Hempfield monastery to enjoy the silence of a retreat
There will be plenty of peace and quiet at St. Emma Monastery this weekend, for those who seek it out. About 70 people who are attending a silent retreat at the Hempfield community will bask in the quiet among the Benedictine nuns there. “People are bombarded by every spectrum of...
Saint Vincent College, Western Pa. churches collecting for Ukraine
Saint Vincent College’s education department, with assistance from several area church congregations, is collecting items to help refugees from the war in Ukraine. Veronica Ent, who chairs the department, said its faculty and students have taken part in previous charitable efforts, but the outpouring of donations at the college in...
Coroner’s report shows 168 accidental overdose deaths in 2021 in Westmoreland County
Drug overdose deaths increased in 2021 in Westmoreland County, reaching their highest point since 2017, according to the coroner’s annual report. There were 168 accidental drug overdose deaths last year, the third highest total for the county and a 37% increase from 2020 when 123 people died. The powerful opioid...
Latrobe library’s Wee Read combines early learning with tunes, tales
Nine preschoolers and their doting adult caretakers braved Wednesday’s rainy weather for a warm reception awaiting them at Adams Memorial Library in Latrobe. It was the second week for the library to return to an in-person format for its Wee Read program, after offering a pandemic-forced virtual version of the...
Popular kid’s book character Junie B. Jones returns to Greensburg stage
Popular children’s book character Junie B. Jones returns to Greensburg in the Greensburg Civic Theatre’s Greasepaint Players production of “Junie B. Jones is Not a Crook,” with three performances scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Greensburg Garden & Civic Center. As the play unfolds, someone at school has stolen Junie’s...
Rostraver man acquitted of sex charges
A Rostraver man was acquitted Wednesday by a Westmoreland County jury of sex assault charges. Jurors found Robert Taylor Parks IV, 24, not guilty of aggravated indecent assault of a child, aggravated indecent assault of a person younger than 13 and indecent assault. The jury deliberated for nearly five hours...
Fire reported at Fairfield Township home
Firefighters are responding to a house fire on Kairenbrook Drive in Fairfield Township. The fire started at about 10 a.m. Wednesday on the second floor of the residence, according to a Westmoreland County dispatcher. There are no people reported inside the home, but there are animals inside. There are currently...
Greensburg banners, 2nd annual event to celebrate hometown heroes
The city of Greensburg is gearing up to honor local veterans and first responders during its Hometown Hero Celebration in May. Scheduled for 11 a.m. May 21 at St. Clair Park, the event will honor 94 military and non-military heroes, many of whom are featured on banners that soon will...
Clairview School craft show will feature student creations
Canvas paintings, decorative wooden blocks and customized picture frames will be among the crafts made by Clairview School students for sale Saturday during an annual craft and vendor fundraising show. Their works will join those of 30 vendors in an effort to raise money for the Hempfield school to build...
Westmoreland happenings: Spaghetti dinners, photography exhibit, more
Art • An exhibit featuring the works of local photographer Rob McLaughlin will be March 25 and 26 at Jeannette Area Historical Society, 415 Clay Ave. Hours are 4 to 9 p.m. March 25 with cheese and wine tasting, and noon to 4 p.m. March 26 with light refreshments. Donations...
Jeannette police dog Arees retired from duty
Veteran Jeannette police dog Arees is getting plenty of treats in his retirement. The 9-year-old German shepherd officially left the city’s force last week and has been enjoying lazy days off-duty at home with handler Sgt. Jim Phillips. “He’s definitely made myself and the City of Jeannette proud,” Phillips said....
