Westmoreland category, Page 511
Murrysville administrator: Jake brakes are ‘a necessary evil’
Jake brakes on large commercial hauling trucks may not be music to the ears, but according to Murrysville Chief Administrator Jim Morrison, they’re “a necessary evil.” Morrison was responding to recent complaints about rigs using their jake brakes on Route 22. “When you have trucks coming down Route 22 doing...
Youngwood to debut Wings Across Westmoreland art installation
Wings Across Westmoreland alights in Youngwood on Saturday, with the unveiling of a new set of wings highlighting the borough’s unique history and culture. The artwork, part of a countywide art initiative sponsored by Westmoreland Cultural Trust, will be presented to the public at 11 a.m. along the Five Star...
Westmoreland Ballet takes to St. Clair Park highlighting excerpt from ‘Sleeping Beauty’
The Westmoreland Ballet Company will celebrate spring with a performance at 2 p.m. Saturday in Robertshaw Amphitheater in St. Clair Park, along Maple Avenue in downtown Greensburg. The highlight of the performance will be “Precious Jewels,” an excerpt from “The Sleeping Beauty.” Four other pieces also are on the bill,...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County this weekend, May 7-9
Hide and seek Join the City of Greensburg Recreation Department for a free evening of hide and seek tag from 5-7 p.m. today at Lynch Field, 520 New Alexandria Road. The session is the first in a weekly Community Backyard Games series. While the activity is geared toward school-aged children...
1 injured in Murrysville house fire
One person was injured when a fire broke out Thursday evening at a home in Murrysville. The fire was reported just before 8 p.m. on Foxwood Court, with flames initially showing from the basement. Everyone inside was able to get out of the house, but one person suffered from smoke...
Debt-free: 30 years of saving pays for Loyalhanna Township’s new $1 million garageVideo
Frugality was the word of the day Thursday in tiny Loyalhanna Township in northern Westmoreland County. Supervisors of the township, with a population of about 2,300 people, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on a new, five-bay public works garage that cost just more than $1 million. But the cost wasn’t covered...
Export relocates multi-ton war memorial closer to downtownVideo
It took most of the day on Thursday, but several regional contractors relocated the Export war memorial from the American Legion on Kennedy Avenue to spot near the Westmoreland Heritage Trail, closer to the borough’s downtown area. Work crews from Mangery & Suns and McColly Memorials in Greensburg — the...
Norwin school board candidates emphasize mental health, budget, transparency
School district spending and keeping students safe are among issues raised by the nine candidates seeking nominations for four seats on the Norwin School Board in the May 18 primary. The race features two incumbents, two separate teams of candidates and two candidates running independently of the others. All of...
Covid cases in Allegheny, Westmoreland, state remain steady; vaccine efforts inch along
Allegheny County saw a second day of under 200 covid cases reported, while cases in Westmoreland County dropped after a data dump inflated cases for Wednesday. On Thursday, the Allegheny County Health Department reported 177 additional covid-19 cases — 148 confirmed and 22 probable. This is down 17.2% from last...
Hempfield Area School Board primary slate includes 9 candidates
Unlike the 2019 primary, when several Hempfield Area School Board candidates seemingly formed a unified front in a desire to end property tax assessment appeals, the nine candidates hoping to clinch one of the four open seats this year are running for a variety of reasons. The pool is made...
Above the Challenge members building cardboard mini golf courseVideo
For the past three months, Connor Watson and Aaron DeMayo have been working on turning a pile of cardboard boxes into a mini golf course. The course, which started as nine holes and quickly expanded to 18, promises to lead attendees of a June fundraiser at the Greensburg Church of...
Latrobe woman’s ‘Baking With Lucy’ show plans Mother’s Day tribute
From one generation to the next, daughters have learned to cook at their mothers’ sides. That time-honored tradition struck a chord with thousands of Facebook users when Mary Ellen Raneri started streaming “Baking With Lucy” in March 2020, featuring favorite recipes demonstrated by her mother, Lucy Pollock. On the first...
North Huntingdon commissioner, predecessor face off in GOP primary
Republican voters in North Huntingdon’s Fourth Ward will see two familiar names on the township commissioners ballot in the May 18 primary. It will be a replay of the 2017 primary and general election, only the roles will be reversed because Brian Blasko, then the challenger, now is the incumbent...
Stanwood Elementary School students are influencers behind virtual movement project
Students at a Hempfield Area elementary school are the inspiration behind a new virtual field trip produced by a Lawrenceville-based dance group. Third graders at Stanwood Elementary School heavily influenced the virtual field trip produced by Attack Theatre that features dances reflecting artwork displayed at Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art...
Ligonier brings back summer concerts, reuniting bands and music lovers
The return of Ligonier’s Sunday evening band concerts is music to trumpet player Jay Copenhaver’s ears. The New Stanton man is looking forward to performing twice this summer in Ligonier’s Diamond Park, after missing any appearance there after last season’s concerts were canceled. Copenhaver is set to play the Diamond...
StopWatch Gallery & Studio opens in Greensburg with pandemic-themed showVideo
Artwork made during — and influenced by — the pandemic is the topic of “The Pandemic Show,” the aptly named inaugural exhibition at the StopWatch Gallery & Studio in downtown Greensburg. Opening hours will be 2 to 8 p.m. Saturday in the new art space at 323 S. Main St....
Republican Sen. Kim Ward endorses covid vaccine for return to normalcyVideo
State Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward is encouraging constituents to get the covid-19 vaccine. The Hempfield Republican, who has been at odds with Democratic leaders over the covid-19 shutdown for the past year, went public with her endorsement in a radio interview with 90.5 WESA, Pittsburgh’s NPR news station. “It’s...
Coronavirus vaccine bills sent in error to some Excela Health patients
Several hundred people who got vaccinated against the coronavirus through Excela Health were erroneously billed, a mistake being blamed on a quick effort to get clinics up and running, according to Tom Albanesi, the hospital system’s chief financial officer. Health system officials tried to contact those who got a bill...
Johnstown man accused of sending sexually explicit photographs to Derry Township girl
A Cambria County man was arrested Wednesday on charges of exchanging sexually explicit photographs with a juvenile girl in Derry Township, according to state police. Colt T. Bopp, 22, of Johnstown, was arraigned on charges of corruption of a minor, criminal use of a communication facility, knowingly possessing sexual photographs...
Drop box added at Murrysville location ahead of May 18 primary
Westmoreland County officials say more than 15,400 mail-in ballots have been sent out to voters ahead of the May 18 primary. Another batch of more than 800 ballots is ready to go out, Elections Bureau Director JoAnn Sebastiani said. The deadline to apply for mail-in ballots is May 11. They...
Sutersville woman accused of sexually assaulting teen
State police charged a Sutersville woman with sexually assaulting a teenage boy last year in Hempfield while he was finishing up the school year virtually because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to court papers. An arrest warrant was issued Monday for Ashley Elizabeth Sherry, 21. State police said they were...
Irwin man gets 15 years for role as ringleader of gang’s drug operation
An Irwin man who led a large-scale drug trafficking organization in Western Pennsylvania will serve 15 years in prison. Christopher Highsmith, who was responsible for the distribution of 1,000 to 3,000 kilograms of heroin and fentanyl, pleaded guilty to a single count of drug conspiracy in September before U.S. District...
Irwin woman accused of falsifying police documents, claiming to be male officer in insurance claim investigation
An Irwin woman was arrested Wednesday after authorities said she claimed to be a male police officer to an insurance investigator and falsified several documents relating to a claim, according to court papers. Sharon K. Powell, 49, is charged with insurance fraud, attempted theft, criminal use of a communication facility,...
Ligonier Valley police seeking pickup truck involved in hit-and-run
The Ligonier Valley Police are seeking help in identifying who was driving a pickup truck that was involved in a hit-and-run crash into a building early Wednesday. Police reported the crash occurred about 12:20 a.m. at the corner of South Fairfield and Loyalhanna streets in the borough. A porch was...
Mt. Pleasant Area, Yough schools to host covid vaccine clinics following similar events in Greensburg, Hempfield
Hayden’s Pharmacy will conduct covid-19 vaccine clinics at additional Westmoreland County schools after administering doses of the Pfizer vaccine to several hundred recipients Tuesday at Greensburg Salem Senior High. A voluntary clinic on Thursday at Mt. Pleasant Area School District will be available only to students age 16 and older....
