Westmoreland category, Page 519
2 community groups plan coronavirus vaccine clinics in North Huntingdon, Greensburg
Community groups are partnering with pharmacies for two free, appointment-only coronavirus vaccine clinics this week. North Huntingdon EMS/Rescue is holding a clinic with Rite Aid on Tuesday at Calvary Church, 8653 Pennsylvania Ave. The Moderna vaccine, for anyone 18 and older, will be administered and, as of midday Monday, more...
Naloxone distribution, drug takeback set for Rostraver state police station
A drive-thru naloxone distribution is set for this weekend in Rostraver through the Mon Valley Opioid Coalition and Pennsylvania State Police. The distribution will be held outside the Belle Vernon state police station at 560 Circle Drive from noon to 1 p.m. Saturday. Naloxone can reverse the effects of an...
Teen shot at Hempfield apartment building arrested on robbery charges
A 17-year-old boy who state police said was hurt this month in a shooting at a Hempfield apartment building was arrested Friday on robbery charges stemming from the same incident. Thomas Henderson of Carmichaels is charged as an adult with robbery, theft and weapons violations. Troopers were called to Hempfield...
Greensburg wants dilapidated building torn down
Greensburg wants the California owner of a three-story brick building in the downtown business district to raze the structure or the city will do it. The building’s roof has fallen in and the structure is “at immediate risk of collapse,” according to a legal notice tacked to the front of...
Leechburg, North Apollo and Upper Burrell among those to get state money to fix roads
Leechburg Borough is a big winner in Governor Wolf’s $45.9 million funding package designed for highway, bridge and rail improvements. Leechburg will receive $294,135 to mill and repave about 1.1 miles of roadway. The roads to be restored include those impacted by the recent project throughout the borough that was...
Swimming pool demand deepens in Western Pa. during pandemic
With so many homeowners opting for a “staycation” last year because of the coronavirus pandemic and pools being closed for the same reason, pool installers and suppliers in the region say they are swimming in business — with hardly any easing up in demand from last year. “We’re getting leads...
Norwin grad takes on challenge as Pittsburgh fire bureau’s lone female lieutenantVideo
If Lt. Kari Burnham wanted to meet with other female firefighters in the Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire, they could sit around her kitchen table — with room to spare. Burnham, a 35-year-old North Huntingdon native, is one of four women among the bureau’s 474 firefighters. One recently retired and another...
Extended family of Cassandra Gross hope to draw attention to caseVideo
On the third anniversary of Cassandra Gross’ disappearance, Westmoreland County District Attorney John Peck said his office “certainly hasn’t forgotten about the victim,” who was last seen meeting a friend for lunch in April 2018. Tammie Klingensmith of Jeannette, cousin to Gross’ father, wants to make sure it stays that...
Franklin Regional Junior Olympics wrestler earns 2nd state title in 3 years
Franklin Regional Junior Olympics wrestler Kaydon Ferrell captured his second state title in three years this month at the Keystone State Youth Wrestling Championships, held at the Monroeville Convention Center. “It was pretty hard,” said Ferrell, 11, of Murrysville. “He was way heavier than me. I was the lightweight in...
Craft beer makers look to region’s farms to grow grainsVideo
The only local thing about regional craft beer right now is the water, according to farmer Vince Mangini of Crabtree. For example, at All Saints Brewing in Hempfield, founder Jeff Guidos typically gets his malt from German and other European companies. Through Food21’s “Farm to Tap” program, Mangini wants to...
Grants help grow community gardens across Western Pa.Video
A community garden can bring together residents who never met, and its bounty can help feed the growers and others through donations. That’s why several community garden organizers throughout Western Pennsylvania were so happy to receive grant funding or in-kind donations to get their gardens started. “We got some help...
Covid cases continue slow increase as over 40% of Pa. has at least 1 vaccine dose
For the fifth straight day, Pennsylvania has posted a new daily covid case number above 5,000 — something it has not done since mid-January. The state’s seven-day case average rose to 4,949, with a total of 34,642 cases during that seven-day span. The last time the state’s seven-day case average...
Life during covid: Former Westmoreland public defender makes career move in midst of pandemicVideo
Editor’s note: This is an occasional series examining how the coronavirus pandemic has affected the lives of members of our community. Attorney Chris Haidze doesn’t regret for a minute his decision to make a major career move in the middle of the covid-19 pandemic to become Westmoreland County special courts...
Turnpike officials install first solar microgrid on Hempfield bypass property
A microgrid consisting of more than 3,200 solar panels is under construction at a Pennsylvania Turnpike maintenance facility in Hempfield. Located at 241 AKH Maintenance Lane along the Amos K. Hutchinson Bypass, the facility is the only turnpike campus that will use solar panels for power. “The turnpike is looking...
Belle Vernon collectibles business gets ‘Remixxd’ as it expandsVideo
People will collect just about anything. Just ask Don Spagnolo, owner of an an online collectibles marketplace based in Belle Vernon. Last year, he bought fixtures from a bar that was going out of business, and the beer tap handles turned into a surprisingly hot seller. “They’ve been in such...
Suspect arrested in fatal Jeannette shooting
A Jeannette man was arrested on a homicide charge Friday in connection with the fatal shooting of a city man this week. Stuart Ali, 45, surrendered to authorities, police Chief Shannon Binda said. Ali was arraigned Friday night and jailed without bail. Ali also is facing a weapons violation. Binda...
Greensburg man convicted of Indiana County fire bombing
A Greensburg man accused of trying to burn down an Indiana County home last May by throwing “Molotov cocktails” at it was convicted this week in a non-jury trial, according to court records. Derrick John Weber, 21, was found guilty by Indiana County Judge William J. Martin of attempted arson...
Proposal to open Arnold Palmer airport restaurant lease triggers social media furor
A plan to open the restaurant lease at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport for competitive proposals has drawn a social media backlash. With county commissioners publicly urging the move this week, the Westmoreland County Airport Authority is preparing a request for proposals to lease the terminal space — once an agreement...
Defendant claims another man fired gun in 2018 Arnold shooting
Nicholas Haynes told a jury Friday afternoon he was only in Arnold three years ago to beat up a man and was surprised his companion pulled out a gun and fired three shots, seriously wounding the former friend. “We wasn’t down there to kill Malcolm or shoot him. That wasn’t...
Southmoreland school board member dons paper bag in protest of mask policyVideo
A retired school psychologist and veteran member of the Southmoreland School Board is gaining notoriety after she attended a meeting Thursday with a paper bag pulled over her head. A video recording of the meeting on YouTube shows Catherine Fike sitting at one the end of the meeting table with...
Westmoreland Transit rider numbers inch upward, authority to hire more drivers
Public transportation ridership numbers still are a long way from pre-pandemic levels, but they are showing a slight rebound that has Westmoreland County Transit Authority officials hopeful better times are ahead. “We’ve had a little bit of an increase,” Executive Director Alan Blahovec said at the authority’s monthly business meeting....
Drugs, cash seized after police chase in North Huntingdon
A Clairton man was arrested Thursday after police said he ran from a traffic stop on Route 30 in North Huntingdon and threw a bag of drugs as he fled, according to court papers. Anthony Martin Jamison, 32, being held without bond in the Westmoreland County Prison. Township officers were...
Westmoreland County commissioners split over court raises
Raises for secretaries and law clerks working for Westmoreland County’s 11 Common Pleas Court judges were approved Thursday in a split vote of the county’s salary board. By a 3-2 vote, the board, which includes all three county commissioners and Controller Jeff Balzer, narrowly signed off on the plan to...
Greensburg Salem secondary students will head back to school after 2-day covid closure
Greensburg Salem middle and high school students are set to return to their classrooms Monday after the schools stepped back to full remote instruction on Thursday and Friday because of covid-19 cases. Because Westmoreland County returned to a substantial level of covid transmission, local schools must track the number of...
Irwin woman charged with biting trooper, trying to push drugs down station drain
An Irwin woman is behind bars after, state police say, she bit a trooper during a drunken-driving arrest and attempted to push drugs down a drain while being processed at the station, according to court papers. Crystal D. Weimer, 43, is charged with aggravated assault, driving under the influence, resisting...
