Westmoreland category, Page 95
Deadline nears for registering for state health insurance coverage for 2025
The 430,000 Pennsylvanians who use Pennie, the state-operated marketplace for health insurance, must make a decision by Dec. 15 which plan they want in 2025. Pennie is an option for those meeting federal poverty income guidelines and it gives people the chance to be able to get affordable health care...
Greensburg man sentenced to jail for decades-old sex crimes against children
A Greensburg man was ordered to serve nearly one year in jail after he pleaded guilty to charges that he sexually assaulted two young girls two decades earlier at multiple locations around Westmoreland County. Morton William Thomson Jr., 66, was charged in December 2022, more than 20 years after his...
Former teacher avoids jail for possession of child porn
A former Indiana County high school teacher who pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography this fall avoided a jail term Monday. Charles Kirkland, 33, of Derry Township was ordered to serve 14 years on probation even as a Westmoreland County prosecutor argued that he should spend at least three...
Tourism grants awarded to Westmoreland businesses, attractions
Since Julia Taneja and her husband opened a luxury boutique hotel at a renovated coal baron mansion in Greensburg nearly two years ago, they’ve attracted visitors from throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. A $19,000 grant from revenue generated by Westmoreland County’s 5% hotel room tax will...
Vote for local high school artists in ‘Paint the Plow’ contest
High school students across the state have decorated winter snow plows, and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation officials want the public to vote on their local favorites. The annual Paint the Plow contest is part of PennDOT’s annual campaign drawing awareness to winter driving safety. Students were asked to create a...
‘I’m a wreck, but I’m alive’: North Huntingdon karate teacher hurt in crash focuses on recovery, is grateful for support
Elizabeth Lindsay opened her eyes and saw her brother sitting at her hospital bedside. She had been unconscious for about three weeks in August, recovering from a life-threatening motorcycle crash that month. “I think I wanted to understand what had happened,” said Lindsay, 39, of Greensburg. “I didn’t want to...
Forbes trauma program brings accessible care to patients
Forbes Hospital in Monroeville marked the 10th anniversary of its trauma program in October 2023. Prior to the program’s opening 11 years ago, patients in the eastern portion of Southwestern Pennsylvania who suffered severe injuries relied on medical helicopters to take them to the nearest trauma centers — stationed in...
Norvelt VFD dedicates new fire station
After more than 80 years at its old station, including one expansion in the 1970s, the Norvelt Volunteer Fire Department celebration a move into a new station on Sunday. The department’s fleet includes: three full-size fire engines; squad and brush trucks, each built on a pickup chassis; and a utility...
Handmade holiday crafts featured at West Overton Village Makers Market
Evalee Toby was looking for a hobby as the world sat and waited out the coronavirus pandemic. So she gathered some wood, watched some YouTube videos and through trial and error learned to craft handmade decorative blocks. Four years later, it’s become a business. “I wish I had been a...
Coal, once king in Pennsylvania, leaves behind abandoned mines that pose concerns
Coal mining’s roots in the Pittsburgh area run deeper than the foundations of American democracy. Since the mid-1700s, years before the Declaration of Independence, Pennsylvanians have mined 250,000 acres of land for coal, pulling more than 15 billion tons of the fossil fuel from the earth, according to the state...
Jeannette celebrates the season with parade, craft show
Amanda Skiffington said she’s ready for the holiday season. Skiffington and her 8-year-old son, Levi, were among the crowds that gathered Saturday afternoon in downtown Jeannette for the city’s Sparkle of Christmas celebration with a parade down Clay Avenue and a holiday craft show at the American Legion. “We’re here...
Unity woman, victim of sinkhole tragedy, remembered for dedication to family, concern for neighbors
It wasn’t uncommon for neighbors to see Elizabeth Pollard out and about, walking with her 5-year-old granddaughter, tending to her flower garden and hosting a popular stop for neighborhood children during Halloween trick-or-treating. Family members said Pollard’s pride and joy was helping to raise her granddaughter after tragedy struck the...
Trafford man accused of harassing uncle, pocketing $10K over bogus property investigation
A Trafford man is accused of extorting money from his elderly Murrysville uncle. Joseph Calisti, 40, is accused of defrauding the man of more than $10,000 in purported legal fees in a scheme authorities say involved a bogus claim the uncle’s properties were under investigation by state environmental officials. Investigators...
CNX Resources to acquire Apex, gain 36K acres in Westmoreland County
Natural gas company CNX Resources Corp. will expand into Westmoreland County in a $505 million deal. CNX announced this week it will acquire Pine-based Apex Energy II LLC — a move that will add about 36,000 acres in Westmoreland County to CNX’s scope. It will also earn CNX 8,600 acres...
‘They got it all’: Burglar wipes Penn Township jewelry store of inventory before Thanksgiving
Ron Duvall knew something was wrong the minute he approached the door of his jewelry store in Penn Township last week. Owner of Valmax Jewelers in the township’s Penn Crossing shopping plaza, Duvall pulled the keys to the building from his pocket only to realize the door was already unlocked....
Talked about for 3 decades, new Norvelt fire station to be dedicated
Norvelt firefighters no longer have to fold in the side mirrors of their engines to get the vehicles in and out of their station. They now have four larger truck bays at their disposal in a new station in Mt. Pleasant Township that is more than double the size of...
‘Part of history going down’ as tower at former Fort Pitt Brewery razed in West JeannetteVideo
Colleen Ott stepped into the cold from her West Jeannette home Friday morning to get a good look at history happening on her street. She raised her cellphone to take a picture of an eight-story brick tower at the former Fort Pitt Brewery site being torn to pieces. She’s been...
Penn-Trafford video production class telethon unites community to support Make-A-Wish
It’s crunch time for Penn-Trafford High School’s video production class. The class of 26 students is in the final days of piecing together its 4½-hour broadcast raising money for Make-A-Wish — a nonprofit that grants experiences to children with critical medical conditions. “We’re putting a puzzle together, but we’re missing...
Westmoreland happenings: Suicide prevention training, turkey dinner, more
Christmas event • Level Green Presbyterian Church, 105 Olive Drive, Trafford, will host a free live Nativity Dec. 13 on the church front lawn. Visiting with the animals will be at 6:45 p.m. and the program will begin at 7 p.m. Carol singing will be afterward. Hot chocolate, hot cider,...
Grief, relief felt as Unity woman’s remains recovered from sinkholeVideo
Feelings of defeat and doubt creeping into the minds of first responders were replaced with relief Friday morning after a Unity woman who disappeared into a sinkhole was found about 80 hours after the search for her began. The body of Elizabeth Pollard, 64, was found about 12 feet southwest...
Irwin church gives new life to Westmoreland family court waiting area
A few people had honest words Thursday about the previous state of a waiting room outside family court at the Westmoreland County Courthouse: outdated, dreary, worn and a collection of random things. But thanks to Calvary Church in Irwin, those descriptive words are all positive after a $10,000 renovation project....
Westmoreland’s preservationists receive kudos from historical society
Two organizations and three people were honored recently by the Westmoreland County Historical Society’s 2024 Arthur St. Clair Historic Preservation Awards. The awards are presented annually to people, organizations, businesses or educational institutions that have contributed to the preservation of Westmoreland County’s historic places, documents, records or stories. The awards...
5 things to do this weekend in Westmoreland: Dec. 6-8
Eat, drink and be merry at some great events around the county this weekend. Get away from the cold with delicious treats, fun performances and lots of good cheer. Irwin Christmas cookie tour Businesses throughout downtown Irwin will be spreading a little Christmas magic with the Irwin Christmas cookie tour...
Northern Lights, trains, kayaker among prize-winning images in Go Laurel Highlands contest
Keeping her sights aimed sky-high earned Scottdale resident Christina Stoner two prizes in this year’s Go Laurel Highlands photo contest. Stoner won second place in the contest’s “nature” category with her image of the Northern Lights, captured over Acme Lake. Her photo of a fireworks display lighting the sky above...
Lt. Governor Davis to highlight health insurance deadline during Greensburg stop
Lt. Gov. Austin Davis is scheduled to visit Greensburg on Monday afternoon to remind Pennsylvania residents to sign up for medical coverage through Pennie, the state’s official health insurance marketplace. Davis is slated to make an appearance at Adagio Health with Pennie Executive Director Devon Trolley and Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner...
