Hempfield supervisors are once again considering two budget versions for next year — one that keeps the property tax rate steady at 3 mills for the 36th straight time and another that would double tax bills to create a stream of funds for the fire department. It’s the same proposal...

The proposed acquisition of Independence Health System by the West Virginia University Health System (WVU Medicine) could be a major benefit for the community, local leaders said Wednesday. Officials announced that Independence’s five hospitals — including facilities in Greensburg, Latrobe, Mt. Pleasant, Butler, and Clarion counties — will join the...

Independence Health System — with hospitals in Greensburg, Latrobe and Mt. Pleasant — announced Wednesday that it will join West Virginia University Health System beginning in fall 2026. The agreement includes an $800 million commitment from the WVU system over the next five years to strengthen Independence Health System’s five...

More than $100,000 worth of illegal drug products were seized Wednesday from a Youngwood vape shop when several police agencies served a search warrant there, according to authorities. A man working in the Youngwood Tobacco & Vape store was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, according to...

Fundraisers • St. James Lutheran Church, Youngstown, will have a Festival of Trees 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, at the church, 4329 Route 982. More than 50 decorated trees will be auctioned. There will be food, drinks, a bake sale, free children’s crafts and photos with Santa...

A Norwin School Board member has filed a second federal lawsuit against the district and fellow directors. Alex Detschelt, an attorney representing himself, claims he was retaliated against for exercising his First Amendment rights after the board censured him for sexually descriptive blog posts. Detschelt filed the three-count lawsuit Monday...

Westmoreland County Commissioner Ted Kopas on Tuesday refuted defense claims that the criminal prosecution of the county’s former purchasing director was an effort to cover up actions taken outside of official channels. Kopas, Controller Jeffrey Balzer and county finance director Meghan McCandless testified under defense subpoenas as part of an...

Franklin Regional officials will move ahead to borrow about $10 million in order to renovate their athletic fields, as well as create a multi-purpose field on the school district’s main campus in Murrysville. The school board voted unanimously Monday night to fund the project through a bond issue. It will...

More than 200 races in this month’s municipal election in Westmoreland County ended in ties. The county election board Tuesday issued a precertification of the results of the hundreds of races that appeared on the Nov. 4 ballot after tallying more than 22,000 write-in votes, said Election Bureau Director Scott...

A Jeannette man is now charged in connection with a hit-and-run that killed a man who was riding an e-bike in Hempfield. State police accused William Edward Sever, 37, of being behind the wheel of a borrowed Kia car when it collided with Jayden Lynch, 19, of Jeannette, late on...

Autumn Serembo, a Norwin High School senior, was busy Tuesday afternoon scraping off stickers that would identify books as being from Norwin Public Library, in preparation for the books to be sold at an upcoming book sale. She was one of about six students at the library who are in...

State police had been called to a Derry Township home that was the scene of a fatal shooting Saturday four times in less than a year for domestic-related complaints. None of them resulted in any criminal charges, said Trooper Steve Limani. “It’s not uncommon for us to go to a...

A hunter in Westmoreland County died after falling on Tuesday. A county 911 supervisor said first responders were called to South Huntingdon’s Mendon neighborhood just after 12:30 p.m. Westmoreland County Coroner Tim Carson said Michael Hinerman, 50, was found on his property in a wooded area along McCune Road in...

Latrobe officials plan to hold the line on taxes next year despite an increase in health benefit costs and moves to boost staff and equipment for a shift to in-house garbage hauling. City council voted last week to advertise a proposed 2026 budget with projected revenues of $7.52 million, which...

A Murrysville man was ordered Monday to serve up to four years in prison after he pleaded guilty to possession and dissemination of child pornography. Prosecutors said Kevin M. Hullenbaugh, 32, had a sexual relationship from October 2023 through mid July 2024 with two 16-year-old girls. According to court records...

Westmoreland County’s juvenile detention center has been given a clean bill of health by state inspectors. Inspections conducted this month by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and over the summer by federal auditors found no deficiencies in operations of the Regional Youth Services Center in Hempfield. The facility serves...

State troopers and Latrobe police responding to a domestic violence call on a quiet Derry Township street over the weekend exchanged gunfire with a resident, who was fatally shot, Trooper Steve Limani said Monday. When police were called to James Street on Saturday evening, they were told someone in the...

Murrysville officials voted this month to rezone a 3-acre, privately owned property near Hills Church Road and Carriage Circle after an investigation revealed the land had been incorrectly designated as public for decades. The rezoning brings the parcel in line with its residential surroundings. The effort began in early fall...

Murrysville council will not move ahead with a proposed ordinance establishing a registry for vacant properties. Murrysville Chief Administrator Michael Nestico said a draft copy of the ordinance began circulating in early November, and the municipality received significant feedback about the proposal, which would have established a fee schedule for...