Jeff Himler stories, Page 116
Arnold Palmer airport eyes return of direct flights to, from Orlando
Positive customer response to restored air service between Orlando, Fla., and Arnold Palmer Regional Airport, by way of Pittsburgh International, is expected to bring direct round-trip flights back next month from Westmoreland County to Florida. Spirit Airlines launched a circular Orlando-Pittsburgh-Unity route on May 3 — nearly a month after...
Business rally for loosening covid-19 restrictions set for Saturday in UnityVideo
A small-business rally is planned Saturday in Westmoreland County to urge less stringent restrictions from Gov. Tom Wolf’s plan to phase in segments of the state’s economy curtailed during the coronavirus pandemic. About 60 small-business owners and supporters braved unseasonably cold temperatures Monday night outside Sharky’s Cafe on Route 30...
Giant Eagle presents recipes, videos from 4 celebrity chefs
Giant Eagle has teamed with four culinary celebrities to offer free online recipe demonstrations. Supermarket officials said the demonstrations are meant to help area residents prepare budget-conscious meals while staying at home during the coronavirus pandemic. The cooking series includes: • Buddy Valastro, host of “Cake Boss,” leading a “Kids’...
Latrobe awards contract for long-awaited Mary Street paving
Plum-based Tresco Paving is slated to resurface deteriorating Mary Street and some intersecting streets and alleys in Latrobe this summer in a project that was delayed for several years while city officials awaited funding. Council on Monday approved Tresco’s low bid of $156,976. City manager Michael Gray said the project...
Blaze destroys garage, equipment at Murrysville home
Flames destroyed a garage and equipment stored inside Friday afternoon in Murrysville. No one was injured in the blaze reported after 4:30 p.m. at a home in the 4000 block of Bulltown Road. Sardis Fire Chief Cody Paiano said an adjacent outbuilding sustained some exterior charring but no interior fire...
Flags headed to Westmoreland County veterans’ graves, with help of local groups
Seven pallets of graveside flags were distributed Friday at the Westmoreland County Courthouse in Greensburg to veterans groups, which are to place them in area cemeteries in time for Memorial Day, according to county Veterans Affairs Director Matt Zamosky. Members of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association and the Westmoreland County...
Reopened campgrounds see rush of guests while observing social distancingVideo
Families anxious to get away from it all after weeks under Pennsylvania’s stay-at-home orders have flocked to the area’s privately owned campgrounds. Still, they haven’t escaped from social-distancing guidelines in force as a precaution against the spread of the coronavirus. While camping facilities at state parks aren’t set to open...
Open-business rally proposed in Unity to urge easing of covid-19 restrictions
Local restaurant and small business owners anxious to see covid-19 restrictions eased in order to welcome back patrons plan to rally this month along Route 30 in Westmoreland County. Jamie Huemme, co-owner of Sharky’s Cafe in Unity, and township Supervisor Mike O’Barto are organizing the rally. They plan to hold...
GetGo donates Girl Scout cookies to educators during Teacher Appreciation Week
Giant Eagle’s GetGo Cafe and Market convenience chain is celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week by giving teachers in the Pittsburgh region a cookie break. GetGo has purchased $25,000 worth of Tagalongs, Samoas, Thin Mints and other Girl Scout cookies for the doubly sweet gesture. Store officials noted the covid-19 pandemic has...
Deadline near to sign up for free Penn State Extension online courses
Mother’s Day is the final day to register for more than 50 online courses Penn State Extension is offering to the public at no cost, to help families and businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. Topics of the courses, which normally require a fee, include healthy meals, food safety, gardening tips,...
Derry Area High School plant sale offers curbside option
Plants from the Derry Area School District greenhouse will be sold to the public weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Friday through May 22. As part of covid-19 precautions, a maximum of four adults will be permitted in the greenhouse at a given time and are required to wear...
Drive-thru plant sale culmination of student projects at Ligonier Valley greenhouseVideo
Plants grown by Ligonier Valley students soon will be taking root in home gardens in the area — and raising money for educational programs at the school district and at the Loyalhanna Watershed Association. The inaugural sale of herbs and flowering and vegetable plants, started from seed early this year...
Mister Rogers, sea life inspire Greater Latrobe entries in Vans shoe design contest
Shoes re-imagined as sea creatures and as iconic images from “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” could reap rewards for the Greater Latrobe Senior High art program. Greater Latrobe is among 25 high schools across the country vying for prizes of up to $50,000 in the annual Custom Culture Contest sponsored by Vans,...
Fallingwater to offer virtual summer camps, online concert
Fallingwater is closed to the public at least through May 15, as part of precautions against spread of the coronavirus. But the Frank Lloyd Wright architectural gem in Fayette County, and the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy that operates the famous rural residence, are offering several online programs. Virtual summer camps for...
Spirit relaunches flight to Orlando with Pittsburgh, Unity stops
Spirit Airlines is starting once more to fill seats with passengers headed from Westmoreland County to Orlando, Fla., as it resumes service this week at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport. Spirit suspended service at the Unity airport for nearly a month, amid travel trends depressed by the coronavirus pandemic. Now, the...
Latrobe police to collect unwanted medications
Area residents who want to safely dispose of unwanted medications may bring them to a Drug Take-Back collection Thursday morning at the Latrobe City municipal building. Latrobe police will oversee the event from 9 to 11 a.m. at a table near the building’s front entrance, at 901 Jefferson St. Medications...
Cinco de Mayo meal deals, virtual 5K offered
Since large social gatherings remain off-limits in Southwestern Pennsylvania, area residents who want to celebrate Cinco de Mayo Tuesday with Mexican cuisine will have to make do with DIY or take-out. For the latter, Chipotle Mexican Grill is offering free Queso Blanco when added to an entree order on Tuesday....
West Newton volunteers prepare 100-plus meals for essential workers, residents in needVideo
From homemade meatball subs to stuffed chicken breast dinners, local first responders and others hard-pressed by the covid-19 pandemic were able to recharge Friday with free meals prepared by volunteers at the West Newton Lions Club. Begun about a month ago, the program has grown from providing meals for eight...
Mt. Pleasant Township church offers free drive-through meal distribution
A drive-through distribution of free spaghetti meals is slated for Saturday at St. John’s Union Church in Mt. Pleasant Township. The event for local residents in need will begin at 11 a.m. and will last until about 100 meals have been served. The recommended limit is two meals per each...
May brings broader return of PennDOT road work under eased covid-19 restrictions
PennDOT crews and contractors will ramp up work on area road and bridge projects in May, under state guidelines for phasing in construction work during the covid-19 pandemic. Among the first projects expected to proceed in Westmoreland County are work on a truck-climbing lane on Route 356 in Allegheny Township,...
Covid-19 concerns cancel Jimmy Stewart Airshow in Indiana County
Indiana County officials have canceled the Jimmy Stewart Airshow, planned for June 6 and 7, because of coronavirus concerns. The cancellation notice, posted late this week on the Indiana County Jimmy Stewart Airport website, indicates the show organizers “take the health and safety of our staff, volunteers, performers, vendors and...
Pandemic-fueled rush on meat keeps Western Pa. markets working harder to satisfy demand
Area meat markets say demand for their products is skyrocketing as customers look to stock their freezers during the covid-19 pandemic. How long that boom will last could depend on whether predictions of widespread meat shortages come true. Because of health-related constraints on social gatherings, Marylou Miller is resigned to...
McKeesport man accused of sex assault, drug possession at Kennedy Twp. hotel
Allegheny County sheriff’s deputies arrested a McKeesport man Wednesday on allegations of possessing drugs and sexually assaulting a female employee at the Hilltop Inn in Kennedy Township. Maurice Ebore, 39, was taken to the Allegheny County Jail in Pittsburgh to await arraignment. According to the sheriff’s office, deputies were at...
Pittsburgh crash critically injures bicyclist; responding medic suffers attack
A bicyclist was critically injured after crashing into a tree and falling down a Pittsburgh hillside, city police said. The crash happened at about 6 p.m. in Nine Mile Run Hollow, near the 1200 block of Commercial Street. Park rangers, firefighters and medics assisted in rescuing the male cyclist, who...
Allegheny Township extends property tax deadlines amid covid-19 crisis
Allegheny Township property owners will have longer to pay this year’s local real estate tax without a penalty. Following suit with extensions granted by the Westmoreland County Commissioners, the township supervisors this week pushed back the deadline for paying the township property tax in full, without incurring a late penalty,...
