Jeff Himler stories, Page 129
Indiana County woman dies in Derry Township wreck
A one-car wreck Monday afternoon in Derry Township claimed the life of the driver, an Indiana County woman. Cleo E. Free, 76, of Burrell Township, was pronounced dead at about 2 p.m. in the emergency department of Excela Latrobe Hospital, according to Westmoreland County Coroner Kenneth Bacha. He attributed the...
Property rights of way topic for Westmoreland Woodlands group
Owners of area wooded lots will have a chance to brush up on their properties’ rights of way during a dinner and program set for Thursday in Hempfield. Sponsored by the Westmoreland Woodlands Improvement Association, the program will be held in the Westmoreland Conservation District headquarters, in the barn behind...
Friday festivities kick off Fort Ligonier Days’ diamond anniversaryVideo
Visitors to Friday’s opening of the 60th annual Fort Ligonier Days celebration in downtown Ligonier were greeted by 18th century reenactors, live music, an array of festival fare and crafters from 15 states. The event, which continues through Sunday, marks the anniversary of a 1758 battle that saw the British...
Parenting expert Dr. G offers Latrobe audience advice on raising kids in age of technologyVideo
Dr. Deborah Gilboa admits some of the parenting advice she offers elicits raised eyebrows — especially her warning against routinely tracking children with a phone app. Popularly known as Dr. G on her website and on daytime talk shows, the Squirrel Hill family physician, mother of four sons and parenting...
Missing Rostraver woman found dead along trail
A Rostraver woman who was reported missing Tuesday was found dead Thursday morning. The body of Dina Kotlar, 48, was found about 8 a.m. in a wooded area along a trail, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office. Kotlar’s death was a suicide, Allegheny County Police Lt. Andrew Schurman...
Unity supervisors approve plan for GetGo store along Route 30
Giant Eagle’s proposal for relocating and expanding its GetGo store in Unity moved a step forward Thursday as the township supervisors gave final approval of a site plan for the convenience store and gas station. Pat Avolio, director of development for Giant Eagle, said the supermarket chain wants to construct...
Latrobe seeks new city manager, public works head as Michael Gray resigns
Latrobe is seeking applicants for two positions — city manager and public works director — as the man who holds both titles has tendered his resignation. Michael Gray said he submitted his resignation Monday for personal reasons. City council is expected to act on the resignation Tuesday , with Gray’s...
Greater Latrobe eyes $1M gym roof replacement
Greater Latrobe School Board on Tuesday will consider spending a little more than $1 million to replace the roof on the senior high school’s upper gym wing. The board also is expected to vote on replacement of the sound system in the school’s gym and swimming pool and on expansion...
Greater Latrobe faces 2.7-mill tax-hike cap for 2020-21
Greater Latrobe School Board in December is expected to decide whether it intends to keep any potential tax increase for the 2020-21 school year within a 2.71-mill cap set by the state. District Business Administrator Dan Watson told the board Tuesday that Greater Latrobe will be limited to a 3.3%...
Uniontown police eye charges against student in high school shooting threat
Uniontown City Police report charges are pending against a student at Uniontown Area High School, stemming from a shooting threat posted on social media. Police said they were notified Tuesday about the threatened shooting at the high school, which was reported by multiple students and parents. The juvenile student was...
Reduced police shifts approved to cut costs at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport
Westmoreland County Park Police will roughly cut in half the hours they spend at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in a move that is expected to increase efficiency and save money. The police have officers assigned to the Unity airport for two 8-hour shifts per day, providing an extra layer of...
Westmoreland airport authority picks New York engineers
The Westmoreland County Airport Authority has set its sights beyond the region to select a new engineering consultant. The authority this week approved a five-year, non-exclusive agreement with McFarland Johnson, a Binghamton, N.Y.-based engineering firm that has a history of working on airport projects. “They are very much involved with...
Indiana County event explores Hoodlebug Trail, craft libations
Visitors to Indiana County can explore the Hoodlebug Trail Saturday as part of a tasting tour of three local businesses along the trail that create craft beers and spirits. The fourth annual Spirits Along the Hoodlebug event begins at noon at Noble Stein Brewing Company, 1170 Wayne Ave., Indiana, and...
Faith Forward open house to feature judge candidate, talk on opioid epidemic
Latrobe nonprofit Faith Forward Ministries will hold an open house Thursday at its Mozart Hall headquarters. The free event, set for 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at 338 Main St., will offer the public an opportunity to learn about the organization’s services and plans while also meeting Hempfield attorney Michael...
Mt. Pleasant Township woman, 102, joined the first WAVES of Navy veteransVideo
Melva Simon met some initial resistance from her parents, John and Sadie Dolan, when she decided to sign up for military service. “My mother wasn’t too anxious for me to go,” she said. But, at age 25, “she couldn’t keep me at home forever.” Simon was quick to join the...
Author, veteran to discuss ‘Women in the Marines’ at Westmoreland libraries
Retired Marine Corps Col. Nancy Anderson will discuss her recently published book, “The Very Few, The Proud: Women in the Marines,” during programs at several Westmoreland County libraries. Anderson, who earlier this year served as interim CEO of the Westmoreland Cultural Trust, will speak at 6 p.m. Thursday in The...
Latrobe-area writer focuses on Fred Rogers’ kindness, hometown impactVideo
Beloved children’s television host Fred Rogers achieved his greatest effect on others by being “defiantly kind,” Latrobe-area writer Chris Rodell asserts. Rodell offers an example — a 1995 encounter with Latrobe native Rogers that lifted the spirits of a younger man — in his new book released this month, “Growing...
Smile erased borders for Manor woman with transatlantic ties
Pat Farrell had a British accent, dual British and American citizenship and a universal appeal. Her husband, George “Sonny” Farrell, was attracted by the smile she maintained through most of her life. During their golden years, that smile opened the door for the Farrells to make friends while regularly visiting...
Ligonier Valley students help plant arboretum at Forbes State Forest officeVideo
Students from Ligonier Valley Middle School got in some field work this past week — literally. The 25 students enrolled in horticulture and marketing classes in grades 6-8 helped plant several trees that will transform a Laughlintown field just west of the Forbes State Forest district office into a showcase...
PennDOT to display plans for Route 906 reconstruction in Rostraver, Monessen
PennDOT this month will unveil its plan for reconstructing a large section of Route 906 paralleling the Monongahela River in Monessen. A display of plans for the project is set for 4:30 to 6 p.m. Oct. 15 in the Monessen City Hall, 557 Donner Ave. The meeting will begin with...
Coroner called to scene of shooting in West DerryVideo
Westmoreland County Coroner Kenneth Bacha confirmed his office was called to the scene of a shooting Thursday night in the West Derry section of Derry Township. A Westmoreland County 911 dispatcher said state police were called to an incident on West Fourth Avenue (Route 217) just before 8 p.m. Additional...
Westmoreland woman’s suit links Juul use to seizures
A Westmoreland County woman is suing the makers of Juul electronic cigarettes, claiming she suffered two seizures and impairment after using the device earlier this year. The complaint, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh, states that Kimberly Mays, a mother of two, suffered “catastrophic personal injuries” and is...
Indiana to welcome Vietnam memorial replica
“The Wall That Heals,” a three-quarter-sized replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., will be displayed next week in Indiana County. Located on the outskirts of Indiana at Mack Park, site of the Indiana County Fair, the display will be open to the public around the clock from...
Saint Vincent Homecoming alumni honorees include Westmoreland pair
Two residents of Westmoreland County are among 11 Saint Vincent College alumni who will be honored Friday during the Unity college’s Homecoming and Fall Family Weekend. Jason Winters, who resides in Hempfield and serves as that township’s manager, will receive Saint Vincent’s Recent Alumnus Achievement Award during a 7 p.m....
Unity GetGo site plan gets township OK, Sheetz proposal on hold
Unity Township’s planning commission approved a final site plan for a proposed GetGo convenience store at Route 30 and Giffin Drive. But the board this week put a hold on plans for a new Sheetz store a short distance to the east, after the township’s planning staff and solicitor said...
