Jeff Himler stories, Page 148
Keystone park vistas inspire award-winning New Alexandria photographerVideo
Keystone State Park hides few sites around its 78-acre lake that Carolyn Anderson hasn’t explored. “I have probably been at every spot you can be at,” said the lifelong resident of nearby New Alexandria. “I’ve been in the bushes, hanging from trees, everything.” Anderson travels to the Derry Township park...
Recycling market driving area surge in garbage rates
Residents in numerous communities across Southwestern Pennsylvania experienced sticker shock this year when they placed their trash and recyclables at the curb to be hauled away. Refuse collection rates in some municipalities have soared anywhere from 20 percent to 60 percent, and industry officials say a key factor in driving...
Lyme, West Nile prevention focus of Hempfield program
A bug as small as the period at the end of a sentence is the cause of a major health concern in Pennsylvania. Tiny blacklegged ticks, and the Lyme disease they can transmit, will be discussed at a Feb. 21 program sponsored by the Westmoreland Woodlands Improvement Association. The 6:30...
Police: Fayette man used altered pistol to kill dog
A Fayette County man is charged with aggravated cruelty to animals after he allegedly shot and killed one of his boxer/pit bull dogs on Thursday . Dylan Wilfong, 26, of North Union Township, used a movie prop pistol that had been converted into a working firearm to shoot the dog...
Shapiro charges 13 in alleged Allegheny-Westmoreland gambling ring
The office of state Attorney General Josh Shapiro has charged 13 people, including residents of Allegheny and Westmoreland counties, with taking part in a gambling ring that involved illegal sports bookmaking and lotteries. Based on a grand jury investigation launched in March 2015 with the Attorney General’s Office and state...
Police write 171 traffic tickets during Indiana County operation
State police issued more than 170 traffic citations during an Operation Yellow Jacket speed enforcement detail Tuesday and Wednesday along Indiana County highways. According to spokesman Trooper First Class Cliff Greenfield, police wrote 171 traffic citations and three citations for motor carrier violations. They also issued 70 written warnings and...
Flood watch issued in Pittsburgh region through Friday morning
The National Weather Service issued a flood watch through 7 a.m. Friday for the region, including Allegheny, Armstrong and Westmoreland counties. With the ground already saturated by recent rain and an additional inch expected by the end of Thursday, flooding is possible on small streams, according to forecasters. Those who...
NASA, NOAA: 2018 fourth warmest year in more than a century
Earth’s global surface temperatures in 2018 were the fourth warmest since 1880, adding to a long-term global warming trend, NASA officials reported Wednesday in a joint release with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The 2018 annual mean temperature for the contiguous 48 United States was the 14th warmest on...
Awareness campaign focuses on preventing scald burns
Scald injuries can be serious enough to require surgery, but they’re also highly preventable — realities that are the focus of Burn Awareness Week, observed annually during the first week of February. “So many scald burns are preventable, such as cooking safely, practicing safe bathing habits, and being vigilant when...
Laurel Highlands 2019 guide has new magazine format
The Laurel Highlands 2019 Destination Guide is being released this week with a new size and a new style. Produced by the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau, this year’s annual tourism publication for Westmoreland, Fayette and Somerset counties has arrived with smaller dimensions than past versions and with a shift in...
Fish imported from Vietnam recalled for lack of inspection
Richwell Group of California is recalling more than 55,000 pounds of sheat fish imported from Vietnam because it wasn’t presented for required re-inspection upon entering the United States. The frozen fish, which has a two-year shelf life, was imported between April and December of last year and was shipped to...
Bogus charity phone calls resurface in Indiana County
State police in Indiana County on Tuesday alerted area residents to a possible phone scam in the form of a bogus charitable solicitation. Police received a tip Tuesday from an Indiana County resident who reported receiving several recent phone calls from someone who claimed to be representing a “state police”...
No. 1 golden retriever, pups will greet visitors at Ligonier wellness center
Visitors to Ligonier Township’s Graceful Aging Wellness Center will get the chance to meet America’s top-ranked golden retriever and some of his younger kennel mates during a Feb. 13 “Puppy Love” event. Daniel, a golden retriever who took best in breed in November at the National Dog Show in Philadelphia,...
New Alexandria church plans Valentine Night
A New Alexandria church is planning a family-friendly Valentine holiday celebration on Feb. 16. All are welcome to attend the Valentines Community Night 6 to 9 p.m. at No Walls Ministries, 214 Church St., New Alexandria. Family fun, games and food will be featured. The church also conducts a homeless...
Land use change proposed to add homes at Unity development
Unity supervisors are expected to vote in February on a land use change that would allow developer Don Paulone to construct 17 dwelling units along Route 30, on an undeveloped portion of the Villas at Grayhawk planned residential community. In 2004, the township approved a plan for commercial use of...
Poetry inspires next Saint Vincent Camerata program
The Saint Vincent Camerata will present “Music Was My Refuge,” a concert of choral settings of American poetry, Feb. 9 in the Saint Vincent Basilica Crypt. The 7:30 p.m. program will feature works inspired by such masters of verse as Emily Dickinson and Dolly Parton. Admission costs $10. For ticket...
Susan B. Anthony’s ‘statesmanship’ topic of Saint Vincent lecture
Abolitionist, suffragist and women’s rights campaigner Susan B. Anthony will be the subject of a lecture Feb. 20 at Saint Vincent College in Unity. Natalie Taylor, an associate professor of political science at Skidmore College, will present “Failure is Impossible: Susan B. Anthony’s Statesmanship” at 7:30 p.m. in the college’s...
Work on New Stanton highway ramps will stretch into 2020
PennDOT is set this month to begin improvements to ramps and lighting at the intersection of Route 119, Toll Route 66 and the New Stanton-Youngwood Road in New Stanton. Expected to start Monday and continue through April 2020, the project will stretch between the Technology Drive exit on Route 119...
State funds OK’d for Route 119 in Youngwood, Latrobe underpasses
An overdue update of the Route 119 corridor in Youngwood and repair of deteriorating sidewalks in Latrobe railroad underpasses were among 50 Pennsylvania projects that got a boost Friday with a combined $44.5 million in funding from the state’s Multimodal Transportation Fund. The $400,000 approved for Youngwood is designated for...
Irwin man boosted Blind Association using sales skills
Lawrence J. Helkowksi won salesman of the year honors three years in a row while working for Peoples Gas. After he retired from a 33-year career with the utility, he put his persuasive skills to work for the Westmoreland County Blind Association, serving as its president and CEO. As a...
Poor weather cited in delayed Ligonier Township bridge reopening
Severe winter weather is being blamed for a delay in reopening a state bridge that has been under construction since April on Route 711 in Ligonier Township. The bridge over Mill Creek was expected to open in January. Project officials are now projecting both lanes of the bridge will be...
Route 119 reconstruction earns industry honors
A project that reconstructed a section of Route 119 in East Huntingdon has gained national recognition, receiving an award for excellence in concrete paving workmanship. Completed during the 2016 and 2017 construction seasons, the PennDOT project updated a 5-mile section of the highway, from the Westec Drive exit to the...
Tyson chicken nuggets recalled, may contain rubber
Tyson Foods is recalling more than 36,400 pounds of chicken nuggets that may be contaminated with rubber. Announced Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, the recall applies to 5-pound plastic packages of Tyson White Meat Panko Chicken Nuggets with a “best if used by”...
Suggestions sought for Allegheny Parks’ mascot nameVideo
Allegheny County Parks is looking for the public’s help to name its new chipmunk mascot. Park patrons got a chance to meet the oversized rodent representative during Saturday’s Boyce Park Snowfest. Visit the county parks Facebook page to submit a name suggestion. The winning name will be announced on Feb....
Excela to preview new Frick family practice office in Mt. Pleasant
Excela Health will hold an open house 11-4 Feb. 13, allowing community members to preview the new, consolidated Excela Square Frick Family Medicine practice in Mt. Pleasant. Slated to open to patients Feb. 18 on the first floor of the Excela Square at Frick building, the practice will bring together...
