Jeff Himler stories, Page 16

Westmoreland County Community College has turned to one of its existing administrators to serve as interim president while the board of trustees continues to search for a successor for the college’s departing president, Tuesday Stanley. Kristy Bishop, who has served as vice president of academic affairs during her nine years...

Long years of dedicated service are nothing new in the 125-year history of the Mt. Pleasant Volunteer Fire Department. Take, for example, fire Chief Paul Harenchar, who has been a member of the firefighting organization for 41 years, or Bill Hare and Dave Bert — each with three decades or...

Sheetz is planning an update and reconstruction next year of its convenience store at Route 982 and Ligonier Street in Latrobe. The city’s planning commission is expected to review plans for the project at its July 1 meeting, but council members got an early look during their session this week....

The seven volunteer departments in the Unity Township Fire Bureau are investing in their personnel to ensure they have crews available to respond to emergencies. Beginning July 1, the departments are launching a duty crew program for a six-month trial. Their aim each weekday is to have one fire truck...

Penn State Extension’s Westmoreland County contingent of Master Gardeners is planting more than just flower and vegetable seeds. For many years, the group also has instilled in local schoolchildren awareness to steer clear of pesticides and other poisonous household products. It’s an effort that now has earned them plaudits from...

A firefighting father and son duo came to the rescue Friday morning when fire broke out at the home of a next-door neighbor in Derry Township. New Alexandria fire Chief Andrew Kolano credited the quick action of his department’s safety officer, Watson Smith Jr., and the officer’s son, fire Sgt....

University of Pittsburgh police have charged two men with June 3 violations stemming from a pro-Palestinian protest at the university campus in Oakland. Police said in a criminal complaint that Muhammad Ali, 21, of Pittsburgh joined with others in attacking a security barrier. According to the complaint, he allegedly struggled...

Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, June 21, 2024. Pittsburgh man charged in string of burglaries A Pittsburgh man has been charged with multiple burglaries in Allegheny County, including at laundromats in Crafton and Scott. Shawn Jackson, 37, was caught on surveillance video during...

A Uniontown man is charged with attempted homicide and aggravated assault in a June 11 shooting in the city that injured two men. State police allege Santana Jones, 21, is one of two men who opened fire on two other men at about 3:30 p.m. outside a home on Varndell...

Power outages are gradually decreasing in the wake of this week’s powerful storms that toppled trees and downed electric lines. As of 11 a.m. Thursday, Duquesne Light had about 750 customers still waiting to have power restored. That compares to about 4,600 customers affected by outages Wednesday afternoon and 85,000...

A McCandless man is charged with shooting at least 10 rounds of bullets into a neighbor’s home Wednesday afternoon. McCandless police responded to the 8000 block of Ringeisen Road at about 3:30 p.m. for reports of shots heard and a woman reported a neighbor was firing bullets into her house....

A Johnstown woman has been sentenced to life in prison for the 2022 murder of a man in Indiana County. Taylyn Edwards, 20, pleaded guilty but mentally ill to a charge of first-degree murder in the death of Hayden Robert Garreffa, 19, of Ebensburg. As part of the mandatory life...

More than 9,000 area utility customers remained without power Wednesday morning, as crews continued to repair damage from storms that swept through the region Monday evening. Duquesne Light estimated that all its affected customers could have power restored by 1 p.m. on Sunday, with many expected to be restored sooner....

Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, June 19, 2024. Wilkinsburg shooting sends 1 to hospital A man was taken to an area hospital Tuesday evening in critical condition following a shooting in Wilkinsburg. Officials didn’t release the name of the 34-year-old man, who was...

Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Tuesday, June 18, 2024. 1 flown from Washington Township crash One person was injured in a crash involving a tri-axle truck and a sedan Tuesday morning in Washington Township. According to township police, an occupant in the sedan was...

A growing veterinary practice is looking to expand into a larger space on Unity’s Monastery Drive. Meanwhile, subdivision of property near the Mountain Laurel Plaza could provide a home for an updated, relocated Burger King restaurant on Route 30. Unity supervisors at their June meeting approved a final site plan...

Pittsburgh’s housing market is the most affordable in the United States, according to a study by a university in California. However, the report’s authors say, the ‘Burgh still falls just short of true affordability. Issued by the Center for Demographics and Policy at Chapman University and the Frontier Centre for...

Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Monday, June 17, 2024. Fire damages building at Champion Lakes Golf Course Champion Lakes Golf Course was expected to be open for business Monday after firefighters doused a blaze Sunday evening in a building at the Fairfield Township course....

Motorists will encounter detours in Salem and St. Clair townships beginning Monday because of road and bridge projects. Traffic restrictions are slated the same week in PennDOT work zones on Interstate 70 and Route 981. • In Salem, Athena Drive is expected to be closed through late July between Lauffer...

Is it feasible to reopen Ligonier Beach as a swimming pool? Ligonier Township officials may know before Mackin Engineers & Consultants finishes a master plan for the former resort. The Pittsburgh-based consultant indicated it should be able to advise the township before the plan is done whether it’s feasible to...

Bigfoot could be the next big thing in Derry. The town annually has celebrated its historic association with Pennsylvania Railroad trains and engine houses. But what about the looming presence of Bigfoot? Council members this week floated the idea of creating an installation that could draw visitors interested in the...

Derry Borough resident Rich Eikenburg enlisted in the Army National Guard last year and now has added a civilian service stint to his plate. Borough council this week voted 4-1 to appoint Eikenburg to join the seven-member panel, filling a vacancy resulting from the recent death of council President Al...

A two-car crash Wednesday morning in Indiana County killed one motorist and injured two others. State police said a woman who was driving a Volkswagen sedan was pronounced dead at the scene near Shelocta by Indiana County Coroner Jerry Overman. She was identified as Erma Karen Devivo, 80, of Armstrong...

Westbound traffic on the Pennsylvania Turnpike was backed up for about a mile near the Donegal exit Tuesday night after a tractor-trailer lost its load. The resulting debris apparently hit another vehicle, according to turnpike spokesman Crispin Havener. No injuries were reported, a Westmoreland County 911 dispatcher indicated. The traffic...

Police are investigating two shootings Tuesday afternoon in Uniontown that left one man dead and injured two other people. Fayette County Coroner Dr. Bob Baker ruled the death of Joshua Stevens, 33, of Uniontown a homicide, resulting from gunshot wounds. Baker said Stevens was pronounced at WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital....