Jeff Himler stories, Page 25
Latrobe to honor veterans with concert at close of 4th celebration
Latrobe’s celebration of the nation’s birth will come to a close Friday with an appreciation of the men and women who have devoted themselves to protecting their country. The community’s two-day observance of the patriotic holiday will have a fitting finale, with a Warriors Rock concert honoring and benefiting military...
Damage to Westmoreland covered bridge minor; oversized trucks cause for concernVideo
Westmoreland County crews promptly repaired cosmetic damage caused this week when a flatbed trailer struck the entrance of the Bells Mills Bridge in South Huntingdon. Still, concerns remain about the ongoing problem of oversized vehicles squeezing through and damaging the historic wooden covered bridge, the last such span in the...
Mt. Pleasant borough manager gets 27% pay raise; council fires part-time cop
Mt. Pleasant Borough Manager Sharon Lesko’s duties have expanded once again, following her promotion from assistant borough manager shortly after the May 4, 2023, death of Jeff Landy. Her salary’s growing, too, after council this week approved a contract that gives her a 27% pay raise, from $55,000 to $70,000...
New Florence mosquito tests positive for virus similar to West Nile
A mosquito sample taken in New Florence has tested positive for a rare disease that first cropped up in Colorado in 1961 and has been known to cause severe conditions including infection of the brain and spinal cord. There haven’t been any reported cases of the Jamestown Canyon virus being...
When George Washington was a general, what was his tent like? Find out at Fort Ligonier
A traveling replica of George Washington’s headquarters and sleeping tent will be featured at Fort Ligonier fort Friday through Sunday. The large linen tent is filled with reproductions of period artifacts and equipment. Presented by Philadelphia’s Museum of the American Revolution, the exhibit includes costumed interpreters who will assemble a...
Mt. Pleasant Area School Board OKs 1-mill property tax hike, $38.1M budget
Mt. Pleasant Area School District property owners will see 1 mill added to their tax bills to help support the district’s 2024-25 budget of more than $38.1 million. That final spending plan approved Wednesday, June 26, represents a decrease from the $38.8 million tentative budget total proposed in May, when...
Sunday market at Greensburg center features plants, gifts
Old Salem Farmers Market is held Sundays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. through Oct. 20 in the rear parking lot at the Greensburg Garden & Civic Center, 951 Old Salem Road, Greensburg. The season for this new market began on June 9. Visitors could browse among 10 vendors during the...
Fire at McCandless apartment building displaces 11 families
A fire at a McCandless apartment building displaced 11 families Saturday night. Two residents were evaluated at the scene for smoke inhalation but weren’t transported for treatment, according to Matthew Williams, chief of the Peebles District Volunteer Fire Company. Peebles firefighters were among the first responders called at about 9:45...
Driver hurt as tractor-trailer plunges from I-279 in Ohio Township
The driver of a tractor-trailer was hurt early Sunday when his rig plunged from Interstate 279 onto Mt. Nebo Road below in Allegheny County. The crash was reported as a tractor-trailer rollover at about 3:30 a.m. in Ohio Township, according to state police. The driver, whom authorities didn’t name, was...
Equestrian therapy students display skills at Westmoreland Fairgrounds show
Saddling up has given Matthew Mitchell a new approach for tackling some of his personal challenges. The newly minted Southmoreland High School graduate claimed a prize on Saturday for the way he handled therapy horse Sid during the second annual horse show organized by Penn Township nonprofit, Making Strides. Mitchell,...
1 killed, 1 injured in 2-car crash in Ligonier Township
A South Huntingdon woman was killed and another motorist was injured when their cars collided Saturday morning on Route 30 in Ligonier Township. Wilma H. Bradish, 81, was taken from the scene to Independence Health Latrobe Hospital, where she was pronounced dead by an emergency room physician, according to Westmoreland...
Elvis’ blue suede shoes auctioned for $152K
Elvis Presley didn’t just sing about “Blue Suede Shoes,” he wore a pair during some of his 1950s appearances. On Friday, the footwear changed hands in a British auction, selling for nearly $152,000. The shoes were sold by auctioneers Henry Aldridge & Son in Wiltshire for £120,000 including fees, according...
Fayette coroner identifies man whose body was pulled from Monongahela River
Officials have released the identity of a man whose body was pulled from the Monongahela River on Thursday in Fayette County. Fayette County Coroner Dr. Bob Baker said Larry Greene, 50, of Bobtown was reported as a potential drowning victim when his office was called to the scene in Point...
Unity residents speak out against proposed solar farm; zoning hearing to continue
A Unity supervisor and several other residents voiced concerns this week about a proposed solar farm’s potential negative impact on local property values, quality of life, and health and safety in the township. Ninemile Run Solar Master Tenant LLC and parent company GreenKey Solar are seeking a special exemption from...
Westmoreland Community College names interim president, vice president of academic affairs
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...
Mt. Pleasant Volunteer Fire Department spotlights 1915 engine as it marks 125 years of service
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...
City planning commission to review plans for Latrobe Sheetz store update
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....
Unity firefighters set 6-month trial for paid daytime crews
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...
Poison, deer prevention projects earn kudos for local Master Gardeners
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...
New Alexandria firefighters spring into action to contain fire at neighbor’s home
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....
2 men charged in clashes with Pitt police during pro-Palestinian protest
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...
Morning Roundup: Pittsburgh man charged in string of burglaries
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...
Suspect charged with attempted homicide in Uniontown shooting that injured 2
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...
Remaining power outages drop as region’s heat wave continues
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...
McCandless man charged with firing shots into neighbor’s house
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....
