Jeff Himler stories, Page 107
Latrobe Council debates remote attendance at meetings beyond pandemic
Latrobe Council members have had the choice of attending their meetings in person or via a remote online connection during the past several months of the coronavirus pandemic. Whether, or how, that policy should continue once the health crisis is over has divided council as it considers a proposed ordinance...
West Nile virus found in Greensburg mosquito
Officials with Pennsylvania’s West Nile virus control program reported the first positive case of the virus this year among mosquitoes sampled in Westmoreland County. The case was identified in a sample taken the second week of September in Greensburg — as the seasonal virus surveillance and testing program was approaching...
Latrobe considers delaying due date for storm water bill
Latrobe residents should expect to see their first bills for the city’s new storm water management fee next year, but city officials are considering an extended due date for payment. At its October meeting, city council will consider amending its storm water code ordinance to move the billing date to...
Pandemic delays revamp of Pennsylvania’s unemployment benefits claim system
Pennsylvania’s unemployed eventually will submit compensation claims on a weekly basis instead of every other week. But that planned shift, and arrival of online dashboard access to unemployment compensation account information, are on hold while the state Department of Labor & Industry catches up with a backlog of pandemic-related claims...
Greensburg police Det. John Swank dead at 51
Detective Sgt. John F. Swank Jr. often dealt with grim circumstances during his 19 years with the Greensburg Police Department. Yet, the 51-year-old Greensburg man, who died Saturday in the emergency room of Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital, will be remembered for his upbeat personality. “As good of a cop as...
Collision sends 3 to hospital, ties up eastbound traffic on Route 22 in Salem
A couple who had to be cut from their overturned Honda crossover vehicle and a male motorist in a van were taken to a local hospital after being involved in a collision Sunday morning on Route 22 in Salem. The crash was reported just before 10:30 a.m., at the intersection...
National Guard begins helping with covid-19 testing at Westmoreland Manor
Six National Guard members arrived Sunday morning at Westmoreland Manor and began assisting with testing for covid-19 infections at the nursing home. They are expected to remain at the home at least until Tuesday. The Guard members responded to a request for help Thursday by county officials, following a spike...
Irwin theater to host Sunday church service
The stage at Irwin’s Lamp Theatre, silent during the past months of covid-19 pandemic restrictions, will awaken with a sermon and songs Sunday morning. Grace Collective, a newly formed independent church, has rented the theater for its second large gathering of members, in a service set to begin at 10...
Police: Man fatally shot by girlfriend during hours-long domestic altercation in Turtle Creek
A 24-year-old man was fatally shot by his girlfriend after he reportedly assaulted her for hours early Saturday in Turtle Creek, according to Allegheny County Police. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the slain man as Nigel Broadus but did not list his home address. The county’s homicide unit...
Greater Latrobe reports 3 students with coronavirus; full-time return to classrooms still on
Three students at Greater Latrobe School District tested positive for coronavirus and another is presumed positive, according to Superintendent Georgia Teppert. Teppert reported on the cases in a Wednesday letter to parents posted on the district website. Teppert told the Tribune-Review she could not provide any details about the students....
GetGo celebrates store opening near Jeannette, presents grants to 2 school districtsVideo
Nearly all of the 45 available parking spaces were full Wednesday afternoon as GetGo celebrated the grand opening of its 266th location along Route 30 in Hempfield. Located at the intersection of Lewis Avenue, near the border of Jeannette, the 6,000-square-foot cafe and market employs 35. Offering made-to-order food, as...
Arguments on Unity backyard chicken violation to resume in October
It will be more than a month before a Unity couple complete their quest for a township zoning variance allowing them to continue raising chickens in their backyard. Jeff and Kristin Kuhns’ Tuesday evening appearance before the township zoning hearing board ended abruptly, after two hours of testimony, when township...
Cops: Search in Banksville Park called off as abduction reports prove false
Authorities called off a search in Pittsburgh’s Banksville neighborhood early Wednesday morning after determining that a witness’s report of a child abduction was incorrect, according to the city Department of Public Safety. Police say a girl who was at Banksville Park with her family said she saw a man take...
Latrobe Elks grows membership while downsizing lodge building
The Latrobe Elks has grown its membership over the past two years — at a time when it is building a new, more compact lodge. Located just outside Latrobe in Derry Township, the local chapter of the fraternal and charitable organization put an emphasis on attracting new members with young...
Arnold Palmer Regional Airport runway on track for reopening Friday
Crews are wrapping up work this week on widening the runway at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport. Meanwhile, construction has begun on an addition to the airport terminal. “We’re right on track,” for scheduled reopening of the improved runway on Friday, according to Gabe Monzo, executive director of the Westmoreland County...
Public to get October tour of updated Ligonier Heritage United Methodist community building
Several organizations that use the community building at Ligonier’s Heritage United Methodist Church have returned since the two-story structure received a $1.4 million update over the summer. In October, the public will get to see the revamped 1961 building. To avoid large gatherings during the covid-19 pandemic, the formal dedication...
2 killed in 1-vehicle crash in Forward Township; driver identified
Two people were killed in a one-vehicle crash Friday evening in Forward Township. The driver, Christopher Suss, 37, of Elizabeth, was found dead at the scene by first responders, according to Allegheny County Police. The cause of his death was blunt force injuries to the head, trunk and extremities, the...
Greensburg’s Backyard Games give kids needed exercise, interactionVideo
Ten-year-old Benjamin Brown didn’t like being picked for the same team as his 6-year-old brother, Drew. But there were more than a dozen other area kids for the Greensburg boy to play with in a game of Capture The Flag on Friday evening at Greensburg’s Lynch Field. The city’s recreation...
Greater Latrobe eyes HVAC ionization devices to combat covid-19 virus
Greater Latrobe School District is considering investing in a technology that would use building ventilation systems to curb the coronavirus. Proposed installation of Needlepoint Bipolar Ionization devices would cost about $450,000, according to Kurt Thomas, the district’s director of facilities, operations and planning. He said about 150 devices would be...
Unity Township Municipal Authority to begin office security upgrade
Work is set to begin next week on security improvements at the Unity Township Municipal Authority office near Pleasant Unity. Marmat Inc. was awarded the project contract, at a cost of $96,545, and is expected to start by adding an emergency exit at the rear of the building. According to...
Western Pa. nonprofit turns to public for diaper donations during pandemicVideo
Anna Joyner is hoping to collect 5,000 diapers by next week, and she got at least halfway to her goal on Thursday. The Greensburg resident is the outreach coordinator in Westmoreland and Fayette counties for the Western Pennsylvania Diaper Bank, an organization started eight years ago to help get diapers...
Greater Latrobe encourages kids to take advantage of free school meals
Children in the Greater Latrobe School District students can get two free meals a day through a U.S. Department of Agriculture program. Greater Latrobe joined other area school districts that are taking advantage of the meal program. Picking up where a similar effort ended in June, the pandemic-prompted program provides...
Latrobe zoning review moves forward, creek erosion project on hold
Latrobe is moving ahead with a comprehensive review of the city’s zoning ordinance but will have to wait until next year to repair erosion along Loyalhanna Creek. City council this week finalized an agreement with Scenic Pittsburgh to serve as a consultant in the zoning review, at no cost to...
Greater Latrobe eyes late September return to classroom for high school studentsVideo
Students at Greater Latrobe Junior High and Senior High School will have the option of returning to in-person classes five days per week beginning Sept. 28. The school board this week voted 6-2 to switch to that educational plan, from a hybrid combination of in-person and online instruction that has...
Homes Build Hope scales back Latrobe housing project to fit available funding
A local nonprofit is keeping alive its plan for new affordable housing in Latrobe by scaling back the size of the project and pursuing a new source of funding. City Council this week approved a revised land development plan submitted by Homes Build Hope for a proposed nine-unit housing development...
