Jeff Himler stories, Page 113
Pandemic, water conditions prompt organizers to cancel 2020 Loyalhanna Sojourn
Organizers canceled this year’s Loyalhanna Sojourn, an annual paddling trip down the creek from Latrobe to New Alexandria. It was scheduled for Saturday. The event had been postponed because of the covid-19 pandemic. The cancellation was prompted in part by challenges related to the pandemic — including plans for shuttling...
Officials log complaints about owners violating no-dog rule in Latrobe park
Keeping dogs out of Latrobe’s Legion Keener Park is no walk in the park. City officials say they hope to improve awareness of a rule against taking canine companions to the recreational site. During the covid-19 pandemic, more people have been walking their dogs along trails at the park, which...
Latrobe swimming pool to open with mask, social distancing requirements
Latrobe’s Rogers McFeely Memorial Pool will open for public swimming at noon Friday. The opening was delayed for several weeks because of the covid-19 pandemic. Patrons are being asked to observe social distancing and to wear face coverings in certain areas to help prevent spread of the covid-19 virus. “People...
Pennsylvania reports 42 new covid-19 deaths, 418 new cases
The Pennsylvania Department of Health on Thursday reported 42 new covid-19 deaths and 418 new cases in the state, bringing the total case count to 80,236 and 6,361 deaths. The state considers 630 patients as probable cases but not confirmed. More than half of coronavirus cases in the state are...
Westmoreland County has 4 new covid-19 cases, no new deaths
The Pennsylvania Department of Health on Thursday reported four new covid-19 cases and no additional deaths in Westmoreland County. The countywide case total is now 502, with 38 deaths, according to the department. There have been no reported coronavirus deaths in the county since May 18. More than 13,400 county...
Southwest Greensburg bridge project will affect Route 119 traffic, business access
Replacement of a bridge on Route 119 will cause lane restrictions and will affect access to several businesses beginning Tuesday in Southwest Greensburg. The lane restrictions will affect Route 119 traffic from Cribbs Street south to Huff Avenue, according to PennDOT. The restrictions will be in place from 8 p.m....
Greensburg Salem students protest music program cut as school board debates budgetVideo
Greensburg Salem students on Wednesday protested a proposed cut to the district’s elementary music program outside the middle school while district officials held a virtual school board meeting featuring a debate about those and other planned cuts. Ryann Shirey, 16, of Greensburg, who will be a junior member of the...
Latrobe to celebrate 4th of July with decorating contest
Latrobe City residents are being encouraged to “Get Your 4th On” for a patriotic home-decorating contest. The Latrobe Fourth of July Celebration committee is going forward with the previously planned contest, set for July 2, although other aspects of the annual celebration — including a parade and fireworks display —...
Fire in North Belle Vernon displaces 10 residents, damages cars, utilities
A fire that started in a basement garage caused smoke and utility damage in a three-story building in North Belle Vernon on Tuesday night, displacing 10 residents in upstairs apartments. A car that was being repaired caught fire shortly before 9:15 p.m. and was destroyed in the garage at 525...
Kennedy Township girl advances on ‘America’s Got Talent’ with musical tribute to dad
A 12-year-old Kennedy Township girl sang a song she wrote for her dad and won the hearts of the audience and judges to advance to the next round of “America’s Got Talent” during an audition episode of the TV show that aired Tuesday evening. Ashley Marina Yankello, who drops her...
Valley Dairy closes downtown Latrobe restaurant
After eight decades, Valley Dairy is no longer serving meals in downtown Latrobe. The Latrobe-based restaurant chain on Sunday closed its location at Jefferson and Chestnut streets. A company official said that store hasn’t performed up to expectations. Valley Dairy welcomed customers to return for dine-in meals at the Latrobe...
Steelers cancel Friday Night Lights practice in Latrobe
The Pittsburgh Steelers won’t come to the Latrobe area for training camp, and they also have canceled their annual summer practice in the city. Steelers director of communications Burt Lauten delivered the bad news for local fans in a tweet on Tuesday, confirming the Steelers “will not be hosting their...
Pandemic precautions in effect for Greater Latrobe graduation, Student ShowcaseVideo
Sophia Hoch of Unity donned a face mask as she accepted a Student Showcase award this month from Latrobe City Council, complying with the pandemic-related requirements. Masks also will be recommended when she and more than 300 fellow Greater Latrobe seniors attend a belated graduation ceremony, set for June 25,...
Unity eyes playground upgrade, restarts rec programs supervised by Greensburg YMCA
Students at Greater Latrobe School District’s Mountain View Elementary and other children in Unity will benefit if the township lands a grant to update the school’s playground. The township applied for a state grant that would cover 80% of the projected $167,000 cost, according to solicitor Gary Falatovich. He said...
Unity dairy family finds success with cheese, offers tips to veterans interested in farmingVideo
Jason Frye, his brothers, Todd and Chad, and their father, Ralph, have made the most of government programs while exploring a new niche in the region’s cheese-making industry. The Fryes offer pickup of online orders during limited times at the family’s dairy farm in Unity. “We’ve sold out of our...
Flag Day building light-up in Pittsburgh will recognize covid-19 workers, losses
The Gulf Tower is among Pittsburgh landmarks that will be turning red, white and blue Sunday as part of a National Day of Unity event remembering lives lost to the covid-19 pandemic and honoring those working on the front line to keep America advancing during the crisis. One Oxford Centre,...
Unity OKs site plans for Dollar General store, Airpark building
Construction could begin this summer on a new Dollar General store in Unity after the township supervisors this week granted provisional approval of a final site plan. “We’ll be starting by the end of the summer, hopefully,” said William Owen, assistant vice president of engineering and permitting for PennTex Ventures,...
Work on West Newton railroad crossing will cause detour
Traffic will be detoured around a section of West Newton’s Robertson Street next week so CSX crews can perform maintenance on a railroad crossing. Work is set to begin at 8:30 a.m. on Monday and is expected to wrap up by 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. The street will be closed...
Police: Missing Homewood man, 84, found safe
Pittsburgh police have found a man reported missing on Wednesday from the Homewood area. Peter Jackson, 84, was last seen Monday at the Erie Veterans Administration hospital. Jackson was found and is safe, according to police. UPDATE: Peter Jackson has been located and is safe. Thank you for your concerns...
Pittsburgh police look to ID suspect in vehicle damage during Downtown protests
Pittsburgh police on Wednesday released photos of a man suspected of damaging the window of a police tactical support vehicle during May 30 protests in Downtown Pittsburgh. The man is suspected of throwing a cinder block through the front passenger window of a Tactical Operations Support truck parked at Washington...
Police: Missing 2-year-old boy found safe
A missing 2-year-old boy was found safe and returned to Pittsburgh, police announced Saturday. Moor Bey had last been seen on June 1 when his father dropped him off to his mother, according to police. Police said they believed the mother, who had local addresses in the Beechview and McKees...
Westmoreland solar co-op extends membership deadline
Westmoreland County homeowners and business owners who are interested in going solar have until the end of June to join a local co-op. The deadline for signing on with the Westmoreland County Solar Co-op was extended to June 30 as the area emerges from restrictions related to the covid-19 pandemic....
Signal, curb upgrades at Latrobe intersections to begin next week
Work is set to begin Monday on improvements to nine intersections in downtown Latrobe. The $3.4 million PennDOT project will install updated traffic signals along Main and Depot streets where they intersect Jefferson, Ligonier and Alexandria streets, and along Ligonier at the intersections of Weldon, Spring and Chestnut streets. Contractor...
New Stanton couple’s dog to train for covid-19 detection task forceVideo
When Dan and Lisa Williams adopted Shep two years ago, they noticed he had a penchant for sniffing around cars. The New Stanton owners are hoping their 3-year-old Australian cattle dog soon will be using his olfactory skills to recognize people infected with the coronavirus, as part of the new...
Arnold Palmer airport sees rise in bookings, hopes to beef up September runway work
Officials at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport are hoping to work on runway improvements — widening and strengthening — simultaneously in September, if funding is approved in time. Meanwhile, Westmoreland County Airport Authority Executive Director Gabe Monzo said Tuesday he’s pleased with how travel at the airport in Unity is taking...
