Jeff Himler stories, Page 126
Donations, volunteers needed for random holiday gift giveaway around Latrobe, Greensburg
Faith Forward Ministries is seeking volunteers and donated items to help it carry out its Random Gifts of Kindness holiday project. The Latrobe-based nonprofit human services organization intends to spread holiday cheer by handing out donated presents to random recipients on Dec. 17 in the Latrobe and Greensburg areas. The...
Latrobe’s Holly Jolly Christmas features Santa, gingerbread house contest
Gingerbread will be a featured ingredient in this year’s annual Holly Jolly Christmas in Latrobe. A gingerbread house contest is part of the downtown event, to be held 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Dec. 7. Also, children will have the opportunity to make a gingerbread cookie craft, an activity...
Greater Latrobe-Laurel Valley chamber office returns to downtown LatrobeVideo
The Greater Latrobe-Laurel Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce marked its recent return to downtown Latrobe with a grand opening celebration for its new office and visitors center. The Wednesday evening event coincided with a Business After Hours gathering at the chamber’s Neighborhood Visitor and Information Center at 811 Ligonier St....
Vietnam veteran was devoted to country, fellow service members
The two years Skip Hornbake spent with the Marines during the Vietnam War were just the beginning of a life of service. “He never stopped serving his country,” said son Thomas Gauthier. “He always felt he had to give back, donate time, money and anything he could. He would always...
Recalled Breakstone’s cottage cheese may contain plastic, metal pieces
Kraft Heinz Foods has recalled 9,500 cases of its Breakstone’s cottage cheese because the product might contain pieces of red plastic and metal. The company said it issued the voluntary recall after a consumer reported finding a piece of red plastic in a container of the cottage cheese. According to...
Latrobe dance academy teens to perform in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Nineteen members of Latrobe’s Laurel Valley Academy of Dance will show off their moves next week before a national television audience watching Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The local teen dancers were among about 600 selected from studios and schools across the country to join the parade lineup as part of...
Unity rings in holiday season with senior luncheon, tree-lighting
Unity Township will kick off the holiday season Dec. 6 with a luncheon for seniors and an evening tree-lighting ceremony. The luncheon, open to area residents age 50 or older and their guests, will be served at noon at Giannilli’s II restaurant on Route 30 westbound, just west of the...
Members sought for Westmoreland solar co-opVideo
A nonprofit that organized solar power co-ops in neighboring counties is looking to do the same in Westmoreland County. Solar United Neighbors initiated more than 200 solar co-ops across the country, including two in Allegheny County, one in Indiana County and another that operates in both Beaver and Butler counties....
Unity holds tax line for 2020, looks to increase reward in arson investigation
Unity supervisors said they intend to hold the line on township taxes under a $7 million budget proposed for next year. The township’s general real estate tax, which is set to remain at 2.2 mills, is expected to generate about $630,000 in revenue. A separate 2-mill tax that supports local...
Driver injured when rig overturns along I-70 in South Huntingdon
Emergency crews were preparing to fly a truck driver to a trauma center for treatment after his rig crashed over an embankment Thursday night along Interstate 70 in South Huntingdon. The eastbound tractor-trailer carrying empty plastic containers overturned as it descended the embankment that separates the interstate from Davis Road,...
O’Barto to start work as Unity roadmaster before returning as supervisor
Mike O’Barto, approved by Unity voters to return in January to his previous role of township supervisor, will resume his former appointed job — township roadmaster — more than a month earlier. Chairman John Mylant and fellow supervisors Ed Poponick and Tom Ulishney, who ended his term on the three-member...
Tax settlement sets reduced $6.5M value for Unity Lowe’s store
Greater Latrobe School Board this week agreed to settle a tax assessment appeal by Lowe’s Home Centers, which operates a store at the Wildcat Commons plaza in Unity. The settlement reflects a new fair market value of $6.5 million for the Lowe’s property, compared to a previous value of $7.2...
Greater Latrobe adds curriculum, software support position
Greater Latrobe School District is looking to fill a newly created position in the central administration office. The school board this week approved creation of the role of curriculum and software services assistant, the latest move in a realignment of staff and shifting of workloads in the central office. In...
Westmoreland Historical Society unveils artifacts at new education centerVideo
Fashions, furniture and artifacts from the past are among items the public will get to explore Friday when the Westmoreland Historical Society holds an open house at its recently opened education center on the grounds of Historic Hanna’s Town. The center has been opening in phases at the Hempfield historical...
Excela Westmoreland Hospital spreads kindness with cardigans for newborns
A half dozen babies born at Excela Westmoreland Hospital this week were dressed in pint-size cardigans for the trip home with their families. It was part of the hospital’s celebration of Wednesday’s World Kindness Day, which encouraged all to don sweaters reminiscent of the iconic cardigans worn by beloved children’s...
Latrobe seeks grant to shore up Loyalhanna embankment, eyes 2020 budget
Latrobe officials are hoping a state grant will offset some of the city’s cost for repairing an eroded embankment where Unity Run empties into Loyalhanna Creek. City council on Tuesday agreed to apply for a $151,282 grant through the state Department of Community and Economic Development. If approved, it will...
Latrobe hires local native, former IBM manager as new city manager
Latrobe Council selected a local native with management experience at New York City firms as the next city manager. Council on Tuesday unanimously agreed to hire John Antinori of Unity, a 1983 Greater Latrobe graduate, for the vacant post, pending agreement on a contract. Councilman Gerald Baldonieri was absent. City...
Saltsburg’s new Boggs Day will honor town’s founder
Saltsburg will celebrate its founding more than two centuries ago with a ceremony Wednesday afternoon at the Saltsburg Area Historical Society’s Rebecca B. Hadden Stone House Museum. Karen Cumberledge, the borough mayor, will proclaim the first Andrew Boggs Day, honoring the man who established the town on his property. The...
$600K state equipment loan OK’d for expanding Unity testing firm
A low-interest state loan will help Product Evaluation Systems enhance its equipment as it completes an expansion of its plant in Unity. Announced this week, the loan of almost $600,000 was approved by the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority and will be drawn from its Machinery and Equipment Loan Fund. Product...
Latrobe Veterans Day observance ‘isn’t just for veterans’Video
Patriotic-minded residents from preschoolers to older adults on scooters turned out at Latrobe’s Memorial Plaza Monday morning to help honor those who have served in the nation’s military. “Veterans Day isn’t just for veterans,” said Latrobe Police Chief John Sleasman, who was the keynote speaker at the community’s annual observance....
Mt. Pleasant Township veteran part of dwindling ‘Greatest Generation’Video
When Army veteran Frank Emanuel injured his back, a physician feared the worst. “He thought I had cancer,” Emanuel, 95, recalled of his hospital visit more than 45 years ago. The Mt. Pleasant Township man set the doctor’s mind at ease. What showed up as white spots on the X-ray...
Mt. Pleasant Navy veteran, 102, to be honored at Penguins game
Melva Dolan Simon has been listening to Pittsburgh Penguins hockey games on the radio for years. But, in all of her 102 years of life, she’s never been to a game. That will change Saturday, when the Mt. Pleasant Township native, who served in the Navy WAVES during World War...
Unity obstacle course preps PennDOT plow operators for tight spacesVideo
Maneuvering a snow plow that is more than 15 feet wide is a tight squeeze on a road surface that’s only about 18 feet wide — or less. About 75 area PennDOT drivers this week are being challenged to do just that on a half-mile obstacle course in Unity meant...
ROTC cadet from Mt. Pleasant surprised with Saint Vincent scholarship at Steelers gameVideo
Mt. Pleasant Area graduate Noah Lynch was honored to escort his ROTC commander at Saint Vincent College onto Heinz Field for a special presentation during Sunday’s game between the Steelers and the visiting Colts. He was stunned to realize the third-quarter presentation before more than 62,000 football fans included full...
Fire damages Jeannette house where aspiring rapper was fatally shotVideo
Officials are investigating a Monday night fire that heavily damaged a home on Jeanette’s Cuyler Avenue where a deadly shooting occurred a week earlier. Jeannette fire Chief Bill Frye said flames were coming out of a side window of the two-story wood-frame home but quick action by firefighters, who are...
