Jeff Himler stories, Page 136
N.J. man accused of kidnapping, sexually assaulting West Newton girl
A New Jersey man is charged with the kidnapping and sexual assault of a 16-year-old girl who went missing from her West Newton home Tuesday. Andrew X. Carnegie-Blackman, 23, of Highland Park, was arrested Thursday on charges of kidnapping, human trafficking, criminal sexual contact and two counts each of sexual...
Latrobe 4th fest marks half century, heads for leadership transition
Spectators lining downtown Latrobe streets on Thursday to watch the annual 4th of July Celebration parade will have to wait until the end of the procession to view this year’s grand marshal. The celebration’s 30-member organizing committee, including longtime Chairwoman Carol Greenawalt of Latrobe, will collectively fill that honorary role,...
Pa. Turnpike expects 3.5% rise in Fourth holiday travel
Pennsylvania Turnpike officials expect more than 6 million motorists will travel on the toll road over an extended Independence Day holiday beginning Friday and continuing through July 7. Lower prices at the pump are a likely factor in that predicted traffic figure, which represents a 3.5% jump from the same...
Army, community bands join forces for Blairsville concert
The U.S. Army 28th Infantry Division Band based in Torrance will share the bill with the Blairsville Community Concert Band for a joint concert Thursday in Blairsville. The bands will perform separately and in combination, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Veterans Memorial Park amphitheater at West Market and Water...
Run/walk to set stage for Latrobe Fourth festivities
Preliminary activities for the annual Latrobe Fourth of July Celebration will head into the home stretch Friday, with the event’s 5-mile run and 2-mile walk. Beginning and ending at Latrobe’s Memorial Stadium, the event is set for 7 p.m., rain or shine, with registration starting at 5 p.m. along Irving...
River search for missing West Newton teen called off after no results
A search of the Youghiogheny River near West Newton was called off late Tuesday night after crews did not find a teen who ran away from her home in the borough that afternoon. Firefighters from West Newton and Collinsburg deployed boats to the river after dogs from the Greensburg bloodhound...
Giant Eagle proposes expanded Unity GetGo with beer sales, car wash
Giant Eagle wants to sell beer and wine as well as add a drive-through car wash as part of an expanded GetGo convenience store proposed in Unity. Supervisors likely will vote on a conditional-use zoning approval at their July 18 meeting, township solicitor Gary Falatovich said. Giant Eagle made the...
Latrobe to allow alcohol sales at banana split festival
Visitors who are 21 or older will be able to buy and drink alcoholic beverages at this year’s Great American Banana Split Celebration in Latrobe. City Council on Monday agreed to allow vendors selected by event organizers to serve beer and wine at two designated locations along Main Street on...
2 state troopers, prisoner injured during trip to prison in Indiana County
Two state troopers and a prisoner were injured Monday afternoon on their way to the state prison in Indiana County. The troopers, who are assigned to the Indiana County station, and the prisoner, a 20-year-old man, suffered minor to moderate injuries inside the troopers’ unmarked patrol vehicle just before 12:30...
Greensburg woman accused of shouting racial slurs at group outside her apartment
A Greensburg woman is accused of directing racial slurs toward a group of people gathered outside her Eastmont Drive apartment. Greensburg police charged Fallon Eckenrode, 25, with ethnic intimidation, harassment and disorderly conduct in the incident they say happened just before 10 p.m. on June 19 in the 700 block...
Pennsylvania Lottery struggles to attract bets on virtual sports games
The Pennsylvania Lottery has more than 1,850 outlets with screens displaying virtual animated football and auto races. The odds of finding someone watching a bet play out on the simulated sports action is pretty low. With a few exceptions, lottery licensees in the region report few customers are spending their...
Latrobe man, 82, honored for decades as firefighter, crossing guardVideo
Latrobe Elementary students experienced some major changes this past school year. Midway through the academic calendar, they started attending classes in a new school on Ligonier Street, several blocks away from the building it replaced. Though the surroundings shifted, familiar faces at the school remained — including crossing guard John...
Hempfield beef spread joins farmland preservation program
Westmoreland County’s Heinnickel family has added a new section of its multi-farm holdings to the state’s agricultural conservation easement purchase program. The family’s 39-acre Luxor Farm in Hempfield was among 47 farms, covering 3,561 acres in 21 counties, added this month to the farmland preservation program. The program taps federal,...
Dollar General to move into closing Latrobe video store
Dollar General is preparing for a move in Latrobe — one that will take it a block and a half from its current location on Ligonier Street to the building at Depot and Alexandria streets soon to be vacated by Family Video. Spokeswoman Angela Petkovic said Dollar General plans to...
New Stanton interchange repairs will detour traffic headed to Youngwood
PennDOT is preparing to transition to a new phase and a new detour in its ongoing update of concrete pavement and lighting at the Route 119 and Toll Route 66 interchange in New Stanton. Crews are expected by next week to reopen the ramp used by motorists heading from northbound...
Greater Latrobe OKs salary bump for facilities director outside of public vote
Greater Latrobe School District’s recently approved 2019-20 budget includes a one-time salary adjustment of nearly 8% for Kurt Thomas, the district’s director of facilities, operations and planning. The additional pay hike for Thomas, based on his abilities, was discussed as a budgetary item during a Feb. 26 school board retreat,...
Latrobe car cruise to benefit city police
A car cruise tonight in Latrobe will raise funds to assist the city’s police force. The E C Cruisers Car Club event is set for 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Lil’ Cruisers Favorite Food and Ice Cream, 702 Industrial Boulevard. Dash plaques will be presented to the first 50...
Keystone Park sewage suggestion: Spread cost among Derry Township authority customers
Many, but far from all, who attended an informational meeting last week voiced support for a proposed project that would extend public sewer lines and a recreational trail through Derry Township, from New Alexandria to Keystone State Park. The problem supporters of the project are faced with: How to pay...
Greensburg bridal salon joins gown giveaway for service members
Military service members and first responders who are planning to tie the knot will have a chance to walk down the aisle in style without busting their budget, thanks to Operation Wedding Gown. Greensburg’s MB Bride & Special Occasion is partnering with national nonprofit Brides Across America to offer free...
Marco’s Pizza closes, Family Video winding down operations in Latrobe
Marco’s Pizza restaurant in Latrobe closed Monday, and the adjacent Family Video store is set to end operations by the end of June. The phase-out of the two related stores is a result of the sale of the property they share on Depot Street, according to Stephanie Miller, assistant manager...
Greater Latrobe bids superintendent farewell with tuneful tributeVideo
Greater Latrobe School Board provided Superintendent Judith Swigart a glowing sendoff Tuesday at her final public meeting with the school directors before her July 31 retirement. The tributes to Swigart’s nearly 11-year tenure leading the district included remarks by school board President Eric Hauser, a standing ovation, an impromptu vocal...
More drama surfaces as Greensburg woman’s lease of ‘Dance Moms’ studio ends
Filming for season 8 of Lifetime channel’s “Dance Moms” has concluded, but a different drama is unfolding behind the scenes at the Penn Hills dance studio where Abby Lee Miller became a reality TV star. A rift has developed between Miller and a former dance student who has leased the...
Greensburg police warn of ransomware attack on businesses
Greensburg police are advising area businesses and residents not to open unfamiliar or suspicious emails after reporting that several local businesses were subjected to ransomware attacks on Tuesday. One business in the city was among those that had files corrupted and encrypted in the attack, police said. Hackers requested that...
Greater Latrobe OKs 1-mill tax hike, $57M budget
Greater Latrobe School District property owners will pay an additional 1 mill of taxes to help support a 2019-20 district budget of $57 million. The board this week adopted a final version of the spending plan by a 7-1 vote, with Merle Musick absent. Board member Michael O’Barto cast the...
3 killed in Fayette County crash
A man, a woman and a 4-year-old child were killed Tuesday afternoon when their pickup truck collided with a tri-axle truck along Route 21 in Fayette County, state police said. Officials weren’t able yet to identify the victims, but Fayette County Coroner Phillip Reilly indicated they were related, including an...
