Jeff Himler stories, Page 29

Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Christopher Feliciani on Wednesday declared a mistrial after jurors were prepped to deliberate on aggravated assault, strangulation and unlawful restraint charges against Glenn Whittier, 52, of Greensburg. According to court staffers, the mistrial ruling came after it was discovered that a juror had communicated with...

Chester Elmer Green Jr. of New Kensington is expected to take the stand Thursday in his defense against charges that he sexually assaulted a 9-year-old girl almost a decade ago. His accuser, now in her late teens, testified Wednesday in Westmoreland County Court that she wasn’t sure of the date...

A man was killed in a shooting Tuesday morning in Uniontown. The shooting was reported shortly before 11:30 a.m. at Connellsville and Clarke streets, according to a Fayette County 911 dispatch supervisor. State police identified the victim as Anthony Jones, 38, of Uniontown. Jones was brought to the Uniontown Hospital...

The Pittsburgh Camerata vocal ensemble will present a free concert Tuesday on the Pitt-Greensburg campus. Set for 7:30 p.m. in the Mary Lou Campana Chapel and Lecture Center, the program will offer an American musical journey through nature. A highlight will be a new piece dedicated to the camerata by...

Reconstruction and intersection changes on Route 30 are among more than $1.1 billion in long-term highway projects proposed in a 25-year transportation plan for Westmoreland County. The reconstruction of Route 30 would occur between Leger Road in North Huntingdon and the Irwin borough limits, and improvement is planned for two...

Carnival rides, engaging animals, live music and favorite foods provided a variety of fun for families who spent part of their Sunday at the annual Mammoth Fest in Mt. Pleasant Township. A repeat visitor, nurse Brandi Barrick of neighboring Mt. Pleasant Borough brought her four kids to enjoy this year’s...

A teenage boy was taken to an area hospital Friday night after falling through the roof of the shuttered Century III Mall in West Mifflin. The boy fell about 20 feet at the former Macy’s store, Tribune-Review news partner WPXI-TV reported. His condition was unknown. Skyview Volunteer Fire Company (West...

No one was injured but there was major damage to a first-floor apartment where a blaze started Sunday morning at the Derry Manor apartments in Derry Borough, a fire official said. Emergency crews were dispatched shortly after 7:30 a.m. to the building at 118 W. Fourth Ave., said Josh Campbell,...

A Scenery Hill man was killed Saturday night when his motorcycle collided with a tractor-trailer in Washington County. Joseph Smetanka Jr.. 60, was pronounced dead at the scene on Route 40 near 10 Anderson Drive in Amwell Township, according to Washington County Coroner Tim Warco. Warco said the crash happened...

Damage was limited mostly to the outside of a home in the Glen-Aire neighborhood of Unity on Sunday morning as residents poured water on the flames while emergency crews were on their way, firefighters said. Dry Ridge Volunteer Fire Department was among the companies called about 3:30 a.m. to the...

A resident and her pet escaped safely when fire broke out at the rear of their home early Sunday in Lower Burrell, according to a fire official. Firefighters were dispatched about 12:30 a.m. after the fire started on the rear porch of a home in the 2600 block of Leechburg...

Two people were injured in a drive-by shooting Saturday afternoon in Pittsburgh’s Knoxville neighborhood. The shooting victims, both male, were in stable condition, according to city police. One suffered a wound to the right hip and was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, police said, while the other arrived...

Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium has added to its primate family with the healthy arrival of a second baby gorilla this year. Zoo officials Friday announced the May 11 arrival of Bo, a boy, born to mom, Moka. According to the zoo, both are doing well as Bo joins Charlotte, a...

Dennis Conway sifted through a box holding dozens of vintage salt-and-pepper shakers and selected three pairs to purchase from Greensburg antiques dealer John Mickinak. One of 30 vendors set up in Ligonier Borough at Saturday’s semi-annual Antiques on the Diamond Antique, Vintage & Retro Faire, Mickinak displayed some of the...

Officials are investigating an early Saturday fire that damaged four buildings and displaced two residents in West Aliquippa. Ten fire departments responded to the three-alarm fire reported at about 4 a.m. in a cluster of buildings between Erie and Main avenues, according to Dave Foringer, chief of the Aliquippa Fire...

Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium has added to its primate family with the healthy arrival of a second baby gorilla this year. Zoo officials on Friday announced the May 11 arrival of Bo, a boy, born to mom, Moka. According to the zoo, both are doing well as Bo joins Charlotte,...

An Etna man was killed in a dirt bike crash Friday morning in West Deer. Peter Carricato, 29, was pronounced dead at the scene in the 500 block of Bairdford Road, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office. The crash was reported at about 7 a.m. Police told Tribune-Review...

Students from the Greensburg Salem and Jeannette City school districts explored career fields during an array of workshops Thursday at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg campus. The students were placed in career-focused groups based on their interests and participated in morning workshops organized by the campus’ newly established Office...

Heavy equipment completed demolition Tuesday of a former South Greensburg restaurant at Route 119 and Huff Avenue. Crews began clearing debris from the site to make way for development of a new business. The restaurant was shared by the Rax and Subway chain eateries. In years past, it was the...

The Pittsburgh Police Special Victims Unit is seeking the public’s help in its search for a man who has been missing for more than a month and is considered at risk because of medical issues. Curtis Anthony Howard, 62, is 6 feet, 1 inch tall, weighs 215 pounds, has black/gray...

The Tribune-Review captured eight Golden Quill Awards and was a finalist for more than a dozen others at the 59th annual awards dinner Tuesday night at Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh. The Press Club of Western Pennsylvania announced the winners of the Golden Quills, a competition that honors professional and student...

Greensburg Community Development Corp. is partnering with city officials and others to create a master plan for revitalizing the downtown business district. The plan will incorporate the results of an analysis by national commercial real estate experts of seven key downtown properties ripe for redevelopment — including the lot at...

Editor’s note: This is the second of two parts on the impact of isolation and loneliness. Michele Wentzel can tell when one of her three children is troubled. “They kind of isolate themselves and are very moody,” she said. “I can tell something’s going on.” Wentzel keeps the lines of...

Volunteers are being sought to help distribute baby supplies to those in need June 5 in Greensburg. The distribution is part of the first Generous Hearts Family Resource Fair, a free event set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the parking lot of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of...

Runners will take to the streets of Greensburg on Monday for the inaugural Steve Snider “It’s A Beautiful Day” 5K race. The event honoring the late longtime Greensburg Salem track and cross country coach is being presented by the Greensburg YMCA. The race begins at 8:30 a.m. on Urania Avenue,...