Jeff Himler stories, Page 77

The YMCA of Laurel Highlands is joining a state effort to get residents outside and walking on a regular basis. Located in East Huntingdon, the Y is planning to establish a designated walking route in adjacent Mt. Pleasant Borough as part of the state’s WalkWorks program. It would be the...

Covid-19 pandemic restrictions prevented the Rotary Club of Latrobe from holding its annual projects fundraising dinner this year at Saint Vincent College’s Fred Rogers Center. But that’s not going to keep the organization from continuing the mission it has carried out for the past century: serving the needs of the...

Westmoreland County residents who look skyward over Memorial Day weekend may see a “Korean War Hero” passing overhead. That’s what Wexford native Jim Tobul dubbed his restored 1945 F4U Corsair fighter plane. It’s one of four aircraft to be featured in the 2021 Shop ’n Save Westmoreland Airshow that also...

Outdoor art and the beauty of Mother Nature soon could share a scenic hilltop in Hempfield. The Westmoreland Land Trust proposes to establish a nature and art park on a 96-acre farm it acquired along Beech Hills Road, off Old Route 66, just 3 miles from downtown Greensburg. “The property...

Greater Latrobe School District agreed to pay its share for renovations at Eastern Westmoreland Career and Technology Center, clearing the way for a bond issue of up to $6 million. The school board this week agreed to incur debt for the project up to $2.96 million as one of three...

Fans of Ligonier’s Wine, Whiskey & Sweets Walk may find the event’s appeal more potent than ever after a year’s wait. The third annual invitation to sip, stroll and shop in downtown Ligonier was postponed, and then canceled, last year — after the arrival of the covid-19 pandemic. Finally, the...

Flashbacks to a century ago, a baby’s miraculous survival and songs with banjo accompaniment are among ingredients in this spring’s Greater Latrobe Senior High musical. As was this past fall’s play, the musical “Bright Star” will be presented in a performance filmed in advance by the school’s drama club and...

Greater Latrobe School District will lose more than $77,000 in property tax revenue in an assessment appeal settlement for two residential complexes in Unity. The school board on Tuesday approved the settlements for the Whitney South Townhomes, owned by Ronald and Lauren Raimondo, and the Briarwood Townhouses Apartments, owned by...

Three people were injured, one critically, in a Tuesday evening collision of a tow truck and pickup truck on Route 51 in Pittsburgh. A female passenger was ejected from the pickup truck and was in critical condition, according to a Pittsburgh Public Safety spokeswoman. The pickup’s male driver was in...

A plan to open the restaurant lease at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport for competitive proposals has drawn a social media backlash. With county commissioners publicly urging the move this week, the Westmoreland County Airport Authority is preparing a request for proposals to lease the terminal space — once an agreement...

Greensburg Salem middle and high school students are set to return to their classrooms Monday after the schools stepped back to full remote instruction on Thursday and Friday because of covid-19 cases. Because Westmoreland County returned to a substantial level of covid transmission, local schools must track the number of...

A new study recommends that Westmoreland County hire a human services director, and county commissioners are seeking funding to help cover the costs of the position. The study, “Improving Human Services in Westmoreland County,” also identified technology improvements, lack of services in rural areas and insufficient countywide transportation as areas...

The covid-19 pandemic made the 2020-21 school year challenging for the Greensburg Salem School District, though not necessarily for the bottom line. A forecast of the 2020-21 budget, presented this week to the school board, shows a potential operating surplus of about $1 million and a fund balance of more...

Greater Latrobe looked within to find the district’s next athletic director. The school board Tuesday promoted Zachary Heide, the assistant athletic director, to take over the department’s top post beginning July 1. His new salary was set at $65,000. Heide, who served in the district in various capacities for about...

The Westmoreland County Airport Authority plans to seek proposals for leasing the restaurant space at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport. The rental agreement is set to expire next year, and county commissioners pressed the authority to open the lease to other potential operators. Chairman Paul Puleo, at Tuesday’s authority meeting, referred...

PennDOT is ready to display updated plans for improving the Route 51 interchange on Interstate 70 in Rostraver. Virtual project plans will be displayed at i-70projects.com from 5 p.m. Wednesday through 5 p.m. April 21. Those who lack online access can pick up a project handout and comment form during...

Jeff and Kristin Kuhns are considering their options now that Unity’s zoning hearing board denied a variance they sought to continue raising chickens in their backyard. After the board voted to deny the variance at a special meeting this week, chicken owners Jeff and Kristin Kuhns said they would await...

The number of passengers traveling through Pittsburgh International and Arnold Palmer Regional airports is on the rebound, in step with a national resurgence in air travel after a 2020 pandemic-fueled slump. “We’re seeing similar increases in passenger traffic as the rest of the industry,” said Alyson Walls, a spokeswoman for...

Ethan Kelley found himself unexpectedly boarding an international flight a little over a year ago in Frankfurt, Germany. The arrival of the covid-19 pandemic in March 2020 prompted the Greensburg teen’s early departure from a student exchange program in Bavaria that was supposed to continue through the following June. “I...

Township police warned Robinson residents Friday to be on the lookout for a black bear that was spotted off Country Club Drive. Police issued the alert after 8:30 p.m. on the department Facebook page. “For everyone’s safety, it would be best if families keep their distance and try to avoid...

A man was taken to a local hospital following a vehicle-pedestrian accident Friday evening in Downtown Pittsburgh, according to a Pittsburgh Public Safety spokeswoman. The crash was reported just after 8:15 p.m. on Liberty Avenue at Wood Street. Responding officers found an elderly man with a cut to his head....