Jeff Himler stories, Page 86

The coronavirus pandemic and the new world of social distancing it created haven’t frozen out drive-in customers seeking ice cream treats at the Dairy Queen in Unity. Unlike many other eating establishments that focused on dine-in service, “we were fortunate to be able to run our business,” said owner Dean...

Westmoreland County officials cannot attribute an ongoing surge in coronavirus cases to any specific activity, but some suggest a major factor could be people being lax in following recommended health guidelines to mitigate the pandemic. On Friday, the county recorded 64 new cases of the disease — after adding 133...

Westmoreland County ended the week with a “substantial” level of coronavirus cases, which means local school officials will have to decide whether to follow state recommendations to switch to virtual learning for all students. Data released Friday by the state Department of Health lists about 124 cases of the virus...

Former state legislator Harry Young Cochran, a Democrat, is looking to return to Harrisburg by challenging incumbent Ryan Warner, a Republican seeking his fourth term in the 52nd state House district. The race will be decided on Nov. 3 in part by Westmoreland County voters in Scottdale and the Bessemer...

Westmoreland County officials on Thursday reported the coronavirus-related death of a Westmoreland Manor resident, the sixth resident to die from the disease. The announcement came on a day when new cases throughout the county totaled 133, Westmoreland’s second highest daily increase since the pandemic began. The number of coronavirus cases...

Democrat Joe Petrarca is asking voters on Nov. 3 to return him to Harrisburg for a 14th term representing residents of the 55th District in the state House. Republican challenger Jason Silvis is hoping those voters instead will help him end that long run. “I think people are ready for...

Greater Latrobe School District is looking into refinancing some outstanding bonds for potential savings while experiencing a drop in tax revenues during the pandemic. The school board this week authorized business administrator Dan Watson to confer with Solicitor Ned Nakles and with district financial consultants to consider whether Greater Latrobe...

Greater Latrobe School Board has agreed to invest $443,000 in an ionization system to enhance filtration of interior air at its five schools during the coronavirus pandemic and beyond. Installation of 147 bipolar ionization units among the schools is expected to begin in early November, according to Superintendent Georgia Teppert....

Hempfield Area High School is closed through Friday, following an increase in covid-19 cases at the school. Superintendent Tammy Wolicki announced the closure in a letter posted Tuesday on the district website. She said the decision was triggered when another high school student’s positive case was reported to the district...

Yesterday’s views are new again on Latrobe’s Main Street. Motorists and pedestrians who look left as they travel northeast on the street will see the restored, ornate facade of the 1890 Mozart Hall, bracketed by twin onion domes. To the right, work is underway on recapturing the past glory of...

The Latrobe community put its best feet forward in an end-of-summer closet clearance that netted about 2,600 pairs of shoes for a good cause. Beginning in August, the Greater Latrobe-Laurel Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce accepted donations of gently worn and new shoes in a drive held in conjunction with...

Latrobe’s municipal building was closed to the public for part of the day on Thursday following a worker’s possible exposure to the coronavirus. City Manager Michael Gray said a company arrived Thursday evening to disinfect the building, which reopened for normal business on Friday. Latrobe-GLSD Parks and Recreation Commission, which...

Conditions were on the breezy side for launching model rockets Thursday at Youngstown’s ball field, but area high school students enrolled in the Young Engineers program had the right stuff. “The wind was a little bit challenging, but out of 28 launches, we only lost three rockets,” said Kennametal staffer...

The Derry Township Volunteer Fire Department is preparing to break ground in the coming weeks for a new fire hall it has been looking forward to for decades. The $1.8 million fire hall and public safety building will stand along Bradenville’s School Street, across from the department’s original garage and...

State police netted 2,050 stamp bags of suspected heroin and more than $2,100 in cash Wednesday in a South Greensburg bust that led to the arrest of one man. Chyrone Lamar Rodgers, 32, is charged with possession of and intent to deliver the controlled substance. He was arrested without incident...

U.S. Veterans Affairs officials are urging those who receive veterans benefits to sign up for electronic deposits to avoid extra fees and lower the risk of identity theft. During a dial-in virtual meeting Wednesday, Under Secretary for Benefits Paul Lawrence told former military members in Pennsylvania to consider switching from...

Greater Latrobe School District’s decision to continue in-person instruction while reporting new covid-19 cases among students has prompted an email response protesting the decision. The anonymous email, signed “The Parents of the Greater Latrobe School District,” was sent to Superintendent Georgia Teppert on Wednesday. It charged that administrators failed to...

Latrobe residents will have about three months to pay the city’s new annual stormwater management fee after they receive their bill at the beginning of each year. City Council on Tuesday set the billing cycle for the fee that is meant to support Latrobe’s efforts to comply with a state...

State police and firefighters were searching for a missing person late Tuesday night in the Bolivar area. According to a Westmoreland County 911 dispatcher, police called for assistance in the search shortly after 9 p.m. Bolivar firefighters responded, along with the county Rough Terrain Support Unit Team. The search remained...

Greater Latrobe School District buildings are remaining open for full-time, in-person instruction despite new positive coronavirus cases reported at the senior high and at Latrobe Elementary School. Nine students have tested positive for the coronavirus since the school year began on Aug. 30, Superintendent Georgia Teppert told the school board...

Penn-Trafford High School is set to reopen as planned on Wednesday despite an increase in coronavirus cases at the school from two to five. District Superintendent Matthew Harris reported Tuesday that three students at the high school had tested positive for the coronavirus, in addition to two other positive cases...

James H. Metzgar Elementary School in Salem is closed through Friday, after three students tested positive for the coronavirus. They are among five positive cases among Greensburg Salem students that occurred over 14 days and were announced late last week in a letter to parents posted online by Superintendent Gary...