Jeff Himler stories, Page 97
DeNunzio’s cries ‘politics’ as county leaders press to open restaurant lease at Arnold Palmer airport
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 to unveil updated plans for Route 51 interchange upgrade on Interstate 70
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...
Unity zoning panel turns down couple’s appeal to keep chickens in their backyard
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...
Air traveler numbers are taking flight at Pittsburgh, Westmoreland airports
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...
Student exchange program looks to rebound locally after pandemic challenges
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...
Bear spotted in Robinson, police say to stay away
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...
Elderly man taken to hospital after vehicle-pedestrian crash in Downtown Pittsburgh
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....
Unity officials urge township residents to take advantage of spring cleanupVideo
Unity residents can do their part and participate in their township’s Neighborhood Spring Cleanup, set for April 24. They’ll be able to drop off unwanted non-hazardous household items in large trash bins from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the parking lot of the township office building, at 154 Beatty...
Unity enjoys revenue boost after year in pandemic; eyes paving, roof replacement
Unity Township is in good financial shape, despite the covid-19 pandemic, and is looking ahead to replacement of the roof on the municipal building and a paving project that will address some roads long overdue for attention. The township also is updating a piece of heavy equipment and seeking funds...
Eager for the next total solar eclipse in Western Pa.? Just wait 3 years
The next total solar eclipse that will cross much of the United States is three years away, on April 8, 2024. For Western Pennsylvania residents, it promises to, indeed, eclipse the similar 2017 event that saw people throughout the area grab solar glasses and gaze skyward. According to NASA, the...
Slaying victim identified in pair of overnight shootings in Northview Heights
One man was killed and another wounded in separate shootings overnight along the same block in Pittsburgh’s Northview Heights neighborhood, according to authorities. Authorities identified the deceased as Tyjuan Malachi, 18, of Pittsburgh. Officers responded just before 9:15 p.m. Wednesday to Shotspotter notifications of several rounds fired in the 800...
Indiana County man, 76, dies after suffering burns in a house fire
A 76-year-old Indiana County man who suffered serious burns in an April 4 residential fire died two days later, according to officials. Michael Recek of Green Township died from extensive burns and inhalation injuries, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office. His death on April 6 at West Penn...
Unity planning board recommends against easing restrictions on backyard chickens
Proponents of raising backyard chickens in Unity got no help this week from the township planning commission, which recommended against easing restrictions on the practice. Solicitor Gary Falatovich said the recommendation will be presented to township supervisors at their regular meeting on Thursday. The commission voted 5-1 to recommend retaining...
Loyalhanna Watershed Association seeks interns to help with state forest projects
April 30 is the deadline for college students to apply to the Loyalhanna Watershed Association for a spot in the local Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) internship program. YCC interns are needed more than ever this summer, to help the staff at Forbes State Forest keep up with improvements and maintenance...
Ligonier Valley students set to return to classrooms 5 days per week
Younger students in Ligonier Valley School District are set to return to classrooms full time this week. On Tuesday, students in grades K4-6 will be able to attend classes in person five days per week, following Easter break. Seventh-graders also will have the option of full-time instruction in a classroom...
Life during covid: Adoptive Scottdale dad guides growing numbers of foster familiesVideo
Editor’s note: This is an occasional series examining how the coronavirus pandemic has affected the lives of members of our community. Paul Johnson, a longtime ice hockey referee, relished the ice skating parties enjoyed by the foster kids and families he guided for more than a decade at Latrobe-based nonprofit...
Amid loss of Iron City contract, City Brewing eyes ownership, management changes, adds jobs in Latrobe
New investors and a restructured management team are expected to take over in April at City Brewing, according to the Wisconsin-based company that operates Latrobe’s brewery. Meanwhile, the company says the pending loss of Iron City Beer production should have little effect at the plant, where new jobs have been...
Westmoreland women entrepreneurs take on challenges, find formula for successVideo
Dorothy McElwain found a new use for the skills she’d honed working for others. Lois Runzo responded to the challenge of transforming a financially troubled company. Faerie Grace reinvented the way she communicates with clients while staying true to her strengths. All three women found fulfillment heading their own businesses...
Jeannette native turns 100, recalls winter combat against German forces in 1945
Sam Joseph is celebrating his 100th birthday today at Weatherwood Manor in Hempfield. Seventy-six years ago, he was among Allied troops pushing into Germany’s Rhineland, battling to bring World War II to an end on Europe’s Western Front. The intervening decades melted away this past week as the Jeannette native...
3rd chick arrives in Hays bald eagle nest
A third eaglet has broken out of its shell in a bald eagle nest in Pittsburgh’s Hays neighborhood. The fluffy white chick joined its two older siblings before 6 a.m. Saturday, the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania announced. It’s the first time since 2014 that three chicks have been produced...
Latrobe council honors visually impaired teen for leadership, service to othersVideo
At 17, Adison Lemmon knows where she wants to go. On track to join the National Honor Society and to graduate from Greater Latrobe Senior High this semester, a year earlier than usual, the Unity teen wants to become an early childhood and special education teacher. Her choice of career...
Wildlife, habitat enthusiasts sought for Pennsylvania master naturalist training
Anyone interested in promoting pollinator habitats or tracking bird migrations might want to join the ranks of Pennsylvania’s master naturalists. Volunteers from Fayette, Somerset and Westmoreland counties can sign up for 55 hours of training in the late summer and fall, which is the first step in becoming certified in...
Unity zoning hearing board OKs group home on Primrose Drive
Neighbors on Unity’s Primrose Drive are concerned about a new group home for three men with autism, its effect on parking and the people who may be staffing or visiting the residence. A local official in charge of the facility, owned by nonprofit Community Options, told the township zoning board...
Drive-thru Easter events, in-person 5K race planned in Latrobe area
Drive-thru Easter events are planned this year in the Latrobe area, as officials observe health precautions during the covid-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, runners will have the choice of participating in person or virtually in an annual Easter-themed race. Repeating the format of its successful drive-thru visit with Santa three months ago,...
Latrobe extends deadline for tax filing, authorizes stormwater fee payment plan
Latrobe residents who owe earned income tax to the city and property owners who can establish a financial hardship in meeting a new stormwater management bill will have more time to pay this year. City council on Monday moved back the deadline for paying the 2020 earned income tax, without...
