Megan Tomasic stories, Page 41

Fall sports will continue for Hempfield athletes this season, board members decided Wednesday night. The board approved plans, 6-2, laying out competition guidelines for all sports, including contact sports such as football, wrestling and dance, while touching on things like spectators, transportation and precompetition screenings. The move came days after...

A piece of the Westmoreland County Fair is living on through food vendors who have set up shop in the Westmoreland Mall parking lot this week. John the Greek Food Concessions and Seivers Pit Stop Grill are scheduled to serve food through Sunday, located in the parking lot near JCPenney....

Hempfield school leaders are holding a special meeting Wednesday to update health and safety plans. The meeting, which begins at 7 p.m., will update the athletic health and safety plan prior to a Thursday golf competition, which needs approval before “student participation in a competitive event,” Superintendent Tammy Wolicki said....

A Hempfield student-athlete recently tested positive for covid-19, according to a letter written by Superintendent Tammy Wolicki. District officials were informed of the positive case by the student’s parents Monday. The student, who was not named, is part of the district’s golf team, Wolicki said. After district officials were informed...

Storms are expected to linger in the Pittsburgh region throughout the week, leading up to a rain filled weekend as a duo of tropical storms threaten the Gulf Coast. According to the National Weather Service, thunderstorms are likely Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. Temperatures will hover in the upper 80s and...

All lanes along Route 30 in Hempfield have reopened following a multi-vehicle crash Monday morning, a Westmoreland 911 dispatcher said. The three vehicle crash, which was reported around 6:30 a.m., closed one lane eastbound and one lane westbound of Route 30 near Georges Station Road, the dispatcher said. Two people...

As traditional schools weed through reopening plans that largely include at least some online learning, career and technical centers across the region grapple with how to maintain predominately hands-on classes while keeping students and staff safe. Several of the 16 career and technical centers that cater to high school students...

Hempfield Area teachers seeking extra protections prior to the start of the academic year reached an agreement with the school board. A memorandum of understanding was approved by the board and the Hempfield Area Education Association as staff prepares to welcome students back in a hybrid form, with some attending...

Members of the medical community in Allegheny County are being targeted by phone scams, according to the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office. Scammers pretending to be from the sheriff’s office are calling residents, stating they have an outstanding issue — like jury duty or an unpaid summons — that has spurred...

Two people were flown to the hospital by helicopter with “moderate to severe injuries” following a crash in Derry Township Saturday afternoon, according to Ted Malik, fire chief for the New Alexandria Volunteer Fire Department. Officials responded to Route 981 about half a mile north of Route 22 around 5:20...

A man threatening to “shoot officers in the face with his gun” was one of four people arrested early Saturday morning following a fight at a North Apollo bar, police said. Officers with the Kiski Township Police Department responded to the R Bar, located at 418 16th St., in response...

The 25th annual Fire Prevention Night hosted by Hempfield has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The event typically draws more than 500 people, and about 80 area fire departments are represented. The event is presented by the Hempfield Township Fire Department’s 12 stations and firefighters from Greensburg, South...

A new online gaming site will give a “sneak peek” into two casinos being built on opposite ends of Pennsylvania, including one under construction at Westmoreland Mall. PlayLive!, which launched this week, features more than 100 gaming options, including classic slots and table games, along with online-only titles and jackpot...

Hempfield Area School District taxpayers have until the end of the year to pay property taxes without being hit with a penalty. School board members voted unanimously Monday to extend tax deadlines in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Taxpayers now can pay property taxes at face value until Dec. 31....

School districts face a daunting future as they prepare for several possible scenarios for the coming year. But one looming question remains largely unanswered — how many students will switch to out-of-district cyber charter schools that have impacted school budgets for years? Surveys sent to families as reopening plans were...

The former Sears wing at Westmoreland Mall once again is coming to life as facilities that cater to the now-under-construction casino at the mall open up shop. A recruitment center is set to open Aug. 24 in the former Barbara Ann’s Country Furnishings store, which moved upstairs, said Tom Meinert,...

Temperatures will hover close to 90 degrees over the next few days, but a front could bring some relief to the Pittsburgh region this weekend. According to National Weather Service, highs will remain in the upper 80s Thursday and Friday with the potential for isolated showers. “Today and tomorrow will...

Hempfield’s central administration office is receiving help in the weeks leading up to the first day of school. Gregory Saraceni, an assistant principal at Hempfield Area High School, will temporarily provide support to the central administration office, Superintendent Tammy Wolicki said. Board members voted this week to approve the changes,...

Two state agencies issued warnings about contact tracing scams amid the coronavirus pandemic. According to the Pennsylvania departments of Health and Aging, scams include a caller asking for Social Security numbers or payment for services. Contact tracing is used to identify people who have come in close contact with someone...

About 860 homes in two Pittsburgh neighborhoods are under a boil water advisory following a water main break reported early Wednesday morning. According to The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, residents in parts of the Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar and Homewood North neighborhoods may be impacted. The advisory is for the areas approximately...

Fewer people have responded to the 2020 census across Western Pennsylvania than in 2010, new data shows. According to the Pennsylvania State Data Center, several area counties, including Allegheny and Westmoreland, are about 5 percentage points behind self-response rates recorded in 2010. That means fewer people so far have responded...