Westmoreland category, Page 509
Memorial garden in Jeannette dedicated to mother-in-law, honors loved onesVideo
A Jeannette man who converted a vacant lot into a flower garden in memory of his mother-in-law has seen the serene setting grow in use by others who have lost a loved one. “I never imagined that it would have grown so much,” Albert Herman, 63, a retired Jeannette Glass...
Pa. politicians walk fine line on vaccine endorsements to hesitant constituentsVideo
As vaccine rates slow with the threat of a new surge looming this fall, elected officials on both sides of the aisle are stepping forward to encourage constituents to get a covid-19 vaccine — even as they acknowledge this is a personal decision. While experts say such efforts could be...
4 seek GOP primary nod for supervisor in Mt. Pleasant Towship
Mt. Pleasant Township voters will be sending a new face to the three-member board of supervisors this fall for the first time in years with the retirement of Jack Rutkowski. Five candidates — four Republicans and one Democrat — are seeking nomination to run for the post and an opportunity...
Covid vaccination clinic set at Jeannette High School for students, community
Jeannette City School District will play host to a covid-19 vaccine clinic Thursday for older students, their families and other community members. The clinic is set for 1 to 5 p.m. in the high school gym. Doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be administered by Hayden’s Pharmacy. According to Superintendent...
Westmoreland Ballet celebrates spring with outdoor performance
The Westmoreland Ballet performed Saturday at the Robertshaw Amphitheather at St. Clair Park in Greensburg. The company’s Spring Performance 2021 featured the “Precious Jewels” excerpt from “The Sleeping Beauty.”...
Pool operators wait for state guidelines, look forward to ‘normal’ season
After some community swimming pools closed last summer because of the coronavirus pandemic, operators continue waiting this year for the state to offer guidance on how they can open. “It’s a very frustrating situation. It’s going to be a very fluid season,” said Janet Shork, who oversees Crabapple Park &...
Incorrect ballots mailed to some Mt. Pleasant voters, Westmoreland County says
Westmoreland County officials acknowledged that more than 190 incorrect mail-in ballots were issued to voters in Mt. Pleasant Township. Ballots issued to voters in four precincts — Ridgeview, Mammoth, United and Westmoreland Homestead — erroneously omitted the race for district judge to replace Michael Mahady, who will retire at the...
Greensburg’s Summer Sounds concert series may resume in late summer
Summer Sounds, the popular Greensburg concert series, could make a return to St. Clair Park, the founder said. The nonprofit Summer Sounds board of directors may decide within the next two weeks on resuming the Friday night concerts, said Gene James, the founder and board president. “The city is OK...
4 challengers face 3 incumbents in Greater Latrobe School Board primary
Seven cross-filed candidates are vying for four seats on the Greater Latrobe School Board. Among those seeking nominations in the May 18 primary are incumbents Bill Palmer, Heidi Kozar and Cathy Sarraf. Steven LoCascio is not pursuing a second term. The field of challengers includes Ryan Scarton, Andrew Repko, Tom...
Residents, pets escape blaze at Adamsburg apartment building, but 8 people left homeless
A fire investigator is looking into the cause of a Friday evening fire that extensively damaged an Adamsburg house containing three apartments. An outdoor grill may have been involved, as flames spread from a rear porch into the two-story house, according to Adamsburg Fire Chief Donald Thoma. Thoma said the...
No one injured as fire rips through mobile home in Hempfield
A woman was left homeless Friday afternoon when flames spread through her mobile home in Hempfield. No one was reported injured in the fire, which occurred at the Sliver Dolphin Mobile Home Park. The woman who lives there wasn’t home when a maintenance man reported the fire just after 1...
Slow reporting from labs can hinder coronavirus response, create doubt
More than a year into the covid-19 pandemic, some virus cases identified during the first outbreak across Western Pennsylvania only recently were reported in Westmoreland County. The cases were part of a data dump on Wednesday from one lab that included cases from March 2020 to March 2021, causing the...
Laughlintown man earns local chapter of Trout Unlimited’s highest award
When Monty Murty returned to Westmoreland County after retiring from careers in the Army and as a business consultant in Washington, D.C., he rekindled his love of trout fishing and became more active in the local Trout Unlimited chapter. “In particular, I love fly-fishing,” said Murty, now 76. “I began...
Death row inmate decides to keep attorney; appeal coming soon in Greensburg torture killing
A death row inmate convicted of the 2010 torture and murder of a mentally disabled woman in Greensburg will stick with his court-appointed appeal attorney after previously attempting to fire him. Ricky Smyrnes, 35, formerly of North Huntingdon, told Westmoreland County Judge Scott Mears he intends to keep Thomas Farrell...
Allegheny County’s average of new covid cases hits low not seen since November
Allegheny County’s seven-day covid-19 case average dropped to 210 on Friday, a low that hasn’t been seen since November. The Allegheny County Health Department reported 191 additional coronavirus cases. The last time the county’s current seven-day case average was this low was 207 on Nov. 8. The overall number of...
Scottdale woman ordered to pay $133K in restitution for unauthorized use of business credit cards
A Scottdale woman was ordered Friday to make mandatory $200 monthly restitution payments as part of a plea agreement connected to the fraudulent use of credit cards belonging to a Washington County-based company. Laurie Renee Christ, 54, was sentenced to seven years of probation and six months under house arrest...
Westmoreland County Prison inmate accused of trying to escape from Excela hospital
A Westmoreland County Prison inmate awaiting multiple hearings for illegal possession of a firearm, theft and drug-related charges is accused of trying to escape from custody. County Detective James Williams charged Brandon Zepeda, 27, of Greensburg with escape after he allegedly attempted to run out of the emergency room at...
Murrysville administrator: Jake brakes are ‘a necessary evil’
Jake brakes on large commercial hauling trucks may not be music to the ears, but according to Murrysville Chief Administrator Jim Morrison, they’re “a necessary evil.” Morrison was responding to recent complaints about rigs using their jake brakes on Route 22. “When you have trucks coming down Route 22 doing...
Youngwood to debut Wings Across Westmoreland art installation
Wings Across Westmoreland alights in Youngwood on Saturday, with the unveiling of a new set of wings highlighting the borough’s unique history and culture. The artwork, part of a countywide art initiative sponsored by Westmoreland Cultural Trust, will be presented to the public at 11 a.m. along the Five Star...
Westmoreland Ballet takes to St. Clair Park highlighting excerpt from ‘Sleeping Beauty’
The Westmoreland Ballet Company will celebrate spring with a performance at 2 p.m. Saturday in Robertshaw Amphitheater in St. Clair Park, along Maple Avenue in downtown Greensburg. The highlight of the performance will be “Precious Jewels,” an excerpt from “The Sleeping Beauty.” Four other pieces also are on the bill,...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County this weekend, May 7-9
Hide and seek Join the City of Greensburg Recreation Department for a free evening of hide and seek tag from 5-7 p.m. today at Lynch Field, 520 New Alexandria Road. The session is the first in a weekly Community Backyard Games series. While the activity is geared toward school-aged children...
1 injured in Murrysville house fire
One person was injured when a fire broke out Thursday evening at a home in Murrysville. The fire was reported just before 8 p.m. on Foxwood Court, with flames initially showing from the basement. Everyone inside was able to get out of the house, but one person suffered from smoke...
Debt-free: 30 years of saving pays for Loyalhanna Township’s new $1 million garageVideo
Frugality was the word of the day Thursday in tiny Loyalhanna Township in northern Westmoreland County. Supervisors of the township, with a population of about 2,300 people, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on a new, five-bay public works garage that cost just more than $1 million. But the cost wasn’t covered...
Export relocates multi-ton war memorial closer to downtownVideo
It took most of the day on Thursday, but several regional contractors relocated the Export war memorial from the American Legion on Kennedy Avenue to spot near the Westmoreland Heritage Trail, closer to the borough’s downtown area. Work crews from Mangery & Suns and McColly Memorials in Greensburg — the...
Norwin school board candidates emphasize mental health, budget, transparency
School district spending and keeping students safe are among issues raised by the nine candidates seeking nominations for four seats on the Norwin School Board in the May 18 primary. The race features two incumbents, two separate teams of candidates and two candidates running independently of the others. All of...
