Westmoreland category, Page 512
Life during covid: Big Brothers Big Sisters builds momentum as pandemic restrictions ease
Editor’s note: This is an occasional series examining how the coronavirus pandemic has affected the lives of members of our community. Lisa McDaid and Khalaijah Collins were just starting to get to know each other last spring. They were making plans for outings together after being matched through Big Brothers...
Spaghetti dinner fundraiser for injured Kiski Township roofer a success
In one tearful breath, Kelly Giordano of Kiski Township said her husband is lucky to be alive, and that she feels fortunate to have such good friends. Eric Giordano, a roofer, fell from a two-story home during a job in Pitcairn on March 20. He broke his neck, spent weeks...
Police searching for missing, endangered man in Unity
State police are searching for a missing, endangered man who was last seen in the Wimmerton area of Unity. Martin Hussey, 72, was seen around 7 a.m., officials said. Hussey is 5 foot 11 inches and around 160 pounds. He has blue eyes and is bald. According to police, Hussey...
Kayakers take to the water for 7th annual Loyalhanna SojournVideo
Dozens of brightly colored kayaks lined a pathway at Latrobe’s Cardinal Park early Saturday in anticipation of the hundreds of boaters expected to float 9 miles down Loyalhanna Creek, ending their journey in New Alexandria. In all, about 220 people were registered to participate in the seventh annual Loyalhanna Sojourn,...
Pa. covid hospitalizations decline for 10th straight day
Hospitalizations for covid-19 dropped in Pennsylvania for the 10th straight day, according to data released Saturday by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Saturday’s total of 2,207, is down 76 from Friday. That’s is a decline of almost 23% from the 2,842 who were hospitalized on April 21. In the state,...
6 GOP candidates will battle for 4 open seats on Murrysville Council
Six Republican candidates, including two incumbents, will contend in May’s primary for a chance at four open Murrysville Council seats in the general election. With no Democratic candidates filed, the winners in next month’s primary are virtually guaranteed a council seat. Jason Lemak, 43, is an electrical engineer who has...
Latrobe considers beefing up fire chief qualifications
Latrobe Council is looking to spell out training requirements for the fire chief position, as part of a review and update of various city ordinances. The ordinance currently mandates only that a chief candidate have at least 10 years of firefighting experience, including five years of continuous service with Latrobe’s...
Greensburg Salem offers covid-19 vaccine clinic for older students
Greensburg Salem School District is partnering with Hayden’s Pharmacy to offer a Pfizer covid-19 vaccine clinic for students age 16 or older. The voluntary clinic will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Greensburg Salem Senior High School, according to the district website. School officials noted...
Covid vaccine clinic set for Norwin students
Norwin High School students age 16 and older can get the first of the two-dose Pfizer covid vaccine during a clinic Friday, May 14 at the Norwin High School auxiliary gymnasium. The vaccine will also be available to any student’s family member older than 16. The clinic will be held...
Jeannette woman charged with harassing witness after hearing at courthouse
Westmoreland County Park Police, who quelled a confrontation in a county courthouse hallway this week, charged one of the participants with retaliation against a witness and harassment. Marissa A. McGowan, 32, of Jeannette, was charged Friday in connection with the disturbance on the second floor of the courthouse in Greensburg...
North Huntingdon man ordered to pay more than $50,000 in auto repair, check fraud case
The owner of a former North Huntingdon auto repair shop will pay more than $50,000 in restitution to customers who paid for work that was never performed and for buying $13,000 worth of goods with bad checks. Dean Vezzani, 43, of North Huntingdon agreed Friday to pay $400 a month...
Westmoreland County Community College freezes tuition
Westmoreland County Community College trustees froze tuition for the coming year. That means tuition for Westmoreland County residents will remain at $1,995 plus fees per semester for 12–18 credits. “We know our students have had a challenging year and we want to show our support of their pursuit of their...
3 Michigan residents arrested after package of suspected heroin intercepted in Hempfield
Westmoreland County detectives and state troopers used a tip from an informant to intercept a tennis ball-size package of raw heroin Thursday as it was delivered to Hempfield from Michigan, according to court documents. Three residents from Eastpoint, Mich. — Percy Harper, 33, Jessica R. Walilko and Carlos E. Wade,...
Trafford Middle School to close this weekend, extracurriculars canceled
Trafford Middle School was notified Friday of a fifth positive covid-19 test within a 14-day period, and the district will close over the next two days at the direction of the Pennsylvania Department of Health. “Fortunately, the two-day closure will be Saturday and Sunday, so the school will be able...
Backlog of covid cases contributes to rise in Pennsylvania; Allegheny, Westmoreland also up
Pennsylvania on Friday saw an uptick in covid-19 cases, with similar rises reflected in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties. The increase comes as nearly half the state’s population has at least one dose of covid vaccine. Cases The state added 4,607 cases of covid-19, the most reported in a single day...
Ligonier photos needed for annual chamber of commerce calendar contest
Photos portraying the Ligonier Valley throughout the year are being sought for the 2022 Ligonier Valley Calendar Contest, sponsored by Ligonier Valley Chamber of Commerce. Submissions can be photos taken in any season and should be easily recognizable as being taken in the Ligonier Valley. Subjects can include landscapes, special...
GO Laurel Highlands office marks Travel and Tourism Week with open houses, online prizes
The destination marketing organization for Westmoreland, Fayette and Somerset counties, is spotlighting the “Power of Travel” during National Travel and Tourism Week, held during the first week of May. Ligonier-based GO Laurel Highlands also will welcome visitors during two open house events, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday...
Meadows Casino seeks $69,000 gambling debt from jailed Greensburg doctor
The Meadows Casino and Racetrack wants a former Greensburg doctor to repay more than $69,000 — a gambling debt that grew from a $48,000 line of credit seven years ago. The problem for the North Strabane casino, which filed for a $69,344 judgment in Westmoreland County court on Wednesday, is...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County this weekend: April 30-May 2, 2021
Gifts for mom — or anyone The Alpha Productions Mother’s Day Arts & Crafts Show is running through May 9 during regular hours at Westmoreland Mall. Dozens of artisans are offering a wide variety of handmade and vendor goodies, such as handmade jewelry, artwork, home décor, gift items and more....
Saint Vincent College goes into lockdown as covid-19 numbers surge
Saint Vincent College went into lockdown status Thursday evening as the number of covid-19 cases on campus surged. College President the Rev. Paul Taylor ordered the campus community to shelter in place and all classes to be conducted remotely as of 3 p.m. Thursday. His order came as the campus...
Excela Westmoreland nurses treated to Cold Stone Creamery gift cards
Nurses at Excela Westmoreland Hospital will have a cool Nurses’ Week. They’ll be receiving $5 gift cards from Cold Stone Creamery as part of a corporate outreach program honoring nurses who have been on the front lines during the pandemic. “A little cup of ice cream was the least we...
No injuries in South Huntingdon fire
No one was hurt in a Friday morning fire in South Huntingdon, according to Turkeytown Fire Chief Dan Pergola. Firefighters were called to Stahl Road at 5 a.m. for a blaze that started in a garage attached to a home. It was fully engulfed in flames when crews arrived, he...
Ligonier Valley police seize 30 bricks of suspected heroin during traffic stop
Ligonier Valley police seized 30 bricks of suspected heroin during a traffic stop on Thursday and arrested a Somerset County man, according to investigators. Authorities got a tip Thursday that a large amount of drugs would be moving east on Route 30 through the Ligonier area in a Chevrolet Cruze,...
Rostraver man sentenced up to 2 years in jail after pleading guilty to child pornography charges
A Rostraver man could spend about 17 more months in the Westmoreland Count Prison after pleading guilty Thursday to child pornography charges. Benjamin D. Powell, 38, was sentenced by Westmoreland Judge Christopher Feliciani to one year, less one day to two years, less two days in return for pleading guilty...
Latrobe woman sentenced to 8-to-16 years on rape, child sex charges
A 34-year-old Latrobe woman has been sentenced to 8-to-16-years in state prison Thursday for having sex with two teenage boys in a Unity home, starting as far back as 2004 and as recently as 2016. Shanda Rae Hitchcock was sentenced by Westmoreland Judge Timothy Krieger as a result of her...
