Westmoreland category, Page 648
Signal, curb upgrades at Latrobe intersections to begin next week
Work is set to begin Monday on improvements to nine intersections in downtown Latrobe. The $3.4 million PennDOT project will install updated traffic signals along Main and Depot streets where they intersect Jefferson, Ligonier and Alexandria streets, and along Ligonier at the intersections of Weldon, Spring and Chestnut streets. Contractor...
ParentWISE Ice Cream Blast canceled for crowd safety concerns
The popular ParentWISE Ice Cream Blast has been canceled. The 25th annual fundraiser was scheduled for July 18 at Kirk S. Nevin Arena at Lynch Field in Greensburg. “In the interest of keeping our friends, families and guests safe, we felt strongly that we could not host an event that...
Animal cruelty charges filed after dog found on Sewickley Township road
An Allegheny County man is facing charges after a dog was found last year on a Sewickley Township road with several wounds and missing fur, according to court papers. Brian Davis, 21, of Duquesne, was charged Tuesday with animal cruelty and animal neglect. A humane officer was called Sept. 23...
Delmont’s Apple’n Arts Festival looking at options for 2020 event amid coronavirus concernsVideo
Officials from the annual Apple’n Arts Festival are getting a little bit antsy. The event regularly draws thousands to Delmont in the fall, and with the region having shifted into “green status” in the state’s phased covid-19 reopening plan, festival organizers were looking for some direction from the borough on...
South Greensburg firefighters, public works crew rescue 8 ducklings from storm drain
South Greensburg public works department employees and volunteer firefighters teamed up Wednesday morning to rescue eight baby ducks that fell into a storm drain, according to borough resident Dave Todaro. “I guess the mother duck was flying from rooftop to rooftop upset that her babies had fallen through a storm...
Irwin OKs medical marijuana dispensary
Medical marijuana users may be able to get state-approved products from a dispensary along Route 30 in Irwin in late fall. The three-member zoning board on Thursday unanimously approved an application from Franklin BioScience-SW LLC of Philadelphia for a special exception to locate the dispensary at the site of the...
New Stanton couple’s dog to train for covid-19 detection task forceVideo
When Dan and Lisa Williams adopted Shep two years ago, they noticed he had a penchant for sniffing around cars. The New Stanton owners are hoping their 3-year-old Australian cattle dog soon will be using his olfactory skills to recognize people infected with the coronavirus, as part of the new...
Hempfield’s Movies in the Park to return in July with regulations in placeVideo
Hempfield’s Movies in the Park will be delayed this year as township officials work to comply with regulations put in place to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. Originally slated to start Friday, the series now will begin July 24 at the Hempfield Park amphitheater, said Aaron Siko, director...
Nonprofits put lucrative ‘bashes’ on hold during pandemicVideo
Four lottery ball machines whirred simultaneously at the Southwest Greensburg Gun Bash in February, a crowd of people eager to see the winning numbers for the next handgun, rifle or up to $200 in cash. The annual event drew about 600 people, who filled the fire station’s truck bay and...
In wake of Westmoreland Fair cancellation, youth left with no place to show livestock
By the time Gage Hegedus turned 1, he had spent much of his life on a farm and helped show cows at the Westmoreland Fair, said his mom, Jessica Takitch. “He’s going on 3 years old and he enjoys the life,” said Takitch, 27, of Scottdale. “He gets to play...
Greensburg OKs temporary sidewalk diningVideo
Any who enjoys al fresco dining on a nice summer day will have that opportunity when they patronize a Greensburg restaurant, tavern or brewery, thanks to the city easing restrictions on those activities. “It’s good they’re doing something to help the bars and the restaurants in the city,” said Natalie...
Youngwood man accused of flag desecration will serve probation
A Youngwood man will serve a short probation term after he was charged with desecration of the U.S. flag. Matthew J. Utzman, 21, appeared in court Tuesday to answer charges associated with an incident Sept. 2 in which police said he took a small flag from a veterans monument in...
Westmoreland expects hand-counting of primary ballots to be finished soon
Hand-counting of more than 1,200 provisional primary ballots cast should be completed Wednesday, according to the Westmoreland Elections Bureau. “We expect about 75% will be counted and accepted,” director Beth Lechman said. Provisional ballots were used at the polls in the June 2 primary by voters who were not eligible...
Escapee from Derry Township youth home charged with assaulting Latrobe police chief
A court-ordered ward from a Derry Township youth home who escaped Tuesday was ordered held in the county prison after allegedly headbutting Latrobe police Chief John Sleasman during her arrest, according to state police. Caitlin Elaine Harkins-Shirley, 18, who is an adjudicated ward at Adelphoi’s Susan House, was discovered hiding...
Franklin Regional school board set to vote on 2.54-mill tax hike next week
There have been some tweaks to Franklin Regional’s proposed final 2020-21 budget but, for taxpayers, it remains largely the same. Despite expenditure reductions related to special education funding, fewer commissions on tax collections and no change in insurance premiums, which were expected to rise, the $61.31 million budget stands with...
Arnold Palmer airport sees rise in bookings, hopes to beef up September runway work
Officials at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport are hoping to work on runway improvements — widening and strengthening — simultaneously in September, if funding is approved in time. Meanwhile, Westmoreland County Airport Authority Executive Director Gabe Monzo said Tuesday he’s pleased with how travel at the airport in Unity is taking...
Kennametal to cut global workforce 10% by end of year
Facing a weakness in its industrial markets caused by the covid-19 pandemic, Kennametal Inc. said Tuesday it is accelerating its plans to permanently cut about 10% of its salaried workforce, a reduction on a global scale it expects to substantially complete by the end of the year. Kennametal, an industrial...
State officials: Westmoreland adds 6 new covid cases, no new deaths
Westmoreland County on Tuesday reported six new covid-19 cases, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases to 467, according to Pennsylvania health officials. No new deaths from the virus were reported in Westmoreland. State officials continued to report 38 deaths, while county coroner Kenneth Bacha reports 33 deaths as of...
Jeannette police seek New Kensington man suspected in assault and robbery
Jeannette police have an arrest warrant for a 23-year-old man accused of assaulting and robbing a woman of about $2,000 early Monday. Dezmin Tre Lamar Edmonds, whose last known address was in New Kensington, is charged with robbery through inflicting serious bodily injury, simple assault, theft and receiving stolen property...
Derry man arrested after handgun found in bag at Arnold Palmer airport
A Derry man was arrested after being caught with a 9 mm handgun in a carry-on bag Sunday at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport. Westmoreland County Park Police charged Brandon Edward Emeigh, 31, with prohibited possession of a firearm and carrying a firearm without a permit. He faces a preliminary hearing...
Penn-Trafford staff, parents create memorial to 2nd-grade teacher Greg KeeferVideo
When second-grade teacher Greg Keefer walked into the cafeteria at Harrison Park Elementary School, fellow educator Beth Miller described the scene as “complete chaos.” “Kids would be jumping up to high-five him, and he loved every minute of it,” Miller said. Keefer’s popularity among students made it all the more...
Jeannette City school board expected to hold line on taxes
Jeannette City School District board members are expected to vote on a 2020-21 budget this month that contains no property tax increase. Business manager Paul Sroka said he recommended a 1-mill tax increase, but was directed by board members to prepare a spending plan that didn’t include it. About $139,000...
Westmoreland Symphony creating online Hat Luncheon gallery
With its annual Hat Luncheon on hold due to the covid-19 pandemic, the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra is inviting supporters to share their favorite fancy headgear via Hats at Home. “Since we cannot be together in person this year, we invite you to join in the #wsohats fun online,” the symphony...
Briefly Speaking – Jun. 9, 2020
Fundraiser The Westmoreland County Community College Scholarship Golf Classic is set for Aug. 24 at the Greensburg Country Club. The event will raise money for the Student Emergency Assistance Fund to support academic success in the wake of covid-19. Rain date will be Aug. 31. For more information, email foundation...
17 temporarily laid off at Elliott Group’s Rostraver location
Seventeen workers at Elliott Group’s Rostraver center were temporarily laid off in light of the coronavirus pandemic’s impacts on the oil and gas industry, according to a company spokeswoman. The employees work at a center that does unit packaging and manufacturing of auxiliary systems for oil and gas industry clients,...
