Maddie Aiken stories, Page 9

Preparations for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2022 Friday Night Lights practice feel like “learning how to ride a bicycle again” after a two-year hiatus, according to Greater Latrobe School District Athletic Director Zac Heide. On Friday, the Steelers will hold a special evening practice at Latrobe Memorial Stadium. The ticketed practice...

Cats and bunnies might be natural enemies, but they make the best of friends at HEAL Animal Rescue. Olivia the cat and Mopsy the bunny have formed an unlikely bond, and they are among roughly 80 animals at the Youngwood shelter looking for a home. The shelter reached maximum capacity...

New employees at Penn State will be scarce until at least summer 2023 as the university has enacted a strategic hiring freeze to help defray a $191 million operating deficit. The freeze, which went into effect Monday, comes as Penn State attempts to balance its budget by summer 2025. Inflation...

Standing among weathered gray stones and freshly cut grass, it can be difficult to fathom the decades of choked-backed tears and carefully placed flowers once present in some of the quietest parts of Western Pennsylvania. The region is home to dozens of cemeteries that date to the 18th and 19th...

Downtown Latrobe will be decked out in pink Aug. 3. The city will welcome Flamingo Bingo for its August Shop Hop Night. Eleven merchants will participate from 4 to 7 p.m. Additionally, DJ Dark Shark will provide summer tunes in the Latrobe Parklet, and participants can enjoy a raffle and...

Those who are itching to show off their facial hair have the chance to do so at Living Treasures Wild Animal Park. On Aug. 4, the family-owned zoo will host a “Beastly Beard” competition from 4-6 p.m. at the Donegal Township park to benefit UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Twenty...

It isn’t every day that a hungry cow tosses its hay at an officer in the Pennsylvania National Guard. It happened on Thursday, though, as Brig. Gen. Laura A. McHugh toured Pleasant Lane Farms in Unity. The tour, hosted by Pennsvlvania Veteran Farming Network, highlighted the importance of food security...

Latrobe’s parking garage will be getting improvements to its overhangs and ramps for people with disabilities over the next two weeks. Public works director Scott Wajdic described the rehab work as “cosmetic rather than structural.” The faces of the overhangs will be chipped off and repoured, and a protective layer...

Willie enjoys spending his days relaxing on the golf course and eating apples. If Willie were human, these activities wouldn’t seem too out of the ordinary. Willie isn’t human, though. He is a runaway pig. The 120-pound swine has been on the lam in the Alverton and Mt. Pleasant areas...

A new mural in downtown Latrobe puts key players in the city’s history side by side. Unveiled Tuesday morning, the artwork is featured on the back of the city’s new welcome sign located where Main and Depot streets diverge from Lloyd Avenue. Important historical figures are displayed in chronological order...

Saint Vincent College is taking steps to make its small business services more visible and accessible in downtown Latrobe. This August, the college plans to open a community center at 911 Ligonier St. The center will house the college’s Small Business Development Center and SCORE Westmoreland. “In this day and...

Children in grades K-4 will have the opportunity to embrace their musical sides this summer. From Aug. 8-12, the Latrobe Art Center will host “Lead with Music,” a WQED-designed program dedicated to teaching children about music. Michael Tusay, executive director of the center, said children will learn about musical styles,...

On an artist’s palette, black and gold don’t make green. But during the Pittsburgh Steelers training camp near Latrobe, they do make green — and a lot of it. Area businesses are anticipating an economic boost in the coming weeks as the Steelers return to Saint Vincent College in Unity...

The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is starting the final stage of its plan to rethink how it manages state-owned schools. PASSHE’s board of governors approved the third phase during a meeting this week. Among numerous goals, it aims to increase financial aid and graduation rates for students at...

Penn State University’s board of trustees approved a tuition increase of 5% for in-state University Park undergraduates and 2% for their commonwealth campus counterparts. That’s the university’s largest tuition hike in 12 years, but it comes with a caveat: In-state and out-of-state students who have a household income of $75,000...

The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is starting the final stage of its plan to rethink how it manages state-owned schools. PASSHE’s board of governors approved the third phase during a meeting this week. Among numerous goals, it aims to increase financial aid and graduation rates for students at...

It’s going to get hot in the Pittsburgh region this weekend. As a heat wave sweeps across the nation, the area will see temperatures upward of 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures are expected in the upper 80s on Friday and Saturday and low-to-mid 90s on Sunday, according to Lee Hendricks, meteorologist...

Fans of Snoopy or 1980s rock are in for a treat this weekend. Through Westmoreland Performing Arts, high school- and middle school-aged students will perform “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” and “Rock of Ages” at Westmoreland County Community College. The antics and adventures of “Peanuts” comic book characters will...

The Armstrong Tunnels in Pittsburgh will close from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday for investigation work, according to the county’s Department of Public Works. During the closure, inbound drivers should use Second Avenue, Ross Street and Forbes Avenue, while outbound motorists should drive on Forbes Avenue, Chatham Square, Fifth...

A Penn Hills woman told state troopers late Tuesday that she fell asleep while driving on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Mt. Pleasant Township and crashed into the concrete barrier, according to police reports. Troopers said Briana R. Wehner, 23, was injured in the 10:15 p.m. crash along the eastbound lanes...

One of the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s E-ZPass lanes at the Warrendale toll plaza will be closed for several hours on Wednesday. Between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., motorists cannot use the westbound express E-ZPass lane at this plaza. Instead, they will travel through the traditional tolling lanes on the right side,...

A 10-year-old girl who is hard-of-hearing with special needs has been found safe after she went missing from her Salem Township home Tuesday afternoon. According to Salem Township Public Safety, the child left her home at around 3:30 p.m. First responders used the Greensburg Fire Department’s bloodhound team to safely...

An Arnold house was unoccupied when it was damaged by fire Tuesday afternoon. The fire at 1432 Third Ave. was reported at 5:20 p.m., according to Westmoreland County 911 and Arnold No. 1 fire Chief Brian Gouza. The house is at the rear of the lot, abutting Cherry Alley. Units...

A care worker at a Churchill residential facility faces charges for allegedly assaulting a mentally disabled resident. Another care worker reported that Megan Love, 37, of Braddock, kicked, pulled, screamed at and threatened the 52-year-old resident, who is mentally disabled, non-verbal, and has epilepsy and impulse control disorder, according to...

Allegheny and Westmoreland school districts anticipate a boost in funding this year after legislators gave their stamp of approval to $8.5 billion for K-12 public education. The Keystone State will provide more than $7.3 billion in basic education and level-up funds — a roughly 11.4% increase from the 2021-22 allocation....