Quincey Reese stories, Page 7

Elsie Lampl wants to see crowded sidewalks in downtown Greensburg on Saturday, filled with residents ready to support small businesses. Created 15 years ago by American Express, Small Business Saturday is held the Saturday after Thanksgiving to generate support for locally owned stores. Downtown Greensburg shoppers will receive parking discounts...

The name of Penn Township’s new police dog may sound familiar to residents. That’s no coincidence. The canine shares the last name of resident and business owner Janet Whirlow, who donated $15,000 to help the police department purchase its next police dog. Officer Blake Danowski led Whirlow into the municipal...

When residents stumble upon a tree blocking a roadway in Penn Borough, Randy Dreistadt is the first person they call. He’s also the person who handles parking issues, clogged storm drains and rentals of the town’s park pavilion. When snow coats the borough’s roads in the winter, chances are Dreistadt...

The Westmoreland County Transit Authority will add another commuter bus to its lineup. The River Valley Transit Authority, based in Williamsport, reached out about transferring a 2015 commuter bus it purchased with the help of grant funding, Westmoreland County Transit Authority Executive Director Alan Blahovec said. The vehicle seats 53...

A tornado passed through Pittsburgh’s Highland Park and Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar neighborhoods Wednesday evening, the National Weather Service confirmed Thursday. The EF0 tornado, the lowest level of tornado strength, touched down along Stanton Avenue in Highland Park around 5 p.m. Wednesday, continuing along Campania Avenue in Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar, the weather service said. The...

As the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission continues with its design of an interchange for Penn Township, Randee Barrett isn’t sure what will happen with her family’s farm on Pleasant Valley Road. The farm falls near the proposed interchange site — the intersection of Route 130 with Nike Site, Sandy Hill and...

Griffin and Naomi Lotson have gotten used to weaving through stacks of books piled high in their Indiana Borough home. Books line the walls of the Lotson’s three-car garage, allowing just enough room for them to park their vehicles. “We could barely fit our van in there,” said Naomi Lotson,...

When Lewis Brant saw Manor accepting applications for the borough’s next mayor, he knew it was the perfect opportunity to give back to his hometown of nearly 29 years. Brant, 56, a Republican, comes to the post with no prior political experience. He worked more than 15 years as a...

Lindsae Heidenreich spends her days crawling under plow trucks and skid steer loaders in a Penn Township turnpike maintenance shed, chipping away at the rust nestled in every nook and cranny. Heidenreich, 37, of Penn Hills has rust removal down to a science. Scrub down the vehicle with a degreaser,...

Two people were hospitalized Wednesday afternoon after their vehicle overturned into a creek in Rostraver, according to the Rostraver Central Fire Department. The vehicle veered from Ridge Road and overturned into Cedar Creek, located near Route 51, according to a social media post from the fire department. The crash occurred...

The Rostraver Airport will add a Dunkin’ just two months after leasing its former on-site restaurant to a barbecue and catering business. The coffee and doughnut chain expressed interest in acquiring a piece of the airport’s 197-acre property this summer. The Westmoreland County Airport Authority, which operates the airport, rejected...

The Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Unity will pay about $58,000 to dispose of an abandoned fuel tank it removed during a $22 million project to expand its terminal by 32,000 square feet. A vacant hangar was demolished after the Westmoreland Airshow in August as part of the terminal expansion...

Penn Township will host an informational meeting this month to explain a series of potential zoning changes. Meant to encourage economic development in the township, the proposed changes include Harrison-City Export Road, Mellon Road near Bushy Run Corporate Park and near the intersection of Route 130, Pleasant Valley Road and...

Growing up, John Marsh did not fully grasp the significance of his mother’s role as a pilot serving in the military during World War II. His mother, Marie Barrett Marsh, was one of about 1,800 women accepted into the Women Airforce Service Pilots program — created in 1942 to bolster...

Students from three Westmoreland high schools were recognized for their performance at a mock trial competition at Saint Vincent College last month. Hosted by the college for more than five years, the competition assesses students on their ability to form and deliver opening statements and closing arguments in a hypothetical...

The air still smelled of smoke as Don Sowash took his 11-year-old Morkie, Benny, for a walk down Irwin’s Main Street on Saturday afternoon, pausing at a building he saw engulfed in flames just 12 hours prior. “Lots of smoke (was) pouring out all of these upper windows, and I...

The average passerby would likely not expect a 1900s mansion on Greensburg’s Main Street to be a cultural hub. But for more than 30 years, nonprofit YWCA Westmoreland County has dedicated itself to welcoming women who move to the area from another country — helping with the transition to life...

At least three Westmoreland municipalities have enacted burn bans in light of dry conditions in the region. Derry Township issued a burn ban Monday, and Mt. Pleasant Township announced a burn ban Tuesday that will remain in effect until further notice. Hempfield issued a burn ban Tuesday that will remain...

Seton Hill will host a conference next week to support local educators teaching the Holocaust. Scheduled for Sunday through Wednesday, the conference will focus on telling the stories of individuals involved in the Holocaust, said James Paharik — director of the university’s National Catholic Center of Holocaust Education. The center...

As voters turned out to polling locations across Southwestern Pennsylvania, unseasonably warm weather graced the region. Temperatures reached 81 degrees in the Pittsburgh area about 3:15 p.m., beating the previous 80-degree record high temperature for Nov. 5 set in 1948, said National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Kennedy. “It’s been warm...

Door locks. Secure entrances. Ballistic window film. Security cameras. Metal detectors. As threats and incidents of violence become more common at schools across the country, educators are seeking out building upgrades to enhance student safety. But to school safety and security expert Aaron Skrbin, talking is the more important first...

A Lawrence County man was charged Thursday with trespassing on West Hempfield Elementary property as students were filtering into the building, according to court papers. District officials say the man had been dropped off at a nearby gas station by Pennsylvania State Police earlier that morning. Zachery T. Leonard, 30,...

It only took one loss this summer to light a fire under Penn-Trafford’s 12u All-Star softball team. The team — made up of a dozen girls ages 11 and 12 — won its remaining 14 games across three tournaments from July to mid-August, said coach Jim Drenning. “The girls came...

U.S. Senate candidate Dave McCormick is scheduled to host a rally Wednesday in Marshall — with a special guest. The rally is set to start at 7 p.m. at Jergel’s Rhythm Grille, located along Slade Lane in Marshall’s Warrendale neighborhood. Plans are to have McCormick joined by former U.N. ambassador...

Penn Township residents will have an opportunity to learn more about where the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission stands in its design of an interchange for Route 130. Residents will be able to look over a display on the project and speak with turnpike representatives Nov. 19 at Penn-Trafford High School, said...