Penn-Trafford Star category, Page 75
Annual fire prevention night at Westmoreland Mall canceled due to covid-19
The 25th annual Fire Prevention Night hosted by Hempfield has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The event typically draws more than 500 people, and about 80 area fire departments are represented. The event is presented by the Hempfield Township Fire Department’s 12 stations and firefighters from Greensburg, South...
Volunteers give Trafford fence a makeover
A handful of volunteers answered the Trafford Business Association’s call for helping hands Saturday morning at 427 Cavitt Ave. In a little more than four hours, they brightened up the block by improving a fence on the property of Klassy Bar and Grill. The ad hoc work crew cut and...
Principals in alleged drug smuggling at Westmoreland County Prison ordered to trial
When investigators listened in on inmates’ telephone calls during an 18-month probe into alleged drug smuggling at the Westmoreland County Prison, they often heard inmates referring to “spicy chicken,” “deuce” or “papers.” But the conversations weren’t referring to food, card games or legal paperwork. It was code that a delivery...
Pa. Supreme Court delays considering appeal of former Westmoreland Sheriff Jonathan Held
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court put on hold the appeal of Westmoreland County’s former sheriff, who is seeking the dismissal of two criminal offenses related to allegations of public corruption. The court this week said it will delay a decision on whether it will consider the appeal in the pending case...
Community groups can now mail naloxone under new Pa. standing order
Naloxone can now be mailed by community groups to anyone who wants the opioid overdose antidote under an updated standing order. State Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine signed the updated order Tuesday that makes the change to allow for easier access while restrictions are in place related to the...
Pennsylvania troopers take on roles helping communities, police with racially charged crimes
Two Pennsylvania state troopers with a penchant for connecting communities with police officers are taking on full-time roles that will entrench them in the local area. Greensburg native Cpl. Aaron Allen and Trooper Ismail El-Guemra of the Carlisle area will work with community groups, police agencies and local residents in...
Pa. parole violators may be considered for ‘safe return’ through Sept. 4
Pennsylvania parole absconders will be given an 11-day window to voluntarily turn themselves beginning next week to receive a better chance of staying out of prison. The state Department of Corrections and the Parole Board on Tuesday announced a statewide Safe Return Initiative. The program will be offered Aug. 24...
Penn-Trafford High School changes course, adopts hybrid reopening plan
Penn-Trafford School District has backed away from a planned full reopening next week, instead adopting a hybrid approach at the high school due to state coronavirus guidelines. High school students will be split into two groups — “green” and “gold,” according to Assistant Superintendent Scott Inglese. Each group will attend...
13 new coronavirus cases reported in Westmoreland County
Westmoreland County saw 13 new cases of covid-19 added to its total Tuesday, the Pennsylvania Department of Health reported. The new cases make a total of 1,640 cases in the county since the virus was first reported there March 20. Of those cases, 1,591 are confirmed, 49 are considered probable....
Owners of Live! Casino Pittsburgh release online gaming site prior to casino opening
A new online gaming site will give a “sneak peek” into two casinos being built on opposite ends of Pennsylvania, including one under construction at Westmoreland Mall. PlayLive!, which launched this week, features more than 100 gaming options, including classic slots and table games, along with online-only titles and jackpot...
Westmoreland leaders mull solutions to accommodate expected volume of mail-in ballots
Additional opportunities for Westmoreland County’s mail-in voters this fall are being considered as local officials plan for potential slowdowns related to budget cuts at the U.S. Postal Service. Commissioners said Monday no plans have been finalized, but they might consider creating satellite elections bureau locations to allow voters another option...
Virtual teaching: Be improvisational, engage students, experts say
As teachers get ready to return to a school format in which many will have to do virtual instruction, area experts in online teaching offer some advice. Connect with students, offer rigorous instruction, be a bit improvisational and refrain from simply providing students at home with the same lesson as...
In-person visits to resume at county-owned Westmoreland Manor in Hempfield
No additional staffers or residents of Westmoreland Manor have tested positive for coronavirus since last month, so in-person visitation at the county-owned nursing home in Hempfield could begin in two weeks, officials said Monday. In-person outdoor visits were suspended in late July, the same week they started, when officials learned...
Manor man accused of exposing himself to girl over 3 years
A 10-year-old Westmoreland County girl who went to play at friend’s home in Manor told police hours later a relative of the friend exposed himself to her, borough police allege. After subsequent interviews with a child welfare specialist and police, Penn Township police were notified the girl said similar incidents...
Westmoreland finds new county elections bureau director in its tax office
The deputy director of Westmoreland County’s tax department was hired Monday as the new head of the county’s elections bureau. JoAnn Sebastiani, 62, of Hempfield will take over the office that will be under the microscope this fall as county officials gear up for what is expected to be the...
Pumpkin spice lovers, rejoice – tasty blend returns early this year
Is mid-August too early for pumpkin spice flavors to make their annual appearance? Not according to Dunkin’ and Starbucks. Fall products from Dunkin’ will be on the menu beginning Wednesday, their earliest-ever rollout. The Starbucks pumpkin spice latte will return Aug. 25, according to Business Insider. Are people craving cooler...
Eastern region real estate transactions for the week of Aug. 16
Churchill Katelyn Butler sold property at 2331 Forest Drive to Benjamin Wise and Kathryn Straatmann for $102,000. Delmont David Huczko sold property at 524 Athena Drive to Scott and Jessica Gordon for $228,500. Joseph Sesti sold property at 319 E. Pittsburgh St. to Robert Cole II and Kerri Rae Cole...
Penn-Trafford school staffer tests positive for covid-19
A Penn-Trafford School District staff member has tested positive for covid-19, district officials announced Friday. The staff member had been in close contact with other staffers, district Superintendent Matthew Harris said in a notice posted on the district website. “As soon as we became aware of the positive case, we...
10 artists to create original works for Diversity Billboard Art Project
Ten artists have been chosen to create original work for the Diversity Billboard Art Project created by the Westmoreland Diversity Coalition in partnership with The Westmoreland Museum of American Art. Their commissions will be inspired by the theme “Make Our Differences Our Strengths” to convey how diversity and inclusion can...
Recruitment center for new Hempfield casino to open late August
The former Sears wing at Westmoreland Mall once again is coming to life as facilities that cater to the now-under-construction casino at the mall open up shop. A recruitment center is set to open Aug. 24 in the former Barbara Ann’s Country Furnishings store, which moved upstairs, said Tom Meinert,...
State departments warn of scams related to contact tracing
Two state agencies issued warnings about contact tracing scams amid the coronavirus pandemic. According to the Pennsylvania departments of Health and Aging, scams include a caller asking for Social Security numbers or payment for services. Contact tracing is used to identify people who have come in close contact with someone...
Poll worker needs ranked critical in Washington, Westmoreland, Fayette counties
Westmoreland County, as well as Fayette and Washington counties, face an uphill battle when it comes to recruiting poll workers for the presidential election this fall, researchers found. A study produced by Boston-based bipartisan nonprofit The Voter Protection Corps and Carnegie Mellon University found the counties were among 15 across...
Volunteers sought for spruce-up Saturday at Trafford restaurant
The Trafford Business Association is asking volunteers to lend a hand Saturday morning with a beautification project at a local restaurant that is in transition. Association President Larry George plans to cut and install cedar boards to put a new face on a chain link fence fronting an unused section...
New Westmoreland GOP head wants to expand on party’s success
The new chairman of Westmoreland County’s Republican Committee said he wants to keep the momentum that, for the last decade, propelled election day victories and voter registration surges that turned the local GOP from an afterthought to political dominance. “It wasn’t that long ago we were the group on the...
Western Pa. leaders working to exceed census response rates from 2010
Fewer people have responded to the 2020 census across Western Pennsylvania than in 2010, new data shows. According to the Pennsylvania State Data Center, several area counties, including Allegheny and Westmoreland, are about 5 percentage points behind self-response rates recorded in 2010. That means fewer people so far have responded...
