Westmoreland category, Page 151
Museums in Ligonier Valley draw hundreds on day of free admission
Free admission was a good incentive Sunday for some to learn more about the history of where they live. “We decided to check out our backyard,” said Kathy Vargo while standing in the shade outside Fort Ligonier. She lives in Hempfield but was spending a couple days with her husband,...
Wet spring greets seasonal hunt for disease-bearing mosquitoes, ticks
Beginning Monday, Chrissy Edwards-McCune will be out and about in Westmoreland County — setting traps to collect mosquitoes that might be infected with diseases and could bite humans and make them sick. “I’ll set traps at about 30 sites each week,” said Edwards-McCune, who is a West Nile virus technician...
Westmoreland happenings: Diaper drive, bus trip, 80’s party, more
Art • Greensburg Art Center will sponsor a bus trip June 11 to the Cleveland Museum of Art. The current exhibit is, “Africa and Byzantium.” Cost: $65, includes transportation and museum admission. The bus will leave at 8:30 a.m. from the center in Hempfield. It will leave the Cleveland museum...
A look at 18th century living: Historic Hanna’s Town opens for the season
Historic Hanna’s Town opened for the season Saturday with living history displays about what life was like in the 18th century. The Revolutionary War-era site in Hempfield was established in 1773 as the first seat of government in Westmoreland County. There are several log structures, a fortress and an education...
Derry Area School Board holds tax line for 2024-2025, eyes $1.2 M in capital projects
Derry Area residents will see their school property taxes hold steady for the fourth year in a row under the district’s tentative $43.4 million 2024-25 budget. Approved at this past week’s school board meeting, the proposed budget calls for tapping the district’s fund balance to cover a $2.1 million gap...
Unity teen leads way as Greater Latrobe Senior High grows aviation course offerings, partnerships
Brayden Johnson soon will be taking off into the world of post-secondary studies, as he hopes to land a job as a commercial airline pilot. The senior at Greater Latrobe Senior High has a head start because he did initial flight training at the nearby Laurel Highlands Aeronautical Academy at...
Pressure cooking: Teams vie for top chef honors in inaugural competition at WCCC
The three members of the Sizzle Squad combined all the right ingredients to pull off a win in Westmoreland County Community College’s inaugural culinary competition. Brittany Martin of Belle Vernon drew upon her previous experience working in a restaurant and her love of food-based TV reality shows as she led...
A growing concern: Greensburg Garden Center’s May Mart
Carol Martinek is focusing on sprucing up her Cheswick backyard this year. She picked up a few flowering plants at the Greensburg Garden Center & Civic Center’s May Mart on Saturday to put toward the project. Among her purchases were candytuft, cranesbill geranium and the tiny blue flowers of forget-me-nots,...
PennDOT paving to begin Monday on 2 routes on outskirts of Greensburg
PennDOT paving work is scheduled to be underway beginning on Monday, May 6 on the outskirts of Greensburg, simultaneously restricting traffic for several days on two routes providing access to the city from the east. Depending on weather, crews from Tresco Paving Corp. are set to begin milling and resurfacing...
Greensburg officials mum on ex-police officer’s pension after guilty plea in drug case
Retired city police Officer Regina McAtee collected at least $46,280 in pension payments before admitting her role in a methamphetamine distribution operation with the disgraced former Greensburg police chief. Now that McAtee, 51, of New Kensington pleaded guilty in federal court this week to engaging in a drug conspiracy, it’s...
Former Ligonier Valley police chief charged with sexual assault
The former Ligonier Valley police chief was arrested and jailed Friday afternoon on allegations that he sexually assaulted a patient at a Donegal Township addiction recovery center, according to court papers. John E. Berger, 52, of Ligonier Borough was charged by state police with aggravated indecent assault, institutional sexual assault...
Mutual Aid EMS follows Pittsburgh’s lead to provide blood at trauma scenes
Mutual Aid EMS this week added a lifesaving tool to its emergency response — blood. Dr. Bill Jenkins, the Greensburg-based ambulance service’s medical director, said it will help paramedics better care for patients who are in hemorrhagic shock from some type of trauma, such as a gunshot wound or vehicle...
New Mexico man fights extradition to Florida after license plate readers used to track him to New Stanton
The lawyer of a man arrested this week at a Pennsylvania Turnpike service plaza told a judge he will challenge efforts to extradite his client to Florida to answer charges that he shot and killed his own brother. John William Tolbert, 58, of New Mexico, is expected to remain in...
Derry Area set to update high school track, seeks funding for new roofing
Derry Area School District is spending some money this summer to help keep its student-athletes running smoothly. The school board this week awarded a contract to American Athletic Track and Turf to resurface the track at the high school stadium. The board meanwhile is hoping for state funding assistance to...
Luke Bryan’s Farm Tour visits Westmoreland County in SeptemberVideo
Luke Bryan is coming to Westmoreland County this fall. The country music star’s annual Farm Tour will visit Cunningham Family Farm in South Huntingdon on Sept. 28. The farm is located at 355 Fitz Henry Road. Bryan, who also serves as a judge on “American Idol,” is known for songs...
‘A lot more than usual’: 11 sets of twins in Norwin’s class of 2024
Norwin High School senior Julia Walko remembers the time her track coach, Brian Fleckenstein, penciled in her sister to run in a relay in a track meet. “Coach Fleckenstein entered Jenna by mistake,” said Julia Walko. It’s not that Julia was upset at being bumped by her sister, the problem...
Trout-raising program at Hempfield Area brings conservation to the classroom
From the moment Hempfield Area junior Hayden Simmons heard about her science class’s trout project, she knew she wanted to get involved. “He said we were getting fish, and I was like, ‘When can I start?’ ” she said. “I just wanted to help.” Each morning during homeroom, and each afternoon...
5 things to do in Westmoreland: May 3-5
May the Fourth be with you! Here are some things to do this weekend in Westmoreland County. Ligonier Valley Free Museum Day On Sunday, several museums in the Ligonier Valley will be opening their doors to visitors for free. Participating museums include the Compass Inn Museum, Fort Ligonier, the Ligonier...
‘We’re always hoping to sell out’: Greensburg Garden Center prepares annual May Mart plant sale
Every year, the Greenridge Garden Club arrives at the Greensburg Garden Center’s May Mart plant sale with hundreds of heirloom tomato plants. By the end of the sale, most — if not all — of them are gone, said club member Janet Bentz. Bentz, of Irwin, has been a member...
Longtime Westmoreland prison staffer hired as new deputy warden
The Westmoreland County Prison Board on Thursday promoted a longtime staffer to serve as the facility’s new deputy warden for security. The board hired Robert Fagan to the position previously held by the jail’s new warden, who was hired in February. Fagan, 46, of South Huntingdon, was initially hired in...
Hempfield man’s ‘nonstop criminal activity’ nets 3-to 6-year prison sentence
A Hempfield man was ordered to serve up to six years in prison for a series of crimes that included an assault against a police officer, two high-speed chases and possession of cocaine in his cell at the Westmoreland County Prison. As Antjuan Dewayne Smith, 41, pleaded guilty Thursday, his...
Mt. Pleasant Area School Board OKs proposed $38.8M budget, potential 3-mill tax hike
Mt. Pleasant Area School District residents would face a 3-mill property tax hike under a proposed $38.8 million 2024-2025 budget based on a worst-case scenario. But district officials say they hope to trim that tax increase by June 26, when the school board is scheduled to vote on a final...
Investigation launched over allegations of missing funds from North Huntingdon AG Office
The Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office on Thursday confirmed it has launched an investigation into allegations that an undisclosed amount of money was stolen from an Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office in North Huntingdon. Spokeswoman Melanie Jones said in a statement that the district attorney’s office “is aware of missing funds...
Mother of Sorrows School in Murrysville names new principal
Darcie Gatti will become the new principal at Mother of Sorrows School in Murrysville. Gatti is a former associate and head principal in the Penn Hills School District, where she has worked since 2008. Prior to that, she worked both roles in the Mt. Pleasant School District. She began her...
Hempfield sets opening date for Weatherwood Park bids
After meeting with about 12 contractors to discuss the first phase of the township’s Weatherwood Park and municipal complex projects, Hempfield plans to open construction bids May 16. Supervisors may vote on the contractors for the projects during their May 20 meeting, township Manager Aaron Siko said. “(It was) a...
