Westmoreland category, Page 206
Greensburg Salem School Board race features 3 incumbents, 3 newcomers, 5 open seats
Three incumbents and three newcomers are vying for five seats on the Greensburg Salem School Board in the Nov. 7 general election. Those seeking to join the board are Justin Aion, Kacey Byrne-Houser and Tyler Courtney. Incumbents on the ballot are: Brian Conway, who is seeking a second term; Robin...
Mt. Pleasant country rocker wins independent music award for 3rd straight year
Andy Davis has plenty to smile about these days. The Mt. Pleasant native and his band released an EP and a full-length record in the past few years, and a new album, “The River,” was released in May on streaming services. And in each of the past three years, has...
Woman dies in Greensburg apartment fire; 18 residents displaced
A woman died in an apartment fire early Friday in Greensburg, according to Fire Chief Tom Bell and Westmoreland County Coroner Tim Carson. An automatic fire alarm went off around 1:30 a.m. at an apartment building on Dornin Street, not far from the intersection of Highland Avenue and Mt. Pleasant...
Visit Ligonier, the Town for All Seasons, for holiday shopping and charm
Visit Ligonier … Our hometown charm is contagious. Ligonier has been recognized by Country Living Magazine as one of “The Most Charming Small Towns in America” and The Washington Post as a “Small-Town Charmer.” Plan Your Stay: Ligonier has over 60 specialty shops, galleries, restaurants, and places to stay, and...
Supporters of Murrysville ‘tree sign’ updates estimate $100,000 in costs
Valerie Mittereder and her husband, Ed, own the “ysville” section of the Murrysville tree sign, a group of several hundred evergreens which spell out the name of the municipality, on a hillside overlooking Route 22. The “Murr” section of land is owned by Michael Hillebrand. But after nearly a century,...
Feliciani, Bilik-DeFazio seek return to bench for new 10-year terms
Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judges Christopher Feliciani and Meagan Bilik-DeFazio have done more than sentence criminals to prison. Since 2015, the judges have presided over Westmoreland County’s fledgling drug court program that has seen dozens of participants charged with crimes find a path toward recovery. “Being a judge is more...
5 things to do in Westmoreland this weekend: Oct. 27-29
The last hurrahs of the fall festival and Halloween seasons welcome visitors this weekend. Bushy Run Battlefield in Penn Township tries out a new programming approach to replace its traditional hayrides, and local vendors gather for the Irwin Farm Market. Bushy Run Duncan Campbell Haunting As a replacement for the...
Incumbent Democrats, Republican challenger vie for 2 Greensburg council seats
Greensburg residents voting Nov. 7 to fill two seats on city council will have a choice among incumbents in Democratic nominees Sheila Brumley and Randal Finfrock and Republican challenger Carrie Hamley. Brumley, a 2020 appointee seeking her first elected term, and Finfrock, who is completing his fourth term, are jointly...
Jeannette man to serve prison sentence for gun offenses
A Jeannette man was sentenced Thursday to a 5-to-10 year prison term for two gun-related incidents in 2021. John R. Horne, 32, pleaded guilty in August to his role in repeated weapons fire at a Jeannette home and allegations that he brought an old gun into a district judge’s office...
Hempfield unveils decade-long vision for township park
Hempfield Park is set to undergo a series of improvements over the next decade under an updated master plan presented at the township supervisors meeting this week. The plan focuses on enhancing the park environment, expanding recreation opportunities, fine-tuning operations, increasing accessibility, improving facilities and increasing staff, said Chris Sarson,...
Aggravated assault while DUI charges filed in Unity crash
A Unity man was arraigned Thursday on aggravated assault while driving under the influence charges in connection with a July crash that left two people seriously injured. Gianni A. Gonzalez, 24, used marijuana and drank alcohol prior to the July 11 crash, according to court papers. He is free on...
Attorneys compete for Export district judge seat
Two Murrysville attorneys will vie to replace retiring District Court Judge Charles Conway in the Nov. 7 general election. Republican Robert Klingensmith, 59, a practicing attorney for more than 20 years, said he likes the engagement district judges have with the communities they serve. “You do everything,” he said. “You...
Westmoreland County Community College president will resign in summer 2024
Westmoreland County Community College’s first female president announced her resignation at the college’s board of directors meeting Wednesday. Tuesday Stanley, 55, who joined WCCC in 2014, will remain in her position at the school near Youngwood through June 30. She will have served as president for exactly a decade. Stanley...
Franklin Regional school board candidates cite state funding, safety as major challenges
In the Franklin Regional School District, seven candidates will compete for five full-term school board seats in the Nov. 7 general election, while the current board president goes up against a challenger for a two-year seat. Full-term seats George App, 42, said he wants to be a voice of civility,...
Record railcar caravan expected in Westmoreland for annual 40-mile Toys for Tots collection
John Gonder is expecting the largest caravan of railcars yet for an annual 40-mile trek that doubles as a collection event for Toys for Tots. Twenty-two railcar operators plan to converge Nov. 11 on the Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad line from East Huntingdon to Hempfield. “The people, they get really excited,...
Economic development among issues in Greensburg mayoral race
Democrat Robb Bell said he is seeking a third term as Greensburg’s mayor to continue working on the revitalization of the city. Republican challenger G. Domenic Spino believes he is the best candidate to lead the city forward in areas including economic development, livability and access to services. Voters will...
Owner’s rep will evaluate stalled Hempfield Area high school project
Hempfield Area School District’s new owner’s rep, McKinley Architecture and Engineering, will assess the district’s stalled high school renovation project over the course of the next two months and return with their findings. The school board approved the new owner’s representative contract with a not-to-exceed fee of $30,000 for the...
Murrysville will solicit bids for oil, gas rights beneath Murrysville Community Park
Murrysville council members will decide in the next few months whether to enter into leases for oil and gas rights below two municipal parks. Council deferred action at its Oct. 18 meeting on a proposed lease for oil and gas rights below the 234 acres that make up Duff Park....
Court hearing for students charged in Hempfield school gun case delayed
Three Hempfield teens charged with possessing guns on school property aren’t due in court until December. The students, ages 15 and 16, were charged earlier this month with multiple criminal charges in connection with an Oct. 2 incident in which school officials and police claim three male students passed two...
Unity man to serve jail time for sexual assault against teen
A Unity man was ordered to serve up to 23 months in jail in connection with sexual assaults against a teenager that prosecutors contend occurred over a seven-year period. Clarence J. Wallace, 74, pleaded guilty to felony charges of indecent assault of a child and corruption of minors as part...
Union accuses Westmoreland County of bad faith bargaining in labor talks
Dozens of Westmoreland County unionized workers picketed Wednesday in front of the courthouse claiming negotiations on a new labor deal with the government’s largest bargaining unit have stalled. Officials with the Service Employees International Union Local 668 and Healthcare Pennsylvania accused county leaders of negotiating in bad faith. “They called...
Westmoreland happenings: family fun day, trunk-or-treat, grief seminar, more
Arts • Westmoreland Performing Arts will perform “Rocky Horror Picture Show” at 8 p.m. and midnight Oct. 27 and 28 at the Westmoreland County Community College Science Hall Theatre. Tickets: 724-672-3322 or westmorelandperformingarts.com. Church News • Greensburg Church of the Brethren will host a revival “Jesus Is Coming” at 6...
When is your town hosting trick-or-treat?
Here is a listing of local dates and times for trick-or-treating in Westmoreland County. Many towns use the same timeframe for trick-or-treating, 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday. Those include Delmont, Export, Greensburg, Irwin, Hempfield, Ligonier Borough, Ligonier Township, Manor, Murrysville, New Alexandria (parade will line up at 5 p.m. at...
Hempfield mulls librarian feedback on book posting policy
Hempfield Area School District librarians are requesting a portion of the district’s policy on book acquisition be changed in order to potentially save the district money on reading materials. Approved in August, the policy requires school librarians to post lists of books they intend to purchase 30 days before they...
Court papers detail how McKeesport man threw drugs when he saw police during North Huntingdon sting
A McKeesport man is behind bars after police said he delivered heroin/fentanyl twice in six days in North Huntingdon, according to court papers. Gerald R. Lawrence, 31, brought drugs on Oct. 18 to a confidential informant who was working with township police and agents from the state attorney general’s office....
