Westmoreland category, Page 419
Hempfield boy, 6, wins top speed at Scouts’ Pinewood Derby Championship
Bradley Walker couldn’t contain his excitement as he clutched his sleek, blue racer in one hand and his trophy in the other as the 6-year-old kindergarten student from Hempfield celebrated his victory Saturday morning. Walker was among the more than 175 kids who raced homemade wooden cars down a 40-foot...
Poor-rated Irwin bridge slated to be replaced in 2023
A 57-year-old Irwin bridge rated in poor condition by the state is to be inspected every six months — or more frequently, if needed — but is not scheduled to be replaced until next year, according to state and local officials. The 20-foot-long Fairwood Drive bridge, which connects the Villages...
Renovations at Greensburg Hempfield Area Library almost complete
After nine months of work, renovations at the 110-year-old Greensburg Hempfield Area Library nearing completion, officials said. An exact date for when the project will wrap up has not yet been set. Work began at the downtown Greensburg library in May and was initially expected to take four to six...
Hempfield supervisors OK plans for Smail Auto Group expansion on Route 30
Hempfield supervisors approved site plans for new Smail Ford and Lincoln dealerships, which ultimately will expand the auto group’s footprint along Route 30. Two new buildings will be constructed on what is now a storage lot for the company, adjacent to Sheetz and across the street from Smail Honda. “We’re...
Seward man admitted possessing over 18 bricks of heroin and meth after search, troopers say
A 39-year-old Westmoreland County Prison inmate was arraigned on new charges of possessing more than 18 bricks of heroin found during a search at a Fairfield home almost a year ago, according to court documents. Jeffrey Lych of Seward has been a prison inmate since his October arrest by Lower...
Hempfield vehicle-pedestrian crash sends 1 to hospital
A vehicle-pedestrian crash in Hempfield sent one person to a local hospital early Friday. Hempfield firefighters responded at 12:30 a.m. to the collision near the AHN Hempfield Neighborhood hospital, at Route 30 and Agnew Road, according to Hempfield Deputy Fire Chief John Storey. He said an adult was taken by...
Export train station will open on weekends; formal dedication planned for summer festival
While its formal dedication will take place this summer, the Export train station will be opening its doors to the public on the weekends. Built to replicate the borough’s former station, the building will house local history, with the Export Historical Society creating rotating displays and holding its monthly meetings...
Unity woman deemed competent to stand trial in 2 assault cases
A Unity woman was deemed competent to stand trial Friday and a hearing is set for next week to determine if she is eligible for bail in two cases. Susan Barkley, 43, is accused by police of using a pen to attack a nurse at Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital and...
Student-managed cafe opens in restored Latrobe bakery building
A downtown Latrobe building where residents once stopped to get pastries is the city’s newest spot for coffee, tea and sandwiches. Rachelle’s 15650, a cafe operated by students from nearby Saint Vincent College, will have a grand opening from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in the former Mailey’s Bakery,...
Westmoreland Heritage Trail officials move ahead with short Export extension
Getting across Route 66 remains the key challenge to its completion, but the plan this year is to get the Westmoreland Heritage Trail about 700 feet closer to Delmont. Export council this week gave the go-ahead for trail officials to move forward with extending the western half of the trail...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County: Feb. 4-6
Read his mind A few seats remain for a concert by Canadian troubadour Gordon Lightfoot at 8 p.m. Friday at The Palace Theatre in Greensburg. In a career spanning more than 50 years, the singer/songwriter has produced a string of hits including “If You Could Read My Mind,” “Carefree Highway,”...
Greensburg diocese excited by 20% bump in Catholic school enrollment
Despite the past two years being hampered by the covid-19 pandemic, officials at the Catholic Diocese of Greensburg are encouraged by other trends that have emerged over the past 24 months — namely, a 20% bump in Catholic school enrollment across the diocese. “I think that’s outstanding,” said Bishop Larry...
Hempfield supervisors choose company to help craft comprehensive plan update
Hempfield supervisors chose a Cranberry-based company to help them update their 15-year-old comprehensive plan. Herbert, Rowland & Grubic Inc. was hired unanimously by supervisors last week. Company consultants will be tasked with guiding the township over the next year and a half while they update their comprehensive plan. The plan...
Several events planned for Westmoreland Mall this month
Officials at Westmoreland Mall are preparing for a busy month after several events were scheduled at the Hempfield facility. In all, three events will take place throughout February, located in the mall’s center court. The events will kick off Saturday with the Boy Scout’s Pinewood Derby Championship. Participants are required...
Ruffs Dale man accused by troopers of raping unconscious woman, sexually assaulting teenager
A 39-year-old Ruffs Dale man was arrested Thursday by state police on accusations of raping a woman who passed out after drinking vodka with him in his Sewickley Township camping trailer late last year and also having a months-long sexual relationship with a teenage girl. Steven K. Stemmler, who resides...
Lane closures, detours planned for emergency bridge repair at Route 51/I-70 interchange in Rostraver
Emergency repairs to Route 51 in Rostraver will get underway next week after an over-height vehicle struck a bridge that carries traffic over Interstate 70, according to PennDOT. The project will result in lane closures on Route 51 and Interstate 70, as well as detours for traffic traveling between the...
Irwin man indicted for child pornography possession
An Irwin man faces arraignment later this month on a federal charge that he possessed child pornography, according to court filings. The grand jury indictment filed this week accused Thomas Crosby, 27, of having images of pornography involving children younger than 12 on Oct. 16, 2020. It was unclear from...
North Huntingdon official wants to revisit rec center idea
More than 10 years after North Huntingdon voters rejected taking on debt to build a proposed $18 million community recreation center, a township official wants to take another look at the concept. With the change in dynamics and demographics in the township over the past decade, Commissioner Jason Atwood said...
North Huntingdon girl succeeds in karate despite health challenges
Editor’s note: Neighbor Spotlight is a monthly feature that aims to let our readers learn more about the people in their communities who are working to make them a better place, who have interesting stories to tell or who the community feels deserve “15 minutes of fame.” If you would...
Westmoreland DA Nicole Ziccarelli seeks removal of 2 elected constables
Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli is seeking to remove two elected constables from office, one in Arona and another in New Kensington. Ziccarelli, a first-term Republican who took office in January after ousting Democrat John Peck — who served as the county’s top prosecutor for a quarter century —...
Troopers: Mt. Pleasant Township man jailed without bond for illegal possession of ammunition, firearms
A 10-year-old federal conviction for illegally importing and selling fireworks resulted in the arrest Tuesday of a Mt. Pleasant Township man who admitted illegally possessing multiple firearms and ammunition, according to court records. Howard W. “Tubs” McCloy Jr., 35, of the village of Bridgeport, was ordered to the county jail...
OSHA probes North Huntingdon skid loader accident
Workplace safety investigators have launched a probe into an accident that injured a man this week as he was using a skid loader to dump dirt over a hillside in North Huntingdon. The worker was ejected as the equipment slid 150 feet to the bottom of a ravine, emergency responders...
Greensburg leaders seek input on comprehensive plan
Greensburg leaders launched a website this week aimed at keeping community members apprised of ongoing efforts surrounding the city’s comprehensive plan project. The site, shapegreensburg.com, provides details related to the project launched last year that will update the city’s 14-year-old comprehensive plan. The site also will give information on neighborhood...
Saint Vincent walks attract birdwatchers in fair or foul weather
The rough “chip” of the cardinal and the “potato chip, potato chip” call of the American goldfinch were among sounds that pierced the winter sky Wednesday morning during a bird walk at the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve in Unity. Before leading a group of about 15 Saint Vincent College students...
Uniontown man withdraws guilty plea in East Huntingdon baby’s drowning death
A Uniontown man who agreed to plead guilty to a lesser charge in the 2019 drowning death of a baby in East Huntingdon will go to trial after a judge allowed him to withdraw his admission of guilt. Derrick A. Bass, 31, now claims he is innocent of the murder...
