Westmoreland category, Page 714
Pro, amateur skiers take to rails, ramps in Seven Springs competition
Skiers known for competing in the Olympics and X Games took to the rails this weekend at Seven Springs in a competition organized by Pittsburgh native and professional freeskier Tom Wallisch. The Steel City Showdown pit the professional and amateur competitors against each other on rails and ramps built at...
Wind advisory expires for part of region, unseasonably warm temperatures to remain
A wind advisory expired Sunday morning, but the area will continue to see unseasonably high temperatures throughout the week, according to the National Weather Service in Moon Township. The highest wind gust was reported at Butler County Airport with 56 mph, according to the weather service. Meteorologist Jenna Lake said...
Final cause of fatal Pennsylvania Turnpike crash could be years awayVideo
Families could have to wait up to two years before they know what caused a fatal tour bus crash on the Pennsylvania Turnpike — a slow process prolonged because the National Transportation Safety Board has other crashes under investigation and only a single laboratory to process evidence for incidents across...
Highway deaths continue to mount, though U.S. roadways are safer than everVideo
A horrific crash that killed five people on the Pennsylvania Turnpike last Sunday represents only a fraction of a percentage point of the annual death toll on the nation’s highways. Highway design has advanced dramatically and features such as seat belts, airbags and stability controls have made vehicles safer than...
Orthodox Christians enjoy balmy weather for lakeside blessing serviceVideo
They didn’t need winter coats this year. Instead, parishioners at St. Michael’s Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church in South Greensburg on Saturday wore light jackets and had gloveless hands as they tossed ice crosses into the upper lake at Twin Lakes Park. “This is a treat for me,” said Jim Laffin,...
Family mourns man killed in crash near Westmoreland Mall
A Latrobe family is mourning the loss of Justin Bibel, 29, who was killed in a crash on Route 30 near the Westmoreland Mall. Bibel died Thursday in UPMC Presbyterian hospital, according to his wife, Monica Lea Bibel. “He was a good guy, he was funny, he was laid back,...
Getaway driver in 2018 robbery spree gets 2 to 6 years in prison
The getaway driver who participated in three armed robberies in late 2018 in East Huntingdon and Scottdale will serve up to six years in prison. William Nathan Lint, 36, of Connellsville, pleaded guilty Friday to robbery and other offenses in connection with heists at three local business over a five-day...
Westmoreland water, sewage rates to remain unchanged
Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County board members on Friday unanimously approved a new $105.2 million budget for the 2020-2021 fiscal year that keeps water and sewer rates at their current levels. The budget year, which begins in April, will be the second consecutive year the authority has held the line...
New senior living facility coming to Hempfield
Construction has begun on a new 119-unit senior living facility in Hempfield. Towne Square Senior Apartments, at 1043 Towne Square Drive, will offer one- and two-bedroom units and amenities including an on-site beauty salon and barber shop, a community room with planned activities and trips, a lounge and fitness center,...
Rostraver West Newton paramedic Matthew Smelser laid to rest in MonongahelaVideo
More than 300 emergency medical technicians, paramedics, firefighters and police officers gathered under a steady rain Friday in Monongahela to honor Matthew C. Smelser. They stood shoulder to shoulder and stretched two blocks down Chess Street for a finale salute to the Rostraver West Newton paramedic supervisor who was killed...
North Huntingdon residents upset over trash collection problems
Facing complaints about failing to pick up trash, North Huntingdon’s new garbage collector promised it will be caught up with residential stops on Saturday, a township official said. The transition from Waste Management to County Hauling of Rostraver “has gone a lot harder” than expected, township manager Jeff Silka said....
Hempfield students hope to plant 2,020 trees this year
Science National Honor Society students at Hempfield Area High School already are thinking about the legacy they’ll leave behind after graduation. And, for soon-to-be graduates, that legacy will be in the form of 2,020 trees students plan to plant in the community starting this spring. “Our graduating year is kind...
2 companies competing for Greensburg code permits, inspections
Greensburg now has contracts with two third-party companies to handle building permits and inspections. The city is asking developers to choose which they’d prefer working with — Millvale-based Code.sys, which has handled inspections since 2015, or the newly contracted Code Enforcement Agency (CEA) of Jefferson Hills. “We’re shifting from bossing...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County this weekend: Jan. 10-12Video
Baby, it’s … well, warm outside. Along with the unseasonably warm temperatures, this weekend’s entertainment options include warming soup, hot music and heated drama. Full stomachs, warm (he)arts The Westmoreland Museum of American Art will hold “Art on Tap: Soup Du Jour” from 5 to 8 p.m. Jan. 10 at...
New Westmoreland sheriff’s office solicitor will not get cut of property sales
The new part-time solicitor for the Westmoreland County Sheriff’s office will have a higher salary than his predecessor but still earn about $25,000 per year less under a restructuring approved Thursday. The county’s salary board, which includes all three commissioners and Controller Jeffrey Balzer, voted to increase the salary for...
No bird feeder, no problem: Bluebirds live on feeder webcam in Murrysville
Not everyone can have a bird feeder, let alone one that attracts the pretty, prized birds like Eastern bluebirds. Without so much a kernel of corn or a sunflower seed, residents can take a nature break to watch all the action at a live webcam trained on six feeders and...
Big plans for Westmoreland outlined at annual State of County luncheon
After a public squabble at their first voting meeting of the year, Westmoreland County commissioners got together for lunch Thursday to outline an ambitious agenda for 2020 that includes revitalizing the Mon Valley, potentially adding more flights to and from Arnold Palmer Regional Airport and increasing internet capability. Commissioners Sean...
Hempfield man charged with raping 2 girls he met via social mediaVideo
A 20-year-old Hempfield man was arrested Thursday on accusations that he raped two girls, ages 11 and 13, whom he met through a social media app. “They are trying to put me in jail for a long time for something I did not know. They were lying about their ages,”...
Rabbit ‘king’ from West Newton presided at Pa. Farm Show
As he wrapped up his week at the 2020 Pennsylvania Farm Show, Zach Farlow found himself on Thursday at AngoraPalooza. The event, one of many he’s attended this week as 2019 king of the Pennsylvania State Rabbit Breeders Association, featured Angora rabbits and scarves made from Angora rabbit wool. “I...
Board appointment prompts Westmoreland commissioners’ first dust-up
Westmoreland County Commissioners Sean Kertes and Gina Cerilli on Thursday appointed a new member to the county’s housing authority board of directors, a move that resulted in the first disagreement among the county leaders. Commissioner Doug Chew voted against the appointment of former Monessen District Judge Joseph Dalfonso to serve...
Westmoreland sheriff doesn’t want investigation into office mess
Westmoreland County Sheriff James Albert said he doesn’t want an investigation into who trashed his offices in the courthouse. “Let’s not prolong this. I want to stay positive and move forward,” Albert said Thursday after the offices were cleaned. Three deputies and two maintenance workers, Albert said, spent two full...
Dog rescued in South Greensburg mobile-home fireVideo
Firefighters rescued a dog in a fire that destroyed a mobile home Thursday in South Greensburg. The fire was reported at 12:10 p.m. in a mobile home that is located in an alley behind the 1500 block of Broad Street. “The doors were locked when we got here, so we...
Hempfield woman accused of tossing hot coffee on cop now charged with assaulting prison guardVideo
A Hempfield woman currently in the Westmoreland County Prison on charges that she threw a cup of hot coffee on a state trooper is now accused of spitting on a prison guard. Sonya R. Connors, 52, is accused of becoming “combative and verbally abusive” with a female prison guard on...
Irwin officials making plans for splash park
Area youngsters could have a place to frolic and beat the summer heat: a splash park at Irwin Park. Council on Wednesday authorized the park and recreation committee to research and develop plans for a splash park at the municipal park off of Pennsylvania Avenue. An estimated cost of the...
Hempfield buys 2 new fire trucks
Two new fire trucks were recently added to Hempfield Fire Department’s fleet of vehicles. Older trucks at fire stations in Adamsburg and Bovard were replaced by Sutphen SL75 Mid-Mount Aerial Ladder trucks, which can fight fires in residential, commercial and industrial buildings. The trucks, which cost $860,000 each, bring an...
