Jeff Himler stories, Page 3
Hospital revenue a bright spot as Independence Health grapples with outstanding losses
Independence Health has seen some positive financial results at its five hospitals while still working to reduce overall losses in eight figures for its multi-county health care system. According to a presentation Independence Health shared this week with TribLive, revenues exceeded expenses at each of its hospitals for the 12...
2 hospitalized following North Huntingdon crash
Two people were taken to the hospital Wednesday evening following a multi-vehicle crash in North Huntingdon. A section of Route 30 reopened shortly before 7 p.m. Wednesday after being closed to traffic as emergency crews responded to the crash. A North Huntingdon police dispatcher said the wreck happened near the...
Bartels holds off challenger Marquis, wins 2nd term as Latrobe mayor
Incumbent Eric Bartels appeared to hold off challenger Christine Marquis Tuesday in the race for Latrobe mayor. With all six city precincts reporting, Bartels garnered about 51% of the vote compared to about 48.7% for Marquis. Bartels, 48, the Republican nominee, ran for a second term as mayor. He previously...
Boyd, Brown, Rovedatti, Fryman win race for Ligonier Valley board; Fitchwell gets 2-year term
Newcomers Sarah Rovedatti and Robert Fryman and incumbents Christy Boyd and Cindy Brown were the apparent winners in Tuesday’s six-way race for four, four-year terms on the Ligonier Valley School Board, according to unofficial results. John Fitchwell appeared to defeat Maureen Ittig in the contest for a two-year term on...
Rossi, Carney join incumbents Musick, Repko in claiming Greater Latrobe School Board seats
Two incumbents and two newcomers appeared to win a tight race for four seats on Greater Latrobe School Board, according to unofficial results of Tuesday’s voting. With all 20 precincts reporting, Merle D. Musick led the polling, with about 13.7% of the vote, followed by Yelayna Rossi with 13.3%, Andrew...
Greensburg’s Kristallnacht speaker to reflect on growing antisemitism, hope through kindness
When Shawn Brokos speaks Monday at Seton Hill University’s Kristallnacht Remembrance Interfaith Service, she plans to discuss antisemitic incidents in the region. “We have seen a consistent increase in antisemitic activity since 2020,” she said. In 2024, nearly 300 antisemitic incidents were reported in Pittsburgh, Brokos said. In 2018, it...
Ligonier Township looks to repair 1 bridge, replace another closed for over a year
Ligonier Township is proposing to refurbish a bridge on Harvey Road while it seeks a state permit to replace a bridge on Ramsey Road that’s been closed for more than a year. The township supervisors also want to improve the township’s last remaining section of dirt-and-gravel road, a portion of...
Class-action suit seeks to uphold in-network drug benefits for Ligonier pharmacy customers
A federal court could decide whether customers of Ligonier Pharmacy and several additional locations operated by Martella’s Pharmacies can have in-network insurance coverage through Highmark or UPMC Health Plan when they fill their prescriptions. A Pittsburgh law firm has filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of customers against those insurers...
Greater Latrobe School Board race includes 4 incumbents, 4 newcomers
Voters in Greater Latrobe School District have eight candidates to choose from to fill four school board seats in the Nov. 4 municipal election. The field is split evenly between incumbents and newcomers — but some have aligned themselves into two separate campaigns, each including three candidates. Campaigning together are...
6 in school board race for 4 Ligonier Valley 4-year seats; 2 face off for 2-year term
Six candidates are vying in the Nov. 4 election for a quartet of four-year seats on the Ligonier Valley School Board. Two other hopefuls — John Fitchwell, selected by Republican Party leaders, and Maureen Ittig, chosen by the Democratic Party — are facing off for a two-year seat. The winner...
Latrobe man charged with gun permit violation at Pittsburgh International Airport checkpoint
Allegheny County Police have charged a Latrobe man with a firearms violation after a handgun was discovered in his carry-on bag Wednesday morning at Pittsburgh International Airport. Police identified the passenger as 51-year-old John Frye. They determined he did not possess a valid concealed carry permit. Transportation Security Administration officers...
Wilmerding teen charged with homicide in double fatal shooting in Pitcairn
Allegheny County Police have charged a Wilmerding teen in the fatal shooting of two other teens on June 26 in Pitcairn. Jamon Brookins, 16, is charged as an adult with two counts of criminal homicide and a felony robbery count. Police said Brookins, then 15, fired multiple times at Tyrant...
All treats, no tricks: Mt. Pleasant Halloween parade lacks notoriety from past year
Last year’s Halloween parade in Mt. Pleasant Borough brought the small community of 4,250 people plenty of publicity, but not in the way officials would have liked. This year, organizers promised to be extra vigilant about parade participants to avoid a repeat appearance of a controversial entry like one last...
Solar farm eyed in Ligonier Township passes initial hurdle; emergency plans, buffer required
Ligonier Township Supervisors unanimously approved a permit for a proposed solar farm on Springer Road on the condition that developer SunVest Solar agrees to plant a buffer and coordinates with first responders on handling any emergencies that may occur at the site. “This is the first step of many, but...
Pipe replacement will restrict traffic on road in Derry Township
Motorists will encounter a single-lane restriction beginning Monday on a section of Route 982 in Derry Township. Flaggers will control traffic between McCullough and Barchesky roads while PennDOT crews replace a pipe. The work will be underway on weekdays through mid-November, depending on weather conditions. Project managers abandoned an initial...
Republican incumbent, Democratic newcomer vie for votes in Latrobe mayoral race
Christine Marquis wasn’t expecting to run for mayor of Latrobe, but she accepted the Democratic nomination for the post after supporters waged a successful primary write-in campaign on her behalf. On Nov. 4, Marquis will face off against Republican incumbent Eric Bartels. Bartels is seeking his second term as mayor,...
PennDOT work restricts traffic on Rostraver bridge over I-70
Traffic has been reduced to a single lane on Crawford Lane Bridge in Rostraver. Temporary traffic signals have been installed at each end of the bridge, on Crawford Lane and Finley Road, to guide traffic over the span that crosses above Interstate 70. The lane restriction is slated to continue...
Threatened loss of SNAP benefits weighs heavily on recipients
Amy Smidga says if she doesn’t receive her monthly SNAP benefit for purchasing food in November, it could sabotage her efforts to control her diabetes. “I get SNAP of $265,” she said. “It’s going to hurt me because it does help with what I need. Without the SNAP benefit, it’s...
Unity’s Marguerite, Dryridge fire departments plan merger, cite manpower, financial factors
Crews from the neighboring Marguerite and Dryridge fire departments in Unity are dispatched together on the vast majority of their emergency calls. If all goes as planned, by next year, they’ll be responding as one department. The top line officers for the two departments say the intended merger makes sense...
Steelers night practice in Latrobe generates $109K for school district, community groups
Profit-sharing and attendance are on the rise at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ annual Friday Night Lights practice at Greater Latrobe School District’s Memorial Stadium. This year’s Aug. 1 event generated a profit of more than $109,000, according to district Athletic Director Tyler Gustafson. Of that amount, $71,000 will be shared among...
Traffic restrictions set as Exit 46 ramp opens on I-70 in Rostraver
Repairs and a ramp change will cause traffic restrictions on sections of Interstate 70 in Rostraver this week. Rolling single-lane restrictions will take place 8 p.m. Monday to 6 a.m. Tuesday for traffic traveling in both directions between Exits 44 (Arnold City) and 49 (Smithton). According to PennDOT, this will...
Greater Latrobe OKs $12M bond issue for junior high roof replacement, stadium improvements
Greater Latrobe School District is moving forward with a $12 million bond issue to help finance capital projects, including the junior high roof replacement and an update of the Memorial Stadium track. The move was approved this month by both the school board and the related school authority, which will...
Aborted letter to Westmoreland DA, seeking outcome of raid on Ligonier Valley police station, angers officers
A proposed letter from the Ligonier Valley Police Commission to Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli is being called a “slap in the face” to the officers on the force. The police commission this week discussed sending the letter to ask whether local criminal charges are planned stemming from a...
Deck patching to restrict traffic on Route 119 bridge over Pennsylvania Turnpike
Drivers heading north on Route 119 in Hempfield will encounter daytime lane restrictions beginning Thursday while work is underway on the bridge carrying the highway over the Pennsylvania Turnpike. According to PennDOT, a northbound single-lane restriction will be in place from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. between Technology Drive and...
Bridge preservation, inspection to trigger traffic restrictions on Routes 30, 136 in Westmoreland
Eastbound motorists on Route 30 in Hempfield will be subject to a nightly single-lane restriction beginning Monday, Oct. 13 as a PennDOT contractor works on the Route 130 bridge over the highway. The traffic restriction will be in place from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. between the eastbound exit ramp...
