Jeff Himler stories, Page 45
Officials probe cause of Derry Borough house fire
Fire officials are investigating the cause of a blaze Friday night at a Derry Borough home. The fire was reported shortly before 10 p.m. in the 700 block of East First Avenue. Flames spread from the home’s porch but were quickly brought under control, the Derry Borough Volunteer Fire Department...
Greensburg ice arena renovation complete; reopening date set
Renovation of Greensburg’s Kirk S. Nevin ice arena is completed, but the planned reopening date for the facility at the city’s Lynch Field has been moved back a week, to Aug. 21. Parks and Recreation Superintendent Glenn Moyer said the later date resulted from the delayed arrival of some equipment...
Greensburg Hose Company No. 1 hosts 3rd car cruise
Wheels and deals will be featured Saturday at the third annual car cruise and vendor show hosted by Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department Hose Company No. 1. Up to 160 cars will be on display during the event at the Hose Company grounds at 6 McLaughlin Drive in Greensburg. The show...
Greensburg Salem OKs salary hike for superintendent
Greensburg Salem School Board approved a salary increase for district Superintendent Ken Bissell Wednesday. The board registered its approval of Bissell’s work with a pay hike to $154,000, exceeding the minimum annual raise of $2,000 set forth when his contract and starting salary of $144,000 were approved in April 2022....
Route 66 in Parks Township reopens following road project
Part of Route 66 in Parks Township, also known in that stretch as River Road, has reopened to traffic following a road project. PennDOT announced on Wednesday that the section of the state road that follows the path of the Kiski River has opened after being closed for a pipe...
Westmoreland 250: 10 unique things in Latrobe
(Editor’s note: To mark Westmoreland County’s 250th birthday this year, we’ve come up with a list of 250 things — 10 things in 25 communities — that we consider to be important to the makeup of our area. This series will appear each week through December. If you have a...
Overgrown plants a concern for traffic in Greensburg alleys; summer paving continues
Property owners in Greensburg are responsible for keeping vegetation from spreading beyond their yards and interfering with traffic, and city officials are underlining that fact in black and white. Public works director Tom Bell said the city has begun issuing letters to those who need to trim back growth that...
Strong winds split massive park oak, topple other tree limbs in Greensburg
The worst of Monday’s windstorms bypassed Westmoreland County, but strong morning gusts brought down limbs and damaged trees at several locations in Greensburg. The winds sheared in half a massive pin oak toward the eastern end of the city’s St. Clair Park, temporarily blocking part of a paved walking path....
Westmoreland summit participants share tales of homelessness, ideas for addressing problem
Anthony Taylor was homeless several years ago, which meant sleeping on an older brother’s couch. In addition to stable housing, he lacked medical benefits and a car. Now, the Latrobe man has a driver’s license and works as a facility attendant at the Union Mission, a Derry Township shelter for...
Man accused of assaulting girl in Indiana County found living in truck in Armstrong County
A man wanted in Indiana County on a charge of indecent assault of a juvenile was apprehended by state troopers Thursday in Armstrong County. Police said Mark Allen Juart, 36, whose last known address was in Indiana, was found living out of a truck and using the fictitious name Michael...
Bridge work set to restrict traffic on Route 711 in Donegal Township
Motorists in Donegal Township will encounter daytime traffic restrictions on a section of Route 711 beginning Monday, according to PennDOT. A single-lane closure will be in effect between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays through Aug. 18 between Chestnut Ridge and Snyder roads. PennDOT said flaggers will control traffic while...
Antique dealers, fire equipment to greet downtown Greensburg visitors
Vintage values will await shoppers in downtown Greensburg Saturday during the annual Antiques on the Avenue event. A mix of about 40 antique dealers from Westmoreland, Allegheny and Somerset counties will be set up from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at three locations along South Pennsylvania Avenue, including the Pitt-Penn...
Shared memories of simpler times sustain strong ties for North Huntingdon’s final Class of ’58
Some guys ventured out for late-night drag racing while the girls stayed inside for pajama parties. On Friday nights, nearly everybody turned out for the North Huntingdon High School Bulldogs football game, followed by a sock hop in the gym. “It was a fun time,” said Alice Goodlin. “We didn’t...
Missing girl, woman found safe, Pittsburgh police say
A woman and a girl repored missing separately in July have been located and are safe, Pittsburgh police said on Thursday. • Special Victims Unit detectives said Aniyah Davis-Stackhouse, 12, had last been seen on July 24. • Dominque Durrett, 27, had last been seen on Monday, July 31 in...
Fort Ligonier, West Overton join forces for whiskey tasting, sales honoring Arthur St. Clair
Visitors to Westmoreland County’s historic Fort Ligonier soon will be able to toast one of the county’s founding officials with a limited-edition whiskey issued in collaboration with West Overton Distilling. In celebration of the county’s 250th anniversary and in homage to early political and military leader Arthur St. Clair, the...
Indiana County fan preserves Steelers history, 1 news clipping at a time
Ed Griffith’s wife, Joyce, rarely has to wonder where he is. The Indiana County man’s daily routine includes hanging out in his basement man cave, adding to the more than four decades of news clippings he has saved to document the Steelers and other favorite regional sports teams and figures....
Greensburg eyes elimination of off-street parking requirement to spur downtown development
Greensburg officials are considering eliminating off-street parking requirements for downtown businesses to spur development. City Solicitor Zachary Kansler is drafting a proposal to change parking guidelines because the requirements are “one of the biggest impediments to development,” he said. The planning commission will review the proposed changes Aug. 23. Authors...
Missing Indiana County woman found
A Marion Center, Indiana County woman who was reported missing yesterday has been located and is safe. Sheila M. Rowley, 60, was located early Thursday morning, according to Pennsylvania State Police. The Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department bloodhound team and a state police aviation patrol unit joined in the search Wednesday...
Boy in stable condition after shooting in Stowe, Allegheny County Police say
A boy was in stable condition after he was shot Wednesday evening in Stowe Township, according to Allegheny County Police. The shooting was reported to county 911 dispatchers shortly after 7 p.m. near Sixth and Ridge streets. First responders found the boy shot in the arm, police said. He was...
Head’s up: Towering statue at Greensburg auto repair shop gets full face-lift
It was literally a tall order, but a local artist, a forklift company and staff of an auto repair shop combined efforts to make sure an iconic lumberjack stands head and shoulders once again above motorists driving along Route 119 in Greensburg. Standing more than 20 feet tall, the fiberglass...
Railroad maintenance to trigger detour for motorists in Sewickley Township
A section of Lowber Road in Sewickley Township will be closed beginning Monday as crews from CSX Transportation perform maintenance on a railroad crossing. Depending on weather conditions, the road is set to close at 7 a.m., between Sutersville and Cool Springs roads. The closure is expected to continue through...
New program for tots supports playing, learning at Greensburg Hempfield Area Library
Carson Anderton donned a pint-sized lab coat and, for a short time, became Dr. Mario, a character from the Super Mario Brothers video game universe. The 3-year-old Penn Township boy also has explored the diversion to be found in a play toolbox and has bonded with another tot over toy...
Paving to restrict southbound Route 119 traffic in Youngwood
Paving of a section of Fourth Street in Youngwood will result in a single-lane restriction beginning Tuesday for motorists headed south on Route 119 through the borough. Depending on weather conditions, the lane restriction is expected to be in place from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through Aug. 4....
Hempfield bike run, memorial display will honor service members killed post-9/11
Tributes to those who have died as a result of military service since 9/11 will be featured Aug. 5 as part of a Fallen Heroes Run and Military Appreciation Day in Hempfield. The fifth annual motorcycle run organized by Monroeville-based nonprofit Operation Vet NOW is dedicated to the memory of...
Summit set to seek strategies for reducing homelessness in Westmoreland County
Shelters in Westmoreland County were providing a roof and a bed for 74 homeless people in January, an increase from 56 people a year earlier. Those figures need to be expanded to represent all local people who are struggling with housing instability, according to Toni Antonucci, a committee member of...
