Jeff Himler stories, Page 23
Diocese board to review employee background concerns at Irwin-area parishes
Westmoreland County detectives have found no evidence of criminal activity at two Irwin-area Catholic parishes after looking into the Greensburg Diocese’s concerns about a possible cover-up of a former employee’s criminal record. But the diocese, which went public with its concerns at the end of May, is continuing its own...
Police arrest man in body armor after vehicle chase, carjacking attempt in Pittsburgh
A McKeesport man who was wearing body armor is charged with fleeing from law enforcement, attempted carjacking and causing a traffic crash after he led an Allegheny County Sheriff’s deputy on a chase Wednesday night. Allegheny County Sheriff Kevin Kraus said the chase went from Pittsburgh’s Beltzhoover neighborhood to Banksville...
2 charged in fatal shooting in Wilmerding during marijuana buy
Allegheny County Police have arrested two suspects in the fatal shooting of a man Wednesday in Wilmerding. Jackiel Young, 19, of Pittsburgh and Lynell Wilson-Smith, 18, of Wilmerding are each charged with criminal homicide, robbery and conspiracy in the death that investigators say occurred during a marijuana purchase. Police in...
Parents urge Greater Latrobe to settle contract with teachers as new school year nears
Greater Latrobe teachers are slated to return to school Monday for in-service duty, but they’ll be working under the terms of an expired contract until a new one is settled. Teachers and their supporters packed this week’s school board meeting following the July 31 expiration of the Greater Latrobe Education...
Retired Ligonier Valley teacher calls for investigation into how incident with special needs student was handled
It’s been a year and a half since Linda O’Sullivan had a life-changing encounter with a special needs student while she was working as an art teacher at Ligonier Valley High School. Now retired, the 60-year-old Ligonier Borough woman is still recovering from face, head and neck injuries resulting from...
Harris, Walz announce Pennsylvania bus tour to launch in Pittsburgh
Presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris and running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz are set to kick off a Pennsylvania bus tour Sunday in Pittsburgh. In their bid to keep a Democratic administration in the White House, the pair plans to make multiple stops in the state over the course...
2 injured when bus crashes into house in Pittsburgh’s Homewood neighborhood during police chase
Two injuries were reported Tuesday afternoon when a Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus crashed into a home in the city’s Homewood neighborhood. PRT said in a social media post that the bus driver and another person were taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries that were not thought to be...
Derry police chief remains on leave nearly year after K-9 partner was euthanized
Derry police Chief Randy Glick remains on medical leave nearly a year after an Aug. 25 incident that resulted in the K-9 police dog he was partnered with being euthanized. Derry Borough Council has since disbanded its police department’s K-9 program. Area residents have criticized borough officials’ treatment of the...
‘It was too astronomical for us’ Latrobe manager says as city rejects garbage bids
Latrobe Council rejected as too costly a proposal by sole bidder County Hauling to collect garbage and recyclable items in the city from 2026 through 2030. With Monday’s vote, city officials indicated they will seek another round of bids through Oct. 28 for the collection services, noting that at least...
1 dead in Stowe shooting; police seek suspect
A man was killed in a shooting Monday afternoon in Stowe, police said. The man, identified by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office as James Nelson Jr., 42, was found by first responders and pronounced dead after he was taken to an area hospital, according to Allegheny County police. County...
Proposed new Derry-Ligonier power line to follow path of existing one
Rosslyn Kemerer is breathing a huge sigh of relief now that a proposed new high-voltage power line connecting Derry and Ligonier is set to bypass her family’s small Ligonier Township farm. Others who have property in the path of the utility line FirstEnergy expects will help minimize power outages may...
Creek inundates northern Indiana County town as Tropical Storm Debby pours on rain
As many as 200 people were evacuated from homes and businesses in the northern Indiana County town of Clymer on Friday when Tropical Storm Debby pounded the community with rain and Two Lick Creek overflowed its banks. The Clymer Fire Department on Friday evening was assessing damage to its social...
$21.5M in upgrades proposed at Greater Latrobe high school campus
Greater Latrobe School District is mulling over a consultant’s proposal for updating aging climate control systems, lighting and other equipment at the senior high and junior high at a projected cost of $21.5 million. Siemens representatives presented the proposal at this week’s school board meeting, citing an estimated $8.2 million...
Westmoreland Land Trust unveils preliminary plan for parking, trails at Unity preserve
An expanded network of trails, multiple parking areas and an enlarged farm stand space along Route 30 are elements of a preliminary master plan the Westmoreland Land Trust unveiled this week for its St. Xavier Nature Preserve in Unity. About 25 people turned out for a Wednesday afternoon gathering to...
East Huntingdon man battles rare liver cancer, raised money to help other patients
Corey Rhodes says focusing on helping other liver cancer patients has assisted him in his own tough battle against a rare form of the disease. The East Huntingdon man’s tumors have stabilized after nearly three years of trying multiple treatments for fibrolamellar carcinoma. With support of family, friends and his...
Running series attracts growing number of kids to Latrobe park
The nonprofit Healthy Kids Running Series is returning to Legion Keener Park in Latrobe for five weekly fall sessions, Sept. 15 through Oct. 13. Local enrollment in the national program has increased from about 50 to 60 boys and girls ages 2 to 14, according to community coordinator Ryan Thomas...
Sisters of Charity’s Greensburg harvest sends wheat on journey from field to mill to oven
When the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill give thanks for their daily bread, they’ll know every step of how it arrived on their plates. On Monday, the local community of 80 nuns harvested the first crop of wheat from the plantings near their Caritas Christi motherhouse in Greensburg. The...
Ligonier Valley Writers invite public to picnic at Unity farm
The Ligonier Valley Writers are setting a new scene for the organization’s annual picnic this year. On Aug. 11, attendees will gather under a pavilion at the Jamison Farm in Unity for a feast of potluck dishes and local literature. After holding the picnic for many years at St. Michael’s...
Birds, blooms prosper at Unity nature preserve; master site plan in the wings
At least two bluebird chicks have fledged and a sea of black-eyed Susan blooms have peaked at the St. Xavier Nature Preserve along Route 30 in Unity. They’re signs of the new life that has flourished on the 248 acres since the site of a former Catholic academy and convent...
Ligonier Township restaurant showcases large-scale collection of Erector models
Build it, and they will come. That’s proven true with a wide-ranging collection of vintage Erector set construction toys and kits on display at Ligonier Township’s Gray Goose restaurant. Trains, blimps and Ferris wheels are just some of the scale model structures built by the late Michael Kent that line...
Festival, practice draw thousands to Latrobe for annual Steelers Nation gathering
John and Bree Tedesco brought their family from across the country Friday to Latrobe’s Legion Keener Park. Victor Desport brought his grandson, 8-year-old Liam Desport, from just across town. They were among thousands of members of Steelers Nation who converged on the park for a free daylong festival devoted to...
Derry Township bridge replacement to trigger 21-mile detour; I-70 restrictions slated
PennDOT is planning a 21-mile detour for Derry Township motorists and lane restrictions on Interstate 70 in Rostraver, both beginning Monday. Route 982 in Derry Township will be closed between Garrigan Hill and Laughlin Farm roads while contractor Beaver Excavating installs a box culvert to replace a bridge over a...
West Nile virus found in Westmoreland mosquitoes
West Nile virus has been detected in Westmoreland County for the first time this year. Mosquitoes tested positive for the disease after being captured in Latrobe and at the border of Greensburg and Hempfield, according to Chrissy Edwards-McCune, who conducts the county’s West Nile virus monitoring program for the Westmoreland...
1 dead in Mt. Pleasant Township motorcycle crash
A Mt. Pleasant Township man was killed in a motorcycle crash Thursday night in the township, according to Westmoreland County Coroner Tim Carson. William K. Dodrill Jr., 44, of Ricci Lane died of blunt force injuries when the Harley Davidson motorcycle he was operating left the side of Hecla Road...
Man, woman perish in Fayette County house fire; pet dog recovering
A man and woman perished in an early morning house fire Thursday in Fayette County. Fayette County Coroner Dr. Bob Baker identified the victims as David Brooks Sr., 72, and Lori Cossell, 53, both of Dunbar Township. The couple were married, according to Tpr. Kalee Barnhart, state police public information...
