Jeff Himler stories, Page 49
Greensburg Salem, Jeannette students explore careers in Pitt-Greensburg workshops
Students from the Greensburg Salem and Jeannette City school districts explored career fields during an array of workshops Thursday at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg campus. The students were placed in career-focused groups based on their interests and participated in morning workshops organized by the campus’ newly established Office...
Clearing the way for new development in South Greensburg
Heavy equipment completed demolition Tuesday of a former South Greensburg restaurant at Route 119 and Huff Avenue. Crews began clearing debris from the site to make way for development of a new business. The restaurant was shared by the Rax and Subway chain eateries. In years past, it was the...
Pittsburgh police seek man with medical issues missing since late April
The Pittsburgh Police Special Victims Unit is seeking the public’s help in its search for a man who has been missing for more than a month and is considered at risk because of medical issues. Curtis Anthony Howard, 62, is 6 feet, 1 inch tall, weighs 215 pounds, has black/gray...
Tribune-Review wins multiple Golden Quill Awards, earns additional finalist nods
The Tribune-Review captured eight Golden Quill Awards and was a finalist for more than a dozen others at the 59th annual awards dinner Tuesday night at Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh. The Press Club of Western Pennsylvania announced the winners of the Golden Quills, a competition that honors professional and student...
Greensburg eyes downtown master plan, welcomes experts to review 7 properties
Greensburg Community Development Corp. is partnering with city officials and others to create a master plan for revitalizing the downtown business district. The plan will incorporate the results of an analysis by national commercial real estate experts of seven key downtown properties ripe for redevelopment — including the lot at...
Excessive screen time a factor in loneliness, mental health risks for youth
Editor’s note: This is the second of two parts on the impact of isolation and loneliness. Michele Wentzel can tell when one of her three children is troubled. “They kind of isolate themselves and are very moody,” she said. “I can tell something’s going on.” Wentzel keeps the lines of...
Greensburg family fair will offer baby supplies, ultrasounds, dental care; volunteers needed
Volunteers are being sought to help distribute baby supplies to those in need June 5 in Greensburg. The distribution is part of the first Generous Hearts Family Resource Fair, a free event set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the parking lot of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of...
Greensburg’s Steve Snider Memorial Day race includes section of Five Star Trail
Runners will take to the streets of Greensburg on Monday for the inaugural Steve Snider “It’s A Beautiful Day” 5K race. The event honoring the late longtime Greensburg Salem track and cross country coach is being presented by the Greensburg YMCA. The race begins at 8:30 a.m. on Urania Avenue,...
Greensburg Salem eyes fall reopening for water-damaged middle school classrooms
Greensburg Salem School District plans to have three middle school classrooms with water-damaged carpeting back in use in time for fall instruction. But it’s expected to take longer to restore the district administration offices that also were soaked in mid-April when a water fountain on the school’s second floor started...
Feeling lonely: An epidemic of isolation has expanded area mental health needs
Editor’s note: This is the first of two stories on loneliness and its impact on mental health. Part 2: The negative impacts of too much screen time. Greensburg resident John Herrmann has a suppertime appointment each Thursday at the city’s Otterbein United Methodist Church. Helping to hand out meals to...
Veterans benefits presentation, spaghetti dinner planned at Norwin Elks
Westmoreland County Department of Veterans Affairs will hold a free benefits presentation June 15 at the Norwin Elks lodge. The 3:30 p.m. event will be held at 135 Elks Lane, Irwin (in Manor), but space is limited in the lodge’s upper dining room. The presentation will consist of an overview...
2 injured in Washington Township crash involving pickup, car, transit bus
Two drivers were injured in a three-vehicle crash involving a Westmoreland County Transit Authority bus Monday afternoon on Route 66 in Washington Township. The bus, which was not a full-size model, was empty of passengers when it was rear-ended in a chain-reaction collision shortly before 5 p.m., according to Clayton...
Mental wellness focus of informational event in South Greensburg
An informational Mental Wellness and Recovery event is slated for 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday in South Greensburg. Presented by the Greensburg-based Unity in the Community organization, the free program will take place at the Greensburg Event Center, 1700 Washington St. Timed to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Month, it...
Music, food, vendors, barrel event slated for Greensburg Fire Department Party in the Park
Live music, food and kids’ games will be featured on Saturday when the Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department kicks off the Memorial Day holiday weekend by hosting a Party in the Park. Admission is free for the event at Greensburg’s St. Clair Park. It’s intended as an alternative to the usual...
North Huntingdon man pleads guilty to assault, endangerment in standoff with police
A North Huntingdon man has pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and other charges stemming from a July 28 standoff with authorities, triggered when police said he fired 15 to 20 gunshots inside his home. Westmoreland County Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio on Friday sentenced 42-year-old Adam Plecenik to up to...
Lane restrictions slated for Route 119 in Youngwood, I-70 in South Huntingdon
Single-lane restrictions are set to begin Monday on sections of Route 119 in Youngwood and Interstate 70 in South Huntingdon as work progresses on improvements to the highways. Nighttime lane restrictions are expected to get underway the same day to accommodate bridge preservation work on several other roads in Westmoreland...
Greensburg Salem keeps school tax steady, eyes fund balance to cover $543K budget deficit
Greensburg Salem School Board has proposed a $49.4 million budget that would keep the district property tax steady at 89.72 mills. That represents an increase of about $325,000 from the current year’s spending plan, with a deficit of about $543,500 to be bridged by drawing on the district’s fund balance....
Veterans will have opportunity to share stories at Pitt-Greensburg breakfast
Veterans who want to share their military experiences and others who want to hear those stories of service are invited to a meeting of the Veterans Breakfast Club from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg. Set for the Hempfield Room of Chambers Hall, it’s...
Mt. Pleasant mayor: Incumbent Bailey takes Democratic nomination
Incumbent Diane Bailey captured the Democratic nomination for mayor of Mt. Pleasant Tuesday, according to unofficial results from all three precincts. Bailey garnered 48.5% of the vote, followed by Paul Wagner, with 35.5%, and Richard Cholock, with nearly 13%. Write-ins accounted for about 3% of the Democratic vote. Nicholas Lucia,...
Mt. Pleasant: Davis, Czekanski, Rega win contested council primary races
In one of two contested council races in the Mt. Pleasant primary, Andy Davis captured the Republican nomination for a First Ward seat. He posted nearly 68% of the unofficial tally, compared to about 30% for Tim Bauer. In the GOP battle for two Second Ward seats, incumbent Linda L....
Greensburg mayor: Bell leads Democrats, Spino tops GOP ballot
Incumbent Robert L. “Robb” Bell won a two-way race Tuesday for the Democratic nomination for mayor of Greensburg, receiving about 60% of the vote with all 15 precincts reporting. Challenger Jerry Vernail captured 38% of the vote. About 1% of the Democratic votes cast were write-ins, according to the unofficial...
Greensburg council: Incumbents lead primary field for 2 seats
Sitting members of Greensburg city council, Randal Finfrock and Sheila Brumley, led Tuesday’s Democratic party primary race for the two seats they occupy. With all 15 precincts reporting, Brumley garnered about 36% of the votes in the unofficial tally, followed by Finfrock, with nearly 33%, and challenger Gabrielle Stewart, with...
Unity: Incumbent Poponick captures GOP nomination for supervisor
Incumbent Ed Poponick led the field in the Republican primary race for supervisor, with all 13 precincts reporting Tuesday. According to unofficial tallies, Poponick received nearly 58% of the vote, followed by Doug Murphy, with about 28%, and Frank Zupanc, with more than 12%. Write-ins accounted for less than 1%...
Hempfield bridge project to trigger Monday night traffic restrictions on Route 30
PennDOT is planning lane restrictions and rolling stoppages Monday night for traffic on Route 30 near the East Pittsburgh Street overpass in Hempfield. The restrictions will affect eastbound and westbound traffic on the highway from 8 p.m. Monday until 6 a.m. Tuesday. It will allow crews with contractor Charles J....
Oakmont man guilty of 3rd-degree murder in 3-year-old daughter’s death
An Oakmont man was convicted of third-degree murder in the starvation death of his daughter. Bella Seachrist, 3, died June 9, 2020, after she became unresponsive and was taken to UPMC St. Margaret hospital near Aspinwall. In addition to the homicide charge, Jose Salazar-Ortiz Sr., 32, was found guilty of aggravated...
