Jeff Himler stories, Page 5
PennDOT maintenance to restrict traffic on bridges in Westmoreland County
Motorists will encounter nighttime lane restrictions beginning Monday as crews perform maintenance on two Westmoreland County bridges. Single-lane restrictions will be in place between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. Monday and Tuesday on the Route 30 bridge in South Greensburg. The same restrictions will occur on the Matthew Smelser Memorial...
Decaying Latrobe theater earmarked for demolition, new plans discussed
The City of Latrobe is partnering with the nonprofit Latrobe Foundation to pursue demolition of a vacant commercial building on Main Street. Decades ago, the building at 319 Main St. was home to the Olympic Theater movie house. Most recently, it was occupied by vending machine supplier Westmoreland Amusements. The...
Unity firefighters received honors for their response to Marguerite mine sinkhole
When firefighters serving with a Westmoreland County trench rescue team arrived near a Unity restaurant in early December to help search for a woman who had fallen into an abandoned mine sinkhole, it didn’t take long for them to realize that this incident would challenge them in new ways. Until...
Lincoln Avenue resurfacing to begin in Latrobe, Derry Township; $104K fall paving OK’d in city
Crews are slated on Thursday to begin milling a lengthy stretch of Lincoln Avenue in Latrobe and neighboring Derry Township in preparation for a joint paving project. The work will extend between Route 982 in Derry Township and Main Street in Latrobe. Latrobe public works director Scott Wajdic said the...
Solar canopy proposed at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport
Officials at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport are exploring a company’s proposal to add a canopy of solar panels above some of its parking spaces, to save on the Unity facility’s electric bills and to take advantage of related energy credits. Under the proposal from Veregy, which has an office in...
Westmoreland airport authority ‘strong about Spirit’ while staying in touch with other carriers
Westmoreland County Airport Authority officials say they’ll stick with Spirit for commercial flights at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport although the budget carrier is headed into cloudy skies with its second bankruptcy declaration in less than a year. Spirit initially sought bankruptcy protection in November and emerged from Chapter 11 in...
Derry Township seeks state funds for adding firefighter bunks at Bradenville station
Derry Township Volunteer Fire Department is looking for state funding to help accommodate extended stays by firefighters at the department’s station in Bradenville. Fire Chief Mark Piantine estimated it would cost about $140,000 to fit out the station’s second story with separate bunk rooms and showers for male and female...
IUP to mark 9/11 anniversary with memorial program near remnant from Ground Zero
Indiana University of Pennsylvania President Michael Driscoll remembers how shocked he was nearly 24 years ago when he first learned of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States. On Thursday morning, when he takes part in the university’s annual program marking the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, he’ll...
North Huntingdon detour planned while PennDOT crews repair slide, road shoulders
Repairs on a section of Paintertown Road and a resulting traffic detour are expected to begin Wednesday in North Huntingdon. PennDOT officials said the road will be closed between Station Street and Bickerstaff Road while crews make repairs to a slide and the road shoulders, complete paving and upgrade guide...
Teacher-training roots, diverse appeal celebrated with exhibit in IUP’s 150th year
The town of Indiana, seat of Indiana County government, also has been a key center of higher education in Western Pennsylvania for 150 years. The ongoing story of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, since its beginning in 1875 as Indiana Normal School, is the subject of the university’s current sesquicentennial celebration...
Dance tradition, early multi-sport pro part of Italian heritage Latrobe festival will celebrate
A hometown sports standout of the early 20th century will get his due this weekend as Latrobe celebrates Italian-American heritage and culture. Paul Ciotti, one of the organizers of the fourth annual Latrobe Italian Festival, is helping to prepare a lineup of Italian-themed entertainers, food vendors and a bocce tournament...
Lane restrictions scheduled for bridges in eastern Westmoreland County, I-70 segment
Motorists in eastern parts of Westmoreland County will encounter overnight lane restrictions on a series of seven state bridges as crews work to preserve the spans. The single-lane restrictions started Wednesday and will be in place between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. for up to two days for each bridge....
Derry Township residents object to proposed solar farm, cite concerns about health, water
Neighbors in Derry Township are hoping the township supervisors won’t grant a permit for a proposed solar array on property in a rural neighborhood near New Alexandria. Hallie Newhouse-Ramer, who has started an online petition opposing the solar project on Newhouse Road, has expressed concern about its potential impact on...
Natural gas supplier eyes new Murrysville pipeline
Residents in Murrysville could see construction of a 4-mile natural gas pipeline in the municipality as part of an effort by Eastern Gas Transmission and Storage to boost its capacity to supply the fuel. The Appalachian Reliability Project could begin construction in March 2027, at an estimated cost of $239...
Derry Township sets public hearing for proposed solar farm
The Derry Township supervisors have set a hearing Tuesday to accept public comment about a solar farm proposed just north of New Alexandria. The hearing is set for 5:30 p.m. at the municipal building, 5321 Route 982. It will follow the supervisors’ regular 5 p.m. voting meeting. A neighbor has...
I-70 eastbound ramps to close for nighttime work in North Belle Vernon
Nighttime closures are planned during the first week of September for eastbound on- and off-ramps on Interstate 70 at North Belle Vernon. Detours will be in place when the ramps are closed between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday, Sept. 6, PennDOT said. While traffic is barred from...
‘Batman’ helps cops bust burglary suspect in Florida
A man charged with burglary and theft in a Florida town was foiled when he targeted the home of a crusader sans cape. The would-be thief was stopped in his tracks by a resident clad in Batman pajamas, according to the Cape Coral Police Department. Kyle Myvett told investigators he...
Morning Roundup: Man charged with attempted homicide in Pittsburgh stabbing
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, Aug. 29: Attempted homicide charged in Pittsburgh stabbing A Pittsburgh man has been charged with attempted homicide in a stabbing Thursday in the city’s North Side that critically injured another man. Brian Kellum, 46, also is charged with...
Crews free man from collapsed Charleroi trench in 5-hour rescue effort
A man was being treated at Pittsburgh’s Allegheny General Hospital after emergency crews freed him from a collapsed trench early Friday in Charleroi. Rescue workers freed the man at about 1:30 a.m. after about five hours of effort involving emergency organizations from multiple counties, according to TribLive news partner WTAE....
Mt. Oliver woman charged with involuntary manslaughter in death of 1-year-old
A Mt. Oliver woman is charged with involuntary manslaughter stemming from the methadone-related death of a one-year-old girl last year. The girl was in the care of 60-year-old Veronica Anglin in Anglin’s Church Avenue home on Nov. 8 when the child stopped breathing, according to a complaint filed by Allegheny...
Morning Roundup: Sheetz set to replace Rite Aid in Pittsburgh’s Banksville neighborhood
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Thursday, Aug. 28: Sheetz planned in Pittsburgh’s Banksville neighborhood A Sheetz convenience store is slated to replace a closed Rite Aid pharmacy in Pittsburgh’s Banksville neighborhood. Sheetz is in the early stages of planning a new store at Banksville...
Morning Roundup: Firefighter injured battling Pittsburgh house fire; pet dog rescued
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, Aug. 27: Firefighter injured battling Pittsburgh house fire; pet dog rescued Three occupants escaped safely, but a firefighter was injured early Wednesday as crews battled a house fire in Pittsburgh’s Morningside neighborhood. Fire officials are investigating the cause...
Man fatally shot in Pittsburgh’s East Hills neighborhood identified
Officials have released the name of the man who was fatally shot Tuesday night in Pittsburgh’s East Hills neighborhood. Hezon Wilson, 25, of the East Hills died at the scene in the 2300 block of East Hills Drive, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office. Wilson was pronounced dead...
Salem’s Market to sell closed Hill District grocery store to church
Salem’s Market is pursuing the sale of its closed supermarket in Pittsburgh’s Hill District to the Macedonia Church of Pittsburgh. In an announcement this week, Salem’s said the parties signed a sales agreement on June 25 and are not making financial details of the deal public as the transaction is...
Pittsburgh police arrest Pizza Hut robbery suspect after chase, crash in Penn Hills
Pittsburgh police have charged a man with armed robbery at a restaurant in the city’s Bloomfield neighborhood. Police said they made the arrest Monday after a high-speed car chase that ended with the suspect crashing in Penn Hills. Police said Jason Brian Fields, 44, of Penn Hills reached speeds of...

