Jeff Himler stories, Page 67
Greensburg bridge ceremony honors Richard Cullen, who was killed in Vietnam
Richard Cullen would have turned 75 on Thursday. But the Greensburg native never got to see his 21st birthday. Cullen was killed in action May 23, 1968, while serving as an Army infantryman in Vietnam. That sacrifice was recognized Thursday in a ceremony renaming the railroad bridge on Greensburg’s North...
Pitt-Greensburg welcomes first-year students for fall semester
Upperclassmen, alumni, faculty members and family pitched in Wednesday to help first-year students settle into campus residence halls at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg. Final enrollment figures weren’t available for the fall semester, but university President Robert Gregerson said, “Enrollment is up from last year. We had a really...
Federal student loan forgiveness is welcomed in Westmoreland, but overdue for some
Virginia native Grace Merrbach was all smiles Wednesday when she learned of the student loan forgiveness program announced the same day by President Joe Biden. “I’m very excited,” said the 21-year-old senior biology major at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg. “That gets rid of all of my student debt...
PennDOT to unveil plans for rehab of historic Youghiogheny River bridge in West Newton
PennDOT will hold an in-person meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 31, to display plans for rehabilitating the Route 136 bridge that crosses the Youghiogheny River in West Newton. According to project planners, the proposed rehabilitation is intended to maintain the historic significance of the metal truss bridge, which was built in...
4 bridges on Route 711 targeted for replacement
Motorists on Route 711 may run into temporary detours during the 2023 construction season, when PennDOT expects to replace four bridges along the road in Westmoreland and Fayette counties. Plans for all four bridges may be viewed online through Aug. 31. Visit PennDOT.pa.gov/District12 and click on “Public Meetings/Studies” under the...
West Nile virus found in Westmoreland, Allegheny, Armstrong; mosquito spraying slated
Mosquitoes sampled in Westmoreland County have tested positive for West Nile virus — joining Allegheny County, where spraying to control the insects is set to resume. One positive human case has been reported in neighboring Armstrong County, though the disease was not found in any mosquitoes there, according to the...
Special training, equipment prep emergency crews for water, physical rescues
When divers pulled the body of a 3-year-old Armstrong County boy from the Allegheny River about a year ago, the emotional impact of the untimely death was cause for concern — for the recovery team as well as for the young victim’s loved ones. “Anything like that that’s associated with...
Greensburg Salem to celebrate school spirit with bash at Offutt Field
The Greensburg Salem School District is inviting the community to celebrate local school pride at a Back to School Bash Wednesday at Greensburg’s Offutt Field. Admission is free for the event, which is slated for 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Urania Avenue and Laird Street. It will take place...
Seton Hill University center gets new name, helps students improve writing skills
Hope Albert had a bad habit of using run-on sentences in the papers she turned in for her college courses. But that problem, and others that hampered the Washington Township senior’s written compositions at Seton Hill University, are in the past tense, thanks to help she received through one of...
Downtown Greensburg Citizens Bank closed for remodeling
Downtown Greensburg’s Citizens Bank branch is closed for remodeling through mid-September. Spokeswoman Eleni Garbis said the location at 400 S. Main St., next to City Hall, is expected to reopen with a new look on Sept. 15. The branch has been closed since Aug. 10. As part of the makeover,...
Greensburg’s Lynch Field site for 2nd annual Back 2 School Jam
Greater Parkview Church’s Back 2 School Jam promises games, food and music for those attending the second annual event this Saturday in Greensburg. With the help of partners and sponsors, the church also plans to distribute more than 260 book bags to local students. That’s double the number of bags...
Greensburg wants to raze vacant house listed for county tax bureau sale
A dilapidated house on Harrison Avenue in Greensburg might be razed with help from Westmoreland County’s demolition program. The county already has an interest in the property at 447 Harrison, as it is among those listed by the county Tax Claim Bureau for inclusion in a Sept. 12 upset sale...
Pennsylvania Turnpike extends New Stanton ramp repair, overnight traffic stoppages
Westbound motorists planning to exit the Pennsylvania Turnpike at New Stanton can expect delays early on Thursday. Turnpike officials said crews making repairs at the westbound off-ramp will require traffic to halt for two 20-minute periods between 12:01 and 3 a.m. Thursday. Crews began the overnight work early on Wednesday,...
Historical marker honors early Unity farmer, Congressman, Whiskey Rebellion mediator
Editor’s note: ‘What’s That?’ is a recurring feature in the Tribune-Review’s Westmoreland Plus edition. If there’s something you’d like to see explored here, send an email to gtrcity@triblive.com When asked to name famous people who called the Latrobe area home, many would mention golfing legend Arnie Palmer or Fred Rogers,...
I-70 work triggers lane restriction in South Huntingdon, detours at Speers exit
PennDOT projects are scheduled to interrupt traffic Wednesday on Interstate 70 — at a work site near the Yukon exit in Westmoreland County and at a location farther west, in Washington County. Eastbound traffic will be restricted to a single lane from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. between the exits...
Coroner names woman who died in Ohiopyle rafting accident
A 50-year-old Ohio woman died Saturday in a rafting accident at the Dimple Rock rapids on the Lower Youghiogheny River at Ohiopyle State Park in Fayette County. Julie Moore was taking part in a trip down the river when a raft she was riding in with her two daughters and...
State officials: Bushy Run staff must consult with Native groups before staging reenactments
If historic Bushy Run Battlefield Park intends to host future reenactments or programs portraying Native Americans, park management first will have to consult with appropriate Native groups. That’s the policy of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, which oversees the Penn Township park. The commission says it also must approve...
City of Asylum/Pittsburgh co-founder injured in Salman Rushdie attack
Supporters are wishing a speedy recovery for Henry Reese, co-founder of the City of Asylum/Pittsburgh, who was injured Friday along with noted writer Salman Rushdie in an attack at the Chautauqua Institution in western New York. According to New York state police, Reese, 73, was moderating a planned lecture by...
2 suffer hand wounds in Duquesne shooting
Allegheny County Police are investigating a shooting early Saturday that wounded two men in Duquesne. According to police, each man suffered a single gunshot wound to his hand. One of the men was taken by ambulance to an area hospital while the other told police he would get himself to...
Comments sought on plans for bridge replacement, detour in Derry Township
PennDOT intends to replace an aging bridge on Route 982 in Derry Township and is inviting the public to review and comment on plans for the project. Information and maps detailing the project, along with a proposed detour route, can be viewed online through Aug. 23. Visit PennDOT.pa.gov/District12. Click on...
Greensburg Hose Company No. 1 to welcome car enthusiasts for 2nd annual cruise
There were 126 vehicles entered in last year’s inaugural car and bike cruise at the Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department’s Hose Company No. 1. “A bunch of our guys have some old cars, so we figured we’d have a cruise and try to raise some money for the fire station,” company...
Lammas Day fest in New Derry will celebrate traditional crafts, corn harvest
Derry Area Historical Society’s annual Lammas Day celebration is set for Sunday, with expanded activities including a fiber arts demonstration and tastings of locally produced beer and wine. The event will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. at the society’s restored 1817 Fulton House inn at 357 W. Pittsburgh...
Faculty departures spark hiring spurt at Greensburg Salem; principal joins district
Greensburg Salem School Board completed a raft of faculty hirings this week and advertised for additional positions — as the panel accepted the retirements of two teachers and the resignations of four others, with the start of school just weeks away. The board also filled an administrative vacancy at the...
Work moves ahead for Route 981 roundabout, realignment in Mt. Pleasant TownshipVideo
People who live and work along Route 981 in Mt. Pleasant Township have mixed feelings about a PennDOT project that is underway to reshape sections of the road as part of the Laurel Valley Transportation Improvement Project. The overall project is meant to improve safety and traffic flow in the...
Slickville Community Days shines spotlight on former mining town
About 400 people live in the small Salem Township community of Slickville, but visitors will swell that number this weekend, for the town’s annual Community Days. Set for Friday and Saturday, the festival had its start as a remembrance of the town’s founding as a coal mining community a little...
