Julia Maruca stories, Page 10
Luminary Night gathers holiday cheer in downtown Greensburg
The streets of downtown Greensburg were transformed into a holiday wonderland Thursday evening, complete with elves, cookies, hot chocolate, horse-drawn carriages, a live Nativity , and a visit from Santa for the 54th annual Luminary Night. Hosted by the nonprofit Greensburg Business and Professional Association, the event gathers local organizations...
Hempfield Area makes it easier to search students with security policy update
Hempfield Area School District students and their belongings can be searched at the discretion of the superintendent under a revised policy the school board approved this week. The changes allow the district to search students and their belongings with metal or weapons detectors regardless of whether there has been a...
Any Hempfield Area tax hike capped at 6.5% next year
The Hempfield Area School District board approved a resolution that limits any tax increase to support the 2024-2025 budget to the 6.5% ceiling set by the state. Any increase above that index would have required approval from voters in the district or the state in a process governed by a...
Holiday market returns to Westmoreland Museum for 2023 season
Anyone looking for unique, homemade gifts will find plenty at the Holiday Mart in the Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg this weekend. The annual event brings local artisans together to show off and sell their creations. Booths spill out into the lobby and first level of the museum,...
Christmas tree vendors hit with inflation; some see price increases
It’s probably going to cost a bit more to deck the halls this year for those who prefer to set up a live Christmas tree. The seasonal staple has fallen victim to inflation. Christmas tree growers and vendors have noted price hikes of various levels for this season. At Habes...
Independence Health sees about $23 million in losses over 3-month period
Independence Health System operated at a deficit of almost $23 million between the beginning of July and the end of September this year, according to recently released reports. The shortfall is an extension of the downsliding pattern that the combined health system — made up of subsidiaries Excela Health and...
Police looking for Pittsburgh man who went missing from McKeesport
Pittsburgh police detectives are searching for a 56-year-old man who was last seen in the McKeesport area visiting family. Dobbie Wilson Sr., who is from Pittsburgh, was last seen on Nov. 5. He is 5 feet and 11 inches tall, and weighs about 180 pounds. He has brown eyes and...
Man last seen in Downtown Pittsburgh has been missing for months
Pittsburgh police detectives are looking for a man who was last seen in Downtown Pittsburgh in early September. Elijah “Eli” Rupprecht, 36, has been known to spend time in the Downtown, North Side, South Side, and West End areas, according to police. He may also be in Washington County or...
Giving Tuesday donations grow in importance for local nonprofits, leaders say
On the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, Casa San José Executive Director Monica Ruiz-Caraballo often spends much of the day scrolling through social media, admiring the hard work of fellow nonprofit organizations across the region. Posts and stories from her own group, a Western Pennsylvania-area resource center that works with the local...
Why get your flu shot and covid booster at the same time? Experts weigh in
Pharmacies, clinics, and primary care providers are offering the 2023-2024 updated covid booster and this year’s flu vaccine—and it’s both safe and convenient to get both vaccines at the same time, according to medical experts. In fact, you can get both shots in the same arm, said Dr. Graham Snyder,...
Local experts advise caution as mysterious dog respiratory illness reported nationally
An unusual respiratory illness is afflicting dogs across the U.S., prompting warnings from vets and health departments as families head into the winter travel season. The Associated Press reported that Oregon, Colorado and New Hampshire are among the states that have seen cases of the disease, which has not yet...
Pittsburghers react to news of hostage swap, temporary ceasefire in Israel and Gaza
Leaders of Pittsburgh Jewish and Palestinian organizations had mixed reactions to Friday’s start of hostage exchanges and a temporary cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The Associated Press reported 13 Israelis, 10 people from Thailand and one person from the Philippines were released Friday, and Israel released...
Car crashes into Knoxville home and catches fire, displacing residents
A man was taken to an area hospital after his car crashed into a Knoxville home and caught fire around 8:20 p.m. Tuesday, Pittsburgh police said. Firefighters pulled him out of the car, and he was listed in stable condition. No one was injured inside the home, located in the...
1 dead in South Bend Township crash
One person died in a head-on crash at the intersection of Route 156 and West Lebanon Road in South Bend, according to Armstrong County Coroner Brian Myers. Myers said in an email that the person had not been publicly identified Tuesday night because their family had not been notified. They...
Malfunctioning machine causes minor fire at Arbco Industries in Murrysville, no one hurt
Fire crews responded early Tuesday evening when a malfunctioning machine caused a fire at Arbco Industries in Murrysville. The machine, which is used to make hard plastic wheels, failed and caught an oil pit on fire, according to White Valley Volunteer Fire Department Chief John Bohinc. First responders put the...
Another round of free covid tests available in time for holiday travel
Just in time for the holidays, another round of four free at-home covid tests are available for mail order starting today, according to the US Department of Health. “Beginning Nov. 20, every U.S. household can again place an order to receive four more free covid-19 rapid tests delivered directly to...
Restaurant owner charged in shooting of teenager in Stowe Township
A restaurant owner was arrested Sunday, accused of shooting a 15-year-old boy who was seen on video trying to take the tip jar at the owner’s restaurant, police said. Mohammed Hamdan, 39, is charged with aggravated assault in the incident, which happened Saturday around 10 p.m, according to the Allegheny...
For local coin collectors, it’s not all about the money
Adam Orbell remembers the first coin that caught his eye. “As a kid, I found a drummer boy quarter, 1976, and I just fell in love,” he said. “I’ve been collecting since then. I’m 43 now, and I’ve been collecting since I was probably 5 or 6. I just always...
1 dead after crash on I-70 in Washington County
A person died in a crash on Interstate 70 in Buffalo Township, Washington County, after losing control of their vehicle, according to Washington County coroner Tim Warco. The crash happened around 3:22 a.m. Sunday morning, and the person died a little over an hour later at 4:30 a.m. Their identity...
Woman shot in leg in Duquesne
A woman was shot in the leg in Duquesne early Sunday morning, according to the Allegheny County Police Department. She is in stable condition and was taken to a hospital. The woman was found by first responders around 3:45 a.m. in the 200 block of Fifth Street. Allegheny County Police...
Pittsburgh-based stroke study brings improvements for Hempfield man and hope for a better futureVideo
Alex “Mike” Signorini had just methodically returned a drill bit to its case, and he couldn’t wait to text his doctor with the news. A woodworker and mechanic who managed a tire shop for 38 years, Signorini once spent his days working on cars, jogging and riding his motorcycle. Putting...
Pittsburgh man with dementia found safe after walking out of care facility
A 70-year-old man diagnosed with dementia was found safe after police said he was missing from the Larimer/Homewood West area after walking away from his care facility. Cecil Tinsley was last seen at 9:30 a.m. Saturday in the area of Frankstown Avenue. He is 6-foot-1 and was last seen wearing...
Wintertime cheer abounds at Greensburg holiday parade
The crowd was in good spirits in downtown Greensburg on Saturday evening as the annual Holiday Parade filled Main Street with a festive crowd. The parade had its start time moved back to 4:30 p.m. this year to encourage participants to include holiday lights in their entries, taking advantage of...
Hatfield’s Ferry power plant demolition embodies end of a bygone era
Masontown council President Bruce Cochrane can remember when the power station at Hatfield’s Ferry was built. A longtime resident of the borough at the border of Fayette and Greene counties, the retired UPS driver has spent most of his life driving on the bridge that crosses the Monongahela River and...
Antique props, colorful choreography shine in Geyer theater’s upcoming ‘Pirates of Penzance’
For director Martha Oliver, the Geyer Performing Arts Center’s upcoming performance of “Pirates of Penzance” was a long time coming. “I have wanted to do this since 1982. That’s 40 years,” Oliver said. As a young actress, Oliver performed in a Penn State Fayette rendition of the classic musical in...
