Megan Tomasic stories, Page 11
Weather issues impact travel in Downtown Pittsburgh
Between the rains, the ice and intense snow squalls, the Pittsburgh region was hit with a heavy dose of Mother Nature late Friday and early Saturday. Parts of three interstates in Downtown Pittsburgh were closed Friday evening because of anticipated flooding, PennDOT said. By Saturday morning, the rivers had risen...
Pennsylvanians bet $68 million on Super Bowl, a 26% increase over 2021 wagers
Pennsylvania’s sports betting industry is off to a strong start after Super Bowl LVI set a record for wagers in the Keystone State, according to preliminary figures from state regulators. Pennsylvanians wagered more than $68 million on Sunday’s game, which saw the Los Angeles Rams overtake the Cincinnati Bengals, 23-20....
Greensburg finalizes $1 million loan that will be dedicated to public safety
Greensburg officials this week finalized a $1 million loan that will bolster funds dedicated to public safety that traditionally came from the now-closed J. Edward Hutchinson Parking Garage. Council members unanimously approved an ordinance related to the almost $1.1 million loan. “We wish we didn’t have to do it, but...
Greensburg hires new police officer
A new officer is joining the Greensburg Police Department. Patrolman Shawn Miller, whose first day is Tuesday, was sworn in during Monday’s council meeting. Miller previously worked as a sheriff’s deputy for Westmoreland County, said interim police chief Shawn Denning. His salary will be $53,000 per year. Miller’s hiring comes...
New $1.7 million Greensburg public works building could be finished in March
A new public works building in Greensburg is almost complete, more than two years after the old one was destroyed in a fire. Tom Bell, director of public works, said officials could move into the building on South Urania Avenue in March, with final inspections expected in the next two...
Westmoreland Online Academy eyeing expansionVideo
Leaders from three area school districts want to take advantage of the success of the Westmoreland Online Academy by expanding the program to middle and high school students. The online academy — a collaboration between Hempfield Area, Franklin Regional and Norwin school districts — was created in response to the...
Super wagers: $7.6B expected to be bet on Super Bowl LVI would shatter record
Pittsburgh might not be going to the Super Bowl, but Western Pennsylvanians are joining a record-breaking number of Americans placing bets on who will win Sunday’s game. Super Bowl LVI, which pits the Los Angeles Rams against the Cincinnati Bengals, is expected to draw a record 31.4 million Americans to...
Greensburg Night Market plans expansionVideo
The Greensburg Night Market is getting bigger this year, both in size and in the number of vendors who set up shop during the event. This year, the market will stretch three city blocks, running along South Pennsylvania Avenue from West Otterman to West Third streets. The event usually takes...
Work begins on comprehensive plan for Greensburg’s parks and recreation department
Greensburg’s parks and recreation department will soon have a comprehensive plan to help guide various aspects like programs and renovations over the next several years. Work on the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan began in December, said Lydia Kinkaid, the city’s recreation program manager. The document will be able...
County job fair slated at Westmoreland Mall
Westmoreland County is hosting a job fair next month to fill between 50 and 75 open positions at the courthouse, nursing home, jail and other government entities. The event will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 4 at Westmoreland Mall in Hempfield. “We’re going to have a variety...
Hempfield cheerleaders recognized by school board for winning state title
For Hempfield Area High School’s cheerleading team, there was no question they would be a top contender at the 2022 Competitive Spirit Championship in Hershey. What they didn’t expect, however, was to clinch the top spot. The team came home last week as the 2022 PIAA 3A Large Champions after...
Hempfield retains architect for possible renovation or rebuild of high school
Hempfield Area School Board members have elected to retain a Bellevue-based company to assist with a possible renovation or rebuild of the high school. Core Architects was unanimously hired by board members this week. The company previously worked on a yearlong feasibility study alongside Minnesota-based SitelogIQ, which examined the district’s...
NTSB: Speed, road conditions played big role in fatal Mt. Pleasant turnpike crash
The driver of a tour bus involved in a deadly 2020 Pennsylvania Turnpike crash likely was traveling at unsafe speeds on a wet road, causing him to lose control of the vehicle, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. The NTSB’s unanimous adoption of the drafted probable cause came more...
Diocese: Fayette County priest resigns after allegations of ‘inappropriate behavior’ with 19-year-old
A Fayette County priest resigned last month after allegations were made against him regarding inappropriate behavior with a 19-year-old, according to a statement from the Catholic Diocese of Greensburg. The Rev. Douglas Dorula, a priest at Saints Cyril & Methodius Parish in Fairchance and St. Huber Parish in Point Marion,...
Hempfield supervisors to consider zone change to former Cherry Creek Golf Course
Hempfield supervisors will consider a zoning change at the former Cherry Creek Golf Course, potentially paving the way for a new housing development in the southern portion of the township. A hearing is scheduled 7 p.m. Feb. 28 at the township municipal building to discuss changing around 100 acres of...
Greensburg property owner on new garbage contract: ‘We are stuck with this huge 31% increase’
Some city property owners are questioning Greensburg leaders after they approved a contract with Waste Management that funnels an $80,000- per-year franchise fee into the city’s coffers while increasing garbage rates by almost 32%. In December, the city approved the five-year contract, which outlined the franchise fee collected from Waste...
Renovations at Greensburg Hempfield Area Library almost complete
After nine months of work, renovations at the 110-year-old Greensburg Hempfield Area Library nearing completion, officials said. An exact date for when the project will wrap up has not yet been set. Work began at the downtown Greensburg library in May and was initially expected to take four to six...
Hempfield supervisors OK plans for Smail Auto Group expansion on Route 30
Hempfield supervisors approved site plans for new Smail Ford and Lincoln dealerships, which ultimately will expand the auto group’s footprint along Route 30. Two new buildings will be constructed on what is now a storage lot for the company, adjacent to Sheetz and across the street from Smail Honda. “We’re...
Hempfield supervisors choose company to help craft comprehensive plan update
Hempfield supervisors chose a Cranberry-based company to help them update their 15-year-old comprehensive plan. Herbert, Rowland & Grubic Inc. was hired unanimously by supervisors last week. Company consultants will be tasked with guiding the township over the next year and a half while they update their comprehensive plan. The plan...
Several events planned for Westmoreland Mall this month
Officials at Westmoreland Mall are preparing for a busy month after several events were scheduled at the Hempfield facility. In all, three events will take place throughout February, located in the mall’s center court. The events will kick off Saturday with the Boy Scout’s Pinewood Derby Championship. Participants are required...
Greensburg leaders seek input on comprehensive plan
Greensburg leaders launched a website this week aimed at keeping community members apprised of ongoing efforts surrounding the city’s comprehensive plan project. The site, shapegreensburg.com, provides details related to the project launched last year that will update the city’s 14-year-old comprehensive plan. The site also will give information on neighborhood...
Lower Burrell engineer, a whole week into his career, helps team lift 60-foot bus out of ravine
Alex Delp was seven days into his engineering career with Allegheny Crane and Rigging last week when he found himself hovering 250 feet in the air overlooking the rubble of Pittsburgh’s Fern Hollow Bridge. “It started out like any normal Friday,” said Delp, 23, of Lower Burrell. The day quickly...
Body of Washington, Pa., woman missing since mid-January found in Cecil
A 33-year-old woman who was reported missing in January was found dead Tuesday in Washington County, officials said. Rebecca Jordan Kloster, of Washington, was found in a wooded area near the 300 block of Hahn Drive in Cecil, according to the Washington County Coroner’s Office. Kloster was reported missing on...
90-year-old woman dies in Fayette County fire
A 90-year-old woman was killed after a fire broke out in a Fayette County home Tuesday afternoon, Grindstone Fire Chief Rich Lenk confirmed. Crews responded to the 100 block of E. Second Street in Grindstone around 2:10 p.m. for reports of the fire at the duplex house. Officials believe the...
Costly decisions loom about whether to build a new Hempfield high school, fix other buildings
A multimillion-dollar project could soon be on tap for the Hempfield Area School District as officials consider renovating or rebuilding the high school based on a recently approved study. The yearlong feasibility study, initiated by the school board in December 2020, examines the district’s physical, educational and functional needs. It...
