Megan Tomasic stories, Page 12
What’s that? John Irwin House holds history of borough
For some who grew up in the Irwin area, the yellow house at the corner of Main Street and Pennsylvania Avenue in downtown Irwin may simply be known as the teddy bear shop. While it hosted Ye Olde Teddy Bear Shoppe for 25 years, drawing in children with an easily...
Dr. Mehmet Oz stumps in Westmoreland County in quest for U.S. SenateVideo
Dr. Mehmet Oz enthralled a room full of potential Westmoreland County voters Wednesday as he works to make his mark in a crowded field of candidates vying to represent Pennsylvania in the U.S. Senate. The meet-and-greet event, held in a small room at Giannilli’s II in Unity where few attendees...
Medical marijuana dispensary opens near Westmoreland Mall
A new medical marijuana dispensary opened last week in Hempfield and is expected to bring more than 30 jobs to the area, according to the Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce. Curaleaf Greensburg is located at 5133 Route 30 in the former Pep Boys location near Westmoreland Mall. “The location was...
PLCB offers shot at 1,208 bottles of rare Old Rip Van Winkle whiskey
Some of the most coveted bottles of bourbon are up for grabs this week as the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board kicks off a lottery that some might consider a whiskey lover’s dream. In all, 1,208 bottles of Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery’s bourbons are available to Pennsylvanians through the limited-release...
Hempfield nixes mask requirement, changes school’s covid-19 tracker
Students in Hempfield Area School District identified as close contacts who do not test positive for covid-19 or show symptoms will be permitted to attend in-person classes rather than quarantine, the school board said. The vote Monday was one of several made in a meeting during which board members nixed...
Senate candidate Dr. Oz to host Greensburg event
Dr. Mehmet Oz, who is running for Pennsylvania’s open U.S. Senate seat, is hosting a meet-and-greet Wednesday in Greensburg. During the event, guests will have the opportunity to meet Oz and ask him questions about important issues related to his candidacy. Related • Mehmet Oz is spending millions on TV...
Hempfield homeowners may see lower insurance rates because of fire department’s improved ISO rating
While issues continue to impact Hempfield’s volunteer fire service, years of initiatives and efforts to reform the department are starting to pay off after officials received an improved rating from a national assessment company. The review by New Jersey-based Insurance Services Office Inc., or ISO, reflects fire protection services within...
Hempfield’s covid numbers higher because its tracker covers 14-day period
Despite more than 180 cases being reported on the Hempfield Area School District’s covid tracker, a large number of students and staff who make up those cases could already be back in school after new quarantine guidelines were released last month. The tracker covers a 14-day rolling period and reflects...
Pennsylvania casinos shatter record, generate $4.7 billion in revenues in 2021
Pennsylvania casinos in 2021 shattered year-over-year records, generating $4.7 billion in combined revenues, state regulators said. Casinos saw $2 billion more last year compared to 2020 when $2.6 billion was collected from slot machines, table games, sports betting, iGaming, video gaming terminals and fantasy contests, according to the Pennsylvania Gaming...
Pittsburgh police: Man dead after shooting in Allentown
Pittsburgh police responding to a reported gunshot victim Thursday night found a man dead inside an Allentown home, officials said. Officers responded to the 800 block of Loyal Way around 10:15 p.m. where they found an unresponsive man, according to Pittsburgh Public Safety spokesman Maurice Matthews. Medics pronounced the unidentified...
Temperatures reach single digits across Western Pennsylvania
After a relatively warm start to the winter season, freezing weather has descended on Western Pennsylvania with most areas waking up to temperatures in the single digits. According to Rich Redmond, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Moon, temperatures across the region were between 8 and 12 degrees...
Hempfield school officials, bus company working to lessen impacts of driver shortage
A shortage of substitute school bus drivers is impacting some routes in the Hempfield Area School District. First Student bus company “has an occasional morning in which a substitute bus driver cannot be secured,” according to Superintendent Tammy Wolicki. While efforts are made to cover impacted routes through other means...
2 more Pittsburgh Public Schools move to online learning
Two more Pittsburgh Public Schools are shuttering as officials continue to try and mitigate the spread of covid-19. Pittsburgh Colfax PreK-8 and Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy will be closed until Wednesday, officials said. Students at those schools will participate in online learning. Those schools join several other district buildings...
Job fair scheduled for open positions at Live! Casino PittsburghVideo
Officials with Live! Casino Pittsburgh are hosting their first job fair of the year, with several positions available at the Hempfield facility. The event, scheduled for Thursday at the casino’s recruitment center in Westmoreland Mall, looks to fill jobs in all facets of operations. Available positions include table games dealers,...
1 injured in multiple-vehicle crash on Pittsburgh’s Fort Duquesne Bridge, authorities say
A person was taken to the hospital Wednesday morning after a multiple-vehicle crash on Pittsburgh’s Fort Duquesne Bridge, according to an Allegheny County 911 shift commander. Crews responded to the lower deck of the bridge just before the North Shore exit around 6:45 a.m. Tribune-Review news partner WPXI-TV reported that...
Police: Man in critical condition after shooting in Pitcairn
Allegheny County Police are investigating an overnight shooting in Pitcairn that left one person in critical condition, officials said. Police said county dispatchers were notified around midnight of a shooting in the 400 block of Broadway Avenue, where first responders found a man who had been shot. The man, who...
Ambridge Area high school, middle school closed due to covid cases
Ambridge Area School District officials announced the closure of two district buildings because of a high number of covid-19 cases. Students at the high school and middle school will participate in online learning for a week after the Pennsylvania Department of Health advised the closure of the buildings because of...
Hearing on signs set for proposed GetGo in Greensburg
A public hearing regarding signs for the GetGo development planned at the former Family Video store in Greensburg is scheduled for this week. The hearing, scheduled for 4 p.m. Wednesday in the council chambers at Greensburg City Hall, will consist of developers going in front of the zoning hearing board...
Temperatures in Pittsburgh region could drop to 0 in days ahead
Western Pennsylvanians breathing a sigh of relief after the brunt of a major snowstorm passed through this week may be in for a rude awakening as the region’s coldest temperatures this season hover on the horizon. Temperatures reaching the 40s on Wednesday will drop quickly to the 20s by Thursday...
Extra covid tests from feds unlikely to make much difference in Western Pa. schools
A White House plan to deliver millions of covid-19 tests to schools by the end of the month likely won’t change much in Western Pennsylvania. Those already using the tests appreciate the extra resources. The rest have no plans to change course. Burrell School District “is not interested in testing...
Hempfield school district to share results of feasibility studyVideo
Hempfield Area community members will have the opportunity to hear recommendations from a yearlong study that examined the feasibility of several possible projects throughout the school district. The study, which first was approved by school board members in December 2020, looked into the district’s physical, educational and functional needs. In...
Hempfield Area to consider potential changes to covid health, safety plan
The Hempfield Area School Board this month will consider a number of possible changes to the district’s health and safety plan related to masking and quarantine periods. The first amendment would reinstate mandated masking. The second amendment would eliminate barring students from school after they have had close contacts with...
Loaded gun found in knapsack at Pittsburgh International Airport
A Ligonier woman was found carrying a loaded gun in her knapsack Friday at the Pittsburgh International Airport, officials said. According to the Transportation Security Administration, the loaded .380 caliber handgun was located after the bag went through a checkpoint X-ray machine. The woman told officers that she forgot she...
Vote scheduled for final report of deadly 2020 Pa. turnpike crash in Mt. Pleasant Township
The National Transportation Safety Board is set to consider a draft of the final report detailing a January 2020 bus crash that killed five people and injured dozens of others along the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Westmoreland County. The report, which will include details on what caused the wreck as well...
Downtown Greensburg Project accepting vendor applications for night, holiday markets
Vendors are being sought for this year’s night and holiday markets in Greensburg. The monthly Greensburg Night Market runs from April through September. The Greensburg Holiday Market is scheduled for Oct. 30, Nov. 27 and Dec. 18. The Downtown Greensburg Project is accepting applications through Feb. 25. “We’ve had really...
