Megan Tomasic stories, Page 24
Greensburg seeking consultants to help update comprehensive plan
Greensburg leaders want a team of consultants to help update the city’s 14-year-old comprehensive plan. City officials this week issued a request for proposals for a consultant to help the planning commission produce a user-friendly document that can be utilized by a variety of public and private stakeholders to guide...
Police: Pittsburgh man arrested in connection with February shooting death of North Hills honors student
A man wanted in connection with the February slaying of a North Hills honors student was apprehended Wednesday in California, according to Pittsburgh police. Howard Hawkins, 46, of Pittsburgh was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service in North Hollywood on a homicide warrant for the shooting of 18-year-old Ahmir Tuli,...
Severe thunderstorm warning issued for central Westmoreland County
A severe thunderstorm warning was issued Wednesday night for central Westmoreland County, according to the National Weather Service. The warning, which includes Southwestern Indiana County, was issued shortly after 8:20 p.m. and is in effect until 9 p.m. According to the warning, wind gusts could reach up to 60 mph...
State police in Southwestern Pa. investigate 88 crashes over Fourth of July weekend, write 1,202 speeding tickets
State troopers in the region investigated 88 crashes during the four-day Fourth of July weekend, one of which was fatal, according to statistics released this week. There were 35 people hurt and alcohol was involved in 10 of the crashes, according to data for Troops A and B, which cover...
Feathers Artist Market and Gifts in Irwin hosts kitten adoption eventVideo
Tracy Alaia is hopeful she can bring shelter animals one step closer to finding their forever homes by hosting kitten adoption events at her Irwin shop. On Tuesday, seven kittens pounced around Feathers Artist Market and Gifts as part of an adoption event in conjunction with White Oak Animal Safe...
Cook disputes Guy Fieri; says discrimination charges not resolved at Hempfield casino eatery
A former line cook who alleged racial discrimination at Guy Fieri’s American Kitchen + Bar at Live! Casino Pittsburgh in Hempfield this spring said the situation has not been resolved. The denial by Nate Ridley, 46, of East Pittsburgh came days after Guy Fieri in an interview with The New...
Time to celebrate: Western Pa. fireworks companies welcome back July 4th shows, revenueVideo
Professional firework displays once again will light up the sky this Fourth of July holiday as a number of communities and attractions resume shows that were largely canceled last year because of the covid-19 pandemic. The shift toward normalcy is welcomed by pyrotechnic companies across the region, which are gearing...
Pavilion at West Point Elementary gets new life thanks to Eagle Scout project
A former West Point Elementary School student headed an Eagle Scout project this spring that returned a pavilion at the school to its former glory. Justin Finfrock, 16, who is going into his junior year at Hempfield Area High School, spent a weekend in April pressure-washing the structure, replacing boards,...
West Point fire company in Hempfield placed on probation
The West Point Volunteer Fire Company in Hempfield was put on probation this week, a decision township leaders attributed to the resignation or transfer of three members, including the chief. Township supervisors Monday unanimously voted to place the company on probation, giving them 30 days to submit a corrective plan...
Penn Township couple enjoys collecting Westmoreland Glass
Editor’s note: Neighbor Spotlight is a monthly feature that aims to let our readers learn more about the people in their communities who are working to make them a better place, who have interesting stories to tell or who the community feels deserve “15 minutes of fame.” If you would...
Police: 16-year-old boy hospitalized after shooting in McKees Rocks
A 16-year-old boy was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries Wednesday after being shot in McKees Rocks, police said. Allegheny County emergency dispatchers were notified around 3:15 p.m. of a shooting victim in the 800 block of Gray Street. On scene, officers with the Allegheny County Police Department, who responded to...
Spokesman for Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto leaves post for job with the Pittsburgh Penguins
The spokesman for Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto has resigned from his position after accepting a similar role with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the city announced Wednesday evening. Timothy McNulty first joined the Peduto Administration in March 2014 after spending 18 years covering politics and government for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. His final...
Guy Fieri says discrimination claim stemming from Hempfield restaurant ‘has been resolved’
Celebrity chef Guy Fieri in an interview with The New York Times this week said a situation involving a former line cook who alleged racial discrimination at Guy Fieri’s American Kitchen + Bar at Live! Casino Pittsburgh in Hempfield was resolved. “The situation has been resolved,” Fieri said. “And I...
Man critical after being shot near the Allegheny Commons in Pittsburgh
A man was in critical condition early Wednesday after Pittsburgh police say he arrived at the hospital with a gunshot wound to the back. Pittsburgh police officers from Zone 1 responded to reports of gunfire in the area of East Ohio Street at Allegheny Commons around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, according...
Dispatch: 4 people flown by medical helicopters after multi-vehicle crash in Washington Township
Four people were flown by medical helicopter to area hospitals following a multi-vehicle crash along Route 66 in Washington Township, according a Westmoreland 911 dispatcher. Crews responded to Route 66 at Hancock Avenue shortly before 4:30 p.m. Both lanes of Route 66 were shut down for about two hours. The...
Officials: Pool collapse causes propane leak in Fayette County
Several homes were evacuated in Fayette County Tuesday afternoon after an above-ground pool collapsed, pushing a 500 gallon propane tank into a neighbor’s home, causing a propane leak, officials said. Crews responded to Fords Hill Road in Redstone Township around 1:30 p.m., according to Rich Lenk, fire chief for the...
Westmoreland County restaurants lean on combination of self, government helpVideo
After eight years of co-owning and operating J&M Export Deli, Michelle Gilson feels like it’s her first year all over again. Gilson, with co-owner Jennifer Minnick, was forced to make several cost-saving changes to the Export-based deli over the past year — like reducing the staff by three employees and...
Police investigating shooting in Pittsburgh’s Fineview neighborhood
A man is in critical condition following an overnight shooting in Pittsburgh’s Fineview neighborhood, officials said. Pittsburgh police responded to a Shotspotter alert for 10-rounds fired in the 1700 block of Belleau Drive around 12:35 a.m. Friday. Officers found evidence of a shooting on scene. While investigating the incident, officers...
1 person taken to hospital after crash involving farm tractor and vehicle in Mt. Pleasant Township
At least one person was taken to the hospital after a crash involving a farm tractor and a vehicle in Mt. Pleasant Township, according to a Westmoreland 911 dispatcher. Crews responded to 1785 Brinkerton Road shortly before 11 a.m. Thursday for reports of the crash. It was not immediately clear...
Greensburg Hempfield Area Library receives donated furniture from Pitt GreensburgVideo
After 52 years of using the same furniture, the Greensburg Hempfield Area Library is getting a refresh. Employees of the downtown Greensburg library on Thursday morning gathered at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, where they hauled away more than 80 donated pieces of furniture to be used at the...
Hempfield Area gearing up for new school year — without masks
Hempfield Area School District students will not be required to wear masks during the 2021-22 school year if board members approve a health and safety plan next month. Plans will be submitted to the school board during the July 19 meeting before being sent to the Pennsylvania Department of Education....
New businesses bolstering shopping, dining options in downtown Greensburg
A storefront along Greensburg’s North Main Street soon will be home to a new clothing boutique. The addition is only one of several businesses opening downtown this year. Elizabeth Von Boutique is expected to open its doors at 21 N. Main St. in late summer, offering an array of business...
Police: 1 dead, another injured after shooting in Pittsburgh’s East Allegheny neighborhood
Police are investigating a shooting in Pittsburgh’s East Allegheny neighborhood that left one person dead and sent another to the hospital, officials said. Pittsburgh police officers responded to a Shotspotter alert on Nash Street around 1 a.m. Wednesday, according to Pittsburgh Public Safety spokesman Maurice Matthews. Officers on scene were...
10 Greensburg businesses share $90,000 in covid-19 relief funds
Several Greensburg business owners are sharing $90,000 in grant funding aimed at helping them recover from the economic fallout of the covid-19 pandemic. Issued by the Greensburg Community Development Corporation as part of the Covid-19 Main Street Jump Start program, the funding went to 10 city businesses that experienced financial...
It’s time again to celebrate Greensburg’s Summer in the City
After an absence of several years, Greensburg’s Summer in the City festival is set to return this week. The four-day festival that draws people to downtown Greensburg and highlights local businesses and restaurants runs from Thursday through Sunday. The event is hosted by the Greensburg Businesses & Professional Association, the...
