Megan Tomasic stories, Page 34
Man police say is connected to child sex case arrested in Bellevue
A man who police say is connected to a child sex case was arrested Friday. Joshua A. Pollard, 29, was arrested at a house in the 100 block of Lincoln Avenue in Bellevue around 8:30 pm. by members of the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, fugitive squad and the Bellevue Police...
Hempfield elementary school closed Tuesday due to covid-19
An elementary school in the Hempfield Area School District will be temporarily closed early next week after covid-19 cases were reported in the building. Fort Allen Elementary School will close Tuesday, Jan. 19, after three active cases were reported in the building, according to a letter from Superintendent Tammy Wolicki....
Dispatch: 2 people taken to hospital following I-70 crash
Two people were taken to the hospital following a crash on Interstate 70 in New Stanton Friday evening, according to a Westmoreland 911 dispatcher. Crews responded to the two-vehicle crash, which closed the eastbound lanes of the highway at the on-ramp to the Pennsylvania Turnpike, around 6:30 p.m. The scene...
$2.2 billion to be allocated to school districts, charter schools across Pennsylvania
Additional federal money is being allocated to school districts across the state to help with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Gov. Tom Wolf on Friday said he is dedicating $2.2 billion in federal stimulus funds to K-12 school districts and charter schools. The money can be used to support...
Monessen extends protections to LGBTQ community
Monessen city officials have extended protections to members of the LGBTQ community through a nondiscrimination ordinance. The action, which council passed unanimously this week, forbids discrimination in housing and employment based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. Protections previously were based on race, gender and religion. “Monessen’s a...
VA Pittsburgh to offer walk-up covid vaccinations to eligible veterans
Up to 2,000 eligible veterans across the region could be inoculated starting this weekend as the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System in Pittsburgh’s Oakland section prepares for its first walk-in clinic to distribute the covid-19 vaccine. Two events are scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 16, and Monday, Jan. 18 from 8 a.m....
Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots grow after no big winnersVideo
Billions of dollars are up for grabs this week as jackpots for Mega Millions and the Powerball lotteries continued to grow after players did not win the top prize for months. In all, nearly $1.4 billion is available: A $750 million jackpot is expected in Friday’s Mega Millions drawing, and...
Hempfield middle school students to remain with hybrid model of learning
Leaders in the Hempfield Area School District once again postponed a full return of middle school students as covid-19 cases remain high. Rather than returning to in-person classes five days a week starting Jan. 19, students will continue indefinitely with the hybrid model, or a mix of in-person and online...
Washington Township store sells winning $195,000 Cash 5 ticket
A winning Cash 5 ticket was sold at a Washington Township store, officials with the Pennsylvania Lottery announced Monday. The winner, who purchased the ticket at Thomas’ General Store along Saltsburg Road, will take home $195,000. The ticket was one of two that won the $390,000 jackpot. The other winning...
Hempfield middle school closed due to covid-19 cases
A middle school in the Hempfield Area School District is temporarily closed due to multiple covid-19 cases, officials announced over the weekend. Wendover Middle School is closed Monday after four positive cases were reported, according to Superintendent Tammy Wolicki. The closure comes a week after students returned following the holidays....
Favorable odds: Pennsylvania sportsbooks have handled $4.5B in bets since opening in 2018
With the NFL playoffs kicking off this weekend, eager fans are expected to flock to sportsbooks across Western Pennsylvania, helping to bolster an industry that in its infancy already has seen billions wagered in the state. Since sports betting became legal in November 2018, wagers on sports events have totaled...
Jerome Bettis new brand ambassador, spokesman for BetRivers
Rivers Casino Pittsburgh has a new face for their online gambling and sports betting site. Jerome Bettis, the former Pittsburgh Steelers running back, was named brand ambassador and spokesman for BetRivers, casino officials announced Friday. BetRivers is a brand by the gambling company Rush Street Interactive. “No matter where he...
Covid cases reported in Hempfield Area schools during 1st week after holiday break
Days after students in the Hempfield Area School District returned to school buildings following the holiday break, new covid-19 cases were reported. According to a tracker posted on the district’s website, there are five active cases among students and staffers, which are identified as individuals who were in school buildings...
Extra precautions taken by Hempfield Area after disruptions in online learning
Teachers at the Hempfield Area School District are taking extra precautions after several lessons conducted via Google Meet were disrupted by private callers. According to Superintendent Tammy Wolicki, three instances were reported at the middle school level in which classes were disrupted by private callers using “extremely inappropriate” language. Wolicki...
Hempfield considers virtual lessons in place of snow days
Snow days could be a thing of the past for Hempfield Area students — at least for the rest of this winter. District officials are considering a plan to have classes conducted online instead of being canceled when a weather event prevents normal classes from being held. School board members...
Hempfield Area orders more Chromebooks, still waiting for order placed in July
The Hempfield Area School Board is adding more Chromebooks to its collection as students continue to attend classes through a mix of in-person and virtual learning. During Monday’s board meeting, members voted unanimously to purchase 750 Chromebook laptop computers, which will be split between high school freshman and elementary students....
Demolition of Hempfield’s Ramada underwayVideo
Demolition of Hempfield’s Ramada by Wyndham Greensburg Hotel and Conference Center is underway, paving the way for construction of a new home improvement store. According to Patrick Karnash, director of planning and zoning for the township, “demolition has started and is moving along quite quickly” on the 42-year-old hotel. Leveling...
Female pedestrian killed in Somerset County Turnpike crash; vehicle fled
A female pedestrian was killed in a crash Monday evening on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Somerset County, state police said. She was hit and killed by a vehicle just before the Somerset exit at 6 p.m., troopers said. That vehicle fled the scene eastbound. State police did not identify the...
New engine added to Hempfield’s fire service fleet
Another fire truck was added to Hempfield Fire Department’s fleet of vehicles. The engine, owned by the township, was assigned to the Hempfield #2 Fire Station. The vehicle is capable of pumping 2,000 gallons of water per minute and carries necessary tools to perform at a high level, township officials...
Impact of Pennsylvania casino closures remains to be seen, though industry was surging this fiscal year
After more than a decade of continued growth for Pennsylvania’s gaming industry that has pumped billions of tax dollars into state coffers and local communities, the casino industry — and that cash flow — were largely upended in 2020 by the coronavirus pandemic. But the industry was on the rebound...
Pandemic plagued schools in 1st semester, likely to continue after holidays
While the end of a tumultuous first semester is in sight, school districts plagued with uncertainty and ever-changing situations brought on by the coronavirus pandemic are far from in the clear as record-breaking cases are continually reported, leaving no set plans going into the spring months. As the first semester...
Week in Review: Covid vaccines, mitigation orders to be liftedVideo
Nursing homes across the region began receiving vaccines this week through a partnership between the federal government and two national pharmacy chains, CVS and Walgreens. Long-term care facilities were among the hardest hit throughout the coronavirus pandemic. The first doses went out Monday and, throughout the week, facilities across the...
Hempfield baseball team to host Christmas tree recycling event
A Hempfield baseball team is hosting a Christmas tree recycling program this holiday season. Members of the 13U Hempfield Spartans Metro Baseball team will head out into the community between 10 a.m. and noon Saturday and again on Jan. 9 to pick up trees at houses around the township to...
Hempfield residents to see price hike for garbage services
Hempfield residents will pay higher garbage fees starting in the new year. Township leaders last month voted to contract with County Hauling, raising rates to $55.50 per quarter, or $220 per year. That’s an almost $10 increase per quarter from what residents are paying under the township’s current garbage provider,...
North Huntingdon pastor relied on faith as covid claimed his motherVideo
Editor’s note: This is the second in a series highlighting five people whose lives were reshaped by the coronavirus pandemic. By the time Glenn Meyers entered his mother’s hospital room at UPMC East in October, he knew it would likely be the last time he saw her. A covid-19 diagnosis...
