Megan Tomasic stories, Page 39
Hempfield board members hope to set precedent with decision on band trip
Despite their major fundraiser in limbo, members of the Hempfield Area Marching Band could be encouraged to raise money for a proposed trip to Nashville in the spring. However, the trip that might be nixed by school board members depending on the state of the coronavirus pandemic at the time....
Staffer at Hempfield middle, elementary schools tests positive for coronavirus
A staff member who works at both West Hempfield elementary and middle schools tested positive for the coronavirus last week, said Superintendent Tammy Wolicki. The staffer, who was not identified, notified school officials of the positive test Thursday. Contact tracing implemented by the state department of health determined that no...
Western Pa. organizations see uptick in tutoring demands in wake of pandemic
As parents help their children navigate through online learning in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, many are turning to tutoring sites for homework help. Locally, organizations offering tutoring services have seen an increased demand as students traverse an ever-changing landscape with districts reopening in person, virtually or through hybrid...
Here to help: Ward, Waltenbaugh vie to use 39th District Senate seat to better others
Tay Waltenbaugh knows if he wants to unseat Kim Ward in the race for the 39th District State Senate seat, he has to get Republicans on his side. Waltenbaugh, a Hempfield Democrat, is hopeful his years as CEO of Westmoreland Community Action will give him an edge with voters in...
Hempfield Area leaders call for social distancing during homecoming parade
Hempfield Area leaders are calling for social distancing measures to be maintained at tonight’s homecoming parade. The parade is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Word of Life Church along Route 136 and will travel down the road, ending at Hempfield Area High School. Spectators who line the...
Businesses in Murrysville Star area receive covid relief funds
Businesses across Murrysville, Export and Delmont received covid relief funds awarded by the county last week. Across Westmoreland County, 260 small businesses were awarded grants totaling more than $4.3 million. Grants ranged from a few thousand dollars to a maximum of $25,000. They were funded through $31.5 million in federal...
Norwin-area businesses receive covid relief grant money from county
Small business loans awarded by Westmoreland County commissioners are helping companies in the Norwin area recover from economic setbacks created by the coronavirus pandemic. Across the county, 260 small businesses recently were awarded grants totaling more than $4.3 million. Grants ranged from a few thousand dollars to a maximum of...
Penn-Trafford area businesses receive grant money
Small business loans awarded by Westmoreland County commissioners last week are helping companies in the Penn-Trafford area recover from economic setbacks created by the coronavirus pandemic. Across the county, 260 small businesses were awarded grants totaling more than $4.3 million. Grants ranged from a few thousand dollars to a maximum...
4-H, FFA kids rely on private sales after fairs canceled this springVideo
When Stacy Hayes of Mt. Pleasant decided to put on a livestock show this summer, she knew it would be a small piece of normalcy in a year disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. The August event hosted at Porchview Stables and Riding Arena in Mt. Pleasant allowed kids to show...
Live! Casino Pittsburgh job fair slated for this weekendVideo
A job fair is being held this weekend for open positions at the soon-to-be casino at Westmoreland Mall. The event is set for 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday in the parking lot of the mall facing Route 30 near Applebee’s. Available positions include managers, cooks, servers, bussers, hosts and...
Hempfield moving forward with $200,000 sprinkler system for township buildings
Hempfield supervisors are moving forward with an almost $200,000 sprinkler project that would protect more than $5 million in assets located in the township municipal building, the public works garage and Hempfield Township Emergency Operations Center — all located under one roof. Supervisors Monday authorized a $133,900 quote with Quick...
Winning lottery ticket sold at Greensburg Shop ‘n Save
A Westmoreland County grocery store sold one of three winning Pennsylvania Lottery tickets drawn over the weekend, according to lottery officials. The Treasure Hunt ticket with a jackpot totaling about $190,000 was sold at Shop ‘n Save along East Pittsburgh Street in Greensburg. The winner, who was not identified, will...
Faith leaders tapped to promote census; count will last additional monthVideo
As political tensions flare and government mistrust spreads, local leaders are turning to trusted community members to promote the census. For months, local officials have relied on faith leaders to help dispel fears and promote the importance of the census, which determines the number of congressional seats per state and...
Schools find ways to cope with substitute teacher shortage in age of coronavirus
Local schools are bracing for what could be a year filled with teacher vacancies as covid-19 potentially amplifies a yearslong substitute teacher shortage. Districts scrambling to find day-to-day substitutes during a typical school year now might have to work twice as hard to retain those positions as fears of returning...
Local officials could have more time to complete census counts, federal judge rules
Only five days before census counts were set to cease, a federal judge in California barred the Trump administration from cutting efforts a month short. U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh issued a preliminary injunction Thursday requiring the Census Bureau to extend counting efforts through Oct. 31, NPR reported. That October...
Hempfield’s Eddie Coletta passes away
Eddie Coletta, whom the Hempfield community held a rally for earlier this week, died Friday morning, his family confirmed. Coletta, 43, was diagnosed with AL amyloidosis, a rare disease impacting the heart, kidneys, liver and nerves, two weeks ago. The disease, which is caused by a bone marrow disorder, can...
Hempfield lays out proposed 2021 budget
Hempfield leaders are leaning on tax revenues from a soon-to-be casino to balance their 2021 budget that’s facing a $1 million shortfall. Melanie Phillips, director of finance for the township, presented a more than $13.4 million budget to the board of supervisors this week. The proposed budget, which does not...
Community gathers to express support for Hempfield man diagnosed with rare diseaseVideo
More than 100 people gathered Wednesday evening at Hempfield Area High School as part of a rally for Eddie Coletta, a 1995 Hempfield graduate battling a rare disease. The high school marching band played “Sweet Caroline,” a nod to Coletta’s love for the University of Pittsburgh; cheerleaders chanted “Stay tough,...
Community to rally for Hempfield man diagnosed with amyloidosis
Growing up, Emma and Carly Coletta knew their dad would always be there for them. Eddie Coletta, a 43-year-old Hempfield resident, always makes it a point to put his family first. That’s why he waited for hours at Red Lobster on Mother’s Day knowing that’s the one meal his wife,...
Hempfield lays out alternatives if homecoming parade cannot be held
Despite the homecoming dance being canceled, Hempfield Area school leaders are hoping to make the fall event as normal as possible. Plans are in place to hold the traditional parade, said high school Principal Kathy Charlton. The parade typically travels Route 136 with permission from the township supervisors and the...
Spectators will be at Hempfield home football, volleyball games
Hempfield Area school leaders are allowing two sporting teams to exceed suggested gathering limits by allowing spectators at events. Girls volleyball and varsity football will be allowed two spectators per participating athlete, equating to between 175 and 200 people at volleyball events and between 1,000 and 1,100 at football events,...
Week in review: Wolf’s ordered deemed unconstitutional, Westmoreland sheriff switches partiesVideo
A federal judge in Pittsburgh on Monday found that orders issued by Gov. Tom Wolf restricting the size of gatherings and closing non-essential businesses to protect against the spread of covid-19 were unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge William S. Stickman IV wrote in his 66-page opinion that, even though the actions...
15 people displaced following McKees Rocks fire
More than a dozen people were displaced from their McKees Rocks home following a fire Thursday afternoon, according to the American Red Cross Greater Pennsylvania. Eight families, totaling 15 people, and a dog were forced to evacuate an apartment building in the 100 block of George Street. When crews arrived...
Slot machine arrival marks milestone in Hempfield casino constructionVideo
The former Bon-Ton department store at Westmoreland Mall in Hempfield is starting to look a lot like a casino. Live! Casino Pittsburgh, a $150 million venue owned by The Cordish Companies of Maryland, is slated to open before Thanksgiving with 750 slot machines and 30 table games. By Thursday, about...
Growing older: Number of centenarians on the rise in U.S.
Sounds of honking horns, cheering crowds and bouts of “happy birthday” wafted through normally quiet neighborhoods this year as friends and family, not letting the coronavirus pandemic stop them, celebrated loved ones turning 100. The number of centenarians around the world is on the rise, data show, a generation of...
