Megan Tomasic stories, Page 41
Hempfield to move forward with fall sports
Fall sports will continue for Hempfield athletes this season, board members decided Wednesday night. The board approved plans, 6-2, laying out competition guidelines for all sports, including contact sports such as football, wrestling and dance, while touching on things like spectators, transportation and precompetition screenings. The move came days after...
County fairs, similar events have been canceled, but food vendors still set up shop
A piece of the Westmoreland County Fair is living on through food vendors who have set up shop in the Westmoreland Mall parking lot this week. John the Greek Food Concessions and Seivers Pit Stop Grill are scheduled to serve food through Sunday, located in the parking lot near JCPenney....
Hempfield Area officials to vote on health, safety plans
Hempfield school leaders are holding a special meeting Wednesday to update health and safety plans. The meeting, which begins at 7 p.m., will update the athletic health and safety plan prior to a Thursday golf competition, which needs approval before “student participation in a competitive event,” Superintendent Tammy Wolicki said....
Hempfield golf team member tests positive for covid-19
A Hempfield student-athlete recently tested positive for covid-19, according to a letter written by Superintendent Tammy Wolicki. District officials were informed of the positive case by the student’s parents Monday. The student, who was not named, is part of the district’s golf team, Wolicki said. After district officials were informed...
Love Local Courtyard Concerts kicks off during 2nd night of Greensburg Restaurant WeekVideo
About 40 people gathered Tuesday in the courtyard of The Palace Theatre, ready to kick off a downtown concert and dinner series. Love Local Courtyard Concerts, hosted by the Westmoreland Cultural Trust, is scheduled to run through Saturday, bringing together local bands and a Restaurant Week participating eatery. Restaurant Week,...
Forecast calls for storms throughout week as tropical systems move through Gulf
Storms are expected to linger in the Pittsburgh region throughout the week, leading up to a rain filled weekend as a duo of tropical storms threaten the Gulf Coast. According to the National Weather Service, thunderstorms are likely Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. Temperatures will hover in the upper 80s and...
2 people transported to hospital after crash in Hempfield
All lanes along Route 30 in Hempfield have reopened following a multi-vehicle crash Monday morning, a Westmoreland 911 dispatcher said. The three vehicle crash, which was reported around 6:30 a.m., closed one lane eastbound and one lane westbound of Route 30 near Georges Station Road, the dispatcher said. Two people...
Technical schools grapple with hands-on learning as classes resume during pandemic
As traditional schools weed through reopening plans that largely include at least some online learning, career and technical centers across the region grapple with how to maintain predominately hands-on classes while keeping students and staff safe. Several of the 16 career and technical centers that cater to high school students...
Little free library opens at Mammoth Park in memory of Unity womanVideo
Melissa Nace knew the perfect way to memorialize her sister would be through one of her favorite past times — reading. On Sunday, Nace presented a little free library leading up to the Giant Slide Complex at Mammoth Park in Mt. Pleasant where readers can take a book and leave...
Hempfield teachers, district work out policies to protect teachers from virtual learning issues
Hempfield Area teachers seeking extra protections prior to the start of the academic year reached an agreement with the school board. A memorandum of understanding was approved by the board and the Hempfield Area Education Association as staff prepares to welcome students back in a hybrid form, with some attending...
Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office warns of phone scams
Members of the medical community in Allegheny County are being targeted by phone scams, according to the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office. Scammers pretending to be from the sheriff’s office are calling residents, stating they have an outstanding issue — like jury duty or an unpaid summons — that has spurred...
2 flown to hospital by helicopter after crash in Derry Township
Two people were flown to the hospital by helicopter with “moderate to severe injuries” following a crash in Derry Township Saturday afternoon, according to Ted Malik, fire chief for the New Alexandria Volunteer Fire Department. Officials responded to Route 981 about half a mile north of Route 22 around 5:20...
Trump supporters rally in Murrysville as Wendy Bell headlines opening of ‘2020 Trump Victory Center’Video
Around 250 people gathered in Murrysville at a car dealership under construction Saturday morning to show their support for the reelection of President Donald Trump and to celebrate the opening of the nearby Murrysville Export Republican Committee’s “2020 Trump Victory Center.” Trump 2020 flags, T-shirts, buttons and signs floated around...
4 arrested following fight at North Apollo bar
A man threatening to “shoot officers in the face with his gun” was one of four people arrested early Saturday morning following a fight at a North Apollo bar, police said. Officers with the Kiski Township Police Department responded to the R Bar, located at 418 16th St., in response...
Annual fire prevention night at Westmoreland Mall canceled due to covid-19
The 25th annual Fire Prevention Night hosted by Hempfield has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The event typically draws more than 500 people, and about 80 area fire departments are represented. The event is presented by the Hempfield Township Fire Department’s 12 stations and firefighters from Greensburg, South...
Owners of Live! Casino Pittsburgh release online gaming site prior to casino opening
A new online gaming site will give a “sneak peek” into two casinos being built on opposite ends of Pennsylvania, including one under construction at Westmoreland Mall. PlayLive!, which launched this week, features more than 100 gaming options, including classic slots and table games, along with online-only titles and jackpot...
Hempfield Area extends school property tax deadline
Hempfield Area School District taxpayers have until the end of the year to pay property taxes without being hit with a penalty. School board members voted unanimously Monday to extend tax deadlines in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Taxpayers now can pay property taxes at face value until Dec. 31....
Officials left wondering how many students will choose charter schools
School districts face a daunting future as they prepare for several possible scenarios for the coming year. But one looming question remains largely unanswered — how many students will switch to out-of-district cyber charter schools that have impacted school budgets for years? Surveys sent to families as reopening plans were...
Week in review: Schools told to remain flexible; Pitt students move in; Post-Gazette employees authorize strikeVideo
Here were the biggest stories of the past week: Keep flexible Schools should remain consistent but flexible in how they educate students when school resumes at several districts later this month. State health officials said a spike in covid-19 cases may require districts to change how they teach students. The...
Recruitment center for new Hempfield casino to open late August
The former Sears wing at Westmoreland Mall once again is coming to life as facilities that cater to the now-under-construction casino at the mall open up shop. A recruitment center is set to open Aug. 24 in the former Barbara Ann’s Country Furnishings store, which moved upstairs, said Tom Meinert,...
Temperatures in Pittsburgh region could drop this weekend, bringing chance of rain
Temperatures will hover close to 90 degrees over the next few days, but a front could bring some relief to the Pittsburgh region this weekend. According to National Weather Service, highs will remain in the upper 80s Thursday and Friday with the potential for isolated showers. “Today and tomorrow will...
Temporary changes made to Hempfield’s administration office
Hempfield’s central administration office is receiving help in the weeks leading up to the first day of school. Gregory Saraceni, an assistant principal at Hempfield Area High School, will temporarily provide support to the central administration office, Superintendent Tammy Wolicki said. Board members voted this week to approve the changes,...
State departments warn of scams related to contact tracing
Two state agencies issued warnings about contact tracing scams amid the coronavirus pandemic. According to the Pennsylvania departments of Health and Aging, scams include a caller asking for Social Security numbers or payment for services. Contact tracing is used to identify people who have come in close contact with someone...
About 860 homes in 2 Pittsburgh neighborhoods under boil water advisory
About 860 homes in two Pittsburgh neighborhoods are under a boil water advisory following a water main break reported early Wednesday morning. According to The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, residents in parts of the Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar and Homewood North neighborhoods may be impacted. The advisory is for the areas approximately...
Western Pa. leaders working to exceed census response rates from 2010
Fewer people have responded to the 2020 census across Western Pennsylvania than in 2010, new data shows. According to the Pennsylvania State Data Center, several area counties, including Allegheny and Westmoreland, are about 5 percentage points behind self-response rates recorded in 2010. That means fewer people so far have responded...
