Megan Tomasic stories, Page 46
Westmoreland County man dies following motorcycle crash in Somerset last month
A Westmoreland County man died following a motorcycle crash last month in Somerset County. William Riley, 77, of Mt. Pleasant died Sunday at the Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center in Johnstown, according to Cambria County Coroner Jeff Lees. On May 24, Riley was driving along Edie Road in Jefferson Township, Somerset...
Motorcycle crash closes Route 65 near McKees Rocks Bridge
A woman was transported to the hospital in critical condition following a motorcycle crash along Route 65 near the McKees Rocks Bridge, according to Pittsburgh police. Officers responded to the area of 4000 Route 65 around 7:20 p.m. Monday for reports of a crash involving the motorcycle and a vehicle....
Westmoreland Fair officially canceled because of coronavirus restrictions
For the first time in 65 years, the Westmoreland Fair has been canceled, said fair President Craig Lash. Restrictions put in place to help curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic made it “impossible” to host the event, Lash said. The restrictions would have included limiting the number of guests...
Driver injured after crashing twice — in 2 different townships
One person was transported to a hospital following a vehicle crash Friday morning that started in Mt. Pleasant Township and ended in Hempfield, deputy fire chief John Storey said. According to Storey, the vehicle crashed along Route 819 in Mt. Pleasant Township, causing damage to a garage around 7:30 a.m....
Week in review: Protests span the city, mail-in ballots counted, Turnpike workers laid offVideo
A protest that started out peacefully Saturday turned violent, leaving two Pittsburgh police cruisers in flames. The weekend protests were spurred by the death of George Floyd, a black man who died when a white Minneapolis police officer but his knee on Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes. The...
Police: Pittsburgh man planted homemade explosives outside PNC Plaza
Pittsburgh police said a man left a backpack full of homemade explosive devices in a bush outside of PNC Plaza in Downtown Pittsburgh on Sunday. Matthew Michanowicz, 52, of Pittsburgh, is facing three counts of possessing weapons of mass destruction and three counts of arson, according to a criminal complaint....
Crews battle early morning house fire in North Huntingdon
Crews battled a fire early Friday morning in the Circleville neighborhood of North Huntingdon, according to a Westmoreland 911 dispatcher. The house fire was reported around 12:40 a.m. in the 400 block of Buttermilk Hollow Road. Crews were cleared by 4 a.m. The Circleville Fire Department was assisted by the...
Hempfield schools hoping to reopen in fall, officials discussing classroom changes
The Hempfield Area School District is hoping to reopen schools to in-person learning this fall, but classrooms would look far different because of the coronavirus pandemic. District officials discussed opening schools to small, in-person classes, activities and events that limits interactions with different teachers and students, based on guidelines from...
Counterfeit Roku remotes, Apple AirPods seized by customs officials
Pittsburgh Customs and Border Protection officers on Sunday confiscated more than 4,000 counterfeit items mimicking Roku remotes and Apple AirPods that, if authentic, would be worth almost $112,000, officials said. Officers seized over 4,700 streaming system remote controllers — 4,212 fake Roku remotes and 500 fake Hisense remotes — along...
Police officer involved in 2-vehicle crash in Jefferson Hills
A Jefferson Hills police officer was involved in a two-vehicle crash Wednesday morning that caused drivers of both vehicles to be transported by medical helicopters for treatment at a Pittsburgh hospital, officials said. Police responded to the 200 block of Old Clairton Road in Jefferson Hills around 8:15 a.m. for...
Severe storms, high winds possible in Southwestern Pa. on Wednesday
A cold front moving through the Pittsburgh region Wednesday afternoon could bring with it a slight threat of severe thunderstorms, according to the National Weather Service. Severe storms will be possible mid-afternoon into the evening. Damaging winds will be the primary threat with an organized line. Damaging winds, large hail,...
Greensburg man charged after incendiary devices thrown at Indiana County home
A Greensburg man was arrested after incendiary devices were thrown at an Indiana County home Saturday, causing a small fire, state police said. Derrick John Weber, 20, was charged with arson, recklessly endangering another person and criminal mischief. He was released from the Indiana County Jail on $25,000 bond. Police...
Authorities investigating suspicious package left in Mt. Lebanon
Authorities are investigating substancesin a package left in Mt. Lebanon over the weekend by three men who participated in the protest in Downtown Pittsburgh, police said. Mt. Lebanon police said they received a call around 7:30 p.m. Saturday from a resident who reported seeing someone leave a vehicle and place...
Gateway Clipper to resume some cruises this weekVideo
The Gateway Clipper Fleet will resume sightseeing tours this week, officials announced on their Facebook page. The tours, which last about an hour, will resume Friday when Allegheny County moves into the green phase of Gov. Wolf’s reopening plan, lifting heavy restrictions put in place to help curb the spread...
Police: Woman killed while walking along Route 259 in Indiana County
A 43-year-old woman from Blairsville was killed Saturday after being struck by a vehicle in Indiana County, state police said. The woman, identified as Careen Mae Jones, was walking along Route 259 — close to her home near Wagner Drive in Brush Valley Township — when she was struck by...
New home improvement store could take place of Ramada hotel in Hempfield
A new home improvement store could be headed to Hempfield, pending township approval, taking the spot of the Ramada by Wyndham Greensburg Hotel and Conference Center. If plans for the site are approved, the hotel and former Westmoreland Athletic Club that closed in 2015, located near Westmoreland Mall, would be...
Crafton Amazon employee tests positive for covid-19
A worker at the Amazon fulfillment center in Crafton tested positive for the coronavirus, spokeswoman Rachael Lighty confirmed. “We are supporting the individual who is recovering,” Lighty said. “Our top concern is ensuring the health and safety of our employees and we are following guidelines from health officials and medical...
Hempfield students perform virtual chorus, art showsVideo
Students at Harrold Middle School in Hempfield weren’t going to let the coronavirus pandemic cancel their chorus concert. The show much go on, as they say. But rather than packing into an auditorium and risking exposure to parents, staff and students, chorus teacher Dan Lauritzen had students record themselves singing...
Diocese of Pittsburgh elementary teachers not guaranteed positions for next school year
Elementary teachers in the Diocese of Pittsburgh are not guaranteed their positions in the coming school year after officials said they needed a “pause” before completing contracts. “Due to continued fallout from the global pandemic, there are questions related to the reopening guidelines for schools across the country in the...
Hempfield waives temporary tent permit fee to help businesses during pandemic
Hempfield businesses can receive a temporary tent permit from the township without paying a fee. The offer is an attempt to help businesses move products outdoors to maintain social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic. Township supervisors this week unanimously agreed to waive the $350 fee until Dec. 31. Supervisor Tom...
100 free spaghetti dinners to be handed out in Grapeville
Debbie Huey is following in her parents’ footsteps by making her mark in the local community. Owner of Angelo’s Cucina & Catering in Hempfield’s Grapeville neighborhood, Huey is offering 100 free spaghetti dinners next week thanks to donations from Candy’s Corner Deli in Jeannette and Ken Tomajko, owner of Tomajko...
Stimulus payments in form of debit card cause confusion across country
As the IRS encourages Americans to be on the lookout for scams related to federal coronavirus stimulus money, the agency is sending millions of people their money in the form of a debit card. The prepaid card was sent to 4 million people who did not provide their banking information...
Hempfield revenues behind about $400,000 for year because of pandemic
Hempfield is behind in revenues by more than $400,000 compared with this time last year, township officials said. The coronavirus pandemic has hit global and local economies, forcing businesses to temporarily shutter to help curb the spread of the virus and leaving people out of work. In Hempfield, the revenue...
Coroner IDs 15-year-old McKeesport boy found in South Huntingdon creek
A 15-year-old McKeesport boy drowned in Jacobs Creek, a Pennsylvania State Police spokesman confirmed Wednesday. The Westmoreland County Coroner’s Office identified the boy as NaDarrius W. Lundy, a resident of Mc-Keesport’s Crawford Village apartment complex. Lundy’s body was recovered in the Creek Falls section of South Huntingdon shortly after 10...
Hempfield supervisors ask Gov. Wolf to end phased plan and reopen economy
Hempfield supervisors are asking Gov. Tom Wolf to allow the township to reopen without mandated restrictions put into place because of the coronavirus pandemic. On Tuesday, supervisors voted unanimously to send a letter asking Wolf to lift restrictions put in place in March. Supervisor Tom Logan was not present at...
