Megan Tomasic stories, Page 6
Excela Health’s proposed merger with Butler likely a bulwark against competitors, experts say
The landscape of health care in Westmoreland, Butler and Clarion counties could soon be changing in the wake of last week’s announcement that Excela Health and Butler Health System have inked an intent-to-merge agreement. It is likely an effort by both systems to better position themselves as a player in...
North Hempfield fire station improvements eyed
Hempfield supervisors are considering plans to overhaul the North Hempfield fire station while making space for a Mutual Aid ambulance housed at the facility. Supervisors recently got a first look at renderings from Unity-based Ulery Architecture for the Business Route 66 station. “It’s an exciting time for the fire service....
Casino brings weekend rodeo, concert stage to Westmoreland Mall parking lots in Hempfield
Looking from Route 30, the hustle and bustle at Westmoreland Mall in Hempfield this week appeared normal. But nestled in a parking lot toward the back of the shopping center sat more than 1,000 tons of dirt surrounded by a dozen 50-foot bleachers standing upright. The chirps of two skid...
Inclusive playground at Hempfield Park to open this weekend
Hempfield officials are debuting their $454,000 inclusive playground this weekend, a milestone that marks the end of the first two phases of the Hempfield Park rehabilitation project. The grand opening is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at Hempfield Park, where attendees can get a first look at the playground, which...
Excela, Butler health systems announce merger, creating region’s 3rd hospital giant
A third Southwestern Pennsylvania health care conglomerate is in the works, as Excela Health and Butler Health System on Wednesday announced an intent to merge. “We believe strongly that our new partnership will extend our intellectual and financial capital,” John Sphon, Excela Health chief executive officer, said in a prepared...
Pittsburgh police: 12-year-old found safe
Pittsburgh police detectives thanked the public for their help finding a missing 12-year-old girl. The girl was found safely at 12:45 a.m. Wednesday morning, according to police. She had been last seen Tuesday morning, said Pittsburgh Public Safety spokeswoman Cara Cruz....
Allegheny 911: Crews respond to fire in Crescent Township
Crews were on the scene of a fire Tuesday night in Crescent Township, according to an Allegheny 911 shift supervisor. Fire officials responded to the 1300 block of Main Street shortly after 9:20 p.m. The blaze was at Iron City Express, according to Trib news partner WPXI. Crescent Township patrolman...
Natalie Carbone Mangini was trailblazing scientist, restaurateur
Natalie Carbone Mangini spent her life as a trailblazer, continually opening new doors for women in science while wearing the hats of mother and restaurateur. In 93 years, Mangini shattered the glass ceiling when she became the first woman scientist employed at the Westinghouse Bettis Atomic Power Division, raised four...
Western Pennsylvania population continues to trickle downward
Municipalities across Southwestern Pennsylvania continued to lose populations between 2020 and 2021, estimates show, a continuation of a decadeslong slide felt across the region. Those trends were largely visible in Allegheny County, where Pittsburgh saw one of the biggest population declines across the state between July 2020 and July 2021,...
Contractor, plumber hired for Hempfield Fire Department headquarters
Hempfield supervisors are moving forward with a project that will transform the former municipal authority building into the fire department’s headquarters. Supervisors hired a general contractor and a plumber for the project, which will convert the Woodward Drive building into the first fire station for the Hempfield Fire Department and...
Hempfield Area officials get sneak peek of ideas for high school project
Hempfield Area School Board members this week got a peek at design ideas being considered for the district’s high school renovation project. The preview — which focused on areas including the front entrance, cafeteria, auditorium and athletic wing — came months after board members voted to proceed to the design...
Career fair will connect Hempfield students, employers
Upperclassmen at Hempfield Area High School looking to enter the workforce after graduation will have an opportunity to connect with local businesses during a job fair this week. The Spartan Connections Career Fair featuring about 50 local businesses is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday in the high...
‘Kick off to Summer Reading’ at Hempfield Area aims to keep students learning over the summer
The school year might be winding down, but leaders in Hempfield Area School District are hoping an event this week will build excitement around summer reading. The Kick Off to Summer Reading event is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. today at Spartan Stadium, according to Kimberlie Rieffanacht, assistant superintendent of elementary...
Don’t be alarmed: Fire drill taking place at the Harrison Hi-Rise in Harrison tonight
Several fire companies are conducting a “very real, but simulated fire drill” at the Harrison Hi-Rise in Harrison on Tuesday evening. The drill, starts at 6 p.m. at the Broadview Boulevard facility, will include officials from the Citizens Hose, Hilltop Hose and Harrison Hills fire departments. “If you see fire...
Hempfield Area parents air concerns about proposed middle school consolidation
Hempfield Area School District parents told school officials this week they are concerned about the potential for larger class sizes as a result of the district’s proposed middle school consolidation. More than 20 parents and guardians attended a meeting this week at Harrold Middle School detailing plans that would permanently...
Hempfield board ponders national ranking amid debate over what is ‘woke’ in region
A conversation on how to improve Hempfield Area High School’s rating on a Pittsburgh-based ranking list quickly turned into a contentious debate this week as board members expressed their opinions on the best way to proceed. The discussion came at the request of board President Tony Bompiani on Monday after...
Ghost towns dot Western Pa., Pittsburgh landscape and history
When Ron Ross was 8, he used to climb up a hill overlooking his family’s Westmoreland County farm and watch houses being moved from the small village of Cokeville. “It was like watching a ballgame,” said Ross, 78, of Blairsville, who lived in a 13-room, three-story farmhouse. The procession was...
As population continues to decline, the fate of some communities could be in jeopardy
Bob Davis spent only seven years of his childhood in Adamsburg before his family moved to Greensburg in 1966, but the borough made an impression. Davis lived in an old farm house along Main Street. He fondly recalls a bustling town filled with several businesses. There was a service station...
Hempfield school board to continue discussion of books available to high school students
The Hempfield Area School Board will discuss next month tweaking a policy related to reevaluating course materials. It’s part of a monthslong conversation that stems from the challenging of two books available to high school students. The board’s policy committee on Wednesday decided not to move forward with any immediate...
Hempfield Area middle school consolidation, timeline topic of meeting
Leaders in the Hempfield Area School District are hosting an informational session this week to discuss possible middle school consolidation plans. The session is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday in the Harrold Middle School auditorium, 1368 Middletown Road. Officials will discuss consolidating sixth, seventh and eighth grade students into Wendover...
No tax increase planned in preliminary Hempfield Area budget
Residents in the Hempfield Area School District will not see a tax increase after school directors on May 16 unanimously passed a $100.9 million preliminary budget. This is the fourth consecutive year that taxes held steady, following five years of gradual increases. Taxes will remain at 83.46 mills. Of the...
Pa. casino revenue at $462M, down slightly from record March, as sports betting slows
Pennsylvania casinos generated more than $461.6 million in gambling revenues last month, down slightly from the record-breaking month of March, state regulators said. In all, revenues last month were down by about $1.1 million when compared with the $462.7 million generated in March, the highest monthly total to date. Despite...
Pittsburgh Whittier K-5 closed until Thursday because of covid cases
Pittsburgh Whittier K-5 on Mount Washington is closed to students and staff until Thursday because of a spike in covid-19 cases, although it will reopen for Tuesday’s primary election, school officials said Monday. The school closed to in-person classes after it reached the 5% threshold for positive cases. According to...
2-year-old boy dies after being found unresponsive in Munhall home
A 2-year-old boy died Thursday after being found unresponsive at a Munhall home, according to Tribune-Review news partner WPXI-TV. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner identified Robert Kraft of Homestead as the boy, who later died at UPMC Children’s Hospital. A cause of death was not provided. Police were notified of...
Police issue 2 arrest warrants after 58-year-old woman shot, killed in Washington
Washington City Police issued arrest warrants for two men allegedly involved in the shooting death of a 58-year-old woman Wednesday afternoon, officials said. Police are searching for Brandon Ronald Allen, 30, and Javarr Thomas, 27, both of Washington. They are charged with criminal homicide and criminal attempt homicide after Kristen...
