Quincey Reese stories, Page 10
High school students flock to career day at Westmoreland Hospital
About 200 high school students gathered Friday at Independence Health System’s Westmoreland Hospital in Greensburg to learn about jobs in the medical field. Students from at least six Westmoreland County school districts — Greensburg Salem, Greensburg Central Catholic, Hempfield Area, Jeannette, Penn-Trafford and the Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center...
Hempfield Area High School students show off winning Chain Reaction machine
Standing around a machine made of wood, plastic tubes, a spatula and an imitation frying pan, a team of Hempfield Area High School students showed the school board the work that won them first place in a February engineering competition. For nearly two decades, science teacher Tom Harden has sent...
Hempfield Area collaborates with local schools, businesses to raise money for Westmoreland Food Bank
Hempfield Area High School is hosting an Empty Bowl event on April 6 to raise money for the Westmoreland Food Bank. Community members will be able to purchase tickets online or in person. Admission comes with food provided by local businesses and a ceramic bowl attendees can take home. The...
Hempfield Area parents, students raise concerns about potential changes to high school gifted program, pool
As Hempfield Area administrators consider changes to the high school gifted education program and renovations to the district’s pool, parents and students laid out their concerns to the school board. Three parents and two middle school students spoke during a board meeting Monday night about changes being considered for the...
Trafford Middle School Drama Guild expands acting, dance skills for ‘Seussical Jr.’
Trafford Middle School student Asher Stowell will have the best seat in the house for the school’s upcoming musical. Perched atop a wooden set painted to look like a tree, Stowell surveyed his castmates recently as they rehearsed acrobatic moves and shifted brightly-colored props across the middle school’s auditorium stage....
Greensburg Salem School Board moves to reduce livestreaming only to voting meetings
The Greensburg Salem School Board will only livestream its voting meetings, following board action Wednesday night. The board voted 6-3 in favor of reducing its livestreaming to one of its two monthly meetings. Board members Lynn Jobe, Kacey Byrne-Houser and Emily Miller opposed. This is the first time the board...
7 people, including 3 teens, arrested for brawl at Meadville-Uniontown high school basketball game
Seven people have been arrested after a fight broke out in the stands of a basketball game between Meadville and Uniontown high schools on March 7, according to Meadville City Police. The game, held in Meadville, was halted with 3 minutes, 12 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter when a...
Greensburg Salem School Board weighs restricting livestream service to monthly voting meetings
Greensburg Salem School Board could reduce its livestreaming capacity for public meetings following a vote by the school board this week. Because of low livestream meeting attendance and difficulties finding staff to operate equipment, the board will decide Wednesday whether to restrict livestreaming to its monthly voting meeting. The motion...
Mon/Yough Trail Council to host 11th annual fundraiser half marathon, 5K on Great Allegheny Passage
The Mon/Yough Trail Council will host its 11th annual Boston Trail Half Marathon and 5K along the Great Allegheny Passage on April 12. The half marathon run will begin at 9 a.m., followed by the 5K run and walk at 9:15 a.m. Both races will begin at the Boston access...
Pitt-Greensburg reading initiative to focus on mental health as anxiety, loneliness remain high
It’s not uncommon for Sheila Confer to hear that her students at University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg are struggling with their mental health. An assistant professor of interdisciplinary studies and Academic Village director, Confer has noticed an uptick in mental health conversations with her students. It’s particularly the case during...
Craft, food vendors turn out for St. Patrick’s Day pop-up market in Greensburg
Visitors to the Greensburg Garden & Civic Center’s St. Patrick’s Day-themed pop-up market Sunday may have been surprised to see a hearse parked in front of the building. The vehicle was attached to a vintage Scotty trailer, where The Coffin Bean & Co. owner Jen Mullins prepared coffee and tea...
Pedestrian walking on roadway in Rostraver flown to hospital after being hit by vehicle
A pedestrian in Rostraver was airlifted to a hospital after being hit by a vehicle Saturday night while walking in a roadway, according to Rostraver Township Police. The collision occurred on Route 51 near its intersection with Webster Hollow Road shortly before 10 p.m., police said. The pedestrian was walking...
Vendors flock to Westmoreland Mall for home, garden show
Dina Nicoletti carefully arranged dozens of colorful Tupperware dishes in the center of Hempfield’s Westmoreland Mall on Saturday morning, keeping an eye for shoppers walking past her booth. A Pittsburgh area business leader for Powerhouse Sales, Nicoletti has worked with the Tupperware brand for 25 years. She was one of...
Dozens at Pitt-Greensburg rally to support LGBTQ+, Latino communities in Trump era
University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg sophomore Debany Renovato stood before a small group of protesters Thursday afternoon, recounting her experience moving from Mexico to the United States when she was in fifth grade. Two dozen students — many from the college’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance club — and handful of...
‘A light in this school’: Penn Middle School expands Landram’s Light charity, created in honor of late teacher
Pete Landram was emotional when he walked through the doors of Penn Middle School to watch his son, Dylan, and 14 classmates pack tote bags with supplies for local cancer patients in honor of his wife. Jackie Landram taught seventh grade English at the Penn Township school for 16 years....
‘It’s important to be here’: Greensburg Salem musical program rebounds from dip in participation
Across his seven years of musical theater experience, Greensburg Salem senior Wesley Heverly has watched himself and his castmates grow as actors, vocalists and dancers. “It’s really incredible to see how far everyone has come and grown throughout this whole process,” said Heverly, one of the district’s high school students...
Westmoreland native paints business windows, collects donations for LGBTQ+ nonprofits
What started as way for artist Victoria “V” Jennings to boost people’s spirits during the covid pandemic has turned into charitable fundraising. The Westmoreland County native has painted murals for about a decade. When the pandemic restrictions of March 2020 continued into the winter, Jennings put her artistic skills to...
Case will proceed against mother, daughter accused of stealing from estate of Greensburg Beverage CEO
A mother and daughter accused of stealing a relative’s $4.4 million inheritance from the estate of the late Greensburg Beverage CEO will have criminal charges proceed in Westmoreland County Court, a district judge ruled Thursday. Angela Lynne Valesky, 26, of Murrysville and her mother, Lisa Anne Skatell-Valesky, 51, of Jeannette...
Residents voice concerns as Penn Township continues developing zoning change proposal
As Penn Township officials continue to weigh a series of zoning changes aimed at increasing economic development, resident Darlene Leslie is worried her quiet home will be disturbed by traffic, noise and pollution. Leslie lives in the eastern portion of the township, about three miles from Bushy Run Corporate Park...
Reversing enrollment decline among priorities for incoming Westmoreland Co. Community College president
As Westmoreland County Community College grapples with a decline in enrollment and recent turnover in its top leader, incoming president Kristin Mallory aims to stabilize the institution. The vice president of academic affairs at Wor-Wic Community College in Salisbury, Md., Mallory was hired as the college’s president last week after...
‘They can sense the tension in our society’: Rep. Summer Lee speaks to Gateway 5th graders, tours renovated facility
U.S. Rep. Summer Lee didn’t mince words Tuesday afternoon when a Gateway Middle School student asked the Swissvale Democrat what Congress’ biggest challenge is right now. “Can I be honest?” Lee said. “The president.” Lee, D-Swissvale, spoke with Gateway’s fifth grade class about her career path, achieving goals and the...
Ex-Hempfield basketball coach retires from guidance counselor job after investigation
Former Hempfield Area High School boys basketball coach Bill Swan will retire from his guidance counselor role in June, following approval by the school board Monday night. Swan was placed on paid administrative leave from his coaching and guidance counselor positions Jan. 14 as the school district investigated an allegation...
Pittsburgh to open warming centers as frigid temperatures loom
As Pittsburgh prepares to welcome frigid temperatures and icy winds Tuesday, the city will open six warming centers to the community. The city’s parks and recreation department will provide the warming centers from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday. They are located at 1555 Broadway Avenue in Beechview, 3515 McClure...
Manor couple aims to create pet-finding app after death of 16-year-old goat
When Penny Layne ventured into the woods behind her Manor home on an icy January night, only one objective was on her mind: to find her missing 16-year-old goat, Patrick. Armed with a flashlight and a cellphone battery life near zero, Layne climbed over downed trees and trudged through the...
Westmoreland high school students pursue first responder certifications
Students in 10 of Westmoreland County’s school districts don’t have to wait until after graduation to pursue a career as a first responder. Through the Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center’s Protective Services class, students in grades 10-12 at select Westmoreland schools can earn certifications in firefighting, policing, EMS and...
