Call for Nominations-Smart Growth Awards
The Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County will be recognizing smart growth developments, plans and individuals/groups that have distinguished themselves by achieving the smart growth cause at its seventh Annual Awards Dinner on Thursday, May 21, 2009. Please submit all nominations by Friday, March 13, 2009 For more information, please contact the Smart Growth Partnership at 724-552-0118 For the nomination form, please  click here    > More

Area officials lick chops at prospect of stimulus
By Richard Robbins TRIBUNE-REVIEW Monday, December 29, 2008 For $1.5 million, McKeesport could finance the construction of Marshall Drive Extension, while another $800,000 would cover the cost of building a new community meeting room. For $35,000, Rostraver could rebuild Scholl Lane Bridge, and for $1.1 million, upgrade Vance DeiCas Highway. Both projects are "shovel-ready." President-elect Barack Obama has said signing a major economic stimulus package is his first priority. > More

Secession talk heats up in New Stanton
By Richard Gazarik TRIBUNE-REVIEW Sunday, December 28, 2008 New Stanton is filled with motels and restaurants catering to motorists and truckers on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The tiny hub -- population 1,900 -- that links Route 119 and I-70 with the turnpike seems an unlikely setting for a rebellion. But some property owners on Broadview Road want to secede from the borough and become part of adjoining Hempfield. > More

$5 million sports center planned in New Stanton
By Mary Pickels TRIBUNE-REVIEW Monday, December 22, 2008 An Allegheny County man who hopes to open a $5 million fitness training center in New Stanton will present his plans to the borough zoning hearing board Jan. 9. Errol Abdulla, who owns Turtle Creek’s AWK Consulting Engineers, plans to break ground on the proposed project by spring. He already has presented his plans to the planning commission, borough officials said. > More

State concerned about waste water from new gas wells
Sunday, December 21, 2008 By Don Hopey, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Gas well drillers tapping into the deep Marcellus Shales add up to 54 substances, some of them toxic, to the water they use to fracture that rock and release the gas. And the state Department of Environmental Protection doesn’t know what chemicals, metals and possibly radioactive elements are in the waste water that is pushed out of the wells. > More

Youngwood's revitalization efforts come to light
By Marilyn Kukula FOR THE TRIBUNE-REVIEW Monday, December 15, 2008 When first-grader Alyssa Hixson flipped the switch to begin Youngwood’s Light Up Night, it symbolized the renaissance that has been quietly taking place in the borough of about 4,000 residents. The ceremony, held Nov. 15, was the second organized by the resurrected Youngwood Area Business Association. Such an event "keeps the people close in a town," Youngwood Mayor Joan Derco said. > More

November 2008 Real Estate Sales Statistics from RealSTATs
Pittsburgh Area Median Price Stagnant; Activity continues to slide December 12, 2007 - Pittsburgh - One year ago, activity was down and prices were up.  This November, activity is down and prices are down, as well. The five-county median price slid from $116,750 in November 2007 to $115,000 last month, a drop of 1.5 percent. The region’s average price dropped 2.5 percent from $149,830 to $146,121.  Four of the five counties saw drops in average price with Washington County leading the pack at 12.8 percent down from last year, followed by Beaver at 11.0 percent, Allegheny at 5.3 > More

Firm wants to treat gas drilling wastewater
Friday, December 12, 2008 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette A Somerset County environmental cleanup firm is hoping to cash in on the rush to drill for natural gas in the underground Marcellus shale formation. Somerset-based Allegheny Ozone Inc. has developed an on-site system to treat the many gallons of wastewater that is left over from the drilling process. Company President Jeff Pyle said Allegheny Ozone has a contract with a drilling company and expects to start treating water on at least four drilling sites by summer. > More

Main Street facing major construction in Irwin
Thursday, December 11, 2008 By Norm Vargo Early next year, the resilience of Irwin business owners is likely to be tested by something other than the economy: work projects that promise to be disruptive but are expected to be key to the long-term vitality of the downtown business area. Motorists’ patience also is likely to be tested because the projects will require traffic detours and restrictions. > More

Support revitalization effort in Monessen
Instead of cursing the economic darkness that hangs over the Mid-Mon Valley, a group of area residents has decided to light a few candles. The Monessen Redevelopment Authority has launched a series of meetings for its Midtown Redevelopment Plan. The purpose of the meetings, which are bringing together the city’s political and business leaders, along with community advocates, is to find ways to revive the city’s economy and get it moving back toward its former glory. > More

Export part-time officer to be hired
By Paul Paterra TRIBUNE-REVIEW Thursday, December 4, 2008 Export Council voted 5-1 Tuesday to hire a part-time police officer, using $28,000 from the borough’s sewage fund. Council also voted to place a referendum question on the ballot during the primary election asking voters whether taxes should be raised to cover the cost of police coverage. Several details still need to be ironed out, including development of a job description and work hours. > More

Wal-Mart changes concern North Huntingdon planners
By Chris Foreman TRIBUNE-REVIEW Tuesday, December 2, 2008 North Huntingdon’s planning commission wants Wal-Mart representatives to come to a public meeting to brief them on some potential changes to a long-delayed store proposed along Route 30 and Barnes Lake Road. Although a construction company returned some earth-moving equipment to the site a couple of weeks ago, township Planning Director Andrew Blenko said Monday that the planning board may have to consider whether the changes indicate a minor or substantial revision to the previously approved site plan. > More

Hyde Park disbands police department
By Charlie Ban FOR THE VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH Tuesday, December 2, 2008 Hyde Park’s police department disbanded Monday, leaving police protection in the hands of the state police. The borough’s 3.67 square miles now are the responsibility of state police from the Kiski Valley station on Route 66 in Washington Township. The station covers all municipalities in Westmoreland County that don’t have their own police coverage from Route 22 north -- roughly one-third of the county. > More

Export may hire police officer
By Paul Paterra TRIBUNE-REVIEW Monday, December 1, 2008 Export is looking at increasing its police coverage by hiring a part-time officer. Since the 1970s, state police at Kiski Valley have provided police service for the community of about 950. "There are a lot of citizens unhappy with response time of state police," Councilwoman Donna Thatcher said. "There are calls that have taken place and it’s taken over an hour or an hour and a half to respond. > More

Drill press: Environmental, sportsmen's groups want stricter regulation of natural gas projects
Friday, November 28, 2008 By Don Hopey, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Thirteen environmental and sportsmen’s organizations have asked the state to do a better job regulating water use and disposal by deep natural gas well drillers that are rushing to tap into the potentially lucrative Marcellus Shales geologic formation. In a Tuesday letter to the state Department of Environmental Protection, the groups said that if the deep well drilling boom continues without adequate regulation, permitting and enforcement it could "irreparably and unnecessarily harm habitat and water resources. > More

Hempfield starts search to replace manager
By Chris Foreman TRIBUNE-REVIEW Tuesday, November 25, 2008 Hempfield supervisors will begin their search to replace the only township manager they’ve ever had. After 6 1/2 years, Rob Ritson is leaving Monday to become chief of staff for the new state senator in the 39th District, Kim Ward, a former township supervisor and outgoing Westmoreland County commissioner. While supervisors review candidates for his replacement, Ritson will be paid $2,500 for work on a part-time basis in December to help with the transition. > More

Monessen seeks spark
By Stacy Wolford VALLEY INDEPENDENT Monday, November 24, 2008 MONESSEN - The enthusiasm generated by a community meeting earlier this fall is still going strong. A follow-up meeting to the "Let’s Work Together" session in September took place Nov. 13 with Pittsburgh-based consultant Ron Porter. The first gathering attracted nearly 60 political and business leaders and community advocates to discuss ways to reinvigorate the city. > More

Transit authority increases rides into Pittsburgh
By Rich Cholodofsky TRIBUNE-REVIEW Saturday, November 22, 2008 Westmoreland County Transit Authority service into Pittsburgh will not be interrupted if unionized drivers and mechanics of the Port Authority of Allegheny County go on strike. Larry Morris, executive director of the Westmoreland County agency, said commuter riders will still be able to ride WCTA buses into and out of Pittsburgh should the Port Authority’s 2,200-member union walk off the job. > More

Oil, gas drilling booming in state, study says
By Rick Stouffer TRIBUNE-REVIEW Monday, November 17, 2008 The number of new oil and natural gas wells drilled in Pennsylvania tripled between 2000 and 2007, with the state’s 79,000 active wells making it third-highest among all states, a study released today shows. Oil and gas generates more than $7.1 billion in annual economic impact, with more than 26,500 jobs directly and indirectly supported by the industry, the Pennsylvania Economy League study found. > More

Developers to present shopping center plan
By Paul Paterra TRIBUNE-REVIEW Monday, November 17, 2008 Developers of a proposed 114-acre upscale shopping center along Route 22 in Murrysville -- Marketplace on Twenty-Two -- will reveal their site plans to the municipality’s planning commission Tuesday. The shopping area would be located on the north side of Route 22, west of Berlin Farm Road, according to David Trueman, a partner with developer Manor Development Group II. > More

Washington Twp. ties police coverage to tax hike
By George Guido FOR THE VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH Friday, November 14, 2008 The township supervisors challenged a group of residents who packed the municipal building Thursday night to prove widespread support for retaining current police coverage in exchange for a tax hike to pay for it. Residents and members of the Allegheny Valley Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge 39 filled the supervisors’ chambers to ask that the policy of two police officers on duty per shift be restored around the clock. > More

Planners hear Trafford residents' concerns
By Chris Foreman TRIBUNE-REVIEW Thursday, November 13, 2008 Many Trafford residents are proud of their town’s parks and feel safe on the streets, but they’re frustrated by absent owners of damaged properties. They see the Penn-Trafford School District as a major attraction, but want more of a government emphasis on code enforcement. In preparing a comprehensive plan and revitalization strategy for Trafford, consultants from Mullin & Lonergan Associates Inc. > More

Restart of shuttle service planned
By A.J. Panian TRIBUNE REVIEW Wednesday, November 12, 2008 Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Unity is one of three small commercial service airports in the final stages of negotiations to provide daily flights to Pittsburgh International Airport. Gabe Monzo, executive director of the Westmoreland County Airport Authority, said at Tuesday’s board meeting that Arnold Palmer Regional, Erie International Airport and an unspecified West Virginia airport are well into talks with Pittsburgh International and New England-based Cape Airlines to provide the service on a pilot program basis. > More

Scottdale Council wants decision on signs
By Rachel R. Basinger DAILY COURIER Tuesday, November 11, 2008 Borough Manager Barry Whoric was directed by council Monday night to send a copy of Scottdale’s revised sign ordinance to its and Westmoreland County’s planning commissions. Both commissions have 45 days to look over the proposed revisions and make any comments before a mandated public hearing can be held. Council noted that time is of the essence since the Scottdale Town Center Revitalization Committee could be in jeopardy of losing a $35,000 sign incentive grant from the Department of Community and Economic Developmen > More

Fall 2008 Westmoreland News
The Penn State Cooperative Extension Westmoreland County office publishes a quarterly newsletter.  To see the latest newsletter, please click here  > More

Trafford residents asked for ideas
By Chris Foreman TRIBUNE-REVIEW Monday, November 10, 2008 Dorothy Wallace doesn’t hesitate to call Trafford a "beautiful town," but the 25-year resident misses the active downtown district the borough used to have. Wallace, 77, said she and other Trafford Manor residents often have to rely on retail shops outside borough limits, and she’d love to have a bakery and a coffee shop within walking distance. > More

$40.6 million W.Pa. pipeline planned
By Tribune Review News Service Thursday, November 6, 2008 A unit of Dominion Resources Inc. has asked federal regulators for permission to build a $40.6 million natural gas pipeline to push the fuel through four Western Pennsylvania counties and eventually to retail markets. Dominion’s Rural Valley project will move 57 million cubic feet of natural gas daily from the Big Springs area of McKean County, through the Allegheny National Forest in Elk County, into Armstrong County near Rural Valley, with termination at the huge Oakford compressor station outside Delmont, Westmoreland County. > More

Not all agree W.Pa. will stay on decline
By Brian Bowling TRIBUNE-REVIEW Tuesday, November 4, 2008 The state predicts that Western Pennsylvania will keep losing people over the next two decades, but two economists think the region is poised for growth. The Pennsylvania State Data Center, the state’s official source of population and economic statistics, on Monday released its 2030 county-level population projections. While the forecast shows growth in Butler, Washington and Westmoreland counties, it predicts the entire region will have about 176,000 fewer people in 2030 than it had in 2000. > More

Hempfield hires lobbyist to get state, federal funds
By Richard Gazarik TRIBUNE-REVIEW Tuesday, October 28, 2008 Hempfield has hired a lobbying firm to help the township obtain federal and state grants so it can undertake several major projects over the next two years that it may not be able to pay for with local tax revenue. Delta Development, a Mechanicsburg-based consulting firm, will be paid $8,500 a month plus expenses to shake the financial bushes in Harrisburg and Washington. > More

In 10 months, land trust makes progress in mission
By Chris Foreman TRIBUNE-REVIEW Monday, October 27, 2008 Almost a year into its existence, the Westmoreland Land Trust is refining its bylaws, progressing toward incorporation as a nonprofit group and identifying properties throughout Westmoreland County that may be considered for conservation. It’s been a busy 10 months for the fledging organization, created by Westmoreland County commissioners as a response to provisions in the 2004 comprehensive plan to maintain the county’s rural character. > More

Shuttle bus loop pondered for Greensburg
By Rich Cholodofsky TRIBUNE-REVIEW Monday, October 20, 2008 Bus service throughout Greensburg could start sometime next year as Westmoreland Transit Authority officials and Seton Hill University explore a joint program to provide shuttle service in the city. Authority officials are investigating the shuttle proposal as part of a potential service expansion that would cater to university students. "We’ve looked at some routing options, and we’ll be conducting focus groups with students and faculty members to see what they want," said authority Executive Director Larry Morris. > More

Sale of golf course hits legal hazard
By Chris Foreman TRIBUNE-REVIEW Saturday, October 18, 2008 A North Huntingdon couple related to the founders of Carradam Golf Club contend a pending sale of the course to a local developer might not be legitimate because there hasn’t been a properly constituted shareholders meeting to review the offer. Meanwhile, North Huntingdon residents continue to pressure township commissioners to consider buying the popular course from the prospective new owner, Robert W. > More

Landlords say student housing policy 'profiling'
By Bob Stiles TRIBUNE-REVIEW Friday, October 17, 2008 Greensburg’s ordinance on housing for college students could again be challenged in Westmoreland County Court. Landlords John H. and Alberta Lizza plan to appeal a decision made Wednesday by the city’s zoning hearing board, said their attorney, John Scales. "We have very serious concerns about the ... constitutionality (of the ordinance) and the profiling of students," Scales said. > More

Greensburg facade upgrade meetings planned
By The Tribune-Review Friday, October 17, 2008 Two informational meetings are scheduled for later this month for Greensburg’s 2009 facade improvement program, organizers said. One session is scheduled for 6 p.m. Oct. 29 in council chambers at Greensburg City Hall. The other is slated for 8:30 a.m. Oct. 30, also in council chambers. The program involves business and commercial property owners, and the grant funds are restricted to exterior renovations in the city’s Main Street District. > More

Quarterly magazine takes a look back at Irwin area's heritage
By Dirk W. Kaufman TRIBUNE-REVIEW Friday, October 17, 2008 Mike Pochan, a software developer in downtown Irwin, loves tales about the history of the community. So he started a 12-page quarterly publication to record the stories and images of the region. The second edition of Irwin Magazine was published last week. The magazines sell for $4.99 at three downtown stores and is available to order from the community’s Web site. > More

PRESS RELEASE - “Liquid Assets” Documentary to be Aired on Sunday, October 12 at 3:00 p.m. on WQED
It is out of sight and out of mind, but America’s aging water system is in dire need of an overhaul. Penn State Public Broadcasting is set to premiere a public television event on Pittsburgh’s PBS station, WQED, Sunday, October 12 at 3:00 PM.   The premiere is on the looming crisis underneath peoples’ feet and how communities are trying to meet this challenge. "Liquid Assets: The Story of Our Water Infrastructure," tells of America’s distressed essential infrastructure systems: drinking water, wastewater and stormwater. > More

Ligonier Township homeowners mixed on 2 mine reclamation projects
By A.J. Panian TRIBUNE REVIEW Wednesday, October 8, 2008 Ligonier Township supervisors heard mixed views Tuesday from about a dozen homeowners concerning two proposed abandoned mine reclamation projects on two properties. Ligonier-based Coal Loaders Inc. is seeking conditional use permits from the township to extract remaining coal from two sites and reclaim much of the land at both sites to their pre-mined state as part of a government-financed construction program. > More

Mellon Square gets national recognition
Wednesday, October 08, 2008 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The American Planning Association has named Mellon Square one of 10 Great Public Spaces for 2008 as part of the association’s Great Places in America program, launched last year. "The square is iconic not only for its design and character, but for the way it was planned and the role it played in spurring revitalization and private investment in Downtown Pittsburgh," said APA Executive Director Paul Farmer, a former Pittsburgh city planner. > More

Mt. Pleasant council straddles fence on paper alley issue
By Rachel R. Basinger TRIBUNE-REVIEW NEWS SERVICE Tuesday, October 7, 2008 Paper alleys, so called because they appear only in records, continue to plague Mt. Pleasant officials. On Monday, Mayor Gerald Lucia voted not to break a 4-4 tie on whether to allow Donna Wisniewski to erect a fence in the paper alley beside her property at 754 Orchard Ave. Council members Joe Bauer, Frank Crivella, Susan Ruszkowski and Larry Tate voted to allow the fence to be constructed, while Ron Slater, Cynthia Stevenson, Ken Wiltrout and Albert Beranek voted against the motion. > More

WCCC's role in New Kensington discussed
By Brian C. Rittmeyer VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH Tuesday, October 7, 2008 When it opens in January, Westmoreland County Community College’s New Kensington Education Center will bring a couple hundred people into the city’s downtown every day. "There’ll be discretionary dollars," community college President Steven Ender said. "There’ll be money to be spent," Ender spoke to a small gathering Monday evening at Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church, near the site of the college’s new $6 million facility along Fifth Avenue. > More

Ligonier OKs ordinance limiting outdoor fuel-burners
By A.J. Panian TRIBUNE REVIEW Tuesday, October 7, 2008 Ligonier Council on Monday unanimously voted to approve an ordinance regulating the use of outdoor fuel-burning appliances by borough residents in accordance with state and federal standards. Borough Solicitor George V. Welty was quick to clarify that the move was not intended to ban use of any furnace, stove or boiler designed and constructed to burn oil, wood, coal or other fuels manufactured for placement outdoors for the heating of the living area of a structure. > More

Bishop cites fewer faithful, priests in restructuring
By Paul Peirce TRIBUNE-REVIEW Tuesday, October 7, 2008 Citing aging and declining numbers of priests and parishioners, Bishop Lawrence Brandt Monday announced the most sweeping restructuring in the 57-year history of the Catholic Diocese of Greensburg. Yesterday, Brandt said 14 churches will close, two parishes will merge and 26 other churches will be partnered and will share pastors. He said the restructuring impacts 42 of its 100 current parishes in Armstrong, Fayette, Indiana and Westmoreland counties. > More

Ham radio tower permit again appealed
By Paul Paterra TRIBUNE-REVIEW Monday, October 6, 2008 A Penn Township man’s renewed effort to erect a 53-foot ham radio tower at his home is facing another challenge from neighbors. Charles Mills of 60 Regola Drive, who faced opposition from nearby residents, was reissued a permit in September by the township after making some modifications to the original plan for the tower in his back yard. > More

Hempfield ordered to follow state construction code
By Richard Gazarik TRIBUNE-REVIEW Tuesday, September 30, 2008 Hempfield has been violating the state’s construction code for the past two years by enforcing its own requirements for building and occupancy permits, which are stricter than the state’s. The Department of Labor and Industry issued a cease-and-desist order earlier this month, ordering Hempfield to stop requiring developers to obtain township approval before permits can be obtained. > More

Foundation concerns delay Hempfield road's opening
By The Tribune-Review Tuesday, September 30, 2008 The planned opening of South Greengate Road at Route 30 in Hempfield has been delayed two weeks to improve the soil foundation between portions of the roadway. According to Sipple Development Co. of Sewickley in Allegheny County unforeseen soil conditions prompted additional work beneath the roadway approaching the Route 30 intersection. The work is expected to be completed in time for the road to reopen on Oct. > More

Greensburg woman pulls plan to establish 1-room B&B
By Bob Stiles TRIBUNE-REVIEW Tuesday, September 30, 2008 A woman withdrew her efforts Monday to have a one-room bed and breakfast in Greensburg. Betty DeAngellis’ decision last night came after Lou DeRose, city planning commission solicitor, said her property did not meet square footage requirements under the city zoning ordinance. DeRose said DeAngellis’ lot at 408 Tremont Ave. is 3,332 square feet. > More

More college students opt to stay on campus
By Bob Stiles TRIBUNE-REVIEW Tuesday, September 23, 2008 Christine Scholl, a sophomore at Seton Hill University, lives on campus because everything she needs is within walking distance. "I figure it’s more convenient to live on campus," said Scholl, a sophomore. "I don’t have a car, so it’s kind of my only option." Scholl, of Johnstown, is part of a growing number of students who want to live on campus -- even after they become upperclassmen, according to university housing officials. > More

Signs honor Greensburg neighborhood's storied past
By Bob Stiles TRIBUNE-REVIEW Tuesday, September 23, 2008 Signs dotting a Greensburg neighborhood pay tribute to its significant past. Twenty-two signs were put up last week to designate Academy Hill’s selection in 1999 to the National Register of Historic Places. "Academy Hill is designated an historic district in the national register, so we thought it would be appropriate to outline the area," said Thomas Kubas, president of the Academy Hill Neighborhood Association, which pushed for the historic designation. > More

Gas-well drilling pays off for communities, school districts
By Debra Duncan VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH Sunday, September 21, 2008 Natural gas wells drilled this year on Vandergrift Borough property have been controversial. When drilling one of the wells, contractors hit a pocket of methane gas from an old underground well. That caused the state to order precautions to protect East Vandergrift and Vandergrift residents living near the wells. So there are well-founded concerns about gas wells -- especially those located near homes. > More

Scottdale officials take preview ride
By Rachel Basinger FOR THE TRIBUNE-REVIEW Sunday, September 21, 2008 If all goes according to plan, Scottdale will be the starting point for tourism trains near the fall of next year. Bob Burkey of the Hunker Railroad Club said the organization approached the borough, as well as other communities, about interest in an organized excursion on weekends. "Basically, we were looking for a community that might be interested in supporting the endeavors of the club to provide a recreational railroad, but also one tied to the history of the area," he said. > More

North Huntingdon agrees to deal in Walgreens clash
By Chris Foreman TRIBUNE-REVIEW Friday, September 19, 2008 In a split decision, North Huntingdon commissioners have agreed to accept a $25,000 settlement with the Terra Group in the long-running clash involving a proposed Walgreens Pharmacy at Norwin Avenue and Route 30. In the latest dispute, township officials last spring had balked at issuing a waiver allowing the Ohio real-estate development group to proceed in developing a 9-acre tract that had been approved for a five-lot commercial subdivision. > More

Phillips Appointed to Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission
PITTSBURGH (Sept. 18) -- Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell has appointed Gregory M. Phillips, district manager/CEO of the Westmoreland Conservation District, to serve as one of three commissioners representing Pennsylvania on The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO).   ORSANCO works to control and abate pollution in the Ohio River Basin. All of the water in the streams that flow through Westmoreland County eventually ends up in the Ohio River and so contributes to the overall water quality of this basin. > More

North Huntingdon drive-in site gets business enticement
By Rich Cholodofsky TRIBUNE-REVIEW Friday, September 12, 2008 Westmoreland County Commissioners on Thursday hammered home an agreement that could provide all the tools needed for North Huntingdon to entice a company to develop a portion of a long-vacant drive-in movie theater. County officials gave unanimous consent to offer a 10-year tax abatement to any future commercial or industrial development on a 13-acre parcel of land that local leaders hope will lure a manufacturer of industrial bolting tools to the site. > More

75 dams in state make greatest risk list
By The Associated Press Friday, September 12, 2008 Seventy-five Pennsylvania dams -- including a reservoir dam in Westmoreland County and one in Greene County -- pose the greatest risk of causing downstream problems in heavy rains, according to an updated state list. The Department of Environmental Protection distributed its "dams of special concern" list to emergency planners last week in advance of Tropical Storm Hanna. > More

Unity officials OK housing development plan
By A.J. Panian TRIBUNE REVIEW Friday, September 12, 2008 Unity supervisors voted 2-1 Thursday to approve construction of the first of a five-phase planned residential development. The Vistas at Pleasant Ridge, planned by M&L Partners near Henry Road, will include 129 single-family units on roughly 35 acres. Read more  > More

Vandergrift revitalization gets boost with $35K DCED grant
Development News September 10, 2008 A town with a storied industrial and architectural past is poised for revitalization, thanks to a partnership between the Vandergrift Improvement Project (VIP) and Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation (PHLF). On Sept. 8, Vandergrift’s Restoration Revolving Fund received a $35,000 DCED grant secured by Sen. Jim Ferlo to support ongoing property rehabilitations and main street improvements. > More

Tour spotlights Vandergrift restoration
By Francine Garrone VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH Tuesday, September 9, 2008 Vandergrift’s historic business district will be receiving a much needed face-lift. A group of officials announced Monday how a $300,000 loan fund has been used to take the small town back in time. Attending the presentation were members of the Vandergrift Improvement Program (VIP), Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation, University of Pittsburgh’s Mascaro Center for Sustainability Innovation, Westmoreland Conservation District, and state Sen. > More

Grant fuels Vandergrift's downtown revitalization
By Ron DaParma TRIBUNE-REVIEW Monday, September 8, 2008 A $300,000 grant is contributing to a revitalization of downtown Vandergrift. Three properties in the 100 block of Grant Avenue in the heart of the Westmoreland County community’s business district are being restored with the help of the revolving loan fund grant provided in 2007 by the Allegheny Foundation, chaired by philanthropist Dick Scaife, owner of the Tribune-Review. > More

Monessen looks ahead
By Stacy Wolford VALLEY INDEPENDENT Friday, September 5, 2008 MONESSEN - The city is ripe with potential and is full of community leaders and volunteers who want to help revitalize Monessen. That was the message from Pittsburgh-based consultant Ron Porter, who told a group of nearly 60 political and business leaders and community advocates that they have the power to invigorate the city. Porter led "Let’s Work Together," a community planning session Thursday at Monessen High School. > More

National Vacant Properties Newsletter
NEWS FROM THE CAMPAIGN & OUR PARTNERS Submit your Session Ideas for Reclaiming Vacant Properties: Building Leadership to Restore Communities Now that your calendars are marked for June 1-3, 2009 to join us in Louisville for the national NVPC conference, note this new date: October 15. That’s the deadline for proposing a session for the event. Last year we offered more than 30 breakout sessions and we need your help to make sure that the conference shares the most effective lessons. > More

New Washington County center could compete with Grove City shops
Retail kickoff Saturday, August 30, 2008 By Teresa F. Lindeman, Pittsburgh Post-Gazett Chris Krishak of Weirton, W.Va., wore Steelers gear yesterday to shop the new Tanger Outlets mall in Washington County and get an autograph from football star Jerome "The Bus" Bettis. Those black and gold Nike sneakers? He bought ’em last year at the Prime Outlets mall in Grove City. The moment of reckoning has arrived. > More

Westmoreland County to study Irwin turnpike interchange
By Chris Foreman TRIBUNE-REVIEW Friday, August 22, 2008 A Westmoreland County consultant’s study of the Pennsylvania Turnpike interchange at Route 30 in North Huntingdon will explore whether an off-ramp should be connected with Pennsylvania Avenue. The Westmoreland County Industrial Development Corp. approved a $10,000 contract last week with URS Corp.’s Pittsburgh office to complete a traffic and safety study for the Irwin interchange of the turnpike. > More

Drilling service center planned in Hempfield
By Chris Foreman TRIBUNE-REVIEW Friday, August 15, 2008 Texas-based Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations is expanding into a Hempfield industrial park with a project expected to employ as many as 175 people within three to five years, Westmoreland County Industrial Development Corp. officials announced Thursday. County commissioners, acting as the WCIDC, approved a six-month option agreement with Baker Hughes to buy a 39-acre lot in the Westmoreland Technology Park for $1 million. > More

Rezoning requests rejected in Unity
By A.J. Panian TRIBUNE REVIEW Friday, August 15, 2008 Two rounds of applause rang out at Thursday’s Unity Township supervisors meeting, one for each motion to deny two proposals to rezone properties near Marguerite and White School roads along Route 30 from residential to commercial. About 30 residents from that area attended yesterday’s meeting, about half the number that attended a special hearing last month to voice their disapproval to the reclassification proposals for land owned by John G. > More

Ligonier Shade Tree Commission gets logo
By Emily Mullin TRIBUNE-REVIEW Friday, August 15, 2008 Ligonier officials revealed the borough’s new Shade Tree Commission logo Thursday and voted to change an ordinance that would raise parking fines. Borough officials also voted to hire two part-time police officers. The Shade Tree Commission awarded Livina Golden a $50 Ligonier Valley Chamber of Commerce gift certificate for the design of the commission’s new logo that will appear on the committee’s letterheads and shirts. > More

The unexpected growth of business along the Great Allegheny Passage
Rite of Passage Sunday, July 27, 2008 By Mary Kate Malone, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette WEST NEWTON -- From her hot dog stand, Barb Philipp, 41, can see the tops of Trailside Restaurant’s patio umbrellas, a renovated West Newton visitors center, and the simple crushed-stone trail of the Great Allegheny Passage, which made it all possible. This has been the busiest summer ever for her business, said Mrs. > More

Hoping to tap a gas bonanza
Rising prices lure natural gas drillers to vast, but deep Appalachian field Sunday, July 20, 2008 By Don Hopey, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette On the outskirts of Kittanning along the Allegheny River, well drillers mixed a million gallons of water and 800,000 pounds of sand and pumped it at high pressure more than a mile underground. Their goal was to crack up a deep layer of black shale and release what they hope will be a natural gas bonanza. > More

North Huntingdon planner might get help
By A.J. Panian TRIBUNE REVIEW Friday, July 11, 2008 North Huntingdon commissioners opened talks Thursday about seeking the consulting services of a local engineering firm to help township planning director/engineer Andy Blenko with what he called a "full plate" of small-scale projects. "I’m drowning right now and my department could really use some help," Blenko said. Interim township Manager Michael Turley told the board Glenn Engineering & Associates Ltd. > More

State environment head resigns.
By Amy Worden INQUIRER STAFF WRITER Kathleen McGinty, who in her five years as secretary of the state Department of Environmental Protection led Gov. Rendell’s ambitious agenda to enhance the environment, advance energy conservation initiatives and attract green businesses, is stepping down. In her resignation letter, obtained by The Inquirer, McGinty thanked Rendell for giving her "the privilege of serving his team," but offered no glimpse of future plans beyond taking a vacation with her family. > More

Suburban flight starts to hit home
By Craig Smith TRIBUNE-REVIEW Thursday, July 3, 2008 When it took $45 to fill the gas tank in Eric Wallace’s Honda Civic, he knew his days of driving 40 miles each way to work couldn’t last. "I went home and said, ’We have to do something,’ " said Wallace, 36, of Arnold, who is looking to move closer to his job as director of information technology at a steel distribution and service center in Leetsdale. > More

Man's motorized bike saves money for him -- and Greensburg
By Bob Stiles TRIBUNE-REVIEW Thursday, July 3, 2008 Matthew Basl was looking for a way to save on gasoline. "I’m a poor college student," said Basl, who will be a junior this fall at California University. "I got tired of the high gas prices and wanted a cheaper way to get to work and around work." The part-time maintenance worker for the Greensburg Recreation Department found the savings about three weeks ago. > More

Hybrid vehicles too hot to keep in stock
By Joe Napsha TRIBUNE-REVIEW Thursday, July 3, 2008 Brian Pietrandrea is one of the lucky Western Pennsylvanians who bought his Toyota Prius hybrid before the price of gasoline jumped to $4 a gallon. "I bought it right before the backlog hit. There were six on the lot at the time," said Pietrandrea, 33, of Ross, who bought the fuel-efficient car powered by a gasoline engine and a supplemental electrical engine in March. > More

County on pace for record fatalities
By Patti Dobranski TRIBUNE-REVIEW Thursday, July 3, 2008 The first half of 2008 has proved to be a deadly period for motorists in Westmoreland County. When a tree fell onto a vehicle Sunday on Greensburg-Mt. Pleasant Road in Unity, killing 37-year-old Ronald Bates of Greensburg, the number of traffic fatalities for the year reached 33, which is equal to the number of people who lost their lives on county roadways in 2007. > More

Leaders offer up big ideas
by Tom McGee Staff Writer July 3, 2008 Business leaders say Route 22 can benefit communities throughout Westmoreland County. Members of various economic groups shared their ideas for development along the highway at "Corridors of Opportunity," a forum held in Blairsville last week. John Cardwell, executive director of the Murrysville Economic and Community Development Corp., was one of four speakers at the event. > More

Greensburg student-housing law to be aired
By Bob Stiles TRIBUNE-REVIEW Wednesday, July 2, 2008 Greensburg Council expects to take public comment next week on a controversial student-housing ordinance before possibly voting on changes made to the city law. After a meeting Tuesday, Mayor Karl Eisaman said the public comment period during council’s regular meeting at 7 p.m. Monday will be used to solicit the opinions. Read more  > More

Land trust requests public suggestions
By The Tribune-Review Saturday, June 28, 2008 Board members of the new Westmoreland Land Trust will be speaking at a number of municipal meetings and other community venues throughout Westmoreland County during July to introduce the young land-preservation organization to the public and to solicit input. The land trust presentations are planned for the following locations, dates and times: • Wednesday, July 2, 7 p.m., Rostraver Municipal Building • Monday, July 7, 6 p.m., Greensburg City Hall • Tuesday, July 8, 7 p.m., Lower Burrell City Hall • Thursday, July 10, 7 p.m., Unity Municipal Buildi > More

Busy Route 22 sparks interest
Developers look to build in Murrysville area Pittsburgh Business Times - by Tim Schooley Beyond his Ferri’s Shur Save Grocery and Pharmacy parking lot where his father once kept a horse-hitching post, John Ferri can see where the new four-lane highway forks between the past and future. His view of the journey of his Murrysville community, which spans an increasingly busy stretch of Route 22, is split by ambivalence. > More

Cope Building project continues
By Bob Stiles TRIBUNE-REVIEW Wednesday, June 25, 2008 Developer John Felice received approval Tuesday to tear down the former Bugzy’s Bagels in Greensburg as part of a project involving the neighboring Cope Building. The approval came in a 7-0 vote by the city’s Historic and Architectural Review Board. Read more  > More

Tollgate Hill Road work slated to end in July
By The Tribune-Review Sunday, June 22, 2008 Completion of repairs on Tollgate Hill Road (SR 3026) in Hempfield is tentatively scheduled for the second week of July. The road is closed because of a slide. PennDOT officials said utility work is progressing, and when finished, road repairs will begin. Overhead utility lines are being raised to allow construction equipment to safely access the work zone. > More

Westmoreland transit receives $500,000 grant for hybrid bus
By Rich Cholodofsky TRIBUNE-REVIEW Saturday, June 21, 2008 The Westmoreland County Transit Authority this week received a $500,000 state grant to purchase a hybrid bus that will be used to shuttle passengers on overcrowded routes into Pittsburgh. The Westmoreland County agency was one of four in Pennsylvania that received money as part of a pilot program to test the use of fuel-efficient, low-emission vehicles than can run on both electric and diesel in mass transit systems. > More

Arnold-New Kensington merger gaining momentum
By Tom Yerace VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH Saturday, June 21, 2008 The idea of turning the cities of Arnold and New Kensington into one municipality may be gaining momentum. New Kensington Mayor Frank Link pitched the idea Thursday night at a Weed and Seed program community meeting. "I got a lot of good responses today," Link said Friday. "I had a lot of people e-mail me, saying, ’We ought to look into it, definitely.’ Read more  > More

Murrysville tables business zoning ordinance
By George Guido FOR THE VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH Thursday, June 19, 2008 After some 2-1/2 hours of emotional and sometimes volatile discussion, council tabled a proposed ordinance designed to create a 923-acre overlay zoning district. The district would have created a zoning area that mandates standards for commercial or business development. Some of those areas are now zoned residential and are basically located along Routes 22, 380 and 66. > More

Plans for New Kensington road project to be unveiled
By Rossilynne Skena VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH Wednesday, June 18, 2008 Final plans are being designed for the second and final phase of the Parnassus Triangle Project in New Kensington. Plans consist of widening Route 366 to four lanes between the intersections of Bridge and Seventh streets, replacing traffic signals at intersections on 366 Freeport/Bridge Street and Fourth Street and replacing the bridge over Little Pucketa Creek, south of the Seventh Street intersection. > More

County to use $96,000 in grant money to market homes
By Rich Cholodofsky TRIBUNE-REVIEW Saturday, June 14, 2008 With a lagging housing market and about three dozen new homes about to be on the market, Westmoreland County officials hired a little sales help. Commissioners this week agreed to pay more than $96,000 over the next three years to help market individual family homes to low-income residents. Read more  > More

Seton Hill studio coming to Greensburg
By Bob Stiles TRIBUNE-REVIEW Friday, June 13, 2008 The long-vacant Troutman Annex building in Greensburg could have its first occupant soon. Seton Hill University officials are planning to locate their art department’s painting studio on about half of the first floor of the building on South Pennsylvania Avenue. University Provost Mary Ann Gawelek said that over the last three or four years, enrollment in the art department has grown. > More

Development eyed near Seton Hill center
By Bob Stiles TRIBUNE-REVIEW Thursday, June 12, 2008 The Greensburg Community Development Corp. is looking at obtaining properties on College Avenue and West Otterman Street for a downtown development in sight of the Seton Hill University art center. Among the uses under consideration are a hotel/restaurant, conference center, office/retail space or apartments, said Steve Gifford, executive director of the development group. > More

Westmoreland museum plans expansion
By Richard Gazarik TRIBUNE-REVIEW Thursday, June 12, 2008 Westmoreland Museum of American Art plans to embark on a major renovation to expand the organization’s cultural reach. Director Judith O’Toole said Wednesday that the board of trustees is formulating plans to add a wing with galleries for the museum’s current and future collections. Read more  > More

Developer sues North Huntingdon board
By Patti Dobranski TRIBUNE-REVIEW Wednesday, June 11, 2008 A North Huntingdon property owner who was denied a variance to reduce the parking requirement for a Route 30 commercial development has filed suit against the township’s zoning hearing board in Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court. Jonathon Stark, of White Oak, Allegheny County, a part-owner of Stark Investment Group, is appealing the board’s May 6 decision to deny a request to allow 48 parking spaces instead of the 53 needed to meet the zoning ordinance. > More

Landlord wants more of Greensburg opened to student housing
By Bob Stiles TRIBUNE-REVIEW Tuesday, June 10, 2008 A landlord suggested Monday to Greensburg Council that sections of the city that have numerous apartment buildings be opened up to college student housing. Dennis Fellers, who lost two zoning hearing board appeals on student housing issues earlier this year, spoke at council’s regular meeting last night. Read more  > More

Derry cautious on code enforcement job
By Jeff Himler BLAIRSVILLE DISPATCH Tuesday, June 10, 2008 Derry’s new code enforcement officer put in her first day of work Monday addressing instances of structures that have fallen into disrepair, properties that have become overgrown with weeds and other minor violations of borough regulations. By Monday evening, council members were questioning how long Lisa Peters, who is a part-time member of the borough police department, might be willing to remain in the additional eight-hour-per-week code enforcement position because of concerns about insurance coverage for the personal vehicle > More

Developer gauges interest in Unity hotel plans
By A.J. Panian TRIBUNE REVIEW Wednesday, June 4, 2008 A local development firm met with the Unity planning commission Tuesday to seek advice on preliminary plans to install a hotel and conference center and office complex on land it owns near Arnold Palmer Regional Airport. GES Family Partnership LP, headed by physician Stuart Glasser, plans to propose construction of the development on nearly 30 acres of land along the south side of Route 981 across from the airport. > More

North Huntingdon official says action needed on business park
By Patti Dobranski TRIBUNE-REVIEW Tuesday, June 3, 2008 Action may have stalled on the development of a new business park zoning district in North Huntingdon, but the positive feedback hasn’t stopped finding its way to the ears of Planning Director-Engineer Andy Blenko. Last night, Blenko asked the planning commission to get the ball rolling again on developing the district, which was first introduced in November. > More

Smart Growth recognizes excellence in Westmoreland County
Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County honored what executive director Alex Graziani called its "key implementers" at the 2008 awards dinner held Wednesday at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg. "As a group, we are reluctant to give awards to planning projects. Just about every award tonight is about implementation," said Graziani to a crowd of about 150 business, political and community leaders. > More

Smart Growth, Penn State strengthen ties with move
Penn State Cooperative Extension and The Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County will expand their relationship when Smart Growth moves to the newly renovated, environmental friendly GreenForge building on Donohoe Road. The development group’s move from the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg will take place July 1. The Extension office is headquartered in an adjacent building. Read more  > More

GreenForge reaches 100% occupancy, welcomes Smart Growth Partnership
On July 1, the Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County (SGPWC) is relocating its headquarters to the newly renovated GreenForge building located at 226 Donohoe Rd. in Greensburg. The SGPWC -- which has been based at University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg since 2001 -- has signed a three-year lease for 1,000-square-feet of space in a green complex that sits adjacent to a 90-acre park as well as to the Westmoreland Conservation District’s headquarters in a rehabilitated 19th-century barn. > More

Historic opportunities
The Young Preservationists have determined these projects constitute the 10 best preservation opportunities in Southwest Pennsylvania: • Blairsville Main Street/Elm Street District 1830s-1920s Read more Theme: Main streets  > More

Sewer project spurs anger in Washington Township
By Tom Yerace VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH Friday, May 16, 2008 It was deja vu all over again Thursday for the Washington Township Municipal Authority as residents, many of them unhappy, packed the township fire hall to hear about another sewerage project. Just as it happened in 2004 with the Lower Beaver Run Project, about 250 residents gathered to hear about the proposed Pine Run Sewer Project, which is expected to cost $5.4 million. > More

An Economic Plan for the Commonwealth: Unleashing the Assets of Metropolitan Pennsylvania
March 31, 2008 -- In Pennsylvania, the next major presidential primary state, concerns about the economy loom large as global competition, economic restructuring, and an aging workforce threaten the state’s ability to prosper. A true economic agenda for the state must speak to the core assets of Pennsylvania’s economy and where these assets are located: the state’s many small and large metropolitan areas. > More

Developer awaits state OK on plan to improve Route 19
Sunday, March 30, 2008 By Crystal Ola A bare-bones proposal to create a transportation improvement district in July 2006 has been fleshed out somewhat and is once again a topic of discussion in South Strabane. Developer Gerald Cipriani, of Meadows Landing Associates, and engineer Mark Magalotti, of Trans Associates, attended the board of supervisors’ meeting Tuesday to outline their proposal to create an approximately 300-acre transportation improvement district along a portion of Route 19 in the vicinity of the former Curinga’s restaurant. > More

Rebounding Youghiogheny River named DCNR’s 'River of the Year'
DCNR Secretary Michael DiBerardinis recently named the Youghiogheny River as the commonwealth’s River of the Year for 2008. The designation recognizes the watershed’s shift from a threatened past to a promising recreational future and its role in Western Pennsylvania history. Read more  > More

The Greening of Vandergrift
A small town in Western Pennsylvania attracted global notice a century ago for its unusual birth and trendsetting features. Now, in partnership with Pitt, that same town -- which declined in the steel bust -- may once again become a model for innovation. Read more  > More

Developer to get Route 130 repair bill
By Patti Dobranski TRIBUNE-REVIEW Thursday, March 13, 2008 PennDOT will bill a Monroeville developer almost $1 million to repair Route 130 in Trafford because its excavation work for a housing plan caused a landslide that closed the road, a PennDOT spokeswoman said. But an attorney for HET Construction Corp. said Wednesday the developer is challenging its responsibility for the slide and could have done the repairs for "a fraction" of what PennDOT is paying its contractor. > More

New Web site aims to inspire Pennsylvanians to conserve, protect, enjoy natural resources
Governor Edward G. Rendell recently announced the search for Pennsylvanians who make everyday efforts to conserve natural resources to share their stories and get inspiration from others through the new iConserve Pennsylvania initiative. “You can’t pick up a newspaper today or have a conversation with your neighbor that doesn’t touch on issues like the Earth’s climate warming, how energy bills are taking a toll on household budgets, or that kids don’t play outside anymore,” Governor Rendell said. > More

On the "Watch List": Route 30's master plan.
Tribue Review Greensburg Laurels & Lances It’s been a long road for Westmoreland’s Smart Growth Partnership. What a pity it would be if the plan, expected to be finalized in May, dies a quiet death in municipal offices. Our concern all along has been the increasing traffic along this primary east-west corridor. And with acres of undeveloped land along the thoroughfare -- most notably in Unity Township -- the continuation of scattershot, ill-planned development could turn today’s minor traffic headaches into nightmares. > More

Westmoreland Smart Growth plan will require hard work from local officials
By Richard Robbins TRIBUNE-REVIEW Saturday, March 1, 2008 They can write it, but will municipalities do anything to implement it? That overarching question dominated Friday’s meeting of Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County, as the nonprofit entered the final lap of writing a master plan for Route 30. Alexander J. Graziani, Smart Growth executive director, urged a roomful of municipal officials and others to "read, critique, help us" with the plan that should be finalized in May. > More

Route 30 Tops List Of Region's Deadliest Roads
Reporting   Jim Lokay JEANNETTE (KDKA) %AF Christopher’s Pizza has called Route 30 home for nearly a quarter of a century and every year more businesses are setting up shop there. "Irwin’s been developed and Sam’s Club and Wal-Mart, and new stuff is going up there, traffic’s gotten pretty heavy over the years," Pizza shop owner Chris Sylvana said. More than 45,000 cars pass by his place everyday and that means learning some new habits behind the wheel. > More

NEW RADIO REPORT BRINGS PRESSING LAND-USE ISSUES TO LIFE
A public radio project helps listeners understand the forces altering America’s landscape, and how individuals and communities are trying to wrest back control. February 28, 2008 Middlebury, VT -- A groundbreaking radio report examining the impacts of land policy on people and communities begins airing today on National Public Radio’s acclaimed afternoon news program All Things Considered . > More

Student designers highlight Vandergrift history in center
By Francine Garrone VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH Wednesday, February 27, 2008 Kaylyn Farneth and her five teammates could hardly believe the project they worked so hard on was finally finished. The scaled-down model of a revitalized 134 Grant St. in Vandergrift sat next to the group of nervous teens Tuesday on a pew in First Evangelical Lutheran Church on Custer Avenue. Read more  > More

Rostraver Township Comprehensive Plan Update
The Planning Agency presented the Rostraver Township Draft Comprehensive Plan Update to the public on Thursday, February 21, 2008. To view the plan, click here  > More

January 2008 Real Estate Sales Statistics from RealSTATs
January 2008-The slowest housing market in seven years February 21, 2008 - Pittsburgh - While average prices rose 8.7 percent across the region in January 2008 compared to January 2007, dollar activity dropped 11.3 percent and number of sales sunk 18.4 percent. Last month’s 1,694 sales translates into the slowest January on record since January 2001. Read more  > More

Arnold revitalization meeting tonight
By Liz Hayes VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH Wednesday, February 13, 2008 The Arnold Planning Commission is hoping an economic development presentation tonight can jumpstart the city on the path to revitalization. The commission was formed a few years ago to assist with the city’s plans for forming a light industrial district on Third and Fourth avenues adjoining New Kensington. Read more  > More

Route 22 proposal gets 2nd chance
By Stephanie Ritenbaugh FOR THE VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH Thursday, February 7, 2008 Manor Development Group II, which asked for a zoning change that would have allowed a large commercial development off Route 22, is challenging council’s rejection. In response, council voted 5-2 on Wednesday to form a special committee to work with the developer. Read more  > More

City's cafe culture gets $1M boost
By Ron DaParma TRIBUNE-REVIEW Thursday, February 7, 2008 Downtown is about to get a taste of Paris. Under a plan to be formally announced next week by the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership called "Paris to Pittsburgh," $1 million in funding from the nonprofit Colcom Foundation is being made available to encourage restaurants and retailers to expand their operations onto sidewalks -- similar to venues popular with tourists in the French capital. > More

North Huntingdon uncertain about group's Route 30 goals
By Patti Dobranski TRIBUNE-REVIEW Tuesday, February 5, 2008 North Huntingdon’s planning commission members expressed mixed emotions Monday about Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County’s pitch to adopt pieces of the group’s master plan for Route 30 corridor redevelopment. The plan’s goal is to engage the 14 municipalities along Route 30 from Somerset County to the Allegheny County line in the integration of land use, transportation and urban design to improve traffic flow along the corridor. > More

Call for Nominations 2008 Allegheny Energy / Smart Growth Awards
The Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County will be recognizing smart growth developments, plans and individuals/groups in Westmoreland County that have distinguished themselves by achieving the smart growth cause at its sixth Annual Awards Dinner on Wednesday, May 28, 2008. Please submit all nominations by Friday, March 14, 2008 to:   University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg 166 Millstein Library 150 Finoli Drive Greensburg , PA   15601 See the attached nomination form .  For more information, please call 724-836-7048      > More

Greensburg playground upgrade may cut crime: residents
By Bob Stiles TRIBUNE-REVIEW Monday, January 14, 2008 Mike Olbeter said he believes an improved Coulter Playground in Greensburg will attract more children and discourage vandalism and other unwanted activity there. "It’s a good neighborhood, and a lot of kids are growing up there," Olbeter said. Read more  > More

Westmoreland County DRAFT Greenways Open Space Plan
Since 2006, Westmoreland County has been developing a greenways and open space network plan to incorporate into the County’s Comprehensive Plan .   The result of open public participation processes involving municipal partners and other stakeholders, the draft plan identify a greenway and open space network for the county and specific actions for plan implementation. “Greenways, whether they are trails designed for public use or linear conservation corridors that enhance wildlife habitat or help reduce pollution in our waterways, play a significant role in helping to build liv > More

Students to build heritage giants along Route 30
Giants soon will tower over Route 30. Students at some of the area’s career and technology centers will build roadside giants to help tell the story of the historic highway. The Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor last week landed a $49,340 grant from the Community Connections -- Pittsburgh 250 Initiative to enhance the 200-mile Lincoln Highway Roadside Museum stretching from North Huntingdon to Gettysburg. > More

Philips to buy Murrysville-based Respironics
Respironics Inc.’s board of directors has endorsed a $5.1 billion bid by Royal Philips Electronics NV to buy the Westmoreland County-based maker of medical breathing devices. Netherlands-based Philips this morning offered $66 per share for Respironics, or 24 percent above the company’s closing price of $53.11 yesterday. Read more  > More

Transit board authorizes study on commuter rail lines
Transit board authorizes study on commuter rail lines By Rich Cholodofsky TRIBUNE-REVIEW Friday, December 21, 2007 Westmoreland County transit officials expect to know in about a year whether they will be able to build commuter rail lines into Pittsburgh. Transit authority board members on Thursday authorized the hiring of HDR Engineer Inc. of Pittsburgh to perform a feasibility study that will determine whether rail lines that link Greensburg and the New Kensington area to Pittsburgh should be built. > More

Murrysville council opposes rezoning
Murrysville council voted against rezoning an area that would have allowed commercial development on residential land, a decision prompting applause from several people attending the meeting. Manor Development Group II asked the borough to rezone 50 acres of land near Route 22 and Berlin Farm Road. The developer hadn’t proposed specific businesses for the site, but many residents feared that big box retailers would move in. > More

American Planning Association Honors Pittsburgh Area’s “Project Region” with National Excellence Award
Pittsburgh, PA - The American Planning Association has announced that Project Region , developed by the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, is the recipient of their 2008 national award for Public Outreach in the planning process.  The American Planning Association is the largest organization of its kind in the world with approximately 25,000 members working to advance best practices in urban and regional planning. > More

Westmoreland County Revitalizes Historic U.S. Route 30, Plans for the Next 30 Years
Since 2001, the Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County (SGPWC) has sought to guide growing communities in long-term land use planning.  SGPWC, a nonprofit organization based at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg in partnership with the Penn State Cooperative Extension and others, provides education and technical assistance to older core communities undergoing revitalization, rural municipalities of Eastern Westmoreland County, and to the growing suburban communities of Western Westmoreland.  Read more  > More

Route 30 master plan moves forward
The rubber officially met the road Thursday on the U.S. Route 30 Master Plan. Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County began what executive director Alex Graziani termed "the most important chapter" of the plan -- finding realistic ways to turn design into development and make a 40-mile corridor "a safe, convenient and vibrant place to be in all 13 municipalities along the route." Read more  > More

Jeannette seeks $480,000 grant for revitalization
Jeannette will apply for a federal grant to help with the South Sixth Street revitalization project. Council approved seeking $480,000 in financial assistance under the Brownfields Economic Development Initiative, a competitive grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Read more  > More

'Complete streets' gain national voice
WASHINGTON -- The cause has simmered for years -- and we’ve all felt some of it: frustration with fast traffic that turns streets through our neighborhoods into corridors of fear. There is a resentment about narrow, rough or nonexistent sidewalks, a reluctance to have children cross high-speed roadways walking to school. Bicyclists take their lives in their hands when venturing onto major roads. > More

Westmoreland appoints 23 to first board of Land Trust
Westmoreland County commissioners this morning appointed 23 people to serve on the first-ever board of the new Westmoreland Land Trust. The board will work to preserve the integrity of land with scenic, recreational, environmental, historical or cultural value in the county. Board members, who will serve one- to three-year terms, will meet at the Westmoreland Conservation District’s headquarters on Donohoe Road, Hempfield. > More

Electronic signs debated in North Huntingdon
In response to concerns North Huntingdon commissioners raised about a proposed ordinance addressing electronic signs, Planning Director Andy Blenko reiterated his stance on strict regulations Monday night. Some commissioners thought Blenko’s recommendations on a message’s time sequencing and color usage were too restrictive. Last month, the board placed a six-month moratorium on new electronic signs last month to allow time to work on a proposed ordinance. > More

Housing plans concern Hempfield officials
Hempfield’s engineering consultant and township manager expressed some concern Wednesday night about the submitted plans for the proposed Wingreene Village residential development near the Sony Corp. campus. KDK Associates, a limited liability corporation with a Greensburg office, is planning a 106-unit development on a 38-acre tract off Route 119, across from a former warehouse for Montgomery Ward. > More

Diverse Butler County towns undertaking joint plan
Try saying "multiple municipal comprehensive planning code" five times fast. That’s not a problem among those in a coalition of five Butler County towns whose planners say the tongue twister could be a smart-growth savior. The five communities are as different from each other as big-box malls are from cow pastures. Read more  > More

Smart Growth director elected president of Pennsylvania Planning Association
Alexander J. Graziani, the executive director of the Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County, based at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, has been elected to a two-year term as president of the Pennsylvania Planning Association . The Pennsylvania Planning Association (PPA) is a chapter of the American Planning Association (APA). PPA is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization for professional planners and planning officials, as well as other organizations and individuals interested in planning. > More

Planners aim to enhance Ligonier
Local architectural designer Scott Lieb, who has worked in Denver and Chicago, thinks some zoning rules in those cities could apply to Ligonier. "For one thing, the required residential lot widths there are a minimum of 50 feet, and the required residential lot width here is a minimum of 60 feet," said Lieb, chairman of the borough’s planning commission. "This is a dense town and I’d like to do some things to maintain its unique character." Read more  > More

Putting the 'New' back in New Kensington
Like so many other former mill towns in Western Pennsylvania, New Kensington has struggled to reinvent itself since 1971, when Alcoa closed its original riverfront plant complex that once provided jobs, revenue and community identity. Population shrank nearly in half, from 26,000 in the early 1970s to about 14,000. Businesses moved to malls or suburban commercial strips. Buildings that housed them decayed. > More

Westmoreland Laurels & Lances
Friday, November 2, 2007 Laurel: To proactive traffic/development planning. A week-long program detailing the U.S. Route 30 Master Plan, hosted by the Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County, offered area residents a detailed look at the heavily traveled thoroughfare -- past, present and future -- and an opportunity for feedback. Skeptics who bemoan the highway’s state -- and see no hope for traffic remediation -- fail to consider the undeveloped acres that border Route 30 -- especially from Route 981 in Unity Township to the border of Hempfield. > More

Route 30 planning nears end
Group invites public review of ideas in 4-year, $400,000 study of east-west corridor Thursday, November 01, 2007 By Michael A. Fuoco, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The historical importance of Route 30, Westmoreland County’s primary east-west highway, cannot be overstated. From the time of the French and Indian War, it has played a significant role in economic growth locally and expansion westward. > More

Charrette focuses on routes 30, 981
What Route 30 is now, and what it will become years from now has been the subject of a weeklong collaboration between members of the public and municipal planners. The plan may never come to fruition, planners agree, but provides ideas for what could be the future of Westmoreland County ’s “ Main Street ” - Route 30. Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County sponsored the U.S. > More

Unity groups map ideas
Running his finger over an aerial map of Unity, Robert DiFulvio traced a path to the Victoria Highlands home he and his wife Barbara share. The chance to offer tips on what type of development should unfold near their home drew the DiFulvios to Monday’s public workshop kicking off the U.S. Route 30 Master Plan design session this week at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg. Read more  > More

Charette enables residents and students to design the future of Route 30
By Dylan Nice / Editor-in-chief UPG students and the public are being offered the chance to shape the future development along Route 30 at a public workshop being held this week in Smith Hall. The weeklong charrette began Monday night and drew a crowd of about 100 residents. Attendees used maps and scissors to plot out the future of two pieces of land outside Latrobe set aside for experimental development. > More

Smart Growth Partnership Offers Free Five-Day Charette in Westmoreland County
’’People can be trusted to create good design for their community if you give them the tools and facts,’’ said Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County (SGPWC) Executive Director Alex Graziani, inviting area residents to the group’s free five-day charrette, October 22-26 at the University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg, on design of a 30-acre site off Routes 30 and 981 near Arnold Palmer Regional Airport, and hoping the event will become a model for public participation in local development planning along the county’s whole 40-mile Route 30 corridor. > More

Smart Growth looking for Rt. 30 Extreme Makeover
The process of reinventing Route 30 through Westmoreland County continues during a weeklong planning session next week designed to bring a lot of brainpower to the issue.   Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County will sponsor the US Route 30 Design Charrette beginning Monday, Oct. 22 and running through Friday, Oct. 26 at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg ’s Smith Hall on the Hempfield Township campus. > More

Panel to share, solicit views
Westmoreland County’s evolution along the Lincoln Highway Corridor will be studied next week at the U.S. Route 30 Master Plan Design Charrette. The charrette -- a collaborative session in which a group of designers drafts a solution to a design problem -- runs from Monday to Friday. It will be hosted by the Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg. > More

Irwin Council urges timely traffic-impact study
The pending closure of Emil’s Way linking Route 30 and Center Highway in North Huntingdon has raised some serious concerns by officials in neighboring Irwin about the rerouting of trucks through borough streets. "If they block it off, we’re going to end up with more traffic on Pennsylvania Avenue. Most of those will be trucks from Irwin Builders," Council President Danyce Neal said Wednesday. > More

Ligonier Township eases commercial sign limits
Since Melissa Marasia opened Earth Lotus Yoga Studio in 2006 at the Ligonier Valley Mini Mall along Route 711, she’s wanted better exposure for the Ligonier Township business. "I have a pretty small sign in front of my business, and I think most people never notice it because it’s off the road and they’re zooming by and not looking to the side," said Marasia, who rents space in the complex from owner Bowles Co. > More

State to close North Huntingdon shortcut
It looks more like a rural, all-terrain vehicle course, yet hundreds of North Huntingdon motorists, commercial trucks and even emergency vehicles use the 50-foot-long Emil’s Way every day to gain quick access from Route 30 to Center Highway. This popular little byway at the foot of Jacktown Hill is causing more of a stir than the dust and potholes that make up its surface. Read more...    > More

Unity supervisors agree to zoning reclassification
In a move that may lead to more jobs in Unity, township supervisors voted Tuesday to allow a zoning classification change for an 11-acre parcel to facilitate the sale of a portion of the land to light-industry manufacturer Classic Industries Inc. Donald Tarosky, partner and legal counsel for property owner Colony of Unity LP, asked supervisors to change the land’s zoning classification from R-4, or apartment/residential, to B-3, or office commercial. > More

PennDOT reopens Barnes Lake Road
The long-awaited reopening of Barnes Lake Road in North Huntingdon will occur later today, according to PennDOT officials. Eight months after the road was closed from its intersection with Route 30 to allow for the construction of an entrance into the new Wal-Mart Supercenter Plaza, the once heavily-traveled road will reopen with its original route. Read more...  > More

Train station in Greensburg might be centerpiece of revitalization
A steering committee hoping to increase foot traffic in Greensburg met Thursday to discuss how best to beautify the area and attract more commerce and residents. The Transit Revitalization Investment District committee formed after this year’s receipt of a study grant from the state Department of Community and Economic Development. Read more...  > More

NEWS FROM PITT-GREENSBURG: Sharon Smith named to Smart Growth board
Thursday, Sept. 13, 2007   For Immediate Release Contact:  Wendy Mackall, Director of Media Relations,   724-836-7741,   mackall@pitt.edu   Smart Growth Partnership appoints Pitt-Greensburg president to board, names chairman The advisory board of the Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County has elected Jennings Womack as chairman and filled a vacant board seat with Dr. > More

Several paths urged to ease USA's congestion
Report: No one answer to $78B yearly price tag of traffic delays By Larry Copeland USA TODAY  ATLANTA -- When gas prices skyrocketed after Hurricane Katrina, Beverly Morgan sought a cheaper way to get to work. She found an alternative commute program that put her in a carpool and even paid her a bonus -- an incentive of up to $180 over three months to quit driving to work alone. Morgan, a computer software analyst, began carpooling with three other people on her 50-mile round-trip commute. > More

Traffic is not so bad here, study concludes
Driving around town may not be as bad as it sometimes seems, according to the latest study on traffic congestion. The Texas Transportation Institute released a report yesterday ranking Pittsburgh 37th in congestion among the nation’s 85 largest cities and 67th among all 437 urban areas. Read more  > More

Greensburg developers find horse-watering trough
When the new Rite Aid store opens at North Main Street and Cabin Hill Drive in Greensburg, a cornerstone of the pharmacy’s landscaping will be an almost century-old horse-watering trough. "No question, that trough is going to be part of the development," said Craig Rippole of ASC Development of Emsworth in Allegheny County. Read more  > More

Inspected area bridges found structurally sound
Five state-owned steel deck truss bridges in the area, similar to the one that collapsed in Minneapolis Aug. 1, have been inspected and found to be structurally sound. The in-depth inspections are currently under way on five other bridges in Allegheny County. Read more  > More

Alex Graziani named 2007 Government/Economic Development Entrepreneur winner
Government/Economic Development Alexander J. Graziani Executive Director Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County With a BA in political science, a master’s in public policy and management, and membership in the American Institute of Certified Financial planners - Graziani is well trained for his unusual job. He’s the director of a non-profit, non-governmental community group that deals with quality and growth issues - involving interaction with dozens of municipalities, planners, townships, developers, and local and state agencies. > More

State says $11 billion needed to fix bridges
PennDOT: 1 in 4 spans are outmoded Tuesday, August 28, 2007 By Ann Belser, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette State officials said yesterday the price tag to structurally update the 6,000 Pennsylvania bridges that are outmoded or in need of repair would be $11 billion. The cost estimate came as the state Department of Transportation yesterday released for the first time sufficiency and condition ratings for all state-maintained bridges. > More

Bridge trouble knows no boundaries
Allegheny County has more bridges than surrounding counties, but bridge decay knows no boundaries. Here’s a look at the number of bridges in neighboring counties that either need substantial repair work or are obsolete. Read more  > More

Solving Route 30
Anyone who sits in traffic along segments of Westmoreland County’s share of Route 30 can appreciate efforts to draft a master plan that will address congestion and future development along the busy thoroughfare. They’ll appreciate it even more if the plan leads somewhere other than the nearest municipal bookshelf. Credit the Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County for shepherding the plan and scheduling public sessions. > More

NEWS FLASH!
                                     News Flash!              Route 30 Corridor Proposed Vision Plan for the Year 2030                                         & > More

Big Mac Museum a cheesy tribute to a culinary icon
Cleveland has its Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum to celebrate the likes of Mick Jagger and the Beatles. Washington has its Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum to highlight such milestones as man on the moon. North Huntingdon is honoring another type of human achievement by turning the words "two all beef patties special sauce cheese lettuce pickles onions on a seasame seed bun" into a tourist destination. > More

$500K grant to explore Pittsburgh-Westmoreland commuter line
Efforts to start commuter rail service from Westmoreland County into Pittsburgh keep chugging along as local transit officials this week received a $500,000 state grant to study whether the project is feasible. Officials announced Thursday they likely will hire a consultant later this year to determine whether there are enough potential riders to justify rail service as well as peg cost estimates for the project. > More

Complete streets program gives more room for pedestrians, cyclists
A growing number of states and local governments are rejecting a half-century of transportation practice and demanding that streets accommodate all types of travel, not just automobiles. The concept of "complete streets" -- with bike lanes, sidewalks and room for mass transit -- has attracted a diverse national alliance of supporters, including advocates for senior citizens and the disabled. Fourteen states, six counties, 10 regional governments and 52 cities have complete streets policies, according to the National Complete Streets Coalition. > More

Flight 93 development can complement surroundings
Somerset County’s rural beauty can likely be preserved alongside the plans of potential business developers along the Flight 93 National Memorial Travel Corridor. During the 9/11 terrorist attacks, United Flight 93 crashed into a scenic mountainside near Shanksville, killing 40 passengers and the four hijackers. Jim Klein, lead consultant for the travel-corridor study, said a final version of a draft prepared by Lardner/Klein Landscape Architects of Alexandria, Va., will soon be ready. > More

Town pitch in for study of shared community center
Irwin added its financial support Wednesday for a $35,000 feasibility study that will determine whether the Norwin community should build a shared recreation center. The Regional Recreation Committee was formed in January and consists of 11 members from Irwin, North Irwin and North Huntingdon. The committee includes representatives of the Norwin School District and the Norwin AARP, who will assist with the proposed project. > More

The toll rises
Every five years or so I write to your paper to comment on the latest planning sessions, commissions, panels and study groups regarding Route 30 (" Route 30 congestion targeted in Westmoreland ," July 26 and PghTrib.com). Seeing the Norwin area going from semirural to urban-refugee sprawl explains all the problems -- too much traffic. In the 1970s Route 30 had the "death stretch" nickname, and the 1980s had the "Pray for me I drive Route 30" bumper stickers. > More

Proposed Route 30 complex needs tweaking
Developers of a proposed Walgreens Pharmacy and Starbucks retail complex along Route 30 in North Huntingdon will be making parking and building adjustments before township planners make a recommendation on the project. On Monday night, Planning Director Andy Blenko said he was concerned about how traffic would enter the development at the Lincoln Way intersection and move safely back out onto Route 30, because the businesses would share a parking area. > More

Free the cities!
Most Americans have the naive notion that their local city officials busy themselves fixing potholes, providing police and fire services, dealing with the occasional code violation and quietly running the parks and recreation service. But those who run city government have their own prerogatives and ideologies. Read more  > More

North Huntingdon road ripped out without permission may be rebuilt
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation may rebuild a 1,500-foot section of Barnes Lake Road in North Huntingdon that DeBartolo Development Co. apparently tore out without permission. A PennDOT official said DeBartolo would be expected to foot the bill. The section was torn out in January as part of the planned relocation of the road for the proposed Mills Pointe-Huntingdon Marketplace commercial plaza. > More

Party planners coming to Greensburg
The city won’t be featured on MTV’s "My Super Sweet 16," but Pittsburgh’s next birthday party is a $1 million affair. "Pittsburgh 250," an initiative working to ring in the Steel City’s 250th birthday next year, will hold a brainstorming session July 31 for Westmoreland County residents hoping to help the city celebrate. Read more  > More

Norwin Hills traffic backup relieved
Motorists accessing Norwin Avenue from Route 30 west in North Huntingdon are experiencing relief from traffic congestion now that PennDOT has extended the stacking lane at Norwin Hills Shopping Center. "This is definitely going to help," township Manager Kelly Wolfe said yesterday. "There is simply not enough room for the traffic." Read more  > More

Upgrades to Arnold Palmer, Rostraver airports completed
The Westmoreland County Airport Authority has completed two airport development projects at facilities in Rostraver and Unity townships. Final inspections have been completed for construction of a 300-foot runway safety area at Rostraver, and completion of four new aircraft hangars at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport, near Latrobe. Read more  > More

Route 30 congestion targeted in Westmoreland
When Westmoreland County Commissioner Phil Light rode east on Route 30 from his childhood home in Edgewood in Allegheny County to his family’s farm in Cook Township, he said it never took too long. "Back then, you could make it from Edgewood to the Diamond in Ligonier in 45 minutes, and you didn’t even have to speed," said Light, 65, of the 50-mile trip. "I wouldn’t suggest trying that today." That’s because of what Light said is the stress level motorists encounter on Route 30 with the glut of traffic signals and vehicle congestion from decades of development along the > More

Bottleneck at Barnes Lake irks drivers
At age 86, Jack Clohessy has found the best way to cross the road may be with a bicycle. The Irwin man says he’s resorted to using two wheels instead of four to avoid the traffic backlog on Route 30 in North Huntingdon caused by the partial closing of Barnes Lake Road, part of the Wal-Mart Supercenter project. He’s been pedaling across the highway from his Eighth Street home to Norwin Hills Shopping Center since the detour began in January and has dragged on for six long months. > More

New Path to University Success: Community Ties
By: Neil Pierce 2007 Washington Post Writers Group Thirty-three armed robberies hit on or near the University of Pennsylvania’s Philadelphia campus in September 1996. Broken glass, trash, sometimes discarded drug paraphenernailia littered the streets. Dark, empty streets made students and staff feel jumpy. A month later, walking with his fiancee to his nearby apartment on Halloween night, Vladimir Sled, a 38-year old Russian emigre and Penn biochemist, got caught up in a scuffle with robbers. > More

Funding Opportunity
Dear Westmoreland Nonprofit Executives & Community Leaders, The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County is co-sponsoring the Community Connections / Pittsburgh 250 Westmoreland Community Brainstorms Initiative July 31st from 6-8p.m. Any assistance you / your team could offer too circulate the attached Community Connection releases / logos from the Sprout Fund for the upcoming brainstorming workshop and throughout this year would be very appreciated. > More

Businesses in Irwin get boost
There’s a doggie in the window at Rosedahl’s. It’s not for sale, thanks. Sweetie, a 4-year-old Maltese, spends some days at the appliance store on Main Street in Irwin, keeping company with Dale Rosendahl, a third-generation owner. The store’s been in town since 1927, and at its current location since the mid-1960s. Back in the day, they sold anything with a cord attached at what was called Rosendahl’s Electric -- can openers, floor-model hair driers, and refrigerators, surely. > More

Jeannette residents lament lack of street sweeping
Jeannette has a street sweeping problem, and city officials say they’ll work to correct it. In the wake of complaints by residents at Wednesday’s city council meeting, Councilman Robert M. Carter vowed something would be done about unkempt streets. Read more  > More

Study up on natural gas leases before drilling, regional residents told
Tom Wandrisco, of Hempfield, knew he needed to know more about leases involved in natural-gas drilling. He said he has five companies seeking to dri http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/search/s%5F516911.html ll on his 117-acre cattle farm in Derry Township. "I wanted to get the latest information," Wandrisco said. "You have to be watchful." Read more  > More

Funds needed for project's 2nd phase in Irwin
With the first phase of Irwin’s $6 million storm and sanitary sewer separation project nearly 90 percent completed, council has turned its attention toward seeking funding for the second and final phases. Council members passed a resolution Wednesday to apply for PennVEST funding not to exceed $5 million to complete the project. Read more  > More

'No Passenger Left Behind' action soars at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport
It’s a problem Gabe Monzo wanted for some time and, now that it’s here, he has landed a solution. With June’s passenger departure totals rising to 1,349 under Northwest Airlines at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport, the Unity facility turned passengers away on a number of outgoing flights because its 34-seat Saab aircraft were filled, said Monzo, the airport’s manager. Read More  > More

Business Soaring at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport
The Westmoreland County Airport Authority is hoping a new program called "no passengers left behind" will eventually increase flights out of Arnold Palmer Regional Airport; KDKA’s Mary Berecky reports. Click here to see the video  > More

3 Hempfield officials miss meeting
On the night Bob Davidson planned to publicly demand that three colleagues on the Hempfield Township Municipal Authority resign for allegedly misusing credit cards, the members failed to attend, forcing a cancellation of the meeting. "My intention was to come and request the resignations of Bob Regola, Brian Melenia and Kathy Hopkin," he said. Their absence forced authority manager Rege Ranella to cancel the session for lack of a quorum. > More

North Huntingdon to ponder office park district
The delayed progress of the Wal-Mart Supercenter along Route 30 in North Huntingdon near the Pennsylvania Turnpike has spurred discussion about creating an office park district to attract corporate development in that corridor. That uncertainty prompted Lincoln Hills Realty Associates to ask the planning commission to table a request to rezone 14.35 acres adjacent to the Holiday Inn Express, just off the Irwin interchange of the turnpike, from residential to a planned economic development district-1, or PEDD-1. > More

Ligonier Diamond safety questions linger
Sandra Hagan’s scarred right leg and lingering limp may remind Ligonier pedestrians of traffic dangers surrounding the borough’s Diamond, but she said PennDOT efforts to make the round-about intersection safer have been forgettable. "In my opinion, I don’t think there’s been many advances. It’s a beautiful area, but it’s still hazardous," said Hagan, who was struck July 9, 2005, by a pickup truck turning right from North Market Street onto West Main Street while she was working as a parking meter attendant. > More

Population shifts a drain and a strain to region
The population drain continues in the Pittsburgh region, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures released this morning. Estimates of the July 1, 2006, population show about 70 percent of the region’s communities lost 2 percent or more of their residents since the July 2000 estimate. The losses have led to declining tax bases, faltering school systems and nearly bankrupt governments. Even in four areas of growth, officials are feeling a strain as the demand for services grows. > More

Greensburg Main Street project begins
Goodbye, damaged curbs and sidewalks. Hello, new pedestrian walkways. Efforts began Friday night to improve pedestrian travel and increase the beauty of Main Street in Greensburg as part of the Hometown Streets project. "It’s a pedestrian-enhancement project, but it’s also a beautification project," City Administrator Sue Trout said. Read more  > More

Palmer Nature Reserve plans event
Starting Saturday, the rolling greens of Latrobe Country Club won’t be the only sweeping vistas associated with a Palmer legacy. Named after the late wife of golfing legend, the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve, a 50-acre site that borders Route 30 and St. Vincent College in Unity, will hold a reception this weekend. The opening will honor "the people who made it happen," said Donald "Doc" Giffin, secretary/treasurer of the reserve’s board of trustees. > More

Greensburg Main Street project begins
Goodbye, damaged curbs and sidewalks. Hello, new pedestrian walkways. Efforts began Friday night to improve pedestrian travel and increase the beauty of Main Street in Greensburg as part of the Hometown Streets project. "It’s a pedestrian-enhancement project, but it is also a beautification projec," City Administrator Sue Trout said. The $568,000 project is a joint effort of PennDOT and the city, which contributed $106,000 to do the first phase of the work, according to city officials. > More

Lessons in economy: Renovating old schools
Rather than renovate the schools it has, the Lower Merion Township School District will build two high schools and demolish the old ones. Last month, the school board approved construction bids for a $102.9 million dollar high school to replace its 1958 Harriton High School. This fall, the board is expected to approve bids for an even more expensive high school to replace Lower Merion High School, parts of which date back to 1932. > More

Route 30 Draft Vision Plan & Summary Report
Please go to the Route 30 Master Plan Web site to download and view the Draft Vision Plan and Summary Report.  Please use the comment form to submit and comments to us. > More

Pittsburgh region a hub of Main Street retail trend
Developers working on Pittsburgh-area projects worth tens of millions of dollars are going to town -- from suburban projects trying to re-create town centers to urban projects trying to revamp what’s already there. From the 800,000-square-foot Southpointe Town Center in Washington County meant to capture the ambiance of Main Street, with stores, offices and residential spaces to the development of the seven-story Arms