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A Bi-Weekly Update on
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
March 19, 2010 Volume 9 Issue 1 www.co.westmoreland.pa.us
2010 Census to Determine the Future of Westmoreland County
The 2010 United States Census is underway. It is vitally important that
Westmoreland County is counted completely and accurately. The 10 minutes it takes to
fill out a census form will help determine the next 10 years in Westmoreland County. At
stake are billions of federal dollars for education, development, social services and more,
as well as future representative districts and community pride.
An inaccurate undercount of residents could have many negative impacts on
families in need. More than $400 billion in federal funds are awarded to states and
communities every year based on census data – or more than $4 trillion distributed over a
10-year period. The federal government uses census data to allocate funding for low-
income housing programs, Head Start, substance abuse help, emergency food and shelter,
utility bill assistance, children‘s health insurance, WIC, food stamps and more.
An incomplete count would also hamper the county‘s business community. The
federal government uses census data to allocate funding for programs that impact key
infrastructure improvements, road construction, workforce development, educational
programs and more.
Since the first United States census in 1790,
historically children have been undercounted. An
In This Issue: undercount of children in our local schools could have
March for Parks. . . . .Page 2 additional negative impacts. In addition to less federal
funding for education and social services for children
WCA Wine Tasting . . Page 3 and their families, and an undercount may also affect
how policies related to children are written, and what
Living Healthy . . . . . .Page 4 conclusions are drawn from studies on children.
Census data also drives community
Composting . . . . . . . ..Page 5 development efforts, and effects the county‘s
representation in Congress and the redistricting of the
Proclamations . . . . . . Page 7 state legislature.
In mid-March every household will be receiving
Send us your feedback a census form. The Westmoreland County
E-mail: Commissioners are strongly encouraging everyone to
FKopas@co.westmoreland.pa.us participate, as it will help shape the future of
Westmoreland County.
Window to Westmoreland March 19, 2010
The U.S. Constitution mandates a headcount every 10 years of everyone residing
in the United States. Westmoreland County‘s population in the 2000 census was
369,993.
For more information on the 2010 census visit www.census.gov/2010census.
March for Parks Goes to the Dogs
Saturday, March 27, 2010, is your chance to show support for new recreation
facilities in Westmoreland County, such as a Dog Park, tubing and sledding areas, a
wheelchair accessible playground and trails. The place is Twin Lakes Park, where people
from all over the county will gather to participate in the annual March for Parks. The
event is presented by the Westmoreland County Parks and Recreation Citizens Advisory
Board and is presented by Westinghouse, UPMC Health Plan, Chick-fil-A and WTAE-
TV. Event hours are 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The 2010 March for Parks will showcase the Twin Lakes Dog Park, which is
planned to be constructed near the Peach Plaza Skate Park. In support of the dog park
and to help fund it, marchers are encouraged to bring their pooches to the event which
has been dubbed "The Year of the Dog.‖
Prior to the event, marchers (and dogs) collect monetary contributions to support
the March. Those marchers who collect $25 or more will receive a t-shirt. Dogs that
collect $25 will receive a bandana. Those who collect over $100 or more (human or
canine) will receive a gift card to Wal-Mart. The more you raise, the higher the value of
the gift card.
Walkers, runners and dogs may participate as individuals or teams. Any group of
three or more people or dogs can be a team. Organize your friends and family, your
school, place of worship or a community organization. Get your company involved.
Complete the team information when you register to become eligible for the engraved
plaques that will honor the top fundraising teams.
The money raised at past Marches has really started to make an impact in the
community. Here are some recent projects for which March for Parks funds have been
designated:
Construction of Twin Lakes Park Expansion Phase I, including Peach Plaza Skate
and Action Park, community garden improvements, and acquisition of 85 acres
for future park expansion.
Construction, planning, and acquisition of lands for the Coal and Coke and
Westmoreland Heritage trails.
Planning and engineering for Twin Lakes Park Expansion Phase II, to include an
area for tubing and sledding, a dog park, a universally accessible playground,
pavilions, a life trail for seniors, and road and parking extensions.
This year marchers will have the opportunity to designate the funds they raise.
Choices include: Walking & Biking Trails, Dog Park, Tubing and Sledding Runs,
Wheelchair Accessible Playground or Land Acquisition. Non-designated funds will be
used where they are most needed.
DJ Dave Haering and Mike the Balloon Guy head the list of fun activities at the
event. There will be a picnic lunch after the March, including doggie treats, and the
event will conclude with a door prize giveaway and an awards presentation. Home Depot
will also be sponsoring a kid's workshop at the event.
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Window to Westmoreland March 19, 2010
Registering on-line is the quickest way to sign up for the March. Visit
www.co.westmoreland.pa.us, and enter the keywords ―March for Parks‖ in the upper
right corner of the home page.
To receive a registration form by mail, call 724-830-3950.
Join in the March for Parks and do your part to "Keep Westmoreland County
Green…One Step at a Time."
“BioBlitz” Coming to Cedar Creek County Park
California University of Pennsylvania's Student Chapter of the Wildlife Society is
sponsoring a ―BioBlitz‖ study at Cedar Creek Park on Saturday, April 10, from 7:00 a.m.
until dusk.
A BioBlitz is a special type of field study, where a group of scientists, students
and volunteers conduct an intensive biological inventory, attempting to identify and
record all species of living organisms in a given area. Events include a songbird survey,
a reptile and amphibian survey, a geology walk and more.
This study event is open to the public and registration is free. The day begins at
the entrance to the Gorge Trail at 7:00 a.m. the day of the event.
Cedar Creek Park is located in Rostraver Township off Route 51, one-quarter
mile north of I-70.
For more information, call Dr. Carol Bocetti at 724-938-5967 or e-mail
bocetti@calu.edu.
Westmoreland Community Action Hosting Annual Wine Tasting
Westmoreland Community Action is hosting its eighth annual wine tasting event
at the Westmoreland Museum of American Art on Friday, April 16, from 6:00 p.m. to
10:00 p.m.
Christian W. Klay Winery, Walnut Hill Winery, and Greenhouse Winery will
showcase their wines while various restaurants and caterers will complement the wine
with hors d‘oeuvres: Extraordinary Catering by Bart, Pepperwood Grille, and others.
Sweet treats will be provided by One Tuff Cookie and others.
The evening will also include jazz music, basket raffles, and the art exhibition
entitled ―Concerning the 1930s in Art: Paintings from the Schoen Collection‖.
Tickets are available for a $45 donation in advance or $50 at the door. Proceeds
from this event will supplement WCA‘s programming efforts. For ticket information,
call 724-834-1260 (ext. 153).
Westmoreland Community Action is a private, non-profit human service
corporation that has served as the county‘s community action agency for 30 years. The
goal of community action agencies is to help the poor break the cycle of poverty and
advance to a better, fuller, more productive life. Through many social service programs,
WCA addresses the diverse needs of low-income families, children and communities.
To learn more about WCA and its services, call toll-free 800-816-0022 or visit
www.WestmorelandCA.org.
Tax Time Reminders from the Social Security Administration
Time goes by so quickly, it can be easy to forget important deadlines and even
easier to let critical items fall to the nether regions of your to-do list. Whether you get to
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Window to Westmoreland March 19, 2010
everything or not, time marches on – so the Social Security office in Greensburg is
sharing some important March reminders.
Tax Time is right around the corner. If you haven‘t filed your tax return yet,
now is the time. But before you begin, you should make sure you have everything you
need. For example, if you plan to claim your children or any other dependents on your
tax return, you‘ll need to have a Social Security number for each individual. If you don‘t
already have a Social Security number for a dependant, you better get to it right away.
Applications and evidence requirements are available on-line at
www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber.
Request your 1099 online. If you receive Social Security benefits and your total
annual income is $25,000 or more for an individual or $32,000 or more for a couple, you
may need to pay taxes on a portion of your Social Security benefits. If so, you will need
your SSA-1099 that shows the total amount of benefits received in the previous year. All
1099s were mailed by January 31, 2010. If you receive Social Security and have not yet
received a 1099 for 2009, you can request a replacement on-line at
www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices.
Easy as A, B, C. If you‘re covered under Medicare Part A, but originally opted
not to apply for Medicare Part B, now‘s the time to enroll in Part B. You‘ll have to act
fast, because the general enrollment period ends on March 31. Medicare Part A (hospital
insurance) helps pay for inpatient care in a hospital or skilled nursing facility following a
hospital stay, some home health care, and hospice care. Part B helps pay for doctors‘
services and many other medical services and supplies not covered by hospital insurance.
Learn more about Medicare by reading Social Security‘s publication on the subject at
www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10043.html.
A few minutes now can change your retirement for years. If you‘re not
already retired and receiving benefits, there‘s no better time than now to visit Social
Security‘s Retirement Estimator for an instant, personalized estimate of your future
retirement benefits. Spend a few minutes trying out different scenarios to figure out what
retirement options will work for you — and what plans you may want to make now to
benefit you in the future. You can do it in minutes at www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator.
For more information about Social Security, visit www.socialsecurity.gov.
“Living Healthy” Sessions Coming to County Senior Centers
Nutrition education is a vital component of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP) – formerly known as the Food Stamp Program. In Pennsylvania,
nutrition education for SNAP recipients is administered by Penn State University. To
help promote nutrition and healthy life choices, the Penn State Cooperative Extension has
partnered with the Westmoreland County Area Agency on Aging to bring education
programs to 13 senior centers in the county.
The Living Healthy Programs are scheduled at the following Westmoreland
County Senior Centers for 10 Consecutive Weeks:
Avonmore—Mondays at 11:00 a.m. starting June 21
East Vandergrift—Tuesdays at 11:00 a.m. starting April 6
Herminie—Wednesdays at 11:30 a.m. starting April 7
Jeannette—Fridays at 11:00 a.m. starting January 15
Latrobe—Wednesdays at 11:00 a.m. starting June 23
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Window to Westmoreland March 19, 2010
Ligonier—Thursdays at 11:00 a.m. starting April 15
McKenna—Fridays at 12:30 a.m. starting April 16
Monessen— Starting in July
Mt. Pleasant—Tuesdays at 11:00 a.m. starting July 6
New Alexandria—Fridays at 11:00 a.m. starting July 9
New Florence—Tuesdays at 12:00 p.m. starting June 15
New Kensington—Thursdays at 11:00 a.m. starting January 14
West Newton—Fridays at 10:30 a.m. starting July 9
For more information, contact Karen Mays at 724-837-1402 or e-mail
kmm38@psu.edu.
Backyard Composting Workshops Available Throughout the County
Westmoreland Cleanways will be holding the first of eight Backyard Composting
workshops at Saint Vincent College. The session will be held on Wednesday, March 24,
from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve.
Workshops will be conducted by a Penn State Master Gardener, and participants
will learn the economic and environmental benefits of composting, what materials are
used for composting, how to maintain the compost pile, and how to use finished compost.
The cost of the workshop is $10, payable at the door.
In addition to the March 24 th workshop, Westmoreland Cleanways will offer
several Backyard Composting Workshops in 2010.
Saturday, May 1 The Barn at Donohoe Center 9:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Saturday, May 15 Oak Hollow Park, N. Huntingdon 9:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Saturday, May 22 Valley Landfill, Penn Township 9:00 – 11:30 a.m.
*Includes landfill tour
Saturday, June 5 The Barn at Donohoe Center 9:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Saturday, Sept. 18 The Barn at Donohoe Center 9:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Saturday, Oct. 16 Valley Landfill, Penn Township 9:00 – 11:30 a.m.
* Includes landfill tour
Saturday, Nov. 6 Oak Hollow Park, N. Huntingdon 9:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Class size is limited, and pre-registration is required. Registration deadline is one
week prior to each workshop, or until the class is full.
Westmoreland Cleanways is also having a truckload sale for compost bins and
rain barrels on Saturday, March 27, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (or until all bins are
sold). The sale will take place at the GreenForge Building located at 226 Donohoe Road
in Hempfield Township. Any participants of the March 24 composting workshop
wishing to purchase a bin may pre-order at the workshop. Compost bins are $50 and rain
barrels are $60.
Compost bins may not be available for sale after March 27th.
For registration details and additional information, call Westmoreland Cleanways
at 724-836-4129.
Westmoreland Conservation District Announces Upcoming Events
Homeowners, home buyers and sellers, engineers, real estate professionals, pond
owners, high school students, and just about anyone interested in conserving our natural
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Window to Westmoreland March 19, 2010
resources is sure to find something of interest in the Westmoreland Conservation
District‘s new schedule of programs.
All programs are open to the public and, while some are geared to specific
audiences or an advanced level of technical expertise, anyone is welcome to attend. Most
programs require registration and have a nominal fee. Online registration and payment
for most programs can be found at www.wcdpa.com.
Stormwater Management for Homeowners, Tuesday, March 30, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00
p.m., Westmoreland Conservation District, Donohoe Center, 218 Donohoe Road,
Greensburg
Learn how to ―read‖ the unique physical features of your property…uncover
possible causes of water problems, including damp basements and water-ponding...and
how to install creative and attractive solutions, from rain gardens to green roofs. Learn
the how and why of using native plants. Participants will have the option to purchase a
ready-to-install rain barrel.
$35 for the workshop and a rain barrel, or $10 for the workshop only. Space is
limited and registration is required by March 23.
This is a partner program with Penn State Cooperative Extension, Westmoreland
County. The rain barrels are partially funded by a grant from the Sarah Heinz House
(Boys & Girls Clubs of America) in Pittsburgh.
Pond Management Workshop, Saturday, April 24, 9:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., location
TBD
Sponsored by Penn State Cooperative Extension, this workshop is an opportunity
for current or potential pond owners to learn more about proper management of large
ponds. Topics include: pond ecology; getting to know your pond; water-quality
concerns; maintenance and permits; plant, weed and algae identification and control; and
wildlife and fisheries management. The new ―Field Guide to Common Aquatic Plants of
Pennsylvania‖ will be available.
For information on cost and registration, contact Dana Rizzo at 724-837-1402 or
def18@psu.edu.
Envirothon, Monday, May 3, 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Twin Lakes County Park
This academic competition for high school students tests their understanding of
the environment and their role in it. Topics include: aquatics, soils, forestry, wildlife and
an annual special issue, which this year is protecting Pennsylvania's groundwater through
urban, agricultural and environmental planning. The event is free and open to the public.
For more information contact Christie at 724-837-5271 or Christie@wcdpa.com.
The Norwin Community: Past, Present and Future
Huntingdon was one of the original Westmoreland County townships established
by the court in 1773 at the April quarter session at Hanna‘s Town. In 1790 the township
was divided into North and South Huntingdon. Matthias Cowan was one of the first
settlers on the land that would become Irwin Station in 1853, and eventually Irwin in
1884.
The Norwin Community: Past, Present and Future, will be presented by Carl
Huzar on Tuesday March 23, beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the Calvin E. Pollins Library of
the Westmoreland County Historical Society. Mr. Huzar is a retired Norwin High School
History teacher and president of the Norwin Historical Society.
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Window to Westmoreland March 19, 2010
This program is free and open to the public. But seating is limited and
reservations are recommended.
To make a reservation, call 724-836-1800 (extension 10).
Norwin Band is Playing it Forward
The Norwin ‗Play It Forward‘ Fund – a component fund of the Community
Foundation of Westmoreland County – is embarking on a mission to take the Norwin
Band‘s recognized performance excellence to a new level. A local couple, working in
close collaboration with Norwin Director of Bands Robert Traugh, kicked off the fund
with a major gift to assist qualified Norwin band students, grades 5-12, with subsidies for
private music lessons and summer music camp experiences.
Mr. Traugh noted that, ―Having the availability of these supplemental funds will
help to level the playing field – no pun intended – for those students who desire to
advance their musical education, and at the same time make a commitment to the Norwin
Band program.‖
While all Norwin band students are eligible to apply for funds, preference will be
given to those students with financial need. The goal for students who benefit is to
ultimately ―play it forward‖ in the future – either financially or of giving of their time and
talent to help other band students. With enhanced musical education experiences, it is the
hope that the historically successful Norwin Band program will continue to grow and
flourish. The high school band performs and competes locally and nationally, and has a
strong support system of current and alumni members, parents and community. Plans for
a benefit to support the fund are underway for April 30, 2010.
Since its inception, The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County has
made more than $10 million in grants to local charitable organizations. The Foundation
currently administers more than 350 component funds and $16 million in assets. The
mission of The Community Foundation is to encourage local residents to become
philanthropists, provide grants that support a wide variety of charitable organizations and
serve as a community leader.
For more information about the Community Foundation of Westmoreland
County, call Kirk Utzinger, President at 724-836-4400 or visit www.cfwestmoreland.org.
Proclamations
(Editor’s Note: The following proclamation was approved at the March 11
Commissioners’ Public Meeting.)
In Recognition of Leonard Santimyer
Whereas, after a half-century in borough government, Leonard Santimyer has
decided to bring his long time political career to an end; and
Whereas, the 76 year old Army Veteran and former owner of the Colonial Grille
in downtown Irwin, first took his seat as a councilman in January 1960 when Dwight
Eisenhower was in his final year as President and Norwin School District was just
eighteen months old; and
Whereas, Leonard has been on the political scene for 50 years first as a
councilman for North Irwin Borough then as acting mayor beginning in 1993; and
Whereas, Mr. Santimyer has been closely involved in many, many projects for
the community, such as the committee to restore Irwin's town clock, the yearly
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Window to Westmoreland March 19, 2010
Halloween and Light-Up Night parades, as well as being part of the Irwin Business and
Professional Association as a business owner, a group that‘s main goal has been to keep
customers coming into Irwin to patron the local shops; and
Whereas, Leonard Santimyer's dedication and true concern for the residents of
North Irwin Borough and surrounding areas, has led to many major improvements and
accomplishments during his honorable tenure.
Therefore, we the Commissioners of Westmoreland County, Tom Balya, Tom
Ceraso and Charles W. Anderson, do hereby recognize Mr. Leonard Santimyer for his 50
years of tireless dedication and commitment to the residents of North Irwin and
surrounding areas as a public servant, and wish him the best of luck in future endeavors.
In Witness Thereof, we have hereunto set our hand and caused the Seal of the
County of Westmoreland to be affixed this 11 th day of March, 2010.
Window to Westmoreland
Volume 9 Issue 1 March 19, 2010
A bi-weekly update on Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Westmoreland County Courthouse
2 North Main Street, Suite 101
Greensburg, Pennsylvania 15601
800-442-6926
Editor:
Ted Kopas
Contributors:
Dan Carpenter, Cheri Cavanaugh, Karen Jurkovic, Michelle Keenan,
Jennifer Kemerer, Karen Mays, Joanna Moyar,
Debra Novotny, Paula Ziemski
We welcome your feedback.
Please send comments or suggestions to
Ted Kopas, Chief of Staff for Chairman Tom Balya,
via e-mail at tkopas@co.westmoreland.pa.us or call 724-830-3123.
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