DERRY – A man who may have started a house fire by smoking in bed has died at a hospital after being rescued from the flames.

The Westmoreland County coroner said 60-year-old James Gamble died at Excela Health Latrobe Hospital Thursday morning.

Gamble and another tenant were rescued from the burning apartment building in Derry Borough after the fire was reported about 2:30 a.m.

Gamble was being taken to a Pittsburgh burn center when he went into cardiac arrest and was instead taken to the hospital in Latrobe, nearer to his home.

The second tenant’s identity has not been released.

He was not injured, authorities said.

Firefighters found him sleeping in another apartment and helped him to safety.

Dog ‘rescuer’ to be cited for trespassing

TYRONE – A self-described dog “rescuer” will be cited for trespassing on a Blair County couple’s property after she took video of chained-up dogs that were later seized by humane officials.

Patton native Tamira Ci Thayne, 46, said she “absolutely, 100 percent” trespassed on the Snyder Township property on Sunday.

The Central Pennsylvania Humane Society took custody of three of the seven dogs chained on the vacant property after Thayne posted video of them on YouTube.

A humane police officer said the property owners voluntarily turned over the dogs because they couldn’t afford veterinary treatment.

The dogs have treatable conditions that are not life-threatening.

A state appeals court last year upheld Thayne’s theft conviction for stealing an old, sick dog from another Blair County couple in 2006.

Thayne was formerly known as Tammy Sneath Grimes.

She is the founder of Dogs Deserve Better, a Tipton-based group.

College offers look

at two programs

EBENSBURG – Pennsylvania Highlands Community College will hold an open house from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at its Ebensburg Education Center, College Plaza, on Route 22 in Cambria Township.

Information will be provided on business management and general studies programs.

Business management courses are offered in the “More After Four” format, which is a mix of evening and online coursework designed to meet the scheduling needs of working adults.

Business management prepares students for a variety of entry-level positions and provides the coursework necessary to transfer to a four-year college or university.

The general studies program is offered in a traditional format and is intended to maximize transferability to baccalaureate institutions.

More information:

471-0010 or ebensburg@

pennhighlands.edu.

Highmark presents

grant to Beginnings

Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield awarded an $8,916 grant to Beginnings Inc. to support the “Healthy Beginnings Start at Home” program, which provides nutrition and exercise curriculum for children ages 3 to 5 in Cambria and Somerset counties.

Healthy Beginnings Start at Home curriculum was developed by experts in nutrition and obesity prevention and is designed to help children and their families discover concepts and practice healthy eating behaviors through stories, songs, rhymes, art projects and activities.

“Education of both the parent and child is essential to the long-term success of helping children develop healthy habits,” said Paula Eppley-Newman, Beginnings Inc. executive director. “Healthy Beginnings Start at Home curricula is centered on the children, but also focus on the environment and their families.”

Along with games and activities, plastic food model kits will be utilized to educate families on how to build nutritious and properly portioned meals using the basic food groups.

Families also will take a field trip to a local grocery store to discuss healthy shopping habits, and a healthy snack recipe option will be shared monthly.

To learn more, visit www.beginningsinc.org.

Woodland group

plans tool seminar

EBENSBURG – The Allegheny Mountain Woodland Association will hold a seminar from 9 a.m. to noon March 20 at the Dauntless Fire Company station in Ebensburg.

“Tools of the Trade” is a two-part program on selecting and maintaining the tools that are used the most in a woodlot, garden or lawn.

“Chainsaw Essentials,” a two-hour program by Guy Gontkovic of Stihl Power Tools, will look at the basics of selecting, maintaining, repairing and safely operating a chain saw.

“Hand Tools: Saws, Axes, Pruning Shears and More” will be presented by Chris Salem of Chris Salem’s Professional Tools. Salem will demonstrate the best sharpening techniques for the most commonly used hand tools.

The program costs $5 for nonmembers and is free for members. Preregistration is not required.

Membership applications will be processed at the door.

More information: Noll’s Forestry at 472-8560 or go to amwa.treesofpa.com.