Westmoreland County in 25 years: Bots, planes and Taylor Swift?

Jan. 2—Westmoreland County's chief clerk, Vera Spina, spent months collecting items for a time capsule she hopes will be a window into the past when it is opened in 25 years.

The capsule was sealed and buried in front of the courthouse and will be opened in 2048. What will the county look like then?

"I'm sure in 25 years they'll be doing something like this," Spina said. "I don't know, maybe there'll be little bots driving around cleaning the floors. Maybe there will be more people out in the field and not working in this building. Maybe there'll even be a new building here (at the courthouse) or something else."

Over the past quarter-century, Westmoreland County saw substantial change. Its population totaled about 370,000 in the late 1990s. Democrats controlled county politics, and Sony was producing large-screen tube televisions at its manufacturing plant near New Stanton.

Twenty-five years later, the county's population continued its downward trend to about 352,000 residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Republicans hold political sway in the county, and the former Sony plant is now a multi-use industrial site that serves as the centerpiece for the county's move toward high-tech industry.

Manufacturing in 2048 will continue to be in Westmoreland County's DNA, according to planning director Jason Rigone.

"I don't see that changing, but that sector continues to become more and more high-tech, including the use of robotics, AI, data analytics and a technology-capable workforce. So sites, facilities, educational sector, labor force, etc., will all need to be prepared and available to support that transition that is already taking place," Rigone said.

Dan DeBone, director of the Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce, said he doesn't believe the projections that predict continued population loss in the county.

"People will want to move into our county. We'll be flush with jobs and manufacturing. Small businesses will pop up in small downtowns. There'll be a lot more restaurants and a lot more nightlife," DeBone said.

More people means more travel options.

Gabe Monzo, executive director of the Westmoreland County Airport Authority, said he expects air travel to have taken off by 2048. Arnold Palmer Regional Airport now operates with just Spirit Airlines flying once a day as officials plan to begin work next year to double the size of the airport's terminal.

"We'll have a half-dozen airlines flying out of here in 25 years," Monzo said. "People are going to be coming here from all over the country. We're going to be that alternative to larger, big-city airports."

Westmoreland County Intermediate Unit director Jason Conway predicted that by 2048 there might be shifts in how students are educated. Conway foresees a 50-50 chance of consolidation among some of the county's 17 school districts.

"There will be more flexibility for parents and students to make decisions, and there will always be a need for brick-and-mortar schools," Conway said. "In 25 years, we could have a system where the state does a better job of supporting special education. And technology will play a greater role in education."

Even the art scene will see significant change, according to Teresa Baughman, interim executive director of the Westmoreland County Cultural Trust.

She said county residents will continue to go to the theater but acts that come through to perform at locations such as The Palace Theatre in Greensburg will be different in 2048.

"There will be tributes to today's artists. We'll have a Taylor Swift tribute band, or maybe even Taylor Swift will come here to play."

Rich Cholodofsky is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Rich by email at rcholodofsky@triblive.com or via Twitter .