Patrick Varine stories, Page 103
Murrysville briefs: A spooky stroll, benefit dinner, more
‘Spooky Stroll Through Time’ set for Oct. 23 The Emmanuel Reformed Church of the United Church of Christ in Murrysville will mark the month of Halloween by hearkening back to the congregation’s largely German heritage with “A Spooky Stroll Through Time” on Oct. 23. Historical interpreters from the congregation and...
TribLive Taste Test: It’s a pumpkin-spice latte death-matchVideo
It’s officially fall now, but the Pumpkin Spice Cartel wasn’t waiting around for the official start. The now-ubiquitous “fall” flavor has probably been around in most places since mid-July, along with the Halloween Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. But that’s not going to stop us from trying out five varieties including...
‘Circles’ will combine Black visual, performing arts
A group of Black artists will layer dance, visual arts and a live original score next month at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center. “Circles” is the culmination of work by Staycee and Herman “Soy Sos” Pearl, co-artistic directors of the Staycee Pearl Dance Project, PearlArts and Soy Sos....
Emsworth gluten-free brewers bring home gold, silver medals from U.S. Open Beer Championship
Some occasions just call for a cold beer. For Doug Foster, diagnosed with celiac disease at 5 years old, that particular social indulgence was not really possible. But, for the past decade, Foster and Aurochs Brewing Company co-founder Ryan Bove have been working to brew tasty, gluten-free beers. This summer,...
No injuries after trailer comes loose, crashes into parked car in Youngwood
No one was injured when a trailer came loose from the vehicle hauling it and ended up in a Youngwood yard on Tuesday morning. A Westmoreland County 911 supervisor said emergency crews were called to a home at the intersection of Chestnut and South Seventh streets just after 11:15 a.m.,...
Promoter hopes to return to Murrysville SportZone for future boxing cards
Pittsburgh junior lightweight Matt “Sweet Child” Conway racked up his 20th career victory Saturday night with a win over Rodolfo Puente at “Murrysville Madness,” held at the Murrysville SportZone. With the win, Conway (20-2, 9 KOs) will begin preparing for an International Boxing Association World title fight. Promoter Derek Gionta...
WCCC public-safety classes set to start this month
Training is of paramount importance for first responders, whether they’re new to the job or have decades of experience. In an effort to extend its outreach to emergency service workers in Westmoreland County, the county’s community college is offering a variety of public safety training courses at its centers in...
Western Pa. bands Sourmash, Andy Davis bring home Josie Music Award wins
A handful of musicians from Western Pennsylvania rocked the seventh annual Josie Music Awards this past weekend, bringing home wins in two categories from the nation’s largest independent music awards ceremony. Mt. Pleasant country singer Andy Davis won for Modern Male Country, and Alle-Kiski Valley’s Sourmash won Entertainer of the...
Cafeteria worker faces charges for bringing gun to Pittsburgh elementary school
A Pittsburgh Public Schools employee was arrested after bringing a gun to Grandview Elementary in the city’s Allentown neighborhood on Monday, school officials confirmed. “While the employee does have a license to carry a firearm, they are not permitted on school grounds,” said district spokeswomen Ebony Pugh. The employee, a...
Poke Run church to install new headstones for Revolutionary War soldiers
Doug Ross of Bell Township can count five generations of his family, the Youngs, who have been members at Poke Run Presbyterian Church. Linda Chicka of Saltsburg has a fifth-great-grandfather whose home was the site of some of the congregation’s earliest meetings, before America was officially a country. And while...
‘Happy little trees’: Penn Township woman to teach joy of Bob Ross painting at workshop
The last year and a half has been stressful, by almost any measure. And while his dulcet voice and invocation of “happy little trees” often is used as a punchline, it’s hard to deny that enjoying an episode of “The Joy of Painting” and host Bob Ross is a pleasant...
Full day of amateur, pro boxing set for Saturday in Murrysville
Boxing promoter Derek Gionta of Monroeville is back on his mission to return boxing to a prominent place among Pittsburgh sports. That mission continues with a full day of amateur and pro fights Saturday at the Murrysville SportZone. “The key is to have enough shows to keep fighters busy so...
Additional Murrysville property seeks tie-in to Washington Township sewage system
An additional parcel may be added to the group of Murrysville properties that connect to the nearby Municipal Authority of Washington Township sewage system, bringing the total to 40. As part of a years-long process, Murrysville along with MAWT, Washington Township and the Kiski Valley Water Pollution Control Authority ultimately...
Murrysville Heritage Festival offers 1st chance to show off 1860s-era schoolhouse replicaVideo
Last year, Murrysville Historical Preservation Society members were hoping to not only mark the 200th anniversary of Jeremiah Murry’s founding of the town, but also to show off the period-accurate replica of a former one-room schoolhouse they had built. Those plans went by the wayside because of the pandemic, but...
Westmoreland food bank, other agencies benefit from United Way’s ‘Week of Caring’
More than 400 volunteers spent time working on more than 40 projects throughout the five counties — including Westmoreland — served by the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania during its second annual Week of Caring. “Participation is down a little this year because some of our partner companies aren’t allowing...
Murrysville area: Rotary Oktoberfest, lunch-and-learn sessions and more
Rotary Oktoberfest set for Sept. 24 The Murrysville-Export Rotary’s annual Oktoberfest celebration will be held from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 24 at the Murrysville Volunteer Fire Company pavilion, 3235 Sardis Road. There will be German-style food, beer and wine from local food trucks, breweries and wineries, German music and...
Delmont councilman plans to resign after accepting active-duty assignment
Before Delmont Councilman Bill Marx found a calling in government service, he found one in military duty. Marx, a 17-year veteran of the Marine Corps and U.S. Army Reserve CID Agent, announced his intention to resign from council. He has accepted active-duty orders to serve on staff in a military...
Park Hopper Challenge highlights Westmoreland County’s recreational opportunities
When the coronavirus pandemic was at its peak in 2020, the use of public parks offered the chance for a relatively safe way to get out, exercise and be around others. Local, state and federal parks saw a marked increase in use over the past 18 months, and the parks...
Franklin Regional school board meeting postponed to Sept. 20
Franklin Regional school board officials announced the postponement of their monthly committee-of-the-whole meeting scheduled for Monday evening. It will be held prior to the board’s monthly voting meeting, set for 7:30 p.m., Sept. 20 at the Murrysville municipal building, 4100 Sardis Road. Meetings are broadcast live on Comcast local access...
County land trust seeks volunteers to help clean Hempfield farmhouseVideo
The Schwarz farmstead is already a stately sight on a scenic Hempfield hilltop. Now the group that purchased it is seeking volunteers to help do the same for the inside of the farmhouse. As part of the United Way Day of Caring, Westmoreland Land Trust officials will welcome volunteers to...
Goodwill’s Youthworks program seeks young people with career goals
Goodwill’s YouthWorks program is looking to help more people like Teraja Bull work toward — and realize — their career goals. “They helped me get a corporate internship my senior year at college,” said Bull, a Duquesne resident who graduated from Penn State in 2020 with a degree in management...
Heavy rain means taller walls for Murrysville farm’s corn maze
Finding the way out is just the first challenge at Gearhard Farms’ annual corn maze in Murrysville. There are animal cutouts for children to find, and trivia questions for adults about the town and the bicentennial farm family whose members have created, cut and run the corn maze for the...
Agriculture officials urge businesses, residents to be aware of spotted lanternflies
As he was walking in a park near his home on Pittsburgh’s North Side late last month, Joe Dep saw a bug fly past him that immediately caught his attention. “I was in Allegheny Commons Park, and as soon as I saw it, I knew it was something I didn’t...
3rd loaded gun this week found at Pittsburgh airport’s security checkpoint
Allegheny County Police do not anticipate filing charges against a man who had a handgun in his carry-on bag Friday evening at the Pittsburgh International Airport in Moon Township. TSA officers observed a loaded .380-caliber Glock in the man’s backpack at the airport’s main security checkpoint shortly after 7 p.m....
9/11 anniversary programs set for Saturday in Plum, Export
Community and veterans’ groups in Plum and Export will host programs Saturday marking the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. In Plum, the Pittsburgh chapter of the Professional Golfers’ Association’s Helping Our Patriots Everywhere organization will host a “Never Forget” memorial on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. It...
