Patrick Varine stories, Page 108
Summer Bible camp in Murrysville incorporates foam swords, battle strategyVideo
Summer Bible camps often employ a theme or center themselves around a particular activity each year. But what about a summer Bible camp where participants duke it out on the field of battle with foam swords, spears and shields? Enter Push the Rock’s Stronghold Foam Sword Fighting Ministries, which will...
Murrysville recreation officials seeking volunteers to help with ‘Pipeline Purge’ race
How many times can you climb Townsend Park’s daunting “Heart Attack Hill” in two hours? That’s what Murrysville Recreation Department officials want to find out at the Townsend’s Pipeline Purge race, set for July 17 at the park, located just off Twin Oaks Drive. “They will be running a one-mile...
‘On the Move’ in the Murrysville area for the week of July 8, 2021
Here are just a few of those in the Star’s coverage area who are “on the move” in one way or another. Submit listings to pvarine@triblive.com. The Murrysville-Export Rotary Club chose winners in its “End Plastic Soup” art contest for fourth and fifth graders are Franklin Regional and Mother of...
News briefs in the Murrysville area for the week of July 8, 2021
‘Tuesdays at Townsend’ concert series continues July 20 The Murrysville Recreation Department’s “Tuesdays at Townsend” free outdoor concert series will continue with a performance by Detention. It will be from 6:30-8 p.m. July 20 at the park, 130 Townsend Park Court in Murrysville. Food will be available from the Mobile...
Review: ‘Loki’ takes several new forms as season finale nearsVideo
Editor’s note: “Loki” spoilers through Season 1, Episode 5. We all knew Marvel’s Phase 4 was going to get weird. But can you imagine if they’d gone with their original plan and made “Loki” the first original Marvel series on Disney+? Even with the reshuffled series, we still got plenty...
R.K. Mellon Foundation announces $2.6 million grants to stimulate ‘new-economy’ jobs locally
The R.K. Mellon Foundation has a few goals aimed at helping people get jobs — and it’s got the money to get started. Targeting what foundation Director Sam Reiman calls “new-economy jobs,” the foundation is providing $2.6 million spread out over 16 grants. “With our new strategic plan, we are...
Year of virtual events highlights career opportunities for court reporters, captioners
At a time when large numbers of people are taking a critical look at their careers after more than a year of massive economic upheaval during the covid-19 pandemic, Community College of Allegheny County professor Mary Beth Johnson has a suggestion: court reporting. “I’ve taught court reporting for 45 years,...
East End Kids group preps for outdoor musical performance in Monroeville
As more and more areas of the large-event economy kick back into motion, live theater performances, whether plays, musicals or dance, are having a harder time than others. For Larry Cervi, former owner of the Larry Cervi School of Performing Arts in Monroeville, it presented a unique opportunity for his...
Allegheny County Council paves the way for the return of Picklesburgh
The Allegheny County Council paved the way Tuesday evening for Pittsburgh to become Picklesburgh once again. Council unanimously granted a temporary license to the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership to bring the festival to the city’s Andy Warhol Bridge from Aug. 18-23. “Every year, it gets better and bigger,” Council President Pat...
East End arts groups, restaurants will again host Hotline Ring collective fundraiserVideo
Before the pandemic, the Kelly Strayhorn Theater in East Liberty was partnering with restaurants in the neighborhood to host Neighborhood Happy Hours. That group switched gears amid pandemic restrictions, joining with six other local arts organizations to host a virtual fundraiser, Hotline Ring, that brought in $130,000. This year, the...
Penn Township vacant house fire cause under investigationVideo
Police continue to investigate a house fire Monday afternoon in Penn Township’s Level Green neighborhood. Nearly a dozen fire companies were called to the home near the intersection of First Street Extension and Drakulic Lane, and more companies continued to arrive as firefighters worked to contain the blaze. A Penn...
2 flown from motorcycle crash in South Huntingdon
One of two people transported by medical helicopter following a July 5 motorcycle crash in South Huntingdon has died, according to emergency officials. First responders were called to the intersection of Route 31 and Nichols Lane for a report of a motorcycle crash shortly after 1:30 p.m. Two patients, Dennis...
Pittsburgh police respond to multiple fireworks incidents on Fourth of July
Pittsburgh Police with the city’s Fireworks Task Force spent a good bit of time in the Hazelwood area on the Fourth of July, where they responded to 32 fireworks complaint calls and issued multiple warnings. Overall, the task force responded to 158 complaints overnight, with some resulting in minor fires...
Historic Hanna’s Town marks July 4th with reading of the Declaration of IndependenceVideo
American colonists drafted plenty of documents before the Declaration of Independence. In a fledgling Westmoreland County that, officially speaking, was only two years old in 1775, citizens drafted the Hanna’s Town Resolves, a response to the battles of Lexington and Concord during the Revolutionary War. “Resolved unanimously, That there is...
Hundreds turn out for inaugural 5K in memory of late state Rep. Mike ReeseVideo
Never underestimate the motivating power of a whole smoked hog. The smell of smoked meat wafted through Mammoth Park on Sunday morning, teasing the taste buds of participants in the inaugural Mike Reese Memorial 5K Roast, Run & Family Fun event, organized in memory of former state Rep. Mike Reese,...
Hundreds of motorcyclists join 2nd Patriot Thunder/Back the Blue ride in LatrobeVideo
Anyone who slept in late Saturday morning in Latrobe was likely awakened to the sound of a couple hundred motorcycles rumbling through town. And that’s exactly what city resident Zeke Barr was hoping for. “That’s the whole idea: Patriot Thunder — a whole lot of noise,” said Barr, who serves...
1 transported from New Brighton shooting in Beaver County
Police are investigating a shooting that took place Saturday morning in Beaver County. Emergency crews responded to a report of a shooting around 8:40 a.m., on the 2000 block of Third Avenue in New Brighton, according to a Beaver County 911 supervisor. One person was injured, and was transported by...
Pittsburgh man, 27, killed in East Hills shooting
Pittsburgh Police are investigating the fatal shooting of a 27-year-old Pittsburgh man that took place early Saturday morning in East Hills, near the Penn Hills border. Police from Zone 5 responded to a ShotSpotter alert for multiple shots just before 3:30 a.m., fired near the 2400 block of Bracey Drive,...
Mt. Pleasant songwriter Andy Davis nominated for 3 Josie Music AwardsVideo
Mt. Pleasant native Andy Davis was happy to be nominated for an Academy of Country Music Award in 2017 for his work as an on-air radio personality at Pittsburgh country station Y108 FM. But, after spending the past five years writing songs and working to gain recognition as a performer,...
New law requires public meeting agendas be posted online, if possible
Bipartisan support of just about anything is a fairly rare thing nowadays in the Pennsylvania General Assembly. But lawmakers on both sides of the aisle recently found one thing they could agree: Local and state government bodies should be as aggressive as possible in publicizing the business they will conduct...
1 flown by helicopter following Lower Burrell motorcycle crash
A motorcyclist was airlifted by medical helicopter Thursday night after crashing into a tree along Route 780 in Lower Burrell, according to emergency officials. Emergency crews responded to the 2600 block of Seventh Street Road shortly after 10 p.m.. One patient was flown from the scene, according to a Westmoreland...
News and briefs in the Murrysville area for the week of July 1, 2021
Bike maintenance event set at library The Delmont Public Library and Delmont Visionary Committee will host a July 10 bicycle maintenance event at the library’s outdoor learning center. Featuring a mechanic from the Flat Tire Co. Bike Shop in Greensburg, participants can learn the basics to keep their bicycle tuned...
Old William Penn road work set to start Friday in Murrysville
Road work on Old William Penn Highway will begin at 7 a.m. Friday beginning at its intersection with Vincent Hall Drive, Murrysville officials announced Thursday morning. The first portion of work will take place between Vincent Hall and Old William Penn Highway’s western intersection with Route 22. The remainder of...
Murrysville student gets opportunity to work on atomic microscope project
Editor’s note: Neighbor Spotlight is a monthly feature that aims to let our readers learn more about the people in their communities who are working to make them a better place, who have interesting stories to tell or who the community feels deserve “15 minutes of fame.” If you would...
Westbound Turnpike lanes temporarily closed between Butler Valley, Cranberry until midnight
The Pennsylvania Turnpike’s westbound lanes will be closed briefly tonight between the Butler Valley and Cranberry exits until just before midnight, Turnpike officials announced. Westbound travelers can take Route 8 north, Route 228 west and I-79 south, which will bring them to the Cranberry interchange. From there, they can follow...
