Patrick Varine stories, Page 117
Pitt, tech-company partners explore use of copper as filter material for PPEVideo
A group of scientists and technology companies from the Pittsburgh area want to torture the covid-19 virus literally to death, and now they have a state grant to help them do so. That’s a bit of an oversimplification, but a big part of the state’s $68,000 Manufacturing PA grant awarded...
Review: ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ delivers exactly what it promises — big monsters, big boomsVideo
When you’re making a movie about 400-foot tall monsters having a street brawl in the middle of a major city, taking yourself too seriously can be a big problem. That has been an issue with some of the recent “Godzilla” and “King Kong” movies that have tied the universe of...
Franklin Regional seniors gain experience as interns on Sloan ‘elementary campus’ projectVideo
Jake Sciorilli spent some of his early years at Sloan Elementary School. But when the 17-year-old Murrysville resident walked through the doors again recently, he didn’t recognize much. “It was pretty crazy to see all of the changes that happened inside the building,” he said. Sciorilli and fellow senior Kyle...
Murrysville women’s ball hockey league grows to 150 participants
“Pure terror — but also exciting!” That’s how Jocelyn Gunia of Bethel Park described the first time a shot came whizzing directly at her in goal while she was playing dek hockey. Gunia, 30, spent most of the past decade as a casual hockey fan, watching alongside her husband. These...
Trout season gets off to a chilly startVideo
For several of the folks casting lines the first day of trout season Saturday on the chilly shores of the lake at Northmoreland Park, the efficient work of a passing osprey accounted for much of the early morning excitement. “I think that osprey was the only one to catch a...
Dozen residents displaced following Carrick apartment fire
About a dozen residents have been displaced by an apartment fire in Pittsburgh’s Carrick neighborhood on Saturday morning, according to Trib news partner WPXI. The fire was reported on the 200 block of Sunnyland Avenue in Carrick, around 9:40 a.m. The American Red Cross is assisting displaced residents in finding...
Woman in critical condition following shooting in Pittsburgh’s Lincoln-Lemington neighborhood
A woman is in critical condition after she was shot in Pittsburgh’s Lincoln-Lemington neighborhood, according to police. Pittsburgh police responded to the 1400 block of Grotto Street shortly before 5 a.m. Saturday , after a ShotSpotter alert. Zone 5 officers arrived to find a woman with multiple gunshot wounds to...
Pittsburgh man dies after being struck by industrial container at RIDC Park aromatics business
A 43-year-old Pittsburgh man died after being struck by an industrial container full of liquid Friday morning in the RIDC Park in O’Hara, according to county detectives. Allegheny County police said Jason D’Alicandro was working at Alpha Aromatics, on Alpha Drive in the RIDC Park, when he was struck by...
Murrysville couple helps fulfill Heart’s Promise by fostering therapy dog
Bullet, a 5-year-old Shetland sheepdog, is what Mike Lamont refers to as “a real rags-to-riches story” when it comes to dog adoption. “His former family was on a camping trip, and Bullet broke his leg at four months old,” said Lamont, who is founder and executive director of the nonprofit...
Charges filed in Murrysville area, April 1, 2021
Charges filed with Murrysville District Judge Charles Conway in Export. All individuals have the right to a preliminary hearing and are innocent until proven guilty before a judge in the Westmoreland County Court of Common Pleas. • Cynthia Kiebler, 61, of Washington Township with driving under the influence following a...
Briefs and events in the Murrysville area for the week of April 1, 2021
Delmont Recreation Committee to host chili cook-off The Delmont Recreation Committee will host a chili cook-off at 12:30 p.m. April 11 at Newhouse Park. Yellow Bridge Brewing will be on hand selling beverages. There is a $10 requested donation for those who attend and vote on their favorite. To enter...
TribLive Taste Test: Sampaloc candy and lemon fudgeVideo
Today on the TribLive Taste Test, we travel all the way to the Philippines for a taste of something called spicy sampaloc candy. What is it? Find out with us! Just in case it turns out to be horrible, Taste Test squad member Patrick Varine also brought along some “lemon...
Murrysville tennis nonprofit gets boost from national health care companyVideo
A Murrysville nonprofit that focuses on teaching tennis, with a focus on being inclusive of all ability levels, has gotten a boost to its profile — and its bank account — through a promotion by national health care company Craneware. Anup Nadesan, 18, of Murrysville, started My Ground Strokes alongside...
Murrysville native accepted into International Opera Academy in Italy
Saint Vincent College junior Justin Massetto of Murrysville was accepted to the prestigious International Opera Academy in Bologna, Italy, becoming the second member of his family to gain entry. Massetto is a music performance major, with minors in sacred music, mathematics and computer science, and a graduate of Franklin Regional...
Carnegie man dies following multi-vehicle crash in Pittsburgh’s South Side Slopes
A 71-year-old man died of injuries suffered in a crash Wednesday afternoon in Pittsburgh’s South Side Slopes neighborhood, according to the county medical examiner. Emergency responders were called to the intersection of Saint Thomas Street and Monastery Avenue shortly before 3 p.m., for a crash involving multiple vehicles. One man...
Franklin Regional grad earns head coach spot with Martinsville Mustangs summer team
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...
‘Canine court advocate’ back in the running for national Hero Dog awardVideo
This time last year, Penny — a shelter-adopted spaniel mix who works as a therapy dog with domestic violence victims at the nonprofit Crisis Center North — was in the running for American Humane’s annual Hero Dog Award. Penny is one of several dogs working as “canine court advocates” through...
Murrysville-Export club join international Rotary effort to ‘End Plastic Soup’Video
After growing up in Ireland, Noreen Hill-Olszewski was surprised to find how comparatively little recycling was happening in the United States. “We’re used to separating our trash, our different types of recyclables, our ‘compostibles,’” Hill-Olszewski said. Local recycling has taken a step back in recent years, with several regional haulers...
Victim identified in South Side motorcycle crash
A male motorcyclist was killed following a crash Tuesday night on Pittsburgh’s South Side, according to city public safety officials. The victim was identified as Brandon Lamar Nixon, 32, of Penn Hills, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner. Emergency responders were called to East Carson and 11th streets just...
2 families displaced by Brackenridge fireVideo
Two families were displaced by a Tuesday evening fire that left a Brackenridge residence heavily damaged. Fire crews were called to the intersection of Stieren Avenue and Hathaway Lane around 6 p.m. Pioneer Hose Company Assistant Chief Corey Jones said the rear of the building was already engulfed by the...
Murrysville-Export-Delmont covid figures tallied for the week of March 29, 2021
The most recent data from the state Department of Health shows 1,306 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Murrysville area since the pandemic started in March 2020. Of those positive results, 36 cases were reported in the past seven days. The health department on Monday released figures for the three...
Wall of Faces project to honor Vietnam casualties nears completion; all Pennsylvania photos found
On March 29, 1973, combat and combat support units withdrew from South Vietnam, and the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017 permanently designates that date every year as National Vietnam War Veterans Day. It is a time not only to recognize the service of U.S. soldiers in Vietnam, but...
‘Pittsburgh On Your Plate’: Manor woman’s cookbook draws on local culinary influencesVideo
Joanne Niehl’s first cookbook, self-published for a family reunion, drew almost exclusively on recipes from her family. It also got her reminiscing about the memories behind the meals. “We called it ‘Down the House,’ because, when we were growing up, we’d always head to the family house in Braddock on...
Customs officials seize unapproved medicated eye patches from Hong Kong
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials in Pittsburgh seized nearly 4,000 unapproved medicated eye patches destined for Allegheny County in recent months. Two shipments from Hong Kong, 2,300 eye patches on Jan. 4 and another 1,440 on Feb. 8, were to be shipped to separate Allegheny County addresses. However, CBP...
After 2 more covid cases, Penn-Trafford extends high school closure through March 31
After two additional covid-19 cases were reported — making a total of a dozen cases in 15 days — Penn-Trafford officials have extended the closure of Penn-Trafford High School through March 31, Superintendent Matt Harris said in a letter. The district originally planned to close Friday, through the weekend, and...
