Patrick Varine stories, Page 129
Quad rider flown to UPMC Presbyterian after Hunker crash
An off-road vehicle driver was flown to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital on Monday night after a crash just outside Hunker, county emergency officials said. A male patient was riding his quad in the woods off South Center Avenue and was injured when the vehicle rolled. The call was reported around 4:45...
Pandemic canning demand leads to shortage of lids, jars
Angelo Pugliano and his family regularly can between 300 and 400 jars of fresh-grown tomatoes every season. This year, they had to settle for less. When they went to buy new lids, none could be found, after the coronavirus pandemic tossed a wrench into the country’s manufacturing and retail works....
Volunteers come out to spruce up, restore historic nature of Delmont log house
Members of the Delmont Historical Society and volunteers held a clean-up day Saturday at the Shields Farm log house and prepared the backyard for the planting of a colonial-era garden....
Murrysville couple funds purchase, training of new police dog
Murrysville Police Sgt. Scott Kettren was not shy about his emotional state when his K-9 partner of nearly a decade, a Belgian Malinois named Argos, spent his last day with the department in May 2019. “I cried driving home that night,” Kettren said. Kettren took stock of his professional skills...
‘Explore Your Parks’ program encourages visits, exercise at all 9 Allegheny County parks
When the coronavirus pandemic had towns across the nation closing their community parks, Allegheny County kept its nine parks open to give residents an avenue for outdoor recreation. “Every nice day was like the first day of spring,” said county parks Director Andy Baechle. “We don’t specifically count people, but...
Bloomfield art exhibit inspired by unique subject: frozen compost
Artistic inspiration is often found in unlikely places. For New York City artist Erin Treacy, it was in quite a unique place: the bag full of compost sitting in her freezer. “The city has a composting program, but I also have to worry rodents and bugs,” said Treacy, 38. “So...
Murrysville woman, 20, appointed to national Crohn’s advocacy board
For Rachel Stackiewicz, enjoying most meals is a temporary pleasure at best. Stackiewicz, 20, of Murrysville, has been living since age 11 with Crohn’s disease, a chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Along with ulcerative colitis, it is one of two illnesses classified as inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD. “Every...
Golf outing delayed, ‘Movies in the Park’ set for Saturday
Panther Foundation moves golf outing The Franklin Regional Panther Foundation has postponed its annual golf fundraiser. It will now be held June 11, 2021. Questions can be directed to frsdpr@frsdk12.org, or 724-327-5456, ext. 7617. Final ‘Movies in the Park’ set for Saturday The Delmont Recreation Board will host its final...
Vice president makes a quick stop at Murrysville GOP Victory Center
On the way to a campaign event at Cornerstone Ministries, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence made an unscheduled stop at the Murrysville GOP Victory Center on Rt. 22 on Sept. 9. Pence met briefly with Murrysville Mayor Regis Synan and local state Rep. Bob Brooks (R-Murrysville), and spoke to the...
Golf outing raises more than $4,000 for Animal Friends of Westmoreland
Animal Friends of Westmoreland currently has 152 animals in their care. Since its inception in 2006, the nonprofit has rescued more than 5,700 animals. Like most nonprofits, Animal Friends relies on donations and they could not be happier to have received a $4,200 donation recently — the proceeds from the...
Smoke from Western wildfires intensifies in the region
The first plumes of smoke from the massive wildfires burning on the West Coast began reaching Pittsburgh on Aug. 25, according to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. But Tuesday was the day people began to notice, as the massive smoke plume from some of California’s largest-ever wildfires, along with...
Franklin Regional board may combine final 2 borrowings for Sloan project
Franklin Regional School Board members got an early look at what may be the final bond issuance to finance the Sloan “elementary campus” project, a proposal that would combine the final two issuances to take advantage of all-time low interest rates. The board will consider a $15 million bond, the...
Girl, 5, in critical condition after being hit by car in Sheraden
A 5-year-old girl is in critical condition after being hit by a car Monday afternoon in Pittsburgh’s Sheraden neighborhood, according to police. Pittsburgh EMS, firefighters and police responded to the 600 block of Hillsboro Street in Sheraden around 2:30 p.m. where the girl was struck after exiting a vehicle. She...
Small breweries take advantage of liquor laws to create ‘Pennsylvania Loophole’ beer
Small breweries, like so many other businesses, have been hit hard by the health and safety restrictions of the covid-19 pandemic. Those who don’t have the means of selling their beer beyond pints and growlers are in an especially difficult position. “We’re just a small, family-owned brewery with a two-barrel...
Export Maker Space will feature a blend of old-school, modern technologyVideo
If someone in Export has a good idea for a project, Tom Spears wants to give them the tools to make it happen. “We want to hit all the ‘maker’ markets,” said Spears, who will open the Export Maker Space on Kennedy Avenue in the fall. Spears has taken the...
North Huntingdon commissioners debate fine points of noise ordinance
As they develop a township noise ordinance, North Huntingdon commissioners this week focused on what should be considered quiet hours. “I think the hardest thing to consider is what we designate as ‘quiet hours,’” said Commissioner Brian Blasko, who said he felt 7 a.m. was early enough to allow construction...
North Huntingdon commissioners agree to consider special-use permit for chickens
North Huntingdon commissioners may be at odds over allowing residents to keep chickens, but they did come to a consensus on how to move forward in updating the existing ordinance. Board members Thursday agreed to take a look at President Zachary Haigis’ suggestion of requiring a special-use variance to keep...
Delmont Historical Society to host log house cleanup dayVideo
With a host of plans for the log house at Shields Farm, the recently formed Delmont Historical Society will hold a Sept. 19 cleaning day to spruce up the inside and outside. Society member Vicki Walters said the public is welcome to come help clean the house’s interior, as well...
Murrysville artist’s work on display at East Suburban Artists League library galleryVideo
Until a few years ago, Darlene Miklos of Murrysville only pulled out her easel and paintbrushes once a year to make the cover for her annual Christmas card despite a lifelong love of painting. “I worked downtown for 14 years,” Miklos said. “Between the bus commute and the job, I...
Franklin Regional students return to class amid covid-19 restrictions
Students in the Franklin Regional School District returned to classes Tuesday, and elementary students got to check out the newly renovated Sloan Elementary School. The board last month pushed back the start date to Sept. 8 after state guidelines changed regarding the coronavirus. Students through eighth grade had three options...
Projects, big and small, help to revitalize Export
When Export lost its post office in 2008, more than 200 people packed a public meeting to appeal for its return, which never happened. It was largely seen as a bad sign for the small Westmoreland County borough, which was once home to Thomas Mellon, father of industrial giant and...
Feds terminate ventilator contract with Philips Respironics that had drawn criticism
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently terminated multiple contracts to add ventilators to the country’s Strategic National Stockpile. And, while federal health officials say they now have enough ventilators to meet maximum national capacity in a crisis, one of the terminated contracts — awarded to Philips Respironics,...
Penn State looks to fix acid mine drainage, recover rare earth metalsVideo
When it comes to a solution for the acid mine drainage that has degraded more than 5,500 miles of Pennsylvania streams, money most often is the biggest problem. “A lack of resources to address historic mining’s lasting impacts on the commonwealth’s land and water is one of the biggest challenges...
Upcoming events in Murrysville Star coverage area
Rec department hosting kickball, Wiffle ball The Murrysville Recreation Department is hosting weekly kickball and Wiffle ball games at Kovalczik Park on Koval Court just outside Delmont. Kickball games will be held at 6 p.m., Tuesdays from Sept. 8 to Oct. 13. Wiffle ball will be at 6 p.m., Thursdays...
State grant will pay for dredging of Turtle Creek, Dirty Camp Run in Pitcairn
A $100,000 state grant will help clear vegetation and sediment from an Allegheny County stretch of Turtle Creek and one of its tributaries, helping to safeguard the lives and property of citizens in the watershed. The state’s H2O Program, which provides grants for drinking water, sanitary sewer, flood control and...
