Patrick Varine stories, Page 136
Franklin Regional school board members butt heads over meeting procedures
Franklin Regional Superintendent Gennaro Piraino decided in early June that he’d had enough of school board members arguing and talking over one another in public meetings. “Maybe I’m overstepping my bounds, but I’m a member of this team of 10,” Piraino said. “Right now, what is happening week after week...
Body of murdered New Castle teen found
New Castle police found the body of missing 19-year-old Amari Wise in a wooded area off of Pennsylvania Avenue, Tribune-Review news partner WPXI reported Monday evening. Both of the men wanted in Wise’s death, a father and his son, are now in custody, New Castle Police said. Todd Henry, 47,...
Rosedale Tech reopens Kennedy Township campus to students
Before Gov. Tom Wolf even made the official announcement about Allegheny County “going green” during the coronavirus pandemic, officials at Rosedale Tech in Kennedy Township were working to ensure they’d be ready to open the doors and resume on-campus classes. The first day back in class for Rosedale students was...
Franklin Regional graduation officially postponed until July
Franklin Regional graduates may have had a chance to do a drive-thru “graduation,” but if the real thing is going to happen, it won’t be until July. School district officials announced over the weekend that plans for a traditional graduation ceremony will be postponed until July 24. “Though we strongly...
Naturalist resumes free wildlife programs in Murrysville’s trails and parks
There are plenty of hotly-debated aspects of the covid-19 pandemic, but one that seems to have been embraced by most people is the notion that being outside is a healthy, relatively low-risk behavior. No one is happier about that than Susan Miller of Plum, who recently resumed her monthly outdoor...
Murrysville Black Lives Matter protest set for Sunday
Aryanna Hunter of Murrysville wasn’t able to attend Pittsburgh protests against police brutality over the past week. An Army veteran, Hunter works as head of the University of Pittsburgh’s Office of Veteran Services, and wanted to rally support in her hometown as well. She’ll get to do it this weekend...
Feds charge Philadelphia woman with possession of almost 2 pounds of heroin
A Philadelphia woman who police said was headed to Wilkinsburg was instead in federal court Friday, charged with possession of about 80,000 stamp bags of heroin. U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady said Fiordaliza Rodriguez Reyes, 32, of Philadelphia was stopped on the Pennsylvania Turnpike on Thursday by troopers from the...
Unity woman’s rhododendrons envelop part of house
When the flowers bloom at Jo Ann Hemminger’s home in Unity Township, it’s quite a show. “We say every year we’re going to cut them down, and then I just think ‘oh, no, not this year,’” said Hemminger, pointing to the massive stand of rhododendrons that covers one side of...
Baseball card set honors 100th anniversary of Negro Leagues
In recognition of the 100th anniversary of the Negro Leagues, which produced sports legends from Hank Aaron to Jackie Robinson, a centennial set of baseball cards has been released featuring 184 members of the league. Created through a partnership between Dreams Fulfilled, which operates the NegroLeagueHistory.com website, and the National...
Pennsylvania adds 467 additional covid-19 cases, 51 more deaths
Pennsylvania officials on Thursday reported 51 more covid-19 deaths and 467 additional cases, bringing the state’s total number of cases to 77,313, according to health officials. A total of 6,113 people have died from the virus. Approximately 5,888 of the total cases are from health care workers. There are 630...
State officials: Westmoreland adds 1 new covid case, no new deaths
Westmoreland County on Thursday had one new covid-19 case, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases to 474, according to Pennsylvania health officials. No new deaths from the virus were reported in Westmoreland. State officials continued to report 38 deaths, while county coroner Kenneth Bacha reports 32 deaths as of...
Murrysville Recreation Department details summer plans, programs
The Murrysville Recreation Department is venturing into summer events as Westmoreland County continues making its way through the “green phase” of the state’s covid-19 reopening plan. Concerts The “Tuesdays at Townsend” concert series will resume June 23. Free concerts at Townsend Park will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 8...
Greensburg ministers plan prayer vigil for Saturday
Two Greensburg ministers are hoping a Saturday prayer vigil in the city will become an ecumenical gathering in support of change after George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police. “Prayer is the language that stretches across denominations, and we are bringing this together for not just a show...
Westmoreland adds 6 new covid-19 cases, no new deaths
Westmoreland County on Wednesday had six new covid-19 cases, bringing the total number to 473, according to Pennsylvania health officials. No new deaths from the virus were reported in Westmoreland. State officials continued to report 38 deaths, while county coroner Kenneth Bacha reports 32 deaths as of May 7. Bacha...
Delmont officials look to address improper dumping at Shields Farm
Delmont officials will place a gate restricting access to the borough dump site on the Shields Farm property during weekdays to prevent what police say is a mounting issue with garbage dumping. “It’s getting to be a real problem,” Chief T.J. Klobucar said. “We’ve issued some citations recently, and we...
Pennsylvania reports 410 additional covid-19 cases, 48 more deaths
Pennsylvania officials on Wednesday reported 48 more covid-19 deaths and 410 additional cases, bringing the state’s total number of cases to 76,846, according to health officials. A total of 6,062 people have died from the virus. Approximately 5,837 of the total cases are from health care workers. There are 631...
Delmont’s Apple’n Arts Festival looking at options for 2020 event amid coronavirus concernsVideo
Officials from the annual Apple’n Arts Festival are getting a little bit antsy. The event regularly draws thousands to Delmont in the fall, and with the region having shifted into “green status” in the state’s phased covid-19 reopening plan, festival organizers were looking for some direction from the borough on...
Franklin Regional school board set to vote on 2.54-mill tax hike next week
There have been some tweaks to Franklin Regional’s proposed final 2020-21 budget but, for taxpayers, it remains largely the same. Despite expenditure reductions related to special education funding, fewer commissions on tax collections and no change in insurance premiums, which were expected to rise, the $61.31 million budget stands with...
State officials: Westmoreland adds 6 new covid cases, no new deaths
Westmoreland County on Tuesday reported six new covid-19 cases, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases to 467, according to Pennsylvania health officials. No new deaths from the virus were reported in Westmoreland. State officials continued to report 38 deaths, while county coroner Kenneth Bacha reports 33 deaths as of...
Pennsylvania coronavirus death toll tops 6,000; 493 new cases reported
Pennsylvania officials on Tuesday reported 61 more covid-19 deaths and 493 additional cases, bringing the state’s total number of cases to 76,436, according to health officials. A total of 6,014 people have died from the virus. Nearly 460,000 people have tested negative. Of the total cases, 71% have recovered. Approximately...
Penn-Trafford staff, parents create memorial to 2nd-grade teacher Greg KeeferVideo
When second-grade teacher Greg Keefer walked into the cafeteria at Harrison Park Elementary School, fellow educator Beth Miller described the scene as “complete chaos.” “Kids would be jumping up to high-five him, and he loved every minute of it,” Miller said. Keefer’s popularity among students made it all the more...
Allegheny Health Network to allow limited visitors at hospitals
Effective immediately, inpatient, observation, surgery and emergency department patients at Allegheny Health Network hospitals are permitted to have one healthy support person on site during visitation hours. As phased measures are implemented by state and local governments to adapt to evolving conditions of the covid-19 outbreak, AHN on Tuesday announced...
Pennsylvania chooses new vendor for health care emergency preparedness efforts
A new vendor will aid the state in its health care emergency preparedness efforts. Beginning July 8, Public Health Management Corp. of Philadelphia will take over for the previous vendor, Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania, whose contract was up for renewal. Levine said there was nothing unsatisfactory about the...
State officials: 2 more coronavirus cases in Westmoreland, no new deaths
Westmoreland County on Monday reported two new covid-19 cases, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases to 461, according to Pennsylvania health officials. No new deaths from the virus were reported. State officials continued to report 38 deaths in Westmoreland, while county coroner Kenneth Bacha reports 32 deaths as of...
Pennsylvania reports 351 more coronavirus cases, 10 more deaths
Pennsylvania on Monday reported 10 more covid-19 deaths and 351 additional cases, bringing the state’s total number of cases to 75,943, according to state health officials. A total of 5,953 people have died from the virus. More than 451,000 people have tested negative. Of the total cases, 71% have recovered....
