Patrick Varine stories, Page 142
EPA: Do not flush anything other than toilet paper to help keep sewage systems running efficiently
With increased sanitary measures taking center stage amid the coronavirus pandemic, federal environmental officials are asking Americans to stop flushing disinfecting wipes in an effort to keep sewage systems functioning properly. “Flushing anything other than toilet paper, including disinfecting wipes, can damage internal plumbing, local sewer systems and septic systems,”...
Pittsburgh Youth Chorus students create ‘virtual choir’ video performanceVideo
The children of the Pittsburgh Youth Chorus aren’t interested in waiting until the coronavirus pandemic is over to begin making music again. And while all 223 members of the organization’s six choirs weren’t able to fit, 18 students had a chance to be part of its first “virtual choir,” performing...
State waivers not necessary to restart Franklin Regional school construction
The Franklin Regional School Board is trying to determine if it needs state permission to restart the Sloan “elementary campus” project if the board decides to move forward despite the covid-19 pandemic. According to Department of Education guidelines regarding the pandemic, the district needs no waiver and can make that...
Murrysville Medic One gets massive anonymous donation of medical equipment
Murrysville Medic One received some good news this week: An anonymous benefactor was donating protective medical equipment. A lot of it. “We had the police department come down and block off part of the road because we had three wheelchair vans full of stuff,” said Matt Stromberg, a Medic One...
1 dead in Jefferson Hills steel hauler crash
A 64-year-old man died after his tractor-trailer overturned and went partially over a hillside in Jefferson Hills on Wednesday afternoon, police said. Jefferson Hills police responded to Payne Hill Road just before 4 p.m. Wednesday to find an overturned rig roughly a quarter-mile from Jefferson Boulevard. A downed telephone pole...
Adapting: The ‘second first day of school’
Editor’s note: Adapting is a regular series spotlighting the ways the global coronavirus pandemic is changing the everyday lives of people in Western Pennsylvania. On Monday, students in many areas across Pennsylvania had their “second first day of school,” in the form of school districts’ online learning plan going into...
Carnegie Museum researchers discover new reptile genus, species
The Carnegie Museum of Natural History might be closed to the public right now, but its staff is still busy with research — including the discovery of a reptile from the Late Paleozoic period that had a crucial role in shifting its species’ diet from eating insects to eating plants....
Former corrections officer from Greensburg loved family, games
Under normal circumstances, it might be concerning for a former county jail inmate to come walking up and say hello to a longtime corrections officer. But for Jacqueline Learn of Greensburg it was just another part of her day. “Even the prisoners called her ‘Miss Jackie,’” said Ms. Learn’s brother,...
Murrysville Boy Scout creates ‘scent wall’ for search-and-rescue dog groupVideo
Eagle Scout projects fall into a wide variety of categories, but many are aimed at beautifying the towns in which they take place, or fixing up a feature that has fallen into disrepair. Liam Rhea of Murrysville jumped at the chance to take on a project that could potentially help...
Local government groups work through future meeting plans amid coronavirus pandemic
Local governments are adapting as quickly as possible to keep municipal business going amid the spread of coronavirus. Here’s how groups in the Star’s coverage area are handling meetings in the foreseeable future. Franklin Regional School District Franklin Regional’s school board will be conducting meetings via the Zoom digital meeting...
Franklin Regional to explore waiver request for Sloan construction project
Given the fluid situation at the state level regarding coronavirus-related business restrictions, Franklin Regional School District officials aren’t certain if they will need waivers to resume construction on the Sloan “elementary campus” project. But if they do, and decide to move forward with construction, their solicitor would like to have...
Monroeville man indicted on federal robbery charges
A Monroeville man was indicted in connection with a December 2019 bank robbery in White Oak, U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady announced Monday. Chezeq Morgan, 26, of Monroeville, was indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with bank robbery. Justice officials say Morgan robbed the PNC Bank on Lincoln...
Charley Family Shop’n Save stores extend senior hours, add protective barriersVideo
Charley Family Shop’n Save stores in Greensburg and Murrysville expanded their senior shopping hours and took additional measures to put shoppers’ minds at ease amid the coronavirus pandemic. “We expanded senior hours on Monday from 6 to 9 a.m., and on Tuesday and Wednesday from 6 to 7 a.m.,” said...
Artist transforms Uptown tiger into ‘Tiger King’ portrait of Joe Exotic
Pop culture is a big part of Jeremy Raymer’s art, and he knows the value of having a finger on the pulse of the cultural zeitgeist. So when a friend mentioned the old tiger’s head, painted on a wall near the intersection of Moultrie Street and Tustin Street behind the...
Allegheny County sees 46 new coronavirus cases, bringing total to 265
Allegheny County health officials reported an additional 46 cases of covid-19 Sunday morning. That figure is down from the 61 new cases reported from Friday to Saturday. In all, county health officials have confirmed 265 cases. The cases are split evenly between genders: 133 females and 132 males. The age...
Armstrong Township woman killed in Blairsville crash
A 50-year-old woman killed in a Blairsville crash on March 27 has been identified as Christina Anne Roberson of Armstrong Township. Roberson was driving north on South Walnut Street near Old Main Street shortly before 9:30 p.m. when she struck the curb after failing to make a left bend in...
Police: Pitcairn stabbing victim in critical condition
A 67-year-old man was taken into custody Saturday evening after police say he stabbed another man in Pitcairn. Pitcairn police and paramedics were called to a rooming house on the 200 block of Broadway Boulevard just before 5:15 p.m., and arrived to discover a 60-year-old man who had been stabbed...
97-year-old Latrobe woman livestreams baking lessons on FacebookVideo
Back in the day, mothers and grandmothers passed down their culinary knowledge to daughters and granddaughters side-by-side in the kitchen, waiting to mix in an egg or lick extra icing from the spoon. On Sunday, 97-year-old Lucy Pollock, of Latrobe, will do the same. The only difference is that her...
Severe thunderstorm watch issued for Western Pennsylvania
The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for parts of Western Pennsylvania until 8 p.m. Saturday night. The service also issued a flood advisory for the Ohio River in the Pittsburgh area. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued for the highlighted counties until 8 PM tonight....
State reports 11 additional covid-19 cases in Westmoreland County
Westmoreland County gained 11 covid-19 cases since Saturday’s numbers were released, state health officials said Saturday. Forty-one cases are confirmed in Westmoreland, according to the latest figures, up from 30 on Friday. There have been no deaths related to the virus in the county. In addition, Gov. Tom Wolf issued...
Internet Archive website creates ‘national emergency library’
Already a repository for billions of archived website pages and thousands of hours of free music, the Internet Archive has suspended the wait list for 1.4 million books in its online lending library, creating a National Emergency Library to help displaced students and researchers. “The library system, because of our...
McKeesport man shot while driving in Penn Hills dies
A McKeesport man shot in the leg Friday night while driving along Bon Air Road in Penn Hills has died. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victim as Chasae Swindle, 42. Penn Hills Police responded around 11 p.m. Friday night to the 100 block of Evaline Street for...
Allegheny County reports additional 61 cases of coronavirus
Allegheny County health officials reported an additional 61 cases of covid-19 Saturday morning. That is more than twice the 25 new cases reported from Thursday to Friday. Females make up 110 cases, or 50.2%, and males account for 109 cases, or 49.8%. The age breakdown of cases is as follows:...
Murrysville political committees look to iron out new-precinct wrinkles
It’s probably a good thing that Pennsylvania lawmakers delayed the state’s primary election until June 2, because it may take that long for Murrysville voters in the newly split Sardis and Newlonsburg precincts to figure out where they’re supposed to cast their ballots. “It’s been a real bear,” Murrysville Export...
Western PA Diaper Bank seeking donations to help with distribution
Typically, one in three American families experiences what the Western PA Diaper Bank calls “diaper need.” As a result, the bank distributed 24,000 diapers last week to low- and moderate-income families in an effort to support those impacted by the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. “The unexpected demand is...
