Patrick Varine stories, Page 158
Westmoreland Conservancy will open Murrysville trail for people with mobility issuesVideo
Rob Malley’s older brother was an avid hunter and fisherman who loved being in the woods while he was growing up. “He was in an accident, became a quadriplegic, and all of that was kind of closed to him,” said Malley, a member of the Westmoreland Conservancy’s board of directors...
Here’s 5 things to do in the Murrysville area this weekendVideo
You don’t need to wander far to get lost in Murrysville. In fact, you only need to journey as far as Gearhard Farms on Saltsburg Road. The 250-year-old farm, which is older than America itself, is also celebrating two decades of its corn maze, which will be open through October....
New Florence professor had a deep love of model railroads
When Merwin Weed built a train layout, he didn’t mess around — and there was no such thing as a miniature train layout. “That was always a passion for him and his brother,” Bonnie Chovanec, of Blairsville, said of her father. “They shared a bedroom, and they built a train...
Export councilman sets out on 2,500-mile antique motorcycle race
It’s a good thing Joe Ferri is handy with a wrench and knowledgeable about his 1947 Indian Chief motorcycle. Because the Export councilman is on his own should it break down during the Cross Country Chase, a 10-day, 2,500-mile antique cycle rally from Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., to Key West,...
Is Netflix’s awesome ‘Dark Crystal’ series too intense for audiences?Video
Earlier this summer, a local recreation board was kicking off its summer outdoor movie series with a showing of “The Goonies.” When the rec board chairman mentioned that it was a PG-rated movie, I raised my hand to remind him “that’s a 1985 PG rating, don’t forget. They let a...
TribLive Taste Test: Man Crates Beef Jerky Tool BoxVideo
For the man (or woman) who can’t get enough dried beef in their life, today the TribLive Taste Test team tried out Man Crates’ Jerky Tool Box. It comes in a cardboard replica tool box and is loaded up with half-ounce and 1-ounce samples of 14 types of beef jerky....
Newhouse Park in Delmont will host 2 benefit events this weekend
If you’re looking for good food and good beer — to benefit a good cause — Delmont is the borough to be in this weekend. Both the Delmont Recreation Board and the Murrysville-Export Rotary will be hosting events over the weekend to benefit local causes. On Saturday, the second annual...
Historical designation the goal for uncovered Export mine entrance
After a local Boy Scout got the project going, Export Historical Society officials now are looking to designate the former Westmoreland Coal Company’s No. 2 mine as a historical site. Troy Florian, 17, of Murrysville, is a member of Troop 205, which helped him clear the entrance to the mine,...
2 people rescued after Donegal Township crash
Two people were rescued after their car went over a hillside in Donegal Township on Tuesday night, Westmoreland County dispatchers said. At least one person was taken by helicopter to a local hospital, emergency officials said, after a crash near the intersection of Route 31 and Green Acres Lane shortly...
Murrysville will continue fracking well hearing on Wednesday
Murrysville council will continue its public hearing on applications for the Titan well pad off Bollinger Road, and will hold public hearings on two liquor-license transfers, at its meeting Wednesday night. The public hearing on the proposed 350-by-500-foot well pad, set on a 71-acre property, has been ongoing since June....
Murrysville Meals on Wheels seeks kitchen volunteers
Two years ago, Murrysville Meals on Wheels Coordinator Lynn Staab was looking for volunteer drivers as the organization marked its 45th anniversary. This year, she’s seeking a few folks willing to throw down once a month in the kitchen. “That’s where our need is now,” Staab said. “All of our...
For chronic Lyme patients, every day can be a struggleVideo
It was bad enough that Amy Wiester of Bell Township contracted Lyme disease at age 6 after suffering a tick bite at her family’s farm. But Wiester, 36, was bitten twice more by Lyme-carrying ticks, in 2004 and 2018. The disease — and the co-infections that frequently accompany it —...
Former science teacher will discuss Westmoreland’s ‘natural areas’
Early accounts of life in Westmoreland County don’t give much of a sense of what nature was like for the area’s first settlers. Retired biology teacher Dick Byers of Stahlstown wanted to ensure that people reading about the area in the future have that knowledge. It’s why Byers, along with...
Greensburg rally offers message of hope on National Overdose Awareness DayVideo
At 18 years old, Nakkia Proffit had to watch as a friend fatally overdosed, and it still was not enough to keep her from making negative decisions about drugs. On Saturday, Proffit was continuing her recovery and shared her story with attendees at a rally in Greensburg’s St. Clair Park...
Company seeking ‘Official NFL Taste Tester’Video
Betting tips website PicksWise is looking for a few fans of both football and food. The winning “football foodie” will have a chance to earn $500 and become the company’s “official NFL Taste Tester” for the upcoming season, in a bid to find the best signature dish across the league....
Paving work to close Haymaker Farm Road in Murrysville
Paving work, part of Murrysville’s summer roads program, will close Haymaker Farm Road on Sept. 3. The road will be closed to through traffic during the day. The work is part of a $1.54 million overlay package addressing roads throughout the municipality. Murrysville officials have about $10 million in road...
Unity mail carrier loved trains, Pirates baseball
To his wife, Jerry Gumbita of Unity was a work friend who soon became her loving husband. To his son, he was a happy-go-lucky guy willing to help out anyone. And to his school friends at Saint Vincent Prep School, he was “Speedy Gumbit-y from Marguerite-y.” “He was a fastball...
Overdose awareness event in Greensburg can provide ‘spark of hope’ for addicts, families
A decade ago, Katrin Schall of Youngstown would have had little interest in an event like the Overdose Awareness Day scheduled this weekend in Greensburg. But on Saturday, Schall — who overcame her own drug addiction — will be at St. Clair Park in her capacity as supervisor for Southwestern...
Murrysville council considers electronic billboard at former ‘banner corner’
The “banner corner” in Murrysville may be getting at least one of its signs back. Chief Administrator Jim Morrison said an anonymous donor has offered to fund the purchase of an electronic billboard at the intersection of Old William Penn Highway and Tarr Hollow Road. A small green space at...
Franklin Regional Athletic Association makes changes to in-house girls’ hoops program
Registration for the Franklin Regional Athletic Association’s in-house girls’ basketball fall season ends Aug. 31. Girls entering grades 1 to 6 in the Franklin Regional School District are eligible to participate. The association also offers travel programs for girls in grades 3 to 6. “There will be some noticeable changes...
Little League plans World Series expansion for baseball, softballVideo
Each year, a select few Little League baseball and softball teams get the rare experience of playing in Little League World Series competitions in Williamsport, Pa., and Portland, Ore. Beginning in 2021, Little League International officials want to give a few more children that chance, expanding the baseball series’ teams...
Inclusive theater troupe will hold ‘Grinch’ auditions in Murrysville
Acting Up, an inclusive theater troupe for actors of all abilities, will host auditions for a production of “The Grinch,” from 2 to 4:30 p.m., Sept. 14 at First Presbyterian Church in Murrysville. Appoints will be in 30-minute blocks with nine actors per block. Actors should prepare the following: •...
Former Tic Toc waitress from Jeannette loved travel, family
Joan Silvis worked as a waitress in the Tic Toc Restaurant in Kaufmann’s at the Westmoreland Mall from the day it opened until the day it closed, and when she was working, she was all business. That is, until the day her longtime friend, Jackie Chandler of Greensburg, sent a...
Murrysville officials: Heritage trail users must obey traffic controls
If cyclists using the Westmoreland Heritage Trail want to be treated like cars, they need to act like cars. That was the general sentiment among Murrysville officials after hearing from residents about the safety situation where the trail crosses Trafford Road. “Stop signs are not optional,” Murrysville Chief Administrator Jim...
Taste Test: We settle the beef over who has the best chicken sandwichVideo
There’s big-time beef happening. And it’s all over chicken, ironically enough. The debut of Popeye’s new fried chicken sandwich was met not just with hearty enthusiasm by American consumers. It also kicked off what will surely be known one day as The Great Chicken Sandwich Wars of 2019. It all...
