Patrick Varine stories, Page 176
Wind causes heavy damage to Derry post office
Heavy wind caused serious damage to the post office in Derry Borough on Tuesday morning. No one was injured when strong winds caused part of the roof to buckle at 9:42 a.m., according to Derry Volunteer Fire Department officials. Because of the damage, postal operations have been moved temporarily to...
Murrysville church mission trip is eye-opening experience
Virginia Hamm of Murrysville knew French, so she was fairly confident she’d be able to get by on her church’s mission trip to Haiti. That was before she noticed the Haitian children she spoke to were disguising giggles, particularly when she said her name. “I kept trying, but I kept...
Scottdale man served with President Ford aboard USS Monterey
Bob Clark of Rostraver didn’t know much about his father Robert’s military service until he read about it in a book published by a local author. “There was a high school teacher from Southmoreland who wrote a book about local veterans, and one of the chapters was about Dad,” Clark...
Franklin Regional students create ‘virtual art’ using grant-funded VR consolesVideo
Thanks to a grant from the FR Panther Foundation, Franklin Regional students now have a chance to step inside their artwork. A $6,300 grant from the foundation funded the purchase of two HTC Vive virtual reality consoles, which art teacher Denielle DeSantis is using in her classes. “Prior to this,...
Point Park will host free reading of ‘Church & State’ on Parkland shooting anniversary
On the one-year anniversary of the Feb. 14, 2018, school shooting in Parkland, Fla., seven universities across the country, including Point Park University in Pittsburgh, will host a staged reading of the award-winning Off-Broadway play, “Church & State.” The play tells the story of a gun-loving senator running for reelection,...
State police looking for man suspected of stealing 5 Rokus from Walmart
State police in Indiana County are seeking information on a man who stole several television streaming devices from a Walmart in White Township. Police said the man entered the store around 7 p.m. on Feb. 7 and took five Roku streaming devices into the restroom, where he unwrapped them, placed...
FR superintendent will throw out first pitch at Pirates game in April
The Pittsburgh Pirates will recognize Pennsylvania Association of School Administrator’s Superintendent of the Year, Franklin Regional’s Gennaro Piraino, at their April 5 game against the Cincinnati Reds. Piraino will throw out the first pitch prior to the 7:05 p.m. game. Piraino was chosen as PASA’s 2019 Superintendent of the Year...
Heritage trail committee will meet on Valentine’s Day in Salem Township
The Westmoreland Heritage Trail board of directors will meet on Valentine’s Day. The public meeting will be at 7 p.m., Feb. 14 at the Lamplighter, 6566 William Penn Highway in Salem Township. The next phase of the Westmoreland Heritage Trail, connecting Murrysville and Export, is projected to be complete by...
Window screen company has gone from Plum garage to nationwide successVideo
When Joe Altieri began seeking a way to make a better window screen in his Plum garage, he was just looking to improve on what was century-old technology. “The current patent on window screens dates back to 1907,” Altieri said. “So you have 100-year-old technology on modern windows.” Altieri, 43,...
‘Pet Sematary’ remake updates Stephen King’s classic horror novel
“Sometimes dead is better.” That’s the tagline for the remake of Stephen King’s seminal 1983 horror novel “Pet Sematary.” After Dr. Louis Creed (Jason Clarke) and his family relocate from Boston to rural Maine, the doctor discovers a strange burial ground hidden deep in the woods. When tragedy strikes the...
Murrysville will retrofit 13 more ponds to comply with state’s pollution reduction plan
In December, Murrysville council voted to partner with the Westmoreland Conservation District in retrofitting a half-dozen detention ponds so that they will hold more storm water for a longer period of time, part of the municipality’s state-mandated pollution reduction plan. Now, they will need a dozen or so more. Part...
FTMSA seeks Murrysville’s backing for $12 million bond issue
Newly-appointed Franklin Township Municipal Sanitary Authority board member Bob Mitall hopes $10 million will be enough to address the issues in the authority’s sewage system. But he isn’t sure. “Those of us with some experience doubt that $10 million will be enough to solve these problems,” Mitall told Murrysville council...
Richard Roundtree, Samuel L. Jackson reprise iconic roles in new ‘Shaft’ film
Who is the man who would risk his neck for brother man? In June, there will be three answers to that iconic question, originally posed in the 1970s by soul singer Isaac Hayes. Both Richard Roundtree and Samuel L. Jackson — the original Detective John Shaft as well as the...
Comedy-skit benefit explores ‘How Heartbreak Changed History’ in Johnstown
The Friends of Flight 93, the National Western Parks of Pennsylvania and the Johnstown Area Heritage Association will partner for a night of comedy and history to support a program that encourages students to work in national parks over their spring break. “Hydration History,” modeled on the popular Comedy Central...
Newlonsburg Presbyterian hosts Christian parenting classes in Murrysville
A series of Christian parenting classes at Newlonsburg Presbyterian Church will continue this month in Murrysville. On Feb. 10, Newlonsburg youth director Ed Helm will discuss compassionate behavior management strategies. Helm has worked with Pittsburgh-area youth since 2010, and serves as teen leader for mission trips and service projects. On...
Veteran from Connellsville drove for Patton during Battle of the Bulge
When it came to vehicular ability, Eugene Craig of Connellsville had it in spades. He raced a snowmobile for fun, flew a plane for work and drove Gen. George Patton’s jeep during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. “He loved ‘Old Blood and Guts,’ ” said son...
Let’s engage in wild speculation over these brand-new ‘Game of Thrones’ photos from the final season
HBO released a brand-new batch of promotional photos for the final season of their flagship show, fantasy drama “Game of Thrones.” And as faithful throne-watchers, it’s our solemn duty to engage in wild speculation about what every possible detail in every photo might portend! **WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD THROUGH SEASON 7...
Turf, track updates part of Franklin Regional’s capital improvements plan
If the Franklin Regional school board gives its approval on Monday, Panther athletes will have a newly turfed field for the 2019-20 school year. Facilities Director Jim Heck briefed the board earlier this month on plans to resurface both the football field turf as well as the track, during an...
Mother of Sorrows students prepare to stage ‘Beauty & the Beast Jr.’Video
Mother of Sorrows teacher Cassidy Ayers has what she referred to as “a good problem” in directing the school’s production of “Beauty & the Beast Jr.” — too many students. Working on a much smaller scale and stage than the typical high-school musical, a full-ensemble number with 47 cast members...
Franklin Regional looks to equip all high school students with Google Chromebooks
As Franklin Regional School District officials pursue the goal of equipping every high school student with a Google Chromebook, they plan to move away from in-classroom laptop carts and toward simply providing each student with one of the computers. Following the success of a 2016 pilot program equipping roughly 90...
Reactions laud, slam Trump’s SOTU address
Here are a few responses from around the country to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday night: “The President should have pledged tonight “no more shutdowns” and committed to taking additional steps to help the 820,000 federal employees recover from the adverse impact of his government...
State of the Union puts Western Pa. residents in the national spotlight
Tuesday night might have seen the first State of the Union address where the halls of Congress rang out with the sounds of “Happy Birthday.” Senators, representatives, Washington officials and guests spontaneously broke into the celebratory song after President Trump recognized Judah Samet. Samet arrived late to the Tree of...
Republican reactions to Wolf’s budget proposal run the gamut
Republican lawmakers’ reactions on Tuesday to Gov. Tom Wolf’s $34.1 billion 2019-20 budget proposal varied from cautious optimism to accusations of fiscal recklessness. “I thought the governor’s budget address had a positive message and I thought his emphasis on workforce development was significant and a goal that we all have...
Franklin Regional school board will discuss Sloan project bids Monday night
Franklin Regional school board members will discuss awarding prime contracts for renovations to Sloan Elementary as well as a new elementary building on the Sloan property at Monday night’s meeting. The board’s committee-of-the-whole meetings do not include taking action on agenda items. They are discussion meetings, with a formal vote...
Opus 2 Orchestra will play free concert, fundraiser preview Feb. 16 and 17
Members of the Opus 2 Orchestra will perform its second free concert of the 2018-19 season on Feb. 17, with a preview performance and fundraiser the day before. The orchestra will perform a 4 p.m. concert, Feb. 17 at Christian Life Church, 900 Seventh Street in Trafford, which will feature...
