Patrick Varine stories, Page 2
4 people injured in Hempfield, Unity crashes
Four people were taken to Forbes Hospital on Friday following two separate crashes in Westmoreland County. The first crash also was reported around 7:45 a.m. at the intersection of Depot Street and Silvis Farm Road in Hempfield. Mutual Aid officials said two vehicles were involved and one person was entrapped....
Former area congressman Jason Altmire able to leave Dubai
Former U.S. congressman Jason Altmire managed to find a way out of Dubai after being stranded for several days earlier this week amid escalating military conflict in Iran and the Middle East. “I find did get out on March 5, on one of the limited Emirates Airlines flights that we...
Freezin’ for a reason: Gateway Middle School mentorship group raises money for Special Olympics
As the Gateway Middle School girls mentorship group racked their brains to determine their yearly community service project, they came up with an ingenious idea: raising money for a good cause, while also getting to dump ice cold water on their teachers and principals. On Feb. 13, that idea came...
Delmont council fills vacancy created by mayor’s appointment
Delmont Council appointed Amanda List to replace former Councilman David Weber at a special meeting Wednesday night. Weber was recently appointed mayor to fill out the term of Alyce Urban, who resigned unexpectedly in late 2025 a few months after running unopposed and winning reelection. Council voted 5-1 in favor...
Former congressman Jason Altmire among those trying to leave Dubai
Former U.S. congressman Jason Altmire is one of thousands of American citizens stranded in Dubai as military conflict between the U.S., Israel and Iran escalates. Altmire is a Kittanning native who served as the Democratic U.S. representative for Pennsylvania’s 4th Congressional District, which included several counties in the region, from...
Murrysville area: Italian-American history speaker, woman’s club spring soiree tickets, blood drive, more
Speaker to focus on region’s Italian-American history Melissa Marinaro, director of the Italian American Program at the Heinz History Center, will be featured at Mother of Sorrows’ “Boomers & Beyond” speaker series on March 10 in Murrysville. Marinaro will offer insight into one of the nation’s largest collections of Italian-American...
Export seeks funding to create historical mine area, trail connectionVideo
Export officials have spent the past decade shining a light on its future, revamping the borough’s downtown area and paving its central parking lot. Now, they want to shine a light on its past. But it will take a big chunk of grant money to get it done. The borough...
Franklin Regional 5th graders prepare for ‘Olympus: A Greek Rock Musical’
Franklin Regional’s high school musical had one of its biggest casts yet this year, and the elementary school isn’t far behind. A team of more than 125 student performers, crew members and set designers will debut “Olympus: A Greek Rock Musical” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at Franklin...
Delmont committee seeks input to help develop Westmoreland Heritage Trail connectionVideo
The Delmont Visionary Committee will undertake a study to determine how best to bring a spur from the Westmoreland Heritage Trail into the borough. The committee received a $20,000 grant from the state Department of Natural Resources that will evaluate two routes for a borough trail to connect with the...
Summer food program seeks additional partners, host sites for 2026
In the summer of 2025, nearly 300 organizations provided low-income children with daily meals at more than 2,100 sites across Pennsylvania as part of the state’s Summer Food Service Program. Additional program sponsors and host sites are being sought this year. “Across Pennsylvania, community organizations step up every year to...
Monroeville area: Project Prom shop, cash bash benefit, career center open house and more
Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com. Project Prom Shop opens in March Allegheny County will hold its annual Project Prom event on March 14, 17, 19 and 21 at the Project Prom Shop, 10700 Frankstown Road, Penn Hills. Through the generosity of donations and participating retailers, Project Prom...
Single-lane closures for bridge work will begin Monday on Route 119
Single-lane restrictions will go into place starting Monday on Route 119 between the New Stanton and Youngwood exits, according to PennDOT officials. Crews will be repairing deteriorated bridge areas and beam ends. The single-lane restriction is expected to remain in place until late March. The work is part of a...
Murrysville area: Artist presentation, Pi Day bake sale, woman’s club scholarships, more
ESAL artist explores intersection of expression, memory The East Suburban Artist League will host featured speaker Morgan Anders at their March 5 meeting in Murrysville. Anders is a Pittsburgh artist and North Carolina native whose work is informed by her childhood on a farm and her career as an art...
Senior driving classes in Westmoreland County may lead to insurance discount
Seniors for Safe Driving will offer three upcoming courses for motorists 55 and older in the North Huntingdon, Murrysville and Penn Township areas. The PennDOT-approved course is an opportunity for older motorists to refresh their driving skills and their knowledge of the rules of the road. The first session will...
Game commission advises Pennsylvanians to report sick, dead birds to help with avian flu trackingVideo
Pennsylvania Game Commission officials are asking bird watchers and hunters to report sick or dead birds they encounter as they continue to monitor avian influenza’s presence in the region. “Avian influenza can affect any bird, but we tend to see it more specifically in waterfowl, along with the family of...
Murrysville may install all-way stop at intersection of School, North Hills roads
Murrysville council will consider whether to convert a troublesome intersection into a four-way stop. With the intersection’s current two stop signs, the crossing of School Road and North Hills Road has been the site of 14 crashes over the past five years, according to Murrysville Chief Administrator Michael Nestico. “Five...
Route 66 upgrades to kick off this summer between Washington Township and DelmontVideo
Cameron Suhadolnik, one of the owners of Tailspin Hobbies off Route 66 in Washington Township, has grown accustomed to the sound of cars crashing outside his window. The business is near an intersection that has been the site of more than 20 incidents in the past five years. “I’ve called...
Murrysville takes first steps toward regulating data center, solar array developmentVideo
Murrysville municipal staff hopes to define how it will manage proposed data centers, as well as residential and commercial solar arrays. “Right now, we don’t have an ordinance or a zoning classification that would regulate either,” Murrysville Chief Administrator Michael Nestico told council at its Feb. 17 meeting. “In more...
Reactions pour in following Team USA’s gold-medal Olympic hockey win over Canada
Team USA men’s hockey brought home its first gold medal since the “Miracle on Ice” Olympics in 1980, so let’s not beat around the bush. From a member of the Canadian team assessing the game with “you be the judge of who the better team was,” to recent political events...
Greater Pittsburgh area largely escapes heavy nor’easter snow
As it turns out, ol’ Punxsutawney Phil may have been onto something when he forecast six more weeks of winter earlier this month. After a brief warm spell, snow was back, tossing a light blanket late Saturday into Sunday across southwestern Pennsylvania. But the region is largely set to avoid...
Early-morning fans revel in U.S. men’s hockey win for Olympic goldVideo
When the puck dropped at 8:10 a.m. EST in the gold medal Olympic men’s hockey final between the U.S. and Canada, Sunday morning looked more like a Saturday night in the confines of Primanti Bros. in Harmar. It was among the many places that opened bright and early Sunday morning...
Tarentum teen charged in 2 shootings; gun linked to a 3rd
A Tarentum teen wanted in connection with multiple shooting incidents was taken into custody this week by Pittsburgh police. Marcell Fields, 18, was charged with attempted criminal homicide, aggravated assault, criminal conspiracy, reckless endangering and multiple weapons charges. City and Pittsburgh Regional Transit police said Fields took part in shootings...
Ligonier church hosts full house at pancake breakfast to benefit Ruthie’s Diner employeesVideo
About 10 minutes after the doors opened on Saturday morning, it was standing-room-only for a pancake breakfast at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Ligonier. The occasion was a benefit for employees of Ruthie’s Diner, just a few minutes down the road on Route 30, which was destroyed in a late January...
‘Shrek’ boasts largest Franklin Regional musical cast yetVideo
Isaac Eaton discovered quickly that it’s awful tough trying to fill the shoes of legendary comedian Eddie Murphy. “It’s challenging to find my own voice for the character,” said Eaton, 17, a senior who will portray Murphy’s iconic character Donkey in Franklin Regional’s high school production of “Shrek: The Musical,”...
Mayor’s ‘State of Monroeville’ lays out goals for town’s 75th anniversary year
Monroeville Mayor Dennis Biondo gave his first “State of Monroeville” address at council’s February voting meeting, laying out goals and plans for 2026. The main focus was a 2026 capital budget built from the municipality’s five-year capital improvement plan — its first such plan in a decade, according to Biondo....
