Patrick Varine stories, Page 2
From ‘Steel City’ to ‘eds and meds’: As Pittsburgh welcomes NFL Draft, it isn’t so easily defined anymoreVideo
When a Pittsburgh sports team appears on national television, it’s a sure bet that one of the commentators will refer to the team’s hometown as “the Steel City” in one way or another. But even as the Steel Curtain defense was helping propel the Steelers to the first of four...
Two29 Gallery in Braddock will open with a celebration of Pittsburgh’s ‘aerosol art’Video
Damien Luvara can remember his mother letting him skip school to go to the Carnegie Museum in his youth. “It’s the first time I remember seeing art and feeling that there was something outside of my world that was bigger than me,” he said. After several decades working as an...
Game commission seeks entries for 2027 wildlife art contest
The Pennsylvania Game Commission is looking for artists’ best portraits of a Pennsylvania shorebird. The agency is seeking entries for its 2027 Working Together for Wildlife art contest. The featured category is shorebirds, and unlike in previous years, the 2027 contest is restricted to paintings. One or more shorebirds can...
29th annual ‘Blessing of the Bikes’ takes place this weekend in MurrysvilleVideo
Thousands of motorcyclists will descend on Murrysville Sunday for the 29th annual Blessing of the Bikes at Murrysville Alliance Church. Each year, the event draws a huge group for a morning service followed by fellowship, an official blessing of cyclists and their vehicles, and a massive ride. Murrysville Alliance pastor...
Sage’s Army marks 14 years of support for those fighting substance abuse
Hempfield nonprofit Sage’s Army marked its 14th anniversary this week with a celebration at its headquarters on Route 30. Founder Carmen Capozzi lost his son, Sage, to an opioid overdose in 2012. He started Sage’s Army shortly afterward. It quickly grew from a Facebook page into a nonprofit recovery community...
911 calls that range from heroic to hilarious for National Dispatcher WeekVideo
The second full week of April is National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week in the U.S., shining a spotlight on the dedication emergency dispatchers bring to the job every day. And while the job can be stressful, there are also those occasions when the call that comes in is, well …...
Pittsburgh pediatrician’s psychological thriller ‘Basic Psych’ to debut on Amazon, AppleTVVideo
Long before he was thinking about a career in medicine, Dr. James Tucker was thinking about the movies. “I love movies,” said Tucker, 73, of Fox Chapel. “They move my life. My first year of college, I saw the movie ‘M*A*S*H.’ I was so entranced with that movie that I...
Murrysville area: Church tag sale, wreath giveaway, Symphony East fundraiser, more
Church tag sale First Presbyterian Church in Murrysville will host its 55th annual tag sale from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 24 and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 25 Residents can donate items in good condition on April 16, 17 and 20 from 10 a.m. to 5...
Franklin Regional student team raises more than $157K for blood cancer researchVideo
When Liam Murphy, Ryland Kase and Jenna Munkittrick were trying to determine the best way to raise money for blood cancer research, they had a solid role model. Their classmate Luca Bertucci was a member of the Blood Cancer United Student Visionaries program. After raising $40,200 — the most money...
Export may revisit its street-opening ordinance
Peoples Natural Gas officials are planning restoration work in Export in the near future. But the scaling back of those plans has some borough officials wary. “After repaving those streets, we got notice that the gas company would need to replace lines on Penn Street, Zecker Street and Hamilton Avenue,”...
Franklin Regional grad heads to dressage championships with Penn State team
The sport of dressage requires intense skill and focus from both horse and rider. Members of the Penn State University dressage team saw their hard work pay off on March 28, earning a perfect scorecard at Centenary University’s Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA) Spring Dressage Show. The victory capped a regular...
Murrysville area: Historical open house, woman’s club scholarships, electric car show, more
Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com. Open house at historic cabin The Murrysville Historical Preservation Society will host an open house from 1 to 4 p.m. April 19 at the Hoey-Staymates cabin and barn, 4515 Round Top Road, Murrysville. In addition to tales of local pioneers, the barn...
Fertilizer prices rise sharply as Middle East conflict hits farmersVideo
As Pennsylvania farmers prepare for planting season, a new volatility in the Middle East is threatening a commodity they cannot grow: nitrogen fertilizer. The effects of the U.S. and Israeli military campaign against Iran have already rippled out into the world economy through higher oil prices. Those have translated to...
Export takes control of Italy Road, looks ahead to sewage work
Export is now the proud owner of the short stretch of Italy Road where it passes through the borough. As part of PennDOT’s Turnback Program, Export officials sought to take control of Italy Road and have about $200,000 in state grant funding available to put toward work on the sewage...
Primanti Bros. closes Monroeville, North Versailles locationsVideo
Primanti Bros. has closed its Monroeville and North Versailles locations, the latest in a series of closures in recent years for the Pittsburgh-based sandwich restaurant. Primanti spokesperson Ryan Wilkinson confirmed the restaurant closures Monday afternoon. A reason for the closures was not announced. “It’s not a decision we take lightly,”...
Bill would designate the scarlet tanager as Pennsylvania’s official migratory birdVideo
This time of year, backyard bird enthusiasts are keeping an eye out for flashes of red. Most of the year, it probably would be a male cardinal. But in the spring, it might also be a scarlet tanager, which has been proposed for designation as Pennsylvania’s official state migratory bird....
Murrysville library will unveil renovations at grand reopeningVideo
Murrysville Community Library is preparing to unveil a newly renovated space during a grand reopening April 21, with some additional work planned for outside the building. “We were awarded the grant in October 2024, and we spent most of 2025 planning things,” library director Katherine Neidig said. “The work started...
Annual band festival will feature performance of Westmoreland County’s official songVideo
At the annual Three Rivers Community Band Festival coming up this month, the Scottdale Concert Band will perform a song with some special significance. It is “The Westmoreland,” an uptempo march that is also the official song of Westmoreland County. That might evoke the image of a tune dating back...
Monroeville receives $1 million to replace aging asbestos-cement water lines
The Monroeville Municipal Authority will have the chance to replace nearly 10,000 feet of aging water line thanks to more than $2 million in federal funding announced this week. U.S. Rep. Summer Lee, D-Swissvale, presented a check on March 31 for just under $1.1 million to the authority as part...
Former Monroeville Expo Mart listed for sale
In a sign that development of Monroeville Mall might be gaining momentum, one of the largest pieces of mall-adjacent property is on the market. The three-story, 226,500-square-foot office building at 105 Mall Blvd. is listed through Pittsburgh-based Oxford Development. Built in the early 1980s as the Monroeville Expo Mart, the...
Murrysville area: Women’s Business Network open house, scholarship, litter pickup, more
Women’s Business Network open house The Murrysville chapter of the Women’s Business Network will host an open house from 8:15 to 9:30 a.m. April 9 at Dick’s Diner, 4200 William Penn Highway, Murrysville. The WBN is a category-exclusive organization for local businesswomen focused on networking, leadership development and community service....
Band Together Pittsburgh open mic night holds its signature event in Murrysville
Franklin Regional Senior High School in Murrysville hosted the third annual Band Together Pittsburgh open mic night on Wednesday evening. The nonprofit focuses on providing musical education and experience to people with disabilities. “This is what it’s all about,” said Band Together Pittsburgh spokesperson Lisa Hnath. “Open mics are our...
Fire department service agreement generates debate in Monroeville
Monroeville Council members voted to advertise a service agreement with the municipality’s fire companies, but the unanimous approval did not come without debate. “I don’t know that we’re ready to bring this agreement to council,” Councilman Eric Poach said. The service agreement, which expired in 2025 and typically covers a...
Murrysville to equip officers with bicycles for better access in trails, parksVideo
As spring begins to emerge through occasional bouts of snow, local parks and trails will see a significant boost in activity. In Murrysville, police plan to use a state grant to reinstate bicycle training to better serve the community in areas where a patrol car cannot go. “We have an...
After the flames: Financial, personal hurdles challenge owners reopening a local eatery
The dining room is still a maze of unassembled furniture and the deck is on the back burner, but for the first time since September 2024, the ovens are hot at Ianni’s Pizzeria in Delmont. “We’re so happy to be back!” employee Sarah Barral, 46, of Delmont said as she...
