Patrick Varine stories, Page 43
Food bank cancels Monroeville distribution scheduled for Wednesday
Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank officials announced that their regular distribution date this week in Monroeville has been canceled due to unforeseen circumstances, according to a news release. Food bank clients can visit PittsburghFoodBank.org/gethelp or call 412-460-3663 for information on other food resources throughout the Pittsburgh area....
Body shop developers offer additional conditions, but no reprieve for upset Murrysville neighbors
More than 250 Manordale Farms residents in Murrysville signed a petition in opposition to an auto body shop proposed for a neighboring property. The petition was presented to council members at this past week’s meeting. Attorneys for the municipality and developer, however, told council that Caliber Collision’s proposal is a...
Export officials prepare for road construction season
Road construction season is just around the corner, and Export officials are lining up projects they want to address in the coming months. Mayor Joe Zaccagnini said he is waiting on Peoples Natural Gas officials to finish restoring parts of Roosevelt Street, Dent Avenue, Pierce Street and Lee Avenue after...
Erie prepares for crush of solar eclipse enthusiasts
On Monday, April 8, Erie residents will discover the impact just a few minutes of darkness can have. Depending on how many people travel to Erie for the upcoming total solar eclipse — local tourism officials are estimating anywhere between 50,000 and 200,000 — the city of just over 94,000...
Western Pa. libraries gearing up for eclipse with free glasses, activities
Here is a list of upcoming programs across the region focused on the April 8 solar eclipse: • March 18: Pre-eclipse event at 6 p.m. Mt. Pleasant Area Library, 120 S. Church St. Registered attendees will receive eclipse viewing glasses. Families with multiple children should register each separately to ensure...
Handling mental illness is complicated at all levels of criminal justice system
As Terrance Kurhansky’s case made its way through Pennsylvania’s criminal justice system, it became clear to his attorney and the presiding judge that their options were limited, and none of them was ideal. Kurhansky, 83, was charged in 2019 with attempting to murder his neighbor. Police said he used a...
Old William Penn bridge in Murrysville has weight rating reduced to 6 tons
Vehicles over 6 tons will be temporarily unable to use a small bridge carrying Old William Penn Highway over Turtle Creek in Murrysville, after the bridge’s weight rating was reduced for the second time in the past few years, according to municipal officials. “It’s an immediate concern and it’s something...
Speed-monitoring cameras are making Pa. highway work zones safer, officials say
The strategic placement of speed-monitoring cameras along Pennsylvania highways helped to reduce speeding and crashes in work zones over the course of a five-year pilot program by PennDOT and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. Now, officials are rebooting speed enforcement with the cameras on a permanent basis with a goal of...
Murrysville area: Leaf collection, Pi Day at Delmont library, Symphony East and more
Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com. Franklin Regional band to host breakfast fundraiser The Franklin Regional Panther Band will host a March 16 pancake breakfast fundraiser in Murrysville. It will be from 8-11 a.m. at First United Methodist Church, 3916 Old William Penn Highway in Murrysville. Tickets are...
Monroeville area: Origami workshops, community Easter dinner, Symphony East, more
Email event listings and news briefs to pvarine@ triblive.com or bpoole@triblive.com. Origami workshops The Monroeville Public Library will host a series of origami workshops beginning March 20 with instructor Madonna Yoder. Sessions will be March 20, April 3 and April 17 at the library, 4000 Gateway Campus Blvd. Yoder will...
‘Wall of Caring’ art installation comes to Forbes Hospital
Visitors to Forbes Hospital in Monroeville between now and April 3 may pass by what appears to be a wall of medical scrubs that are awaiting their turn in the laundry. It bears a message of “We See You” in its center, and it is an art installation created with...
Mt. Pleasant council wants better communication with local Little League
Mt. Pleasant officials asked for improved communication from the Mt. Pleasant Area Little League at their council meeting Monday night. Council voted unanimously to approve Silvis Landscaping to mow the baseball fields at Willows Park twice monthly at a cost of $260 per visit. Borough officials also asked that the...
What to look for in solar eclipse glasses
You don’t become the world’s leading manufacturer of paper glasses by being unprepared. That’s why employees at American Paper Optics, tucked into a corporate office park in the southwest corner of Tennessee, have been busy for the past two years preparing for the April 8 solar eclipse. “We’ve been doing...
Community meetings will help shape future trail through Turtle Creek Valley towns
Trails have played an important role in connecting communities — in a physical sense, through use of the trails, but also in an economic sense, attracting people who are looking to grab a bite to eat or just check out a new area. The nonprofit Friends of the Riverfront group...
Murrysville area: Symphony East, Medic One subscription drive, Easter Bunny breakfast and more
Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com. Symphony East Symphony East will kick off its 62nd season March 18 with four musicians from the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Violinists Regi Papa, violist Marylene Gingras-Roy and cellist Mikhail Istomin will perform at 1 p.m. A $10 donation is requested for adults...
Monroeville area: Black female leaders talk, light bulb sales, Irish trivia night
Email event listings and news briefs to pvarine@triblive.com or bpoole@triblive.com. Upcoming Monroeville library programs The Monroeville Public Library will host the following programs: • March 9: Death Cafe discussion group meets at 1:30 p.m. regarding all things death and dying. Attendees are asked to arrive around 1 p.m. • March...
Efforts to save Monroeville Convention Center reach lieutenant governor’s office
Monroeville Mayor Nick Gresock said efforts to save the Monroeville Convention Center have reached all the way to the highest levels of state government. Gresock said he was joined by Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, state Sens. Jay Costa and Jim Brewster, state Rep. Brandon Markosek, a representative from the Allegheny...
Murrysville to add permanent restroom, other improvements to Duff Park lot
Murrysville Public Works crews are set to begin making improvements to the parking area at Duff Park starting March 4, which will include a permanent restroom. “We want to put in a facility that can be used year-round and will be cleaned once a week,” Murrysville Public Works Director Bill...
Murrysville OKs Olympus fracking pipeline work, pickleball business parking
Murrysville officials approved maintenance agreements last week with driller Olympus Energy to build temporary infrastructure connecting its fracking operations in Westmoreland County. The agreements cover the use of a small section of Thompson Road, as well as a little over a mile of Logan Ferry, Hankey Church and Beighley roads,...
Avella man killed in Washington County crash
A 21-year-old man was killed early Friday morning after a crash in Independence Township in Washington County. Pennsylvania State Police said Anthony G. Georgetti of Avella was traveling westbound on Washington Pike when he lost control of his vehicle and struck a tree. The crash was reported to county 911...
Morning Roundup: Aviary welcomes new condor; 1 injured in stabbing in Downtown PittsburghVideo
Here are a few morning news item for Friday, Feb. 23, 2024. National Aviary welcomes condor The National Aviary in Pittsburgh welcomed it newest resident yesterday. A 43-year-old male Andean condor named Bud is the latest addition, arriving from the Dallas Zoo. Bud will join adult female Lianni and juveniles...
Lawrenceville restaurant closes after health inspection
The Industry Public House Restaurant in Lawrenceville voluntarily closed Wednesday after an Allegheny County Health Department inspection found food being stored and prepared in the same area where plumbers were currently working on an exposed sewer line. The restaurant is currently having a sewer line repaired, health department officials said...
Murrysville area: Easter Bunny breakfast, cheer clinics, Medic One subscription drive and more
Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com. Franklin Regional band to host breakfast fundraiser The Franklin Regional Panther Band will host a March 16 pancake breakfast fundraiser in Murrysville. It will be from 8-11 a.m. at First United Methodist Church, 3916 Old William Penn Highway in Murrysville. Tickets are...
Monroeville area: PALS meeting, pandemic speaker, light bulb sale, more
Email event listings and news briefs to pvarine@triblive.com or bpoole@triblive.com. Plum Area Ladies Society events Plum Area Ladies Society (PALS) will hold its monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. on March 6 at Plum Community Center. PALS is a service and social club, open to women from Plum, Penn Hills, Monroeville...
DEP grants permit to PennEnergy to draw water from Big Sewickley Creek
Following a nearly three-year process of identifying deficiencies and submitting amended water management plans, the state’s Department of Environmental Protection granted a permit for fracking company PennEnergy Resources to draw millions of gallons of water from the Big Sewickley Creek. The permit allows the Cranberry company to place and maintain...

