Patrick Varine stories, Page 70
Sheraden standoff ends in arrest
Pittsburgh police SWAT officers arrested a man wanted on felony assault charges who had barricaded himself inside a house in Pittsburgh’s Sheraden neighborhood for several hours early Wednesday. Police responded to a home in the 2900 block of Sheraden Boulevard around 2 a.m. for a report of a domestic dispute....
1 flown from rollover crash in Washington Township
A woman was flown by medical helicopter following a crash early Wednesday morning in Washington Township, according to emergency officials. First responders were called to the intersection of Route 380 and Greensburg Road (Route 366) around 1 a.m. for a report of a car that had rolled over and struck...
Nonprofits host events for National Human Trafficking Awareness DayVideo
Awareness of human trafficking and its impact on communities can start with something as simple as red sand in the crack of a sidewalk. Staff and volunteers from Blackburn Center in Greensburg have been part of the Red Sand Project since 2017, bringing focus to the presence of human trafficking....
Pitt professor, DuoLingo co-founder will be inducted into National Inventors Hall of Fame
Two Pittsburgh residents will be inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame’s 2023 class, hall officials announced earlier this month. Rory Cooper, a University of Pittsburgh professor and founder of the Human Engineering Research Laboratories, and DuoLingo CEO Luis von Ahn are among 16 innovation pioneers whose inventions range...
Donegal mine worker airlifted after arm is caught in machinery
A worker at the Rustic Ridge mine in Donegal was injured late Monday when his arm became trapped in a mining machine, according to emergency officials. Emergency crews were called to the mine on County Line Road shortly after 9 p.m. for a report that a 22-year-old worker’s arm was...
New covid variant — dubbed ‘kraken’ — found in Western Pa.
A new strain of covid nicknamed the “kraken” for its dominance over previous strains of the virus has been found in the Western Pennsylvania region, health officials said. Officially known as XBB.1.5, the new covid variant has jumped from just 1% of cases to become the dominant strain in the...
Export Historical Society applies for grant to convert coal mine entrance
Export Historical Society officials are hoping to work with the borough, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation and the Society for Mining and Metallurgy Exploration to create a historical area at one of the few bituminous coal mine sites able to be safely viewed by...
Western Pa. technical schools among recipients of $1.2M in state equipment grants
Parkway West Career & Technology Center Executive Director Darby Copeland was frank about educators’ ability to keep their students on the cutting edge of technology. “Like all schools, none of us has a big bucket of money laying around,” Copeland said. That made it all the more important for Copeland...
Plum man arrested, charged with assaulting zTrip driver
A Plum man has been arrested and police are seeking two additional suspects after authorities said the trio assaulted a driver with ride-booking service zTrip early Sunday and stole her car. Wayne K. Griffin Jr., 18, of Plum, was charged with motor vehicle robbery, criminal conspiracy, simple assault and receiving...
Can council presidents make a motion? State boroughs association says yes
Delmont Council President Andy Shissler had to restrain himself from using his newfound power at the borough’s Dec. 13 meeting. Or perhaps he just didn’t want his first presidential motion to be payment of an annual service fee. “I’d rather not make my first motion paying Westmoreland Transit,” Shissler joked....
Farrell man charged in death of Sharon teenager
Sharon city officials announced an arrest in Saturday’s shooting death of a 17-year-old. Curtis R. Coleman III, 19, of Farrell, has been charged by Sharon police. Emergency officials were called to West Budd Street around 9 p.m. Saturday where they found Gavin Beighley, 17, of Sharon, who had been shot...
No injuries following late-night fire in Arlington
There were no reported injuries following a fire late Sunday in Pittsburgh’s Arlington neighborhood, emergency officials said. Fire crews were called to the 100 block of Cologne Street around 11 p.m. Pittsburgh Battalion Chief James Dolan told Tribune-Review news partner WPXI-TV that firefighters quickly got the duplex fire under control....
Stanovich family members from Export served during Korean War
Editor’s Note: This is part of a series about Westmoreland County residents who have been honored as Hometown Heroes. When Robert Stanovich graduated from high school in 1954 in Export, there weren’t a ton of jobs to be had, so he opted for military service. “He signed up along with...
Westmoreland Heritage Trail extension completed in Export
Those wishing for a brisk winter walk in Export can now make it go a bit farther, as borough officials announced the completion of a short extension of the Westmoreland Heritage Trail this week. The roughly 750-foot extension brings the trail through downtown Export. The final phase, which will connect...
Murrysville area: Cornhole tournament, comedy night, more
Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com. Cooper sworn in as state rep Jill Cooper of Murrysville was sworn in Jan. 3 as the 55th District state representative. Cooper grew up in neighboring Plum, graduated from Grove City College and worked as vice president of sales and marketing for...
Murrysville area: Holiday events, American Legion scholarships, ‘Parents Night Out’, more
Holiday happenings The following is a list of holiday-related events happening in the Star’s coverage area. Email events to pvarine@triblive.com. • Franklin Regional Middle School seventh and eighth grade chorus holiday concert, 7 p.m. Dec. 15 at the middle school’s Little Theater, 4660 Old William Penn Highway in Murrysville. •...
Murrysville continues with stormwater pond retrofits
Many of the older stormwater detention ponds scattered throughout Murrysville were built with the idea of containing a 100-year storm. As the decades have progressed, state environmental officials found that smaller, more frequent storms typically cause more damage as they carry pollutants and erode local streams and creeks. Larger communities...
Artist from Export proposes mural to cover Route 22 underpass graffiti
As pedestrians and cyclists on the Westmoreland Heritage Trail pass near the Cozy Inn Cutoff, they head underneath William Penn Highway, where the underpass is covered with all manner of graffiti. If Export native Christina Donahoe has her way, however, later this year, it will be covered with the largest...
Delmont library will get a new director in the new year
Delmont Public Library Director Denni Grassel, who will retire at the end of the year, is excited about the technology experience her successor is bringing to the job. “My joke is that Monica knows that TikTok is more than the noise that the clock makes,” Grassel said with a laugh....
Youngwood bartender school will be featured on ‘World’s Greatest’ series
When partygoers in Westmoreland County are waiting on a drink New Year’s Eve, there’s a decent chance the person mixing it attended a class at Wines, Steins & Cocktails in Youngwood. At an unassuming building on Helman Street, owner Dan Clougherty estimated that he’s trained more than 40,000 people over...
Coroner: 1 dead following apartment fire in West Newton
A 76-year-old woman died Thursday night after a fire at a senior apartment complex in West Newton, according to Westmoreland County Coroner Tim Carson. Joyce Marinos was killed in the blaze. An autopsy will be done Friday, Carson said. Filbern Manor was evacuated partially after the fire in an 11th-floor...
Pittsburgh man charged in fatal Beechview shooting
A Pittsburgh man has been charged with attempted criminal homicide and additional crimes in connection with a late-October shooting in Beechview, according to police. Pittsburgh Police said they arrested Antwuan Berry, 26, on Wednesday, charging him with attempted criminal homicide, aggravated assault and weapons violations. A warrant was issued Dec....
Murrysville area: Drug abuse presentation, area road work, cornhole tournament, more
Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com. Drug and alcohol program at Murrysville library Gateway Rehab Community Relations Coordinator Cat Miceli will host an educational program on drug and alcohol use and abuse at noon Jan. 11 at the Murrysville Community Library. Miceli’s talk will cover topics such as...
3 people flown to hospitals from head-on crash in Washington Township
Three people were flown by medical helicopter from a head-on crash late Tuesday night in Washington Township, according to emergency officials. First responders including Murrysville Medic One, four fire companies and state police were called to the intersection of Route 66 and Mamont Road around 10:45 p.m., for a report...
Annual Christmas Bird Count set for area surrounding Bushy Run Battlefield
When members of the Westmoreland Bird and Nature Club conduct the Audubon Society’s annual Christmas Bird Count on Saturday, many of them will have their eyes peeled for a specific avian arrival. That’s because a Northern shrike, affectionately known by nature lovers as “the butcher bird,” has been sighted in...
