Patrick Varine stories, Page 86
Murrysville students get a glimpse into the past at replica of 1800s schoolhouse
When Laura Hoff was looking to teach her students at Calvary Early Learning Center about local history in Murrysville, she didn’t realize there was a building full of it just up the road. “I saw a Trib article describing the (replica of the) old Murrysville schoolhouse,” Hoff said. “I stopped...
Reports show fatal crashes increased in Pennsylvania in 2021
Traffic crashes in the U.S. are increasing at a record pace, according to the latest data estimates from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. NHTSA estimates of the first nine months of 2021 project that more than 31,700 people died in vehicle crashes from January to September 2021. That’s an...
Murrysville girl excited to be part of coming-of-age story
The Pittsburgh Youth Chorus and Hill Dance Academy will collaborate to present a coming-of-age story told through choral ballet this month. “‘Crossings’ is a coming-of-age story — told through dance, vocal music, and spoken word — of a young African-American woman growing up ‘Uptown’ and confronting racism in her community,”...
Washington woman, 58, dies following Ridge Avenue shooting
A 58-year-old woman died after being shot Wednesday afternoon along Ridge Avenue in Washington. Emergency responders were called to Ridge Avenue shortly after 5 p.m., where they found Kristin A. Barfield, of Washington, with a gunshot wound, according to the Washington County Coroner’s Office. Barfield was taken to Washington Hospital,...
Police: 1 shot, 1 injured in Pittsburgh’s Uptown neighborhood
A man was shot and a woman injured Wednesday evening in Pittsburgh’s Uptown neighborhood, according to police. Police and EMS were called to Fifth Avenue and Seneca Street just after 6 p.m. for an initial report of two people who’d been shot. Officers located a man and a woman. The...
Police: West Allegheny High School student brought loaded AR-15 to school parking lot
An 18-year-old student at West Allegheny High School is facing charges after police say he brought a loaded AR-15 rifle when he drove to the school Tuesday morning. North Fayette police were initially called to the high school after a school resource officer was notified that the student, Ja’Shon Spencer,...
Crews battle fire spread over multiple houses in Homestead
Fire crews spent hours on the scene of a three-alarm fire on West Street in Homestead after the blaze broke out Wednesday evening. A three-story structure was reportedly engulfed in fire, according to an Allegheny County 911 supervisor. The initial call came in at 6:30 p.m. for a building on...
PennDOT hopes to begin Rosslyn Farms Parkway ramp repair in late June
The bridge carrying traffic from Rosslyn Road onto the inbound side of the Parkway West to be closed “for the next few months,” shortly after a truck crashed into its support structure in early February. A lack of available construction materials will likely keep it closed a bit longer, PennDOT...
West Mifflin man charged with Pleasant Hills burglary, arson
Allegheny County Police have arrested a West Mifflin man in connection with a burglary and subsequent fire at a Cerasi Drive apartment building on Tuesday. County detectives charged Kristopher Friedman, 24, of West Mifflin with burglary, receiving stolen property, arson endangering property and four counts of arson endangering persons. Emergency...
Murrysville considers establishing ‘do not knock’ list for solicitors
During the pandemic, door-to-door solicitation was not something people had to think about much. But with restrictions largely eased and warm weather on the way, Murrysville officials expect solicitation season to be in full swing and are looking to possibly start a “do not knock” registry for residents. “About this...
Pittsburgh police: Mail carrier grazed by bullet in Stanton Heights
A mail carrier suffered a minor injury after being shot Friday afternoon in Pittsburgh’s Stanton Heights neighborhood, according to police. Officers and EMS were called to the 1300 block of Hawthorne Court around 3 p.m. and found a man who had walked to the Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire’s Engine No....
Police: Landslide briefly blocks Route 993 in North Huntingdon
Route 993 in North Huntingdon is open after being closed for several hours Friday evening after a small landslide, one of a host of rain-related incidents across the region as more than 2 inches fell on Western Pennsylvania. Broadway Street (Route 993) between Irwin and Shafton was closed after a...
Pine Run, tributaries spill over near at Washington Township mobile home parkVideo
Thomas Bowers has lived at his home on Goldfinch Drive in Washington Township for nearly three decades and weathered storms plenty worse than the steady rain that fell across the region all day Friday. “I’ve had water all the way around the house before,” Bowers said. “But the houses around...
Franklin Regional considers 2022-23 budget with 2.75 mill tax hike
Franklin Regional school board members will consider a final 2022-23 budget next month that calls for a 2.75-mill tax hike — roughly $95 more per year for the average district homeowner. This would be the first time in five years that the district has opted for a tax hike significantly...
Murrysville area: 5K fundraiser, ‘Thin Blue Line’ church service, car show, more
Submit news, briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com. Memorial Day car show in Delmont The fifth annual car show at St. John’s Church in Delmont will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 30. Featuring cars from the 1920s through today, proceeds from the event will be donated...
‘Silence of the Lambs’ house in Fayette County offers special tours on Mother’s Day
Chocolates are nice for Mother’s Day. Flowers are a great choice as well. But maybe your mom has a bit of a dark streak. Maybe she wants to find out more about where a fictional homicidal maniac did his dirty work. If so, she’s in luck: the Perryopolis property which...
Export: 79% of landlords not complying with new license fee live out of town
When Export council began discussions to adopt a new license fee and inspection schedule for borough rentals, there was a feeling among members that the issues they faced — a lack of information about tenants and landlords skirting the occupancy permit — were mostly with out-of-town property owners. A month...
Protect PT will open environmental education center in May
Citizen-led environmental group Protect PT will expand its presence in the Penn Township Plaza with the grand opening of a new community environmental educational center on May 7. “We actually moved our office to the other side of the building,” Protect PT Executive Director Gillian Graber said. “We expanded from...
New Crumbl franchise set to open in Monroeville’s Miracle Mile
If Cambria Zebley has her way, it’ll be a sweet time at the Miracle Mile Shopping Center. Zebley is the franchise owner of the Monroeville branch of cookie company Crumbl, which has opened at 4158 William Penn Highway. “I worked for Crumbl’s corporate office in Utah, and when my parents...
Teen arrested with stolen gun Sunday on South Side
Pittsburgh Police arrested a 19-year-old Pittsburgh man they said was in possession of a stolen gun early Sunday morning on Carson Street. Police were called to the 1800 block of East Carson Street around 12:30 a.m. on Sunday for a report of a man brandishing a gun and becoming confrontational...
Police investigate Hampton bank robbery
Police in Hampton Township are investigating a bank robbery that took place Monday afternoon. Allegheny County emergency officials said police were dispatched to the First Commonwealth Bank on Route 8 at 3:50 p.m. Additional information was not immediately available....
Westmoreland County Senior Games return after 2-year hiatus
The Westmoreland County Senior Games return to action this week, following a two-year pandemic hiatus. County parks coordinator Chris Panichella couldn’t be happier. “This has been a big part of Westmoreland County events, and we got a lot of calls last year asking if we could find some way to...
Delmont residents asked to fill out survey to help develop recreation plan
Delmont officials want to hear from residents about their wants and needs when it comes to the future of recreation in the borough. As part of the development of a boroughwide recreation plan, and with the help of a state grant and hired consultant, residents have been asked to fill...
Forbes Road students bring home state championship in 3D animationVideo
Students from Forbes Road Career & Technology School have the skills to join the Future Business Leaders of America, the world’s largest career and technical student organization and one that helps them develop leadership skills. Those skills were on full display from April 11 to 13, when three Forbes Road...
Former reporter, Franklin Regional grad pivots from journalism to fiction writing
After majoring in computer science at Carnegie Mellon University, Sindya Bhanoo is quite literally living out the title of her debut book, “Seeking Fortune Elsewhere,” having pivoted to a career as a fiction writer. “I studied computer science at Carnegie Mellon, but even back then I was interested in storytelling,”...

