Patrick Varine stories, Page 95
PennDOT lifts speed limit restriction on major roads
Speed limit restrictions were lifted Friday morning after a snowy, slippery night across Western Pennsylvania. The reductions were put in place Thursday night and PennDOT urged motorists to avoid unnecessary travel as crews cleared major roads in the area. Around 7 a.m. Friday, the restrictions ended on Interstates 70 and...
Allegheny County courts suspend jury trials for January amid dramatic spike in covid-19 cases
Owing to the recent dramatic increase in covid-19 cases in Allegheny County, the county’s Court of Common Pleas ordered that no jury trials will take place for the remainder of the month in any division. Beginning Dec. 23, daily positive case counts for Allegheny County began outpacing its worst previous...
Murrysville Democrats hold vigil on anniversary of attack on Capitol, call for federal voting lawVideo
On the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, Bill Hohlweg of Murrysville said he’s disturbed by the lack of acknowledgement, particularly by the Republican political class, about what happened in Washington, D.C. “To me it was a disgrace,” Hohlweg said. Murrysville Export Democratic Club President...
Export business owners get together to help promote the borough
Over the past several years, Export Borough has undergone a bit of a revitalization. Several once-empty storefronts along its downtown are occupied, and borough officials working with the Junior Hall Trust and the Export Historical Society have capitalized on the addition of the Westmoreland Heritage Trail by relocating Export’s war...
Murrysville: Parks challenge, Christmas tree recycling and more
Submit news briefs and event information to pvarine@triblive.com. Recreation department hosts ‘12 for 12’ parks challenge The Murrysville Recreation Department is again issuing its “12 for 12” challenge to residents alongside the Westmoreland Conservancy, encouraging the public to explore 12 miles of parks, reserves and trails, log their miles and...
‘Monticello Lights’ raises more than $20,000 for Delmont VFD and Project Bundle UpVideo
Delmont Volunteer Fire Department Chief Don Kline didn’t pull any punches when asked about his annual budget. “The budget is whatever I’m able to raise,” Kline said. “We have two gun bashes each year, but we’ve lost a lot of events to covid, and we don’t receive borough money.” That...
Franklin Regional FRobotics team gets back into gear with new workspace
The Franklin Regional FRobotics team was watching its robot undergo its inspection, one of the last steps before competing at the March 2020 robotics competition in New York. And that was when competition organizers sent everyone home as covid-19 shutdowns began in earnest across the state’s schools. So when the...
Vomit-fumed ‘Bradford’ pear tree lands on Pa. noxious weeds list, with sales to be banned
As an urban landscaping option, a certain ornamental, flowering pear tree might be nice and compact — even with a bit of an odorous downside. After some unfortunate cross-breeding between varieties, however, it now finds itself in the crosshairs of Pennsylvania horticulture officials. Callery pear, scientifically known as Pyrus calleryana...
Meet Kai Vigna of Harrison City — Allegheny Health Network’s 1st baby born in 2022
When Crissy Torres checked into Forbes Hospital in Monroeville, she certainly wasn’t expecting to be holding the first baby born in 2022 in the Allegheny Health Network. That’s because she initially checked into the hospital four days ago. But at 1:56 a.m. on New Year’s Day — and after labor...
Westmoreland residents ring in 2022 with pork, sauerkraut and cautious optimism
A cautious optimism about the coming year was on full display among some of the people waiting in line for a New Year’s Day meal at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Mt. Pleasant Township. “Happy new year,” one man wished another. The response came back quickly: “I hope it is.”...
Meet Kai Vigna of Harrison City — Allegheny Health Network’s 1st baby born in 2022
When Crissy Torres checked into Forbes Hospital in Monroeville, she certainly wasn’t expecting to be holding the first baby born in 2022 in the Allegheny Health Network. That’s because she initially checked into the hospital four days ago. But at 1:56 a.m. on New Year’s Day — and after labor...
Police investigate fatal Wilkinsburg shooting
Allegheny County detectives are investigating a fatal shooting discovered early Saturday morning in Wilkinsburg. Shortly before 6 a.m. on New Year’s Day, county emergency officials were notified of a woman laying in the 1300 block of Wood Street. First responders found an unknown-age female, who was dead at the scene....
Western Pennsylvania gets another rainy holiday for New Year’s
Instead of a white Christmas, Western Pennsylvania got a wet Christmas, and the region is in for a soggy New Year’s Day as well, according to weather forecasters. Allegheny, Westmoreland, Washington and Beaver counties were part of a hazardous weather advisory released early New Year’s Day by the National Weather...
1 in critical condition, 2 others shot following early New Year’s fight on the South Side
Three people were shot on Pittsburgh’s South Side in the early-morning hours of New Year’s Day, including one who is in critical condition, according to city police. Officers responded to the 1700 block of East Carson Street around 2 a.m. for a report of shots fired. they found a man...
New Year’s resolution to get more exercise? Cycling offers a variety of local options
One of the most popular among New Year’s resolutions is the one about getting back into shape, getting out more and exercising. Western Pennsylvania residents are being afforded more and more opportunities to do just that, through the ongoing development of trails across the region that appeal to walkers, runners...
Nutting family completes sale of Seven Springs, Hidden Valley, Laurel Mountain to Vail Resorts
The Nutting family and Vail Resorts have completed the sale of Seven Springs Mountain Resort, Hidden Valley Resort and the Laurel Mountain Ski Area for $118 million. “Looking back over the past 15 years, I am proud to be leaving all three properties much better than we had found them,”...
2 in critical condition following hit-and-run crash in Tarentum
Allegheny County Police investigators are pursuing information on a hit-and-run crash that critically injured two pedestrians Thursday on the Tarentum Bridge. The two people injured — an adult and juvenile — were transported by ambulance to undisclosed area hospitals after the 6:04 p.m. crash. Police reported the collision occurred in...
University of Pittsburgh issues shelter-in-place request, required covid testing for students
The University of Pittsburgh’s Covid-19 Medical Response Office has released a plan for the spring semester that includes a phased move-in beginning Jan. 8 along with a shelter-in-place request and testing for students. Pitt will make available one covid-19 test through Quest Diagnostics for all of the approximately 34,000 students...
Murrysville: Tree recycling, New Year’s Day hike and more
Submit news briefs and event information to pvarine@triblive.com. Rotary plans Christmas tree recycling in January The Murrysville-Export Rotary Club’s annual Christmas tree recycling drop-off will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 8 and 15 at the Windstream parking lot, 4792 Old William Penn Highway, Murrysville. AAUW speaker will...
Delmont police settling into new, expanded station
When Delmont police used to interview a victim or a witness, the cramped quarters in their previous department made it difficult. “You’d be talking to someone, and if we’d arrested a suspect, the suspect would be right there, basically able to hear everything,” Chief T.J. Klobucar said. “It wasn’t ideal.”...
Franklin Regional receives grant to expand annual Science Olympiad for elementary, middle-school students
Franklin Regional elementary teachers will be up-sizing their annual Science Olympiad in 2022 with the help of a $2,500 grant from the Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh. “We were able to establish an elementary and middle school Science Olympiad program in partnership with the SSP,” said fourth grade teacher Megan Melucci....
Sharky’s among those offering holiday meals for those in needVideo
It’s the season of giving, and volunteers from the Unity and Latrobe area gave their time and resources Thursday, working alongside staff at Sharky’s Cafe to package 600 meals that will be delivered in time for Christmas. That’s what it’s all about for Latrobe Rotarian and Youngwood business owner Todd...
TribLive Taste Test: Apple Pie and Sugar Cookie Toast CrunchVideo
If you’re a kid, you don’t want to waste a lot of time on Christmas morning deciding what you’ll have for breakfast. That’s taking up time better spent playing with toys. So the TribLive Taste Test team — working from home this week, and with the assistance of professional kid...
Pedestrian dies following Forest Hills crash
Allegheny County Police are investigating a crash that resulted in a pedestrian’s death Tuesday night in Forest Hills. Emergency responders were called to the 2000 block of Ardmore Boulevard, just south of Kenmore Avenue, where they found a man who’d been hit by a vehicle. Police said the man was...
Pittsburgh police: No victims found following gunfire in Homewood
Pittsburgh police say they only located a vehicle struck by bullets after responding to a report of gunfire in Homewood early Tuesday evening. Officers responded to the 7000 block of Frankstown Avenue near Homewood Avenue shortly before 5:30 p.m. for a ShotSpotter alert, according to police. Police found evidence of...
