Murrysville Star category, Page 126
Undecking the halls: How long do you leave your holiday decorations up?
When Shawn O’Mahony was growing up, it wasn’t unusual for his mother to let the Christmas tree stick around until Easter. That tradition didn’t carry over to her son. “When I decorated, the decorations were down before the new year,” said O’Mahony, a Penn Hills resident. “I like to start...
Sloan teachers, students move into first fully renovated classroom wing
When Sloan Elementary School teacher Janine Mickel attended a meeting with VEBH, the architects spearheading the design of the Sloan “elementary campus” project, she was told they “planned to bring the outdoors into the classroom.” Standing in a freshly renovated wing of the building that is complete and occupied by...
Murrysville webcam catches deer giving ground to wild turkeysVideo
A webcam recently captured a herd of deer relinquishing its ground to a group of invading wild turkeys in Murrysville. PixCams of Murrysville has 13 wildlife webcams, including ones monitoring the Pittsburgh bald eagles nest in Hays, elk in Benezette and wooded areas in places such as Murrysville. In the...
Murrysville window-screen company will appear on ABC’s ‘Shark Tank’ in JanuaryVideo
Joe Altieri was taking a huge risk when he decided to leave his job in the window industry to start up FlexScreen, a Murrysville company that provides removable, flexible window screens. Now he has a chance to have a professional investor share that risk. Altieri, a Plum resident, will appear...
Export fire destroys garage, damages home, sends firefighter for medical care
A family of four was displaced and a firefighter was transported by ambulance when a Monday afternoon blaze destroyed an Export garage and extensively damaged an adjoining home. The blaze was reported just before 1:30 p.m. on Arthur Street. The garage was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived, according to...
Monroeville man, woman charged in Murrysville liquor thefts
A Monroeville man and woman were charged with taking more than $400 in alcohol from a Murrysville Fine Wine & Good Spirits store around Thanksgiving. Kevin Livsey, 55, and Tiffany Springer-Livsey, 47, are accused by police of thefts on Nov. 25, 27 and 29 from the store in the Blue...
Franklin Regional’s annual telethon benefits UPMC Children’s Hospital Free Care FundVideo
It’s always busy during a class change at Franklin Regional Senior High School, but on Friday the hallways were especially jam-packed, as students and staff put on the school’s annual telethon fundraiser. Student organizations lined the hallway walls as media production students shot live segments outside the auditorium. Onstage, students...
Murrysville celebrates with ‘Santa at Sardis’
It was a little bit of a soggy celebration, but Murrysville officials’ decision to move its annual holiday event to Sardis Park was a success. The line was long and steady leading to Santa’s cabin on Dec. 7, as children and parents visited craft tables, nonprofits and dashed around Sardis...
Former state rep will present ‘The State of Education in Pennsylvania’ in Murrysville
As education experts in Pennsylvania go, it’s tough to top Ron Cowell. In addition to 24 years as a state representative with 12 years on the House Committee on Education, Cowell has been president and executive director for the Education Policy and Leadership Center in Harrisburg since 1999. He has...
Traffic stop, videos help police ID suspect in Murrysville, Penn Township thefts
A traffic stop in Murrysville led to the arrest of a suspect in multiple vehicle break-ins in several communities. Murrysville police Detective John Devlin stopped a damaged Nissan SUV for alleged equipment violations Nov. 22. It was identical to the SUV seen at the area of the vehicle break-ins: a...
Franklin Regional telethon has raised more than $139,000 over the years
When local viewers watch this year’s Franklin Regional Holiday Telethon, they will see four compelling reasons to consider donating to this year’s beneficiary, the UPMC Children’s Hospital Free Care Fund. “We have documentary segments on four (Franklin Regional) families who have been helped through the Free Care Fund,” said high...
Franklin Regional school board won’t delay construction on Sloan intermediate building
Construction of the new Sloan intermediate school in the Franklin Regional School District will continue after three of the four new school board members were unable to muster enough support to suspend work for a month. “Many of us ran for this position because people in the community were questioning...
Delmont moves ahead with Shields Farm log cabin repairs
Delmont officials will spend about $2,500 on white pine logs for the Shields Farm cabin on East Pittsburgh Street, and members of the Delmont Visionary Committee are hoping their research can help locate a trust to fund the cabin’s maintenance. Committee member AnnaMarie Stackiewicz said she found minutes from the...
Delmont adopts balanced 2020 budget with no tax hike
Delmont officials adopted a $1.25 million 2020 budget that holds the line on property taxes. The budget calls for $1,250,374 in both revenues and expenditures. Council members also adopted a resolution that will be forwarded to state officials, noting that the borough will not increase property taxes. They will remain...
Salem tattoo shop plans coat, shoe giveawayVideo
Dante Wiley Jr. knows how tough it can get for needy children during the holidays. “I didn’t have much growing up,” said Wiley, a Jeannette resident and general manager/part-owner at BullyInk tattoo parlor in Salem Plaza along Route 22. “I know how it feels. I know what it’s like to...
Here’s a list of upcoming holiday events in the greater Murrysville area
Here are some of the holiday-themed events coming up in the Star’s coverage area. Do you have a holiday event coming up? Email staff writer Patrick Varine at pvarine@tribweb.com. • The Masterworks Concert Chorale will present “Christmas In Germany,” a choral concert featuring Beethoven’s “Mass in C,” on Dec. 14...
Murrysville council, Olympus Energy continue working out possible fracking well conditions
A vote on Murrysville’s first fracking well will be postponed one more month, after council members and company officials were unable to agree on the list of conditions imposed on the drilling firm. Truck access to the Titan well pad site, transportation of water to the site, and the time...
Westmoreland talent fills out Laurel Ballet’s annual ‘Nutcracker’ production
Although “The Nutcracker” is perfect family Christmas entertainment, surprisingly it was not a hit when it was first performed in Russia in 1892. But when it did finally catch on more than 50 years ago, it quickly became a ubiquitous part of the holiday season. It’s now the most frequently-seen...
Delmont council to take a closer look at future of Shields Farm cabin
Before spending more money on the Shields Farm cabin on East Pittsburgh Street, Delmont officials want to decide what exactly the cabin’s future will be. “It’s open one weekend a year,” said Councilman Bill Marx, who recently met with officials from the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation, which deeded the...
Hills Church in Murrysville will host ‘Christmas in Germany’ concertVideo
Over the summer, Masterworks Concert Chorale Director Snezana Lazich fell in love with a piece by one of her favorite composers. “I found Beethoven’s ‘Mass in C,’ and it has such beautiful moments in it,” Lazich said. The 40 members of the MCC, along with a 15-piece orchestra of local...
Delmont paving program comes in $76,000 under budget
Surprises during the construction process are rarely positive. But a welcome surprise in Delmont helped borough officials save more than $75,000 on their annual roads program. “We anticipated a lot of base repair on (West Pittsburgh Street), but the concrete was actually in excellent condition,” borough engineer Kevin Brett told...
Murrysville Woman’s Club marks 100th anniversary in 2020Video
The Murrysville Woman’s Club “has figured out 50 million ways to raise money,” according to Joy Somers, who has been a member for nearly four decades. Somers’ tenure, however, isn’t even half the time the club has been in existence. Formed in 1920 to educate local women about voting following...
Export seeks grant to help with sewer fixesVideo
There’s no getting around the expensive price tag for sewer fixes in Export, but borough officials are hoping a state grant will help put a significant dent in it. Borough officials have applied for one of the H2O Program grants offered by the state’s Department of Community and Economic Development...
This weekend kicks off holiday events in Murrysville, Export and Delmont
Here are some of the holiday-themed events coming up in the Star’s coverage area. Do you have a holiday event coming up? Email staff writer Patrick Varine at pvarine@tribweb.com. • Export Light Up Night will take place at 7 p.m. on Dec. 6 outside the Export Volunteer Fire Department on...
Murrysville group will host Italian Christmas program with tenor Marco FioranteVideo
The American Association of University Women’s Murrysville chapter will host Italian singer Marco Fiorante at its Dec. 12 meeting for a special holiday program. Born in Cellino San Marco in Italy’s Puglia region, Fiorante completed his musical study in “canto lirico” (“opera performance”) at the Conservatorio Tito Schipa in Lecce,...
