Murrysville Star category, Page 141
Delmont residents look to form ‘visionary committee,’ will meet Wednesday
Several Delmont residents are looking to form a “visionary committee” as they prepare for the arrival of the Westmoreland Heritage Trail in the borough. Annamarie Stackiewicz of Delmont said those interested in forming the committee would be meeting for the first time at 7 p.m. Feb. 13 at the Delmont...
Delmont seeks bids for 2019 road program
Delmont officials will seek bids for a 2019 road program that includes parts of West Pittsburgh Street, Stotler Drive, Cupp Way and Greensburg Street. Borough council members voted unanimously to advertise the road program at their Feb. 12 meeting. In order of priority, the sections proposed include: • The remainder...
Murrysville church mission trip is eye-opening experience
Virginia Hamm of Murrysville knew French, so she was fairly confident she’d be able to get by on her church’s mission trip to Haiti. That was before she noticed the Haitian children she spoke to were disguising giggles, particularly when she said her name. “I kept trying, but I kept...
Franklin Regional students create ‘virtual art’ using grant-funded VR consolesVideo
Thanks to a grant from the FR Panther Foundation, Franklin Regional students now have a chance to step inside their artwork. A $6,300 grant from the foundation funded the purchase of two HTC Vive virtual reality consoles, which art teacher Denielle DeSantis is using in her classes. “Prior to this,...
FR superintendent will throw out first pitch at Pirates game in April
The Pittsburgh Pirates will recognize Pennsylvania Association of School Administrator’s Superintendent of the Year, Franklin Regional’s Gennaro Piraino, at their April 5 game against the Cincinnati Reds. Piraino will throw out the first pitch prior to the 7:05 p.m. game. Piraino was chosen as PASA’s 2019 Superintendent of the Year...
Heritage trail committee will meet on Valentine’s Day in Salem Township
The Westmoreland Heritage Trail board of directors will meet on Valentine’s Day. The public meeting will be at 7 p.m., Feb. 14 at the Lamplighter, 6566 William Penn Highway in Salem Township. The next phase of the Westmoreland Heritage Trail, connecting Murrysville and Export, is projected to be complete by...
Window screen company has gone from Plum garage to nationwide successVideo
When Joe Altieri began seeking a way to make a better window screen in his Plum garage, he was just looking to improve on what was century-old technology. “The current patent on window screens dates back to 1907,” Altieri said. “So you have 100-year-old technology on modern windows.” Altieri, 43,...
Murrysville will retrofit 13 more ponds to comply with state’s pollution reduction plan
In December, Murrysville council voted to partner with the Westmoreland Conservation District in retrofitting a half-dozen detention ponds so that they will hold more storm water for a longer period of time, part of the municipality’s state-mandated pollution reduction plan. Now, they will need a dozen or so more. Part...
FTMSA seeks Murrysville’s backing for $12 million bond issue
Newly-appointed Franklin Township Municipal Sanitary Authority board member Bob Mitall hopes $10 million will be enough to address the issues in the authority’s sewage system. But he isn’t sure. “Those of us with some experience doubt that $10 million will be enough to solve these problems,” Mitall told Murrysville council...
Newlonsburg Presbyterian hosts Christian parenting classes in Murrysville
A series of Christian parenting classes at Newlonsburg Presbyterian Church will continue this month in Murrysville. On Feb. 10, Newlonsburg youth director Ed Helm will discuss compassionate behavior management strategies. Helm has worked with Pittsburgh-area youth since 2010, and serves as teen leader for mission trips and service projects. On...
Turf, track updates part of Franklin Regional’s capital improvements plan
If the Franklin Regional school board gives its approval on Monday, Panther athletes will have a newly turfed field for the 2019-20 school year. Facilities Director Jim Heck briefed the board earlier this month on plans to resurface both the football field turf as well as the track, during an...
Mother of Sorrows students prepare to stage ‘Beauty & the Beast Jr.’Video
Mother of Sorrows teacher Cassidy Ayers has what she referred to as “a good problem” in directing the school’s production of “Beauty & the Beast Jr.” — too many students. Working on a much smaller scale and stage than the typical high-school musical, a full-ensemble number with 47 cast members...
Franklin Regional looks to equip all high school students with Google Chromebooks
As Franklin Regional School District officials pursue the goal of equipping every high school student with a Google Chromebook, they plan to move away from in-classroom laptop carts and toward simply providing each student with one of the computers. Following the success of a 2016 pilot program equipping roughly 90...
Franklin Regional school board will discuss Sloan project bids Monday night
Franklin Regional school board members will discuss awarding prime contracts for renovations to Sloan Elementary as well as a new elementary building on the Sloan property at Monday night’s meeting. The board’s committee-of-the-whole meetings do not include taking action on agenda items. They are discussion meetings, with a formal vote...
Chili cookoff will benefit Delmont Recreation Committee
The Delmont Recreation Committee will host a chili cook-off this month at Yellow Bridge Brewing. The cost is $10. Attendees will vote for their favorite chili, and proceeds will benefit the recreation committee’s activities and events. It will be at 12:30 p.m., Feb. 17 at Yellow Bridge, 2266 Route 66,...
Gospel singer Johnathan White to perform at Westmoreland churches
Gospel singer Johnathan White will play two Westmoreland County concerts on Feb. 17, in Murrysville and Sutersville. White has performed at the Grand Old Opry as well as the Bill Gaither Homecoming Concert Series. He will perform at 10:15 a.m. at The Church of Sutersville, at 1683 Mars Hill Road....
Franklin Regional cancels Thursday classes
With frigid temperatures hanging around for at least one more day, the Franklin Regional School District will again be closed on Thursday, Jan. 31. Athletes will be notified by their coaches about practices and scheduled events. The school day will be made up on April 23. For more, see FranklinRegional.k12.pa.us....
AAUW meeting in Murrysville will focus on eliminating household toxins
A Murrysville doctor will discuss eliminating household toxins for healthier living at the next American Association of University Women meeting, set for Feb. 14 in Murrysville. Dr. Rob Brown is the author of “Toxic Home, Conscious Home.” He wrote the book after a series of nosebleeds, which he ultimately traced...
Franklin Regional youth wrestlers take back-to-back dual-meet championships
The Franklin Regional JO wrestling dual team continued its undefeated season with back-to-back wins over the weekend. The team came away with first-place finishes at both the Dead of Winter and Kiski Area Youth dual meets on Jan. 26 and 27, respectively. Head coach Dan Megaludis said taking the program...
Simple bench helps teach Mother of Sorrows students about HolocaustVideo
Teaching sixth-graders about the Holocaust is not an easy task. “At the sixth-grade level, you have to be very careful in what you expose kids to,” said Patty Weisser of Murrysville, a teacher at Mother of Sorrows School. “My spin on it is to focus on the tolerance we should...
Murrysville police will have a warming center ready if needed during the cold snap
Murrysville police have notified municipal residents that a warming center will be ready, should they need it, as frigid temperatures begin moving into the area into Wednesday. Murrysville Alliance Church on Old William Penn Highway will serve as a warming center on an as-needed basis Wednesday and Thursday, according to...
FR cancels school Wednesday; make-up date set for Feb. 18
Due the extreme cold blowing into the Pittsburgh area, the Franklin Regional School District will be closed on Wednesday, Jan. 30. Athletes will be notified by their coaches about practices and scheduled events. The school day will be made up on Feb. 18, the President’s Day holiday. For more, see...
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra clarinetist to perform in Murrysville
A clarinetist of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra will perform in Murrysville in February. Ana Victoria Luperi, the PSO’s associate principal clarinet, will perform along with Pittsburgh pianist Rodrigo Ojeda from 1 to 2 p.m. Feb. 18 at Redstone Highlands, 4951 Cline Hollow Road. Symphony East is sponsoring the free event....
Challenge to Murrysville fracking ordinance will continue in February
The Murrysville Watch Committee’s challenge of the local fracking ordinance will continue Feb. 12 before the municipality’s zoning hearing board. The board’s three-hour Jan. 24 session was devoted to testimony by Murrysville Chief Administrator Jim Morrison, whose work on the existing fracking ordinance dates back nearly a decade. Morrison outlined...
Murrysville library will host speed-dating event… for books??
Murrysville library officials are hoping that patrons might be willing to take a stranger home, possibly even to bed — that is, if you enjoy reading before you fall asleep. The library will host “Speed Dating with a Book” on Feb. 9, where local officials will act as “matchmakers,” pitching...
