Murrysville Star category, Page 92
Easter events a little easier to plan after a year of adjusting to covid-19
Local towns are planning for another Easter under the specter of the covid-19 pandemic. But, unlike last year, those planning the events have a much clearer idea of how to safely host them. “It was easier to plan and anticipate what we wanted our holiday event to look like,” Murrysville...
Greensburg offers free lifeguard certification course to boost lagging recruitment
A good lifeguard is hard to find, which is why Greensburg’s recreation department is offering free lifeguard certification courses as a new recruitment tool. “We had a difficult time in general getting kids to apply for the jobs,” said Trudy Ivory, former recreation facilities manager for the city. Ivory retired...
Get coffee or creative fix at Murrysville’s Brushes & Beans CafeVideo
Come for the coffee and stay to paint a piece of pottery. Or vice versa. That’s what owners Mark and Amanda Clemente hope people will do at Brushes & Beans Cafe in Murrysville. In two spacious rooms, the new business at 4550 William Penn Highway houses a coffee shop and...
Franklin Regional Unified Club celebrates Special Olympics fundraising with ‘Cool School Plunge’Video
After raising more than $6,000 for Special Olympics Pennsylvania, members of the Franklin Regional Unified Club were ready to celebrate. Typically, that celebration takes the form of the annual Polar Plunge held at Heinz Field and pitting kids and adults alike against the shattering cold of Western Pennsylvania water in...
Export officials continue community park upgrades
Export officials spent a good portion of the past year updating the borough’s playground, off of Roosevelt Avenue, and want to keep that momentum going as spring approaches. “We’ve cut the (dead) trees down, we did the basketball court, and now we need to fix that fence,” Councilman John Nagoda...
Murrysville-Export Rotary president will serve as district governor in ’23
Editor’s note: Neighbor Spotlight is a monthly feature that aims to let our readers learn more about the people in their communities who are working to make them a better place. If you would like to nominate someone as a Neighbor Spotlight, email Neighborhood News Network editor Katie Green at...
Mars grinds out win over Franklin Regional in Class 5A first round
In this unpredictable and unorthodox season, Mars boys basketball coach Rob Carmody is set to savor every victory that comes along. The Planets took the lead midway through the first quarter and hit a big basket every time Franklin Regional cut into their lead to post a 54-45 victory Wednesday...
Westmoreland commissioners demand increase in covid vaccine deliveries
Westmoreland County’s Republican leaders on Wednesday demanded Pennsylvania Department of Health officials increase the supply of covid-19 vaccines to the county. In a letter sent to Alison Beam, the state’s acting secretary of health, Commissioners Sean Kertes and Doug Chew called for ‘immediate and substantial adjustments” to the distribution of...
Franklin Regional National Science Bowl team advances to national competitionVideo
Last year, Franklin Regional’s National Science Bowl team made it to the semi-final round, finishing in third place after a loss to North Allegheny Cyber School. Last month, the team — including many of the same members as last year — overcame the same opponents, only this time it was...
Franklin Regional grad Spencer Lee, Iowa wrestlers try to defend Big Ten title after long layoff
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Running outdoors when the temperature was below zero wasn’t optimal, but it was the only way Iowa wrestlers could stay in shape during their 10-day pause because of positive covid-19 tests in the program. “When you’re doing that, you think, ‘I don’t know how many sports...
Eastern area real estate transactions for the week of Feb. 28, 2021
Chalfant Federal National Mortgage Assn. sold property at 314 Highland Ave. to Jonathan Dietz for $154,900. Bridgett Bothell sold property at 1010 Pin Oak Court to Maciej Skrzypczak for $98,000. Delmont Shawn Kelley sold property at 23 W Pine St. to Shawn Kelley and Traci Peters for $1 (state deed...
Westmoreland basketball notebook: Franklin Regional, Mars set for another playoff meeting
Rivalry is a strong word. Franklin Regional and Mars have a history, yes. But it’s more of a friendly get-together when they play than a mean-spirited rivalry. You could argue Franklin Regional had more of a competitive spark with Highlands before the Golden Rams went to Class 4A. (They’re back...
Bataan Memorial March slated for April 17 at Westmoreland Heritage Trail in Trafford
An event next month will honor those 76,000 American and Filipino soldiers who endured a 65-mile forced march in the Philippines as prisoners of the Japanese during World War II. The Norwin Air Force Junior ROTC cadets are sponsoring a 14-mile walk or run along the Westmoreland Heritage Trail between...
Franklin Regional board members see some savings, possible expense for Sloan elementary project
While Franklin Regional school members were more than happy to get a credit of more than $42,000 in costs related to the Sloan “elementary campus” project, they weren’t so sure about a discounted price for a new ceiling they weren’t planning to install. Mechanical contractors working in the kitchen area...
Murrysville police charge former Export man with assault, strangulation
Murrysville police said a 26-year-old man was arrested early Sunday on charges of harassment, simple assault and strangulation following an alleged incident inside a woman’s apartment. Zachary Musto of Rochester, Beaver County, was arrested following the reported attack around 12:10 a.m. that occurred in the 1100 block of Ohio Street....
Murrysville-Export-Delmont covid figures tallied for the week of March 1, 2021
The most recent data from the state Department of Health shows 1,242 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Murrysville area since the pandemic started in March 2020. Of those positive results, 18 cases were reported in the past seven days. The health department on Monday released figures for the three...
Franklin Regional boys rally in 4th quarter to defeat Armstrong
Franklin Regional scored three points in the third quarter and surrendered the lead for the first time to that point against visiting Armstrong. Some teams might have withered at the lack of offense and shift in momentum, especially in a playoff atmosphere. Not Franklin Regional. “We weren’t losing this game,...
‘Shark Tank’ circles back to highlight Murrysville company’s success story
The home page for Murrysville-based company FlexScreen has a concise message: “The world’s first and only flexible window screen.” It seems like such a simple concept, even company founder Joe Altieri couldn’t believe no one had done it. And his execution of it was so effective that he had multiple...
Murrysville woman finds author’s voice during pandemic with message of inclusion
One evening during the pandemic, Vivian O’Hara of Murrysville went to sleep with a lot weighing on her mind. “On the news they’d showed a story about a little boy, seven years old, who rescued his younger sister from a vicious dog attack,” said O’Hara. “He suffered a lot of...
Delmont resident turns hunting passion into podcast for new sportsmen
George Konetes was looking for a hobby and tradition he could pass down to his kids, as well as a reason to go outside. “I never hunted, but I’d hear people talk about it and it was like this mystical thing I could never get close to,” said Konetes, 35,...
Senior emerges as unlikely top scorer for Franklin Regional
In a flash of a couple of seconds, Kadyn Hannah saw a microcosm of his basketball career manifest before his eyes, in the form of a turnover. A painful turnover. But he owned the moment. “It was a travel, yes,” the 6-foot-4 senior forward from Franklin Regional said. “But here’s...
Westmoreland transit to offer free rides for covid vaccines
Westmoreland County Transit will provide free rides on its buses and paratransit vehicles to local covid-19 vaccine clinics. Anyone with a scheduled appointment to receive the vaccine is eligible for the service Mondays through Saturdays in the service area, including Westmoreland County and Downtown Pittsburgh. “We wanted to eliminate a...
Murrysville-area charges filed: Feb. 25, 2021
Charges recently filed with Export District Judge Charles Conway. All individuals have the right to a preliminary hearing and are innocent until proven guilty or pleading guilty before a judge in the Westmoreland County Court of Common Pleas. • Christine M. Stasenko, 39, of Apollo, with harassment following a Feb....
Penn-Trafford boys pass test against Franklin Regional
Penn-Trafford is known for playing close basketball games and competing with some of the best in the WPIAL. Franklin Regional has a similar reputation for playing anybody, anytime. So, when the teams met Wednesday night, the last thing they wanted to hear was that they weren’t playing for anything. That...
Franklin Regional students prepare for ‘Into the Woods’ with a scaled-down audienceVideo
Franklin Regional Senior High School students might be performing Stephen Sondheim’s “Into the Woods,” but when it comes to health and safety, they certainly aren’t out of the woods yet. That means this year’s spring musical attendance will be restricted to the families of cast and crew members. But for...
