Murrysville Star category, Page 96
Duff family’s roots extend across Western Pennsylvania
The roots of the Duff family tree extend across much of Western Pennsylvania, including to Murrysville, where the surname should ring a bell as the namesake of the municipality’s first park. Duff Park was acquired by the municipality in 1968, and was originally formed from three parcels totaling about 143...
Program seeks to help Westmoreland seniors who lack technology get coronavirus vaccine appointment
Senior citizens in Westmoreland County who don’t have access to technology to find and schedule coronavirus vaccine appointments are getting some help. The United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania is partnering with Excela Health and others to coordinate and schedule appointments for Westmoreland County’s vulnerable residents 65 and older, said Alyssa...
TribLive Sniff Test: Scents from the Demeter Fragrance LibraryVideo
Today on the TribLive Taste Test, it’s actually the TribLive Sniff Test, as we sample fragrances — some of which are, shall we say, quite a ways off the beaten path — from the Demeter Fragrance Library. We’ll try to guess what each one is, and decide whether it’s something...
Franklin Regional’s ‘Into the Woods’ cast preps for pared-down productionVideo
Franklin Regional Senior High School students will present their spring musical, Stephen Sondheim’s “Into the Woods,” to a much smaller audience than usual due to health and safety restrictions. But the cast is still hard at work preparing for the show. “Into the Woods” will run March 11-14 in the...
Franklin Regional team manager Ben Kimmich is ‘life of the team’Video
Ben Kimmich smiles as the basketball comes to him in the Franklin Regional lay-up line. He takes the ball, dribbles a couple of times, hop-steps and banks in a two-handed shot that he shoves into the air with a grunt, before jogging back to the end of the line. Varsity...
Eastern area real estate transactions for the week of March 7, 2021
Chalfant William Becker sold property at 178 Brighton St. to James and Carol Tessauro for $150,000. Estate of John Boyce sold property at 220 Highland Ave. to PGH Holding LLC for $45,000. Churchill William Dipaolo sold property at 3766 E. Rural Court to Emily Rybinski for $157,000. Delmont Eric Seabury...
Export officials talk trash about garbage, recycling hauler Republic Services
Export officials hope making headway with their garbage and recycling contractor will lead to fewer issues with hauling service in the borough. Council members have been unhappy with Republic Services for some time, discussing unaddressed issues at council meetings and fielding complaints from residents about missed pickups and poor service....
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...
