Patrick Varine stories, Page 145
Union Presbyterian in Murrysville marks 60 years since moving ‘across the street’Video
Donna Doyle remembers watching her father supervise the construction crew that set the steeple on a newly built Union Presbyterian Church in Murrysville in 1959. In March, members of the church will mark their 60th anniversary in that building. As Doyle looks at a photo of that steeple being lowered...
Lesser-known presidential candidate debate slated for March in Chicago
Just because they aren’t on CNN, Fox News and MSNBC all day doesn’t mean they aren’t running for president. As the Democratic National Committee awaits delegate counts to see who will end up running against President Trump this November, 21 lesser-known presidential candidates will take a debate stage next month...
‘Ricky the Oil Man’ of Yukon had lifelong fascination with the petroleum business
Richard Catone was well known as “Ricky the Oil Man.” His reputation even extended to when his daughter Cynthia Sherwin moved into his former childhood home in Yukon. “People used to call all the time trying to pay their bills or with a question for my dad,” she said. The...
Conservancy seeking volunteers to help prune apple trees in Murrysville
Westmoreland Conservancy officials are looking for a few good apples, so they can create a whole bunch more. The metaphorical “few good apples” would be additional volunteers to help with a Feb. 22 apple-tree pruning session at the Conservancy’s Morosini Reserve in southeast Murrysville. “This will be our third time...
Western Pa. libraries prepare for upcoming chess tournamentsVideo
At 12 years old, Sidd Ramineni is understandably a little shy when it comes to discussing his accomplishments. But with a display shelf at his Murrysville home that’s filled with chess trophies, he certainly would have plenty to brag about. “I like the strategy you have to use,” said Sidd,...
Indiana Borough police continue to investigate Valentine’s Day armed robberies
Indiana Borough police continue to process evidence and conduct follow-up interviews in the wake of a pair of armed robberies that left two Indiana University of Pennsylvania students injured on Valentine’s Day, including one who was shot in the neck. Borough police said Sunday night that they had recovered cellphones...
Murrysville police seek information on criminal mischief at Bear Hollow ParkVideo
Murrysville police are seeking the public’s help in identifying the vandals responsible for property damage at the municipality’s Bear Hollow Park. Vandals “have been breaking picnic tables by flipping them over and also throwing them into the creek,” police officials wrote in a Feb. 14 post to their Facebook page....
Franklin Regional journeys to Egypt with spring production of ‘Joseph’Video
Vishal Pandey could be forgiven for having acting whiplash. This past fall, the Franklin Regional senior was working on becoming as creepy and intimidating as possible for his lead role in “Dracula.” During a rainy week in February, however, Pandey, 18, was belting out tunes about his coat of many...
North Huntingdon native releases country debut on Valentine’s DayVideo
The title of North Huntingdon native Ashley Puckett’s debut album “Never Say Never,” which was released Friday, is more than just a well-known turn of phrase. “There was a time I really wasn’t sure music would go any farther for me, except performing open mic nights here and there and...
Roof work, colonial garden proposed for Shields Farm cabin in Delmont
A Delmont group is hoping to make some improvements at the Shields Farm log cabin on East Pittsburgh Street, but they may need to rein in their ambition just a bit, according to the borough solicitor. Visionary Committee members presented a $2,800 bid to council to have eaves installed on...
Newlonsburg students will transform into ‘Kids of Steel’ for Pittsburgh marathon weekendVideo
Newlonsburg Elementary kindergarten student Penny Ryan is really just excited to see her father’s office in Downtown Pittsburgh on May 2. That she and her brother will run with the Kids of Steel group in the Chick-fil-A Pittsburgh Kids Marathon during the Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon weekend is more...
Stage crew: Unsung heroes of the high school musicalVideo
If Franklin Regional sophomore Jess Wingard never has to build another staircase, it will be too soon. “That’s the biggest challenge,” said Wingard, 15, a member of the stage crew for FR’s spring production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” “You have to cut some things bigger than they...
Delmont readies for borough-wide spring cleaning
Delmont Borough has its spring cleaning all planned out. The weekend of April 25-26 will see the annual borough-wide cleanup take place, with Dumpsters on hand for residents to make drop-offs, but the Delmont Visionary Committee also will patrol borough streets with volunteers picking up trash. “We’ve got trash bags...
Murrysville recreation department takes over former adult education classes
Over the course of more than six decades, the Franklin Regional Adult School offered opportunities for residents to explore a wide range of topics, from law classes to Indian cooking to a class for older adults just starting out on Facebook. The non-credit enrichment program — in which classes were...
Former Mt. Pleasant woman pleads guilty to defrauding 2 employers
A former Mt. Pleasant woman pleaded guilty in two separate fraud indictments, according to U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady. Jennifer L. Clark, also known as Jennifer Gill, 42, is a former Mt. Pleasant resident now living in Pinellas Park, Fla. Clark pleaded guilty to four counts in connection with two...
Performing arts group will host 1-day ‘Moana’ children’s workshop in Murrysville
Children with an interest in singing, dancing and acting can get a taste of theatrical life when the Alabaster Performing Arts group hosts a one-day “Moana” workshop Feb. 22 in Murrysville. “The workshop gives kids an experience and a quick one-day lesson on performing,” Duquesne University music school alum and...
Megadeth sets Pittsburgh-area stop on 1st American tour since 2017Video
Heavy-metal legends Megadeth will be joined by Lamb of God, Trivium and In Flames when they come to S&T Bank Music Park in Burgettstown on June 28. Tickets for the show will go on sale Feb. 14 at LiveNation.com. “The world has never needed heavy more than it does today,...
State grant aims to align local education with employers’ expectations
If Franklin Regional teachers are going to prepare their students for the modern workplace, it only makes sense to find out what that workplace looks like and how its expectations align with the district’s curriculum. Staff members were given that opportunity, along with professional development training in college and career...
Amphitheater in the works for Murrysville Community Park
A state grant could bring an amphitheater one step closer to reality at Murrysville Community Park, though not everyone is happy about the prospect. Planning for the amphitheater was boosted by a $299,000 grant from the state’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and municipal parks and recreation officials would...
Turturro brings ‘Big Lebowski’ character back with ‘The Jesus Rolls’Video
Normally, it would be extremely bad form to get excited about a movie starring a character whose main claim to fame is as a pederast who happens to be an excellent bowler. But the 1998 Coen Brothers cult classic film “The Big Lebowski,” with its bizarre and hilarious blend of...
Delmont library, Westmoreland Cleanways to host ‘Love Your Planet’ program
You can’t get a free Blizzard after the blizzard, but if Friday’s winter weather hasn’t made you weary of frozen stuff, the Delmont library’s Saturday program offers children a chance for a free ice cream cone. The library will hold a “Love Your Planet” program and craft session at 11...
Winter weather briefly closes westbound lanes of Route 380
While it reopened about a half-hour later, the westbound lanes of Route 380 were shut down shortly after 8 a.m. Friday morning until about 8:35 a.m. Poor road conditions due to snow accumulation, and several vehicles stuck on the road forced the closure, police said via a Nixle alert. Police...
Senators urge rapid implementation of measures to combat tick-borne illness
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators is urging the nation’s Department of Health & Human Services to quickly implement measures in the Kay Hagan Tick Act, aimed at improving research, prevention, diagnostics and treatment of tick-borne illnesses. The legislation is named in honor of former Sen. Kay Hagan, who died...
Murrysville, FTMSA seek temporary repairs for several bridges
The Franklin Township Municipal Sanitary Authority and Murrysville will advertise for a project to repair three bridges in Murrysville, but officials say it is only a temporary fix. Three bridges — in the Heather Highlands, Cal-Ken Court and Logan’s Ferry Road areas — are in need of repairs. “The original...
GOP reactions to budget proposal range from ‘cautiously optimistic’ to ‘fiscally irresponsible’
Republican lawmakers’ reaction to Gov. Tom Wolf’s $36.1 billion budget proposal on Tuesday ran the gamut from “cautiously optimistic” to “fiscally irresponsible.” “The governor’s proposal is a good start,” said state Rep. Bob Brooks, R-Murrysville, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “I am committed to holding the budget to...
