Patrick Varine stories, Page 156
Some Delmont residents unhappy with hauling service
Topics vary at monthly Delmont council meetings, but one topic has come up fairly consistently over the past year or so: complaints about trash service, provided in the borough by Republic Services. “Everything that we signed onto as part of this contract has gone away,” said resident Randy Otto, who...
Murrysville golf course will host fundraiser for Great Pyrenees clubVideo
Janice Trzeciak of Penn Hills was only planning to foster Jasmine, a big, adorable Great Pyrenees dog, until she could find the animal a permanent home. But one day when Trzeciak went to meet with a potential “forever family,” she discovered that she just wasn’t ready to say goodbye. Jasmine...
Historical society celebrates Northern Turnpike’s bicentennial
The Murrysville Historical Preservation Society will host its annual Heritage Festival on Sept. 21, and this year’s festival will mark the 200th anniversary of the Northern Turnpike. Tribune-Review archives contain quite a lot of information about the roadway’s history, and local historians have published a wealth of material about it....
Overholt Rye whiskey, once owned by Mellon family, to be auctioned in Kentucky
Someone next week will have a shot at buying a historic bottle of whiskey distilled in Westmoreland County that typically fetches more than $1,000 a shot, on the rare occasion it can be found. On Thursday, a 1909 bottle of Overholt Rye whiskey — passed down through the Mellon family...
Greensburg man loved all things sports
If it involved sports, chances are good that Eugene Burke of Greensburg was interested. Over the years, Burke served as an assistant athletic director at the former North Union High School, ran an undergraduate basketball tournament in the late 1960s and early ’70s, and was a PIAA referee from the...
Bear Hollow the latest Murrysville park to see updates, improvements
Murrysville Community Park may have gotten most of the attention this summer thanks to its brand new splash park and playground, but municipal recreation officials don’t want residents to forget about the other parks in town. “We’ve taken a park each year and outlined what needs to be updated and...
Connellsville earns ‘scenic achievement’ award from Pittsburgh groupVideo
Connellsville’s reputation is that of a post-industrial town, and as the former “coal and coke capital” of the United States. But city officials looking to pay homage to its history — while also casting an eye to the future — are being recognized for their efforts. The city will receive...
Resonance Music and Arts Festival relocates to Slippery Rock in 6th yearVideo
What happens when you gather more than 40 bands steeped in funk, electronica, jam, rock fusion and more? You get the sixth annual Resonance Music and Arts Festival, set for Sept. 19-22, which this year will move to a new location at Coopers Lake Campground in Slippery Rock. “We’re really...
State rep will host concealed-carry seminar in Fayette County
Kim Stolfer, president of Firearms Owners Against Crime, wants Pennsylvania residents to know “not just the law but also the moral and ethical duties when it comes to carrying a firearm.” Stolfer will discuss those duties, as well as talk about Pennsylvania’s concealed-carry laws and permitting, at a free seminar...
World’s largest U.S. flag will come to Derry this weekendVideo
Impulse purchases will many times include little things like snacks, a pack of gum or a random item unexpectedly on sale. But when Unity’s Ted Dorfman makes an impulse buy, he goes big: he bought the world’s largest American flag, a 400-foot-long behemoth that weighs 7 tons and requires its...
Delmont committee mulling options for bringing Heritage Trail spur into borough
After working with Indiana University of Pennsylvania students on possible routes to close a gap in the Westmoreland Heritage Trail between Export and Delmont, members of the Delmont Visionary Committee are turning their focus to a potential trail spur leading into Delmont. “However the trail comes to the borough, it’s...
Sales of Tröegs beer will fund Appalachian forest preservationVideo
Proceeds from the sale of a beer brewed in central Pennsylvania will help preserve a 185-mile swath of forested Appalachian mountains in that part of the state. On Monday, Hershey-based Tröegs Independent Brewing released its Trail Day Pale Ale. Proceeds from sales of the dry-hopped ale will be placed in...
VA will host town-hall meeting with veterans in Hempfield
Earlier this summer, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System officials met with veterans at a series of town-hall-style meetings in Westmoreland, Allegheny, Washington, Beaver, Fayette and Belmont (Ohio) counties, to seek their input on the VA and how it can be improved. “We heard questions and comments on urgent-care options, emergency department...
TribLive Taste Test: Frozen Garden Green SmoothiesVideo
Some people prefer Greek yogurt in their smoothies. Some people pack their full of peanut butter protein powder and almond milk. The folks at Frozen Garden have opted for nothing but nature: they sent over nine varieties of their Green Smoothie line, full of fresh-frozen ingredients that only need to...
Westmoreland Conservancy will open Murrysville trail for people with mobility issuesVideo
Rob Malley’s older brother was an avid hunter and fisherman who loved being in the woods while he was growing up. “He was in an accident, became a quadriplegic, and all of that was kind of closed to him,” said Malley, a member of the Westmoreland Conservancy’s board of directors...
Here’s 5 things to do in the Murrysville area this weekendVideo
You don’t need to wander far to get lost in Murrysville. In fact, you only need to journey as far as Gearhard Farms on Saltsburg Road. The 250-year-old farm, which is older than America itself, is also celebrating two decades of its corn maze, which will be open through October....
New Florence professor had a deep love of model railroads
When Merwin Weed built a train layout, he didn’t mess around — and there was no such thing as a miniature train layout. “That was always a passion for him and his brother,” Bonnie Chovanec, of Blairsville, said of her father. “They shared a bedroom, and they built a train...
Export councilman sets out on 2,500-mile antique motorcycle race
It’s a good thing Joe Ferri is handy with a wrench and knowledgeable about his 1947 Indian Chief motorcycle. Because the Export councilman is on his own should it break down during the Cross Country Chase, a 10-day, 2,500-mile antique cycle rally from Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., to Key West,...
Is Netflix’s awesome ‘Dark Crystal’ series too intense for audiences?Video
Earlier this summer, a local recreation board was kicking off its summer outdoor movie series with a showing of “The Goonies.” When the rec board chairman mentioned that it was a PG-rated movie, I raised my hand to remind him “that’s a 1985 PG rating, don’t forget. They let a...
TribLive Taste Test: Man Crates Beef Jerky Tool BoxVideo
For the man (or woman) who can’t get enough dried beef in their life, today the TribLive Taste Test team tried out Man Crates’ Jerky Tool Box. It comes in a cardboard replica tool box and is loaded up with half-ounce and 1-ounce samples of 14 types of beef jerky....
Newhouse Park in Delmont will host 2 benefit events this weekend
If you’re looking for good food and good beer — to benefit a good cause — Delmont is the borough to be in this weekend. Both the Delmont Recreation Board and the Murrysville-Export Rotary will be hosting events over the weekend to benefit local causes. On Saturday, the second annual...
Historical designation the goal for uncovered Export mine entrance
After a local Boy Scout got the project going, Export Historical Society officials now are looking to designate the former Westmoreland Coal Company’s No. 2 mine as a historical site. Troy Florian, 17, of Murrysville, is a member of Troop 205, which helped him clear the entrance to the mine,...
2 people rescued after Donegal Township crash
Two people were rescued after their car went over a hillside in Donegal Township on Tuesday night, Westmoreland County dispatchers said. At least one person was taken by helicopter to a local hospital, emergency officials said, after a crash near the intersection of Route 31 and Green Acres Lane shortly...
Murrysville will continue fracking well hearing on Wednesday
Murrysville council will continue its public hearing on applications for the Titan well pad off Bollinger Road, and will hold public hearings on two liquor-license transfers, at its meeting Wednesday night. The public hearing on the proposed 350-by-500-foot well pad, set on a 71-acre property, has been ongoing since June....
Murrysville Meals on Wheels seeks kitchen volunteers
Two years ago, Murrysville Meals on Wheels Coordinator Lynn Staab was looking for volunteer drivers as the organization marked its 45th anniversary. This year, she’s seeking a few folks willing to throw down once a month in the kitchen. “That’s where our need is now,” Staab said. “All of our...
