Patrick Varine stories, Page 179
Police identify victim of fatal shooting early Saturday in Homestead
A 22-year-old man has died after he was shot early Saturday morning in Homestead. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office identifed the victim as Tre-quan Embry of Homestead. Police were called to the 300 block of East 17th Avenue at 12:37 a.m. on Feb. 2 for a report of shots...
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....
Black History Month brings ‘Black Panther’ back to theaters for free
In celebration of Black History Month, the Walt Disney Company will bring Oscar- and Screen Actors Guild-nominated film “Black Panther” back to theaters through Feb. 7 at 250 screens across the U.S. In the Pittsburgh area, it will be shown at the AMC Waterfront theater in West Homestead. The movie...
Arrest warrant turns up marijuana growing operation in Indiana County
State police serving an arrest warrant in Indiana County ended up discovering more than 80 marijuana plants and 13 gallon bags of marijuana at an Armstrong Township home. Troopers initially responded Jan. 31 to a home on the 1000 block of Route 156 to serve an arrest warrant for Scott...
Amplify Church’s ‘vision’ includes establishing three new campuses across Pa.
Jan. 27 was “Vision Sunday” at Amplify Church campuses in Plum and Pittsburgh’s Strip District, and that vision seeks to grow the church by leaps and bounds. Church officials announced plans to more than double Amplify’s footprint in Pennsylvania, working toward the establishment of campuses in the North Hills, South...
Westmoreland organizations seek to provide shelter for homeless during cold snap
It can be difficult to get an accurate picture of homelessness in Westmoreland County, but local officials and service organizations want to make sure those who found themselves in such a situation had a place to go amid this week’s frigid weather. “A lot of times they’re elusive and don’t...
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...
State police seek 4 men suspected of $4K Walmart theft in White Township
State police in Indiana County are seeking information on four men suspected of stealing $4,000 in merchandise from a Walmart in White Township. Police said that after loading shopping carts and leaving the store without paying on Jan. 26, the four suspects fled in a silver Infinity QX80 shortly after...
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...
Grant for homeless placement comes at the right time for Feeding the Spirit in Greensburg
A $10,000 grant from Dominion Energy could not have come at a better time for Greensburg nonprofit Feeding the Spirit. With subzero temperatures on the way Wednesday and Thursday, President Debbie Thackrah said group members had already spoken with eight people about finding them a place for relief from the...
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...
Don White, GOP state senator, leaving seat in middle of term
State Sen. Don White said that when he came to the Pennsylvania Legislature, he was 50 years old but felt like he was 30. “I was full of energy, anxious to do a good job,” he said Tuesday in a video posted to his website. These days? “Now I’m 69...
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...
North Allegheny student grows massive cabbage, earns $1,000 scholarship
If she were so inclined, Lily Ries could probably use the cabbage she grew in 2018 to make a life-sized version of pigs-in-a-blanket — with actual pigs. Ries, 9, now a fourth-grader at Peebles Elementary School in the North Allegheny School District, earned a $1,000 scholarship as the Pennsylvania winner...
Green Tree boarding business will host its own ‘Puppy Bowl’ on Super Bowl Sunday
The owners of Camp Bow Wow in Green Tree are more than willing to provide a cute distraction to this weekend’s Super Bowl with their first-ever “Puppy Bowl.” From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Feb. 3, adoptable puppies will “take the field” in the hopes of getting “drafted” by...
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...
‘The Dude’ was only teasing a new beer commercial, not a ‘Lebowski’ sequel
We knew it was almost too good to be true. When Jeff Bridges posted a Twitter video where he walked into a dimly-lit room dressed as “The Dude” from the Coen Brothers’ 1998 cult classic “The Big Lebowski,” he lit the Internet up with speculation that he might be teasing...
Ice artists create more than 70 sculptures for Ligonier Ice Fest, continues SundayVideo
Ernie DiMartino’s ice carvers have been working behind the scenes for weeks. And they’re not done yet — nine workers are transforming blocks of ice into beautiful sculptures at Ligonier’s Diamond Park. “There’s a lot going on, the weather’s perfect,” said Cindy Purnell, chairwoman of the 28th annual Ligonier Ice...
Catholic faith, Ukrainian roots were bedrock of Irwin man’s life
Being a Catholic with Ukrainian roots was the bedrock of Merle Morozowich’s life. It led him to a life of service in the League of Ukrainian Catholics, led his children to fond memories of the Pittsburgh Folk Festival and even led to a meeting with Pope John Paul II. “Both...
Protect P-T hopes letter-writing campaign can spur DEP investigation
A citizen’s group working to make sure unconventional gas development is done safely is not convinced that the Pennsylvania department charged with the same task is doing its job. Protect P-T, which is currently appealing two Penn Township well permits issued by the state’s Department of Environmental Protection to Apex...
New Florence man accused of shooting woman with BB gun
A New Florence man faces aggravated assault charges after police say he shot a 24-year-old woman multiple times with a BB gun. State police charged Allen K. Palmer, 31, with aggravated assault, simple assault and harassment. During an altercation at a Climax Road residence in West Wheatfield on Tuesday ,...
North Allegheny student grows massive cabbage, earns $1,000 scholarship
If she were so inclined, Lily Ries could probably use the cabbage she grew in 2018 to make a life-sized version of pigs-in-a-blanket — with actual pigs. Ries, 9, now a fourth-grader at Peebles Elementary School in the North Allegheny School District, earned a $1,000 scholarship as the Pennsylvania winner...
Jeannette woman passionate about volunteering, literacy
Gladys Peltier was a take-charge type of person, according to her family. It’s a good thing, too, because for many years she was in charge of both the annual Italian festival at Ascension Church in Jeannette and the weeklong High Park Jubilees in town. “She was always giving back,” said...
