Patrick Varine stories, Page 60
Where’s the beef? More than 30 cattle missing from Fayette County farm
A Perry Township farmer is asking for help finding more than 30 cattle that left their enclosure when a gate was left open over the weekend. “The utility companies were up in our hay field repairing poles, and either West Penn Power or one of their contractors left the gate...
AARP recruiting volunteers for Westmoreland tax-preparation sites
Despite clearly having five letters, “taxes” is a four-letter word for a lot of people. Many would prefer to have nothing whatsoever to do with them. That’s where Bob Schumacher of Penn Township comes in. He can’t make your taxes go away, but he hook you up with someone to...
Standout Monessen basketball player charged with marijuana possession, criminal trespass
A standout player on Monessen High School’s basketball team is charged with drug possession after police said he and two juveniles were found smoking marijuana in an abandoned house. Police were called to the 600 block of Reed Avenue in the city just before 1:15 p.m. Sunday. The building’s owner...
Trafford’s Theatre Factory to debut play this weekend at Pittsburgh New Works FestivalVideo
When Josette Kurey realized she would be directing actors Ron and Mary Ferrara of Vandergrift as part the world premiere of a new play about a married Italian-American couple from Queens, N.Y., she knew things were on the right track. “They’re almost playing themselves, married Italian grandparents. It’s very funny,...
Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts cold, snowy winter for Pennsylvania
The Old Farmer’s Almanac has been issuing weather predictions since 1792, and the forecast for the 2023-24 winter is calling for plenty of snow. “Most areas of the United States that typically see snow should be prepared for crisp temperatures and oodles of fluffy white throughout the season,” almanac officials...
Murrysville council approves injection well ordinance
While Murrysville officials might revisit the ordinance they approved this month regarding injection wells, several of the concerns expressed by residents and council members appear to be addressed through existing laws and regulations. Staff and council have been working on the specifics of an ordinance to add injection wells to...
Lords, ladies and at least 1 furry: Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival kicks off in South Huntingdon
There are many sights at the annual Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival that are absolutely spot-on when it comes to medieval accuracy — the heraldry on a particular flag, the attention to detail on a splendid royal outfit or the satisfying way the pieces of a gauntlet slide effortlessly back and forth...
Pa. school district auctioning its fully loaded food truck
Typically, people perusing the Municibid website are seeking something like a used public works truck, or perhaps looking to pick up an extra snowblower without spending a ton of money on a new model. But if you’re looking to get into the food truck business, the site can get you...
Franklin Regional kicks off new school year
Students in the Franklin Regional School District were among the first in the region to begin classes when they arrived at school Aug. 23. Start dates for other schools in the county include: Thursday — Hempfield Area elementary and high school, Jeannette City, Monessen City, Norwin, Penn-Trafford. Friday — Hempfield...
Use of force by city police to be reviewed in Downtown Pittsburgh drug arrest
Pittsburgh’s Department of Public Safety will review the use of force by a group of city police during their arrest of a man Downtown on Friday night, after multiple videos posted to social media brought criticism from community groups and others. Police said the man, identified in a criminal complaint...
Court ruling on Pa. education funding puts school infrastructure in spotlight
As residents of Hempfield recently learned, the cost associated with school building projects can easily climb above $100 million. For decades, school administrators could turn to what was known as PlanCon to pursue state funding to help ease the local burden. PlanCon — short for the Planning and Construction Workbook...
Coroner called to scene of drowning in Connellsville
A person appears to have drowned in the Youghiogheny River early Saturday afternoon, Fayette County 911 officials said. Emergency responders were called to Yough River Park, just off North Sixth Street along the banks of the Yough, around noon. One person was recovered from the water, and the county coroner...
Kids and adults celebrate the banana split in Latrobe
How early is too early to enjoy a banana split? “Anytime is a good time,” said Eva Gilbert, 8, of Latrobe as she enjoyed lunch with sisters Lily, 6 and Anna, 4, at the Great American Banana Split Celebration, which runs through Sunday in downtown Latrobe. Clearly, 11 a.m. is...
Clairton crash victim dies of gunshot wound
Allegheny County Police detectives are investigating the death of a man found shot in the chest Friday night in Clairton. First responders were initially called to the 600 block of Miller Avenue in Clairton just before 11 p.m. for a report of a single-vehicle crash. They arrived to find a...
Power coming back steadily across Southwestern Pa. after heavy storms, Fayette tornado, but outages remain
Power crews continued working Saturday afternoon to restore power to more than 5,000 customers in Southwestern Pennsylvania following strong storms and a tornado that touched down in Fayette County. West Penn Power had about 3,690 customers still without power around 5 p.m. Saturday, down from 8,000 in the morning. The...
Casey hopes tax credits for clean-energy projects can boost Pa.’s ‘coal communities’
U.S. Sen. Bob Casey released a map this week of areas where clean energy projects could be eligible for a bonus tax credit up to 10% through the federal Inflation Reduction Act. The region includes all of Southwestern Pennsylvania. The energy community bonus is available to developers for locating projects...
Murrysville area: ‘Plum Proud’ benefit ornament sales, local speaker series, Rotary Oktoberfest and more
Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com. ESAL speaker focuses on portrait painting The East Suburban Artists League will welcome Tom Tholen as the featured speaker for its Sept. 7 meeting. Tholen will discuss his expertise in portrait painting. He spent a career working for companies including Disney, Marvel...
Franklin Regional kicks off new school year
Students in the Franklin Regional School District were among the first in the region to begin classes when they arrived at school on Wednesday. Start dates for other schools in the county include: Thursday — Hempfield Area elementary and high school, Jeannette City, Monessen City, Norwin, Penn-Trafford. Friday — Hempfield...
Nurse’s aide accused of prying rings from Murrysville dementia patient’s hand
A nurse’s aide accused of stealing a Murrysville dementia patient’s engagement and wedding rings likely pried them from the elderly woman’s hand, police said. Christina L. Ankney, 39, of Braddock is charged with robbery in connection with the incident at Redstone Highlands in Murrysville. A warrant has been issued for...
Reese Memorial Fund accepting grant applications from youth recreation groups
Following their third successful 5K fundraiser, officials from the Mike Reese Memorial Fund will be accepting grant applications through the end of August. The annual Mike Reese Memorial 5K Roast, Run & Family Fun event began in 2021, in memory of Reese, 42, who served as state representative in the...
Schenley Plaza will host ‘Disability Pride PGH’
The nonprofit Disability Pride PA will host “Disability Pride: Weekend Under the Tent,” Friday and Saturday . It will kick off Friday with the Oakland For All 9th annual Ramp Crawl, set for 4-7 p.m. at the Schenley Plaza, 4100 Forbes Ave. The evening will include recognition awards for Americans...
Use-of-force expert: Ligonier Valley police shooting ‘probably should have been handled differently’
Two Ligonier Valley police officers placed themselves, perhaps unnecessarily, in a situation that required deadly force when they fatally shot a Ligonier Township man last month, according to two use-of-force experts. “What they did is probably not illegal, nor would it warrant a civil suit, but it probably should have...
Elvis tribute acts carry on the musical legacy of ‘The King’Video
Jamie Harris of Monongahela already had a hobby to occupy his spare time — he was a competitive powerlifter. But when he tore his pectoral muscle off the bone in 2000, he had to reevaluate things. “I was a jail guard at the Shuman Detention Center at the time,” said...
Rotary donates recycled-plastic bench in Export
Thanks to a bunch of shrink wrap and grocery bags, Export has a new bench near Giuseppe’s Pizzeria on Kennedy Avenue. It was created through the use of local recycled plastics, part of Rotary International’s “End Plastic Soup” initiative, which aims to keep plastic out of the world’s oceans. The...
Lemonade sales help fund Delmont Food Pantry
Roscoe James knows the value of a good, cold cup of lemonade. The 7-year-old Delmont resident hosted a lemonade stand the weekend of July 28-30, raising more than $200 which he donated to the Delmont Food Pantry. The miniature pantry is a box open the community at the borough’s Rose...
