Murrysville Star category, Page 97
WPIAL wrestling notes: Franklin Regional’s Carter Dibert stayed sharp during break
High school athletes will be allowed to return to competition Friday after sitting idle for nearly a month. While coaches couldn’t hold any organized practices, many athletes just didn’t lie around eating Christmas cookies. They found ways to stay active. “I was able to work out and drill some at...
Salem man jailed in connection with $16K trailer theft
A Salem man on the lam from state police since New Year’s Eve was apprehended Wednesday and arraigned on theft and receiving stolen property charges. William Elvin Cochran, 33, of Hawk Drive, is in the county jail on $250,000 bond after state police charged him with receiving stolen property and...
Franklin Regional football program, WCCA mourn loss of Larry Sellitto
Every head football coach has a right-hand man. For longtime Franklin Regional coach Greg Botta, it was Larry Sellitto. “He was my best friend,” Botta said. “He was there during good times and bad. One of the most supportive people I have ever met. He was loved by so many...
Murrysville-area happenings, Jan. 7 and beyondVideo
Submit news items and event listings by emailing staff writer Patrick Varine at pvarine@triblive.com. FR students keep busy over the holiday season From a school-suggested snow-sculpture contest to a virtual “Art-a-Palooza” to elementary students’ strong showing at this year’s “Invention Convention” science competition, Panther students have found new and diverse...
Amerisafe will bring ‘hugging station’ to Redstone Highlands in Murrysville
Last week, Amerisafe Vice President of Consultations Del Kubeldis was at a “hugging station” event at Redstone Highlands in Greensburg — where the company sets up a plastic doorway barrier through which senior residents and their family members can safely interact — when he saw something that truly touched him....
Atria’s, Juniper Grill remain closed despite lift on state restrictions
Two local restaurant chains have chosen to remain temporarily closed despite the state lifting its most recent covid-19 restrictions. Management at Atria’s and Juniper Grill said they cannot be profitable at half-capacity, as mandated by Gov. Tom Wolf’s virus-related guidelines. “We cannot and will not make it as a business...
Export council looks at tightening up rental inspections
Export officials want a clearer picture of who’s moving in and out of town, particularly when it comes to rental properties. Borough council on Tuesday asked solicitor Wes Long to bring back language tightening up the requirements for occupancy permits and rental inspections. Council President Barry Delissio said only about...
Franklin Regional alum Spencer Lee presented Hodge Trophy as top college wrestler
On the same day the Heisman Trophy was presented to college football’s top player, Spencer Lee was handed wrestling’s equivalent of the award. Lee, a senior at Iowa and a Franklin Regional alum, was presented in person the Dan Hodge Trophy as the nation’s most dominant college wrestler from the...
Covid numbers tallied for Murrysville-Export-Delmont area
The most recent data from the state Department of Health shows 933 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Murrysville area since the pandemic started in March. Of those, 50 cases were reported in the past seven days. The health department on Monday released figures for the three ZIP codes that...
Delmont neighborhood’s decorating fundraiser nets more than $15K for library, Project Bundle UpVideo
After the first night of their holiday decorating fundraiser — one that jammed up traffic along Route 66 for hours last month — the residents of Delmont’s Monticello neighborhood started texting one another to see how the night went. “The sheer total of cars let us know (the total) was...
Delmont man accused of sexually assaulting 2 teen girls
A Delmont man is free on bond after police accused him of sexually assaulting two teenage girls and asking them to not report the incidents because of their ages, according to court papers. William Jonathan Seibert, 20, is charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, statutory sexual assault, corruption of minors...
Eastern area real estate transactions for the week of Jan. 3
Delmont Steven Smith sold property at 5 W White Oak Drive to Michael Daverio for $180,000. Export Kim Eberman sold property at 2797 Italy Road to Robert McGrath for $79,700. Christopher Schmader sold property at 5829 Madison Ave. to Farbarik Enterprises LLC for $27,000. Ken Blunkosky sold property at 5928...
Food bank student volunteer organizes collection drives of his own in Murrysville
Garrett Deller of Murrysville was volunteering with the Westmoreland County Food Bank through his membership in the Franklin Regional National Honor Society, but the high school junior decided he wanted to take it a step farther. “One of the older volunteers mentioned that donations were down because of the covid...
Murrysville-area news and events, Dec. 31 and beyond
Here are some news items and event listings for the Star’s coverage area. Submit an event or local news by emailing staff writer Patrick Varine at pvarine@triblive.com. Rotary president will serve as District Governor Murrysville-Export Rotary President John Hartman was chosen by the nominating committee of Rotary District 7305 to...
Covid numbers tallied for Murrysville-Export-Delmont area
The most recent data from the state Department of Health shows 883 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Murrysville area since the pandemic started in March. Of those, 54 cases were reported in the past seven days, a 61% drop following 141 cases reported last week. The health department on...
Murrysville officials want more input on proposal to allow senior high-rises
A proposal to update Murrysville’s zoning ordinance to accommodate more senior housing options was voted down this month after council received negative feedback from residents. Council has held recent discussions about updating its zoning ordinance to allow senior high-rises in its business districts and senior planned developments in its residential...
About 50% of Westmoreland County covid cases, deaths have come in December
Westmoreland County reported the most new coronavirus cases in about two weeks Tuesday. There were 466 new cases reported, the most since 542 cases were announced Dec. 15. Tuesday’s new cases bring the county’s total to 18,855. In December, there have been 9,594 cases reported, which account for about 51%...
Eastern area real estate transactions for the week of Dec. 27
Churchill Norene K D’Amico Ficery sold property at 306 Surrey Place to Julian Toker for $299,000. Edgewood Estate of Eugene Stern sold property at 520 Locust St. to Lawrence Connelly III and Carla Rosemarino for $266,849. Forest Hills Anna Geanous sold property at 245 Avenue B to Peachpit LLC for...
Lower Burrell woman spent months battling covid long-haul syndrome
When Kristin Giron Stewart was discharged from UPMC St. Margaret hospital after a 13-day battle with covid-19 over the summer, she thought she was well on her way to recovery. The 47-year-old Lower Burrell woman grew frustrated and frightened as the days wore on, and she continued to struggle with...
Checkpoint shields installed to boost covid-19 protection at Arnold Palmer airport
Acrylic shields are in place at the security checkpoint at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport as an added measure to help prevent the spread of covid-19. Installed the week of Dec. 18, the shields are meant to provide enhanced protection for passengers boarding Spirit Airlines flights and Transportation Security Administration officers...
Covid numbers for Murrysville-Export-Delmont area jump 20%
The most recent data from the state Department of Health shows 829 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Murrysville area since the pandemic started in March. Of those, 141 cases were reported in the past seven days, a jump of more than 20%. The health department on Monday released the...
Postal Service struggles with record demands as Christmas draws near
First it was the election and questions about whether the Post Office could be relied upon to deliver millions of mail-in ballots. Now, barely six weeks later, an unprecedented uptick in packages from online shoppers and staff shortages exacerbated by a rash of covid-19 outbreaks are combining to strain the...
Murrysville filmmaker’s latest earns honorable mention at Top Shorts film festivalVideo
Dillon Black had finished up principal photography and was headed into post-production on his new short film, “What’s Left of Barry,” when the coronavirus pandemic turned things upside down. “I had six people helping me with post-production, and covid-19 threw a big wrench into everything,” said Black, 22, of Murrysville....
Former Pittsburgh dentist among Trump’s late-term pardons
Alfonso Costa, a former Fox Chapel dentist who received a presidential pardon of his 2008 insurance fraud conviction, was a one-time political donor to President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Guiliani. According to records on file with the Federal Elections Commission, Costa, a year before he was sentenced to serve...
Westmoreland County issues final covid-relief grants
More than $615,000 in covid relief grants were handed out Tuesday to local volunteer fire departments and emergency medical service units as Westmoreland County exhausted its share of federal stimulus money to help struggling businesses, nonprofits and municipalities amid the ongoing pandemic. Commissioners awarded 24 volunteer fire departments and 10...
