Patrick Varine stories, Page 19
Veteran service group organizes birthday card campaign for WWII code breaker living in Monroeville
There is never a good time for war. But for Julia Parsons, the outbreak of World War II came at the right time. In 1942, Parsons was a senior at Carnegie Tech — soon to be Carnegie Mellon University — “about to graduate with a General Studies degree that equipped...
Murrysville area: Irish rock presentation, children’s dance classes and more
Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com. Rock Talks explores Irish music The Murrysville Community Library and municipal recreation department will host another “Rock Talks!” session with speaker Erik Selinger. It will be at 6:30 p.m. March 11 at the library, 4130 Sardis Road in Murrysville. The topic will...
Franklin Regional curriculum committee to examine student cellphone policy
Some Franklin Regional school board members think the district should reexamine its current policy on student cellphone use. “Our current policy allows teachers to make their own decisions, and I just thought it was worth throwing out there,” said board member Deb Bucciero. “There’s all different kinds of research about...
Monroeville area: Library trivia competition, mini-golf fundraiser, more
Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com or bpoole@triblive.com. Trivia night at library The Monroeville Public Library will host a trivia night March 22 with cash prizes for the top two teams. Doors open at the library, 4000 Gateway Campus Blvd., at 6 p.m.; the event begins at 7...
Rugs N Stuff owners look to foster creativity, confidence
Tyler Weston sees tufting’s potential to nurture creativity. Tufting is the art of decorative rug design. Using an electric tool that resembles a cross between a sewing machine needle and a tattoo gun, tufters push yarn through the back of their canvas, tracing and eventually filling in an image from...
Jeannette art gallery hosts works by 35 local women artists
On March 8, You Are Here in Jeannette will host an artists’ reception for its “Women in Art” exhibit, currently on display at the Clay Avenue gallery. For two of the participating artists, it will be a doubly special occasion. Not only will the exhibit feature artwork from sisters Maria...
Scottdale community band seeks new members in preparation for 2025 season
The Scottdale Concert Band is seeking new members as it prepares to start rehearsals for the 2025 concert season. The nonprofit group is under the direction of Roderick Booker and assistant directors Frederick Collins and Lee Matchett. Rehearsals will begin at 7 p.m. March 4 in the band room at...
Mutual Aid, Murrysville Medic One hoping for additional community support
Ambulance services covering Westmoreland County are hoping to receive more support from the communities they serve, particularly as that number of communities has grown in recent months. “Bell Township, Avonmore, parts of Loyalhanna Township and Saltsburg are now divided up between us, Mutual Aid EMS and the Oklahoma ambulance service,”...
Under cover: Game commission releases bonus stock of pheasants in Pa.Video
Pheasant hunters aren’t just good at flushing out the birds they’re hunting. They’re pretty adept at figuring out where the Pennsylvania Game Commission is likely to stock them. As Warden Zebulun Campbell and his crew pulled into a small parking lot near Loyalhanna Lake on Thursday morning, a half-dozen hunters...
Murrysville area: FR students excel in music competition and more
Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com. FR students dominate Young Artists Competition Franklin Regional music students again dominated the winners’ list in the annual Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra’s Young Artists Competition. FR students swept the Level I (through ninth grade) instrumental category, with eighth grader Ava Zannikos (flute) taking...
Does your dating app match look like this? They’re probably not real
February is an expensive time of year to be falling in love, with Valentine’s Day and all. That goes double for someone who finds themselves caught in a catfishing scam, whether it’s through dating apps or some other form of conversation that doesn’t happen face to face. According to the...
Franklin Regional cheer squad makes semifinals in state championships
When most people in the community see Franklin Regional cheerleaders, it’s in the context of supporting another athletic team. “They see our athletes under the Friday night lights, or during basketball season, when they’re there to engage the crowd, entertain and support the team,” said FR cheer coach Ashley Harmon....
Monroeville area: Sportsmen’s show, mini golf, Italian buffet, more
Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com or bpoole@triblive.com. Convention center events The following events are coming up at the Monroeville Convention Center, 209 Mall Plaza Blvd.: • Feb. 14-16: USA International Sportsmen’s Show and Outdoor Recreation RV and Boat Show • Feb. 18: 72.5 Promotions Wrestling Tournament •...
Horror author, former Oakmont resident, continues story he started in Netflix ‘Residue’ seriesVideo
Pittsburgh-area native John Harrison was in the midst of writing his first novel when he was approached by an English film company interested in turning his book into a Web series. But they had a request — could he start his story a little earlier? “They liked the idea for...
Greensburg area restaurants compete for charity in chili cookoff
People are passionate about food. And when the dish can be as diverse as chili, their opinions can get just as spicy as the peppers. “White chicken chili is soup. It’s not chili,” said Brian Root of Greensburg, eliciting an immediate frown from Michelle Havrilesko, who had just finished eating...
Renowned flutist will play free concert in Murrysville
World-class flutist Bart Feller will perform a free flute recital Feb. 11 alongside two local musicians. Feller, who has served as principal flutist for the New Jersey Symphony and the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra will play an 8 p.m. recital at Newlonsburg Presbyterian Church in Murrysville. He will be joined...
Murrysville area: Blood drive, seed swap and more
Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com. Community center to host blood drive The Murrysville Recreation Department will host a Feb. 19 blood drive in partnership with the American Red Cross. It will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Murrysville Community Center, 3091 Carson Avenue. Donors...
Murrysville native steps into new role as director of her hometown library
Katherine Neidig had about three months of regular work when she started in a part-time position at the Murrysville Community Library in January 2020. “I was doing cataloguing and technical services, and then all the procedures were tossed aside during the pandemic,” said Neidig, who grew up in Murrysville and...
Jewish Community Center sets out on multimillion-dollar Monroeville expansion
David May-Stein has been coming to the Jewish Community Center’s Monroeville campus since he was 7 years old. “I came here every day in the summers,” said May-Stein, who grew up in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood. “My friends and I swam and hiked in the woods. On weekends, we came...
Export looks at offering online billing, payment system for sewage customers
Export Secretary Tonia Writt hears one question consistently from borough sewage customers: Why can’t you guys process credit card payments? That could change if council decides to implement an online billing system through Muni-Link, a Blair County company that also handles online billing for the Franklin Township Municipal Sanitary Authority....
Westbound Route 22 in Monroeville reopens after truck rollover
The westbound lanes of Route 22 were closed for nearly three hours Wednesday in Monroeville after a tri-axle truck tipped and dumped its contents on the highway. Monroeville Volunteer Fire Company No. 5 officials said no one was injured when the truck rolled over Wednesday shortly after noon near the...
Export officials eager to showcase mining history via site cleanup, pedestrian walkway
Export officials are excited about the creation of a historical area showcasing the borough’s mining history. A $139,000 state grant designated to bring the project to life will likely pay only for the engineering work, but it’s a start, said borough Councilwoman Melanie Litz. “This has been a long time...
Pittsburgh Brewing Co. goes heavy on ’90s nostalgia with rock triple-headerVideo
If you were watching MTV every day after school in the early 1990s, chances are good you’ll want a ticket to the biggest event the Pittsburgh Brewing Co. will host so far at its East Deer brewery. Tickets go on sale Friday for a July 13 show that will feature...
Franklin Township sewage authority will test its alert system on Thursday in Murrysville
Murrysville residents living in the area of the Franklin Township Municipal Sanitary Authority at the bottom of Meadowbrook Road may hear sewage officials testing a new audible alert system on Thursday. The testing will consist of audible tones and messages related to the FTMSA facility, and may be heard locally....
Westmoreland County Community College names interim president
The former president of a Michigan community college will serve as interim president at Westmoreland County Community College while trustees continue the search for permanent leadership. Ohio native David Devier retired last year after serving a decade as president at Glen Oaks Community College in Michigan. He previously worked as...
