Patrick Varine stories, Page 38
Free outdoor concerts bring Irwin community, businesses, artists together
Borough groups and businesses are taking advantage of the warm weather to bring a summer full of music to Irwin’s downtown. “We wanted to please a variety of crowds with different types of music, so we branched out this year with some acts little different from what we’ve done in...
U.S. Attorney: Hampton man received insider-trading information from Dick’s employee
Federal prosecutors say a Hampton man received information from a corporate Dick’s Sporting Goods employee that he used to net more than $800,000 in profits. Frank T. Poerio Jr., 62, has been charged with four counts of securities fraud, U.S. Attorney Eric Olshan said Friday in a news release. Olshan...
Penn Hills man who fled police returned from Florida
A Verona man who led police on a high-speed chase before fleeing the state in April has been returned to Allegheny County, according to the county sheriff. Hermas U. Craddock, 37, of Penn Hills traveled first to North Carolina and then Florida according to police, where he was arrested April...
South Fayette man charged in multiple ‘street-racing’ incidents, accused of fleeing from police
A South Fayette man has been charged with riot, fleeing from police and other charges in connection with a street-racing incident in Downtown Pittsburgh the night before the Pittsburgh Marathon. Police said Jason Stotlemyer, 32, fled from two attempted traffic stops. Pittsburgh Police were called to the intersection of Liberty...
Latrobe rapper prepares to head out on 2nd international tourVideo
Sean Lewandowski started writing rhymes in high school after discovering hip-hop in the early 1990s, but he began taking it seriously after hearing Kanye West’s 2004 record, “The College Dropout.” “It gave me the confidence to pursue rapping, because it was such a breath of fresh air and expanded my...
Gun recovered from Donegal Lake connected to St. Clair woman’s fatal shooting
The Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office confirmed that a gun found Friday in Donegal Lake is related to the fatal shooting in December of a St. Clair Township woman. Dive teams from the Greensburg Police Department and Murrysville Medic One discovered the revolver about 70 feet offshore, Medic One Director...
Amazon gives inside look of distribution warehouse in North VersaillesVideo
Walking into Amazon’s 140,000-square-foot distribution center in North Versailles on Thursday was a bit of a “full-circle” moment for Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis. “When I was growing up, we had the Eastland Mall here, which was a leader in its time,” said Davis, a native of nearby McKeesport. “It...
Events in Westmoreland, Allegheny counties will mark Migratory Bird Day
Avian admirers in southwestern Pennsylvania will mark World Migratory Bird Day on Saturday. In Westmoreland County, the Westmoreland Bird and Nature Club is encouraging residents to take part in the Global Big Day, hosted by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and its eBird app. Participants are asked to observe and...
Prison toilets and more: Items from former Hempfield lockup are hitting the auction block
Who wants to buy a used prison toilet? Judging by the volume of calls auctioneer Bill Anderson has received about the sink-and-toilet combos that are being auctioned from the former state prison in Hempfield, some people are considering the purchase. “The county put out the legal notice for the auction...
Westmoreland Heritage Trail Poker Run set for next month
Westmoreland Heritage Trail officials will host their annual festival and poker run June 1 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Murrysville. Each participant in the poker run will stop at five checkpoints along the trail to choose a playing card. At the end of the event, participants will have a...
Murrysville acid mine remediation a ‘generational opportunity’ to clean Turtle Creek
The Murrysville Area Watershed Association gained the support of Export officials Tuesday night for an acid mine remediation project that would prevent additional heavy metals and other elements from entering Turtle Creek. The association initially pitched Murrysville council on the project more than two years ago, after working with Monroeville...
17 regional writers to be showcased at Mt. Pleasant author expo
Writers from across Southwestern Pennsylvania will take part in an author expo Saturday, May 18, at the Mt. Pleasant Public Library. It will be from noon to 3 p.m. at the library, 120 S. Church St. Library Director Sarah Buzzard said she was inspired to organize the event after meeting...
PennDOT set to start roundabout-related work in Mt. Pleasant, Allegheny townships
PennDOT officials announced the following road work and related closures: • A portion of Hecla Road between Aster Road and Mt. Pleasant Road will closed beginning May 13, as work crews complete the new Route 981 and Hecla Road approach to the roundabout. The work is part of the $55.2...
New Kensington man charged in high-speed turnpike chase in Somerset County
A New Kensington man was among three people arrested by state police Monday after leading them on a high-speed chase in Somerset County that at one point reached up to and over 120 mph. Pharoah Sewell, 20, of New Kensington was charged along with Davontae Trevon Clayton, 19, of Belle...
Judy O’Connor, wife of former Pittsburgh mayor Bob O’Connor, dies
Judy O’Connor loved to laugh. “When I’d come home to take care of her the last few months, we’d almost always listen to one of comedian Jim Gaffigan’s stand-up albums,” said her son, Rev. Terrence O’Connor of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Judy Levine O’Connor, wife of former Pittsburgh Mayor Bob...
Franklin Regional goes down the rabbit-hole with ‘Alice in Wonderland’
It might not be accurate to say Riley Bain was born to portray Alice from “Alice in Wonderland,” but there’s no doubt that she’s done plenty of research for the role. “I have an obsession,” said Bain, 17, a Franklin Regional junior. “I had an ‘Alice’ party for my 16th...
Murrysville area: Duff Park hike, quilt class, and more
Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com. Protect PT hike in Murrysville Citizen environmental group Protect PT and the Turtle Creek Watershed and Airshed Communities will host a May 18 hike in Murrysville’s Duff Park. It will be at 10 a.m. Local residents will share their connection to the...
Franklin Regional multimedia student win 5 awards at Robert Morris Digital Media Arts ConsortiumVideo
Franklin Regional Senior High School students in broadcasting and journalism classes came home with five awards from the Digital Media Arts Consortium Student Video Festival held recently at Robert Morris University. Students who create the FRHSTV morning news show won “Best in Category” for the second year in a row...
Monroeville area: Cheer camp, golf outing, farmers’ market and more
Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com or bpoole@triblive.com. Sabers Cheer Camp Registration is open for Sabers Cheer Camp at Divine Mercy Academy this summer. Any student - girl or boy - going into kindergarten through 8th grade this fall is welcome. Cheer camp is an opportunity to see...
Mother of Sorrows School in Murrysville names new principal
Darcie Gatti will become the new principal at Mother of Sorrows School in Murrysville. Gatti is a former associate and head principal in the Penn Hills School District, where she has worked since 2008. Prior to that, she worked both roles in the Mt. Pleasant School District. She began her...
Monroeville 17-year-old finishes high school, community college, master’s degree in 8 years
About this time, most 17-year-olds are looking forward to the end of another year of high school and a little summer vacation. R.J. Krishnaswamy of Monroeville was graduating from the University of Pittsburgh. Again. Krishnaswamy graduated from community college at 13 and earned his bachelor’s degree in computer science from...
Monroeville Chick-Fil-A proposes updates to traffic configuration
The Chick-Fil-A on Route 22 is looking to be a better neighbor to nearby businesses. Owners of the Miracle Mile restaurant received approval recommendation from Monroeville planners to reconfigure its existing parking lot and install an underground stormwater detention tank. Michael Takacs of Bohler Engineering said large-scale changes in the...
Former Ringling Bros. clown will perform 1-man show at New Hazlett Theater
Mike Perry just wanted to have fun when he was growing up in Buffalo. He found a unicycle and taught himself to ride it at the age of 12. Later, a friend taught him how to juggle, and he thought that was fun, too. He couldn’t have guessed that it...
Pa. auditor general visits Westmoreland County Community College to tout new hiring practicesVideo
Pennsylvania Auditor General Timothy DeFoor knows the value of a community college education. It’s where he got his start on the road to becoming a state official. “We’re here to support you,” DeFoor told a group of Westmoreland County Community College students and staff Tuesday morning at the college’s Youngwood...
Latrobe musician will open for his guitar hero at Jergel’s
Brendan Callahan was 12 years old when he sat down as his father and a friend were reminiscing and watching old 1980s rock music videos. “He locked onto ‘Fantasy’ by Aldo Nova, where he uses his guitar at the beginning to shoot a laser and open the door to his...

