Patrick Varine stories, Page 51
McCandless piano teacher inducted into Steinway’s educator hall of fame
When Marina Lupinacci was only 4, her father, a piano teacher and musicologist in Romania, was checking her musical aptitude. By age 10, it was decided that she should pursue a career in music. That was more than six decades ago. Today, after a career teaching music at West Virginia...
EMS directors: Reimbursement legislation ‘a step in the right direction’
Recent state legislation will increase the reimbursement local ambulance services receive when treating Medicaid patients, but EMS directors said they still are running in the red most of the time. “Every little bit helps,” said Darrick Gerano, director for Murrysville Medic One. “Any increase we can get from any insurance...
PennDOT seeking winter snow-plow operators
PennDOT Safety Press Officer Melissa Maczko pulled her coat a little tighter Tuesday morning as a stiff chilly breeze blew through the department’s stockpile area in Unity, near Arnold Palmer Airport. “I can feel the winter coming,” she said. In anticipation of snow season, PennDOT districts across the state are...
Murrysville Eat’n Park proposes additional dining space, disability access, pick-up window
Eat’n Park officials would like to make Murrysville their next location to receive an update, which will include a pick-up window for takeout orders. “This isn’t an ‘order-at’ location,” said Jesse Stock, Eat’n Park’s design and construction director. “You order ahead online or by phone and just pick it up....
Toe bones and porcupine quills: Library patrons create spooky-season ‘nature vials’
Toe bones, moss and quill of porcupine — it sounds like the ingredients in a witch’s cauldron. That means spooky season is the perfect time of year for Britney Jones to present a workshop featuring some of the items from her shop, Mz. Jones’ Curio, in Greensburg. The Bovard resident...
Mt. Pleasant country rocker wins independent music award for 3rd straight year
Andy Davis has plenty to smile about these days. The Mt. Pleasant native and his band released an EP and a full-length record in the past few years, and a new album, “The River,” was released in May on streaming services. And in each of the past three years, has...
Supporters of Murrysville ‘tree sign’ updates estimate $100,000 in costs
Valerie Mittereder and her husband, Ed, own the “ysville” section of the Murrysville tree sign, a group of several hundred evergreens which spell out the name of the municipality, on a hillside overlooking Route 22. The “Murr” section of land is owned by Michael Hillebrand. But after nearly a century,...
Murrysville area: Conservancy hikes, Medicare information sessions, drag queen bingo and more
Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com. Event listings must be submitted at least two weeks in advance. Upcoming Westmoreland Conservancy events The Westmoreland Conservancy will host the following events: • Opt-Outside Black Friday hike, will take place at 10 a.m. Nov. 24, leaving from the Murrysville municipal building,...
Attorneys compete for Export district judge seat
Two Murrysville attorneys will vie to replace retiring District Court Judge Charles Conway in the Nov. 7 general election. Republican Robert Klingensmith, 59, a practicing attorney for more than 20 years, said he likes the engagement district judges have with the communities they serve. “You do everything,” he said. “You...
Westmoreland County Community College president will resign in summer 2024
Westmoreland County Community College’s first female president announced her resignation at the college’s board of directors meeting Wednesday. Tuesday Stanley, 55, who joined WCCC in 2014, will remain in her position at the school near Youngwood through June 30. She will have served as president for exactly a decade. Stanley...
Franklin Regional school board candidates cite state funding, safety as major challenges
In the Franklin Regional School District, seven candidates will compete for five full-term school board seats in the Nov. 7 general election, while the current board president goes up against a challenger for a two-year seat. Full-term seats George App, 42, said he wants to be a voice of civility,...
Murrysville will solicit bids for oil, gas rights beneath Murrysville Community Park
Murrysville council members will decide in the next few months whether to enter into leases for oil and gas rights below two municipal parks. Council deferred action at its Oct. 18 meeting on a proposed lease for oil and gas rights below the 234 acres that make up Duff Park....
When is your town hosting trick-or-treat?
Here is a listing of local dates and times for trick-or-treating in Westmoreland County. Many towns use the same timeframe for trick-or-treating, 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday. Those include Delmont, Export, Greensburg, Irwin, Hempfield, Ligonier Borough, Ligonier Township, Manor, Murrysville, New Alexandria (parade will line up at 5 p.m. at...
Attic, second floor sustain damage in Greensburg house fire, resident unhurt
No one was injured when the second floor of a Greensburg home caught fire Tuesday evening. Firefighters were called to the home at the intersection of Unity Way and Evergreen Avenue. “There was one person in the home, and he was already outside when we got here,” said Greensburg VFD...
Jeannette man pleads to federal drug charges
A Jeannette man pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to possession of nearly 5 ounces of cocaine. Tristin B. Axton, 25, of Jeannette, pleaded guilty in connection with a case originating in March 2023, when he was found in possession of 139 grams of cocaine. Axton was on federal release...
West Deer man receives national science medal from President BidenVideo
A West Deer man and University of Pittsburgh professor was awarded one of the nation’s highest science honors on Tuesday by President Joe Biden, just a few days before he is inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame on Thursday. Rory Cooper was among 10 recipients of the National...
Delmont looks to continue improvements at Newhouse Park
Delmont’s Newhouse Park has seen a steady course of improvements over the past five years. That has translated to more visitors and the need to make some more improvements. “We’ve had several tournaments up there this summer and it’s shown that we need some more parking,” said councilman and recreation...
PennWest Edinboro, Erie among places prepping for total eclipse
Western Pennsylvania science professors and astronomy buffs didn’t exactly have a riveting view of the recent annular solar eclipse. Most bemoaned the cloudy, rainy weather forecast and said they were already looking ahead and making plans for the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, when Erie will be in...
Greensburg’s Invisible Man Brewing will relocate to Rialto building
Invisible Man Brewing Co. is joining forces with another established Greensburg business owner as they move to set up shop in the former Rialto Bar & Bistro, which was shuttered in 2022 after a series of violent incidents. After Oct. 26, fans of the beer created at the brewer’s Pennsylvania...
Comedy duo bring ‘Law & Order: SVU’ podcast live show to Pittsburgh
“In the criminal justice system, sexually based offenses are considered especially heinous…” That is the opening line to every episode of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” a show whose serious subject matter might not seem like the ideal topic for a podcast featuring two comedians. Don’t tell that to...
Delmont council approves transportation plan aimed at improving pedestrian, bike infrastructure
A new active transportation plan approved by Delmont leaders could help leverage future funding and make the community more pedestrian-friendly. “We have a Mayberry-esque town that could really be walkable, and we just need to enhance that,” said Barb Hauge, a landscape architect with Upstreet Architects in Indiana. “There’s certainly...
Skeletons for St. Jude program raises money through over-the-top decorating schemesVideo
This time of year, Stephanie Babich Mihleder’s property in Murrysville has earned its own nickname — “the unicorn house.” That’s thanks to a giant inflatable unicorn skeleton — complete with rainbow mane and tail — that is merely the centerpiece of her front yard decorating scheme, which includes more than...
Centurions football announcer honored for more than 30 years of dedication
After more than three decades announcing football for the Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions, there’s not much happening on the field that could surprise Ben Falcone. But he wasn’t prepared for a sneak play by family members and GCC administrators, who honored his 35 years behind the microphone during halftime of...
New Kensington man pleads guilty in federal tax fraud case
A New Kensington man pleaded guilty Friday in federal court on charges that he prepared false tax returns, collecting more than $130,000 in fees in the process. Harvey Smith Jr., 58, of New Kensington, pleaded guilty to preparing false tax returns through multiple clients by way of his tax preparation...
Export council candidates want to continue borough’s recent upswing
Export has been on an upswing over the past few years, taking full advantage of the Westmoreland Heritage Trail passing through the center of the borough and revitalizing its downtown business district. Four candidates who will compete for three open council seats are looking to keep that going. “I think...
