Patrick Varine stories, Page 21
Fetterman, DeLuzio among Democrats who support bill for deporting immigrants
A bill that lowers the threshold for detaining and deporting undocumented immigrants accused of criminal activity will head to the U.S. Senate on Friday, with support from two Western Pennsylvania Democrats. Sen. John Fetterman was the lone Senate Democrat to co-sponsor the Laken Riley Act, named for a 22-year-old Augusta...
Report: 3 dead, 2 injured following possible gas leak in Butler County
Three people are dead and two injured after a reported carbon monoxide leak in Butler. Butler County emergency officials said Peoples Gas and emergency responders were called to the 100 block of College Street on Tuesday evening, according to TribLive news partner WTAE. Officials told WTAE that three people were...
Craft breweries adjust to industry change as closings outpace openings for 1st time in 20 years
Thirty years ago, if someone said, “I’m going out to grab a craft beer,” the person they were talking to might not have known what that meant, let alone where they would go to get it. Today, in Greensburg alone, it could mean eight different taprooms, and that’s not counting...
‘Look Forward’ tells Ruby Bridges’ story of school integration
Saniya Lavelle has been acting for the past three years. But up to now, the 13-year-old Pittsburgh resident has only portrayed fictional characters. Later this month, she’ll play the lead in “Look Forward,” the story of Ruby Bridges, the first Black student to integrate the Louisiana school system in 1960....
Inspired to serve: Family, sense of duty draw young and old to community leadership
Frequently inspired by parents who set an example, young people like Evangeline Cheyne are stepping into public service. In Delmont, the 15-year-old Cheyne was sworn in Dec. 10 as the borough’s first junior council member. “I heard about it at school,” Cheyne said. “I think it’s a really good thing...
Interstates, Turnpike restrictions go into effect Sunday at 5 p.m. with more winter weather coming
Pennsylvania transportation officials are advising residents to avoid unnecessary travel during upcoming winter weather, and they will have speed and vehicle restrictions in place throughout the forecast storm. Among the interstate highways that will have travel restrictions imposed are Interstate 70, I-79, I-279, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike, including the 43...
Turtle Creek woman charged with arson involving apartment fire
A Turtle Creek woman has been charged with intentionally setting a fire Thursday at apartments on the 9o0 block of Lynn Avenue. Five people were inside the two apartments at the time of the fire. No injuries were reported, but Allegheny County Police said investigators noted a strong scent of...
Snow squalls could turn good roads bad for evening commute, forecasters say
A series of expected snow squalls is threatening to make the Friday evening commute a little more difficult, according to the National Weather Service. The NWS’ winter weather advisory is forecasting between 1 and 3 inches of snow between now and Saturday morning, and meteorologist Rich Redmond said up to...
Pittsburgh will get to see a total lunar eclipse in 2025
You can see a solar eclipse in Presque Isle this year. Unfortunately, it’ll be a partial eclipse. And it will require some travel, because it will be in Presque Isle, Maine, rather than the one in Erie. While the Erie area was the epicenter for local looks at the total...
Teen charged with assaulting Adelphoi staffer in Unity
A teen housed in one of Adelphoi’s intensive supervision homes in Unity was charged with assaulting an Adelphoi employee on New Year’s Day, police said. State police were called to the Adelphoi Sweeney Home on Mission Road on Wednesday for a report of an assault on a staff member. The...
Murrysville area: Tree recycling, comedy night fundraiser and more
Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com. Rewind-Reuse manager at AAUW The American Association of University Women’s Murrysville branch will host Rewind-Reuse Center manager Val Paulisick as its guest speaker on Jan. 9. Paulisick created the center in 2019, a nonprofit business to provide a creative space for children...
Monroeville area: Chorus seeks new members, Route 22 gas line work, library programs, more
Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com or bpoole@triblive.com. Monroeville Chorus seeks new members The Monroeville Chorus is seeking new members. There is no audition necessary. The chorus performs for community events and groups, hospitals and similar events. It meets for rehearsals at Hillcrest United Presbyterian Church, 1622 James...
Franklin Regional alum wins conference in 1st year as Penn State Behrend soccer coach
Making soccer memories is nothing new for Chris Ralph. The 2015 Franklin Regional graduate played soccer throughout school, continuing at Penn State Behrend. After a brief stint as an assistant coach for Mercyhurst men’s soccer, he joined his alma mater as an assistant before taking the reins this past season,...
Monroeville Mall incident shows how good intentions can spread false information
“Craziness at Monroeville Mall!!!” “Shooting at Monroeville Mall. Too many guns.” “Active shooter at Monroeville Mall in Allegheny County.” “Hearing reports that some people were trampled in a stampede.” These posts and others like them spread across social media the Sunday afternoon before Christmas, when the mall was packed with...
Extending sewage to Crabtree would need approval from Hempfield, Salem and Unity
There’s been talk of providing sewage to the Crabtree area for about two decades. The topic came up earlier this month when Salem supervisors discussed a study that explores how to bring public sewage to the neighborhood, which includes parts of Salem, Unity and Hempfield townships. Most residents of the...
Salem residents want proper permits, enforcement for concrete plant
On Dec. 18, Salem Township supervisors voted to approve the development of a storage yard and concrete batch plant for Daniels Concrete on Route 819, according to their meeting agenda. The problem with that, according to neighboring residents, is owner Jim Daniels already has developed the property and has been...
Suspect in Crafton armed robbery arrested
Allegheny County Police have apprehended a man suspected of committing an armed robbery Thursday in Crafton. Allegheny County detectives said Trey D. Bell, 30, is suspected of robbing the T-Mobile store on Foster Avenue around 7:45 p.m. Thursday evening. Police earlier put out a description of him and asked for...
Dogs left in boxes outside White Oak Giant Eagle
Two miniature pinschers were at an animal shelter Friday after they were found in taped-up boxes left outside the Giant Eagle in White Oak. “We got a call around 12:30 p.m. from a good Samaritan who saw the boxes and knew something wasn’t right and picked them up,” said Mackenzie...
On the calendar: New Year’s Eve activities followed by Jan. 1 hikes
While there’s certainly nothing wrong with winding down the year quietly at home with family or a few friends, for some of us, winding up and celebrating 2025 is the only way to go. Here are some of the ways to make that happen in and around Westmoreland County, and...
Taekwondo instructor, federal land specialist considers himself a lifelong student
By day, Jeff Horneman helps protect federal land against encroachment as a member of the Army Corps of Engineers. By night, he helps young people learn to protect themselves as a taekwondo instructor at Trinity United Methodist Church in Brackenridge. “We’re teaching kids discipline and how to grow mentally,” Horneman...
Monroeville area: Free Christmas dinner, Route 22 gas line work, upcoming library programs and more
Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com or bpoole@triblive.com. Free Christmas dinner in Monroeville Christ the Divine Church, 245 Azalea Drive, Monroeville, will host a free Christmas Day dinner in their Lourdes Center this year. Dinner begins at 12:30 and will continue until 3 p.m., or until the supply...
Murrysville area: Export trail kiosk, stand-up comedy benefit shows, student band honors and more
Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com. Kiosk installed at Export trailhead Officials from the Export Historical Society, J.M. Hall Junior Trust, Export Business Group and Westmoreland Heritage Trail cut the ribbon Nov. 29 on an informational kiosk placed at the Export trailhead. It includes a map of the...
Pedestrian, 2 state troopers injured in back-to-back crashes on Parkway North
After a pedestrian was struck on Interstate 279 early Tuesday morning, a passing vehicle struck the state police car that responded to the initial call, sending two troopers to the hospital, police said. State police were initially called out just after midnight to I-279 near the East Street exit at...
Pittsburgh native will portray August Wilson in 1-night-only, 1-man show
Pittsburgh actor Wali Jamal is no stranger to a one-man show. On Monday, Jamal was in Downtown Pittsburgh portraying everyone’s favorite character this time of year and meeting with children as Santa Claus at the Heinz Hall Courtyard. In January, however, Jamal, 62, of Beltzhoover will take on a character...
U.S. Senate passes bill to name Monroeville VA center after Wilkinsburg veteranVideo
The new VA center in Monroeville will be named for a member of the only all-Black unit to take part in the D-Day invasion during World War II. The Department of Veterans Affairs Community-Based Outpatient Clinic behind the Monroeville Mall will become the Henry Parham VA Clinic. Parham, a Wilkinsburg...
