Patrick Varine stories, Page 32
Charges against Mercer man accused of killing, dismembering transgender teen held for court
A murder charge filed against a Mercer County man accused of killing a transgender teen and dismembering their body was held for court on Thursday. State police charged Dashawn Watkins, 29, of Mercer with first-degree murder, aggravated assault, abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence in the death of...
Murrysville area: FR open houses, art show seeks submissions, and more
Franklin Regional open house schedule Franklin Regional schools will host a series of open house nights for new and incoming students to get familiar with their respective buildings. • FR Primary and Intermediate schools: 6-7:30 p.m. Aug. 15 for grades 2 and 5; Aug. 16 for kindergarten and grade 3;...
Monroeville area: Concert and speaker series, backpack giveaway, 5K run/walk, more
Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com or bpoole@triblive.com. Monroeville Arts Council concerts Monroeville Arts Council will host a series of concerts at the Community College of Allegheny County’s Boyce Auditorium. Concerts will be from 4-6 p.m. They include: • Aug. 4 – East Winds Symphonic Band • Aug....
Photo of Kennywood’s Racer depicted nonstructural support, inspectors say as coaster cleared to reopen
The photo of part of the Kennywood Racer roller coaster framework resting on what appears to be a piece of wood set off-center atop two cement blocks that spurred closure of the ride Wednesday depicted a non-structural support, state officials said. The ride will reopen Thursday, Palace Entertainment spokesperson Lynsey...
Police investigate fatal shooting in Knoxville
Pittsburgh police are investigating a fatal shooting in the city’s Knoxville neighborhood. Police were called to the 100 block of Amanda Street around 3:45 p.m. Wednesday for reports of a man shot near the Triangle Mart. Arriving units found 51-year-old Anthony Walker of Pittsburgh, who had been shot in the...
Feds: Drug raid yields more than 100 kilos of cocaine plus heroin, fentanyl from McKeesport, Monroeville, Penn Hills
A federal drug investigation has led to charges for four men who police said were in possession of 116 kilograms of cocaine. That amount is equivalent to more than 250 pounds. Federal officials investigating drug activity in Western Pennsylvania executed sealed search warrants for homes and vehicles in McKeesport, Monroeville,...
Monroeville drug warrant uncovers marijuana, psychedelic mushrooms
Two Monroeville men were arrested Monday after agents from the Allegheny County District Attorney Narcotics Enforcement Team, Pennsylvania Attorney General and Monroeville police executed a search warrant at their apartment. Mehki Manor, 20, and Steven Robbins, 18, were taken into custody after a traffic stop and a subsequent vehicle search...
$1.2M in federal cash to help Pa. expand Eastern Massasauga rattler’s habitat
The Eastern Massasauga rattler is one of the few venomous snakes native to Pennsylvania. It’s also the least likely to be spotted, because its historic range only includes parts of Butler, Clarion, Venango and Mercer counties along with a small slice of Armstrong County. But there may be a few...
Franklin Regional sees benefits of ‘Parents as Allies’ program
Members of a family that just moved to the Franklin Regional School District from overseas might not have the confidence to get up at a school board meeting and ask a question. But get a few of those families together for dinner at a local Italian restaurant, and conversations start...
Energy ‘off the charts’ at Republican National Convention, Westmoreland attendees say
Jill Cooper thought there was a lot of energy swirling around at the 2016 Republican National Convention during Donald Trump’s initial candidacy for president. That was before attending this week’s convention in Milwaukee. “The energy was off the charts,” said the state representative from Murrysville, who attended the convention as...
August filled with community festivals in Delmont, Murrysville and Export
Delmont officials are always looking for additional volunteers to help with the borough’s annual Delmont Daze celebration. This year is no different. The Delmont Daze committee will host its final organizational meeting before the festival at 6 p.m. July 22 at the borough building, 77 Greensburg Street. “We’re very excited...
Murrysville area: Pizza fundraiser, Delmont Daze float workshop and more
Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com. Pizza party fundraiser The Delmont Public Library will host a pizza fundraiser from 6-8 p.m. Aug. 10. Families will be able to purchase a pizza and two beers for $30. Pizza will be provided by the nearby Fox’s Pizza Den, and the...
Monroeville area: Walk for Peace, library fun fest, Gateway musical alumni showcase, more
Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com or bpoole@triblive.com. Backpack giveaway, more Christian Life Church, in conjunction with The Well Corporation of PA, will hold its fourth annual backpack giveaway from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on August 10 at the Trafford church, 900 7th Street. This event is...
Franklin Regional teacher returns from scientific expedition on Lake Erie
Franklin Regional Intermediate School science teacher Brienne May thought she understood the problem micro-plastics posed to the environment. Then she took a look through the lens of a microscope, at what appeared to be a completely empty petri dish full of water from Lake Erie. “I saw a rainbow of...
Monroeville area: Vocalists sought, summer picnic, flea markets, more
Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com or bpoole@triblive.com. Monroeville Chorus seeks new voices Monroeville Chorus, formed in 1953, is seeking new adult members who love to sing, spread joy and happiness. No audition is necessary, and all voice ranges are welcome. The group performs for community events and...
Former ‘Dance Moms’ cast member charged with DUI in Murrysville
A cast member from the former hit Lifetime reality series “Dance Moms” was charged with driving under the influence after a crash in Murrysville. Christina M. Lukasiak, 47, of Mars was charged following a June 27 crash on Logan Ferry Road near Remaley Road, according to court records. Police said...
Teen in critical condition after Penn Hills stabbing; suspect apprehended
Allegheny County Police are investigating a stabbing in Penn Hills that left a teenager in critical condition Tuesday afternoon. Police were called about 4:40 p.m. to the 1100 block of Hamil Road, where they located a teenage male who had been stabbed multiple times. He was taken to an area...
New chaperone policy goes into effect at 4 Allegheny County pools
A new chaperone policy at the four pools operated by Allegheny County that goes into effect Tuesday is an effort to increase safety and create a more enjoyable experience everyone, officials said in a Facebook post. The policy comes on the heels of a similar one enacted at the Highland...
Westmoreland County man’s death was a homicide, police say
The death of a Westmoreland County man following an early July arrest on public drunkenness charges is being investigated as a homicide, Allegheny County police said Monday. West Mifflin Police arrested the 31-year-old man, whom police did not identify, around 3 a.m. July 5 after they responded to a report...
Outages, downed trees follow fast-moving storms
More than 850 West Penn Power customers were without electricity as of 8:45 p.m. Monday, after strong isolated storms moved through the area damaging utility poles and downing trees. A sizable area of Penn Township between Harrison City-Export Road and the Pennsylvania Turnpike was affected by the outage, according to...
New rule allows mentor to lead up to 3 novice hunters in Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Game Commission has updated its regulations to allow a licensed adult hunter to bring more than one novice along. Through the commission’s mentored hunting program, children or adults are guided by a mentor, an experienced, licensed hunter who teaches the basics of hunting and gun safety. The program...
Hampton man pleads guilty to trading Dick’s Sporting Goods stock using insider information
A Hampton man pleaded guilty to four counts of securities fraud after prosecutors charged him with engaging in 160 trades of Dick’s Sporting Goods stock after receiving insider information from a company employee. Frank T. Poerio Jr., 62, made the transactions between August 2019 and May 2021, U.S. Attorney Eric...
Delmont awards $1.34 million sewage project, next step in state consent order
Delmont officials awarded $1.34 million of sewage work on Tuesday, one of the major steps in addressing a state consent order to curtail sewage overflows. The work will include the installation of a sewage interceptor on Christy Road, as well as the relocation of a force main on property in...
Murrysville area: Delmont Daze, community band concert and more
Delmont Daze committee meeting The organizing committee for the annual Delmont Daze borough celebration will meet at 6 p.m. July 22 at the borough building, 77 Greensburg Street. Anyone interested in volunteering or helping with the festival is invited to attend. Delmont Daze will be held from 11 a.m. to...
Monroeville area: Concerts, golf outing, food pantry fundraiser, more
Miss Independence Diana Novak was named Miss Independence 2024 and Ava Cook the runner-up at the annual Miss Independence awards luncheon on June 15. Miss Independence and her court rode on the Independence Day float in Monroeville’s July 4 parade. This is the contest’s 60th year. Online giving event for...
