Patrick Varine stories

Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Tuesday, May 20: Shooting in McKeesport Allegheny County Police are investigating a shooting early Tuesday morning outside of UPMC McKeesport Hospital that left a man critical condition. Police and first responders were called to the area of the hospital...

Delmont officials will hold a meeting to give a presentation and take public input on a long-term plan for the Shields Farm property. A borough steering committee has been working with consultants EADS Group on a plan for the 145-acre former farmstead, part of the larger goal of developing a...

Here are some news items for Monday, May 19: No injuries in Home Depot fire Pleasant Hills volunteer firefighters quickly knocked down a fire in the rear of the Home Depot in West Mifflin Sunday night. Crews were called to the store around 11:30 p.m. and discovered a fire in...

Crafton police have charged a man with kidnapping, stalking and related charges, after they said he has been terrorizing a female victim in recent months. Police were called to the intersection of Fountain and Sycamore streets just before 10:30 p.m. Saturday night, for a report of a crash involving a...

Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com. Walk for a Healthy Community East Suburban Citizen Advocacy will join Highmark officials with a team in the annual “Walk For a Healthy Community,” set for June 14 at Stage AE on Pittsburgh’s North Shore. The ESCA team is seeking donations and...

Monroeville council’s financial advisor said the municipality is in an advantageous position as it plans for future capital improvements. “Your current debt is about $2 million, and that will be paid off in the next two years,” said Mike McCaig, public finance managing director with Raymond James. That’s good news...

When you’re picking out the food for a big meal, you go to the supermarket, the place with the largest variety of ingredients for whatever you’re planning to make. Local entrepreneur Wesley Wilkinson and business partner Jeff Foster offer a similarly wide selection, but their shelves are stocked with something...

The Gateway school board will see at least three new faces next year, as seven candidates are competing for four open seats. Sitting board President Leslie McBride is the only incumbent who has filed for reelection. Current terms for board members Jack Bova, Robin Mungo and Mandal Singh are up...

Upcoming meetings Upcoming public meetings include: • May 21: Monroeville Planning Commission, 7:30 p.m. at the municipal building at 2700 Monroeville Boulevard. An agenda is available at Monroeville.pa.us. • June 3: Monroeville council citizen’s night and council work agenda, 7 p.m. at the municipal building. An agenda is available in...

Monroeville officials plan to improve residents’ access to Westmoreland Heritage Trail. But the precise form access will take has yet to be finalized, especially after the cost of one approach doubled in price. Council on Tuesday night voted to pursue a $250,000 state grant, which would be combined with a...

While working on Robert Casey Sr.’s 1986 gubernatorial campaign, Democratic strategist James Carville once famously said that “between Paoli and Penn Hills, Pennsylvania is Alabama.” Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission Executive Director Chad Lassiter never believed that. “You have counties full of people who love their children, their families and their...

Norwin school board members will vote later this month on a preliminary 2025-26 district budget that could include a 4.67-mill tax hike. At the board’s non-voting meeting Monday night, President Bill Bojalad requested that finance director Ryan Kirsch prepare a version of the new budget that includes the tax hike,...

The Pennsylvania Lottery said Monday a $3 million winning ticket in the “3’s a Charm” scratch-off game sold recently in Rostraver. The winning ticket was sold at the Exxon station on Rostraver Road, lottery officials said. The store will receive a $10,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket. “3’s a...

Dr. William Jenkins is used to seeing ambulances pulling into the emergency room bay at Independence Westmoreland Hospital in Greensburg. He wasn’t expecting was to see his 4-year-old grandson Tyler bounding up the driveway Thursday to give him a hug. Nor was he expecting family, Mutual Aid staff and state...

Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com. Camp Invention events Students in kindergarten through sixth grades are invited to take part in Camp Invention, a nationally recognized summer enrichment program, which will be held at several locations this summer in Monroeville. Each year, the program features curriculum inspired by...

Traffic lights along Route 48 in Monroeville have been approved for inclusion in the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission’s SINC-UP project, which provides upgrades to traffic signals to increase efficiency. Monroeville officials announced the project at their council work session on Tuesday. It’s the latest in a series of initiatives aimed at...

A Canonsburg man who police said embezzled nearly $7 million from Hillandale Farms Co. has been sentenced to more than two years in prison. Jonathan A. Weston, 60, was sentenced to 27 months in prison and ordered to pay $6.87 million in restitution to Hempfield-based Hillandale Farms, as well as...

Sarku Japan restaurant in Monroeville Mall was ordered closed after a May 5 inspection revealed five health code violations. Allegheny County health inspectors said a wastewater backup at one of the kitchen grease traps warranted the closure at the restaurant, located in the food court at the Monroeville Mall. County...

The state Attorney General’s Office has charged a Beaver County man with heading up a drug operation spanning multiple counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Korrtezz M. Martin, 34, of Rochester, was charged with racketeering, conspiracy, weapons violations, multiple counts of drug possession, manufacturing and delivery, in connection with an illegal drug...

The May 5 meeting of the Franklin Regional school board has been rescheduled. Monday’s committee-of-the-whole was canceled due to an unexpected issue that prevented the meeting from being broadcast, school officials said. It will be combined with the monthly voting meeting, which will begin at 7:30 p.m. May 12 at...

National history will be recognized in Delmont this month with the dedication of plaques honoring a gunsmith who helped cement the rifle’s place in American history and one of the borough’s enduring landmarks. “The National Register of Historic Places designation officially happened back in the ‘80s, but there was never...

A Derry native and veteran has made a $50,000 donation to the proposed osteopathic medicine college at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Lt. Col. Barry Gasdek, a 1964 IUP graduate, offered the donation, which is part of $32 million the university has collected in private and government funding to develop the...

The five Republicans who will compete for four open seats on Murrysville council are all casting an eye toward the municipality’s future — in particular, how it will grow. “One of the biggest challenges is maintaining our infrastructure while thoughtfully and conservatively managing growth,” said incumbent Jason Lemak, 47. “I’ll...

White House officials have blasted a reported proposal by Amazon — which the company has denied — to begin including information on its website about the amount of tariffs being applied to goods it sells. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who stepped in to respond to a question directed...