Patrick Varine stories, Page 103

Patrick Varine
Patrick Varine
Pope Francis, first Latin American pontiff, dies at 88
TribLive Taste Test: Sampaloc candy and lemon fudge 
Today on the TribLive Taste Test, we travel all the way to the Philippines for a taste of something called spicy sampaloc candy. What is it? Find out with us! Just in case it turns out to be horrible, Taste Test squad member Patrick Varine also brought along some “lemon...
Murrysville tennis nonprofit gets boost from national health care company 
A Murrysville nonprofit that focuses on teaching tennis, with a focus on being inclusive of all ability levels, has gotten a boost to its profile — and its bank account — through a promotion by national health care company Craneware. Anup Nadesan, 18, of Murrysville, started My Ground Strokes alongside...
Murrysville native accepted into International Opera Academy in Italy
Saint Vincent College junior Justin Massetto of Murrysville was accepted to the prestigious International Opera Academy in Bologna, Italy, becoming the second member of his family to gain entry. Massetto is a music performance major, with minors in sacred music, mathematics and computer science, and a graduate of Franklin Regional...
Carnegie man dies following multi-vehicle crash in Pittsburgh’s South Side Slopes
A 71-year-old man died of injuries suffered in a crash Wednesday afternoon in Pittsburgh’s South Side Slopes neighborhood, according to the county medical examiner. Emergency responders were called to the intersection of Saint Thomas Street and Monastery Avenue shortly before 3 p.m., for a crash involving multiple vehicles. One man...
Franklin Regional grad earns head coach spot with Martinsville Mustangs summer team
Editor’s note: Neighbor Spotlight is a monthly feature that aims to let our readers learn more about the people in their communities who are working to make them a better place, who have interesting stories to tell or who the community feels deserve “15 minutes of fame.” If you would...
‘Canine court advocate’ back in the running for national Hero Dog award 
This time last year, Penny — a shelter-adopted spaniel mix who works as a therapy dog with domestic violence victims at the nonprofit Crisis Center North — was in the running for American Humane’s annual Hero Dog Award. Penny is one of several dogs working as “canine court advocates” through...
Murrysville-Export club join international Rotary effort to ‘End Plastic Soup’ 
After growing up in Ireland, Noreen Hill-Olszewski was surprised to find how comparatively little recycling was happening in the United States. “We’re used to separating our trash, our different types of recyclables, our ‘compostibles,’” Hill-Olszewski said. Local recycling has taken a step back in recent years, with several regional haulers...
Victim identified in South Side motorcycle crash
A male motorcyclist was killed following a crash Tuesday night on Pittsburgh’s South Side, according to city public safety officials. The victim was identified as Brandon Lamar Nixon, 32, of Penn Hills, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner. Emergency responders were called to East Carson and 11th streets just...
2 families displaced by Brackenridge fire 
Two families were displaced by a Tuesday evening fire that left a Brackenridge residence heavily damaged. Fire crews were called to the intersection of Stieren Avenue and Hathaway Lane around 6 p.m. Pioneer Hose Company Assistant Chief Corey Jones said the rear of the building was already engulfed by the...
Murrysville-Export-Delmont covid figures tallied for the week of March 29, 2021
The most recent data from the state Department of Health shows 1,306 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Murrysville area since the pandemic started in March 2020. Of those positive results, 36 cases were reported in the past seven days. The health department on Monday released figures for the three...
Wall of Faces project to honor Vietnam casualties nears completion; all Pennsylvania photos found
On March 29, 1973, combat and combat support units withdrew from South Vietnam, and the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017 permanently designates that date every year as National Vietnam War Veterans Day. It is a time not only to recognize the service of U.S. soldiers in Vietnam, but...
‘Pittsburgh On Your Plate’: Manor woman’s cookbook draws on local culinary influences 
Joanne Niehl’s first cookbook, self-published for a family reunion, drew almost exclusively on recipes from her family. It also got her reminiscing about the memories behind the meals. “We called it ‘Down the House,’ because, when we were growing up, we’d always head to the family house in Braddock on...
Customs officials seize unapproved medicated eye patches from Hong Kong
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials in Pittsburgh seized nearly 4,000 unapproved medicated eye patches destined for Allegheny County in recent months. Two shipments from Hong Kong, 2,300 eye patches on Jan. 4 and another 1,440 on Feb. 8, were to be shipped to separate Allegheny County addresses. However, CBP...
After 2 more covid cases, Penn-Trafford extends high school closure through March 31
After two additional covid-19 cases were reported — making a total of a dozen cases in 15 days — Penn-Trafford officials have extended the closure of Penn-Trafford High School through March 31, Superintendent Matt Harris said in a letter. The district originally planned to close Friday, through the weekend, and...
‘Hoping for surprise’: Pitt professor’s spectroscopy technique part of search for life on Mars with Perseverance rover 
When Sanford Asher interviewed to join the University of Pittsburgh chemistry faculty in 1979, he gave a presentation on a piece of research he planned to conduct if hired. Asher was working on something called ultraviolet Raman spectroscopy, which uses UV light to excite molecules as a way to determine...
Franklin Regional Junior Olympics team qualifies 12 wrestlers for state championships next week
When the Franklin Regional Junior Olympic wrestling team walks onto the floor April 1 for the state championships, it will do so with more wrestlers than any other school in its region. In the KeyStone State Southwest Qualifier, held March 22-23 in Monroeville, FR’s team qualified a dozen wrestlers, and...
Greensburg Diocese to broadcast Easter Sunday Mass, livestream Holy Week
The Diocese of Greensburg will broadcast and livestream its Easter Sunday Mass and will stream Holy Week liturgies for those unable to attend due to physical limitations, age and illness. Easter Mass will be at 10 a.m. April 4, broadcast on the Pittsburgh CW (check local listings) and on 106.7...
Murrysville-Export-Delmont covid figures tallied for the week of March 23, 2021
The most recent data from the state Department of Health shows 1,306 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Murrysville area since the pandemic started in March 2020. Of those positive results, 64 cases were reported in the past seven days. The health department on Monday released figures for the three...
Covid cases force Penn-Trafford High School closure on Friday
After being notified of its 10th positive covid-19 case in the past 14 days, Penn-Trafford High School will be closed Friday through the weekend, reopening Monday, March 29. During that time there will be no extracurricular activities for students, district officials said in a Thursday letter to district families. State...
Signature Dishes: Homemade spaghetti at Murrysville’s Spaghetti & Steak House 
This is part of an ongoing series highlighting Signature Dishes at locally-owned restaurants in the region. See Trib Total Media’s new online directory of restaurants, Dine Local, at dinelocal.triblive.com. As soon as her cook arrives on Thursday afternoons, Monica Meehan heads to the back room in her kitchen at Spaghetti...
Murrysville, Export, Delmont trash contracts all set to expire this year
Murrysville officials are developing bid documents for the town’s next trash and recycling contract and are looking to keep costs down while still maintaining a similar level of service. “We’ll be meeting with Export (officials) and Republic (Services) this week to discuss any issues they’ve had during the term of...
Penn Area Library director stepping down 
Jessica Beichler will look back fondly on her time as Penn Area Library’s director, but it won’t be without a little regret, even if they were beyond her control. “We had a lot of grand plans before the pandemic hit,” said Beichler, who will leave the library post March 24...
Former Tokyo Massage in Murrysville will become new home for dental practice
“Have you ever seen so much pink?” Rick Rivardo asked during a tour of the former Tokyo Massage parlor. Rivardo and his wife, Lisa, are moving his dental practice from Golden Mile Highway in Monroeville to the top of Route 22 in eastern Murrysville, off Buena Vista Drive. Lisa Rivardo...
Life during covid: Windber woman offers helping hand in a variety of ways
Editor’s note: This is part of an occasional series examining how the coronavirus pandemic has affected the lives of members of our community. Donna LaMonaca is no stranger to helping others. A little less than a year ago, as the covid-19 pandemic ramped up across the world, the Windber resident...
Murrysville officials battle misperceptions about earned-income tax discussion
Murrysville officials are fighting a battle of perception — or in many cases, they say, misperception — regarding consideration of raising their share of the earned-income tax, a 1% levy split between the municipality and the Franklin Regional School District. The first misperception is that the school district and municipality...


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