Patrick Varine stories, Page 131

During one of the 18 naval battles Michael E. Pahnos fought aboard the USS Canberra during World War II, the young cannon operator was knocked unconscious. When he awoke, he was panicked to discover that he was in the ship’s morgue, under several dead shipmates. “He hardly ever talked about...

It might seem a little strange for officials from the Westmoreland Conservancy – which focuses on science-based programming – to host a hunt for fairy houses and troll dens. “Just like with any myth, there’s a little grain of truth,” said conservancy President Shelly Tichy. “The ‘fairies’ are the insects...

When Camryn Hall wakes up in the morning, the Murrysville teen may have to take a moment to think about exactly which rehearsal — or rehearsals — she needs to prepare for. Some days it’s rehearsal for the Pittsburgh Musical Theater’s upcoming production of “The Sound of Music,” in which...

When Rocco Monteleone of Penn Township was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in December 2018, the outpouring of support was immediate. Friends, neighbors and community members quickly formed Rocco’s Warriors to raise money for the 2-year-old’s treatment, and were devastated when he succumbed to the disease a few months later...

Eighteen members of the Franklin Regional Junior Olympic (JO) wrestling team earned top-four finishes at the recent Area III state qualifier held Feb. 16 at Franklin Regional Senior High School. Six wrestlers earned first-place finishes, Area III champion designations and spots in the 2020 PJW state tournament. Another five earned...

Franklin Regional officials are reaching out to parents and the community to engage them about hot-button issues facing today’s students: bullying, drugs and pitfalls of social media use. The Franklin Regional Parent and Community Lecture Series kicks off March 11 with an overview of the district’s bullying prevention strategy. It...

If David and Patrick Leonard got into trouble, they could expect to revisit it later in the week. “My father was a long-distance truck driver,” said David Leonard of Greensburg. “One thing I always remember is, if we got into trouble, my mother took care of it, but you got...

Franklin Regional science teachers are looking for female middle-schoolers with enthusiasm for engineering. The first-ever “Wonder Women Workshop” is set for April 2, where participants will engage in STEM-based activities at Franklin Regional Senior High School. It is the first in what science teachers Monica Bruno, Rebecca Connelly and Maureen...

Forming a historical society involves a lot more than just finding a bunch of old photos and collecting them in one place. In fact, as members of the fledgling Delmont Historical Society looked to get their group off the ground, they found themselves initially researching the history of their predecessors,...

America’s most popular podcast host, comedian Joe Rogan, will bring his “Sacred Clown” stand-up comedy tour to Pittsburgh on May 16. Rogan, who has also provided color commentary for Ultimate Fighting Championship fights since 2002, has been a stand-up comedian for the past 25 years, with two albums and six...

In 2019, the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit Foundation for the first time opened their impact grant program to any teacher, rather than just special-education teachers. “We literally threw the rubric out,” said foundation board member Roberta Cook of Murrysville. Cook and others in the foundation liked what they saw when choosing...

Christopher Ruane of Murrysville hopes visiting the Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg can help inspire Franklin Regional students to pursue a life of creativity. Ruane’s art keeps him busy nowadays, but it wasn’t always that way. “When I was in high school, I grew up in a sports-minded...

Con men, government inspections, corruption and mistaken identity all cross paths in the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg’s upcoming production of Nikolai Gogol’s “The Government Inspector.” When the postmaster of a small Russian town reads a resident’s mail and begins spreading the word that a government inspector will soon be...

A Murrysville marketing agency specializing in engaging the Christian community will receive a National Religious Broadcasters award for producing the weekly “Health, Hope & Inspiration” podcast. Sponsored by the Cancer Treatment Centers of America and produced by Murrysville-based Infinity Concepts, “Health, Hope & Inspiration” was developed to provide information and...

A Connellsville man who skipped out on identity theft and other charges filed last spring was taken into custody following a crash last week in Fayette County. Daniel L. Hoyle, 49, of Connellsville was apprehended after allegedly fleeing on foot from a Feb. 12 crash along Route 119 in Bullskin...

Murrysville will seek a consultant to help plan for an amphitheater at Murrysville Community Park, and addressing traffic will likely be a high priority. “I know you’re trying to build it up more, but there’s problems with the traffic out there,” said Marlene Campas of Murrysville at a recent council...

If it was about Connellsville, Tom Rusnack was interested. Mr. Rusnack was a life member of the Connellsville VFW and AMVETS, a regular member of the American Legion and the Knights of Columbus, part of the Fayette County Cultural Trust and a board member at the Wesley Health Center. “He...