Patrick Varine stories, Page 46

A Rostraver man who police said assaulted his father and stole his revolver was arrested after barricading himself inside his home for nearly seven hours Wednesday. State troopers responded to Columbus Street in Belle Vernon just before 1 p.m. Wednesday for a report of a theft and assault. The father...

The annual June Boötid meteor shower will stick around until July 2, but its peak — and the best chance to catch a glimpse — will be tonight. In the Pittsburgh area, the shower will be visible from dusk well into the night. But what is it, and why is...

The slate that Deb and Fred Rost use as a canvas for their artwork comes from Vermont — but they don’t have to go nearly that far to sell it. The Latrobe residents have been bringing products from their Stenciled Slates business to the Westmoreland Arts & Heritage Festival for...

Two men were transported in critical condition from a shooting early Sunday morning in Pittsburgh’s Homewood neighborhood, according to police. Officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert just before 5 a.m. on the 7000 block of Kelly Street, where they found two male victims. Medics transported one man who police said...

Police are investigating the fatal shooting of a man riding his bicycle along Federal Street Sunday morning on Pittsburgh’s North Side. Police responded to Federal Street at West North Avenue around 7 a.m. and said they found a man who had been shot in the back. He was taken to...

A Zelienople man faces criminal homicide and kidnapping charges, after police said he shot two women with a rifle and barricaded himself inside a New Sewickley house on Saturday afternoon. Police were called to the 400 block of Klein Road around 2 p.m. Saturday. The first officers on scene encountered...

Pittsburgh Police detectives are seeking information to help locate missing 12-year-old twin brothers who were last seen on Saturday. Police said Kam and Karter Winesickle left their home on Stanhope Street in Pittsburgh’s Sheraden neighborhood at 5 p.m. Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or 412-323-7800....

Pennsylvania Turnpike and state transportation officials are hoping to brighten the roadside, boost the local pollinator population and spark the public’s interest in planting native species for critical pollinating wildlife like bees and butterflies. Officials have overseen more than 40 acres of pilot planting, with an additional 25 acres in...

Franklin Regional school directors approved a $66.6 million budget for the 2023-24 school year that includes a 2-mill tax hike. The budget will bring in $66.27 million in projected revenue. In the past few years, district officials have offset budget gaps using money earmarked to fund annual state-mandated increases in...

Murrysville officials have begun the process to try and demolish a long-abandoned property near Pedora Park. Council members voted unanimously to designate the residence at 6283 Old William Penn Highway as a blighted structure. “This isn’t a fixer-upper,” code enforcement officer Nick Ruffner said. The property was posted as being...

Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com. Woman’s club elects new officers The Murrysville Woman’s Club elected its 2023-24 officers during a scholarship luncheon held at the Greensburg Country Club. New officers are President Jan Bollinger, First Vice President Barb Breitenstein, Second Vice President Beverly Bella, Secretary Bonnie Sheridan,...

There are multiple injection well operations and appeals of operations in the communities of Plum and neighboring Murrysville. Plum officials are appealing the decision of their own zoning hearing board, which approved a second injection well in the borough. The Sedat injection well has been in operation since late spring...

When Judy Wanchisn was a few years into her fight to stop operation of a fracking injection well in her neighborhood, several people asked why she didn’t just move. “This is our family homestead,” she said, gesturing to the house and small building adjacent to her home on Sebring Road...

(Editor’s note: To mark Westmoreland County’s 250th birthday this year, we’ve come up with a list of 250 things — 10 things in 25 communities — that we consider to be important to the makeup of our area. This series will appear each week through December. If you have a...

A.J. Schmidt doesn’t remember why he first chose to take up flute at the end of his third-grade year. But his father does. “He came home at nine years old and said, ‘I can make a sound on it, and it’s pretty,’” said Schmidt’s father Judd, who is getting ready...

When Debbie Hoffner was 16 years old, she started a job in the dietary department at Forbes Regional Hospital. She’s worked in the food-service industry on and off for four decades, and has been told often that she should start her own food business. Next month, with the help of...

Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com. Roller derby at Palmer Imaging Arena The WestCo Roller Derby team will host its third match of the season at 7 p.m. June 24 at Palmer Imaging Arena in Salem. The team will take on Iron Mountain Roller Derby out of Cumberland,...

An Irwin man turned himself in to authorities after he was charged with homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, in connection with a fatal 2022 crash, according to police. Troy Modrak, 28, of Irwin, surrendered to county detectives on Thursday after being charged with homicide by vehicle while...

Delmont council members awarded a $74,000 contract for paving on Suncrest Drive this summer but opted not to include several additions, citing prohibitive costs for materials. “The pricing this year is at an all-time high,” borough engineer Kevin Brett told council at its June 13 meeting. “Locally, they’re slowing production...

The WestCo Roller Derby team will host its third match of the season at 7 p.m. June 24 at Palmer Imaging Arena in Salem. The team will take on Iron Mountain Roller Derby out of Cumberland, Md. “Both teams have worked hard to rebuild coming out the pandemic. For some...

Delmont Public Library officials will lead a community conversation about autism, and the feedback they receive will be used in conjunction with a $20,000 grant to provide resources and programs for those affected. “This grant requires you to talk with members of the community you’re looking to serve, about what...

After nearly 18 months of meetings, debates and changes, Hempfield Area School Board members sent two controversial policies back to their policy committee for additional tweaks. The policies are centered around the purchase of resource materials, with a particular focus on books available in the district’s libraries, and the procedure...

For Westmoreland Air Show attendees who caught the Air Force Thunderbirds when they last visited in 2017, the F-16 pilots have some new moves in store. “During 2020, when all of the airshows got canceled, we spent the whole year redesigning our show,” said Maj. Jake Impellizzeri of Cincinnati, who...