Patrick Varine stories, Page 9

Curling up by the fireside with a good book is one of those wintertime idylls, and with Christmas just around the corner, why not help provide that experience for someone with the gift of a book? Here are several new books recently released by local authors. ‘The Catalysts,’...

The Jamison Building on North Main Street in downtown Greensburg dates to the late 19th century, built in the 1890s. Vestiges of the era remain, from some of the decorative touches inside to the three heavy-duty vault doors remaining from the building’s time as a bank. Art therapist and licensed...

A Murrysville artist has once again earned a spot in Pennsylvania’s “Art of the State” contest, and will have her work displayed in the state capitol. Patty Kennedy-Zafred, 72, of Murrysville took first place in the annual contest’s craft division in 2022, with a piece titled “American Portraits: Harvesting Hope,”...

The Westmoreland Food Bank cleared another hurdle on the way toward a planned expansion that will double the size of the nonprofit’s food cooler, receiving approval from Salem supervisors to proceed. “We’re expanding by about 55,000 square feet and it’s being funded through (federal American Rescue Plan) funds through the...

Four years ago, Gea Fultz of New Kensington was an 11-year-old girl walking into a gym full of boys training to fight. “It was really scary at first,” said Fultz, 15, now a sophomore at Valley High School. “I felt like I had to prove myself.” The proof? In August,...

Delmont officials made the next partial payment last week on the borough’s large-scale, state-mandated sewage project, putting just more than $267,000 toward an collection point on Christy Road and the relocation of a sewage line in Salem. The pressurized sewage line along with a gravity sewage line runs through the...

A Purchase Line School District security guard in Indiana County is under investigation after state police said he accidentally discharged his gun Friday morning in an elementary-school faculty room. Police were called to Purchase Line Elementary School around 9:15 a.m. in Green Township. They said shortly after 9 a.m., an...

A Greensburg man wanted on aggravated assault and other charges forced a SWAT team to enter a Perry Avenue residence to arrest him Thursday. Tyler Schultheis, 34, was wanted on a warrant issued Wednesday listing charges of aggravated assault, strangulation, terroristic threats and unlawful restraint, according to court records. A...

Mt. Pleasant Borough police are investigating a Thursday morning shooting downtown that caused Ramsey Elementary School to be locked down. A man entered the Sunoco convenience store on West Main Street around 11 a.m. and told employees that someone had shot at him as they were in the area of...

Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com. Christmas Bird Count in Westmoreland County Local residents are encouraged to volunteer for the annual Christmas Bird Count, a worldwide effort to document local bird populations. The survey is the largest citizen science effort held for one day, between Dec. 14 and...

Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com or bpoole@triblive.com. Free Christmas dinner in Monroeville Christ the Divine Church, 245 Azalea Drive, Monroeville, will host a free Christmas Day dinner in their Lourdes Center this year. Dinner begins at 12:30 and will continue until 3 p.m., or until the supply...

In February 2023, Sardis Volunteer Fire Company Chief Joe Paiano Jr. entered a burning house in Salem Township to rescue an 11-year-old boy. The boy was among three people pulled from the fire, but he died of his injuries a few days later. The incident affected Paiano in a way...

New Year’s ball drop at noon For those who who don’t want to stay up until midnight, the Monroeville Public Library will host a ball drop at noon on Dec. 31 inside the Monroeville Mall, 200 Mall Circle Drive. This free, all-ages New Year’s Eve celebration will be held on...

Monroeville Council reduced an anticipated 2-mill tax hike to 1.5 mills in passing its 2025 municipal budget on Tuesday. Council voted 5-2 to raise property taxes from the current 4 mills to 5.5 mills. Councilmen Bill Krut and Mike Adams voted no. The $41.3 million budget does not change the...

At 3 p.m. Tuesday, the atmosphere in Monday’s Union Restaurant in Unity was positively serene compared with the same hour last week. A handful of customers chatted at the bar while two others sat in the restaurant waiting for one of Monday’s popular pizzas. The previous Tuesday, the main downstairs...

High school students across the state have decorated winter snow plows, and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation officials want the public to vote on their local favorites. The annual Paint the Plow contest is part of PennDOT’s annual campaign drawing awareness to winter driving safety. Students were asked to create a...

When Brian Shema began taking part in the Audubon Society’s annual Christmas Bird Count more than two decades ago, red-bellied woodpeckers were a very rare sight. The red-headed bird’s historical range was the central and southern states. They’re not suppose to be here, traditionally speaking. But these days, Shema said...

Property taxes will remain at 12.05 mills next year in Murrysville, after council members voted to pass a $17.3 million budget for 2025. The municipality’s $17.28 million budget includes $3.8 million in capital spending. Capital projects for next year will include grant-supported bridge work along with $100,000 for new police...

One man was killed and another is in stable condition following a shooting late Thursday night in Penn Hills, police said. First responders were called to the 200 block of Universal Road shortly before midnight and arrived to find Vanderlee Stevenson, 21, of Penn Hills with multiple gunshot wounds, according...

Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com. East Suburban Artists League exhibit The East Suburban Artists League invites the public to a Dec. 14 reception for its exhibit at Gallery Space in the Monroeville Public Library, 4000 Gateway Campus Boulevard. It will be from 6-8 p.m. and will showcase...

Here are a few news items for Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024: Drivers suffer popped tires on Parkway East PennDOT officials said nearly 30 drivers ended up with flat tires after hitting a metal grate on the Parkway East near the Churchill exit. A large number of vehicles were forced to...

Susan Miller is used to spotting birds on her nature walks. That makes the Plum naturalist a perfect candidate for the annual Christmas Bird Count, a worldwide effort to document local bird populations. The survey is the largest citizen science effort held for one day, between Dec. 14 and Jan....

Delmont will officially lower the speed limit on Athena Drive to 25 mph. Council voted 6-1 at its November meeting to reduce the top speed on the stretch of Athena between Freeport Street and the borough line just north of Park Drive. Council President Andy Shissler voted no. Athena is...

Here are some overnight news items for Monday, Dec. 2, 2024: Water main break cleaned up The intersection of Liberty Avenue and Commonwealth Place has reopened after an overnight water main break made both roads impassable in Downtown Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh Water crews were called to the intersection around 10:30 p.m....