Tuesday Fire Destroy's Angelina A's Pizzeria

The fire gutted the West Liberty Avenue building, destroying the business and two apartments.

Early-Morning Fire Destroys Dormont Business

A fire Tuesday morning shut down West Liberty Avenue and destroyed a local pizza shop.

There were no injuries after a fire destroyed a West Liberty Avenue business and apartment building Tuesday morning, but for building owner Francesco Varrati, the fire meant watching part of his livelihood go up in smoke. "I'm dumbfounded," said Varrati, who has owned the building since 1989. "It's total shock. That's all there is to say." Varrati, who used to own Varrati's Pizza—now Angelina's Pizzeria—on the first floor of the building, is retired and said the building was his main source of income. He does have insurance, he said. Dormont Volunteer Fire Department Chief Jeff Arnold said the fire call came in at 5:15 a.m. March 26. Several local departments were at the scene within minutes, but Arnold said the fire was particularly …

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Erin Faulk

11:15 am on Tuesday, March 26, 2013

So are we. Thoughts are with the people who lost their homes and business today.   more ›

Medsger Retires After 36 Years With Dormont VFD

Medsger served as a Deputy Chief for the Dormont Volunteer Fire Department and a desk officer for the police department.

When James Medsger started his job with Dormont Borough in 1977, he was the least-experienced person on the fire department’s staff. “I didn’t know hardly anything at all,” he said. “I came in as a dispatcher and got on-the-job training. I didn’t even know how to drive a stick shift.” That changed, of course. On Sunday, when Medsger, 62, retired after 36 years on the job, Dormont VFD members said he is one of the borough’s most knowledgeable staff members, and will be hard to replace. A send-off ceremony was held at the fire station Sunday, to thank Medsger for his service to both the police and fire departments.  As a gift, the fire department’s volunteer association bought Medsger tickets to an upcoming Eric Clapton concert—a nod to what…

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Week in Review: Hope for Missing Girl, School Guard to Carry Firearm, Funding for Boulevard Project

Week in Review, Jan. 14 to Jan. 18.

Busy week? No downtime? Missed the news? Don't sweat it. Here's a list of this week's top stories from Dormont-Brookline Patch, so you can catch up on the goods. This week on Dormont-Brookline Patch: KO Votes 'Yes' to Arm Security Guard Funding for Brookline Blvd. Project Gets Preliminary Approval Brookline Man Arrested for Assaulting Officers Missing Brookline Girl Could Still Be Alive Jacqueline’s Salon Moving Downtown Dormont VFD Recruiting New Members Pitaland Renovating Store, Adding Café Got your own news to share? Add your organization's events to our Event Calendar. Share your wedding, baby or graduation news in our Announcements section and, while you're at it, upload your photos to our Neighborhood Gallery. We'd love to hear from…

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Dormont VFD Recruiting New Members

The Dormont Fire Department is mainly run by volunteers, and you could be one of them.

If you've been thinking about joining the Dormont Volunteer Fire Department, now could be the right time. Dormont VFD Captain Bryan Taylor posted the following message on the Dormont Fire Department Station 130 Facebook page: "Dormont Volunteer Fire Department is currently recruiting new members. There is lots of hard work and sacrifice involved to be a volunteer firefighter but many more rewards! If you are interested in becoming a member please feel free to stop up at the station on the first and third Thursday of the month at 7pm and sit down and talk to one of the firefighters about the position and fill out an application. You can also email me at bryantaylor@chesleybrown.com for any questions or to apply." Earlier this month, Dormont…

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Week in Review: Wanted Woman, New Year's Arrests and the End of 'Rocky Horror'

Miss something? No sweat. Here's a roundup of the week's top stories, from Dec. 31 to Jan. 4.

Busy week? No downtime? Missed the news? Don't sweat it. Here's a list of this week's top stories from Dormont-Brookline Patch, so you can catch up on the goods. Got your own news to share? Add your organization's events to our Event Calendar. Share your wedding, baby or graduation news in our Announcements section and, while you're at it, upload your photos to our Neighborhood Gallery. We'd love to hear from you! This week on Dormont-Brookline Patch: South Hills Woman Wanted for Fraud, Thefts Arrests Follow New Year's Fight at Ritz Banquet Hall Naftal Says PublicStuff a Success for Dormont Hollywood Screen Goes Dark on 'Rocky Horror' Dormont VFD Officers Sworn in Thursday Follow Dormont-Brookline Patch on Facebook and Twitter. For more …

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Week in Review: Burglary, Street Signs and Penn State

A roundup of this week's Dormont and Brookline news.

Busy week? No downtime? Missed the news? Don't sweat it. Here's a list of this week's top stories from Dormont-Brookline Patch, so you can catch up on the goods. Got your own news to share? Add your organization's events to our Event Calendar. Share your wedding, baby or graduation news in our Announcements section and, while you're at it, upload your photos to our Neighborhood Gallery. We'd love to hear from you! This week on Dormont-Brookline Patch: Man Caught Breaking into Dormont Cars Man Arrested Twice After Dormont Pool Incident Dormont Man Charged After Stealing Pills Fontana Explains Affordable Care Act Dormont VFD Winners Announced Poll: Where Does Dormont Need Street Signs? Sandusky Cover-up Reached Highest Penn State Officials …

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No Injuries in Dormont Porch Fire

A fire broke out on the deck of a home on Latonia Avenue on Monday.

No one was injured when a fire broke out on the porch of a Dormont home Monday evening, said Jeff Arnold, deputy chief of the Dormont Volunteer Fire Department. The Dormont VFD responded to the 2300 block of Latonia Avenue around 8:30 p.m. Monday evening for a report of a fire on the back deck of a home. Arnold said the fire was small, and likely was caused by cigarette ashes falling onto the wood deck. Arnold said the person who had been smoking believed the cigarette was no longer burning when it was left outside. There was no structural damage to the home and no injuries were reported. A four-foot by four-foot area of the deck was damaged, as well as paint on the side of the house, Arnold said. Follow Dormont-Brookline Patch on Facebook…

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Dormont Rec Summer Events

Here's a roundup of some fun stuff happening in Dormont this summer.

Summer is the season for fun and games, and Dormont recreation is providing plenty of things to do in the community. Swimming lessons are available for children throughout the summer. Information is attached to this article as a PDF document. The Dormont Junior Olympics are this Saturday, June 23. Registration is at 9 a.m. at Dormont Memorial Stadium. At 11 a.m., the fun continues at Dormont Pool. For more information, see the Dormont Borough website. Farmers Market starts June 25 and will run every Monday from 4 to 7 p.m. in the parking lot at the corner of West Liberty and Alabama avenues. For a full list of local farmers markets, click here. Dormont Day is July 4 in Dormont Park! The events will feature a variety of activities and …

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Did You Miss It?

Here are the top stories from Dormont and Brookline this week.

Busy week? No downtime? Missed the news? Don't sweat it. Here's a list of this week's top stories from Dormont-Brookline Patch, so you can catch up on the goods. Got your own news to share? Add your organization's events to our Event Calendar. Share your wedding, baby or graduation news in our Announcements section and, while you're at it, upload your photos to our Neighborhood Gallery. We'd love to hear from you! This week on Dormont-Brookline Patch: Keystone Oaks Hires New Football Coach DA to Seek Death Penalty Against Jordan Clemons Brashear, Langley Prepare for Merger Thefts in Brookline, Beechview A Declaration of Success Dormont VFD Raffles Off Beetle Patch Poll: How Are the Roads in Brookline? Follow Dormont-Brookline Patch on …

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