Joe Napsha stories, Page 101
Westmoreland municipal authority OKs buying Mt. Pleasant sewage plant
Mt. Pleasant is selling its sewage plant to the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County, which has agreed not to raise rates for the plant’s 3,200 customers for at least two years, officials said. The municipal authority board on Wednesday approved the deal to buy the borough’s sewage plant for $3...
$600 weekly unemployment federal check runs out at end of July
While Dylan Altemara finishes his master’s degree in human resources and looks for a job, the $600 unemployment weekly benefit boost from the federal government has been a lifesaver. “The additional stimulus money makes everybody whole,” Altemara, 27, of Belle Vernon said of the check he receives under the federal...
Plum man sentenced to 12-24 years on child porn charges
A Plum man was sentenced to 12-to-24 years in prison Tuesday after pleading guilty to child pornography charges in Westmoreland County. Antonio R. Pampena, 37, pleaded guilty before Westmoreland Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio to two counts of disseminating photos of child sex acts, 35 counts of possessing child pornography and one...
West Penn Power to spend $46 million to trim trees along power lines this year
In an effort to reduce power outages caused by downed branches and trees during summer thunderstorms, West Penn Power said it anticipates trimming trees along 2,600 miles of electric lines in its 24-county service territory, which includes all or portions of Allegheny, Armstrong, Fayette and Westmoreland counties. The initiative is...
Checks stolen from Mt. Pleasant area auto dealer
State police are looking for a man they say stole checks from Mt. Pleasant Auto Sales along Route 31 in East Huntingdon and cashed a forged check for $2,970. John R. Bandemer Jr., owner of Mt. Pleasant Auto Sales, said his signature on the check was forged and the suspect...
Pennsylvania to provide $225M in grants to small businesses
Donna Eicher could be a poster child for the economically devastating impacts of the covid-19 restrictions on small businesses. “Even though we’re considered essential because we’re lodging, we haven’t had any business since mid-March. All our bookings for March, April, May and June canceled,” said Eicher, who operates Seams Like...
Pennsylvania extends jobless benefits for 13 weeks
Pennsylvania’s unemployed will become eligible for an extension of their jobless benefits by the end of this week, state officials said Monday. Those who exhausted their regular unemployment compensation benefits — a maximum of 26 weeks — and exhausted their 13-week federal Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation assistance will be eligible...
Jeannette woman allegedly sold drugs to buy football cleats
A Jeanette woman accused of having a golf ball-sized chunk of crack cocaine allegedly told state police she was selling drugs to raise money to buy football cleats for her son. State police say they found the crack cocaine in a car driven by Nivek Aneece Jackson, 39, when they...
Historic West Newton house converted to Airbnb rental
A historic house built in the early 1800s along the Youghiogheny River in West Newton was remodeled and converted into a vacation rental that should be available in August, the owner said. Real estate developer Gregory K. Barr of Baldwin took what was the long-vacant two-story wood-framed John C. Plumer...
New Westmoreland-Fayette Workforce Board head: skilled, interested job-seekers needed
With unemployment in Westmoreland and Fayette counties hovering around 19% because of the covid-19 impact on the economy, the new leader of the region’s workforce development organization sees “connecting companies and employers with professional, skilled, and interested job-seekers” as one of its biggest challenges to economic growth. “There can sometimes...
Norwin graduation falls within state guidelines, district says
When Norwin High School conducts its commencement ceremonies for almost 400 seniors Friday night, there likely will be more than 250 people — graduates and guests — gathered at Knights Stadium for each of the two sessions. Although Westmoreland County is in the green phase of the state’s covid-19 restrictions...
Penn-Trafford lists graduates
Penn-Trafford plans to hold commencement ceremonies for its seniors on July 31, at a time to be determined, once the school district decides what kind of ceremony it will conduct. While Westmoreland County is in the green phase of the covid-19 restrictions, the state has prohibited gatherings of more than...
GNC files for bankruptcy, plans to close up to 1,200 stores
Pittsburgh-based health and wellness retailer GNC Corp. filed for bankruptcy and plans to close 800 to 1,200 stores, including several in Western Pennsylvania, unless it finds a buyer willing to pay at least $760 million under an agreement with lenders. Saying the covid-19 pandemic “had a dramatic negative impact on...
Historic 1763 Bushy Run battle re-enactment canceled
Chalk up another cancellation of a popular event to covid-19. The Bushy Run Battlefield Heritage Society has canceled its annual re-enactment of the 1763 battle between Native Americans and British and colonial forces during Pontiac’s War in what is now Penn Township. “There is no way we could put this...
Kids Week at Lamp Theatre goes virtual
Like many other activities, the Kids Week of fun and educational events typically held at The Lamp Theatre in Irwin is going virtual this year. No registration is required for the week of musical theater, arts and crafts, health and fitness, science, princess events and a puppet show that will...
Greensburg YMCA reopeningTuesday
The Greensburg YMCA will reopen Tuesday morning after being closed since Friday to allow staff to clean the building because someone using the YMCA day camp last week tested positive for covid-19. All the member services, including the wellness center and swimming pool, will reopen at 6 a.m. Tuesday after...
Penn-Trafford board to vote June 29 on reopening plans
The Penn-Trafford School Board is expected to vote June 29 on a health and safety plan to reopen its schools in August as a result of a survey that found an overwhelming percentage of parents want to fully send their children back to school, the district said. The 7 p.m....
Pandemic brought $38 million loss for Excela Health, which hopes for more federal aid
Excela Health may have to tap into its reserves to cover $28 million in unreimbursed losses as a result of the coronavirus pandemic this spring that eliminated elective surgeries and patient visits, hospital officials said. The $38 million in covid-19 losses that piled up between mid-March and the end of...
Indiana County man accused of threatening police, workers
A 39-year-old Indiana, Pa. man accused of violating protection from abuse orders was arrested by federal marshals in Ohio on Friday after he allegedly made numerous threatening phone calls to the state police and employees at the Indiana County station. The suspect, Tobias T. Wright, is accused of making 40...
New Kensington woman accused of threatening Westmoreland County worker
A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a New Kensington woman accused of threatening a Westmoreland County caseworker Friday morning after a child custody hearing at the county courthouse in Greensburg, police said. The suspect, Ronica S. Paine, 46, of Leishman Avenue, allegedly threatened the female caseworker by...
Boy, 2, dies a week after being injured in crash that killed 2 adults
A 2-year-old boy has died from injuries he sustained in a June 13 accident that killed two adults in Pittsburgh’s Chateau neighborhood. The victim, Kingsley Hall of Pittsburgh, died of blunt force trauma of the head on Wednesday in a Pittsburgh hospital, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office announced Friday...
North Hempfield house damaged by fire from lightning strike
Lightning struck at a house in North Hempfield on Friday afternoon and caught the roof on fire. The homeowners, Mary and David Simpson of Downes Road, were home in the kitchen, preparing for supper, when the lightning hit the roof around 5 p.m. “It was real loud. I jumped,” Mary...
Norwin teacher, companion waive court hearings
A Norwin Middle School teacher and her boyfriend waived their rights to a preliminary hearing this week on accusations they failed to disclose information that the man had pleaded guilty to corruption of a minor when he volunteered to work on a school musical earlier this year. Tobitha Sasso, 40,...
Consumer Advocate: Columbia Gas 18% rate hike request seeks ‘large profit margin’
Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania’s 436,000 customers counties could be hit with a nearly 18% rate hike next year if the state agency overseeing utilities approves the requested increase. Columbia Gas said it is seeking to generate $100.4 million annually to pay for replacing and upgrading aging underground pipelines. The gas...
Norwin chamber to hold virtual picnic in August
With government-ordered restrictions prohibiting gatherings of more than 250 people, the Norwin Chamber of Commerce will hold its 88th Annual Norwin Community Picnic online instead of at Idlewild Park & SoakZone in Ligonier Township. The virtual picnic, while not giving children the opportunity to enjoy the roller coaster or the...
