Joe Napsha stories, Page 3
Father, 2 children killed in Indiana County fire
A father and his two children were killed in a fire early Friday morning that destroyed their home in the Indiana County town of Clymer, the coroner said. Keith Lee Fabiszewski, 34, and the children were trapped by the fire in their home along the 400 block of Hancock Street,...
Solar power project proposed for Palmer Regional, Rostraver airportsVideo
The Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Unity could become the first Pennsylvania airport of its size to install a solar power array and generate revenue. Solar power company representatives touted the proposal this week as a money-saver and revenue generator. Palmer Regional and Rostraver airports could be the sites of...
Norwin area: Movie night at Sage’s Army, church fish fry, more
Sage’s Army to hold movie night Sage’s Army, a nonprofit drug prevention and recovery organization, will show the movie, “The Fantastic 4: First Steps,” at 6 p.m. Feb. 18 at the organization’s headquarters at 6044 Lincoln Highway, Hempfield. The doors will open at 5.30 p.m. The free movie night will...
New Palmer Regional airport exec hopes to increase airline traffic with new terminal
A longtime employee at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport will be the new executive director of the Westmoreland County Airport Authority, which manages the airport in Unity and the Rostraver Airport. Maurice “Moe” Haas, 60, the airport authority manager, was unanimously promoted to executive director by the authority board on Tuesday,...
Snow, bitter cold pose problems for home heating oil deliveries; cost per gallon jumps higher
A confluence of soaring demand and treacherous delivery conditions is straining the home heating oil market in Westmoreland County during this month’s bitter cold. “The demand for fuel (heating oil) is extremely high for several reasons. They (furnaces) have been running nonstop,” said Kristen Zawoyski, general manager of Export Fuel...
Norwin youth sports teams oppose hiking fees for fields, gym
A group of Norwin youth sports league representatives expressed their opposition Monday to the Norwin School Board’s plans to raise rental fees for using the district’s fields and gymnasium, saying the increases could price some players out of playing. The school board on Monday night considered a policy that would...
Environmentalists urge DEP to make Tenaska power plant meet air pollution requirements to get permit
Environmental regulators should revise a draft permit for a natural gas-fired power plant to operate in South Huntingdon to make the plant comply with air pollution regulations or reject the permit. That’s what a group of residents and environmentalists told state officials Wednesday. The 90-minute hearing attracted about 60 people...
Fundraisers organized for victims of separate North Huntingdon fires
Fundraisers have been organized on a crowdfunding platform to help two North Huntingdon families who were victims of fires this month — one family who lost their home and another whose dog kennel was destroyed. A GoFundMe page for Regina and Charles Bazala Sr. has raised $22,100 of a $28,000...
North Huntingdon gets state grant for Indian Lake rehab project
The state is offering to pour $665,200 into a major rehabilitation project at North Huntingdon’s 16-acre Indian Lake Park. The fish in the lake must be relocated so it can be drained, dredged and the Kenda Dam repaired over the next few years. In return for the money from the...
Norwin area: School official can approve change orders, bike racks proposed, more
Norwin superintendent can approve change orders for stadium project Norwin’s superintendent has been given the authority to approve change orders sought by contractors involved in the extensive construction project to renovate Knights Stadium. The school board last month gave Superintendent Natalie McCracken the authority to approve change orders in an...
Meeting set to air concerns about proposed Homer City power plant and data center
Concerns over the potential impact on the community’s health, the economy and environment by the proposed natural gas-fired power plant and artificial intelligence data centers near Homer City will be aired at a public meeting Sunday in Indiana. Representatives from environmental organizations — PennFuture, the Clean Air Council and the...
2 elderly residents escape house fire in North Huntingdon
An elderly couple escaped injury Tuesday morning, fleeing a blaze that destroyed their home in the Hahntown section of North Huntingdon, a fire official said. Flames were already jumping through the windows of 319 Main St. when crews arrived, said Fairmont-Hahntown Fire Chief Cecil “Skip” Cook. While initial reports suggested...
Irwin, North Huntingdon garbage collection delayed
Garbage collection in Irwin was canceled Monday by Waste Management because of the weather and rescheduled for Saturday, borough officials said on a Facebook post. In North Huntingdon, garbage collection will be delayed by one day, according to the township website. The offices of Irwin Borough and North Huntingdon were...
Fire damages Derry Township tavern
A Derry Township restaurant and tavern sustained significant damage from a fire late Sunday, said Mark Piantine, Bradenville fire chief. Employees of Lucky B’s American Bar and Grille at 2120 Lincoln Road, who lived in two second-floor apartments above the restaurant, were able to escape the fire without injury, said...
Crews brace for snow: Here’s how roads are prioritized during snowstorms
In the borough of Export, Stephen Opsitnick Jr. spent much of Wednesday leaning over the open hood of a public works truck, checking oil and hydraulic fluid levels with the deliberate focus of a man preparing for a long siege. As the head of public works, Opsitnick and his single...
Norwin area: Cubcake fundraiser, stream bank restoration, scholarships, more
Cubcake fundraiser set Bakers are being sought to contribute cupcakes to the Norwin Lions Club’s 11th annual Cubcake Wars fundraiser from noon to 3 p.m. March 1 at the Norwin High School cafeteria, 251 McMahon Drive. The proceeds from the cupcake sale go to the charities supported by the Norwin...
Norwin School District sets property tax hike limit
Norwin school directors have decided to cap any property tax increase for the 2026-27 school year at 4.5%, the maximum allowed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education without seeking voter approval through a referendum. The school board Monday authorized the cap based on the state’s calculated inflation index for the...
Fire leaves Hempfield house with significant damage
A man was taken to a hospital Friday afternoon suffering from smoke inhalation caused by a fire in his house along Mt. Pleasant Road in Hempfield, a township fire official said. Hempfield Deputy Fire Chief Ben Rudd said he did not know the identity of the affllicted man, who was...
Norwin library to create children’s story walk at Irwin Park
Children visiting Irwin Park this year may have the opportunity to read a book while walking along a path, engaging in activities that coincide with the book’s theme. The Norwin Public Library received approval from Irwin Borough Council this week to create a story walk. The experience will feature 15...
Irwin bridge closed after hole opens in deck of structure
Irwin closed the Colony Drive Bridge off Route 30 on Wednesday following the discovery of a foot-wide hole in the deck. The closure has prompted a full evaluation of the structure to determine its integrity. Dan Schmitt, an engineer with Gibson-Thomas Engineering of Latrobe, could not provide council members with...
Norwin area: Irwin appointments, bingo, solar energy meeting, more
Irwin appointments Irwin Borough Council has appointed three members to the parks and recreation board, including two former council members. All terms began this month and run through Dec. 31, 2031. The appointees include former council member Fonda Dalbow, who recently sought a full four-year term in the November election,...
Spirit to resume Arnold Palmer Regional flights to Myrtle Beach
If the bitter cold weather on Thursday got you down, maybe thinking about a beach vacation in April might lift your spirits. Spirit Airlines said Thursday it is resuming its seasonal, five flights weekly nonstop service from Arnold Palmer Regional Airport near Latrobe to Myrtle Beach, S.C., beginning April 15....
Environmental group protects 2,400 acres on Chestnut Ridge
A conservation organization has protected more than 2,400 acres of undeveloped forest land on Chestnut Ridge in eastern Westmoreland County. The land contains the headwaters for several wild trout streams. The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy said agreements reached on land donations and a conservation easement on property owned by several families...
Sheetz in North Huntingdon sells $1.4 million winning lottery ticket
Someone who purchased a Match 6 Lotto game $2 ticket Wednesday at a Sheetz convenience store in North Huntingdon is a lot richer. The Pennsylvania Lottery said that a $1.42 million jackpot-winning Match 6 Lotto ticket was sold at the store at the intersection of Route 30 and Carpenter Lane....
Irwin OKs plans for Chipotle restaurant
Irwin officials gave the green light to a national Mexican food chain’s plan to build one of its 4,000 restaurants along Route 30 in the borough. Borough council on Wednesday unanimously approved the land development plan from Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. for its eatery at 9174 Route 30, the site...
