Joe Napsha stories, Page 70
Pittsburgh area adds jobs in September, loss of workers reflects slow recovery
The Pittsburgh region had 10,000 fewer workers in September than a year ago, despite the availability of the covid vaccine, employers offering higher wages and the federal government eliminating extra jobless benefits. The seven-county region saw the labor force decrease to 1.16 million workers in September, a drop of 13,600...
Norwin guidance counselor accused of having drugs on school grounds
A Norwin Middle School guidance counselor told police the suspected crystal meth and a glass pipe authorities found in his car wasn’t his, and he “didn’t even know what it was,” according to North Huntingdon police. Richard Wesley Kean, 54, of Verona is accused of having a plastic bag with...
Busy Beaver robot saving time checking inventoryVideo
A 6-foot-tall slender robot with LED lights and three cameras moves slowly down the aisles of a North Huntingdon store, scanning thousands of items hanging on hooks and laying on shelves, checking the entire inventory and recording what is missing in matter of a few hours. As the robot scans...
Kennametal revenues rise, net income up
Kennametal Corp.’s sales jumped by 26% in the July-through-September quarter compared with a year ago and earnings per share rose 69 cents from the same quarter a year ago, the company said Monday. The Pittsburgh-based maker of metalworking tools said it earned 43 cents a share on sales of $483.5...
Norwin employee arrested, details scant from school district, police
A Norwin Middle School employee was arrested outside the building Friday, according to North Huntingdon police and the school district. Superintendent Jeff Taylor did not identify the employee or their position at the school located at 10870 Mockingbird Drive in the township. In a statement issued Monday, Taylor the district...
Norwin: Mask issue prominent in divisive school board campaign
The battle among eight candidates seeking four seats on the Norwin School Board features a slate of four Republican candidates who have opposed the district following the state mandate requiring masks in schools. Newcomers Christine Baverso, 44, Alex Detschelt, 45, and Shawna Ilagan, 39, join incumbent Raymond Kocak, 58, on...
Women’s business ownership growing; still face different challenges
Tracy Alaia of Trafford had always dreamed of owning a boutique, but she wanted it to be more than just a shop. “I wanted it to be helpful to other artists,” said Alaia, who initially was going to have a paint studio, but that grew into a gift shop in...
Seton Hill to launch coed esports program
Seton Hill University is joining the growing field of colleges and universities with esports programs, as it plans to field a team next fall for video gaming competitions. “The popularity of esports on high school and college campuses — as well as on the professional level — cannot be understated,”...
Police accuse Pittsburgh man of robbing 2 businesses several days apart
A Pittsburgh man was jailed Wednesday on accusations that he robbed two businesses on Pittsburgh’s South Side in the past two weeks, city police said. The suspect, Dakota Face, 23, was placed in the Allegheny County Jail on Thursday, awaiting arraignment on charges filed in connection with the two robberies,...
Excela unveils $10 million robotic surgical center with focus on cancer
Excela Health unveiled a new $10 million surgical institute Wednesday with a focus on cancer treatment at the health system’s Latrobe Hospital. Officials said it will allow residents in the region to receive state-of-the-art robot-assisted surgery and care at the local facility. The robot-assisted surgery that has been performed the...
Exotic dancer sues 2 Westmoreland adult clubs, claiming employment law violations
A North Huntingdon exotic dancer wants a local adult night club to pay her more than $58,000 in back wages and damages she says she is owed because the club misclassified her employment status. Deanna Betras, 41, alleges the owners of the former The Filly Corral in South Huntingdon —...
Man shot in Pittsburgh’s Homewood South area
A man was reported in stable condition after being shot in the leg in the Homewood South neighborhood, Pittsburgh police said. Police said they responded to an alert of a shooting around 8:20 p.m. in the 7300 block of Hamilton Avenue. Medics transported the victim to a local hospital and...
Norwin recognized for Special Olympics
Norwin High School has been recognized as a 2020 National Unified Champion School by the Special Olympics, one of only 10 schools in the state to be honored. The celebration was part of Norwin’s Oct. 15 pep rally during the homecoming festivities. Sophomore Eli Passarelli of the Unified Bocce and...
Clairton man pleads guilty to assault in McDonald’s in Bethel Park
A Clairton man was sentenced to four-to-10 years in prison Friday for sexually assaulting a young girl at a McDonald’s restaurant in Bethel Park, according to authorities. Allegheny County Judge Jill E. Rangos sentenced Walter A. Garner, 41, to prison on his plea of guilty to charges of statutory sexual...
6 battle for 4 seats on Irwin council; 2 vie for mayor’s seat
Irwin voters will decide Nov. 2 whether to give a younger generation a say in borough government. Republican council members Ronald Romeo, 62; Frank Rossi Jr., 64; and Leslie Savage, 52, are running for reelection on the GOP ticket, along with Tyler Baum, 23, who won a spot on the...
North Huntingdon names acting manager, effective Nov. 1
North Huntingdon commissioners have promoted assistant manager Mike Turley to interim manager when Jeff Silka leaves the job Nov. 1. Turley will also serve as secretary, treasurer and right-to-know officer. Silka’s resignation was approved Wednesday. He submitted his resignation in late September to take a similar position in Cumberland, Md....
Penn-Trafford inducts 1st group into Alumni Hall of Fame
The Penn-Trafford High School Alumni Hall of Fame inducted 12 members into its first class, 18 months after its inaugural ceremony was delayed because of covid restrictions. The inductees gathered with family and friends and Penn-Trafford administrators at the Manor Valley Golf Club for a luncheon, followed by the awards...
Norwin area: Pirohi sale, craft show, bus trip, more
Craft, vendor show at New Hope Church The New Hope Church Craft & Vendor Show will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 6 at the Circleville Volunteer Fire Department social room, 129 Robbins Station Rd., North Huntingdon. Lunch can be purchased, and the sale of baked goods...
North Huntingdon votes to condemn former Rivertowne Pub building
North Huntingdon officials voted this week to condemn the former Rivertowne Pub & Grille building on Route 30 so it can be demolished, though the saga might not be over. Commissioners voted 6-1 on Wednesday to condemn the closed tavern, following a hearing Oct. 14. The property is owned by...
Ballot in North Irwin remains empty
Serving on North Irwin’s government is a job that apparently none of the small borough’s voters want. Just like in the primary, no one is on the ballot for one of four two-year terms on borough council. Mayor John McIntyre is running for reelection on both the Democratic and Republican...
New Stanton gives conditional OK for large warehouse project
Ground could be broken next spring on a 1-million-square-foot warehouse project in New Stanton. Borough council this week gave the conditional approval to the land development plan that SunCap Property Group of Charlotte, N.C., had reached with the borough. Among the conditions that SunCap must meet is to obtain all...
Norwin church volunteers box meals for thousands in Honduras
Thousands of children in Honduras will be able to get a hot meal at school thanks to volunteers at a North Huntingdon church who recently boxed about 80,000 meals. About 200 volunteers gathered at the Norwin Christian Church this month to box prepackaged meals of rice, soybeans and vitamins purchased...
Norwin resident seeks racial sensitivity, diversity training for school staff after students wore Confederate flag clothing
A Norwin resident upset over two high school students wearing Confederate flag clothing last week wants the district to consider instituting training programs for racial sensitivity and diversity inclusion. LaSchalle Armstrong of North Huntingdon asked school officials Monday to consider having the racial sensitivity training for the staff, who are...
North Huntingdon seeks condemnation of old Rivertowne Pub
The former Rivertowne Pub & Grille along Route 30 in North Huntingdon is either a building that is unfit for human use, with broken windows and a collapsed section of floor, or it is a structure that can be simply repaired and resurrected as a restaurant. Township commissioners recently heard...
North Huntingdon proposes 2022 budget that doesn’t raise taxes
North Huntingdon officials adopted a preliminary budget Thursday that does not raise taxes. Property owners will not have to pay more real estate taxes under a tentative budget that takes $1.14 million from the fund balance to cover a projected deficit. Commissioners voted to adopt a proposed $14.17 million general...
