Joe Napsha stories, Page 88

A piece of New Stanton’s history — the old borough building on North Center Avenue — is for sale. The borough wants to get a fair price from the property at 451 N. Center Ave. and see it put back in use, said Raymond Strosko, council president. New Stanton Council...

Coronavirus cases in the North Huntingdon-Irwin-North Irwin areas rose by 18% in the past week, another double-digit percentage increase in confirmed cases, according to data released Monday by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. In four ZIP codes that cover the bulk of the North Huntingdon-Irwin-Norwin areas, which also spreads into...

Pennsylvania’s move to start firearms deer-hunting season on Saturday, two days earlier than the traditional Monday after Thanksgiving, turned out pretty good for one hunter along Laurel Summit east of Ligonier. But many of his fellow hunters panned the state Game Commission’s early start for the second year. Josh Vitalie...

A Pennsylvania Air National Guard refueling plane forced to make an emergency return to Pittsburgh International Airport on Saturday morning dumped fuel over the Jeannette-Penn Township-North Huntingdon and Manor areas, according to the Westmoreland County Department of Public Safety and state Air National Guard. The KC-135 Stratotanker was forced to...

A Uniontown man was killed early Saturday morning on Route 51 near Smock Road when the all-terrain vehicle he was driving the wrong way collided head-on with a car, state police in Belle Vernon said. The victim, Jeremiah Pletcher, 22, was driving the ATV southbound in the northbound lanes of...

Norwin schools will be closed next week and its 5,300 students will receive remote instruction in response to new state guidelines for counties such as Westmorelandwith a substantial level of community transmission of covid-19. The school board Wednesday unanimously agreed with Superintendent Jeff Taylor’s recommendation to close the buildings from...

‘Christmas Tree Tour ‘set for Irwin Irwin’s business organization is planning to replace its annual holiday Cookie Tour with a two-day Festival of Lights Christmas Tree Tour because of covid-19 restrictions. Decorated trees will be in stores in downtown Irwin and available for viewing from 4 to 8 p.m. Dec....

Operation Santa Claus has been helping Western Pennsylvania families with the gift of a holiday meal for 36 years, and this year may prove to be the most challenging in the long history of the nonprofit organization. “The need is greater than ever this year. We’re trying our best to...

Boy Scout Troop 284 to sell trees Boy Scout Troop 284 of Irwin will sell Fraser fir Christmas trees the first two weekends in December at the Busy Beaver in North Huntingdon from 5 to 9 p.m. Dec. 4 and 11; 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Dec. 5 and 12;...

Fire departments in North Huntingdon, Irwin and North Irwin were awarded almost $180,000 and ambulance services will receive about $30,000 in state grants to help compensate for revenue lost and expenses incurred during the covid-19 pandemic. The money the state has allocated from the federal CARES Act program must be...

Fire departments and an ambulance service in Penn Township, Manor and Trafford were awarded more than $143,000 in state grants to help compensate for revenue lost and expenses incurred during the covid-19 pandemic. The money the state has allocated from the federal CARES Act program must be used for operational...

Light Up Level Green event planned Light Up Level Green, like so many activities, will be different this year with a drive-through Promenade Pajama Party, from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 6 at the Level Green Fire Hall, Route 130. Visitors are encouraged to wear their pajamas. Santa Claus will...

The Norwin School Board will hold a special meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday to discuss moving to all remote classes as a result of the state’s new guidelines for districts amid the recent surge in covid-19 cases. Norwin teaches its 5,300 students in a hybrid manner, with students in class...

The spike in coronavirus cases among Norwin’s students and staff continued this week with the school district reporting 13 more on Monday — 10 students and three staff members. On Monday, three students each at the high school and at Stewartsville Elementary reported they tested positive for coronavirus along with...

Coronavirus cases increased by 10% in the North Huntingdon, Irwin and North Irwin area over the past seven days, but the percentage rise in cases was not as steep as earlier this month, according to state Department of Health data. The number of confirmed virus cases in the Norwin area...

Norwin Middle School will be closed to students Monday because two more students have tested positive for coronavirus, forcing staff to instruct all students in a virtual manner, the district said Friday. The two students with coronavirus will require extensive contact tracing with students whose last name begins with a...

Property owners in North Huntingdon will not have to pay more real estate taxes in 2021 under a tentative budget that takes $1.14 million from the fund balance to cover a projected deficit. The commissioners voted Wednesday to adopt a proposed $14.17 million general fund budget that maintains real estate...

After months of wrangling and, at times, heated debate, North Huntingdon Commissioners this week took a step toward requiring residents who want chickens in their backyard to get approval from the township’s zoning hearing board. Commissioners Jason Atwood, Brian Blasko, Zachary Haigis and Ronald Zona voted to authorize township planning...

Say it ain’t so, but the covid-19 pandemic will keep thousands of people from witnessing whether Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow atop the famed Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney on Feb. 2 and forecasts six more weeks of winter. Even though people want to see Phil’s prognostication in person for the...

Serra Catholic High School in McKeesport will move to remote learning because of an increase in covid-19 cases, the third case in the past three days, Pittsburgh Catholic Diocese said Wednesday night. The diocese said it is following guidance from the Allegheny County Health Department in making the decision to...

The coronavirus cases in Norwin School District continue to mount, with the school reporting Wednesday it had learned that three staff members and three students have tested positive for the virus. One staff member each at the high school, middle school and Hillcrest Intermediate School informed the district they tested...

Clint H. Richter, 36, of Pittsburgh, by North Huntingdon police, with five counts of access device fraud, two counts of theft and one count of receiving stolen property for allegedly taking a woman’s credit card to obtain $1,570 from victim’s bank account. Charges filed before North Huntingdon District Judge Wayne...

Chili lovers can get their fill at the “Drive Thru Chili” sale from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 21 at First Presbyterian Church of Irwin, 617 Main St. The meal features a choice of spicy or traditional chili, cornbread and dessert for $5. Due to current covid-19 restrictions, the...

Norwin’s coronavirus cases continue to pile up, as a Hillcrest Intermediate School student is the latest student or staff member to test positive for covid-19. The district said Tuesday that the student has not been in school for several days, so no contact tracing at school is needed at this...