Joe Napsha stories, Page 91
Some pan Saturday start to firearms deer-hunting season
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...
Military plane dumps fuel over Westmoreland County en route to emergency stop at Pittsburgh airport
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...
ATV driver killed on Route 51 in Fayette
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 moves to remote learning next week
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...
Norwin area happenings Nov. 26-Dec. 5
‘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 returns in year of extreme need
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...
Norwin area happenings Dec. 4 and beyond
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;...
Norwin area fire, ambulance companies receive $210,000 in aid
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...
Penn-Trafford area fire, ambulance services get state aid
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...
Penn-Trafford area happenings Dec. 3 and beyond
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...
Norwin School Board to consider move to fully remote learning
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...
Norwin reports 13 more coronavirus cases; pushes total to 78
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 rise again in Norwin area
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 to close Monday
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...
North Huntingdon taps fund balance to hold line on taxes for 2021
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...
North Huntingdon backyard chicken permit will cost $590
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...
Covid forces Punxsutawney Phil to go virtual; no crowds on Gobbler’s Knob in February
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 moves to remote learning
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...
Norwin schools see 6 more coronavirus cases
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...
Norwin area police blotter, week of Nov. 16
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...
Irwin church plans chili sale on Nov. 21
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 covid-19 cases pile up
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...
Norwin studies changing elementary school attendance areas
Norwin may change the enrollment areas of its four elementary schools to prevent overcrowding, particularly at Hahntown. Superintendent Jeff Taylor told the school board Monday he expects that a redistricting committee of 20 people will make recommendations next month on redrawing the boundaries for the elementary schools. The proposal —...
Coronavirus cases jump almost 22% in Norwin area
The number of coronavirus cases in the North Huntingdon, Irwin and North Irwin area rose almost 22% from Nov. 9 to 16, mirroring the rise in Westmoreland County cases that has pushed the county to being categorized as being in a “substantial” level for the spread of the virus, according...
Norwin reports 3 more covid-19 cases at high school, plus online student
Norwin is starting the week with another round of covid-19 cases at its high school, as three more students tested positive for the virus — as did a fourth student taking classes though Norwin Online Academy, the district said Monday. The high school building will remain open for classes on...
