Joe Napsha stories, Page 94
Norwin reopening plan criticized
With five of Norwin’s schools already having been closed because of coronavirus cases, district plans to fully reopen classrooms to in-person instruction next month came under fire during Monday’s school board meeting. District officials plan to fully reopen schools beginning Nov. 4 — a move that is being implemented “mostly...
Derry Area closes schools until next week because of covid-19 cases
Derry Area schools will be closed through Friday because five district workers tested positive for covid-19, the district said Monday. Superintendent Eric P. Curry said all school activities, including sports, will be canceled through Sunday and schools will reopen for in-person classes Monday. Anyone who had close contact — those...
Norwin area coronavirus cases jump almost 22% in past week
The North Huntingdon-Irwin-North Irwin area saw a 21.9% jump in coronavirus cases in the past week, mirroring the increase in Norwin schools and Westmoreland County. The Norwin area, which has a population of about 35,000, has had 356 confirmed cases of coronavirus since the pandemic hit the region in March,...
Norwin police blotter
Charges filed • Bryan N. Hurley, 40, of Wendel, by North Huntingdon police with making a false statement for the purchase of a firearm and unsworn falsification to authorities. Hurley is accused of attempting to buy a gun at Pete’s Firearms of North Huntingdon and signing a federal Alcohol, Tobacco...
Burglarized Sutersville founder’s mausoleum undergoing faceliftVideo
Imagine the horror of West Newton Cemetery worker Herb Keck who found the coffins containing the remains of Sutersville’s founder and his wife broken open and laid out in front of their burglarized mausoleum, ransacked by robbers in search of valuables almost 100 years ago. Now, the stone mausoleum holding...
More covid-19 cases reported among Norwin students
Norwin continues to experience an outbreak of covid-19 cases among students and staff, as the district said Saturday morning that two elementary students and one high school student have tested positive for the coronavirus. The students have not attended school for the past several days, the district said in a...
Paycheck Protection Program offered critical funding when business ‘went off the cliff’Video
Business for General Carbide Corp. in Hempfield was going so good at the beginning of the year, owner Mona Pappafava said, gesturing with her hand slanted upward at a 90-degree angle upward. But in mid-March, the coronavirus pandemic hit. “Then it went straight down,” Pappafava said Friday, holding her hand...
North Huntingdon Kenny Ross dealership sold
An automotive dealership that has been a fixture along Route 30 in North Huntingdon since the early 1950s was purchased by the owner of two Chevrolet dealerships in Southwestern Pennsylvania. The Kenny Ross Chevrolet Buick GMC was sold recently to Riverview Automotive Group and the name changed to Riverview Chevrolet,...
Norwin plans for full return to school on Nov. 4
After closing five of its seven schools Thursday because of an outbreak of covid-19 cases, Norwin officials on Friday said the district is “absolutely committed” to bringing back students for full in-class instruction beginning Nov. 4. Superintendent Jeff Taylor said in a statement that “we have found some very creative...
North Huntingdon Citizens Police Academy gives residents glimpse of cop’s dutiesVideo
Decked out in an armored vest, utility belt, helmet with visor and an AR-15 rifle slung over her shoulder, Nicky O’Bryon felt the weight and strain experienced by police officers when they are outfitted to handle crises. The North Huntingdon mother of two boys and a girl was surrounded by...
Penn-Trafford coronavirus outbreak continues
Another Penn-Trafford elementary school will close, joining two others, after more cases of coronavirus were reported to the district Thursday. Two staff members at Sunrise, one staff member at Harrison Park and one Level Green student notified the district they tested positive, the district said. Harrison Park now has had...
Norwin area happenings
Irwin, North Huntingdon plan trick-or-treat Irwin and North Huntingdon will hold their Halloween trick-or-treat from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31. A parade in downtown Irwin is planned for 3 p.m. Oct. 24. The in-store trick-or-treat for children will be held just prior to the parade, from 1 to 2:45...
Norwin closes 5 schools because of coronavirus outbreak
Norwin will close its high school, middle school, intermediate school and Hahntown and Sunset Valley elementary schools because of an outbreak of coronavirus among students, the district said Wednesday afternoon. Superintendent Jeff Taylor said the state Department of Health notified the district Wednesday about five new cases, in addition to...
Level Green, Sunrise elementaries closed as Penn-Trafford coronavirus cases grow
Level Green and Sunrise elementary schools in the Penn-Trafford School District are closed as the number of district students and staff who have tested positive for the coronavirus increased on Wednesday. Superintendent Matt Harris notified parents and staff on Wednesday that five additional coronavirus cases had been reported at Penn-Trafford....
Covid-19 numbers tallied for Norwin area
Less than 300 people in the North Huntingdon-Irwin-North Irwin area have had confirmed cases of covid-19 since the outbreak began in March, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The health department on Monday released data showing there were 281 confirmed cases of covid-19 in the 15642 ZIP code, which...
Greensburg’s popular Turkey Trot going virtual; Latrobe race still on
It’s the tale of two turkey trots this Thanksgiving — one going virtual in Greensburg and the other forging ahead in Latrobe. The popular Greensburg Turkey Trot that typically attracts thousands of runners is going the way of so many races in the region in the time of covid-19 restrictions...
Dinesh D’Souza among speakers at Republican rally slated for Norwin Elks
Editor’s note: This article was updated. A nationally known conservative commentator is scheduled to speak at the $40-a-person “Legacy to America” outdoor event that will feature state and local Republican Party candidates on Oct. 25 at the Norwin Elks in Manor. Dinesh D’Souza, the best-selling author and documentarian, is to...
Mt. Pleasant nursing home workers picket for wage hikes, better contractVideo
Workers at a Mt. Pleasant nursing home formed an informational picket line outside the facility Thursday afternoon as part of an effort to get a better contract with higher wages without higher health care insurance premiums. Holding up signs saying “We Deserve a Fair Contract,” about 15 to 20 members...
2 Norwin students test positive for coronavirus
A Norwin High School student and a Hahntown Elementary school student will have to stay away from school until completing isolation procedures after testing positive for coronavirus, school officials said Thursday. Superintendent Jeff Taylor said the school district is working with the state Department of Health to help identify the...
Irwin Ghost Walk canceled by covid-19 concerns
The popular Irwin Ghost Walk usually held during the Halloween season is another in a long string of events canceled to prevent the spread of covid-19. Instead, those interested in Irwin’s Ghost Walk can take a self-guided walk around the downtown business district during the last two weeks of October...
North Huntingdon church plans pet blessing
A North Huntingdon church is planning an event to bless pets this month in honor of St. Francis. The Blessing of the Pets, a reminder of the sacrifice of Christ, will be held for individual pets brought to the pavilion at New Hope Presbyterian Church, 12727 Lincoln Way, from noon...
‘Trying to survive’: Claridge tavern faces fine, complaints, state probe over outdoor concerts
Weekend concerts that draw large crowds outside a Claridge tavern have spawned a series of complaints to Penn Township police, a local citation and sparked an investigation by the state liquor control enforcement agency. Concerts at SchoolHouse Tavern on Main Street are “totally out of hand,” with an estimated crowd...
Pittsburgh area jobless rates drops to 10.2%
The seven-county Pittsburgh area unemployment rate continued to fall in August, dropping 2.3 percentage points to 10.5%. But the decrease is deceiving because almost 13,000 people dropped out of the labor force last month, the state said Tuesday. The jobless rate for the region — Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette,...
Norwin to unveil school reopening plans
Norwin’s 5,300 students and their parents should learn next week the “specific dates and timeline” for when they can return to school five days a week, as well as the option of going fully online. Superintendent Jeff Taylor said he intends to reveal in an email on Oct. 7 what...
Greensburg neighborhood doesn’t let covid-19 crash partyVideo
A group of Greensburg neighbors, some of whom have lived along the same street in the northern end of the city for at least 40 years, gathered Friday afternoon for a country music concert and fellowship that made the oft-used quote from Mister Rogers really ring true — it truly...
