Joe Napsha stories, Page 41
Norwin delays decision to remove book from 5th grade classes
Fifth grade students in the Norwin School District will have to wait another month to find out how the story ends regarding their supplemental reading curriculum. The school board Monday voted 5-3 to consider replacing the 2005 novel, “Al Capone Does My Shirts,” with a “more responsible resource,” as Director...
Sewickley Township closes building housing library, recreation center
Sewickley Township’s recreation center and library in Herminie is closed until further notice because of a gap in an exterior wall and cracks in an interior wall housing the gymnasium, officials said. The township supervisors decided Thursday to close the building upon the recommendation of the municipality’s engineer, Gibson-Thomas Engineering...
North Huntingdon commissioners to debate adjusting their salaries
The North Huntingdon commissioners are planning to debate next week whether to raise their $4,375 annual pay for the first time in 28 years, cut it to less than one-third or keep it at the status quo. The board this week voted 5-2 to discuss the salaries Wednesday, Feb. 15,...
Irwin council sticks with boost in ballfield rental fee
An Irwin councilman struck out again in an attempt this week to roll back a 100% increase in fees to rent ballfields at the borough’s two parks. Councilman Mike Yunn on Wednesday had proposed reducing the ballfield rental fees for each session — 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 4...
Norwin area: Irwin appoints rec board members; concert dates OK’d; Norwin Democrats to meet
Irwin council appoints rec board members Irwin Borough has two new members for its recreation board. Council on Feb. 8 appointed Nick Powanda and Councilwoman Leslie Savage to terms on the recreation board that will end on Jan. 4, 2028. Zachary Kansler, borough solicitor, explained that the date for the...
Norwin Jr. ROTC Bataan Memorial March proceeds to help Wreaths Across America group
Those who walk, run or bicycle the 14-mile Bataan Memorial March along the Westmoreland Heritage Trail on April 29 will be helping the North Huntingdon organization that has placed wreaths on the graves of veterans buried in four cemeteries in the area. The Norwin Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training...
Man killed in Fayette County shooting
A man was fatally shot Wednesday near Point Marion in southern Fayette County, the coroner and Fayette County 911 said. Fayette County Coroner Dr. Phillip Reilly said a deputy coroner and the state police were at the scene of the shooting in Springhill Township. The man was reported shot at...
2-vehicle crash slows turnpike traffic near Allegheny Mountain Tunnel in Somerset County
A crash involving a car and tractor-trailer has delayed traffic along the eastbound lanes of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, west of the Allegheny Mountain Tunnel in Somerset County, the Turnpike Commission reported. The crash occurred at the 121-mile marker in the eastbound lanes of the turnpike, reducing traffic in that area...
Site prep work begins on senior housing project in Irwin
More than $1 million of site preparation work has started on a 50-unit senior citizen housing project in Irwin. Workers are removing a large swath of trees for the building to be constructed across from the Norwin Public Library and an access road for the Westmoreland County Housing Authority’s Grand...
Hempfield woman’s goal: Hike a state park every week in 2023
A Hempfield mother of five has a set an ambitious goal of hiking at least one state park a week for the rest of the year. “I really discovered my love of hiking in 2022. I started thinking about it (setting the goal) at the end of the year,” said...
‘George Washington’ ready to celebrate in Irwin
Although George Washington likely never visited Irwin borough, he will be making an appearance there this month. Gary Ed of North Huntingdon will portray our nation’s first president during a 250th anniversary celebration marking the founding of Westmoreland County. The event is from 6 to 11 p.m. Feb. 23 at...
Tenaska sets Feb. 10 deadline for scholarship applications
The owners of Tenaska Corp.’s power plant in South Huntingdon is accepting scholarship applications until Feb. 10 from students graduating from Belle Vernon Area or Yough high schools this spring. The students must be planning to enroll in a two- or four-year education program at an accredited institution. Tenaska Pennsylvania...
Norwin area: Irwin to celebrate county’s anniversary; North Huntingdon picks members for commissions
Irwin to celebrate county’s 250th anniversary Even though Irwin was not founded until 1864, some 100 years after the creation of Westmoreland County, a celebration of the 250th anniversary of Westmoreland’s founding is planned for 6 to 11 p.m. Feb. 23 at Brandy’s tavern at 200 Main St.. There will...
Irwin officials hold to ballfield fee hike despite rec league protests
Irwin officials aren’t backing down from their decision to double rental fees for its ballfields and basketball court this year despite pleas from leaders of the sports leagues. Irwin borough council members debated Tuesday among themselves and sometimes verbally sparred with representatives of the Norwin Community Athletic Association and the...
Norwin Show Choir to expand program to help more students
The Norwin Show Choir wants to expand its initiative to help additional students in the district. The Norwin in Action Fund, created last year by the Norwin Show Choir members, wants to spread the program to each of the seven schools in the district this fall, said Bridget Faulk, director...
Pittsburgh EMS, firefighters lift pickup truck off pinned woman
Emergency responders in Pittsburgh lifted a pickup truck off of a woman who been pinned underneath the vehicle Tuesday night on the city’s North Side, Pittsburgh police said. Firefighters from Pittsburgh Fire 32 Engine and members of EMS Rescue 2 lifted the vehicle off the woman, who was hit at...
Man killed in Route 993 crash in North Huntingdon
An Allegheny County man was killed early Tuesday morning in a crash along Route 993 near the Cleaveland/Price Inc. manufacturing plant in North Huntingdon, said township police and a Westmoreland County Department of Public Safety supervisor. The victim, William J. Henning IV, 41, of Wall, died at AHN Forbes Hospital...
Sticker shock: High heating bills from December have more seeking help
Henry and Holly Johnson of Greensburg did what they could during the cold days of December to keep their heating bill manageable, to a degree that others might not find comfortable. “We keep the (thermostat) temperature at 67 degrees,” Henry Johnson said. And if family and friends visiting over the...
Irwin Borough plans improvements to Irwin Park
Irwin officials are planning to spend about $350,000 to improve Irwin Park and its facilities, including paving a gravel and partial-asphalt parking lot. The borough wants to pave both parking lots — a large one off Pennsylvania Avenue and a smaller one off 10th Street, replace stormwater inlets on the...
Police: Jeannette man killed in wrong-way, head-on crash near Homer City
A Jeannette man was killed late Thursday night when an Indiana, Pa. man is accused of driving the wrong way on Route 119 near Homer City and crashing into a car in which the victim was riding, state police from Indiana County said. The victim, Alex A. Booher, 30, was...
Irwin alters parking permit policy
Irwin Borough has changed its parking permit policy, eliminating the ability to buy several passes to share among multiple users. Police Chief Dan Wensel told the council recently that sharing of parking passes among businesses and employees was “getting out of hand.” The new passes require the registration information of...
North Huntingdon 250th birthday group seeking budget for celebration
Like Westmoreland County, North Huntingdon will be 250 years old this year, and while the birthday will be marked with celebrations, the size and scope of the events are up in the air until a budget is hammered out. The community’s parks and recreation advisory board have met twice to...
West Penn Power maintenance workers vote for union
Eleven building maintenance workers at West Penn Power Co. of Greensburg and Potomac Edison of Williamsport, Md., have voted to join a union, the National Labor Relations Board said. The NLRB in Pittsburgh said that the workers voted 11-0, with one vote being challenged, to join the Utility Workers Union...
City Brewing expanding warehouse at Westmoreland Innovation Center
City Brewery Co. is expanding its warehouse space at the former Sony Corp. plant outside New Stanton and will add more than 20 jobs at the site, the Regional Industrial Development Corp. of Southwestern Pennsylvania said Wednesday. The La Crosse, Wis.-based company brews beer at the former Latrobe Brewing Co....
Family seeks to buy guitar that late Irwin guitarist sold
Family and friends of an Irwin guitarist who died of cancer last year are hoping to buy back a guitar he sold several years ago to keep as a family remembrance. The problem for those who want the guitar back is that the late Jacob “Jake” Hursh sold it around...
