Norwin Star category, Page 114
Norwin graduation falls within state guidelines, district says
When Norwin High School conducts its commencement ceremonies for almost 400 seniors Friday night, there likely will be more than 250 people — graduates and guests — gathered at Knights Stadium for each of the two sessions. Although Westmoreland County is in the green phase of the state’s covid-19 restrictions...
‘Beautiful ride’: Irwin family, friends celebrate adoption of two brothersVideo
The anticipation was getting to be too much for 6-year-old Ryan Salany. “Mommy, how many minutes?” he asked again. Minutes turned into seconds and soon enough his long-awaited adoption hearing had arrived. At his adoptive parents’ Irwin dining room table, Ryan and his 2-year-old brother, Caleb, officially became new members...
2nd worker at Westmoreland Manor tests positive for covid-19
At least one worker at Westmoreland Manor has tested positive for the coronavirus as state-mandated testing at the county-owned nursing home started this week. Officials said the employee, who was not identified, does not provide direct care of residents at the Hempfield facility. Westmoreland Manor management “immediately implemented steps to...
Kids Week at Lamp Theatre goes virtual
Like many other activities, the Kids Week of fun and educational events typically held at The Lamp Theatre in Irwin is going virtual this year. No registration is required for the week of musical theater, arts and crafts, health and fitness, science, princess events and a puppet show that will...
3 WCCC grads honored with All-Academic Team scholarships
Three Westmoreland County Community College students earned scholarships to attend the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education university of their choice as members of the Pennsylvania 2019-20 All Academic Team. College officials said Zachary Hursh of Irwin, Tyler Recklein of Export and Steven Riley of Greensburg were selected as honorees...
Norwin teacher, companion waive court hearings
A Norwin Middle School teacher and her boyfriend waived their rights to a preliminary hearing this week on accusations they failed to disclose information that the man had pleaded guilty to corruption of a minor when he volunteered to work on a school musical earlier this year. Tobitha Sasso, 40,...
Norwin chamber to hold virtual picnic in August
With government-ordered restrictions prohibiting gatherings of more than 250 people, the Norwin Chamber of Commerce will hold its 88th Annual Norwin Community Picnic online instead of at Idlewild Park & SoakZone in Ligonier Township. The virtual picnic, while not giving children the opportunity to enjoy the roller coaster or the...
Norwin High School Class of 2020 listed
The following is a list of the Norwin High School Class of 2020, as provided by the school district. Brady Alexander Joseph Andelmo Annalise Andzelik Isaac Anticole Nia Armstrong Kylie Arnold Alexandra Astley William Ayres Mariana Bajich Angelina Baker Harrison Barnett Devin Barrett Abigail Bartos Julia Beck Eric Belak Jordan...
Norwin names Tim McCabe as interim athletic director
It did not take long for Norwin to name an interim director of athletics and activities to replace the athletic director who has taken a similar job with neighboring Hempfield Area. Tim McCabe, Norwin High School’s assistant principal, has been named interim athletic director, Superintendent Jeff Taylor said. McCabe was...
2 hurt in SUV, motorcycle crash in North Huntingdon
Two people were hurt in a crash involving a SUV and a motorcycle in North Huntingdon Monday night, according to township police. The crash happened around 11:30 p.m. on Route 30 at Norwin Avenue. Police said a man on the motorcycle and the driver of the SUV, a woman, were...
1992 Norwin grad brings nostalgia to former classmates during quarantine
Kevin Tomich was an avid photographer and videographer while he was a student at Norwin High School in the late 1980s and early ‘90s, a time when cell phones weren’t available to snap quick flicks. Tomich, now 46, owned a large VHS camcorder — a coveted and rare possession at...
Norwin Junior Air Force ROTC honored vets
When Irwin’s annual Memorial Day parade was canceled because of the covid-19 restrictions against large gathering, the The Norwin Junior Air Force ROTC cadets, a group of about 120 students, and the Norwin Student Council, decided to honor the Norwin community’s veterans in a different way. The student cadets thanked...
Norwin seniors to graduate in groups June 26
Norwin is planning commencement ceremonies for about 400 students at Knights Stadium on June 26 by dividing them into groups with different time slots. That is because of the prohibition against having more than 250 people at a single gathering while Westmoreland County is in the green phase of covid-19...
Hempfield set to hire Norwin’s Brandon Rapp as athletic director
It looks like the Hempfield Area School Board will be hiring Brandon Rapp as its new athletic director. The current Norwin athletic director’s name appears on the school board agenda for approval at Monday’s meeting. Rapp was one of 66 applicants for the position that opened when Greg Meisner resigned...
North Huntingdon singer hits No. 1 on country radio chart
When Ashley Puckett of North Huntingdon released her debut album, “Never Say Never,” this past Valentine’s Day, she didn’t expect recognition to come so quickly. The 28-year-old’s single, “Bulletproof,” secured the No. 1 spot on the country radio chart in the June 12 issue of New Music Weekly magazine. The...
Many Westmoreland taxpayers not noticing extended discount period
Many Westmoreland County residents aren’t taking advantage of this year’s extended discount period for property taxes, and it’s causing headaches for local tax collectors. Earlier this spring, the county commissioners extended the deadline for the 2% property tax discount — which usually ends in April 30 — through Aug. 31...
Irwin to let emergency declaration expire
Irwin Borough will no longer be under a covid-19 emergency declaration as of July. Council on Wednesday rejected a motion to extend the March 21 disaster declaration another 90 days. The current declaration runs through June 30. Mayor Bill Hawley had issued the declaration of a state of emergency for...
Norwin cafeteria workers OK 1-year deal
Norwin School District cafeteria workers agreed to a one-year extension of their current contract, which will provide members with a 40-cent-an-hour wage hike, while maintaining benefits. The school board this week approved the extension with the Service Employees International Union, which represents 54 cafeteria workers — 20 full-time employees as...
Irwin OKs medical marijuana dispensary
Medical marijuana users may be able to get state-approved products from a dispensary along Route 30 in Irwin in late fall. The three-member zoning board on Thursday unanimously approved an application from Franklin BioScience-SW LLC of Philadelphia for a special exception to locate the dispensary at the site of the...
Norwin OKs tax hike by 5-4 vote
Norwin School District property owners will see a 2.9% increase in real estates taxes after the board board Monday narrowly approved the spending plan for the district. By a 5-4 vote, the board OK’d a $76.93 million budget that will increase property taxes in North Huntingdon, North Irwin and Irwin...
Overdoses continue to drop in Westmoreland, but traffic deaths jump 50%
Westmoreland County Coroner Ken Bacha’s 2019 annual report released Monday showed an expected decline in drug overdose deaths for the second consecutive year, but it also disclosed a dramatic 50% increase in traffic fatalities. The local traffic deaths, which jumped from from 18 in 2018 to to 27 in 2019,...
Norwin student linking mask users, makers
A Norwin High School student’s community service project connects mask users with area crafters willing to make them. Lydia Berger, who will be a senior, said she came up with the idea for the covid-19 mask initiative days after the governor’s stay-at-home order went into effect in March. ”I was...
Irwin plans ‘inside’ ethnic food festival
Irwin will have an Ethnic Food Day featuring haluski, brats, tacos, Italian meatballs, Japanese cheesecake and other delicacies at downtown restaurants on June 13, while maintaining social distancing now that Westmoreland County has moved into the green phase of covid-19 restrictions The event, set for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.,...
2 more coronavirus cases, no new deaths reported in Westmoreland County
Two new covid-19 cases and no additional deaths were reported Thursday in Westmoreland County. The countywide case total is now 455 with 38 deaths, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. County Coroner Kenneth Bacha reported 32 coronavirus deaths, less than the state’s number, but Bacha’s office has not updated...
Racial injustice protest planned in Irwin ParkVideo
A protest against racial injustice is planned this weekend in Irwin — which would be at least the third such event in Westmoreland County in response to the death of George Floyd. “We had seen the other protests and we thought the community needed this event to raise awareness” about...
