Joe Napsha stories, Page 80
Penn-Trafford area court cases as of May 13, 2021
Charges filed with Penn Township District Judge Helen Kistler. All individuals have the right to a preliminary hearing and are innocent unless proven guilty before a judge in Westmoreland County Court. • Amy D. Craig, 29, of Trafford, by borough police with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. • Penny...
Penn-Trafford area happenings, May 14, 2021, and beyond
P-T students donate to animal rescue group Trafford Middle School students in seventh and eighth grades raised $353 for the Helping Hearts/Healing Tails Animal Rescue of Westmoreland County, and several donated items. Stacy Lamanna, middle school art teacher, held ‘Pet Penny Wars’ during April to inspire students to collaborate on...
Norwin students test Tinkers Run; water quality good
The water quality in North Huntingdon’s Tinkers Run is pretty good, based on the results of tests Norwin High School’s environmental science students recently conducted. The water in the stream flows into Brush Creek and averaged 84.82 on the water quality index, “which puts the water quality in the good...
Irwin chief emphasizing community policing; add part-time officer
Irwin police have been taking steps to get out of their patrol cars and mingle with residents and will continue to emphasize community policing, the chief said Wednesday. “The community is noticing” those efforts, Chief Dan Wensel told Mayor William Hawley and borough council. When Wensel was promoted to chief...
North Huntingdon mom’s diseases puts her among ‘Millions Missing’Video
A North Huntingdon mother of four is among about 2 million Americans part of a group — “Millions Missing” — that no one wants to join because it means having chronic fatigue syndrome and multiple complications she has had to deal with for about 25 years. “When I walk, my...
Norwin OKs 5-year sports medicine pact with Excela Health
Excela Health Medical Group of Greensburg will continue to provide sports medicine services for Norwin’s athletes for the next five years. The school board approved the $210,00 contract with Excela on Monday after asking Allegheny Health Network, Excela and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center last month to resubmit bids...
Rate of new covid cases in North Huntingdon, Irwin areas falls below 1%, as of May 10
The weekly rate of new covid cases fell below 1% for residents in the four ZIP codes covering the North Huntingdon-North Irwin-Irwin area, the smallest increase since October, according to state Department of Health data released Monday. There were 28 new covid cases in the area reported from May 3...
No contest in Irwin primary for mayor, council
Irwin residents voting in the primary will not have to agonize over who to vote for in the Democratic and Republican nominations for council or mayor because all the candidates will win in the May 18 primary, barring a strong write-in campaign. Mayor Bill Hawley decided not to run for...
Memorial garden in Jeannette dedicated to mother-in-law, honors loved onesVideo
A Jeannette man who converted a vacant lot into a flower garden in memory of his mother-in-law has seen the serene setting grow in use by others who have lost a loved one. “I never imagined that it would have grown so much,” Albert Herman, 63, a retired Jeannette Glass...
Pool operators wait for state guidelines, look forward to ‘normal’ season
After some community swimming pools closed last summer because of the coronavirus pandemic, operators continue waiting this year for the state to offer guidance on how they can open. “It’s a very frustrating situation. It’s going to be a very fluid season,” said Janet Shork, who oversees Crabapple Park &...
Greensburg’s Summer Sounds concert series may resume in late summer
Summer Sounds, the popular Greensburg concert series, could make a return to St. Clair Park, the founder said. The nonprofit Summer Sounds board of directors may decide within the next two weeks on resuming the Friday night concerts, said Gene James, the founder and board president. “The city is OK...
Norwin school board candidates emphasize mental health, budget, transparency
School district spending and keeping students safe are among issues raised by the nine candidates seeking nominations for four seats on the Norwin School Board in the May 18 primary. The race features two incumbents, two separate teams of candidates and two candidates running independently of the others. All of...
North Huntingdon commissioner, predecessor face off in GOP primary
Republican voters in North Huntingdon’s Fourth Ward will see two familiar names on the township commissioners ballot in the May 18 primary. It will be a replay of the 2017 primary and general election, only the roles will be reversed because Brian Blasko, then the challenger, now is the incumbent...
Norwin team wins county Envirothon competition
A group of Norwin High School students took first place in this year’s Westmoreland County Envirothon, which was held virtually for the first time in 35 years. The Norwin team will compete in the Pennsylvania Envirothon, which also will be held virtually, over a period of several days this month,...
Well-traveled Spanish teacher at Norwin honored with global educator award
A Spanish teacher at Norwin who established the Global Scholars Program at the high school has been recognized by a statewide language organization as furthering intercultural understanding and global competence in students. “This recognition has only been possible with the contributions that all Norwin educators have made in their daily...
Jobless want state to end backlog, pay benefits now
Jobless workers upset over the state’s delay in ruling on their unemployment compensation claim are expected to join forces with a group of state legislators in a protest Thursday in downtown Pittsburgh. They will gather outside the governor’s regional office to demand they get benefits while awaiting a decision on...
On the Move: Promotion for Irwin woman, scholarship for Norwin senior
Irwin native Bethany Dressler, who lives in Erie, was promoted to account manager for HUB HDH, a global insurance broker with offices in Erie. Dressler, a Norwin High School graduate, has worked at HUB for seven years. Its regional headquarters is in downtown Pittsburgh. She previously was enrollment coordinator. Dressler...
Ammonia leak detected at Strip District building in Pittsburgh
A Pittsburgh hazmat crew was able to clear the way for repairmen to fix an ammonia leak in a building in Pittsburgh’s Strip District on Tuesday night, a Public Safety spokesperson said. The leak occurred at Consumer’s Produce on 21st Street, officials said. The city’s hazmat team was alerted around...
Penn-Trafford proposes 2-mill tax hike for next year
Property owners in the Penn-Trafford School District would face a 2-mill tax hike under a tentative $60.9 million budget for the 2021-2022 school year adopted Monday. The 2-mill increase would boost taxes to 89.25 mills in the Westmoreland County municipalities of Penn Township, Manor and Trafford that the district serves....
Newly reported covid cases drop slightly in North Huntingdon-Irwin area for week of April 26, 2021
The number of newly reported covid cases dropped slightly from April 26 to May 3 among residents in the North Huntingdon-Irwin-North Irwin areas, the second consecutive week of declining new coronavirus cases, according to state Health Department data released Monday. There were 44 new covid cases from April 26 to...
Kennametal quarterly earnings up dramatically
A year after the pandemic clamped down on the world’s economy, Kennametal Inc. said Monday its net income for the three-month period ending March 31 rose dramatically to $22.9 million from $2.2 million a year ago, even though sales grew only slightly to $484.6 million, from $483 million for the...
Covid vaccine clinic set for Norwin students
Norwin High School students age 16 and older can get the first of the two-dose Pfizer covid vaccine during a clinic Friday, May 14 at the Norwin High School auxiliary gymnasium. The vaccine will also be available to any student’s family member older than 16. The clinic will be held...
North Huntingdon man ordered to pay more than $50,000 in auto repair, check fraud case
The owner of a former North Huntingdon auto repair shop will pay more than $50,000 in restitution to customers who paid for work that was never performed and for buying $13,000 worth of goods with bad checks. Dean Vezzani, 43, of North Huntingdon agreed Friday to pay $400 a month...
Meadows Casino seeks $69,000 gambling debt from jailed Greensburg doctor
The Meadows Casino and Racetrack wants a former Greensburg doctor to repay more than $69,000 — a gambling debt that grew from a $48,000 line of credit seven years ago. The problem for the North Strabane casino, which filed for a $69,344 judgment in Westmoreland County court on Wednesday, is...
Rostraver man sentenced up to 2 years in jail after pleading guilty to child pornography charges
A Rostraver man could spend about 17 more months in the Westmoreland Count Prison after pleading guilty Thursday to child pornography charges. Benjamin D. Powell, 38, was sentenced by Westmoreland Judge Christopher Feliciani to one year, less one day to two years, less two days in return for pleading guilty...
