Brian C. Rittmeyer stories
18-year-old accused of shooting his parents in Greene County apprehended in West Virginia
An 18-year-old Greene County man accused fatally shooting his mother and wounding his father on Friday was apprehended in West Virginia, according to Pennsylvania State Police. West Virginia State Police arrested Jarrod Noll without incident Saturday, Pennsylvania State Police said. Pennsylvania State Police said Noll had fled on foot after...
Government rhetoric cited as federal judge in Pittsburgh blocks access to UPMC transgender care records
A federal judge in Pittsburgh cited the government’s own “inflammatory” rhetoric on gender-affirming care in blocking the Department of Justice’s effort to get patients’ personal information from UPMC. In her six-page order, Chief Judge Cathy Bissoon of the Western District of Pennsylvania cited decisions by five fellow judges in similar...
Suspect at large after attempted stabbing, vehicle theft at Tarentum gas station
A Lower Burrell man is accused of trying to stab a man at the Marathon gas station in Tarentum before stealing his minivan early Friday morning, according to police. In court records, Tarentum police say they were able to identify Robert Matthew Harmon, 35, as the accused assailant because a...
Suspect in Shadyside shooting told victim he wanted to kill himself, police say
A man accused of assaulting a woman outside a Shadyside apartment building and shooting her dog on Friday had told the woman earlier in the day that he wanted to kill himself, Allegheny County Police say in court records. County police say Lamar Reddick, 38, of Pittsburgh also brandished and...
Owners of Franklin Park Mexican restaurant say they will rebuild after fire
A Mexican restaurant in Franklin Park is closed for repairs following a kitchen fire last week. Owners of Franklin Inn Mexican Restaurant said on their Facebook page that repairs are expected to take at least a couple of months and that they expect to reopen in 2026. “We will miss...
1 person hurt, fire station damaged in crash on Freeport Road in Harrison
At least one person was injured in a two-vehicle crash on Freeport Road in Harrison Sunday afternoon. The crash at 5300 Freeport Road, at the Harrison Hills fire station, was reported around 3:30 p.m. The location is about midway between Highlands Mall and the Route 908 intersection. According to Harrison...
After a snow delay, Lower Burrell gets in its Christmas parade
Lower Burrell celebrated Christmas with its fourth annual parade on Saturday, a week later than originally planned. While the parade is held at night when lights shine more brightly, the snow on Dec. 13, instead of contributing to the atmosphere, forced its cancellation and rescheduling, Mayor Chris Fabry said. The...
Duquesne man facing charges after boy hospitalized from ingesting narcotics
A Duquesne man is facing charges after Allegheny County Police say a boy was hospitalized from ingesting narcotics. Iedoniae Cole, 32, is facing multiple charges including aggravated assault, possession with intent to deliver, endangering the welfare of children and receiving stolen property. The Allegheny County Police Department said UPMC Children’s...
Search efforts underway in Manor Township for endangered man
Police in Armstrong County are looking for a 31-year-old man said to be in danger and suffering from paranoid delusions and hallucinations. According to Manor Township police, Cory Dominic Cook was last seen around 8 a.m. Thursday, and the last time someone had contact with him was by phone or...
Missing 83-year-old woman found safe, Pittsburgh police say
A missing 83-year-old woman with dementia and Alzheimer’s was found safe, Pittsburgh police said Saturday. According to police, Desiree Yates had last been seen Friday about 6:15 p.m. in the 800 block of Inwood Street in the city’s Homewood West neighborhood. She may have required medical assistance, police said. Pittsburgh...
Hampton couple settles suit against Reserve, others over house damaged by landslide
A Hampton couple has settled a court case in which they claimed that a property they own in Reserve was damaged and devalued by a massive sewer line leak or break more than five years ago. Justin and Theresa Richter filed a civil complaint against Reserve, the Pittsburgh Water and...
Etna approves budget with no tax increase, fills council vacancy
Property tax bills won’t be increasing in Etna next year. On Tuesday, Dec. 16, council approved the borough’s $6.1 million budget for 2026, leaving the property tax rate at 9.5 mills. The owner of a property at Etna’s median value of $58,450 will continue to pay about $555 per year....
Millvale residents facing 58% property tax hike in 2026 budget, with discount for seniors
A 58% property tax increase is included with Millvale’s $4.93 million proposed budget for 2026. As proposed, the borough’s property tax rate would increase from 9.5 mills to 15 mills, council President James Machajewski said. For a property at Millvale’s median value of $37,900, the annual borough property tax bill...
Ross property owners to see tax increase for 2nd consecutive year
Property owners in Ross will pay more in taxes to the township after commissioners approved a tax increase for the second consecutive year. While commissioners unanimously approved the township’s $46.7 million 2026 budget on Dec. 15, they voted 7-2 to approve the 8% property tax increase, from 3.7 mills to...
Shaler Area Middle School recognized as a School to Watch
Shaler Area Middle School is one of two new Pittsburgh-area middle schools recognized by the Pennsylvania Don Eichhorn Schools: Schools to Watch Program for 2025-26. The program was developed by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform. The other is Jefferson Middle School in the Mt. Lebanon School District, according...
Man critically hurt after car crashes, catches fire in Downtown Pittsburgh parking garage
A man was in critical condition Sunday after a vehicle crash and fire in a parking garage near PPG Paints Arena, according to Pittsburgh Public Safety. Police, fire and EMS responded just before 7 p.m. to reports of a vehicle on fire in the parking garage below Chatham Tower at...
Free haircuts & cookies among offerings at West Deer free store Poppin’ Tags holiday party
Things were poppin’ for a holiday party at Poppin’ Tags Free Store in West Deer on Sunday. The fourth annual party at Poppin’ Tags, which opened in May 2021, extended next door to Mama Jo’s House, which store owner Sonya Dembowski of Shaler opened in September. Named after Mary Jo...
Macy’s helps children with Big Brothers Big Sisters experience joy of holiday shopping for loved ones
Instead of taking their own wish lists to Santa, 50 children got to shop at five Macy’s locations across the Pittsburgh region Saturday to play Santa themselves. The children are part of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh’s mentoring program. Helped by their “bigs,” the “littles” got to...
Snow brings Christmas feel to New Kensington church’s live nativity
The snow didn’t keep The United Presbyterian Church of New Kensington from staging its second annual live nativity early Saturday afternoon. Rather than a possible impediment, the Rev. Becca Siddle saw it as a feature. “For people in the neighborhood, it’s perfect because snow means Christmas,” she said. But the...
West View approves 24% property tax increase, borrowing for new municipal complex
Property taxes in West View will increase 24% after council approved the new tax rate along with the borough’s budget for 2026 on Wednesday, Dec. 10. Council approved increasing the tax rate by 1.5 mills, from 6.3 mills to 7.8 mills. It is the first increase in the borough’s tax...
Contract change for Crawford Pool bathhouse saves Shaler $24K
A change in contracts for the construction of a new bathhouse at Crawford Pool in Shaler’s Kiwanis Park will save the township about $24,000. According to township Solicitor Anna Jewart, Shaler was required to separate contracts for the bathhouse project’s electrical and plumbing work from the $2.21 million contract awarded...
Shaler recognizes outgoing Commissioner David Mizgorski
Outgoing Shaler Commissioner Dave Mizgorski was recognized at his final meeting as a township commissioner on Tuesday, Dec. 9. Mizgorski, a Republican, lost his bid for reelection as Ward 2 commissioner in November’s election to Democrat Josh Fleitman. Councilmen Conrad Wagner, Ward 4, and James Boyle, Ward 6, were unopposed...
Parking an issue as Shaler commissioners approve mausoleum expansion
The Catholic Cemeteries Association of the Diocese of Pittsburgh is preparing to expand a mausoleum at St. Stanislaus Catholic Cemetery along Soose Road in Shaler. Shaler commissioners on Tuesday, Dec. 9, approved construction of the 3,600-square-foot addition, conditioned on the provision of 16 parking spaces or the association seeking a...
Shaler approves 2026 budget; property tax rate unchanged
Shaler property owners will not see their township property tax bills increase in 2026. Township commissioners on Tuesday, Dec. 9, approved a $17.4 million budget for next year and left the property tax rate unchanged at 3.49 mills. For a property at Shaler’s $132,200 median value, the township tax bill...
Rising special education costs could allow Pine-Richland to increase property tax by up to 5.2%
Property taxes in the Pine-Richland School District could increase up to 5.2% if the state allows the school district to exceed its inflation limit. District administrators and the school board are considering ways to increase revenue, a property tax increase among them, along with spending reductions to tackle a $4.9...
