Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 11
‘Rallying for Rescues’ in Lower Burrell brings financial support, awareness to animal rescues in the region
Sometimes, it’s those who do the saving that need the help. That’s the idea behind Rallying for Rescues, first held in 2024 and brought back for a second year Sunday at Derek Kotecki Memorial Park in Lower Burrell. Proceeds from this year’s event are benefiting 16 rescues, primarily for dogs...
Families come from near, far to enjoy annual Festa Italiana at Mount St. Peter in New Kensington
Festa Italiana is a long-running tradition for the families that attend and the families that volunteer for the fundraiser at Mount St. Peter Church in New Kensington. But for the Rev. Dan Blout, who took over as pastor of Mount St. Peter four weeks ago, this year’s 44th Festa was...
New Kensington house fire displaces residents of 4 apartments
No one was hurt in a fire that severely damaged a house containing four apartments on New Kensington’s Sixth Avenue early Saturday. The fire appeared to start at the back of the three-story house at 533/535 Sixth Ave. and burned through the roof. A state police fire marshal will investigate...
Harmar riverfront fire battle without hydrants closes Freeport Road, stops train traffic
When popping sounds from her neighbor’s burning home woke Holly Bills up early Saturday morning, her fire safety training kicked in. She knew to get out and away from her home along the Allegheny River in Harmar, but it wasn’t easy. “I had difficulty opening the door because the siding...
1 of 2 victims in Lawrenceville shooting dies; gas station clerk charged
A 22-year-old convenience store clerk is accused of shooting two people at the A-Plus Sunoco gas station in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood early Saturday morning, one of whom later died, according to police. Pittsburgh police charged Randell Antonio Tate, of Pittsburgh, with homicide and aggravated assault. Tate was denied bail at...
Rising Pittsburgh-founded band November Blue headlining benefit for MS in West DeerVideo
A band of Pittsburgh-area natives that Rolling Stone recently named one of 10 new artists to watch is coming home in August to headline a long-running annual music festival benefiting multiple sclerosis research. November Blue will be one of four groups performing at Music for MS on Aug. 9 at...
2 accused of stealing gaming machine money from Marshall bar to pay restitution of $24,000
Two men accused of breaking into a Marshall bar and taking more than $24,000 from gaming machines each pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct charges Wednesday, July 30, according to court records. Patrick Adam O’Malley, 28, of Shaler and Ryan Joseph Stermon, 44, of Pine were each required to pay about...
Marshall OKs update of land use regulations, includes provision for townhouses on Route 910
A two-year process to update and reorganize Marshall’s land use regulations has come to an end. And the ordinances include a provision that will allow for townhouses to be built where single-family homes have long stood on a stretch of busy Route 910. No residents spoke, and there was no...
Northern Allegheny Rotary Club presents comfort bags to McCandless police
McCandless police have a new tool to help people in crisis thanks to the Northern Allegheny Rotary Club. The 21-member service club presented 20 comfort bags to McCandless police Chief Ryan Hawk and Lt. Eric Egli on July 29 at Walnut Grill in Pine, where the club meets every Tuesday...
Iron City Distilling serves those who serve: active-duty military, veterans, first responders
Iron City Distilling threw open its doors in East Deer on Sunday, welcoming active-duty military, veterans and first responders to hang out as they showed some love to those who serve and have served the country. Between 180 and 200 were expected for the first-time, free event, which featured spirit...
Man drives to Pittsburgh police station after being shot in chest in Bedford Dwellings
A man drove himself to a Pittsburgh police station Sunday night after being shot in the chest in the Bedford Dwellings neighborhood, according to Pittsburgh police. Police received a report of four shots being fired in the 2500 block of Chauncey Drive around 7:45 p.m. While officers from the Zone...
Penn-Trafford community mourning sudden death of freshman football coach TJ Detruf
The Penn-Trafford community is mourning the sudden death of one of its high school football coaches. TJ Detruf, an assistant freshman football coach at Penn-Trafford for three years, died Saturday at his home in Hempfield, Penn-Trafford head football Coach John Ruane said. He was 41. The cause of death and...
Ohio man charged after gun found in carry-on bag at Pittsburgh International Airport
A handgun was found in the carry-on bag of an Ohio man going through security Sunday morning at Pittsburgh International Airport. Justin Eugene Stanley, 47, of Negley, Ohio, was charged with carrying a firearm without a license, according to court records. Transportation Security Administration officers saw the gun in Stanley’s...
Man in Ligonier Township police incident died from self-inflicted gunshot wound, DA spokeswoman says
A man shot and killed himself during a traffic stop in Ligonier Township on Saturday, a spokeswoman for the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office said Sunday. The incident happened around 5 p.m. near Route 30 and Baywood Road, spokeswoman Melanie Jones said. According to Jones, county detectives were called out...
15-year-old who left Pittsburgh hospital found safe, police say
A 15-year-old boy who was considered endangered after leaving a hospital in Pittsburgh has been found, Pittsburgh police said Sunday. He is safe, police said. Police originally said Timothy Powell was reported missing Saturday after leaving a hospital in the 3800 block of O’Hara Street. The hospital was not named....
Ohio woman dies following crash on Route 22 in North Fayette
A 66-year-old woman from Ohio was fatally injured on a crash on Route 22 in North Fayette on Saturday morning, according to state police. State police said the single-vehicle crash happened around 9:15 a.m. on eastbound Route 22 just east of the Oakdale exit, Exit 15. According to state police,...
State police identify woman killed, man hurt in Butler County 3-wheeled motorcycle crash
State police have released the name of a woman who died and a man who was seriously hurt in a crash involving a three-wheeled motorcycle in Butler County Saturday afternoon. According to state police, Betty E. Campbell, 66, of Butler died at the scene on Oneida Valley Road in Washington...
Large family descended from Lebanese immigrants gathers from across region, nation & world for overdue reunion at Boyce Park
Four generations of a family with roots in Lebanon that today spans from the Alle-Kiski Valley, across the U.S. and to Brazil gathered at Boyce Park in Plum on Saturday for a reunion some of them said was too long in coming. The more than 150 people expected at the...
Wrong-way detection system work to restrict Route 28 ramp shoulders in O’Hara, Harmar
Work that is part of the installation of a wrong-way detection system on Route 28 will be done at exits in O’Hara and Harmar starting Monday. The work to install conduits is scheduled for between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at the southbound Route 28 off ramp...
Police accuse man of stealing $18K from casino at the Meadows by switching hold ’em cards
A 25-year-old man is accused of stealing more than $18,000 from a Washington County casino by moving cards around in multiple hands of “Ultimate Texas Hold ‘em,” according to state police. State police charged Brando Castaneda, of Washington, Pa. with one felony count of theft Thursday for the crime alleged...
Paws-itive effort: Stella’s Snack Shack, a little free pantry in Shaler, helps pet owners in need
There wouldn’t be any need to find new homes for pets if they could be kept in the ones they already have. That’s part of why Emily Marie Boehler has put up a little free pet pantry near her home in Shaler, so people in need can feed their dogs...
Ross approves minimum distance of 3,000 feet between medical marijuana businesses
The prospect of upwards of 19 medical marijuana businesses along McKnight Road didn’t sit well with Ross Commissioner Denise Rickenbrode. That’s why, she says, she asked her fellow commissioners to triple the minimum distance between them from 1,000 feet to 3,000 feet. All but one agreed with her and approved...
Pine-Richland employees, positions added to union representing support professionals
Several employees and classifications of employees are being added to a union representing support professionals in the Pine-Richland School District. The school board approved the agreement with the Pine-Richland Education Support Professionals Association at its July 21 meeting. The association approached the district about adding the positions to the bargaining...
Pine-Richland directors approve personnel moves ahead of coming school year
The Pine-Richland School Board has approved bringing on and letting go teachers and other employees ahead of the coming school year. Seven new hires and one reassignment are all effective Aug. 15. Pine-Richland students return to classes on Aug. 20. Lynzee Gladziszewski was hired as a health and physical education...
2 years after fire, Chili’s celebrates opening of new eatery in Ross
A Ross restaurant damaged by fire more than two years ago celebrated its reopening on Monday, July 21. Chili’s on McKnight Road was the scene of a roof fire in April 2023. The fire was caused through an issue with a hot water tank, and it was accidental, a spokeswoman...
