Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 117
Fight breaks out at Iran anti-war protest in Pittsburgh
An anti-war protest in Pittsburgh was peaceful on Saturday until a fight broke out. More than 100 people were taking part in the protest at Schenely Plaza in Oakland, the Trib’s news partner, WPXI-TV, reported. The protest started around 12:30 p.m. and was over by 2 p.m., a Pittsburgh police...
Soup for toddlers sold online recalled due to undeclared allergens, USDA says
A Massachusetts business is recalling about 200 pounds of lentil and beef soup for toddlers shipped to Pennsylvania and four other states and Washington, D.C., the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced. Kettle Cuisine Midco is recalling the ready-to-eat product because of misbranding and undeclared allergens, the department’s Food Safety and...
Mt. Pleasant Township vacant house fire ruled arson
A fire that damaged a vacant Mt. Pleasant Township home Friday night was intentionally set, according to state police. The fire at 513 Pine St. was reported shortly before 8:30 p.m. A state police fire marshal who investigated the fire found it had started at multiple points in the basement...
Police: Summit Academy student suffers injuries in 6-on-1 assault
Six students at a Butler County rehabilitation school were arrested after allegedly assaulting another student, according to state police. State police said the incident happened around 2:45 p.m. Thursday at Summit Academy on Herman Road in Summit Township. Summit Academy is a private residential school for at-risk youths between the...
WPXI restored to Verizon Fios customers; WTAE still off for DirecTV subscribers
An agreement has restored one Pittsburgh television station to customers of Verizon’s Fios service while a dispute continues to keep another off for DirecTV subscribers. Verizon announced to its customers Saturday night that it was able to reach an agreement with Cox Media Group that allows it to restore is...
Most recently called KeyBank Pavilion, Western Pa. concert venue is now S&T Bank Music Park
A Washington County concert venue known as much for its traffic snarls as well as its music acts will take on another new name as it enters its 30th year. S&T Bank announced Saturday that it is the new name sponsor for the Live Nation outdoor amphitheater near Burgettstown, formerly...
2 more Pa. deaths reported as flu cases continue to increase
The past week saw another sharp increase in confirmed influenza cases across Pennsylvania and two additional flu-associated deaths, according to data released Tuesday by the state Health Department. As of the week ending Dec. 28, a total of 17,349 laboratory-confirmed flu cases have been reported this season. That’s up 56%...
Property tax hike needed to maintain services, New Kensington officials say
A property tax increase is needed for New Kensington to maintain its services, officials said as council unanimously approved the city’s 2020 budget and tax rate Monday. Police protection is among those services. The city hired five new officers this year, which accounts for much of the 3% increase in...
Gas prices move higher, ending 7 weeks of drops
A seven-week streak of falling gasoline prices ended as prices rose nationally and in the Pittsburgh area over the past week, according to price-tracking service GasBuddy. The national average price of gasoline is up 1.6 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.57, according to GasBuddy. That’s 2 cents...
Pennsylvania Turnpike tolls increasing for 12th straight year
Motorists using the Pennsylvania Turnpike will pay more in tolls starting Jan. 5, marking the 12th straight year the Turnpike Commission has raised prices to help it cover state-mandated payments to PennDOT. The commission said tolls are going up 6% next year, but they’re actually increasing more because the commission...
Demolition project intended to spur sale of former victims shelter in TarentumVideo
A Tarentum domestic violence shelter hopes that tearing down one of its buildings will help it sell another. The dilapidation of a building that once housed the Alle-Kiski Area HOPE Center’s offices at 415 E. Sixth Ave. has hindered the center’s efforts to sell its former shelter building next to...
Highlands asks federal court to throw out former principal’s lawsuit
Highlands School District asked a federal court Monday to dismiss a lawsuit filed by a former principal claiming the district and its superintendent retaliated against her for taking unpaid leave and dating a former teacher. In a 29-page filing in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania,...
Tarentum to solicit garbage haulers after Waste Management price increase
Tarentum will be looking for prices from other garbage haulers after Waste Management proposed increasing the rate it charges the borough, according to borough Manager Michael Nestico. “We want to see what options we have here,” he said. “Council was initially hopeful to keep Waste Management. They like the service...
Officials: Flu continues to slam Western Pennsylvania
State health officials are concerned about the growing number of confirmed flu cases in Allegheny County and all of Western Pennsylvania, a spokeswoman said Tuesday. Western Pennsylvania is the hardest hit region of the state so far this season, which began Sept. 29, spokeswoman Brittany Lauffer said. Laboratory-confirmed flu cases...
East Deer residents facing higher water bills after Tarentum increases bulk cost
East Deer residents will pay more for water after Tarentum increased what it charges the township for bulk water, but exactly how much more is not yet known. East Deer buys water from Tarentum, then distributes it to its customers. East Deer Commissioner Tony Taliani said the township will not...
Here’s how to track Santa on Christmas Eve
Christmas has begun, and Santa Claus has started making his trip around the world. And just like you can track where that jogging outfit you bought on Amazon for Aunt Gladys is, you can track the jolly old elf. The North American Aerospace Defense Command — commonly known by its...
Police: Burglars caught on video taking large safe from Beaver County business
State police said they are searching for two people who stole a large safe from a Beaver County business earlier this month. The suspects were captured on a surveillance camera loading the safe into the bed of a pickup, according to state police. Police said the theft happened at Parsons...
New Kensington Council schedules special meeting to adopt budget, tax increase
New Kensington Council has scheduled a special meeting to adopt the city’s 2020 budget, which includes a proposed property tax increase. Council will meet at 5 p.m. Dec. 30 in council chambers at city hall, 301 11th St. Council earlier this month approved an $8.1 million preliminary budget that would...
Winning $1.28M lottery ticket sold at Penn Hills store
A winning lottery ticket worth $1.28 million was sold at a Shop ‘N Save store in Penn Hills, the Pennsylvania Lottery announced Monday. The Match 6 lotto ticket matched all six numbers in Sunday’s drawing — 5, 9, 21, 22, 23, and 37 — to win the jackpot. The $2...
Gas prices expected to end year on downward path, analyst says
The national average price of gasoline has seen its seventh weekly decline, falling to a new low since March, according to price tracking service GasBuddy. While average prices in the Pittsburgh area and nationally are lower than they were a month ago, both are notably higher than a year ago....
Week in review: Trump impeachment, diocese mergers, Pryor falloutVideo
It was a historic week in national news as Democrats in the U.S. House voted to impeach President Trump on charges of abusing the power of his office and obstructing Congress, prompting protests across the nation and in the Pittsburgh area. Other news included a woman charged with stabbing a...
Valley High School volleyball tournament benefits Salvation Army food pantry
Valley High School students served up nearly 3,000 cans of food Friday as part of the school’s seventh annual Christmas Classic Volleyball Tournament. “That’s amazing,” Salvation Army Capt. Phillip Davies said of the students’ efforts. “The need is so great at this time of the year. Our inventory of emergency...
Parents of premature baby killed in Warren County crash
A GoFundMe campaign has raised almost $14,000 to help the four children of a couple killed in a car crash in Warren County. Stephen Charles Rothrauff, 39, and his fiancee, Jessica Lee Camp, 32, of Mead Township, had four children, including a premature baby born just five days before they...
Mon Wharf remains closed as cold prevents flood cleanup
Pittsburgh commuters who use the Mon Wharf will have to find another place to park Friday. The wharf will remain closed Friday, the Pittsburgh parking authority announced. The wharf flooded after heavy rain that fell over the Monongahela and Cheat river basins earlier this week. “Although the river has receded...
Highlands superintendent schedules more ‘Coffee Talks’ with parents
Highlands School District parents will get more opportunities to talk with the district’s superintendent and administrators in January. Superintendent Monique Mawhinney has scheduled a second round of “Coffee Talks” that will be held in the evening. The first series of meetings had been held in the mornings in late September...
