Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 121
Day 3: Witness testifies he twice saw Rahmael Holt with a gun
A man who shared a house with accused New Kensington cop killer Rahmael Holt testified Wednesday that he twice saw Holt with a gun. Michael Luffey, 35, was the lead witness to testify for the prosecution on the third day of Holt’s capital murder trial before Westmoreland County President Judge...
Driver of SUV stopped night New Kensington Officer Brian Shaw was fatally shot testifies during trial’s 2nd day
Rahmael Holt jumped from an SUV the night he allegedly shot New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw because its driver wouldn’t let him hide his gun in the vehicle, according to testimony Tuesday on the second day of Holt’s trial in Westmoreland County. Tavon Harper, 29, the driver of the...
Emotions high as trial of New Kensington officer’s accused killer begins
Rahmael Sal Holt insists he didn’t kill New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw two years ago, but his lawyers won’t have to prove or say who did, according to a legal expert who identified a potential defense strategy for the capital murder trial slated to start Monday morning. Bruce Antkowiak,...
Vo-tech in New Kensington looks to attract students with open houseVideo
Brandon Meanor was working as a carpenter before graduating from high school — and bought a house not long after. He was able to do that with the training and experience he gained as a student at Northern Westmoreland Career & Technology Center in New Kensington. He didn’t want to...
6 cars damaged, destroyed by fire in Harmar hotel parking lotVideo
High winds contributed to several cars being damaged or destroyed when one caught fire in a Harmar hotel parking lot Friday morning. The fire at the Hampton Inn on Freeport Road was reported around 6:30 a.m., according to Allegheny County 911. The fire was not far from the front entrance...
Blight, redevelopment major issues for Tarentum Council candidates
Tarentum voters will fill five seats on the seven- member borough council this year. Voters across the borough will have a choice to make for one at-large representative, between Democrat Carrie Fox and Republican Tiffany Babinsack. There’s also a choice in the 1st Ward, between incumbent Democrat Erika Josefoski and Republican...
Hite Road bridge over Route 28 to close Friday night
The bridge on Hite Road over Route 28 in Springdale Township and Harmar will be closed this weekend, PennDOT announced Wednesday. The bridge is scheduled to be closed to traffic from 8 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Monday. The bridge is being rehabilitated. Crews this weekend will be removing traffic...
New Kensington-Arnold School Board: Who’s running, what’s at stake
Seven people are running for six open seats on the New Kensington-Arnold School Board. The only contested race is in the district’s Region I, where incumbent Eric Doutt, a Democrat, is facing two challengers, Republican Deborah Schreckengost and Terry Schrock, who is cross-filed on both party ballots. In Region II,...
Judge schedules arguments in Tarentum billboard case
An Allegheny County judge has scheduled oral arguments in the case of a company fighting to put up a billboard in Tarentum. Arguments are scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19, in courtroom 7 on the 7th floor of the City-County Building in Downtown Pittsburgh, the order signed by Judge...
Harrison seeking bids to tear down 2 houses
Harrison is seeking bids to tear down two vacant, dilapidated houses in the township. The houses, both two-stories, are located at 1525 Union Ave. and 2602 Monroe St. The township has previously planned to take down a third house, at 1204 Cambridge St. It was removed from the project after...
Jury set for trial of man accused of killing New Kensington Officer Brian ShawVideo
A jury of 12 plus four alternatives is complete for the capital murder trial of accused cop killer Rahmael Holt. Jury selection lasted two days and wrapped up just before 3:30 p.m. Tuesday. Holt, 31, of Harrison is accused of shooting and killing New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw following...
First 9 jurors selected for trial of accused cop killer Rahmael Holt
Attorneys selected nine people Monday to be jurors in the capital murder trial of accused cop killer Rahmael Holt. Holt, 31, of Harrison, is accused of fatally shooting New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw following a Nov. 17, 2017, traffic stop. Prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty...
Lack of subs leaves New Kensington-Arnold science class without teacher
New Kensington-Arnold School District will wrap up its first nine-week grading period Wednesday, and an eighth-grade science class in the district hasn’t had a teacher yet. Jessica Revilla said that has driven her daughter to tears. Instead of learning about science, she said her daughter has had a study hall...
Valley High School veterans memorial on-track for Veterans Day dedicationVideo
More than 60 people have been nominated for a new memorial to veterans who attended Valley High School in New Kensington. Nominations are being sought as work continues on the memorial outside the front of the school. Organizers expect it to be ready for a dedication on Veterans Day, said...
Allegheny Health Network releases wait-time tool for emergency rooms, urgent care centers
It’s now possible to know how long the wait will be at Allegheny Health Network emergency rooms and urgent care centers, the network announced Friday. “Find Care Now” is available online at ahn.org and by desktop and mobile devices on MyChart. Patients can use MyChart to to check in and...
Tarentum water line break affects several parts of borough
A break in a 12-inch water line Friday afternoon affected service in several parts of Tarentum, borough Manager Michael Nestico said. The break happened around 2 p.m. on Larusse Boulevard, he said. There was no identified cause for the break in the old, high-pressure line. The break was causing homes...
Additional spending approved for Valley High School track project
New Kensington-Arnold School District is having to put almost $16,000 more into its track, but is saving about $10,000 on a project at its football field. Work on replacing the track at Valley High School and the artificial turf at the nearby Memorial Stadium are proceeding on schedule, Superintendent John...
New Highlands acting principal is a key figure in lawsuits against district
The newly appointed acting principal at Highlands Early Childhood Center is a key figure in two lawsuits against the Highlands School District. District Superintendent Monique Mawhinney appointed Cathy Russo as acting principal in the wake of the resignation of Principal Heather Bigney. In a federal lawsuit filed Monday, the day...
Laundromat operator signs on for Tarentum ‘Depot’ project
A Buffalo Township businessman has signed a 20-year lease to operate a laundromat in a Tarentum building being redeveloped as a community resource center. Joe DeCroo, who operates Plaza Laundry in Harrison and the Springdale Laundromat, plans to locate his third laundromat in a Fifth Avenue building called The Depot,...
Allegheny Valley Salvation Army to launch kettle drive with 5K run/walk
The Allegheny Valley Salvation Army wants to get a running start on its red kettle drive this year. The Brackenridge-based group will launch its iconic red kettle campaign in November with a new 5K run and walk, and a 1-mile fun run for kids ages 12 and under. The Red...
St. Margaret Foundation to move New Kensington Family Health Center
UPMC St. Margaret plans to move its family health center in New Kensington from city hall to a new building on Fifth Avenue, the hospital’s foundation announced Tuesday. The St. Margaret Foundation announced a $3.4 million capital campaign for the health center’s new home. The foundation said it has raised...
Harmar church launching food bank after reaching settlement for property use
A Harmar church is set to launch its food pantry this week after reaching a settlement with the township to allow it. The agreement ended Feeding the Flock Ministries’ court appeal seeking to reverse an April decision by the township’s zoning hearing board, which sided with the township’s zoning officer...
6 dogs rescued from burning Moon home
Six dogs were rescued from a burning house Monday in Moon, according to township police. The fire at 503 Moon Clinton Road was reported around 1 p.m. Firefighters were at the scene until almost 4:30 p.m., police said. Drivers were advised to avoid Moon Clinton Road between International Drive and...
Gas prices fall in Pittsburgh area, according to GasBuddy
Gasoline prices are down in Pittsburgh and across the nation, according to price tracking service GasBuddy. In the Pittsburgh region, gas prices are down 4.1 cents per gallon in the past week, to an average of $2.83 per gallon, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 731 stations. That’s 5 cents per...
Valley High School grad returns to alma mater to help students find their valueVideo
It’s been 13 years since Stephen Thomas Jr. sat in a desk at Valley High School. The 2006 Valley graduate, now 32 and a pastor in Washington County, has returned to his alma mater to talk with today’s students about having value, vision and purpose in their lives. “We teach...
