Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 126
Harrison’s Kaley Bastine spreading police fundraising efforts to New Kensington
A Harrison girl is branching out in her efforts to support police — even crossing a river. Kaley Bastine, 7, will be selling cupcakes from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sept. 28 at Bird Dog’s Sports Bar & Grill in Harrison to raise money for New Kensington police Officer...
Westmoreland 9/11 monument subject of Tarentum museum program
A group working to dedicate a monument to honor veterans of the war on terrorism 20 years after the 9/11 attacks will be holding an informational program in Tarentum. The Westmoreland County Veterans of the War on Terror will hold the free event at the Alle-Kiski Valley Heritage Museum at...
Harrison awarded 50 more trees for planting campaign
Harrison’s tree-planting campaign is growing, with plans for another 50 to be planted in the township this year. Those trees will bring the number planted in the township since 2016 to 140, according to Harrison Commissioner Chuck Dizard. The latest crop is expected to be planted in early November. The...
Harrison approves spending for war memorial restoration
Harrison commissioners approved spending a little more than $20,000 on a project to repair the township’s World War II Honor Roll memorial. A volunteer committee developed a plan to save the memorial at Freeport and Springhill roads that includes repairing its crumbling structure and replacing its panels of painted-on names...
New Ken-Arnold extends contracts for superintendent, athletic director, business manager
New Kensington-Arnold School District extended its contracts with Superintendent John Pallone and two other administrators. The extensions for Pallone and athletic Director William Colosimo come two years ahead of the end of their current contracts. The extension for Jeff McVey, director of administrative services, is one year early. The three-year...
Mosquito tests positive for West Nile Virus in New Kensington
A mosquito sample from New Kensington tested positive for West Nile virus, the state West Nile Control Program announced Monday. It came from a trap set by the Westmoreland County Conservation District, according to state Department of Environmental Protection spokeswoman Lauren Fraley. “Additional trapping will be conducted to gather more...
U.S.-China trade war keeping gas prices down for Labor Day
The escalating trade war with China will benefit motorists at the gas pump this Labor Day. “With Labor Day around the corner, motorists will see the cheapest end to the summer since 2016, a great send-off to wrap up the summer driving season, but more good news likely lay ahead...
New Ken-Arnold School Board approves personnel actions
The New Kensington-Arnold School Board approved a number of personnel changes ahead of the start of the new school year. The board accepted five resignations: Kathleen Perkoski, elementary teacher; Anna Rogers, licensed clinical nurse; Tammie Bayne, Roy A. Hunt cafeteria monitor; Sheldon Simmons, middle school head football coach; and Bobbie...
Football field, track surfaces to be replaced at Valley High School
New Kensington-Arnold School District plans to spend more than a half-million dollars to replace the track and football field surfaces at Valley High School. Work on the football field’s artificial surface will be done after this fall’s season, school board President Bob Pallone said. It could be done immediately after...
Tarentum church plans memorial for man found in Bull Creek
A Tarentum pastor said the man whose body was found Wednesday in Bull Creek became active at BridgePoint Church several months ago and had just been baptized less than two weeks ago. The Rev. Val Schubert of BridgePoint Church said the parish plans to hold a memorial service Sunday for...
Highlands approves contract for custodians, maintenance workers
Custodians and maintenance workers in Highlands School District have an early-retirement offer along with a new contract. The new three-year agreement between the district and workers with Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ is retroactive to June 30 and runs until June 30, 2022. The contract covers about 30 employees....
6 Allegheny County Jail inmates disciplined after fight
No serious injuries were reported after a fight broke out among a half dozen inmates at the Allegheny County Jail on Wednesday afternoon. In a statement released Thursday, Warden Orlando Harper said the fight happened around 12:45 p.m. Wednesday. “Six inmates received misconducts as a result of fighting,” Harper said...
New Kensington-Arnold OKs teachers contract just in time for start of school
After more than two years of negotiations, teachers in the New Kensington-Arnold School District have a new contract. The contract runs through June 30, 2021, and is retroactive to Sept. 1, 2017. Teachers will report for Monday as scheduled; students return Wednesday. Under the terms of the contract: • The...
2-year-old drowns in Fayette County pool
A 2-year-old girl drowned in a pool in Fayette County on Thursday afternoon. The incident happened around 3:30 p.m. in a pool along Coolsprings Street in Hopwood, the Tribune-Review’s news partner, WPXI-TV, reported. State police could not be reached for comment. A representative of the Fayette County Coroner’s Office said...
Tarentum concert canceled over weather concerns
The threat of thunderstorms canceled a band’s performance in Tarentum for a second time. The performance by “Classic Brew,” a classic rock cover band, that was scheduled for 7 p.m. today at the Carl J. Magnetta Jr. Amphitheater in Riverview Memorial Park has been rescheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday,...
Committee to present plan to save decaying Harrison World War II memorialVideo
A memorial to Harrison’s greatest generation is in such bad condition it may not survive the winter unless action is taken to save it. A volunteer committee has come up with an $80,000 plan to restore the 74-year-old Honor Roll memorial at Freeport and Springhill roads and will present it...
Cause of Harrison house fire ‘undetermined,’ fire marshal says
The cause of a fire that destroyed an empty house on Spruce Street in Harrison’s Natrona neighborhood last week remains undetermined, according to the Allegheny County Fire Marshal’s Office. The fire at 51 Spruce St. was reported around 1 a.m. Aug. 16. No one was hurt, and firefighters prevented it...
Arnold moves closer to finalizing use of grant money
Arnold is another step closer to telling the state how it would like to spend nearly $300,000 in grant money. City council held a second public hearing Tuesday to get comments and suggestions from citizens on how it should spend the federal Community Development Block Grant money it will receive...
Highlands School Board approves new hires, resignations
Highlands School Board has approved several personnel moves ahead of the start of the new school year. The board hired three people: • Drew Karpen has been approved as the district’s new athletic and transportation director, retroactive to July 22. His salary was set at $65,000. • Theresa Bargh was...
Highlands awards contracts for Tarentum elementary school work
Highlands School Board awarded three contracts for work at the district’s elementary school in Tarentum. Two of the contracts, totaling about $92,100, are for repairs to Highlands Elementary’s deteriorated clock tower. The district will pay Marsa Inc. $60,800 for restoration work on the clock tower’s masonry and BurMac Roofing $31,282...
Pitt students begin moving in
Students started moving in Monday for the fall semester at the University of Pittsburgh. Pitt spokesman Kevin Zwick said 7,800 students, including 3,800 “first-years,” will be moving into on-campus housing this week. The first day of classes is Aug. 26. The university received 32,000 freshman applications and offered admission to...
Pittsburgh, national gas prices continue fall
Gas prices have continued to fall in the Pittsburgh region and across the nation, according to the price-tracking website GasBuddy.com. “For a surprising fifth straight week, the national average has declined, ushering in lower gas prices to every state and providing relief to consumers who’ve watched the stock market tank,...
Cost of library inventory project raises concerns at Highlands
Concerns about the cost of a project to inventory library books at elementary schools in the Highlands School District has administrators and school board members considering other options. At a board meeting Monday, a few residents said the more than $62,000 cost of the project with Follett School Solutions was...
Cleveland man suspected in laptop thefts in Findlay, Pittsburgh burglaries
A Cleveland man charged in connection with the thefts of laptop computers from multiple businesses in Findlay is also believed to be one of two suspects in similar incidents in Pittsburgh, police said Friday. Findlay police said they identified Leroy Lummie Glass Jr., 62, from a thumbprint on a piece...
Empty Natrona houses a hazard, resident says after fireVideo
Conrad Zylinski was awakened early Friday by people banging on his front door. The long-vacant house next to his home in Harrison’s Natrona neighborhood was going up in flames. “It was scary,” the 66-year-old Zylinski said, thanking the firefighters who responded. “They saved my place. My roof was steaming.” He...
