Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 13
Slide repair to shift traffic, close shoulder on Interstate 279 ramp in Ross
Slide repair work on the Perrysville Avenue ramp to southbound Interstate 279 in Ross is scheduled to start Thursday, July 10, weather permitting, PennDOT announced. A traffic shift and shoulder closure will occur from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through mid-August on the ramp from Cemetery Lane to the...
Millvale Volunteer Fire Department shows off new rescue engine
Another new fire truck is on the streets of Millvale. The Millvale Volunteer Fire Department in April acquired a 2025 Spartan rescue engine from Fouts Bros. in Georgia. It was parked outside the borough building for residents to view after the July 8 council meeting. The truck replaces a 20-year-old...
Local artists, makers, creators expected at Millvale’s summer Market Day event
More than 40 artists, makers, bakers and creatives are expected for the second Millvale Market Day this year in the borough’s business district. The summer Market Day will be held from noon to 5 p.m. July 26, rain or shine. Parking is free during the event. Those attending will be...
Effort to find abandoned, orphaned wells coming to Ross, Shaler
An effort to find abandoned and orphaned oil and gas wells so that they can be plugged will make its way this summer to Ross and Shaler. After metal-detecting drones found 250 such wells in eight square miles of rural Clarion and McKean counties last fall, the coalition of government...
Scholarships funded by upcoming 5K help keep light of Pine native Killian Cavanaugh alive
Bella Alampi has learned that time doesn’t necessarily heal wounds, but it can change one’s perspective. This December will mark eight years since Pine native and Shady Side Academy graduate Killian Patrick Cavanaugh died at only 20 years old. He and Alampi had been friends since middle school, and he...
Ceremony to mark start of construction for Etna Center for Community
A slate of federal, state and local officials is expected to attend a groundbreaking ceremony Friday, July 11, for the Etna Center for Community. The event commemorating the start of construction is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Friday at 54 Locust St., which is the rear of the building...
Multiple arrests made, officers targeted when ‘large and unruly crowd’ formed in East Carson Street corridor, police say
Turmoil continued in Pittsburgh’s South Side entertainment district over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, in which shots were fired, people threw fireworks and other objects at officers, and several people were arrested or charged. City police have been making a concerted effort recently to address rowdiness in the area....
High temperature forecast prompts Pittsburgh to prepare cooling centers
With the Pittsburgh area expected to see the hottest day of the week right out of the gate on Monday, the City of Pittsburgh announced Sunday that it will open cooling centers for the day. While the temperature is expected to get close to 90 at Pittsburgh International Airport, the...
Water line work to cause closure of Hahn Road in Shaler
Part of Hahn Road in Shaler will be closed for water line work, according to a traffic alert township police issued Sunday. The Hampton Shaler Water Authority plans to start water line relocation work on Monday and continue pipe work and restoration over the following four weeks. While work is...
Exit from Route 28 south to Route 8 north near Etna to close Monday
The exit to Route 8 north from Route 28 south near Etna will close early Monday morning for more than three weeks, PennDOT announced. The ramp is expected to close around 6 a.m. Monday and remain closed around the clock through July 31 while crews reconstruct the exit ramp. The...
Exit from Route 28 south to Route 8 north near Etna to close Monday
The exit to Route 8 north from Route 28 south near Etna will close early Monday morning for more than three weeks, PennDOT announced. The ramp is expected to close around 6 a.m. Monday and remain closed around the clock through July 31 while crews reconstruct the exit ramp. The...
2 injured, suspected shooter dead in Somerset County domestic incident
A 23-year-old man who shot two people in Somerset County early Saturday morning was found dead from apparent gunshot wounds, state police said. State police responded to a reported domestic disturbance involving gunfire at a residence on Crestview Drive in Somerset Township around 1:10 a.m. According to state police, a...
Apollo’s new Independence Day celebration welcomed by residents missing community events
A day late was not a dollar short when it came to Apollo’s Independence Day celebration Saturday. While some were wondering why they’d have to wait until Sunday night for fireworks, many were thrilled that the effort was made to bring a community celebration back to the borough. Held the...
North Hills Arts Center plans celebration of O’Hara artist’s life, work
An artist from O’Hara will be remembered and celebrated this month at the North Hills Arts Center in Ross. The celebration of Patricia Mae Young’s life and art will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 12, at the center, 3432 Babcock Blvd. Young, who was known as...
412 Gives Back lemonade stands raise $16,465 for group assisting families battling cancer
It could be said June was a very good month to run a lemonade stand. The hot and muggy month featured five days in a row, June 22-26, where the high temperature was 91 or higher, the first time that’s happened in 31 years. And it got down to only...
Filming for Amazon series to impact traffic on Babcock Boulevard in North Park
A film shoot will impact traffic on part of Babcock Boulevard in North Park this week, Allegheny County Police and Allegheny County Parks announced Monday. On Tuesday and Thursday, there will be intermittent closures on Babcock Boulevard from Wildwood Road to West Ridge Road/Hemlock Drive throughout the day. There will...
Plum resident, firefighter suffer minor injuries in house fire
A Plum resident and a volunteer firefighter suffered minor injuries in a fire that damaged a home in Plum’s Greendale Village neighborhood Saturday. The fire at the two-story home at 1442 Greendale Drive, off Old Leechburg Road, came in at 6:45 p.m., an Allegheny County 911 dispatcher said. A firefighter...
Woman, 72, dies after vehicle crash in Hampton
A 72-year-old woman died after a two-vehicle crash Saturday afternoon in Hampton. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the woman Sunday as Jean Carroll of Richland. According to the medical examiner, the crash happened about 3:45 p.m. at Route 8 and Old Route 8 in Hampton. She died around...
Woman, 39, dies after golf cart crash in Bell Township
A 39-year-old woman died after a golf cart crash Saturday night in Westmoreland County, according to authorities. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner identified the woman as Nicole L. Brooke. Her place of residence was not provided. The crash happened in Bell Township, a Westmoreland County 911 dispatcher said. It happened...
Upper Burrell man, 74, dies in utility tractor accident
A 74-year-old Upper Burrell man died Saturday in an accident involving a farm tractor, Westmoreland County Coroner Tim Carson said. Dennis A. Praniewicz was pronounced dead at the scene about 3:35 p.m., Carson said. The incident happened shortly after 2 p.m. on Fawn Hill Lane, a Westmoreland County 911 dispatcher...
Homestead man arrested after high speed chase that ended with wreck of stolen car, Shaler police say
An 18-year-old Homestead man was arrested after a police pursuit in Shaler that began after a township officer identified the car he was driving as stolen, according to a criminal complaint. Sehven Rule was apprehended along with four others in the car after officers used spike strips and one used...
100th family reunion held in West Deer, but their roots came from Scotland — so did the clan’s leader
It’s in the Scottish nature to want to get together and meet up, says Madam Pauline Hunter, the 30th clan chief of Clan Hunter. Often that sees members of the clan, now scattered around the globe, returning to their roots and visiting Hunterston Castle, which is located southwest of Glasgow,...
In brief: Happenings in the Shaler Journal area
Great Gardens Tour scheduled for July Mark your calendars: The 17th annual Shaler Garden Club’s Great Gardens Tour will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 13. Proceeds from the tour will benefit the Shaler North Hills Library. The tour offers an opportunity to walk through five spectacular...
Shaler Area to tackle building work, district’s future after approving budget with no tax hike
The Shaler Area School Board has approved a budget without a tax increase for the coming school year, but its real work may be just beginning. The board is expected to discuss a revised scope of work at the district’s middle school during a buildings and grounds committee meeting in...
Pine-Richland approves purchase of new computers, auditorium updates
Some Pine-Richland School District students and teachers will have new computers when they return to classes in the fall. The school board at its June 23 meeting approved spending about $561,200 to buy Chromebooks for students, laptops for teachers and classroom computers from Bluum and MacBooks from Apple. Money for...

