Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 20
Raptor presentation, free picnic lunch part of Earth Day event at Bradford Woods Reserve
The upcoming annual Earth Day celebration at Bradford Woods Reserve offers an opportunity for parents to bring their children into the outdoors and learn a love of nature, says Ward Allebach, a former longtime president of the Bradford Woods Conservancy. “The whole idea is to try to bring the community...
Pine-Richland Middle School nurse contender for statewide honor
A Pine-Richland Middle School nurse is a contender for a statewide honor. Michelle Schonbachler was recognized March 21 in State College as this year’s winner of the School Nurse Excellence Award for the southwest region of Pennsylvania from the Pennsylvania Association of School Nurses and Practitioners. Her colleagues nominated her...
Eat’n Park waitress stunned by donations after viral video
Betty knows. The 81-year-old Ross Eat’n Park waitress still known only by her first name has learned that she’s the beneficiary of a fundraiser that will change her life. A GoFundMe campaign started Wednesday by a customer to help Betty exceeded $260,000 on Friday. Tamie Konzier of Millvale wanted to...
Just a Short Run cancer fundraiser to restrict roads in North Park
Traffic restrictions will start at 7 a.m. Saturday, March 29, in North Park for a fundraiser to benefit a cancer charity, Allegheny County Police announced Friday. A large turnout is expected for the 25th annual Sean T. Smith Just a Short Run that will begin with pre-race ceremonies at 8...
Road work to restrict traffic on Route 8 in Shaler, Etna
PennDOT is alerting motorists of road work that will restrict traffic on Route 8 in Shaler and Etna beginning Monday, March 31. There will be single-lane restrictions between Saxonburg Boulevard and Route 28 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays and from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. weeknights through late...
Businesses, artists to be featured at 2 Millvale Market Days
More than 40 artists, makers, bakers and creatives are scheduled to be set up throughout Millvale’s business district for two Millvale Market Days this year. The events, hosted by the Millvale Community Development Corp., are scheduled for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 26 and July 26, rain or shine....
Eat ‘n Park diner’s GoFundMe retirement fund for 81-year-old waitress tops $250K — and growingVideo
A $40 tip from a concerned Eat’n Park diner has started a quickly growing retirement fund for an 81-year-old waitress. In a TikTok video, Tamie Konzier, 41, of Millvale, who works as an esthetician at Bloom Beauty Parlor in East Liberty, was with her son, Leo, 10, at an Eat’n...
Event to admire, learn about North Park’s blooming Japanese cherry trees scheduled
The flower buds on North Park’s Japanese cherry trees began to swell in late March, and an event to take in their short-lived beauty is scheduled for the first Saturday in April. The Pittsburgh Sakura Project will host its annual cherry blossom viewing event from 2 to 4 p.m. April...
PennDOT schedules McKnight Road traffic crossover, ramp closure detour
A traffic crossover on McKnight Road in Ross is scheduled to start Saturday, March 29, and be in place through late April, PennDOT announced. Southbound traffic is expected to be crossed over into the northbound lanes to allow crews to start work on the bridge over Babcock Boulevard. Work to...
Building the Valley: New Kensington brewery, Buffalo Township restaurant combining forces
A shuttered Buffalo Township restaurant and New Kensington’s newest brewery are evolving together. Evolution Grille, which chef and owner Michael Barbiaux closed in September, has moved into the kitchen at Tortured Souls Brewery, which is marking its first anniversary on Sunday. Barbiaux learned through a friend in a band, The...
Plum School District eyeing 2.5% property tax increase as district moves to annual changes
A 2.5% property tax increase is included in the working draft of the Plum School District’s 2025-26 school year budget, Business Manager Ryan Manzer told the board Tuesday. That’s less than half of the 6.2% increase that district property owners were hit with for the current school year, and reflects...
New Kensington’s latest lunch spot is an education in eating
Anyone looking to get into New Kensington’s newest lunch spot is going to need a reservation. The Culinary Corner Cafe at the Northern Westmoreland Career & Technology Center, next to Valley High School, began opening to the public for lunch on Tuesdays this month, with a different food theme weekly....
Vandergrift man with suspended license accused of hitting police car and fleeing
A Vandergrift man led police on a high-speed chase in New Kensington on Sunday after having been told by police not to drive his vehicle and later hitting a police car with it, according to arrest papers filed against him. Police charged Cristian Michael Brown, 25, with offenses including a...
Parents unable to save 2-year-old from Butler County fire
A 2-year-old boy died Saturday morning from a fire in Butler County, according to state police. State police said they were contacted about the fire on Old Route 422 in Clearfield around 8:45 a.m. Alex Umbaugh and Melina Bryner were able to get out of the home, which state police...
Springdale residents clean up, take in changed landscape following completion of power plant demolition
Springdale is different. The power plant that dominated its sky, serving as a landmark and part of its identity, is gone — mostly. A mass of mangled metal an estimated 35 feet high remains, the rubble left after Saturday’s final demolition of the 13-story boiler house at the Cheswick Generating...
Company’s proposed move from New Kensington to Plum includes large office building
A New Kensington company didn’t want to look too far away for a new home where it could bring its operations together. In addition to a proposal to build a storage yard and maintenance facility at 1450 Greensburg Road in Plum, once the location of Golf Oasis, Geo-Solutions also plans...
New Kensington-Arnold’s Project SEED packs 100,000th bag of food for children in need
A child in the New Kensington-Arnold School District received a special bag of food for this weekend. Project SEED, which stands for “Something to Eat Every Day,” marked a milestone Friday, distributing its 100,000th bag of food in the school district. The project combats childhood hunger during the school year...
Arnold police seek man who allegedly attacked 2 men with a gun in separate incidents
An arrest warrant has been issued for a man accused of attacking two men with a gun in Arnold in separate incidents on the same November day. Arnold police filed charges Tuesday in two cases against Roger Moore, 37. Moore is accused of threatening to shoot the victims, saying he...
Vandergrift holds off spike in rental licensing fee, seeks comments on proposal
Vandergrift will hold off on quadrupling the borough’s rental licensing fee after landlords and real estate representatives warned doing so would harm renters and homeowners while potentially costing the borough in legal costs. Council voted unanimously Monday night to table a proposed ordinance that would have increased the annual cost...
Man accused of attacking Arnold landlord after breaking into woman’s apartment
Police responded to an Arnold apartment building Friday night after a city officer heard a man attacking its landlord over the phone, according to a criminal complaint filed in the case. Police charged Joseph Anthony Rodrigue, 20, with felony counts of aggravated assault, burglary and criminal trespass and misdemeanor charges...
Geo-Solutions proposing move from New Kensington to Plum
A New Kensington construction services company specializing in solving problems with soil and groundwater is planning a move to Plum. Geo-Solutions is proposing to develop a storage yard and maintenance facility at 1450 Greensburg Road, once the location of Golf Oasis and near the Plum School District bus garage. Plum...
Monroeville woman stole $21K from 7-Eleven at Turnpike plaza in Plum, police say
A Monroeville woman is accused of stealing nearly $21,000 from a 7-Eleven convenience store on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Plum. State police charged Leigh Ann Wentzel, 49, on Wednesday with a single count of second-degree felony theft. There was an active warrant for her arrest on Thursday, according to Plum...
Arnold councilman champions regionalizing New Kensington, Arnold police forces
If New Kensington and Arnold are able to share a school district, the cities should also be able to share a police department, according to an Arnold councilman. “It’s time,” said Aaron Moore, who was elected to Arnold Council in the 2023 election. He said he received positive feedback to...
Police say man sexually assaulted child in Arnold
Editor’s note: This story was updated on Thursday, March 6, 2025. A manfaces trial after being accused by Arnold police of sexually assaulting a child. James Benitto, 40, was held for court on March 6 on felony charges of aggravated indecent assault of a child, indecent assault of a person...
Plum Creek watershed project aims to address flooding, pollution concerns
Conservation officials hope a project to manage stormwater in the uppermost area of the Plum Creek watershed will help reduce downstream flooding and pollution into the creek. The nearly 21-square-mile Plum Creek watershed covers parts of Plum, Penn Hills, Oakmont and Verona, according to the Allegheny County Conservation District. A...
