Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 24
Federal funding availability, other concerns lead some schools to cancel electric bus plans
Uncertainty over the availability of previously promised federal funding has some local school districts rethinking their plans to buy electric buses. The unpredictability of the funding is among several reasons Plum Superintendent Rick Walsh cited for pulling the plug on the district’s plan to purchase 25 electric buses. “With the...
New Kensington planners recommend changing Carl Avenue house to commercial use
While a New Kensington property owner wants to provide space for more small business near Tarentum Bridge Road, city planning officials want to draw a firm line between commercial and residential areas. Jack Bellone wants to change the zoning of a house between Tarentum Bridge Road and 759 Carl Ave....
Plum’s John Anthony’s grows from a good-time bar to family restaurant over 40 years
For her 21st birthday, Gina D’Acierno’s parents bought her a bar. The next 40 years would see D’Acierno grow from a bartender into a business owner, and John Anthony’s evolve from a rowdy bar into an Italian restaurant with a focus on quality, consistency and treating diners like family. “In...
Plum’s John Anthony’s grows from a good-time bar to family restaurant over 40 years
For her 21st birthday, Gina D’Acierno’s parents bought her a bar. The next 40 years would see D’Acierno grow from a bartender into a business owner, and John Anthony’s evolve from a rowdy bar into an Italian restaurant with a focus on quality, consistency and treating diners like family. “In...
Milltown Road in Penn Hills scheduled to reopen after slide repair
A section of Milltown Road in Penn Hills closed since early December is expected to reopen on Friday, a PennDOT spokeswoman said. PennDOT closed Milltown between Newfield Drive, not far from Community Market, and Hulton Road, near JD Auto Body, on Dec. 3 while crews repaired two slides. The two-lane...
Starbucks opens New Kensington cafe early
It turns out even Starbucks couldn’t wait for its New Kensington cafe to open. After first saying the store built in Riverview Plaza on Tarentum Bridge Road would open Feb. 25, it actually opened Friday — Valentine’s Day. ”The anticipated opening date for this location was Feb. 25; however, the...
Hydraulic fluid leak at Lower Burrell steel plant sends slick down Allegheny River
Hydraulic fluid was released into the Allegheny River from Braeburn Alloy Steel in Lower Burrell on Monday afternoon, prompting warnings to downriver water suppliers, according to emergency officials. Two passersby reported seeing the sheen along the Westmoreland shore of the river, and Lower Burrell firefighters responded around 3 p.m., fire...
Plum School Board approves architect agreement for summer middle school projects
The Plum School Board has hired an architectural firm for renovation work proposed to be done this summer at the district’s middle school. The district will pay The Hayes Design Group-Architects $170,600 for construction documents and construction administration for select projects at the school. The scope of work consists of...
Plum High School students introduced to various careers during 3rd Career Day
Plum High School students were introduced to new careers or able to learn more about ones they are already interested in Thursday during their school’s annual Career Day. About 160 speakers from the community were expected. They were split up among 45 rooms, with three to five presenters each, with...
Cold snap stresses waterlines, authority workers in New Kensington
Water authority crews in New Kensington are among those run ragged this month fixing leaks and breaks caused by the region’s severe cold snap. Though the recent sub-zero weather caused a lot of waterline breaks, it wasn’t quite as bad as some social media posts make it out to be....
Former Plum resident pleads guilty to federal drug trafficking charges, illegal possession of guns
A former Plum resident pleaded guilty in federal court to drug trafficking and illegal possession of firearms, federal officials announced Wednesday. Solomon S. Givens, 55, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert J. Colville to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, para-flurofentanyl and a mixture of para-fluorofentanyl...
New Kensington Bridge construction worker charged in crash that injured motorcyclist
A Herminie man is facing felony aggravated assault charges stemming from a traffic accident last year in New Kensington. Police on Tuesday filed charges against Matthew James Slobodnik, 24, in the crash that happened Aug. 10 at Ninth Street and Industrial Boulevard, which is the intersection just before the New...
Lower Burrell man convicted of using neighbor’s credit cards sentenced to probation in federal case
A Lower Burrell man will serve three years on probation after being convicted in federal court of fraudulent use of a neighbor’s credit cards. Senior U.S. District Judge David Stewart Cercone imposed the sentence Thursday on Jonathan Fry, 44, acting U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti announced Tuesday. Fry pleaded guilty in...
Woman wanted on drug charges found with drugs in New Kensington hotel room, police say
More than 100 stamp bags of suspected fentanyl were among drugs and paraphernalia police from New Kensington and Lower Burrell said they found in a New Kensington hotel room Jan. 23 Police made the discovery while looking for a woman wanted on felony warrants out of Lower Burrell. New Kensington...
Donations sought for Arnold family of 5 that lost home to fire
Donations are being sought to help an Arnold woman and her four children who lost nearly everything they had in a fire over the weekend. Heather Burton, her three daughters, ages 2, 9 and 11, and her 6-year-old son are staying with relatives after their home in the 1800 block...
Plum School District to put cameras on buses not already equipped with them
The Plum School District will be installing cameras on the remainder of its bus fleet. The district has received a state grant of roughly $164,000 that will pay for equipping the 34 vehicles with interior and exterior cameras. The district began the effort nearly a year ago, when it used...
‘Cat crusader’ works to keep feral cats warm in extreme cold
Cats are known for their independence, but when it gets as cold as it has been this week, even the most free-spirited of felines can use some help keeping warm. For a colony of feral cats in Allegheny Township, that help came this week in the form of Ruth Ann...
3 injured, 2 critically, in explosion at Lower Burrell steel plant
Two people were critically injured in an explosion Wednesday at Braeburn Alloy’s Steel Division in Lower Burrell, according to emergency officials. A Westmoreland County 911 public safety supervisor confirmed the incident at 11:57 a.m. at the site, 101 Braeburn Road. One of the critically injured people was flown to an...
Man in standoff had 2 guns, tried to blow up house, New Kensington police now say
A man involved in a standoff with police last month in New Kensington was handling two loaded guns and might have tried to blow up a house with a natural gas explosion, according to new charges filed against him. New Kensington police withdrew their initial charges against Burnell Johnson, 26,...
Legacy of slain Apollo police Officer Leonard Miller recalled, honored 45 years later
On an evening in October 1979, a part-time Apollo police officer called then-mayor William Kerr and asked if he’d like to ride ‘shotgun’ with him that night. Kerr said he and Leonard Miller talked about Miller soon becoming a full-time police officer for the borough. “Leonard said that he loved...
Pittsburgh zoo announces death of 17-year-old giraffe, Sox
The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium on Sunday announced the death of Sox, a 17-year-old female Masai giraffe. The giraffe had been euthanized on Friday after a long bout with a chronic condition, the zoo said in the announcement. “Sox had been undergoing treatment for chronic degeneration of the bones in...
Sportsmen gather in Harrison for Tri-County Trout Club’s annual show
With the region bracing for a bitter cold snap next week, anglers from near and far, young and old may have been thinking of warmer days ahead along rivers and streams as they gathered for a long-running annual sport show and flea market in Harrison on Saturday. Nearly 50 vendors...
New Valley High School lab equipment gives students hands-on learning for in-demand future jobsVideo
Valley High School biology teacher Kathy Jo Sagwitz learned how to do more with less for her students. “Before this year, I didn’t have a science room at all,” she said. “I was in a regular classroom with no lab area, no sink, no nothing. I was very limited in...
Plum School District preparing for $4.3M in work at middle school this summer
Renovation work is proposed to begin this summer at Plum Middle School. The school board is expected to vote Jan. 28 to approve paying The Hayes Design Group-Architects $170,600 for design and engineering services toward work totaling $4.3 million. The district is beginning renovations at its middle school while working...
New Kensington-Arnold School Board agrees to limit possible tax increase
Any property tax increase in the New Kensington- Arnold School District will not be higher than its state- imposed limit. At a special meeting Tuesday, the school board voted unanimously to tell the state it will not seek to raise its property tax rate by more than 6% for the 2025-26 school...
