Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 55
Drop in oil prices brings first weekly decline in national average gas price this year
A sharp and sudden drop in the price of oil is the main reason behind the first weekly drop in the national average price of gasoline in 2023, an industry analyst said. AAA reported the national average at $3.47 per gallon Monday. That’s about 4 cents less than a week...
Plum Council votes to demolish 2 houses following hearings
Plum Council has voted to tear down two houses the borough’s engineer has declared dangerous, while giving the owner of a third home more time to repair it. During hearings Monday, council voted to tear down houses at 7906 Saltsburg Road and 488 New Texas Road. Council voted to give...
District Judge Peck Yakopec stresses importance of staying in school
Cheryl Peck Yakopec introduced herself, not as a judge, but as a “Valley girl” to students attending an after-school program at the Salvation Army in New Kensington. Peck Yakopec, a district judge in Lower Burrell and Allegheny Township for 28 years, said she was among the students who voted to...
Walker, McAndrew face challenges as they vie to succeed state Rep. Tony DeLuca in special election
Little time and little name recognition are two challenges the Republican candidate for the state House 32nd District sees himself and his Democratic opponent sharing. Clayton Walker figures that helps level the playing field between himself and Joe McAndrew as they vie to succeed a titan of Pennsylvania politics in...
Gas prices heading back toward $4 after 5 weeks of increases
The average price of gas in the U.S. has increased more than 10% in the past month and could reach $4 per gallon again, according to price-tracking service GasBuddy. The national average price of gasoline Monday was $3.51 per gallon, according to AAA. That’s 9 cents higher than last week,...
New Kensington’s Golden Dawn goes into new year under new ownership
For Gene Tommasi, becoming a new owner of the New Kensington Golden Dawn has brought his grocery career full circle — after he thought it was over. Tommasi of Mt. Lebanon and Jim Faccenda of Bethel Park took over ownership of the 60-year-old neighborhood grocery store in June. After painting,...
Children’s use of smartphones subject of ‘Community Connections Night’ in Plum schools
Children’s use of smartphones will be the subject of a presentation Feb. 7 at Plum Middle School. Ryan Klingensmith, founder of “Shape the Sky,” will discuss what children may really be doing on their phones and other electronic devices during Plum School District’s third and final Community Connections Night for...
Concerts planned for New Kensington hotel ballroom
A Gilpin couple is working to turn a New Kensington hotel’s ballroom into the area’s newest concert venue. Daniel and Brenda Leo, through their businesses, Leo’s Productions and Strobe Lighting & Sound, are planning to host monthly concerts in the grand ballroom of the Quality Inn off Tarentum Bridge Road,...
Plum School District offering paid training to attract bus drivers
Plum Borough School District is offering paid training as it seeks to fill vacancies among its bus and van drivers. The district, which operates its own fleet with its own employees, needs six bus drivers and two van drivers, business manager Ryan Manzer said. Two bus aides also are needed....
Morning snow transitions to rain across Western Pa.
Snow that coated roads in the region Wednesday morning was changing to rain, a National Weather Service meteorologist said. Nearly all locations in southwestern Pennsylvania will change to rain by noon as warm air moves in, meteorologist David Shallenberger said. The high temperature will be rising into the mid-40s. The...
Oil prices, refinery challenges contribute to rising gas prices, analyst says
Oil prices and refinery challenges impacting supplies have contributed to average gasoline prices rising across most of the country, an industry analyst said. A surge in new covid cases also has not slowed demand much in China, said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “In addition, releases...
Plum reschedules hearing on parking for proposed Dollar General
Plum has rescheduled a hearing related to the construction of a new Dollar General store in the borough. The Zoning Hearing Board will consider a request for a variance from parking requirements when it meets at 7 p.m. Feb. 8 at the municipal center, 2000 Old Mine Road. The hearing,...
Plum planners recommend approval of first phase of 158-home development
Plum’s planning commission has recommended approval of the first 35 houses in a planned 158-home development. Plum Council might vote on approval of the first phase of the three-phase Patriot Estates plan in February, Assistant Borough Manager David Soboslay said. The first 35 single-family homes would be built on a...
Voters to select successor to state Rep. DeLuca in upcoming special election
Residents of Oakmont, Verona and most of Plum will vote for a new state representative on Feb. 7. The special election for the 32nd state House district is one of three scheduled for that day in Allegheny County. The others are for the 34th and 35th districts. Only residents registered...
New Kensington-Arnold selects vendor for classroom furniture
The New Kensington- Arnold School District hopes to have new classroom furniture in all of its schools by September, Superintendent Chris Sefcheck said. The school board voted last week to buy classroom seating and furniture from P.E.M. Co., an educational furniture dealership in the South Hills that was founded in...
New Kensington business earns first silver ‘sustainable workplace’ honor from Sustainable Pittsburgh
A downtown New Kensington business is among the first three to be designated as “sustainable workplaces” by Sustainable Pittsburgh. Trademark Threads, an embroidery and printing business at 1007 Fifth Ave., earned a silver level designation. The nonprofit Sustainable Pittsburgh says its program recognizes any business, nonprofit or other organization that...
Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh area on down side of mixed week for gas prices
The picture of gas prices is mixed this week, with the average rising nationally while coming down in the Pittsburgh area and across the state. “We’ve seen somewhat of a mixed week at the pump with some states seeing gasoline prices rise, while others have stabilized for the time being,”...
New Kensington planners approve concept of new downtown playground, garden amid concerns
New Kensington’s planning commission has approved the concept of a new playground and garden in the city’s downtown area, but some neighbors have concerns about it. Westmoreland Community Action and Wesley Family Services have proposed building a playground and garden on vacant lots along 10th Street, with Third Avenue running...
Rental costs, alcohol policies considered in rentals of new Plum facilities
Facilities at Plum’s new municipal center are in demand, and borough officials are working on rates and terms for renting them. Plum started moving into the $20 million facility on Old Mine Road in November. “Christmas at Plum Creek” on Dec. 1 was the first event there. In addition to...
4% price increase effective Sunday at Pennsylvania liquor stores
The prices of more than 3,500 of the most popular items at state liquor stores will increase by 4% Sunday, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board announced. In a statement, the LCB cited 40-year record-high inflation as the reason for price hikes. “These increases will allow the PLCB to generate revenues...
New Ken-Arnold pledges to keep next school year’s taxes within state-imposed inflation limit of 6.1%
The New Kensington-Arnold School Board has committed to not increasing the district’s property taxes for the 2023-24 school year by more than its state-imposed inflation limit. New Kensington-Arnold’s limit for the 2023-24 school year is 6.1%, up from 5% for this school year. It’s the highest limit the district has...
State Sen. Pittman opens new district office in New Kensington
State Sen. Joe Pittman opened a new district office Thursday in New Kensington. The office is in Suite 102 at the Burrell Business Center, 2400 Leechburg Road. The new office is a result of redistricting, which saw New Kensington changed from the state Senate’s 45th District, represented by Democrat Jim...
Police name Tarentum man as suspect in robbery of New Kensington bank
A suspect has been named in the Dec. 30 robbery of the First National Bank on Tarentum Bridge Road in New Kensington. New Kensington police and the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office have an arrest warrant for Anthony Burda, 37, of Tarentum. Burda is charged with robbery, terroristic threats and...
Plum Borough manager says firefighters were never without insurance coverage
Plum’s volunteer firefighters were never without insurance protecting them if they were hurt answering a call, the borough’s manager said Wednesday. Borough Manager Michael Thomas said the borough was late in paying a bill for the annual workers’ compensation insurance covering its four fire departments, but the coverage remained in...
Retired police chiefs recall Justin McIntire as exemplary man
Jamie Bock’s earliest memories of Justin McIntire are of him as a boy, running around and playing on Third Avenue in Brackenridge where he grew up. McIntire was 8 years old when he was given an “unofficial” role in Bock’s wedding to his wife, Jennifer, on April 27, 1985. He...
