Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 57
Summer Lee wins 12th District race, poised to become Pa.’s first Black woman in Congress
State Rep. Summer Lee defeated Plum Councilman Mike Doyle on Tuesday night in Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District and is poised to become the state’s first Black woman in Congress. With 97% of the district’s precincts reporting results just before midnight, the Democrat Lee had collected 55.5% of the votes counted...
New Kensington-Arnold students learn programming with Bee-Bots
The gymnasium at H.D. Berkey Elementary School in Arnold was buzzing with activity Monday as the school’s first and second grade students were learning the basics of programming with the help of “bees.” After two weeks of working with them, the school’s nearly 300 students broke up into teams to...
New Kensington-Arnold increasing efforts to help students quit smoking, vaping
The New Kensington-Arnold School District will be taking a less punitive, more helpful approach to students caught violating its tobacco and vaping policy for the first time. The school board recently approved an update to the tobacco policy in the student handbook. For a first offense, students will receive three...
Plum planning retail development at former borough building site
As Plum prepares to move into the borough’s new municipal center, it already has plans for the redevelopment of the building and property it is moving out of. The borough will take its plans for a retail development on the almost 14-acre site, The Shops at Plum Creek, to its...
Plum prepares to move into $20M municipal center
Plum officials are moving into the borough’s $20 million municipal center, which will host its first public event in December. The building on Old Mine Road, between Old Leechburg and Renton roads, is expected to be ready for occupancy by Nov. 14, and borough council will meet there for the...
Faces of the Valley: England native Michelle Thom plays big role in New Kensington’s revitalization
With her English accent, Michelle Thom is a unique voice in the ongoing revitalization of New Kensington. From growing up in small towns between Manchester and Liverpool in Cheshire County in northwest England, Thom, 44, came to the Alle-Kiski Valley via stays in Germany and California. She is asked about...
Average gas prices rise in Pittsburgh region, nationally
Average gasoline prices have increased in the Pittsburgh area and across the nation in the past week, according to price-tracking service GasBuddy. Pittsburgh’s average is now $4 after a 1.3-cent increase, based on GasBuddy’s survey of 731 stations. That’s 1.9 cents per gallon more than a month ago and 45.6...
Approval sought for auto repair shop in downtown New Kensington
Mike Smith was looking for more room for his auto repair business, Ar-Ken Automotive, when he moved from Constitution Boulevard to Fifth Avenue in New Kensington earlier this year. The space accessed from the back of 649 Fifth Ave. gave him another good 500 square feet, which he said was...
On 1st anniversary, Las Hachas patron set to vie in world axe throwing championships
A New Kensington ax-throwing venue is marking its first year in business at the same time one of its patrons is preparing for a world championship competition. Las Hachas held its grand opening at 1043 Fifth Ave. on Nov. 6, 2021. Its owners — brothers Brian and Zach Heidenreich and...
Liquidation sales begin at bankrupt home goods retailer Altmeyer’s
Bankrupt home goods retailer Altmeyer’s started a liquidation sale at four of its locations Thursday. Stores in New Kensington, Greensburg, Uniontown and West Mifflin are open for the sale, which offers discounts of 20% to 50%. Stores in Butler and Johnstown are not open. The sale is authorized by an...
New Kensington-Arnold delays action on stage, pool, other building projects
The New Kensington-Arnold School Board has postponed voting on a number of building and capital projects that touch all of the district’s schools. The board had been expected to vote Tuesday on projects for the high school stage and pool, the public address systems at Martin and H.D. Berkey elementary...
Valley High students among volunteers planting trees in New Kensington
Volunteers turned out to plant trees in New Kensington on Tuesday, and they’ll be needed to plant more on Saturday. Students from Valley High School; members of the Pucketos Garden Club; and volunteers from Sunnyside, a medical marijuana dispensary, were among those who joined staff from the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy...
Northeast bucks trend of falling gas prices on tight supply, analyst says
While the national average price of gasoline has come down for a third straight week, the Northeast, including the Pittsburgh region, is bucking the trend because of tight supply, an industry analyst said. The national average fell about 5 cents per gallon in the past week and was averaging $3.72...
Family’s food pantry grows into a nonprofit, moving to Arnold
More help for people in need is coming to Arnold. The Speed Family Blessing Box & Pantry is moving into the Arnold No. 2 Fire Company’s training and social center — its former bingo hall — on Fifth Avenue. In addition to food, they’ll have clothing, pet food, toiletries and...
Foundation planning private school in Arnold now pursuing charter status
A nonprofit foundation planning to open a middle school in Arnold in 2025 says it will apply for charter school status in the New Kensington-Arnold School District. The Teach from DeHart Foundation, which bought the former elementary school and most recently a halfway house on Fourth Avenue in March, previously...
Texas woman comes to New Kensington to take home dog she rescued, gave up
A Texas woman came to New Kensington on Friday to take home a stray dog that gave birth to 11 puppies two weeks after she took it into her home in June. While Sandy Hightower was OK with giving up the puppies, she realized she made a terrible mistake in...
Students learn of manufacturing opportunities at New Kensington’s Digital Foundry
Alexis Beard has an interest in engineering. A senior at Franklin Regional High School, she wants to create and design something that helps people. “My passion is bridges,” she said. Noah Kleckner, a senior at Burrell High School, wants to pursue mechanical engineering, unless someone can change his mind. “I...
Crash rips wheel from Audi parked on Fifth Avenue in Arnold
An Arnold resident is shopping for a new car at probably the worst possible time given the market after his Audi A7 was destroyed in a bizarre crash. Edward Jarnagin said he bought the large luxury car new in 2016. It was almost paid off, but now it is headed...
New Kensington family gets porch rebuilt through Habitat’s ‘Brush With Kindness’ campaign
Through Allegheny Valley Habitat for Humanity and with the help of volunteers from Lowe’s Home Improvement, a New Kensington family has a new porch on their home. The project to rebuild the front porch of Devon Schulz’s home started Friday and was expected to wrap up Wednesday, said John Tamiggi,...
Father ordered to stand trial on charges of strangling, murdering son in New Kensington
A man accused of killing his 9-year-old son earlier this year in New Kensington will stand trial. During a preliminary hearing Wednesday, District Judge Frank J. Pallone Jr. held Jean J. Charles, 40, of Brackenridge for trial on criminal homicide, first-degree murder, unlawful restraint, strangulation, concealing the death of a...
Lazarus Tomb founder Rosetta Lecocq hurt in crash heading home from reunion gathering
A founder of a Christian coffeehouse in Arnold was hurt in a crash on her way home from a gathering for its 50th anniversary Friday. Rosetta Lecocq, 85, remained at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh on Monday, where she was taken by ambulance after being in a one-vehicle crash on...
Longwood residents participate in planning, planting meadow at Plum retirement community
Nearly 30 residents of Longwood at Oakmont participated in creating a meadow on the grounds of the independent living community in Plum on Friday. The residents tilled soil, spread hay and planted wildflower seeds. The 5,000-square-foot meadow will provide wildlife habitat, improve water filtration, increase visual beauty and attract pollinators....
Arnold Oktoberfest continuing in memory of late fire Chief Keith Dziobak
Keith Dziobak was always interested in craft beer and had started brewing in the basement of his Arnold home. “It was a hobby he got into,” said his daughter, Tara Dziobak. “He liked going to different beer festivals, so he thought, ‘Why not bring the festival to us?’ ” His...
Pittsburgh, national gas prices continue seasonal decline
Average gas prices have come down for a second straight week, and many regions could see declines again this week, as a drop in demand is normally seen in the fall, an industry analyst said Monday. In the Pittsburgh area, average prices fell 3.5 cents per gallon in the past...
Community festivals, events increase exposure for local merchants
Mary Wilmes usually closes up her Greensburg gift shop, Penelope’s, at 5 p.m. But when there’s a Greensburg Night Market event, she is open until 9. It makes for a long day, but she says it’s worth it. “It’s been very, very good. It brings a lot of people to town,”...
