Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 58
Lost Dreams Awakening celebrates growth of space, expansion of services in New Kensington
A New Kensington-based recovery community center is celebrating the expansion and growth of its space and services. Lost Dreams Awakening more than doubled its space in the building the nonprofit has rented at 408 Eighth St. since its founding in 2014. It also has taken on its first paid employees...
50th anniversary of The Tomb celebrated with gathering in Arnold
Daniel Crenner was among the first to walk through the doors of The Tomb in Arnold on Friday evening for a gathering celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Christian coffeehouse. Crenner, 69, who had lived in Arnold and Washington Township, made the trip back from his home in Sugarcreek in...
Volunteers sought to plant trees in New Kensington
Volunteers are being sought to help plant trees in New Kensington on two dates in November. Trees are scheduled to be planted Nov. 1 at the new JFK playground on Fourth Avenue and in the median on Campbell Avenue, and Nov. 5 in Fairmont Park off Fairmont Drive. The plantings...
Trailer released for Pittsburgh-area filmed Tom Hanks movie ‘A Man Called Otto’Video
A trailer for the filmed-in-Pittsburgh Tom Hanks movie “A Man Called Otto” was released Thursday. The movie, filmed at numerous locations across the Pittsburgh region, will be released in New York and Los Angeles on Christmas and will go into wide release, including Pittsburgh, on Jan. 13, said Joe Fucci...
Arnold couple looks to Elevate their family, city with T-shirt printing business
An Arnold couple hopes to build their new business along with, and within, a rising city. Mark and Crystal Saxon founded their T-shirt printing business, Elevate Arnold, on a design by their 6-year-old daughter, Audrey, around Valentine’s Day this year. Audrey’s shirt, featuring a heart with the word “Love” within...
Plum school, police focusing on safety for National School Bus Safety Week
The Plum School District and borough police will be putting an extra focus on safety at bus stops this week as part of their observation of National School Bus Safety Week and Operation Safe Stop. Schools Superintendent Brendan Hyland and police Chief Lanny Conley visited a bus stop in the...
Gasoline prices turn lower as diesel, heating oil rise on low inventories
After rising sharply over the past few weeks, the national average price of gasoline has taken an abrupt, but expected, downturn while diesel prices have soared, an industry analyst said. The national average fell 5.4 cents per gallon in the past week and stands at $3.86, according to price-tracking service...
Events for kids, adults bringing Halloween early to New Kensington
Halloween is coming early to New Kensington, with events and activities for kids and grownups planned this weekend in the city. It starts with “Tricky Trek N Treat,” a new event, from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday. About 40 downtown businesses on Fourth and Fifth avenues will participate in a...
‘Start Up’ episode featuring New Kensington set for next monthVideo
A premiere has been set for the episode of a PBS series focusing on the revitalization of downtown New Kensington. The episode of “Start Up” will be shown at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11, at Voodoo Brewery, 956 Fifth Ave. The show’s host, Gary Bredow, and his crew filmed the...
New Kensington-Arnold will evacuate students as part of drills at high school, kindergarten building
Evacuations will be included in safety drills at Valley High School and Martin Elementary School in New Kensington this week. District officials did not provide dates and times for when the drills will take place. The district is practicing lockdown and evacuation procedures as part of the state’s safe schools...
New Kensington police say Arnold woman dropped infant on head
New Kensington police arrested an Arnold woman after, they say, she admitted to dropping an infant on his head. Police charged Kendrianna Floree Neville, 27, with endangering the welfare of children, reckless endangerment, aggravated assault and public drunkenness. According to a police affidavit, officers responded to the area of 11th...
New Kensington police say sex offender recorded girl performing sex act
A convicted sex offender was in a relationship with a 17-year-old girl, impregnated her and took video of her performing a sex act, according to charges filed by New Kensington police. Police charged Elmo Thomas Hartsfield III, 28, of New Kensington on Thursday with felony counts of filming a child...
New Kensington sanitary authority increasing rates by 1.7%
New Kensington residents will see a 1.7% increase in their sewage bills next year. That’s less than the 2.7% increase the Municipal Sanitary Authority of the City of New Kensington imposed for this year. Beginning Jan. 1, the authority will increase its rate for 100 cubic feet from $9.84 to...
Arnold rejects request to label convenience store a restaurant to allow for alcohol sales
Arnold Council dealt a significant setback to a convenience store owner’s plans to sell beer and wine at a new store on Freeport Road. After a public hearing Tuesday, council voted unanimously against Yashvi Oil owner Mike Thakkar’s request for a conditional use for his planned gas station and convenience...
New Kensington-Arnold 2nd graders present $450 donation to Animal Protectors
A donation from students at a New Kensington-Arnold elementary school will help a New Kensington animal shelter in many ways, the president of the shelter’s board of directors said. Second graders at H.D. Berkey Elementary School in Arnold collected $450 through a coin drive the week of Sept. 26, teacher...
Plum High School buys bikes for physical education classes, cycling club
Plum High School students have new bicycles to ride in physical education classes that will also be used for a new cycling club. The district recently bought 38 Giant Talon 2 mountain bikes from The Bike Lab, a bicycle shop in Plum. The total cost was $20,345, money for which...
New Kensington eyes restricting use of noisy engine brakes near Valley High School
New Kensington officials are considering a restriction on the use of jake brakes in part of the city. “Jake brakes” are the common term for the Jacobs Engine Brake, which alters the operation of an engine’s exhaust and allows it to function as a power-absorbing air compressor that can slow...
OPEC production cut behind 3rd straight week of rising gas prices, analyst says
Average gasoline prices in the Pittsburgh area have increased by about 10 cents per gallon in the past week, while the national average has gone up about 14 cents, according to price tracking service GasBuddy. The average in the Pittsburgh area is $3.99, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 731 stations....
New Kensington’s Knead Community Cafe set to debut fall, winter menus
Some “heavier” items are featured on Knead Community Café’s fall and winter lunch menu, which the New Kensington restaurant will roll out Tuesday. The new seasonal breakfast menu will debut Oct. 29. Knead serves breakfast only on Saturdays; it is open for lunch Tuesdays through Fridays. The menus will be...
Butler man stormed onto school bus and threatened students, police say
Butler police arrested a city man Thursday evening after they say he got onto a school bus and threatened students earlier in the day. Police said an officer stopped Clifford Jenkins Anderson, 43, while he was driving and arrested him without incident. In Anderson’s arrest papers, police said a school...
Arconic awards $30K grants to Burrell, New Kensington-Arnold school districts
New technologies and equipment will allow Valley High School students to visit places unreachable in the classroom, while Burrell High School students will use them to create products. New Kensington-Arnold will transform its high school’s planetarium into a Think Tank, while Burrell’s “Bucconomics” program will see seniors undertake an economics-based...
Events to bring crafts, food and libations to downtown New Kensington
Crafters and artisans will be featured in two separate events Saturday in downtown New Kensington. Knead Community Cafe, 1011 Barnes St., will host its annual fall harvest craft and vendor fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. That event will be followed by the city’s Downtown Market, sponsored by the...
New Kensington-Arnold superintendent receives raise, statewide award
New Kensington-Arnold Superintendent Chris Sefcheck received his first raise the same night it was announced that he won a statewide award. The school board approved a 2.5% pay increase for Sefcheck on Tuesday, shortly after getting word that he had been chosen to receive an Education Innovation Award from the...
New Kensington mourns death of firefighter Chris Ploski
New Kensington is mourning the loss of a respected volunteer firefighter. Chris Ploski was one of the city fire department’s most active members, responding to 200 to 250 calls per year while also working his full-time job, fire Chief Ed Saliba Jr. said. Ploski, who was diagnosed just over a...
New Kensington awards $50K contract to resurface Valley Street
A heavily cracked and patched section of a New Kensington road is set to be resurfaced. City council has accepted a $50,325 bid from Tresco Paving Corp. for Valley Street. Valley Street will be milled and resurfaced between Freeport Road and Caldwell Avenue, city Engineer Tony Males said. That distance...
