Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 61
Slide repair work to close part of Thompson Run Road in Penn Hills for 2 weeks
PennDOT is closing part of Thompson Run Road on the border of Penn Hills and Monroeville for two weeks to repair a slide. The road is scheduled to be closed between Old William Penn Highway and Frey Road beginning at 7 a.m. Monday, weather permitting, PennDOT announced Friday. Traffic will...
New Kensington police say man risked burning his own apartment building
New Kensington police say a man told officers he wanted to burn an apartment building he lives in with his family and others. Mark Douglas Daniels Jr., 33, of 740 Seventh St. was arraigned Thursday, Aug. 18 on a felony charge of arson before District Judge Frank J. Pallone Jr....
1970, ’71 Richland High School graduates enjoy reunion weekend
Members of the 1970 and 1971 Richland High School graduating classes gathered for a combined reunion the weekend of Aug. 12. Festivities included a tour of Richland Elementary that Friday afternoon. The elementary school, which today houses students in kindergarten through third grade, was Richland High School until 1993, when...
Faces of the Valley: Art imitates life for Lower Burrell graphic artist, who got early boost in field from his father
New Kensington native Shane Henderson followed his father’s example into his life as an artist. “He taught me stuff before I was even in high school. I had a nice starting point for taking it professionally,” Henderson said. “I always drew as a kid. He always encouraged that. It was...
After breaking $4 nationally, streak of falling gas prices could end, analyst says
After the national average price of gasoline fell below $4 per gallon late last week, the streak of falling gas prices is at risk of ending this week, an industry analyst said. That’s because wholesale gasoline prices have increased some 40 cents per gallon as oil prices have rebounded, said...
Westmoreland land bank buys first properties in New Kensington, Arnold
The Westmoreland County Land Bank bought its first properties in New Kensington and Arnold since the cities and their school district joined the blight-fighting program. Six residential properties in New Kensington and one in Arnold were among a dozen tax-delinquent properties the land bank bought at a judicial sale on...
Case proceeding against Arnold officer accused of lying about damage to patrol vehicle
An Arnold police officer accused of lying about how his patrol vehicle was damaged waived his right to a hearing Thursday. Ryan Matthew Clark, 32, of Buffalo Township is charged by Westmoreland County detectives with making a false report and tampering with evidence, which are both misdemeanor offenses. “We’re going...
Pine-Richland School District looks forward to a new school year
Students in the Pine-Richland School District will be returning to classrooms next week. The first day of school for students is Thursday, Aug. 25. The district’s enrollment is expected to be about 4,550 students. Safety will be an area of focus across all six district schools, district spokeswoman Erin Hasinger...
New Kensington planners support proposed downtown art project
New Kensington planners recommend approving a proposed project that would decorate a downtown alley and two intersections with artwork. The city’s planning commission voted 3-0 Tuesday in favor of the “Art in the Alley” project for Ivy Alley and the painting of crosswalks on Fifth Avenue at Eighth and 10th...
Pa. average gas price could fall below $4 by late August, analyst says
The national average price of gasoline could go below $4 per gallon as soon as today as prices fall for an eighth straight week, industry analyst Patrick De Haan said. AAA was reporting the national average at $4.06. National gas price-tracking service GasBuddy has it lower, at $4.01. “By the...
6th suspect arrested in New Kensington homicide; 1 remains at large
One of two teens still at large and charged in the shooting death of a man last month in New Kensington was arrested Monday. U.S. marshals apprehended Elijah Rashad Gary, 18, on Ella Street in Wilkinsburg without incident, Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli said. Gary is one of seven...
Plan for disc golf course in neighborhood park alarms New Kensington residents
A New Kensington man’s desire to use his neighborhood park for a disc golf course has put him at odds with some of his neighbors, who fear it will attract too many people and infringe on their privacy. Jim Jackson moved to Fairmont Drive from Arnold in January. His house...
New Kensington Back to School Bash open to families in need from anywhere
An upcoming Back to School Bash in New Kensington will be open to grade school children in need from anywhere. “We’re going to give them a stocked book bag,” said Laurie Johnson-Wade, a founder of Lost Dreams Awakening, one of the event sponsors. “Our theme is: Positioning Them for Success.”...
Arnold native, retired officer brings books, hope home to New Kensington
After seven years, Lillie Leonardi reached the point of having to grow or end her literary services and audio production business, Passages & Prose. She has chosen to grow, investing what she had left and bringing it home to New Kensington. “I wanted to bring it back here. Everything started...
2 teens charged in New Kensington homicide appear before judge for welfare hearings
Two of the five teens in custody and charged as adults in the July homicide of a man in New Kensington appeared before District Judge Frank J. Pallone Jr. on Friday. The hearings for Amir Kennedy, 14, and Avian Molter, 15, were held to check on their welfare as required...
Art projects proposed for downtown New Kensington alley, crosswalks
A proposed project would decorate an alley and two intersections in downtown New Kensington with artwork. The New Kensington Downtown Partnership and the New Kensington Arts Center are proposing the art projects for Ivy Alley, which runs between Fourth and Fifth avenues, and the Fifth Avenue intersections at Eighth and...
East Deer man bathing in Allegheny River found dead
An East Deer man who went bathing in the Allegheny River on Friday was found dead in the water two days later, according to police. Arnold police Chief Eric Doutt identified the man as Addam Isaac Roe, 28, of Sherman Street in East Deer. A boater found Roe’s body floating...
More states see gas prices fall below $4; Pennsylvania not among them
Average gas prices have gone below $4 per gallon in nearly 20 states, but Pennsylvania is not one of them. The state’s gas tax — 57.6 cents per gallon — and tight gasoline inventory for much of the Northeast are to blame, said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis...
Welcoming Westmoreland brings coffee talk to New Kensington at Knead Community Cafe
An effort at helping people feel welcome in Westmoreland County held its first event Friday outside Greensburg. Welcoming Westmoreland, a project led by Westmoreland Community Action, held a coffee talk at Knead Community Cafe in New Kensington. A collaboration between a variety of groups, the Welcome Everyone Program grew out...
Allegheny Township police charge Oakmont man with assaulting, raping teen
An Oakmont man is accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl multiple times before raping her late last year. Allegheny Township police charged Jeffrey Thomas McMeekin, 60, of California Avenue on Thursday with one count of rape, three counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, two counts of aggravated indecent assault...
Downtown New Kensington building in danger of collapse taken down in emergency demolition
An emergency demolition was underway Thursday afternoon on 10th Street in downtown New Kensington. The three-story building, between Third and Fourth avenues, was declared a public safety hazard, City Clerk Dennis Scarpiniti said. Simply pulling ivy on an outside wall caused the entire building to shake, code enforcement officer Pat...
Jane Seymour among attendees of Celebrity Care Fest in Pine
The Celebrity Care Fest, which hasn’t been held since 2019, returned to Pine as a two-day event the weekend of July 22-23. The theme for the weekend promoted by the HM3 Partners Independence Fund with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Penguins and Pirates was “Unity & Equality for All.” A “Unity Dinner”...
Pine, Franklin Park businesses among those receiving $10K Comcast ‘RISE’ grants
Dr. Megan Stock was inspired at a young age to become a dentist by her own childhood dentist, the mother of a friend. While dentistry was once a male-dominated field, Stock said her dental school graduating class at the University of Pittsburgh was nearly half female, a ratio she believes...
Arnold-based Colorful & Sweet Creations throws parties across Pittsburgh region
When Monique Teasley saw how much others were charging to plan events and decorate for parties, she knew she could do it for less and enjoy it at the same time. And that’s how Colorful & Sweet Creations was born, with the help of her childhood friend, Dionna Mott, and...
Gas price decline streak hits 40 days; Pittsburgh-area prices among highest in state
Gas prices have been coming down across the country for 40 days in a row, but average prices in Southwestern Pennsylvania remain above the national and state averages and among the highest in the state. According to AAA, the national average on Monday was about $4.36. That’s about 17 cents...
