Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 75
State police say missing Indiana County woman found safe in Allegheny County
A 79-year-old Indiana County woman who was reported missing Monday evening was found Tuesday in Allegheny County and is safe, state police said. Relatives reported Nancy C. Smith, 79, of Dilltown, missing when she did not return home from a shopping trip Monday evening, state police said. Trooper Cliff Greenfield...
Frazer police warn residents to lock cars after multiple thefts in East Deer
Police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a man suspected of committing multiple burglaries in the East Deer and Frazer area Sunday morning. According to Frazer police, the suspect stole multiple items from unlocked vehicles beginning around 4:30 a.m. He started on Bailies Run Road in East Deer...
Pittsburgh police seek help finding woman missing from Oakland
Pittsburgh police are asking for the public’s help in finding a missing woman. According to police, Allyson Harding was last seen around 10 a.m. Thursday in Oakland. She left the area on foot. Harding is described as 5 feet 2 inches tall, 160 pounds, with long brown/purple/blonde hair and hazel...
Woman dies after vehicle crash, fire in Washington County
A 35-year-old woman died after a single vehicle crash in Washington County Monday night, the county coroner said. The coroner identified the woman as Abbey Rhoades, of Washington. The crash happened around 10:30 p.m. on Moore Road in South Franklin. According to the coroner, Rhoades was alone and driving north...
No charges to be filed in New Castle ‘kidnapping’ case
New Castle police say there won’t be any charges filed in what initially was though to be the kidnapping of a 16-year-old girl there. According to WPXI-TV, Police Chief Robert Salem said investigators determined the missing girl was not kidnapped and no charges will be filed in the case. Police...
Police: Brother tried to get twin to hospital after being shot at Upper Burrell bar
A Vandergrift man died Saturday night as his twin brother was trying to rush him to a hospital after the man was shot at an Upper Burrell bar. According to police, Andy Jenereaux got from Woodpeckers Pub and Grub to near the New Kensington bridge about 5 miles away before...
3 men arrested, jailed after pursuit, crash in North Buffalo
Three men from York are facing firearms and other charges after their vehicle crashed into another vehicle while fleeing police in Armstrong County last week. Alezea Merguiades Pagan and Yaheem Larenz-Dionico Jones, both 20, and Michael Pagan, 23, are being held in the Armstrong County Jail and are scheduled for...
Knead Community Cafe works around supply issues in crafting new fall, winter menu
How does a hot turkey sandwich on Texas toast with mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce sound? Or maybe a salad with baby spinach, golden raisins, walnuts, goat cheese, red onion, green apples, crushed Ritz crackers and an apple Vidalia onion dressing? If not, how about a porchetta with thin-sliced, grilled...
Westmoreland housing authority seeks to tear down New Ken townhouses, sell parcel to UniFirst
A public housing complex is getting smaller, while a business is getting larger in New Kensington. UniFirst is acquiring 1.3 acres of Kensington Manor from the Westmoreland County Housing Authority. City council recently approved subdividing that portion of the complex off from the rest of it. UniFirst, which fronts on...
New Ken-Arnold to cast broad net in replacing head football coach ‘Muzzy’ Colosimo
New Kensington-Arnold School District will cast a wide net as it searches for a new varsity football head coach. The school board Tuesday accepted the resignation of William “Muzzy” Colosimo and will advertise the coaching position. Colosimo did not attend the meeting. Colosimo, 71, previously said he felt it was...
Gift baskets sought for spaghetti dinner benefitting New Ken firefighter battling cancer
Donations are being sought to stage a spaghetti dinner benefit for a New Kensington volunteer firefighter battling cancer. The city’s fire department and the New Kensington Eagles are jointly sponsoring the benefit dinner for Chris Ploski on Jan. 8, Assistant Fire Chief Bruce Davis said. Ploski, 59, a firefighter with...
Voodoo Brewery creates something different with ‘Red Dragon Lounge’ in New Kensington
It can’t be said there’s a bat in their belfry, since Voodoo Brewery in New Kensington doesn’t have a belfry. But there is a dragon on the second floor. It’s red, with yellow eyes, fangs and claws and a tail snaking down the stairs. The Red Dragon Lounge was created...
Former Steelers receiver Louis Lipps charged with DUI after Mt. Washington crash
Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Louis Lipps Jr. was arrested and charged with driving under the influence after city police say he crashed a pickup into a parked trailer Saturday night on his street in Mt. Washington. Police said Lipps, 59, had trouble speaking and standing at the crash scene...
Emergency services community mourns death of Robinson police sergeant, former paramedic
Condolences were coming from police, firefighters and medics across the Pittsburgh airport area Sunday in response to the news that a Robinson police officer had died. Robinson police announced the death of Sgt. Scott “Scotty” Patton on the department’s Facebook page. His age and cause of death were not given....
Volunteers sought to clean up parklet in downtown New Kensington
Volunteers are needed to help with cleaning up a parklet next week in downtown New Kensington. Located at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Eighth Street, the small park was given the name “Corner Courtyard” when the community came together to create it in September 2017. Now mostly a patch...
Food trucks draw people from near, far to first-time Arnold community event
Word that there were food trucks in Arnold was enough to get Joanne Huybrecht to cross the river from Indiana Township on Saturday. In the Pittsburgh area, that’s saying a lot. Huybrecht, her daughter, Kathy Myers, and her great granddaughter, Kathleen Marutiak, 8, all came to Fifth Avenue on Saturday...
Police: Man in critical condition after being shot in Munhall
A man was in critical condition after being shot in Munhall on Saturday. According to Allegheny County Police, the shooting in the 600 block of East 13th Avenue was reported shortly before 4:30 p.m. First responders found the man suffering from a gunshot wound to the stomach. He was taken...
Police: McKeesport man tells girlfriend going to see puppy; instead he killed mother of his unborn child
A man accused of killing the mother of his unborn child told another woman he was leaving her to see a friend’s new puppy the night he carried out the pre-planned murder, police say in court paperwork. Allegheny County Police say Isaac Christopher Smith, 25, of McKeesport shot 26-year-old Karli...
Penn State to use $1.5M grant on workforce programs in New Kensington
Penn State will use a $1.5 million federal grant to create workforce education and retaining programs targeting Southwestern Pennsylvania, the university announced Wednesday. The university’s New Kensington campus, located in Upper Burrell, and its Digital Foundry, under construction in downtown New Kensington, will lead the project. It will be known...
New Kensington police investigating bathroom bullying incident at Valley High School
New Kensington police are investigating a bullying incident in which garbage was dropped on at least one student in a bathroom at Valley High School. Students found to have been involved could face discipline ranging from detention to expulsion depending on the severity and their own disciplinary history, Superintendent Chris...
Plethora of fitness programs set at Hampton Community Center
Zumba, tai chi and yoga are among the classes that will be offered at the Hampton Community Center beginning in mid-November. They will join popular activities that include pickleball, badminton and volleyball that are available to Hampton residents and non-residents, said Melanie Martino, coordinator of special events and marketing. And...
Political newcomer ousts longtime supervisor in Allegheny Township
A political newcomer appeared to be successful in his campaign to replace a longtime supervisor in Allegheny Township. According to unofficial election results Tuesday night and with all precincts reporting, Republican James Morabito had 56% of the vote, defeating incumbent Supervisor Kathy Starr, who had about 44%. This is the...
New Kensington gives preliminary approval to 2022 budget with no property tax hike
The property tax rate will not be going up in New Kensington next year. City Council on Monday approved an $8.47 million preliminary budget for 2022 that keeps the tax rate at 32.03 mills. The city would spend almost 4% more than its $8.16 million budget for this year. City Clerk...
Building the Valley: Neighboring New Kensington bakeries work to succeed together
One makes donuts, the other doesn’t. One makes custom cakes, the other not as much. But the characteristic that most separates two recently opened New Kensington bakeries is that one, Sweet Alchemy Bake Shop, is all-vegan, while the other, Lynette’s M.A.D. Custom Cakes, is not. Lynette McCandrew opened her bakery...
Retired Allegheny Valley Habitat for Humanity director remembered as ‘a force of nature’
Diane Belitskus oversaw the construction of 20 homes over 16 years as the first director of Allegheny Valley Habitat for Humanity from 1997 to 2013. Bryan Heyl’s home in Arnold, completed in December 2011, was one of them. He met Belitskus in 2009, the same year he started working at...
