Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 77
Beaver County baby dies after ingesting heroin, mother charged
A 10-month-old girl died over the weekend, two weeks after ingesting heroin at a Beaver County home in September. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner said Myla Rushman died Saturday at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. The incident happened in the 1000 block of Rice Avenue in Ambridge on Sept. 25....
State police looking for man after ‘dangerous’ pursuit in Somerset County
State police are looking for the driver of a vehicle after a pursuit in Somerset County last week. State police said they were unable to find Mark Lynn Boden, 27, of Johnstown, after the chase on Thursday that started on Glades Pike and continued for about 5 miles before ending...
Penn State’s The Corner to resume open houses monthly in New Kensington
The veil of mystery surrounding The Corner will be lifted this week in New Kensington. The Corner, a Penn State program at 701 Fifth Ave., will host an open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday. The Corner opened in 2017. “There’s a bit of a mystique about what...
Food, beer, music planned for Arnold Engine Co. No. 2’s 1st ‘Octoberfest’
One of Arnold’s two volunteer fire departments is going to try something new for a fundraiser. Arnold Engine Co. No. 2 will host its first “Octoberfest” from 6-10 p.m. Oct. 15 at its social hall, 1702 Fifth Ave. “Now that we’re actually allowed to have in-person fundraisers, we’re going to...
Man robbed at gunpoint during ATV sale in Beaver County
A man was robbed of more than $4,000 at gunpoint Friday when he met someone to buy an ATV in Beaver County, state police said. State police said the victim, a 24-year-old man from Conneautville in Crawford County, arranged to meet the seller in the 400 block of Upper Service...
Monroeville man dies after being thrown from ATV in Penn Hills crash
A Monroeville man died Sunday in Penn Hills in a crash involving a vehicle and an ATV, according to Allegheny County Police. Police said the crash happened around 7:30 p.m. in the 200 block of Universal Road. First responders found Eric Lavrinc, 57, who had been thrown from his ATV....
New Kensington authority increasing sewage rates; water cost not changing
New Kensington residents aren’t going to pay more for the water coming into their homes next year, but they’ll pay more for it going out. While the Municipal Authority of New Kensington won’t be changing the cost of water in 2022, the Municipal Sanitary Authority of the City of New...
New Kensington firefighters stress safety during Martin Elementary visit
They got to see the fire trucks, hold the hoses and sit in an engine’s driver seat. But there were also important lessons to be learned when New Kensington volunteer firefighters paid a visit to the school housing the community’s youngest children Friday. What to do when there’s a fire,...
Corvette car show to benefit Brian Shaw Foundation
Before ’Vette owners put their babies away for the winter, Larry Shaffer hopes they’ll consider bringing them out for one last ride. Shaffer is organizing a judged all-Corvette car show in October at AK Valley Park in New Kensington, proceeds from which will go to the Officer Brian Shaw Foundation....
New Kensington targeting 12 properties for demolition
Frederick Clay says the sooner New Kensington tears down a dilapidated house on his street, the better. “Nature reclaimed the house,” he said of the house at 1211 Leishman Ave., next to his own. “I’ve been cutting this grass for years. It’s a weekly struggle.” Clay said the house has...
Name sought for New Kensington’s community mural
Are you good at coming up with names? A mural in New Kensington needs one. Westmoreland Community Action is taking suggestions for a name for the community mural at Ninth Street and Fourth Avenue. It’s on the side of the building housing Ashley’s Kitchen, across from Central City Plaza. The...
3 new officers, 2nd police dog joining New Kensington force
New Kensington has three new officers and a second police dog joining its force. While City Council approved hiring three new officers, Mayor Tom Guzzo swore in Max, an 18-month-old Belgian Malinois, at the top of council’s monthly meeting Monday. Council approved hiring Christian Leonarski, Cory Rezak and Salvador Zepeda....
‘Call for Catering’ to reopen restaurant at Stella’s in New Kensington
New Kensington residents eager for something new will soon have it, at someplace old. City couple Philip Call and Jillian Ludwiczak plan to reopen Stella’s Restaurant in the Parnassus area of the city on Oct. 29 as Call for Catering at Stella’s. While they’ll be running the food program, Stacey...
Salvation Army aims to become a hub of activity for all in New Kensington
There’s a room for music, a room for clothes and a room for food. There are plans for a library to become an indoor play area, and for offices to become a chapel. It’s been just over a year since Maj. Scott Flanders and his wife, Leslie, took over leadership...
Lamp cord cited as cause of Brackenridge house fire
A lamp cord is believed to be the cause of a fire that damaged a Brackenridge home Thursday night, Pioneer Hose fire Chief Rick Jones said. The fire gutted the living room of the house at 1117 Orchard Way, which is an alley between Brackenridge and Third avenues near Mile...
Route 356 closure extended in Allegheny Township until November
The closure of a section of Route 356 in Allegheny Township has been extended another month, PennDOT announced Thursday. Route 356 closed between Piper and Pleasant Hill roads on Sept. 1, and had been scheduled to reopen Thursday. The road is now scheduled to reopen on Monday, Nov. 1, PennDOT...
More food, fireworks in store for Arnold No. 1’s second annual food truck and fireworks extravaganza
An Arnold fire department’s food truck and fireworks “extravaganza” will formally become an annual event when it’s held for a second time this Saturday. Arnold No. 1 will host the second annual event beginning at 4 p.m. at the 18th Street Ballfield. Food will be served until the lights are...
Frankie’s Friends brings on new veterinarian, to resume spaying, neutering cats
Frankie’s Friends Cat Rescue will have a new veterinarian when it resumes spaying and neutering cats for the public this week. West Deer native Dr. Brandy East is replacing Dr. Becky Morrow, who founded the New Kensington nonprofit in 2010 and left in June to become a clinical assistant professor...
New Kensington police say man evicted from sober home oinked at them, growled at police dog
New Kensington police on Monday arrested a man being thrown out of a recovery home who they said oinked at officers and growled at a police dog. Police charged Ronald Dominic Festa III, 29, with felony counts of taunting a police animal and contraband, and misdemeanor counts of trespass and...
Variance approved for car wash at former New Kensington Kmart site
A developer will be able to pursue building a car wash at the site of a former Kmart on Tarentum Bridge Road in New Kensington. By a 2-to-1 vote, the city’s three-member zoning hearing board Thursday approved 100 Riverview’s request for a variance for the car wash, which otherwise is...
SoCal Mexicali Grill to bring Southern California cuisine to New KensingtonVideo
Before Jeff Cieslewicz starts cooking his Southern California-themed menu in New Kensington, he’s taking a trip to the state to get some ideas. Cieslewicz, 38, of Latrobe is a chef and partner with Sean Watson, 41, a businessman from Lower Burrell, in SoCal Mexicali Grill, a restaurant they plan to...
Suspect in Millvale, Reserve burglaries arrested
A 62-year-old man suspected of committing burglaries in Millvale and Reserve has been arrested. Elwood Bartrug was arraigned early Friday morning and being held in the Allegheny County Jail after being unable to post a $5,000 bail, according to court records. Millvale police charged Bartrug with theft, burglary and criminal...
Man shot 3 times in Arnold
A 34-year-old man is expected to survive after being shot three times in Arnold late Thursday, police Chief Eric Doutt said. The shooting happened shortly before midnight in the 1500 block of Fourth Avenue. The man was outside a house when someone shot him with a handgun in an arm,...
Florida man, 32, dies after being struck on Route 22 in Monroeville
A Florida man was hit and killed by an SUV on Route 22 in Monroeville Thursday night, Allegheny County Police said. The collision happened at Route 22 and Elliot Road around 9 p.m. According to county police, first responders found Kenneth Allan Kissell Jr., 32, of Nokomis, Fla. He was...
‘Sustainability Stroll’ highlights New Kensington’s past, new businesses
With the help of a quick scan of a QR code, a stroll down New Kensington’s Fifth Avenue can offer a glimpse of the city’s past along with its present. Signs for a “Sustainability Stroll” recently went up along Fifth Avenue from The Corner at Seventh Street to Westmoreland County...
