Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 8

The Pine-Richland School District graduated 374 seniors during its 2025 commencement ceremony on Saturday, June 7. The ceremony included a performance of the Pine-Richland alma mater by senior choir members followed by introductory remarks from high school Principal Frank Hernandez. The district continued its tradition of the Pine-Richland “family photo,”...

Children’s books sought to replenish library boxes Marshall officials are collecting children’s books to stock the free library boxes in the township’s parks. If you have extra books or ones your children have outgrown, drop them off at the municipal building, 525 Pleasant Hill Road. ‘Moana 2’ to be shown...

Two men were rescued after their car crashed into a creek Sunday morning in Etna, Mayor Robert Tunon said. The crash happened on Crescent Street near Grant Avenue around 11:30 a.m. According to Tunon, the men were traveling down Grant Avenue toward Crescent when their car left its lane, crossed...

As Leechburg began a weeklong celebration of its 175th anniversary with a Sunday worship service, Greensburg Bishop Larry Kulick, one of its native sons, invoked the area’s original name: Friendship. “Christian friendship is more than just a politeness or a casual acquaintance,” Kulick said in his reflection. “Christian friendship is...

The Pittsburgh Mills mall in Frazer is one step closer to having no remaining anchor tenants. Sunday was the last day of business for the Dick’s Sporting Goods store at the Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills, according to signs posted at the store. A store manager was not permitted to provide...

Kim Zannikos has seen flooding before at her Murrysville town house, but nothing like what she saw Friday. It was so bad that her SUV, parked at the far end of the property, away from Old William Penn Highway, and with Turtle Creek on the other side, was not spared....

An environmental group is celebrating after an energy company abandoned its plans to take water from Big Sewickley Creek to develop shale gas wells in Beaver County. In March, the state Department of Environmental Protection rescinded permits issued to PennEnergy Resources at the company’s request. It ended a four-year battle...

Overnight closures of the 62nd Street Bridge ramp to South Main Street in Etna will begin Wednesday night, PennDOT announced. The ramp from the 62nd Street Bridge, or southbound Route 8, to South Main Street will be closed to traffic from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. weeknights through mid-June, PennDOT...

Following approval of a third medical marijuana dispensary along McKnight Road, Ross commissioners are considering a regulation that would prohibit them from being adjacent to each other. As proposed in an ordinance introduced at the commissioners’ June 2 meeting, medical marijuana dispensaries would have to be at least 1,000 feet...

Elise Terry’s three children were thrilled to see the big trucks, but she saw another benefit to bringing them to the Exceptional Citizens Expo in Ross on Saturday, May 31. “It’s important for them to know the people that keep us safe and the safety rules,” said Terry of Ross,...

Georgia English rejects the idea that making music is only for the precious, famous few and everyone else is a loser if they try. “We assign shame to anyone who tries to express themselves musically but fails,” she said. “We laugh at people who bomb their ‘American Idol’ auditions, and...

Open house meeting set on parks plan As a part of McCandless’ ongoing Comprehensive Parks Master Plan process, an open house/public meeting is planned from 6 to 7:30 p.m. June 19 at the Devlin Pavilion, which is behind Town Hall. Residents are encouraged to share their ideas and vision for...

If there was only one food left in the world, Ross resident Janet Ramaeckers says it better be pizza. She and her husband, Martin, were among many who would agree with them at the fifth annual PizzaFest, held this year at Dough Daddy Brewery in West Deer. Ramaerckers said they...

Anyone who has tried to launch a kayak from a muddy river bank knows it can be difficult. For Lester Bennett of Munhall, who has lived with a spinal cord injury for more than 30 years, it would be impossible. But a new handicapped-accessible public launch on the Allegheny River...

The Relay for Life of Riverview has come to an end after a 25-year run in Oakmont, but the battle against cancer continues. Oakmont breast cancer survivor Nancy “Moochie” Donatucci, a longtime organizer for the relay benefitting the American Cancer Society, says she’ll keep up the fight by selling hanging...

A free public safety and community touch-a-truck style event with an emphasis on being more accessible to people with special needs is returning to Ross for its second year. Ross police hosted the first Exceptional Citizens Expo in 2024. The second annual expo will be from noon to 3 p.m....

Pine-Richland has recognized 15 retiring employees who together have more than 400 years of service to the school district. The group includes teachers, paraprofessionals, a librarian and a custodian who will retire at the end of the current school year. “The annual retiree recognition program always comes with mixed emotions,”...

The threat of rain has prompted the Plum School District to reschedule its graduation ceremony. The district announced Tuesday that it has pushed the ceremony ahead a day, from 7 p.m. Wednesday to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Plum High School stadium. “While the extended forecast is still subject to...

Open house meeting set on parks plan As a part of McCandless’ ongoing Comprehensive Parks Master Plan process, an open house/public meeting is planned from 6 to 7:30 p.m. June 19 at the Devlin Pavilion, which is behind Town Hall. Residents are encouraged to share their ideas and vision for...

1 arrested, 13 cited in task force’s DUI detail The North Hills DUI Task Force recently conducted a stationary DUI detail May 9 in conjunction with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration Checkpoint Strike Force. The sobriety checkpoint was held May 9 in McCandless. A total of 837 vehicles passed...

An Arnold woman is remembering a friend who lost her battle as she prepares to help other women who are still fighting their own. Amanda Wheeler on Sunday celebrated the soft opening of The Battle Life, her transitional living home, which she is dedicating to her friend, Jon’Trae “JT” Mathis....

After considering a 2025-26 budget with a maximum allowable property tax increase, a majority of the Shaler Area School Board on Wednesday, May 21, approved a proposed final budget with no tax increase. While that may have met with the approval of residents concerned about the prospect of their property...

After seeing a contested Democratic primary for only one Ross commissioner seat, township residents will have contested races for four commissioner seats in November’s general election, according to unofficial Allegheny County election results. In Ross’ Ward 6, newcomer Haley Warden-Rodgers defeated appointed incumbent Commissioner John W. Kettering for the Democratic...

Shaler Area School District voters will see contested November elections in two of the district’s three regions, with at least three new members likely to join the nine-member board, according to unofficial Allegheny County election results. Five of the board’s nine seats are up for election this year, with four...

All five people running for the Hampton School Board will have a chance to win one of four seats in November, according to unofficial Allegheny County election results. Board members Denise Balason, Jill Hamlin, Gregory Stein and Larry Vasko were all seeking reelection in the May primary. Three of the...