Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 81
Masks to remain optional in Highlands School District
Face masks will remain optional when Highlands School District students return to classes next week. After hearing from residents for and against requiring students to wear masks Monday night, Kristie Babinsack was the only school board member wanting to reverse the board’s 5-4 decision in July that makes wearing masks...
Impact of increased water cost on East Deer residents not known yet
East Deer will soon be paying more for water, but township officials don’t yet know if that cost will be passed on to township residents. East Deer buys water in bulk from neighboring Tarentum, whose council recently approved increasing the cost by 3 cents per 1,000 gallons beginning Dec. 1....
Filming of Dakota Johnson movie underway at Pittsburgh Mills
Production of a movie is underway at the Pittsburgh Mills mall in Frazer. Ernest Diaz, the mall’s general manager, said spaces throughout the mall have been leased for use in the production of “Cha Cha Real Smooth.” It stars Dakota Johnson. It’s directed by Cooper Raiff, who is also a...
15-year-old charged in Arnold shooting that left 4 injured
A 15-year-old has been charged as an adult in connection with a shooting that police said left four people injured and endangered the lives of several others Sunday in Arnold. Ikquan Hassain Amid Lynn, of Arnold, faces numerous charges including attempted homicide, aggravated assault and simple assault in connection with...
Face masks to be mandatory for students, staff at New Kensington-Arnold
Face masks will be mandatory when the new school year starts in the New Kensington-Arnold School District, Superintendent Chris Sefcheck said Thursday. The requirement will apply to all students and staff, he said. Masks will be required in schools and on buses. The district is planning on providing five day,...
Severe thunderstorm warning issued for southern Butler County
The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for southern Butler County that’s in effect until 6:45 p.m. Thursday. The warning area covers the entire southern half of the county, from Butler south to the Allegheny County line. The main threats are winds up to 60 mph and...
Man charged with burglary in 3 A-K Valley towns was looking for open doors, police say
A man accused of trying to burglarize homes in Frazer also is facing burglary charges in two other Alle-Kiski Valley towns. Frazer police arrested Eric Allen Shank, 35, of Indiana, Indiana County, on Tuesday. In a criminal complaint, Frazer police said Shank told them he was going to enter homes...
Man investigated for robbing West Deer Family Dollar charged in Middlesex bank robbery
A man being investigated for robbing a Family Dollar store in West Deer last month is accused of robbing a Butler County bank on Saturday, and police say he used proceeds from the robberies to pay rent. The FBI charged Matthew Milliron, 39, of West Deer in connection with Saturday’s...
Nurse accused of stealing medications meant for patients at Winfield nursing home
A nurse told police she stole medications intended for patients at a Butler County nursing home to deal with pain in her teeth, according to a criminal complaint filed in the case. State police said Karen Lynn Hemby, 46, of Ellport, Lawrence County, signed out 18 doses of medication between...
Ribbon-cutting scheduled for completion of shared-use path on Springhill Road
All traffic restrictions are scheduled to end on Springhill Road in Harrison as construction on a new shared-use path nears completion. “Our plan is to end the traffic restrictions on Thursday and complete the project by Monday,” Allegheny County Public Works spokesman Brent Wasko said Tuesday. Some miscellaneous work, mostly...
Inspection to restrict traffic Wednesday, Thursday on Hulton Bridge
Traffic will be restricted on the Hulton Bridge over the Allegheny River between Harmar and Oakmont for inspection work Wednesday and Thursday, PennDOT announced. The work will be done between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day, weather permitting. There will be lane restrictions in each direction between Freeport Road...
Highlands School Board may revisit decision on face masks
Highlands School Board may revisit its decision on whether students will be required to wear face masks when they return to schools later this month. The board may discuss the district’s health and safety plan, and vote on changes, when it meets on Aug. 16. The board has resumed meeting...
Detectives: Women’s fight was cause of Arnold shooting
A fight between two women resulted in four people, including a juvenile, being shot in Arnold on Sunday night, police said. The shooting in the 2000 block of Kenneth Avenue, near Moore Street, was reported about 11:15 p.m. According to Westmoreland County detectives, who were called to help with the...
New Kensington woman jumps from 2nd-story window to escape assault, police say
A woman in New Kensington jumped out a second-story window, hurting her back, to get away from a man she was fighting with, according to city police. New Kensington police charged Jerome Michael Dussia Jr., 34, of Haser Drive with simple assault following the Thursday morning incident. Police said Dussia...
Filterbuy opens New Kensington facility, plans more hiring
Air filter manufacturer Filterbuy opened its facility in New Kensington Advanced Manufacturing Park this week with nearly 30 full-time employees, and it plans to hire more workers this month, the company announced Friday. The family-owned and operated company based in Alabama said it aims to have three full production lines...
ATI moving Pittsburgh headquarters from Downtown to new Strip District building
Allegheny Technologies Inc. will move its Pittsburgh headquarters from Downtown to the Strip District next summer, the company and Burns Scalo Real Estate announced. Burns Scalo said the specialty materials manufacturer is the first tenant to sign a lease for “The Vision on 15th,” an eight-story, mixed-use building under construction...
2 hurt in 2-vehicle crash in New Kensington
Two people were hurt in a crash in New Kensington on Thursday night. The two-vehicle crash happened at Tarentum Bridge and Leechburg roads around 9:30 p.m., a Westmoreland County emergency dispatcher said. One person was taken by ambulance to Allegheny Valley Hospital; the other was taken by ambulance to Allegheny...
Man shot through door in Pittsburgh’s Beechview neighborhood
A man in Pittsburgh’s Beechview neighborhood was in a home when he was shot through a door, according to police. Police and medics responded to a report of a man shot in the 1500 block of Alton Street around 9:45 p.m. Thursday. Officers found the man in the front yard...
Second suspect in armed robbery at Tarentum home arrested
A second person wanted in connection with an armed robbery at a Tarentum home in June is in custody. Wilnal Anthony Reddix, 21, of Harrison was arrested Wednesday night during a traffic stop in the township, Tarentum police Chief William Vakulick said Thursday. Vakulick said Reddix was arrested without incident....
Giant Eagle cites safety in changing hours of South Side location
Giant Eagle cited the safety of customers and employees in its decision to change the hours of its store on Pittsburgh’s South Side. The company said it temporarily will be closing the store on Wharton Street an hour earlier, at 9 p.m. “To more closely align with public safety efforts...
National Weather Service in Moon confirms 8th tornado from July 29 storms
A damage survey team from the National Weather Service in Moon has confirmed an eighth tornado from storms that moved through the region on July 29. The eighth tornado was an EF-1 in far western Greene County. An EF-1 tornado is considered weak, with winds of 86 to 110 mph....
Police seek SUV driver who fled scene of Forest Hills crash on foot
A 19-year-old woman was hospitalized in critical condition after a hit-and-run crash in Forest Hills Monday night, Allegheny County Police said. According to county police, the crash happened at Ardmore and Yost boulevards shortly after 10:30 p.m. Police determined the woman was traveling west on Ardmore in a sedan. She...
New Kensington runaway returns home safe, police say
A New Kensington teenage runaway is back home, city police said Wednesday. New Kensington police Det. Sgt. Dino DiGiacobbe said Patience Daniella Lynn Johnson, 16, returned home Tuesday and is safe. Johnson had last been seen at her home on July 6. Police asked for the public’s help in finding...
State police hope to get satisfaction identifying accused trespasser
State police in Butler County are asking for the public’s help in identifying a man they say has been trespassing and damaging property in Butler County. And he appears to be a Rolling Stones fan. Police said the unidentified man has been trespassing in the area of Hidden Hill and...
Harrison man jailed after police say he attacked woman at Brackenridge bar
A Harrison man whom police said attacked a woman at a Brackenridge bar is being held in Allegheny County Jail without bail, online court records showed. Brackenridge police charged Keith Robert Haslett, 37, with simple assault, strangulation and harassment following his arrest early Tuesday at Devil Dog Saloon. Police said...
