Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 38
New Kensington officer hurt in traffic stop
A New Kensington police officer was hurt after authorities said a man punched him in the head during a traffic stop Saturday night. Anthony T. Swann, 57, of Homewood assaulted Officer Tyler C. Balla during the stop at the city’s Freeport Road and Elizabeth Street, according to a criminal complaint...
In brief: Plum, Oakmont area events, week of Jan. 15, 2024
Winter parking reminder for Plum residents Plum is reminding residents to refrain from parking vehicles on snow-covered streets. Regulated by a borough ordinance, the borough says the measure helps snow removal teams work efficiently and ensures safer road conditions. Blowing and shoveling snow onto borough streets is also prohibited. The...
Recovery community adapts to help addicts kick fentanyl
Stephanie Taylor’s path to sobriety was more well-worn than winding. She was first arrested in 2015, at age 25, after selling cocaine to a police informant out of her mother’s Vandergrift home. Taylor went to jail, rehab and a halfway house — what she calls an “insane cycle” — three...
Arnold man accused of terrorizing New Kensington family and fighting, threatening police
An Arnold man is accused of threatening and fighting with New Kensington police after he was arrested for allegedly terrorizing a family in their home in the middle of the night. New Kensington police filed charges, including felony counts of aggravated assault and criminal trespass, Thursday against Timothy Jamar Petty,...
Plum man accused of interfering with father’s hospice care
A Plum man is facing several charges after, borough police say, he interfered with health services for his father, who is receiving hospice care. Plum police arrested Kevin Douglas Michel, 56, on Tuesday, Jan. 9 after responding to a complaint in the 800 block of Garlow Boulevard from a medical...
New Kensington-Arnold preliminary budget includes 2% tax increase
Taxes would increase a little more than 2% in New Kensington-Arnold’s proposed preliminary budget for the 2024-25 school year. It’s about a fourth of the maximum tax increase, 8%, the district is allowed under its state-imposed, inflation-based limit. The tax increase, 2.05%, was added to balance the proposed $45.1 million...
Plum mobile home park appeals borough’s denial of expansion plans
The owner of a Plum mobile home park is appealing the borough’s rejection of its expansion plans. Plum Creek MHC filed an appeal in Allegheny County Court seeking to reverse the borough zoning hearing board’s denial of its request to add 21 manufactured home sites — for a total of...
Plum school renovation options could come with tax increase
Plum property owners could be facing another tax increase, this one to pay for school building projects. On Tuesday, financial advisers gave Plum’s school board four options to pay for potential building projects. The options would add anywhere from $117 to $275 to the annual tax bill for residents of...
Plum honors Rustic Ridge resident for heroism, elevates interim manager
Plum has honored a man for his heroism in the aftermath of the Rustic Ridge explosion, while also taking a step to help the borough’s government move forward from the August catastrophe that left six dead. Greg Renko, president of the Rustic Ridge homeowners association, received a proclamation honoring him...
As U.S. average gas price falls to near $3, a few Pittsburgh-area stations are already there
While Pennsylvania remains among states with the highest average gas prices, a few stations in the Pittsburgh area are at, and in one case below, the $3 mark. According to price-tracking service GasBuddy, an American Oil on Route 422 in Worthington had a cash price of $2.86 on Monday, the...
In brief: Plum, Oakmont area events, week of Jan. 8, 2024
Holy Family Parish Christmas brunch a rousing success Holy Family Parish continued its 10-year tradition of celebrating Christmas with a morning brunch Dec. 25 at St. Joseph Church in Verona and Our Lady of Joy in Plum. More than 140 guests were treated to brunch and cookies made by the...
Plum, Fox Chapel Area students raise big money for charities in annual telethons
Plum High School senior Sophie Anderson was astonished when classmate Hailey Depkon told her the district’s annual telethon benefiting Make-A-Wish had reached $50,000. “We did not think we were going to be able to raise that much money,” said Anderson, 18, who was the telethon’s co-head floor director with Depkon....
Plum welcomes 4 new council members, prepares to make interim manager permanent
Plum has four new council members and might soon have a permanent borough manager with a familiar face. Newly elected Councilmen Dave Majernik, Jerry Purcell and Steve Schlauch were sworn in to office by District Judge Mike Doyle during council’s reorganization Tuesday. Doyle, previously council president, resigned from council in...
Springdale Manor residents return to their apartments after gas leak led to evacuation, no injuries reported
The eight-story Springdale Manor high-rise was evacuated Tuesday night because of a natural gas leak. The incident was reported at 7:43 p.m., and the roughly 90 residents were starting to return to their apartments just before 10 p.m. The leak was in the building’s boiler room, according to police and...
Arnold police chief, 2nd officer leave as new mayor, council seated
Arnold police Chief Eric Doutt quit before the city’s new mayor and council could vote to demote him Tuesday. Another officer, Richard Pechin, is leaving with him. Newly elected Mayor Shannon Santucci had long stated her intent to remove Doutt as the city’s police chief. Santucci, newly elected Councilman Aaron...
Plum students raise nearly $51K during annual Make-A-Wish telethon
Plum High School senior Sophie Anderson was astonished when classmate Hailey Depkon told her the district’s annual telethon benefiting Make-A-Wish had reached $50,000. “We did not think we were going to be able to raise that much money,” said Anderson, 18, who was the telethon’s co-head floor director with Depkon....
Arnold Council reorganization expected to include actions on police chief, city manager
Arnold’s police chief is expected to be out, and its manager is anticipated to return in January. Council is slated to vote on demoting police Chief Eric Doutt to patrolman and rehiring former City Manager Mario Bellavia during its reorganization meeting beginning at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the public safety...
$13K in cash, guns taken from dead man’s home in Unity, state police say
State police are investigating the burglary of a deceased man’s home in Unity. The burglary happened between Dec. 11 and 19 on Pershing Circle, state police said in a release issued Thursday. Police did not identify the man. According to state police, two firearms valued at $1,300 were taken —...
Pittsburgh set to record 2nd least snowy year since 1880
On Friday, the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh issued an advisory for 2 to 4 inches of snow Saturday in eastern Preston and Tucker counties in West Virginia. It’s something meteorologists there haven’t had to do often. This year is on track to be the second-least snowy year on record...
‘Right place at the right time’: 3 women revive man with no pulse at Plum restaurant
Pam Popko was visiting her parents in Plum this month when her father suggested they have dinner at John Anthony’s. Erin Shepherd was there the same night with her mom, an aunt and some of their friends who go for the restaurant’s Wednesday night specials. Neither woman knew the other....
New Kensington to see garbage picked up 4 days a week under new contract
New Kensington residents will have something new to learn for the new year — when their garbage will be picked up. Under the city’s five-year, $15.3 million contract with County Hauling, which starts Monday, garbage will be collected over four days each week instead of the entire city having collection...
Monongahela River fishermen find car stolen 15 years ago
Two men fishing in the Monongahela River on Sunday found a car that had been reported stolen 15 years ago. The men were fishing near the Point Marion boat launch in Fayette County when they noticed the outline of a vehicle on their fish finder, state police said. On Tuesday,...
Affival extends lease, expands space at New Kensington manufacturing park
A business serving the steel industry has extended its lease and expanded its space at the New Kensington Advanced Manufacturing Park. Affival’s lease will run through Jan. 31, 2035. With an addition of 12,000 square feet, it will occupy just over 152,000 square feet in three buildings, the Regional Industrial...
Plum School Board eyes upgrading 3 schools, but budget might only allow for 1
The Plum School Board is reviewing details of possible renovations and additions at three schools, but it might only be able to afford work at one of them because of a limit on how much the district can borrow. Some of the work is aimed at giving the district space...
Arnold approves new police contract, payment for firetruck repairs
Police in Arnold will start the new year with a new contract and, officials hope, a higher and more attractive starting wage. City Council unanimously approved the new, four-year agreement during a special meeting Friday. It covers 10 officers, nine full time and one part time, who already had accepted...
