Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 47
Slide repair to close Leechburg Road in Plum into mid-August
PennDOT plans to close another Plum road to repair a slide, a spokesman confirmed Thursday. Leechburg Road will be fully closed between New Texas and Unity Center roads from July 5 through mid-August, spokesman Steve Cowan said. Traffic on the road has been restricted since June 9, when a temporary...
New Kensington considering updated regulations, new fees for restaurants, food trucks
New Kensington is revamping fees paid by restaurants and food trucks in an effort to emphasize food safety. City council is considering an ordinance that would bring the city into compliance with the state’s food laws, health officer Patrick McGuire said. “It makes the licensing and enforcement in compliance with...
Industrial development agencies finalize venture to redevelop New Kensington park
Westmoreland County Industrial Development Corp. and the Regional Industrial Development Corp. finalized a joint venture to redevelop the New Kensington Advanced Manufacturing Park. Westmoreland County commissioners and IDC directors Sean Kertes, Doug Chew and Gina Cerilli Thrasher approved the partnership with RIDC, which has agreed to the terms. “We’re extremely...
PennDOT plans daily, 10-hour closures of Campbell Road in West Deer
A West Deer road is scheduled to be closed 10 hours a day, each day, from Tuesday through Friday, PennDOT announced Monday. Weather-permitting, Campbell Road will be closed to traffic from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. between Saxonburg Boulevard and Route 910 while crews are leveling the road and paving....
Retiring New Kensington-Arnold principal to head science foundation’s effort in city
New Kensington native Nicole Roberts is ready to retire from her more than three-decade career in public education — but not from being an educator. Roberts, 54, is retiring effective Sept. 11 as principal of H.D. Berkey Elementary School in Arnold. She will continue working as program director of the...
New Kensington native honored for helping people recover from drug, alcohol addiction
A lifelong New Kensington resident has been recognized for helping people recover from drug and alcohol addiction. Pittsburgh-based Staunton Farm Foundation announced that VonZell Wade received its Albert B. Craig Jr. Award for this year. He was selected from seven nominees. Wade, a licensed professional counselor, co-founded Lost Dreams Awakening...
Plum water authority reports on completed, planned projects and upgrades
Plum Borough Municipal Authority completed three projects totaling $2 million in 2022 and has plans for three more this year that are expected to cost about $1.73 million, according to the authority’s annual drinking water quality report for 2022. In the report, the authority said its drinking water meets federal...
Plum police say 4-year-old told them mother had him hide her ‘medicine,’ heroin, during traffic stop
Police say an East McKeesport woman told her 4-year-old son to hide heroin, which he called mommy’s “medicine,” when Plum police pulled her over for suspicion of driving under the influence. Christine Lynn Kregiel, 33, faces nearly a dozen charges stemming from the traffic stop about 7:30 p.m. Sunday on...
Children enjoy apple story, snacks at New Kensington’s Knead Community Café
A group of children enjoyed apple slices garnished with peanut butter and marshmallows during a field trip Tuesday to Knead Community Café in New Kensington. The children were participating in Peoples Library’s “All About Apples With the Knead Café” field trip. Children’s librarian Victora Lingle read “Ten Red Apples” by...
New Kensington man found with stolen gun, drugs during traffic stop, police say
New Kensington police said they found a man concealing a stolen gun and carrying drugs after stopping him for vehicle violations Sunday. According to a criminal complaint, an officer conducted a traffic stop on Joseph Michael Singer Jr., 35, of New Kensington shortly after midnight. Police said Singer was driving...
New Kensington-Arnold shuffles administrators, principals
Several New Kensington-Arnold School District administrators will be in new jobs starting July 1. The school board approved an administrative realignment plan presented by Superintendent Chris Sefcheck. Under the plan, Assistant Superintendent Jon Banko is becoming principal of Valley High School, taking the job now held by Pat Nee. Nee,...
Air quality alert issued for Pittsburgh region
The state Department of Environmental Protection has issued a code orange air quality alert for the greater Pittsburgh area on Monday. The alert is in effect until 4 p.m. for Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties. The code orange alert means that air pollution concentrations within the...
New Castle motorcyclist killed, teen hurt in crash with SUV
A 49-year-old New Castle man died and a teen was seriously hurt after the motorcycle they were on was hit by an SUV in Lawrence County on Saturday, according to state police. State police identified the man as Travis J. Bintrim. The 14-year-old male passenger was not identified. State police...
Body of Penn Hills man recovered at Creek Falls in South Huntingdon
A 23-year-old man’s body was recovered Sunday morning at Creek Falls on Jacobs Creek in South Huntingdon following a reported drowning on Saturday. The Westmoreland County Coroner’s office identified the man as Deonte Elliot Johns of Sampson Street in Penn Hills. According to the coroner, Johns jumped from a rock...
Couple escapes Lower Burrell home heavily damaged in blaze
A Lower Burrell man who ran into his neighbors’ burning home Sunday says he found them “calm” inside. Randy Bargerstock said the backyard of his Rodgers Drive home borders the backyard of Charles and Susan Allias’ home on Jefferson Drive, which is located a good distance behind Glen’s Custard on...
Plum’s annual SummerFest scheduled for Larry Mills Park
Food, games and carnival rides are among the attractions at Plum’s SummerFest. The annual event will be held Thursday through Saturday, June 24, at Larry Mills Park, a 32-acre park on Fontana Drive off O’Block Road in the borough’s Holiday Park neighborhood. A free shuttle service from nearby Amplify Church,...
Strawberry shortcakes served with scoops of ice cream, history at Harrison’s Burtner House
Robert Woods Sr. says he learns something new every time he visits the Burtner House in Harrison. His latest lesson involved a coffin. The historic stone farmhouse, completed in July 1821, sits just off Route 28 and was saved from being demolished for the highway in the early 1970s. Woods...
Authorities respond to reported drowning at Creek Falls in South Huntingdon
Multiple dive and water rescue teams were responding to a reported drowning Saturday evening in South Huntingdon, a Westmoreland County emergency dispatcher said. The drowning at Creek Falls on Jacobs Creek was reported around 5:45 p.m., the dispatcher said. Limited information was available as of 8 p.m. A dispatcher said...
Work to restrict Tarentum Bridge traffic
Traffic will be restricted on the Tarentum Bridge Tuesday through Thursday, PennDOT announced. Single-lane restrictions will happen in each direction on the bridge over the Allegheny River between Tarentum and New Kensington from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday. Crews...
Arnold approves decertifying 117-year-old No. 1 fire department
A roomful of Arnold residents appeared to go through many of the seven stages of grief before the city’s council voted Tuesday to decertify the older of its two volunteer fire departments. Residents were in shock and angry that council was considering decertifying the 117-year-old Citizens Volunteer Fire Company No....
11 employers expected to attend PA CareerLink job fair in New Kensington
There will be a job fair Thursday in New Kensington with nearly a dozen employers looking to hire. The job fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at PA CareerLink Alle-Kiski, at 1150 Fifth Ave. Registration is suggested but not required. Those planning to attend can register...
Slide restricts traffic on Plum road used as detour during New Texas slide repair
A slide has restricted traffic on a Plum road that is part of a detour for another road that’s closed while crews repair a slide. PennDOT crews placed a temporary traffic signal on Leechburg Road near Elicker Road on Friday, PennDOT spokesman Steve Cowan said. “A slide has developed on...
Departing Plum superintendent brought pride back to district, school board president says
Superintendent Brendan Hyland is leaving the Plum School District better than he found it, according to the district’s school board president. The board is expected to accept Hyland’s resignation, effective June 30, at its meeting Tuesday night, a day after North Allegheny board members voted 6-3 to hire him as...
Arnold Council to consider decertifying 1 of 2 fire departments
Arnold Council may vote Tuesday to decertify one of the city’s two volunteer fire departments. A vote to decertify the No. 1 fire department will be on the council’s agenda, said Councilman George Hawdon, who is in charge of public safety. Hawdon declined to discuss details of the matter ahead...
Arnold woman accused of fatally shooting dog she recently adopted
An Arnold woman is accused of shooting and killing her dog on Sunday. Arnold police charged Susan Mullenax, 49, of Alcoa Drive with a felony count of aggravated cruelty to animals. She was arraigned Sunday and released from the Westmoreland County jail after a professional bondsman posted her $25,000 bail,...
