Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 7
Rodent infestation contributes to shutdown of Squirrel Hill Thai street food restaurant
An Allegheny County Health Department inspector shut down a Thai street food restaurant in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood after finding its kitchen was overwhelmingly contaminated by rodent droppings. The department on Tuesday ordered the closure of Took Took 98 on Murray Avenue. While the restaurant said on its Facebook page...
‘I don’t want it to end,’ says Pink Day organizer as she retires from planning popular Leechburg festival
Sherry Price was feeling relief tinged with a little sadness as Leechburg’s 14th annual Pink Day was underway around her Saturday. As people from near and far flocked to the borough’s Market Street for a day of fun for a good cause, Price knew it was the last one she’d...
Shaler Area plan calls for closing elementary school, changing where some grades are housed
The Shaler Area School District has prepared a plan that calls for closing the district’s elementary school and changing where some grade levels are housed. The district announced Thursday that it will present the plan, called “Building for Tomorrow,” during a community forum beginning at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 29,...
PennDOT schedules informational meetings on I-79 Wexford interchange project
Traffic restrictions and future work plans for a redesign of the Wexford interchange on Interstate 79 will be discussed at two meetings next week in Franklin Park, PennDOT announced Wednesday. Two sessions will be held, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. and 5:30 to 7 p.m., on Sept. 24 at Saints...
Model railroad museum in Richland preps for holiday show as construction on addition continues
Construction of an addition to the Western Pennsylvania Model Railroad Museum in Richland won’t derail its holiday train show. The 37th annual show is slated to run from Nov. 8 to Jan. 11 at the museum on Route 910 at Lakeside Drive, museum President Ray Mueser said. Work will still...
Pine-Richland administrators recommend tax increase as district faces $4.9 million deficit
The Pine-Richland School District could seek to increase property taxes by more than its state-imposed inflation limit as it grapples with a nearly $5 million deficit for the 2026-27 school year. Superintendent Brian Miller said he and Christopher Juzwick, the district’s director of finance and operations, are recommending at least...
Pine-Richland approves superintendent’s performance rating, salary increase
The Pine-Richland School Board has approved a pay increase for Superintendent Brian Miller. In finding that Miller had met performance standards for the 2024-25 academic year, the board set his salary at $221,707. That’s a 2.5% increase from the $216,300 salary the board set for Miller in August 2024 when...
Shaler Area School Board considers reduced scope of work for middle school
Building renovations at Shaler Area Middle School have been reduced in cost from more than $20 million to about $8.2 million over the next three years. While still replacing the school’s entire roof, HVAC work would be limited to replacing two or three of the units in the worst condition...
‘Trash wheel’ could soon be installed to remove litter from Pittsburgh river
Stewards of Western Pennsylvania waterways are hoping a machine being used to prevent litter from polluting the Baltimore harbor could help keep the Steel City’s rivers clean. Two nonprofit organizations, Allegheny CleanWays and Three Rivers Waterkeeper, are working on bringing a “trash wheel” to the Monongahela River near Hazelwood. Powered...
Suspect in Robinson stabbing dies in crash on Route 576, police say
A man died in a crash on Route 576 in South Fayette after police say he stabbed a woman and a boy in Robinson Township Sunday morning. According to Allegheny County Police, the stabbing in the 100 block of K Row in Robinson was reported shortly after 8 a.m. First...
Connellsville Middle School teacher accused of exchanging nude photos with 14-year-old
A middle school teacher from Mount Pleasant is accused of exchanging nude photos with a 14-year-old child. Ashley Mongell, 30, is a seventh grade science teacher at Connellsville Area Middle School. State police said they began investigating Mongell and her contact with the child after Instagram made a report to...
Brooklyn man arrested after state police say he extorted $102K from Beaver County victim
A Brooklyn man is being held in the Beaver County Jail after state police say he stole more than $100,000 from a person in Aliquippa. State police charged Xinhua Chen, 35, with felony counts of theft by deception and extortion. At an arraignment Saturday morning, he was denied bail as...
Beer ‘brings people together’ at 1st of Pittsburgh Brewing’s Oktoberfest days in East Deer
Gus Scalo didn’t win a stein-holding competition at Pittsburgh Brewing in East Deer on Saturday, but he showed that beer who the boss was by chugging it after bowing out. “It looks a lot easier than it is,” he said. “I’m feeling it, man, I’m feeling it.” The stein-holding competition...
Kiski Township man, 19, dies in North Apollo crash
A 19-year-old man died in a crash in North Apollo late Friday night. The Armstrong County Coroner’s Office identified the man as Jace Albert Hoe III, of Kiski Township. The crash, at Pegtown Avenue and River Road, was reported shortly before 10 p.m., an Armstrong County 911 dispatcher said. Hoe...
Shaler Area School District hires business manager from Fox Chapel Area
The Shaler Area School District has a new business manager. During a special voting meeting Wednesday, Sept. 10, the school board approved hiring Kimberly Pawlishak as director of finance and operations for a three-year term beginning on or about Dec. 10. Her salary was set at $140,000. Pawlishak is coming...
West View hires architect for new municipal complex, fire department garage
West View is moving forward with preparations for a new municipal complex and fire department garage. The borough will pay EOS Studio Arc $28,760 for design services for the complex. It will consist of a repurposing of the existing West View Firemen’s Banquet Hall and the adjacent area now home...
Shaler accepts discipline of Undercliff firefighters accused of answering call while drunk
The Shaler commissioners have accepted disciplinary actions one of the township’s volunteer fire departments meted out in August following allegations some of its members responded to a call under the influence of alcohol. The Undercliff Volunteer Fire Co. on Aug. 19 suspended three of the five members involved in the...
Nightly restrictions planned on I-79 for Wexford interchange work
Northbound traffic on Interstate 79 will be restricted at night by work on the new $46.5 million Wexford interchange, PennDOT announced Tuesday, Sept. 9. Restrictions will occur from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. weeknights and as-needed on weekends from 7 p.m. to 9 a.m. They will include northbound I-79 being...
Weekend closure of northbound 62nd Street Bridge scheduled between Pittsburgh, Etna
PennDOT plans to close the northbound 62nd Street Bridge, Route 8, between Pittsburgh and Etna this weekend, the agency announced Tuesday. The bridge is scheduled to be closed from 9 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Monday while crews are working. Traffic will be detoured. The posted detour will be: •...
2 of 3 $100K winning tickets in historic Powerball drawing sold in North Hills
While the two tickets that won a $1.8 billion Powerball drawing on Sept. 6 were not sold in Pennsylvania, two of three tickets that won $100,000 in the drawing were sold in Allegheny County’s North Hills area, according to the Pennsylvania Lottery. One was sold at the Giant Eagle on...
Man arrested in relation to Downtown Pittsburgh park stabbing
A Pittsburgh man was arrested in relation to the stabbing incident that occurred near Frankie Pace Park Sunday. Kevin Jenkins, 51, is facing multiple felony charges of aggravated assault, as well as misdemeanor charges of recklessly endangering another person. After being released from the hospital, Jenkins was transported to the...
Motorcycle crash claims life of man in Washington County
A 42-year-old man died in a motorcycle crash in Washington County on Sunday, the county coroner’s office said. Albert M. Swoager Jr., of New Eagle, was traveling south on Route 88 in Union Township when he lost control on a curve and hit a guide rail at Airport Road. He...
Ringgold School District closes schools after stabbing at stadium; suspect in custody
A suspect is in custody after a stabbing during a youth football game at Ringgold High School’s stadium in Washington County Sunday, according to the district’s superintendent. The ongoing investigation of the incident has prompted the Ringgold School District to close all of its schools on Monday, Superintendent Randall Skrinjorich...
2 hurt in 3-vehicle crash involving mail truck in Bell Township
A postal worker and another driver were hurt in a three-vehicle crash Friday in Bell Township, according to state police. The crash happened just before noon on Route 819 near McDivitt Drive. According to state police, Ruth A. Diekhoff, 87, of Avonmore was traveling north in an SUV when she...
25-year-old man dies after being shot at friend’s home in Canonsburg, coroner says
A 25-year-old man died after he was shot at a friend’s home in Canonsburg Saturday night, the Washington County Coroner’s Office said. Brady Hugh Paul, of Canonsburg, was shot at a residence in the 500 block of Griffin Avenue. Paul’s friend, who was not identified, sought help from a neighbor,...
