Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 77
Springdale Council candidate drops out, remains on ballot in complex election
A candidate’s late withdrawal from the race for Springdale Council means more seats are up for election than there are people to fill them. Six of council’s seven seats will be on the Nov. 2 ballot, but there are effectively only five candidates. Toni Robbins, 56, said she is dropping...
Community Health Clinic offering covid vaccine booster shots in New Kensington
Covid vaccine booster shots are available in New Kensington for those who are eligible to receive them. Community Health Clinic, at 943 Fourth Ave., began giving booster shots Monday, clinic executive Director Raji Jayakrishnan said. The clinic has boosters for Moderna and Johnson & Johnson’s vaccines. Pfizer boosters are not...
New Kensington declares 12 houses unsafe, orders demolitions
Squatters and wildlife in a dozen rundown New Kensington houses may need to find new places to live within a matter of months. City Council, sitting as the Board of Health on Monday, ruled 12 properties to be detrimental to the health, safety and general welfare of the community and...
Fundraising effort for New Ken firefighter exceeds goal, public event in works
An online fundraising effort for a New Kensington volunteer firefighter battling cancer has exceeded its goal, and a public event is in the works. Chris Ploski, 59, was recently diagnosed with stage 4 small cell lung cancer that spread to the pituitary gland in his brain. Although he works as...
New Kensington-Arnold hires co-principals to oversee Hunt Elementary
Two principals are replacing one at a New Kensington-Arnold elementary school. Tyler Roberto will join Todd Kutchak as co-principals of Roy A. Hunt Elementary around Nov. 1, Superintendent Chris Sefcheck said. They are replacing Thomas Rocchi, who retired this year after 60 years in education. Kutchak, 50, an assistant principal...
Animal Protectors plans Halloween events inside, outside New Kensington shelter Saturday
A New Kensington animal shelter is decked out for Halloween and has festivities planned Saturday afternoon and evening. The event, beginning at noon and culminating in an outdoor showing of the horror classic “Night of the Living Dead” is something new for Animal Protectors of Allegheny Valley and the first...
New Kensington rallying around volunteer firefighter stricken with cancer
A New Kensington volunteer firefighter accustomed to helping others is appreciative that his community is rallying to his aid now that he is in need. Chris Ploski, 59, is a firefighter with the city’s No. 2 engine company in Parnassus. He was diagnosed in late September with stage 4 small...
New Kensington mother of 4 grateful family was not home when car crashed into house
Renata Diaz calls the living room of her New Kensington home her “bright place.” But Diaz was grateful that she and her four young children — ranging from her newborn daughter to her 10-year-old son — weren’t there Monday morning. On Tuesday, Diaz said that because her 3-year-old daughter wanted...
Contract for bridge repair at Valley High School awarded
The New Kensington-Arnold School Board has accepted a $358,000 bid to repair one of four bridges that cross over Little Pucketa Creek at Valley High School. The bid from Caliber Contracting Services of Edgewood was the only one received for work on the main entrance bridge. The bid was opened...
New Kensington businesses look to bright future as year’s last ‘Fridays on Fifth’ approaches
The last of the first Fridays on Fifth is coming this week in New Kensington, and business owners are hoping to keep the city’s momentum going through the winter until the monthly events return next year. Held on the fourth Friday of the month, the first Fridays on Fifth was...
Cold front could bring severe weather — strong winds, hail
There’s a chance for severe weather in the Pittsburgh area Friday as temperatures fall to seasonal norms, according to the National Weather Service. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop throughout the day as a cold front approaches, and a few storms could become severe in the afternoon and...
Ross Hollow Road segment closing for bridge work in Plum
Part of Ross Hollow Road in Plum will be closed for four days because of work on a bridge on Stotler Road, Allegheny County Public Works announced Thursday. Ross Hollow is scheduled to be closed between Harris Road and Rustic Ridge Drive at 5 p.m. Oct. 22. The closure is...
No one hurt in fire on houseboat docked at North Shore
No one was hurt in a fire on a houseboat docked at the North Shore on the Allegheny River Thursday morning, according to Pittsburgh Public Safety. According to officials, a river rescue crew member reporting to work saw smoke coming from the boat, docked near Mazeroski Way and PNC Park,...
Missing New Kensington woman found
A New Kensington woman who was reported missing has been found, according to New Kensington police. According to police, Alexis Johnson, 33, was last seen in New Kensington on Oct. 5 or 6. She was reported missing Wednesday. Johnson was located by her family, New Kensington police Detective Sgt. Matt...
Man dies at shooting scene in Penn Hills
A man was found shot to death in Penn Hills Wednesday night, according to Allegheny County Police. Police said Allegheny County 911 was notified of a shooting in the 200 block of Columbia Avenue around 10:45 p.m. The victim was identified as Lamarr Keith Thorne II, 32, of Homewood by...
Arnold backs Westmoreland dividing up covid relief funds to municipalities
Arnold Council is getting on board with Export Mayor Joe Zaccagini’s proposal for how Westmoreland County could best allocate $105 million in covid relief funds. Zaccagini recently proposed distributing the money equally among the county’s 65 municipalities. Arnold Councilman George Hawdon said the city also will suggest the county do...
Eastbound Pa. Turnpike reopens in Beaver County after truck crash, fire
The eastbound lanes of the Pennsylvania Turnpike between the New Castle and Cranberry interchanges were closed for several hours overnight Tuesday after a tractor-trailer crashed and caught fire. State police said the crash happened at mile marker 13.2, on the bridge over the Beaver River, in Big Beaver Borough shortly...
Harrison woman accused of setting dumpster fires in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh police accused a Harrison woman of setting dumpsters on fire in Uptown and knocking over construction cones and signs in the South Side on Monday. Jennifer Robare, 30, faces a felony count of arson and misdemeanor charges of criminal mischief and giving false identification to law enforcement in connection...
Beaver County baby dies after ingesting heroin, mother charged
A 10-month-old girl died over the weekend, two weeks after ingesting heroin at a Beaver County home in September. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner said Myla Rushman died Saturday at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. The incident happened in the 1000 block of Rice Avenue in Ambridge on Sept. 25....
State police looking for man after ‘dangerous’ pursuit in Somerset County
State police are looking for the driver of a vehicle after a pursuit in Somerset County last week. State police said they were unable to find Mark Lynn Boden, 27, of Johnstown, after the chase on Thursday that started on Glades Pike and continued for about 5 miles before ending...
Penn State’s The Corner to resume open houses monthly in New Kensington
The veil of mystery surrounding The Corner will be lifted this week in New Kensington. The Corner, a Penn State program at 701 Fifth Ave., will host an open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday. The Corner opened in 2017. “There’s a bit of a mystique about what...
Food, beer, music planned for Arnold Engine Co. No. 2’s 1st ‘Octoberfest’
One of Arnold’s two volunteer fire departments is going to try something new for a fundraiser. Arnold Engine Co. No. 2 will host its first “Octoberfest” from 6-10 p.m. Oct. 15 at its social hall, 1702 Fifth Ave. “Now that we’re actually allowed to have in-person fundraisers, we’re going to...
Man robbed at gunpoint during ATV sale in Beaver County
A man was robbed of more than $4,000 at gunpoint Friday when he met someone to buy an ATV in Beaver County, state police said. State police said the victim, a 24-year-old man from Conneautville in Crawford County, arranged to meet the seller in the 400 block of Upper Service...
Monroeville man dies after being thrown from ATV in Penn Hills crash
A Monroeville man died Sunday in Penn Hills in a crash involving a vehicle and an ATV, according to Allegheny County Police. Police said the crash happened around 7:30 p.m. in the 200 block of Universal Road. First responders found Eric Lavrinc, 57, who had been thrown from his ATV....
New Kensington authority increasing sewage rates; water cost not changing
New Kensington residents aren’t going to pay more for the water coming into their homes next year, but they’ll pay more for it going out. While the Municipal Authority of New Kensington won’t be changing the cost of water in 2022, the Municipal Sanitary Authority of the City of New...
