Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 11
Lower Burrell man accused of having 2.5K child sex abuse files
A Lower Burrell man is accused of possessing more than 2,500 files of child sexual abuse material, according to the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office. State police charged Christian Nat Tominello, 29, on Thursday with 50 counts of disseminating child sexual abuse material, 100 counts of possessing child sexual abuse...
Avonmore man’s family thanks bystanders who tried to save him after fiery New Stanton crash
The family of an Avonmore man who died after a fiery crash in New Stanton thanked the bystanders who tried to save his life. Carl “Butch” Noonan Jr., 71, died Friday afternoon at UPMC Mercy in Pittsburgh, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office said. The crash happened Thursday in New...
Affordable housing builder expands in Allegheny County with $2.4M investment, creating 58 jobs
A modular home builder constructing a trio of affordable townhomes in Etna will be expanding its operations in Allegheny County. Gov. Josh Shapiro recently announced that his administration secured a $2.4 million investment from Module Design, which will create 58 jobs while retaining eight existing positions. Module received a $762,000...
West View considering proposal for development of 12 duplexes
A development of 12 duplexes is proposed for a wooded area off Rochester Road at the northwest tip of West View. The borough’s planning commission will discuss the proposed “Lexington” development when it meets at 6 p.m. Thursday at the borough building, 441 Perry Highway. A representative of the owner,...
Shaler Area School District getting new resource officer, security firm
The Shaler Area School District will have a new resource officer and a new security firm for the coming school year. Township Patrolman Ken Wise will replace Patrolman Frank Spiker as school resource officer, the police department and school district each announced. Meanwhile, Allied Universal will replace Capital Asset Protection...
Ross and Shaler residents learn about effort to find townships’ abandoned oil and gas wells
Curiosity and concern brought about two dozen people to a gathering Tuesday in Ross to learn more about an upcoming effort to find abandoned and orphaned oil and gas wells in Ross and Shaler. Susan Pierce of Ross was curious. She said she didn’t know that such wells could be...
Reserve native remembered for work helping Pittsburgh HIV/AIDS community
After being diagnosed with HIV in Delaware in 1987, six years after graduating from Shaler Area High School, Bart Rauluk was given a book with what was known about AIDS at the time and told to get ready to die. “He refused to read the book,” said his niece, Arianne...
Parking for Millvale short-term rental property could create spaces for public use
Millvale and the developer of a proposed short-term rental property are considering an agreement that would provide parking for the building’s guests as well as the public. Amagu Homes, based in Pittsburgh’s Highland Park neighborhood, wants to place 11 units in the building at 141 Evergreen Ave. Previously a care...
Etna restricts Washington Street to one-way traffic
Washington Street in Etna will temporarily become one way beginning at 7 a.m. Tuesday, July 15, Etna police announced Monday. According to the police department, Washington Street will become a one-way road down to Parker Street and then to Butler Street. The road is being restricted because erosion and water...
Mt. Royal Boulevard work to restrict traffic overnight in Hampton, Shaler
Work to improve Mt. Royal Boulevard in Hampton and Shaler will restrict traffic through late November, PennDOT announced Monday, July 14. Work is scheduled to begin Tuesday night, July 15, weather permitting. There will be alternating single-lane traffic from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. weeknights between Route 8 and Grant...
Shaler Area students to learn how native plants benefit pollinators, people at Girty’s Woods
Shaler Area High School students will be going back to the woods in the coming new school year. Five years ago, Shaler Area students were part of the Allegheny Land Trust’s effort to protect Girty’s Woods, a 155-acre tract of undeveloped land in Reserve overlooking Millvale, two of the communities...
Hot, muggy weather forecast to continue along with risk of excessive rainfall
Thunderstorm and flash flood warnings for parts of Allegheny and Westmoreland counties on Sunday have expired, but the risk for more heavy rain along with oppressively muggy weather continues into the coming week, according to the National Weather Service. The weather service issued warnings for severe thunderstorms and flash flooding...
Police say ‘irate’ person stabbed, 2nd suffers cuts in McKeesport bus station incident
A man described as “irate” was stabbed and a second person suffered cuts during an incident at the McKeesport bus station Saturday morning. Port Authority Police charged Brayden Dixon, 21, of Indianapolis, Ind., with a felony count of aggravated assault, misdemeanor counts of simple assault, indecent exposure and open lewdness,...
With 911 working normally, investigation continues into cause of outages
Pennsylvania’s 911 system is again functioning normally. Late Friday, 911 calls resumed routing normally across the state, after what were described as “intermittent outages” earlier in the day. The root cause of the issue is under investigation, and an independent review will be performed to determine what can be done...
Nighttime traffic restrictions planned for Coxcomb Hill, Logans Ferry roads
Overnight work to repair Coxcomb Hill and Logans Ferry roads through Plum is scheduled to begin Monday night and continue through late November, PennDOT announced. Traffic will be restricted to a single, alternating lane between 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. nightly on Coxcomb Hill Road between Hulton and Logans Ferry...
Slide repair to shift traffic, close shoulder on Interstate 279 ramp in Ross
Slide repair work on the Perrysville Avenue ramp to southbound Interstate 279 in Ross is scheduled to start Thursday, July 10, weather permitting, PennDOT announced. A traffic shift and shoulder closure will occur from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through mid-August on the ramp from Cemetery Lane to the...
Millvale Volunteer Fire Department shows off new rescue engine
Another new fire truck is on the streets of Millvale. The Millvale Volunteer Fire Department in April acquired a 2025 Spartan rescue engine from Fouts Bros. in Georgia. It was parked outside the borough building for residents to view after the July 8 council meeting. The truck replaces a 20-year-old...
Local artists, makers, creators expected at Millvale’s summer Market Day event
More than 40 artists, makers, bakers and creatives are expected for the second Millvale Market Day this year in the borough’s business district. The summer Market Day will be held from noon to 5 p.m. July 26, rain or shine. Parking is free during the event. Those attending will be...
Effort to find abandoned, orphaned wells coming to Ross, Shaler
An effort to find abandoned and orphaned oil and gas wells so that they can be plugged will make its way this summer to Ross and Shaler. After metal-detecting drones found 250 such wells in eight square miles of rural Clarion and McKean counties last fall, the coalition of government...
Scholarships funded by upcoming 5K help keep light of Pine native Killian Cavanaugh alive
Bella Alampi has learned that time doesn’t necessarily heal wounds, but it can change one’s perspective. This December will mark eight years since Pine native and Shady Side Academy graduate Killian Patrick Cavanaugh died at only 20 years old. He and Alampi had been friends since middle school, and he...
Ceremony to mark start of construction for Etna Center for Community
A slate of federal, state and local officials is expected to attend a groundbreaking ceremony Friday, July 11, for the Etna Center for Community. The event commemorating the start of construction is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Friday at 54 Locust St., which is the rear of the building...
Multiple arrests made, officers targeted when ‘large and unruly crowd’ formed in East Carson Street corridor, police say
Turmoil continued in Pittsburgh’s South Side entertainment district over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, in which shots were fired, people threw fireworks and other objects at officers, and several people were arrested or charged. City police have been making a concerted effort recently to address rowdiness in the area....
High temperature forecast prompts Pittsburgh to prepare cooling centers
With the Pittsburgh area expected to see the hottest day of the week right out of the gate on Monday, the City of Pittsburgh announced Sunday that it will open cooling centers for the day. While the temperature is expected to get close to 90 at Pittsburgh International Airport, the...
Water line work to cause closure of Hahn Road in Shaler
Part of Hahn Road in Shaler will be closed for water line work, according to a traffic alert township police issued Sunday. The Hampton Shaler Water Authority plans to start water line relocation work on Monday and continue pipe work and restoration over the following four weeks. While work is...
Exit from Route 28 south to Route 8 north near Etna to close Monday
The exit to Route 8 north from Route 28 south near Etna will close early Monday morning for more than three weeks, PennDOT announced. The ramp is expected to close around 6 a.m. Monday and remain closed around the clock through July 31 while crews reconstruct the exit ramp. The...
