Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 52
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,...
Pennsylvania average gas price down 28% from record high set 1 year ago
One year ago today, drivers in Pennsylvania were paying about $1.42 per gallon more for gas than they are now. On June 12, 2022, Pennsylvania recorded what remains its highest average price for regular unleaded gasoline — $5.07 per gallon, according to AAA. Today, the statewide average is $3.65, about...
Funding deadline causes cancellation of proposed garden, playground in New Kensington
Two organizations will not move forward with plans for a community park and garden along 10th Street in New Kensington. Westmoreland Community Action and Wesley Family Services had proposed building them on vacant city-owned lots on either side of Third Avenue. The city’s planning commission in February had recommended approval of...
Arnold police officer cleared of final charge related to allegation of unlawfully killing deer
An Arnold police officer has been cleared of all charges related to an allegation that he unlawfully killed an antlered deer. Brackenridge District Judge Carolyn S. Bengel dismissed the third and final charge against Jacob A. Pollick, 30, of Murrysville after a hearing Wednesday, according to court records. The Pennsylvania...
New Kensington-Arnold School Board approves 1.6% property tax increase
Property owners in New Kensington and Arnold will see a 1.6% increase in their school district property tax bills. The New Kensington-Arnold School Board approved the district’s $50.42 million budget for the 2023-24 school year Tuesday, along with the tax increase. The property tax rate was increased by 1.5 mills,...
Penn State New Kensington supports proposal for student housing in downtown New Ken
A New Kensington business owner wants to build housing for college students and others on Fifth Avenue. Jake Lydick, owner of Eye-bot Aerial Solutions and Patriot Technology Holdings, has a plan to build residential units in existing buildings at 713, 715 and 717 Fifth Ave. The addresses are among nine...
