Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 58
New Kensington police officer dragged by car while attempting to arrest wanted woman
A New Kensington police officer was dragged by a vehicle Thursday when he attempted to arrest a woman he knew had an outstanding warrant against her. The incident began about 5 p.m. at the Sunoco gas station on Tarentum Bridge Road, according to court records. A pursuit — first by...
Social Security moving office from New Kensington to Harrison’s Heights Plaza
The Social Security Administration office that has been in New Kensington for nearly 40 years will be moving to Harrison, a government spokesman said. The U.S. General Services Administration signed a new lease for the office to be at Heights Plaza in Natrona Heights, spokesman Will Powell said. The office...
New Kensington Council halts Tarentum contractor from buying abandoned house
New Kensington officials said they were doing a Tarentum contractor a favor by not allowing him to buy a long-vacant house in the city from Westmoreland County’s unsold repository. Council voted unanimously last month to not consent to the sale of 304 Charles Ave. to Bryaunt Williams, owner of One...
Block funding to cover repairs of broken, lifted sidewalks along Fifth Avenue in New Kensington
Word that New Kensington plans to fix broken and lifted sidewalks through the heart of the city’s downtown this year is welcome news to residents and property owners. Repairs to the sidewalks on both sides of Fifth Avenue, between Seventh and 11th streets, are expected to be complete in July,...
New Kensington Pub Crawl expanding into Arnold, Lower Burrell
A pub crawl that started in New Kensington last year is expanding for its second run. Seven bars are participating in the second annual Pre-St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl from noon to 5 p.m. March 4. The 2022 event drew hundreds decked out in as much green as possible. This...
New Kensington-Arnold pursuing serving line, restroom improvement projects
Officials in the New Kensington-Arnold School District are pursuing improvement projects at two of the district’s schools. The school board voted to explore replacing the meal serving line at H.D. Berkey Elementary in Arnold and renovating restrooms at Valley Junior-Senior High School in New Kensington. H.D. Berkey houses first and...
Holiday Park VFD opens registration for 5th annual Fire Camp & Junior Fire Academy in Plum
The Holiday Park Volunteer Fire Department will hold its fifth annual Fire Camp & Junior Fire Academy this summer. Registration for the camp, held from June 19-23, opened Feb. 13 and closes May 15. The camp is limited to 32 participants. The weeklong camp is for youth ages 14 to...
Former Valley dean of students, an anti-violence crusader, organizes healing event for community
When he was a dean of students in the New Kensington-Arnold School District, Henry “Hank” Commodore handled discipline. If he was still in education today, Commodore would make love and kindness part of the curriculum for all students. “We’re all family. All of us are family. We need to be...
Seasonal increase nearing as gas prices continue to fall
Gas prices continued to fall over the past week, but a seasonal increase is not far away. According to AAA, the national average Monday was about $3.42 per gallon. That’s about 5 cents less than a week ago but 13 cents more than a month ago. Price-tracking service GasBuddy says...
Food pantries brace for influx of need as extra SNAP benefits end
Food banks and pantries across the Pittsburgh area are bracing for an influx of people in need when enhanced covid-era food benefits that have been in place for three years come to an end after this month. Beginning in March, households getting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits — commonly known...
Cash 5 $200K jackpot winner sold in Allegheny Township
A Cash 5 with Quick Cash ticket sold in Allegheny Township won the $200,000 jackpot in Thursday’s drawing, the Pennsylvania Lottery announced Friday. The ticket was sold at Giant Eagle, 41 Towne Center Drive. The ticket matched all five balls drawn — 5, 20,27, 33 and 43 — to win...
Nurse hopes to fill community need by opening laundromat in New Kensington
A skating rink and a drive-in movie theater were on Raymone Thomas’ list of business ventures she considered pursuing in New Kensington. Ultimately, she settled on a laundromat. Seeing other skating rinks close in the area made her wonder whether one could work. She also worried about liability, safety and...
New Kensington Arts Center celebrating Black History Month with special display
By displaying works from his private collection, Hollin “Tommy” West is hoping to inspire other Black artists to show their work. West, a New Kensington resident, is a painter, photographer and president of the New Kensington Arts Center on Fifth Avenue. The display, “BAM,” is meant to celebrate Black History...
Man found stabbed in Sheraden home, rushed to surgery
A man was rushed into surgery after being stabbed Monday night at a home in Pittsburgh’s Sheraden neighborhood, according to police. Police said officers responded around 7:18 p.m. to a report of a man stabbed in the 2900 block of Zephyr Avenue. The man had stab wounds to his chest...
Dollar General withdraws parking variance application in Plum
Dollar General has withdrawn its application for a variance related to parking spaces for a proposed new store along Saltsburg Road in Plum, according to a notice from the borough. The borough’s zoning hearing board was scheduled to hold a hearing on the request at its meeting Wednesday, after the...
Drop in oil prices brings first weekly decline in national average gas price this year
A sharp and sudden drop in the price of oil is the main reason behind the first weekly drop in the national average price of gasoline in 2023, an industry analyst said. AAA reported the national average at $3.47 per gallon Monday. That’s about 4 cents less than a week...
Plum Council votes to demolish 2 houses following hearings
Plum Council has voted to tear down two houses the borough’s engineer has declared dangerous, while giving the owner of a third home more time to repair it. During hearings Monday, council voted to tear down houses at 7906 Saltsburg Road and 488 New Texas Road. Council voted to give...
District Judge Peck Yakopec stresses importance of staying in school
Cheryl Peck Yakopec introduced herself, not as a judge, but as a “Valley girl” to students attending an after-school program at the Salvation Army in New Kensington. Peck Yakopec, a district judge in Lower Burrell and Allegheny Township for 28 years, said she was among the students who voted to...
Walker, McAndrew face challenges as they vie to succeed state Rep. Tony DeLuca in special election
Little time and little name recognition are two challenges the Republican candidate for the state House 32nd District sees himself and his Democratic opponent sharing. Clayton Walker figures that helps level the playing field between himself and Joe McAndrew as they vie to succeed a titan of Pennsylvania politics in...
Gas prices heading back toward $4 after 5 weeks of increases
The average price of gas in the U.S. has increased more than 10% in the past month and could reach $4 per gallon again, according to price-tracking service GasBuddy. The national average price of gasoline Monday was $3.51 per gallon, according to AAA. That’s 9 cents higher than last week,...
New Kensington’s Golden Dawn goes into new year under new ownership
For Gene Tommasi, becoming a new owner of the New Kensington Golden Dawn has brought his grocery career full circle — after he thought it was over. Tommasi of Mt. Lebanon and Jim Faccenda of Bethel Park took over ownership of the 60-year-old neighborhood grocery store in June. After painting,...
Children’s use of smartphones subject of ‘Community Connections Night’ in Plum schools
Children’s use of smartphones will be the subject of a presentation Feb. 7 at Plum Middle School. Ryan Klingensmith, founder of “Shape the Sky,” will discuss what children may really be doing on their phones and other electronic devices during Plum School District’s third and final Community Connections Night for...
Concerts planned for New Kensington hotel ballroom
A Gilpin couple is working to turn a New Kensington hotel’s ballroom into the area’s newest concert venue. Daniel and Brenda Leo, through their businesses, Leo’s Productions and Strobe Lighting & Sound, are planning to host monthly concerts in the grand ballroom of the Quality Inn off Tarentum Bridge Road,...
Plum School District offering paid training to attract bus drivers
Plum Borough School District is offering paid training as it seeks to fill vacancies among its bus and van drivers. The district, which operates its own fleet with its own employees, needs six bus drivers and two van drivers, business manager Ryan Manzer said. Two bus aides also are needed....
Morning snow transitions to rain across Western Pa.
Snow that coated roads in the region Wednesday morning was changing to rain, a National Weather Service meteorologist said. Nearly all locations in southwestern Pennsylvania will change to rain by noon as warm air moves in, meteorologist David Shallenberger said. The high temperature will be rising into the mid-40s. The...
