Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 2

Following the sudden death of her cat, CrackerJack, earlier this year, Dr. Betsy Kennon said what she got back from the funeral home that cremated him was so lovely that she was moved to thank the man responsible in person. “I thought he was warm, he was friendly, he was...

The 20-year-old Pirates fan who fell from the stands onto the field at PNC Park on Wednesday is making progress toward recovering, friends and family said on social media Saturday. Kavan Markwood had been listed in critical condition after falling 21 feet from the Clemente Wall in the park’s right...

Power outages across the Pittsburgh region stemming from Tuesday’s destructive storms had fallen to about 72,000, according to power utilities Duquesne Light and West Penn Power. Duquesne Light said it expects to restore power to all of its customers by 11 p.m. Tuesday, but that most customers are expected to...

While some may dwell on the meaning of walking a mile in someone else’s shoes, Ron Davis has walked nearly 8,000 miles with someone else’s heart. The 56-year-old Shaler native and resident, who received a transplanted heart in January 2022, will add another 13.1 miles to his personal odometer on...

The Shaler Area School District canceled two safety-related events at its high school tonight because of weather impacts. The district was scheduled to host a demonstration of a new weapons detection system that will be in use at the high school and middle school this fall beginning at 6 p.m.,...

The North Hills School District has delayed the rededication of Guadagnino Field because of the threat of severe weather this evening, the district announced. A ceremony rededicating the newly renovated multiuse turf field in honor of longtime teacher and coach Gaetano “Guy” Guadagnino has been rescheduled from tonight to the...

The Hampton School Board is considering a balanced $66.5 million budget for the 2025-26 school year that includes a 4% property tax increase. It’s the highest increase the school district is allowed under its state-imposed inflation limit. If approved, it would increase the annual school property tax bill for a...

Two men and a woman’s unborn child died in a three-vehicle crash in Indiana County Saturday, state police said on Sunday. The crash on Warren Road in Center Township happened shortly before 3 p.m. Saturday. State police said Daniel L. Ryan, 57, of Indiana and Nathan S. Blystone, 34, of...

A storage trailer outside of Harvest Baptist Church in Fawn was destroyed by fire Sunday afternoon. The Allegheny County Fire Marshal will investigate the cause of the fire, which was not immediately known, Harrison Hills fire Chief Jules Beer said. No injuries were reported. The fire at the church atop...

When Maria Briney needed help, the Alle-Kiski Area HOPE Center was there for her. On Sunday, Briney, a survivor of domestic violence, was there to help the HOPE Center and two other organizations that together serve abuse victims in Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler and Westmoreland counties. “Working for them actually saved...

A man with multiple gunshot wounds was dropped off at a hospital as Pittsburgh police were investigating a shots fired call in the Hill District early Saturday morning, according to Pittsburgh Public Safety. Officers went to the 2400 block of Webster Avenue around 2 a.m. for reports of 10 shots...

Dedicated Alle-Kiski Valley police supporter Kaley Bastine branched out to help those on the thin red line Saturday. The 12-year-old behind “Kaley’s Kops & Heroes,” with the help of her family, hosted a fundraiser benefiting Tarentum’s Highland Hose volunteer fire company Saturday at the American Legion in Brackenridge. It was...

An Allegheny Township couple are being fondly remembered after the shocking news of their death in a crash in Clarion County Thursday. Rob and Cheryl Zanotto “were always together,” said Edna McCutcheon, of Bell Township. McCutcheon didn’t know Rob Zanotto when they graduated from Kiski Area High School in 1971,...

The Short Line Hollow trail in Ross has been reopened for limited public access. Ross commissioners voted on Monday to grant access to the Red Trail following its cleanup by community volunteers. “We’re all satisfied that it was cleaned up enough,” Commissioners President Dan DeMarco said. “They did a lot...

Ross officials want to add sharpshooters to archery hunters to improve its efforts at controlling the deer population in the township. Commissioners on Monday authorized Suburban Whitetail Management to begin the process of a deer cull program in Ross. “It’s more or less nuisance control,” said Luke Leonard of McCandless,...

Families can learn more about a new weapons detection system that will be in use this fall at Shaler Area’s high school and middle school. A demonstration of the OpenGate system will begin at 6 p.m. April 29 at the high school, 381 Wible Run Road. It’s being held a...

The Hampton School District’s annual Talbot Thon fundraiser will be held from 3:30 to 11 p.m. Saturday at Hampton High School. The high school Student Council partners with the Pitt Dance Marathon to organize the event. This year, they hope to raise $30,000 for UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh’s pediatric...

Flushing the potty will never be the same for 7-year-old Aria St. Onge. Aria and her dad, Joseph St. Onge of Richland, were among residents, officials and authority members who celebrated Earth Day on April 22 with a tour of McCandless Township Sanitary Authority’s Pine Creek wastewater treatment facility. “She...

A majority of the Pine-Richland School Board does not want to consider increasing the district’s property tax rate, despite administrators’ recommendation that they should. Superintendent Brian Miller said the administration is recommending a 2.1% property tax increase. Administrators also have recommended cutting 9.5 positions, including 3.5 teachers, through attrition, as...

The Millvale Community Library is preparing to expand. The library, located at 213 Grant Ave., will extend into a connected building at 211 Grant Ave., which is owned by the library and currently home to Abeille Voyante Tea Co. The library is using funding from a 2024 Allegheny Regional Asset...

Etna and Reserve are considering creating a regional police force, the borough and township announced Monday, April 21. In their announcement, the municipalities said they are at a very preliminary step in the process, which, if approved, would take several years to complete. A regional police force “may be a...

A community coloring book is being put together to help celebrate Shaler’s 125th anniversary. Township residents of all ages are being asked to design pages for the commemorative book. Submissions are due by April 30. To participate, sketch an image on an 8-by-10-inch piece of white paper, using a black...

No one was hurt in a vehicle fire Sunday morning on Route 28 in Armstrong County, according to Freeport Fire-EMS. The fire on northbound Route 28 just north of the Buffalo High Level Bridge in South Buffalo was reported around 9:30 a.m., according to Armstrong County 911. Freeport Fire-EMS was...

A 7-year-old boy was bleeding from his head after being hit by an SUV in Arnold Sunday night, fire Chief Eric Gartley said. The incident happened around 7:30 p.m. on Kenneth Avenue between Moore and Ewing streets, according to Westmoreland County 911. The boy was hit by an SUV. The...