Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 21

Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, Feb. 14: Pittsburgh student accused of assaulting 4 school staff members An 18-year-old is accused of assaulting staff members at a Pittsburgh school. Qvawn Rembert-Leonard, 18, faces four counts of aggravated assault in connection with a Jan. 30...

Gas prices are on the rise, and the worst is yet to come, an industry analyst says. The national average was about $3.23 Tuesday, AAA reported. That’s about 8 cents more than a week ago and 15 cents more than a month ago. In Pennsylvania, the average was at an...

An Arnold woman arrested on suspicion of assault was stunned several times with a Taser after police said she fought with officers inside a New Kensington holding cell Saturday. Arnold police said they arrested Alexis Shante Owens, 29, after responding to a call in the 400 block of 16th Street,...

An investigation of gunshots Sunday night in New Kensington turned up a “ghost gun,” police say. Officers recovered a 9mm handgun they say Brandon Keith Allen, 27, of New Kensington was carrying and threw away while police chased him along Leishman Avenue, according to a criminal complaint filed against Allen....

A lockdown of Valley High School in New Kensington was lifted shortly before noon Tuesday after a live firearm round found in a bathroom prompted a police search of the building. Superintendent Chris Sefcheck said the search by police and administrators found no other ammunition nor weapons in the building....

A 46-year-old Butler man died after being hit by two cars in Butler Township Saturday night, township police said. Patrick Bender Jr., 46, was walking east in the westbound lane of Kittanning Street near Portman Road around 8 p.m., police said. He was wearing dark clothing. Bender was first struck...

A weather system that was expected to bring rain changing to snow in the Pittsburgh area early Tuesday morning took a hard right toward the east coast. The forecast changed Monday afternoon, said Ashley Dougherty, a meteorologist with TribLive news partner WTAE. “We are still getting rain and snow east...

Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Tuesday, Feb. 13: Northbound McKnight Road closed One lane on northbound McKnight Road in Ross reopened around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday after the northbound lanes were completely closed following a water main break, according to PennDOT. The road was closed...

A Swissvale man is accused of firing a shot at a couple in the kitchen of a Monroeville home late Saturday night. Monroeville police filed several charges against Darnell Maurice Nelson, 31, including five counts of recklessly endangering another person, two counts of aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children...

A New Kensington man is accused of pointing a gun at a man on the street Saturday before handing the weapon to a woman and telling her to shoot the man. Police charged Thomas Lee Burruss, 47, with illegally possessing a firearm and simple assault. Burruss is prohibited from having...

After a few days of spring-like weather, snow is forecast to return to the Pittsburgh area early Tuesday, possibly making for a messy morning commute. Monday will be mostly dry until a storm system from the south arrives later in the day, with rain Monday night changing to snow showers...

Flood control measures installed to protect Valley High School and its campus, including the New Kensington-Arnold School District’s football stadium, are overdue for needed maintenance. A debris basin at the upper end of the campus is 80% full and “minimally functioning,” said Jim Pillsbury, a hydraulic engineer with the Westmoreland...

Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Monday, Feb. 12: SWAT arrests wanted man A man wanted on a warrant was taken into custody early Monday in Pittsburgh’s Brighton Heights neighborhood, police said. According to police, another man called around 11:15 p.m. Sunday after being involved...

One man is dead and another is in custody after a shooting shortly after midnight along the border of Pittsburgh’s Overbrook and Carrick neighborhoods, police said. Police and medics responded to the shooting in the 2300 block of Lucina Avenue around 12:30 a.m. First responders found a man, later identified...

Whether it’s crisp cash or fresh grass covered in morning dew, 10-year-old Jett Bittner knows green. The fourth grader at Plum’s O’Block Elementary School recently placed first in Allegheny County and 10th statewide in the elementary division of a stock market game. Then, he was among several of his classmates...

Police had to twice use a Taser on an Arnold man as officers struggled to arrest him in December, according to court records released this week. At least one police officer was injured. The incident began after New Kensington Officer Tyler Balla saw Anthony Marsalis Howell, 36, of Arnold walking...

A new Sheetz under construction in Plum is tentatively scheduled to open in May, a spokesman for the Altoona-based convenience store chain said. When the new convenience store and gas station on Golden Mile Highway at Presque Isle Drive opens, the existing smaller store nearby at Pine Valley Drive will...

An anonymous member of the Plum School District community recently gave the district $500 to cover student lunch debt at Holiday Park Intermediate School. While generous and appreciated, the donation took only a small bite out of what is routinely a big problem. The district is carrying more than $45,000...

Plans for more development along New Kensington’s Tarentum Bridge Road commercial district have been approved. City council on Monday unanimously approved three resolutions related to the construction of a Harbor Freight tools store and a Starbucks cafe in Riverview Plaza. Their construction follows a new Aldi grocery store, which opened...

A New Kensington police officer had to threaten to use a Taser on a man who fought with officers inside a city cell, police said in court records. The incident happened after officers went to a Fifth Avenue business Friday night in response to a report of an intoxicated man...

Monthly bills increased about $14 for Plum residents with municipal water and sewage service, starting in February. Residents were informed about the 17% increase on their January bills. It’s the latest bill to increase for borough residents. Council in December approved a nearly 40% increase in property taxes with the...

Plum AARP meeting to showcase Zoomobile Plum AARP will have its monthly meeting at noon Feb. 13 in Unity Community Church. The program will feature the Zoomobile, which will bring four or five small animals for the group to meet and learn about. Plum AARP, a social and service group, features...

It has been about a decade since the restaurant inside New Kensington’s Quality Inn shut down. Dan Leo is hoping to bring it back as he opens Leo’s Roadhouse with the help of Chef Lenny Verosky. Together, they face the challenge of bringing people through the hotel’s doors not for...