Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 35
Former Allegheny County 911 dispatcher indicted on charges of producing, possessing child porn
A Turtle Creek man who worked as an Allegheny County 911 dispatcher used two children to produce child pornography, according to a 20-count federal indictment. Robert Bookshar, 46, was indicted on charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors, U.S. Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced Thursday. According to the indictment,...
Morning Roundup: Zoo announces elephant calf’s death; snow could impact evening commute
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, Feb. 16: Pittsburgh Zoo announces death of elephant calf An elephant calf died after a sudden and brief illness, the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium announced. The calf, named Tsuni, was 2 years old and lived with a herd...
Longwood at Oakmont buys drug disposal box for Plum community
Plum residents are now able to get rid of expired or unwanted medications at a new drop box at the borough’s police station. Longwood at Oakmont in Plum bought the box for the borough for $2,600, said Kevin Henderson, Longwood senior director. “The Plum Police Department will also come to...
Morning roundup: Man shot outside Pittsburgh bus station
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Thursday, Feb. 15: Man shot in foot outside Pittsburgh bus station A man was shot in the foot Wednesday night outside the Greyhound bus station in Pittsburgh, police said. The shooting at 11th Street and Penn Avenue was reported...
Plum awards $1.12M road paving contract to Derry Construction
Plum will spend more than $1 million to resurface about 10 miles of roads this year. Council awarded a $1.22 million contract to Derry Construction. The work will not start until Aug. 1 at the earliest, to give borough crews time to finish other work on the roads, borough Manager...
Export man threatened relatives with guns, machete, police say
An Export man is accused of threatening relatives with guns and a machete before brandishing a gun in front of state police troopers responding to the disturbance Sunday. State police filed numerous charges against 63-year-old Robert Deering. According to state police, Deering was arguing with his daughter and son-in-law after...
3 hires return Plum police force back to full staff
Plum Council has approved filling three vacancies in the borough’s police department and in doing so has offered employment to the department’s second female officer. Council on Monday approved conditional offers of employment to Jason Saunders, Haylee Walak and Luke Skledar. They will replace officers who have retired or resigned,...
New Kensington-Arnold reviewing security procedures after student finds live round in high school
How a live firearm round got into Valley High School in New Kensington remains under investigation and “raises quite a few questions,” according to New Kensington-Arnold Superintendent Chris Sefcheck. “These questions are the foundation for a review of our processes and procedures for school safety and security,” he said Wednesday....
Morning Roundup: Pittsburgh student accused of assaulting school staff; boy hit after getting off PRT bus
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...
Victim in fatal wrong-way crash on Interstate 70 identifiedVideo
A man who died in a wrong-way crash late Tuesday on Interstate 70 in Washington County has been identified. Chace Johnson, 25, died shortly before midnight on the interstate in Fallowfield Township, according to the Washington County Coroner’s Office. According to the coroner, he was alone in a vehicle and...
Refinery issues, change to summer gas likely to push prices higher, analyst says
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...
Police use Taser to subdue Arnold woman who they say fought with officers
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,...
New Kensington man accused of firing shots from ‘ghost gun’
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....
Valley High School lockdown lifted, no threats found
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....
Man dies after being hit by 2 cars in Butler Township
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...
Harsh weather system shifts east, misses Pittsburgh
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...
Morning Roundup: Water main break closes northbound McKnight Road; man shot in Moon
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...
North Braddock family’s dog shot by Allegheny County sheriff deputyVideo
The Allegheny County Sheriff’s Department is conducting an investigation after a deputy shot a dog in North Braddock Monday night. A family’s 5-year-old pit bull was shot once in its right hip, TribLive news partner WTAE reported. The sheriff’s department told the station that the deputy was serving legal process...
Swissvale man accused of firing shot at couple inside Monroeville home
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...
Police: New Kensington man handed gun to woman, asked her to shoot another man
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...
Rain changing to snow could make for messy Tuesday morning commute
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...
New Kensington-Arnold to address neglected maintenance on Valley High School flood prevention facilities
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...
Morning Roundup: SWAT arrest in Brighton Heights; Pa. state trooper injured making U-turn
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...
1 dead after domestic fight leads to shooting
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...
Faces of the Valley: Plum 4th grader excels at investment challenge, writing poetry
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...
