Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 45
Squonk Opera uses New Kensington digs to prepare a ‘Brouhaha’Video
New Kensington has a new claim to fame: home of the first “Squonkcordion.” The device — described as “an enormous musical instrument powered by behemoth bellows topped with towering tuba bells” — will make its public debut at the Kickoff and Rib Festival on Sunday and Monday outside Acrisure Stadium...
Apollo-Ridge officials condemn racist social media posts ahead of game against Valley
Apollo-Ridge School District officials Tuesday condemned racist images targeting Valley High School’s football team ahead of the schools’ scheduled game Friday in New Kensington. In a statement, Apollo-Ridge Superintendent Matt Curci said the racist material posted to social media was brought to officials’ attention Monday night. One image was a...
Labor Day drivers likely to find higher gas prices, AAA says
Drivers taking road trips this Labor Day weekend will likely see slightly higher gas prices compared to last year, according to AAA. The national average for a gallon of regular was $3.78 on Labor Day 2022, but has been above $3.80 for the past couple of weeks, AAA said in...
Plum mayor, police advise residents to secure vehicles parked outdoors
Plum officials are warning residents to secure vehicles that are parked outside. At the August borough council meeting, Mayor Harry Schlegel said police had 866 calls for service in July, a 16% increase over June. Thefts from vehicles are one of the things he said have been keeping officers busy....
New Kensington Bridge on schedule to reopen on Labor Day
The New Kensington Bridge is expected to reopen as scheduled on Sept. 4, a PennDOT spokesman said Friday. A six-week closure of the bridge over the Allegheny River between East Deer and New Kensington started July 24, diverting more than 15,000 vehicles that use it every day. The posted detour...
Tarentum sisters, boyfriend stage robbery of Asay’s newsstand, police allege
A pair of Tarentum sisters and one of their boyfriends staged the Wednesday afternoon robbery of Asay’s newsstand to get money to pay bills and buy fentanyl, borough police are alleging in charges filed against the trio Friday. Police said April and Leah Baczynski came up with the idea with...
Neighbor near fatal Plum house explosion can get house fixed but mourns loss of friends, wonders about the future
Andy Zarroli might be the first of nearly a dozen homeowners in Plum’s Rustic Ridge neighborhood to know his house can be repaired following the fatal house explosion two weeks ago. But while his house can be fixed, he’s not sure if he and his wife can call it home...
Olympus Energy donating 250 gas detectors to Plum’s Rustic Ridge neighborhood
A Washington County-based oil and natural gas company is donating 250 methane detectors for homes in Plum’s Rustic Ridge neighborhood where six people died from a house explosion Aug. 12. Olympus Energy of Cecil Township gave the detectors to the Rustic Ridge Homeowners Association. Gov. Josh Shapiro and Rich Negrin,...
Public information session scheduled about increase in activity at Parks Township nuclear waste dump
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced Thursday that it will hold a public information session about an increase in activity at the Shallow Land Disposal Area in Parks Township. The meeting will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 20 at the Parks Township fire department, 1119 Dalmation...
Armstrong County woman charged with abandoning dog at Pittsburgh airport
Allegheny County Police charged an Armstrong County woman with cruelty to animals and other offenses, saying she abandoned a dog at Pittsburgh International Airport earlier this month. Police announced Thursday that charges were filed against Allison Lyn Gaiser, 44, of East Franklin. They said investigators determined Gaiser intentionally abandoned a...
Plum holds first council meeting since house explosion killed 6, including 2 borough officials
David Soboslay has been named the interim manager of Plum, replacing Michael Thomas, who was one of the six people killed in the Rustic Ridge house explosion Aug. 12. Plum Council met Wednesday night for the first time since the explosion. Its regular August meeting, scheduled for Aug. 14, was...
Second I-79 crash of the day claims life of New York State man
A New York State man is dead following a multi-vehicle crash Wednesday morning on Interstate 79 in Washington County. Coroner S. Timothy Warco identified the man Thursday as Gary M. Reinhardt, 58, of Lancaster, a village east of Buffalo. His cause and manner of death were pending an autopsy. The...
Wendell August Forge ornament to honor, support Plum community
Wendell August Forge announced Wednesday it is producing an ornament honoring the Plum community following the fatal Aug. 12 house explosion in the borough’s Rustic Ridge neighborhood. The “Plum Proud” ornaments cost $20 and are available directly from Wendell August Forge through its website. The Grove City company said half...
Resource center event announced for Plum’s Rustic Ridge residents
Multiple services and help will be available for residents of Plum’s Rustic Ridge neighborhood during an event Thursday afternoon at the borough’s municipal center, officials announced Tuesday. The Multi-Agency Resource Center will be offered from noon to 8 p.m. in the municipal center’s gymnasium. Individuals will need to provide identification...
Rustic Ridge families organize 2-day back-to-school event for neighborhood kids
In her 20 years as a resident of Plum’s Rustic Ridge neighborhood, Jennifer Corson, a mother of three, had never seen an event like she saw Monday. Another resident, Kristie Keller, organized a two-day back-to-school affair to help the area’s children prepare for their return to the classroom Wednesday while...
DEP examining ‘pinhole leak’ in gas line as part of Rustic Ridge house explosion probe
Officials with the state Department of Environmental Protection gave an update Monday on the agency’s investigation in Plum’s Rustic Ridge neighborhood following a fatal house explosion Aug. 12. It came a week after Gov. Josh Shapiro directed the agency to start a stray gas investigation. DEP Secretary Rich Negrin dispatched...
Plum School District fills 2nd administrative role from within its ranks
Following the naming of a new superintendent in July, the Plum School District named a new assistant superintendent, again from within the district. The school board approved hiring Ashley Boyers, principal of Plum Middle School for the past four years, as the district’s new assistant superintendent. Boyers was given a...
‘Prayers for Rustic Ridge’ yard signs uniting, benefiting Plum community
A yard sign is helping to bring the Plum community together in the wake of tragedy. Corey Smith, a Plum native and 2007 graduate of its high school, is a co-owner of FastSigns in Monroeville. Following last Saturday’s house explosion that claimed six lives, he started Monday by making 10...
Remembering soccer/hockey dad who died in Plum explosion: Paul Oravitz’s heart ‘was always in the right place’
Paul Oravitz insisted his friend should come. He had called Andy Zarroli, a neighbor and friend, the night before a St. Patrick’s Day beer crawl that Oravitz and others in their Rustic Ridge neighborhood were attending. Oravitz asked Zarroli if he was coming. “I said, ‘No, I don’t want to...
6th victim dies from Plum house explosion
For four days, Paul Oravitz fought for his life in the UPMC Mercy burn unit as the Rustic Ridge community prayed. On Wednesday, his fight ended. Oravitz died as a result of injuries suffered in a house explosion Saturday in his home in the Rustic Ridge neighborhood of Plum. He...
Remembering borough manager who died in explosion: Michael Thomas was ‘a Plum guy through and through’
Andy Zarroli got to know Michael Thomas first as a friend, and then as Plum’s borough manager. And their friendship overcame the fact that Zarroli, 56, is from Philadelphia and Thomas, 57, grew up in Pittsburgh’s Morningside neighborhood. “Mike was a friend of mine. He was a close friend of...
Peoples restores Rustic Ridge natural gas serviceVideo
Workers from Peoples natural gas purged gas lines Wednesday in the Rustic Ridge neighborhood in preparation for restoring gas service to residents there. According to the borough, the work took place along Rustic Ridge and Brookside drives and Timberwood Court. Peoples spokesman Nick Paradise said purging the lines is part...
Natural gas leaks found in Plum’s Regency Park neighborhood following fatal Rustic Ridge blast
Following a fatal explosion that investigators say may have been fueled by natural gas in Plum’s Rustic Ridge neighborhood, two natural gas leaks have been found in another borough neighborhood. Leaks were reported in the area of Crestview and Mower drives, and on Kathy Lynn Drive in Plum’s Regency Park...
Hot water tank a focus of investigation into Plum house explosion; victims’ remains released to families
The Allegheny County Fire Marshal’s Office confirmed it is investigating the possibility that complications with a hot water tank contributed to a house explosion in Plum over the weekend. That was the first public confirmation from officials about a possible origin of the blast Saturday morning that killed five people,...
2 Plum officials among house explosion deaths, all 5 now identified
Plum Borough Manager Michael Thomas and Community Development Director Heather Oravitz were among the five people killed in a house explosion Saturday, Mayor Harry Schlegel confirmed Monday. Thomas was 57. Oravitz was 51. The other victims, all identified through their families, were Casey Clontz, 38, and his son, Keegan, 12,...
