Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 50
Dollar Tree moving into former Altmeyer’s in New Kensington
Another new business is moving into Riverview Plaza in New Kensington. A Dollar Tree will fill the space that, until recently, housed Altmeyer’s, according to plans filed with the city. Altmeyer’s, a more than 80-year-old, family-owned bed, bath and home goods store, filed for bankruptcy in July 2022 and started...
New Kensington Salvation Army to cultivate vegetables with ‘grow cube’
Harvests of tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers soon will be coming from within the New Kensington Salvation Army. They are among the basic salad plants the Salvation Army plans to grow in a new “grow cube” that was set up Thursday in a classroom inside the organization’s building, a former elementary...
Increased demand, OPEC production cut contribute to rising gas prices
Pennsylvania is among 44 states that saw their average gasoline prices rise over the past week. “Prices are being pulled up not only due to continued increases in demand as temperatures warm, but also pressure from oil prices, which have risen over 20% in the last month, primarily driven by...
Pa. Turnpike Commission renting homes it bought in Plum, Penn Township
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission does more than operate a highway across the breadth of the state. In several locations, it’s also a landlord, including in Plum, where the turnpike commission bought a single-family house that had been for sale in the Regency Park neighborhood. The turnpike commission paid $247,000 for...
13 graduates in inaugural group of distinguished alumni to be honored by New Kensington-Arnold
A baker’s dozen of graduates of the New Kensington-Arnold School District and its predecessors make up the first group of distinguished alumni who will be honored through a reinvigorated recognition program. Nearly 30 graduates of Valley, Arnold and New Kensington high schools had been nominated by the Dec. 1 deadline...
New Kensington approves transfer of liquor license for downtown concert venue
Concertgoers soon may be able to enjoy alcoholic beverages with the music at a growing downtown New Kensington concert venue. Following a public hearing, New Kensington Council unanimously approved the transfer of a liquor license into the city for Preserving Underground, on 11th Street at Fifth Avenue. The concert venue...
New Kensington-Arnold to seek proposals for pedestrian bridge replacement
The New Kensington-Arnold School District will begin seeking proposals to replace the pedestrian bridges at Valley High School. The twin spans cross Little Pucketa Creek at about the midpoint of the school. One has been closed because of its condition. The school board approved seeking three proposals for the bridges’...
New Kensington seeks ideas for future of Campbell Avenue parklet
Playground equipment removed from a New Kensington neighborhood’s parklet can be replaced but can’t be done in time for this summer, a city councilman said. The removal of the equipment on Campbell Avenue came as a shock to children and adults. Tracy Mercuri said she went to city council’s meeting...
New Kensington police seek suspect in cellphone store burglary
New Kensington police are looking for a person they say burglarized a cellphone store early Tuesday. According to Detective Sgt. Paul Manke Jr., the burglary happened about 1:15 a.m. at Boost Mobile on Ninth Street. Police said the person forced their way into the store and stole numerous cellphones. Store...
Free shuttle program to transport New Kensington residents to grocery stores
Another free shuttle service is being launched to help give New Kensington residents in the city’s downtown “food desert” access to groceries. Wesley Family Services, the New Ken Downtown Partnership and Westmoreland Community Action are partnering in the pilot transportation program, which will start Monday, April 10. The Fresh Food...
Catch ’em while you can: State, local nurseries place more than 4 million trout in waters
Seven out of 10 people who buy an annual fishing license in Pennsylvania also spring for a trout permit. But most of those anglers probably wouldn’t be able to catch a trout if not for the state’s long-running, $10 million stocking program, which sees millions of trout put into creeks...
Morning Roundup: High wind watch issued for Saturday
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, March 31, 2023: High wind watch The National Weather Service has issued a high wind watch for parts of Western Pennsylvania from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday. The watch is in effect for the ridges until 2...
George Wolfe, Wolfie’s Pizza owner, to be honored by foundation for rock drummer he admired
One of the first things George Wolfe said to Hannah Isenberg was that he was not a “total weirdo.” Each already had heard of the other. Isenberg knew Wolfe was a big fan of the Canadian rock band Rush; Wolfe knew Isenberg was a niece of the band’s legendary drummer,...
Morning Roundup: SWAT response in Allentown
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Thursday, March 30, 2023: SWAT response in Allentown A police SWAT team responded to a home in the 600 block of Eureka Street in Pittsburgh’s Allentown neighborhood just before midnight Wednesday. A police spokeswoman said the response was for...
Morning Roundup: Squirrel Hill tunnel crash snarls traffic, man found shot in Stanton Heights
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, March 29, 2023: Parkway East traffic snarled A multivehicle crash inside the Squirrel Hill tunnel has snarled traffic on the Parkway East. The crash in the outbound direction was reported about 7:45 a.m., PennDOT spokesman Steve Cowan said....
West Mifflin man arrested after accepting courtesy ride from Springdale officer
A West Mifflin man was arrested in Cheswick early Tuesday after an extensive search by police from multiple departments. The search started after the man accepted a courtesy ride from a Springdale officer. According to a criminal complaint, Tyrone Steele, 24, waved down a Springdale police officer on Pittsburgh Street...
Traffic restrictions planned for Baileys Run Road in Frazer, East Deer, West Deer
Periodic, single-lane closures on Baileys Run Road in Frazer, East Deer and West Deer are scheduled to start at 6 a.m. April 10, the Allegheny County Department of Public Works announced Tuesday. Traffic will be restricted weekdays between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. for work including paving, base repairs, drainage...
2nd egg hatches in Hays bald eagles’ nestVideo
The second egg in the bald eagles’ nest in Pittsburgh’s Hays neighborhood hatched Tuesday morning, according to the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania. The new eaglet joins a sibling, whose egg was laid on Feb. 17 and hatched Sunday. The second egg was laid Feb. 20. Live video early Tuesday...
Pittsburgh school van driver sexually assaulted intellectually disabled girl, police say
A school van driver from Pittsburgh is accused of sexually assaulting an intellectually disabled girl. Police charged Raymond Michael West, 42, on Monday with indecent assault, corruption of minors and endangering the welfare of children. Online court records did not list an attorney for West. A criminal complaint filed in...
Morning Roundup: Police investigating crash, shots fired in McKees Rocks
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Tuesday, March 28, 2023: Police investigate crash, shots fired in McKees Rocks Police are investigating a crash and shots fired in the area of the crash in McKees Rocks early Tuesday morning. Allegheny County Police said 911 was notified...
Arnold police officer accused of hiding evidence, tampering with witness in Game Commission investigation
An Arnold police officer is on unpaid leave after the state Game Commission filed charges against him stemming from the alleged unlawful taking of a whitetail deer. Jacob A. Pollick, 29, of Murrysville faces a summary charge of unlawful killing or taking of big game and misdemeanor charges of tampering...
Gas prices down in Pennsylvania while national average unchanged
Pennsylvania is among a majority of states that saw gas prices fall in the past week but downward trends are likely to be temporary, an industry analyst said. According to AAA, the average price in Pennsylvania on Monday was about $3.56 per gallon. That’s about 4 cents per gallon less...
3 injured in crash on McKnight Road
Three people were injured following a crash early Monday on McKnight Road in Ross. The incident, which involved a Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus and a box truck, happened just before 6 a.m. in the lanes approaching the Parkway North. Those inbound lanes were shut down for about two hours, detouring...
Morning Roundup: Weekend winds knock out power in Western Pa.
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Monday, March 27, 2023: Weekend winds knock out power in Western Pa. Power outages stemming from high winds over the weekend were impacting several schools in the Pittsburgh area Monday morning. Duquesne Light and West Penn Power were reporting...
Faces of the Valley: New Kensington Girl Scouts increase reading opportunities with ‘little library’ project
Two New Kensington Girl Scouts who know not every child in their community has books to read at home wanted to do something about that. To earn their Silver Award, friends and troopmates Kamryn Graham, 14, and Aceyln Sell, 13, built three “little libraries.” One stands outside each of New...
