Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 138
Free paper shredding event scheduled in Plum
State Sen. Jim Brewster is hosting a free shredding event in Plum. It will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 27, at the Plum Community Center, 499 Center-New Texas Road. The event, held in partnership with the Plum Library and the Plum Community Center, is...
Charges reduced in knife, gun confrontation outside Praha Hotel
A Tarentum man involved in a disturbance at the Praha Hotel earlier this month pleaded guilty to lesser charges Wednesday. Misdemeanor charges of simple assault and recklessly endangering another person were withdrawn against Felix Brun Sondova Blancarte, 34. He pleaded guilty to summary offenses of disorderly conduct and public drunkenness....
Forum set for Harrison, Highlands primary candidates
The Harrison Township Democratic Committee is hosting a non-partisan public forum for township commissioner and Highlands School Board candidates. The forum will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday at the Natrona Heights Veterans of Foreign Wars, 894 Veterans Drive. It’s off of Freeport Road near Harrison Hills Park....
New Highlands superintendent resigns previous post as assistant
Highlands School District’s new superintendent formally resigned from her previous post with the district. Monique Mawhinney started as the district’s assistant superintendent in April 2018. She became substitute superintendent in place of former Superintendent Michael Bjalobok, who went on medical leave July 2 last year and retired on April 1....
Harrison commissioners may cut back to 1 meeting per month
Harrison commissioners are going to try to get by on one meeting per month instead of two. Commissioners President Bill Heasley said he is recommending the five-member board cancel its agenda meetings through August to see how it works. Those meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month....
Highlands delays busing vote under pressure to keep Roenigk
Highlands School Board has postponed choosing a busing company from two bidders for the district’s transportation contract, while facing immense pressure to keep its long-time provider. The school board appeared set to vote Monday on approving a five-year agreement with ABC Transit. It would replace WL Roenigk, which Highlands has...
Highlands School District puts third employee on unpaid leave
For the third time since January, a Highlands School District employee has been suspended without pay. The school board on Monday approved a statement of charges against the employee, who was placed on unpaid leave. The board did not identify the employee at its meeting Monday. The person was identified...
Highlands seeking volunteers to help students get ready for prom
Going to the prom can cost a lot, and staff members at Highlands High School are seeking help make it more affordable for their students in need. Volunteers are being sought to do hair, makeup and nails for girls on the day of the prom, May 10. Not to leave...
Allegheny Valley Hospital noted for knee, hip replacement
Allegheny Valley Hospital is among seven Allegheny Health Network hospitals and affiliated institutes recognized by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association’s Blue Distinction Specialty Care program. Allegheny Valley earned a “Blue Distinction Center-Plus” designation for knee and hip replacement. The hospital was recognized for its efficiency in delivering care in...
Gas tops $3 per gallon in Pittsburgh, national average could be there soon
Gas prices have topped $3 per gallon in the Pittsburgh area, and the nation is likely to be there soon, too. In Pittsburgh, the average price is $3.05 per gallon, up 12.5 cents from last week, according to GasBuddy. That’s 29.6 cents per gallon higher than a month ago, and...
New Kensington fire shows importance of renters insurance
Homeowners have insurance, and so should renters, says Dave Buono, a consumer liaison for the Pennsylvania Insurance Department. Renters need to know that their landlord or property owner’s insurance won’t cover their belongings in situations such as a fire, leaving them to pay to replace everything that is lost. Most...
New Kensington fireman recalls crawling into burning home to rescue woman
Helping to save a New Kensington woman from her burning home may have reignited Wayne Erb’s interest in being a volunteer firefighter. Erb, 53, has been a member of New Kensington No. 4’s fire hall since 1987. But because of work and family, he hasn’t been responding to fires for...
It was deja vu for at least 2 New Kensington fire survivors
For at least two of the survivors of a fire that destroyed a house in New Kensington about a week ago the experience, sadly, was deja vu. One lost a brother in a fire three decades ago. Another lost a home to a fire about 10 years ago. Kaylene Keener...
Tarentum crews working to fix power outages
Tarentum electric crews were working Friday afternoon to find the cause of a power outage affecting several parts of the borough, according to borough Manager Michael Nestico. Nestico provided an update on the situation shortly before 4 p.m. He had been made aware of the outage around 1:30 p.m. Tarentum...
Allegheny Valley Hospital earns advanced certification for stroke care
Allegheny Valley Hospital has been recognized for its care of stroke patients. The Harrison hospital earned an advanced certification for primary stroke centers from The Joint Commission, the hospital announced Friday. This is the first time the hospital has received the certification, Allegheny Health Network spokeswoman Stephanie Waite said. Founded...
Allegheny County loan will help East Deer complete 3 projects
East Deer will borrow $100,000 from Allegheny County to pay for its share of grants for several projects. More than half the money — $53,000 — will pay for East Deer’s share of relocating a waterline last year to accommodate the Rapid Bridge Replacement project on Freeport Road over Crawford...
Community cleanups planned in Brackenridge, Harrison, Tarentum
Residents in Brackenridge, Harrison and Tarentum will be taking to their communities’ streets in coming weeks to clean up trash. Earth Day events are planned for Saturday, April 27, in Brackenridge and Harrison, and on the following weekend, Saturday, May 4, in Tarentum. All three are registered with the Great...
Allegheny Family Network hosting free mental health conference
Navigating child service systems will be the focus of an upcoming mental health conference in Pittsburgh. Allegheny Family Network is presenting “Parents Moving Forward Together” from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 10 at the Pittsburgh Marriott City Center, 112 Washington Place, Downtown. The conference is open to any family...
Get pumped about Mondays – it’s the cheapest day to fill up
Monday might not be fun day, but it’s the best day of the week in most states to save money at the gas pump. Drivers may be looking to save any way they can. Average gasoline prices are up 50 cents per gallon since January, with many metro areas across...
Plans for 2 Harrison stormwater projects to be covered at meeting Wednesday
Harrison residents can learn more about a rain garden being built soon at Highlands Middle School and plans for a future, larger project on Burtner Road at a public meeting next week. The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and Merritt Chase, a landscape architecture firm, will display plans and designs for the...
Highlands weighs 2 proposals for student busing
Highlands School District, previously chastised by state officials for not seeking bids for busing, is weighing two proposals for transportation services. The district has proposals from its current and longtime provider, WL Roenigk, and ABC Transit, district business Manager Lori Byron said. Byron would not provide costs put forward in...
Highlands considers summer program to combat ‘summer slide’
Highlands elementary students who aren’t up to speed in reading and math may be invited to take part in a summer school program. If approved by the school board, the district would be able to take up to 120 students in kindergarten through fourth grade, district curriculum coordinator Cathy Russo...
Tarentum police charge man they say had knife at Praha Hotel
Tarentum police arrested a man Sunday who is accused of pulling a knife on another customer at the Praha Hotel who, police said, responded by drawing a gun. The incident happened shortly before 6 p.m. Sunday at the bar at Corbet Street and East Fourth Avenue. In a criminal complaint,...
Little good news at the pump as gas prices continue to rise, analyst says
Gasoline prices are continuing to rise in Pittsburgh and across the nation. “The national average gas price has now risen for two months straight, tacking on a total of 50 cents per gallon in the last 90 days, which will cost Americans nearly $200 million more at the pump today...
2 men hurt in 1-car crash in West Deer, power restored to more than 300 customers
Two men were hurt Sunday in a one-vehicle crash on Little Deer Creek Road in West Deer that knocked out power in the area. Power had been restored to the more than 300 affected customers in West Deer, Frazer and Fawn, according to West Penn Power. According to West Deer...
