Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 141
Alle-Kiski fire, ambulance companies get grants from state gaming proceeds
Several Alle-Kiski Valley Area fire departments and ambulance companies are getting money from the Pennsylvania Fire Company and Ambulance Service grant program. The money comes from state gaming proceeds. It can be used to build, repair or renovate a fire company or ambulance service’s primary structure; buy or fix firefighting,...
Gas prices continue climb as refinery issues raise concerns
Gasoline prices have been on the rise for five straight weeks with no signs of slowing down, a petroleum analyst said Monday. “Several perhaps major refinery issues flared up over the weekend, including fires at two facilities that could push wholesale gasoline prices up notably, mainly in the Pacific Northwest...
Tarentum considering buying demolition equipment
Tarentum is considering getting into the building demolition business. Council President Erika Josefoski is suggesting the borough buy its own equipment, such as an excavator. The borough could use the equipment to tear down abandoned and dilapidated buildings instead of hiring a contractor. The borough has a big enough budget...
Tarentum eyes new utility billing systems with part of park grant money
State grant money coming to Tarentum for a dog park may instead be used to update the borough’s outdated utility billing systems. The borough is slated to receive more than $200,000 in Keystone Communities grants. The bulk of it, $191,000, would pay for several repairs, improvements and additions at Riverview...
Tarentum Friendship Garden planning spring cleaning, planting dayVideo
The ground may still be frozen and lightly covered with snow, but organizers behind the Tarentum Friendship Garden have their eyes on spring. The garden, located next to Dreshar Stadium along First Avenue, will enter its fifth season this year. To get ready, the annual spring cleanup and planting day...
Former Tarentum mayor Magnetta to be honored at Riverview Memorial Park
Former Tarentum Mayor Carl Magnetta Jr. will be honored at a memorial service in April. Magnetta, 79, died July 1. He served in public office in his hometown for 30 years, most recently as mayor from 2009 through 2017. The borough’s Recreation Board is planning the service for Saturday, April...
Tarentum fire company planning for annual fireworks display
A Tarentum fire department is making preparations for this year’s fireworks display. Summit Hose is asking the borough to contribute $1,500 toward the community fireworks scheduled for July 3. The borough has donated that amount in past years. The company also is asking for permission to use Dreshar Stadium on...
Tarentum Council considering boat dock fee increase
It could cost more this year to rent boat dock space along the Allegheny River in Tarentum. Council is considering increasing the per-foot cost by $1, from $13 to $14 per foot. For a minimum of 50 feet, that would increase the cost from $650 to $700 for the boating...
Harrison eyes improvements to 9 township alleys, lanes
Nine alleys and lanes in Harrison are on deck to be improved this year. The township is seeking bids for contractors to seal coat or tar-and-chip the roads. Bids, which are due by 4 p.m. March 15, will be publicly opened and read aloud at the office of the township’s...
Allegheny Angler reopens in Tarentum following October fireVideo
A Tarentum bait-and-tackle shop, closed for more than four months after its building was damaged by fire, has reopened just in time for the approach of spring and the start of trout season. Allegheny Angler, located at the end of Second Avenue along Ross Street beside the Tarentum Bridge, reopened...
Effort to fix vandalized Brackenridge veterans memorial continues
The investigation to find who vandalized a Brackenridge veterans memorial in February appears to be stymied as fundraising to restore the memorial continues. The 54-year-old honor roll memorial in Brackenridge Memorial Park was damaged when someone painted parts of it silver. It is believed to have been done on at...
Highlands to start registering children for kindergarten, pre-K
Highlands School District will start registering children for prekindergarten and kindergarten at its upcoming Early Childhood Fair. The fair runs from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. March 14 at the district’s Early Childhood Center at 1060 Atlantic Ave. in Brackenridge. It will feature crafts, activity tables and refreshments. There also will...
Gas prices continue to rise on summer gas, refinery maintenance, trade deal rumors
Gas prices are continuing to rise in Pittsburgh and across much of the country, with every area now starting the first step in the transition to summer gasoline at the same time refiners are continuing maintenance, an industry analyst said. Rumors of a trade deal between the U.S. and China...
Pedestrian killed when hit by 2 vehicles on Butler County road
A 37-year-old woman was killed when she was hit by two cars on a Butler County road Saturday night, state police said. State police said Jennifer R. Shoaf, of Chicora, died when she was hit in the area of Tipple Lane and Oneida Valley Road in Concord Township around 9...
County police investigating shooting of woman in Clairton
A 60-year-old woman was shot multiple times while answering a knock at the door of her Clairton home early Friday morning, according to Allegheny County Police. Multiple calls were made to 911 around 4:20 a.m. about shots fired in the 600 block of Large Avenue, followed by a report about...
Unity-Trestle Road in Plum reopened
A portion of Unity-Trestle Road in Plum, which had been closed today for waterline work, has reopened. Also known as Unity-Center Road, it had been closed between Universal and Old Leechburg roads. That is in the area where the road passes over the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The road had been expected...
Crews responding to fire at Penn Hills storage business
Crews were responding to a fire at a storage center on Saltsburg Road in Penn Hills Friday morning. The fire at Atlas Self Storage in the 6400 block of Saltsburg, near Stotler Road, was reported just before 6 a.m., according to an Allegheny County 911 dispatcher. As of about 7:30...
Overnight snow blankets Pittsburgh region, but commuters spared headaches
Pittsburgh-area residents who woke up to a fresh blanket of snow today as they prepared for the morning commute were met with some good news. Between 2 and 5 inches of snow fell across the region between Thursday night and early Friday morning, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Jason...
Carnegie Science Center submarine Requin to resume normal hours Saturday
Pittsburgh’s submarine will be open for tours again beginning Saturday. The USS Requin is a Cold War-era sub — launched near the end of World War II — that has been moored in the Ohio River at the Carnegie Science Center since September 1990. The science center closes it to...
SUV crashes off hillside in Penn Hills
An SUV that crashed over a steep hillside in Penn Hills early Thursday morning came dangerously close to hitting a house. The crash happened shortly after 4 a.m. on Brushton Avenue, the Trib’s news partner, WPXI-TV, reported. Brushton was closed between Myrtle and Pine streets while crews removed the vehicle....
Scott police seek man wanted in attempted home invasion
Scott police are looking for a man who allegedly pretended to be a police officer during an attempted home invasion last week. The incident happened on Feb. 20 in the 500 block of Carothers Avenue, township police said on Facebook. According to police, they got a call about a man...
Tarentum police investigating thefts from vehicles
Tarentum police are asking residents in one part of the borough to check their cars. On Facebook, the police department said it has received several reports of vehicles that had been entered in the area behind Duster Funeral Home, which is at 347 E. 10th Ave. Police were asking residents...
Snow could make Friday morning commute slippery
Didn’t the groundhog say something about an early spring? Pittsburgh-area residents might be questioning Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction based upon the upcoming weather. According to the National Weather Service, some snow is expected overnight today into Friday morning, which could make things slippery for the Friday morning commute. More snow is...
Power outages down to about 700 in wake of Sunday wind storm
About 700 West Penn Power customers remained without electricity late Thursday, four days after high winds left hundreds of thousands in the dark and cold. As of 11:40 p.m Thursday., just eight Duquesne Light customers were in a similar situation. Duquesne Light was reporting four customers were without power on...
No injuries in Route 28 crash involving school bus Wednesday morning
No one was hurt in a crash involving an empty school bus that closed inbound Route 28 on Wednesday during the morning rush hour. Millvale police Chief Tim Komoroski said six vehicles including an ABC Transit bus with only the driver inside were involved in the crash. Multi vehicle crash...

