Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 37

New Kensington native Shane Henderson followed his father’s example into his life as an artist. “He taught me stuff before I was even in high school. I had a nice starting point for taking it professionally,” Henderson said. “I always drew as a kid. He always encouraged that. It was...

After the national average price of gasoline fell below $4 per gallon late last week, the streak of falling gas prices is at risk of ending this week, an industry analyst said. That’s because wholesale gasoline prices have increased some 40 cents per gallon as oil prices have rebounded, said...

The Westmoreland County Land Bank bought its first properties in New Kensington and Arnold since the cities and their school district joined the blight-fighting program. Six residential properties in New Kensington and one in Arnold were among a dozen tax-delinquent properties the land bank bought at a judicial sale on...

An Arnold police officer accused of lying about how his patrol vehicle was damaged waived his right to a hearing Thursday. Ryan Matthew Clark, 32, of Buffalo Township is charged by Westmoreland County detectives with making a false report and tampering with evidence, which are both misdemeanor offenses. “We’re going...

Students in the Pine-Richland School District will be returning to classrooms next week. The first day of school for students is Thursday, Aug. 25. The district’s enrollment is expected to be about 4,550 students. Safety will be an area of focus across all six district schools, district spokeswoman Erin Hasinger...

New Kensington planners recommend approving a proposed project that would decorate a downtown alley and two intersections with artwork. The city’s planning commission voted 3-0 Tuesday in favor of the “Art in the Alley” project for Ivy Alley and the painting of crosswalks on Fifth Avenue at Eighth and 10th...

The national average price of gasoline could go below $4 per gallon as soon as today as prices fall for an eighth straight week, industry analyst Patrick De Haan said. AAA was reporting the national average at $4.06. National gas price-tracking service GasBuddy has it lower, at $4.01. “By the...

One of two teens still at large and charged in the shooting death of a man last month in New Kensington was arrested Monday. U.S. marshals apprehended Elijah Rashad Gary, 18, on Ella Street in Wilkinsburg without incident, Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli said. Gary is one of seven...

A New Kensington man’s desire to use his neighborhood park for a disc golf course has put him at odds with some of his neighbors, who fear it will attract too many people and infringe on their privacy. Jim Jackson moved to Fairmont Drive from Arnold in January. His house...

An upcoming Back to School Bash in New Kensington will be open to grade school children in need from anywhere. “We’re going to give them a stocked book bag,” said Laurie Johnson-Wade, a founder of Lost Dreams Awakening, one of the event sponsors. “Our theme is: Positioning Them for Success.”...

After seven years, Lillie Leonardi reached the point of having to grow or end her literary services and audio production business, Passages & Prose. She has chosen to grow, investing what she had left and bringing it home to New Kensington. “I wanted to bring it back here. Everything started...

Two of the five teens in custody and charged as adults in the July homicide of a man in New Kensington appeared before District Judge Frank J. Pallone Jr. on Friday. The hearings for Amir Kennedy, 14, and Avian Molter, 15, were held to check on their welfare as required...

A proposed project would decorate an alley and two intersections in downtown New Kensington with artwork. The New Kensington Downtown Partnership and the New Kensington Arts Center are proposing the art projects for Ivy Alley, which runs between Fourth and Fifth avenues, and the Fifth Avenue intersections at Eighth and...

An East Deer man who went bathing in the Allegheny River on Friday was found dead in the water two days later, according to police. Arnold police Chief Eric Doutt identified the man as Addam Isaac Roe, 28, of Sherman Street in East Deer. A boater found Roe’s body floating...

Average gas prices have gone below $4 per gallon in nearly 20 states, but Pennsylvania is not one of them. The state’s gas tax — 57.6 cents per gallon — and tight gasoline inventory for much of the Northeast are to blame, said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis...

An effort at helping people feel welcome in Westmoreland County held its first event Friday outside Greensburg. Welcoming Westmoreland, a project led by Westmoreland Community Action, held a coffee talk at Knead Community Cafe in New Kensington. A collaboration between a variety of groups, the Welcome Everyone Program grew out...

An Oakmont man is accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl multiple times before raping her late last year. Allegheny Township police charged Jeffrey Thomas McMeekin, 60, of California Avenue on Thursday with one count of rape, three counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, two counts of aggravated indecent assault...

An emergency demolition was underway Thursday afternoon on 10th Street in downtown New Kensington. The three-story building, between Third and Fourth avenues, was declared a public safety hazard, City Clerk Dennis Scarpiniti said. Simply pulling ivy on an outside wall caused the entire building to shake, code enforcement officer Pat...

The Celebrity Care Fest, which hasn’t been held since 2019, returned to Pine as a two-day event the weekend of July 22-23. The theme for the weekend promoted by the HM3 Partners Independence Fund with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Penguins and Pirates was “Unity & Equality for All.” A “Unity Dinner”...

Dr. Megan Stock was inspired at a young age to become a dentist by her own childhood dentist, the mother of a friend. While dentistry was once a male-dominated field, Stock said her dental school graduating class at the University of Pittsburgh was nearly half female, a ratio she believes...

When Monique Teasley saw how much others were charging to plan events and decorate for parties, she knew she could do it for less and enjoy it at the same time. And that’s how Colorful & Sweet Creations was born, with the help of her childhood friend, Dionna Mott, and...

Gas prices have been coming down across the country for 40 days in a row, but average prices in Southwestern Pennsylvania remain above the national and state averages and among the highest in the state. According to AAA, the national average on Monday was about $4.36. That’s about 17 cents...

Joe Cene worked a grueling schedule for two years — one job at night, another during the day — until he knew his fledgling dumpster rental company could support his family. “It was a struggle,” Cene said. Six years after starting Triple P Disposal, Cene is at the point of...

A couple from Pittsburgh’s Carrick neighborhood are hoping everything will come up roses for them with their new business in downtown New Kensington. Chloe Chiovitti and Kiley Shuman opened Pure Rose Beauty & Art Studio on Fifth Avenue in late June and had a grand opening July 9. Co-owners and...

An Arnold man is facing charges after New Kensington police say he fired a gun near a child. New Kensington police charged Gabriel Garfield Golding, 27, of Leishman Avenue on Thursday with recklessly endangering another person and discharging a firearm. In a criminal complaint against Golding, police said the incident...