Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 7
Shaler Area School District hires business manager from Fox Chapel Area
The Shaler Area School District has a new business manager. During a special voting meeting Wednesday, Sept. 10, the school board approved hiring Kimberly Pawlishak as director of finance and operations for a three-year term beginning on or about Dec. 10. Her salary was set at $140,000. Pawlishak is coming...
West View hires architect for new municipal complex, fire department garage
West View is moving forward with preparations for a new municipal complex and fire department garage. The borough will pay EOS Studio Arc $28,760 for design services for the complex. It will consist of a repurposing of the existing West View Firemen’s Banquet Hall and the adjacent area now home...
Shaler accepts discipline of Undercliff firefighters accused of answering call while drunk
The Shaler commissioners have accepted disciplinary actions one of the township’s volunteer fire departments meted out in August following allegations some of its members responded to a call under the influence of alcohol. The Undercliff Volunteer Fire Co. on Aug. 19 suspended three of the five members involved in the...
Nightly restrictions planned on I-79 for Wexford interchange work
Northbound traffic on Interstate 79 will be restricted at night by work on the new $46.5 million Wexford interchange, PennDOT announced Tuesday, Sept. 9. Restrictions will occur from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. weeknights and as-needed on weekends from 7 p.m. to 9 a.m. They will include northbound I-79 being...
Weekend closure of northbound 62nd Street Bridge scheduled between Pittsburgh, Etna
PennDOT plans to close the northbound 62nd Street Bridge, Route 8, between Pittsburgh and Etna this weekend, the agency announced Tuesday. The bridge is scheduled to be closed from 9 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Monday while crews are working. Traffic will be detoured. The posted detour will be: •...
2 of 3 $100K winning tickets in historic Powerball drawing sold in North Hills
While the two tickets that won a $1.8 billion Powerball drawing on Sept. 6 were not sold in Pennsylvania, two of three tickets that won $100,000 in the drawing were sold in Allegheny County’s North Hills area, according to the Pennsylvania Lottery. One was sold at the Giant Eagle on...
Man arrested in relation to Downtown Pittsburgh park stabbing
A Pittsburgh man was arrested in relation to the stabbing incident that occurred near Frankie Pace Park Sunday. Kevin Jenkins, 51, is facing multiple felony charges of aggravated assault, as well as misdemeanor charges of recklessly endangering another person. After being released from the hospital, Jenkins was transported to the...
Motorcycle crash claims life of man in Washington County
A 42-year-old man died in a motorcycle crash in Washington County on Sunday, the county coroner’s office said. Albert M. Swoager Jr., of New Eagle, was traveling south on Route 88 in Union Township when he lost control on a curve and hit a guide rail at Airport Road. He...
Ringgold School District closes schools after stabbing at stadium; suspect in custody
A suspect is in custody after a stabbing during a youth football game at Ringgold High School’s stadium in Washington County Sunday, according to the district’s superintendent. The ongoing investigation of the incident has prompted the Ringgold School District to close all of its schools on Monday, Superintendent Randall Skrinjorich...
2 hurt in 3-vehicle crash involving mail truck in Bell Township
A postal worker and another driver were hurt in a three-vehicle crash Friday in Bell Township, according to state police. The crash happened just before noon on Route 819 near McDivitt Drive. According to state police, Ruth A. Diekhoff, 87, of Avonmore was traveling north in an SUV when she...
25-year-old man dies after being shot at friend’s home in Canonsburg, coroner says
A 25-year-old man died after he was shot at a friend’s home in Canonsburg Saturday night, the Washington County Coroner’s Office said. Brady Hugh Paul, of Canonsburg, was shot at a residence in the 500 block of Griffin Avenue. Paul’s friend, who was not identified, sought help from a neighbor,...
State police accuse Butler County man of sexually assaulting children
Interviews with multiple children have lead to state police accusing a Butler County man of sexual assault. State police on Saturday said that Nathan Workmen Mitchell, 51, of Adams Township had been arrested and charged with sexual assault by a sports official, corruption of minors and endangering the welfare of...
Pittsburgh-area veterans, supporters gather for 5K to support Wounded Warrior Project
For the Wounded Warrior Project’s Carry Forward 5K in Pittsburgh this year, Army veteran Jake Tihey carried a flag. Last year, the 33-year-old mechanic from Verona carried his daughter the distance, which equates to about 3.1 miles. Tihey’s load was lighter this year because his daughter, now 8, wasn’t feeling...
3 Ross police officers recognized for lifesaving efforts
Three Ross police officers were recognized for saving lives in August. Police Chief Cristyn Zett presented commendations to Officers Jason Pokorny, Andrew Notbohm and Christopher Shortley during the township commissioners meeting Sept. 2. “Our officers serve Ross Township every day and help people in many ways, big and small,” Commissioner...
Shaler pool bathhouse being demolished to make way for $2M replacement facility
The end of this year’s swim season was also the end for the original, 61-year-old bathhouse at Crawford Pool in Shaler’s Kiwanis Park. The bathhouse, dating from when the pool opened in July 1964, is being demolished and the site prepared for its replacement by Oct. 30, township Manager Judy...
Ross commissioners considering $35.3M, 5-year capital improvement plan
Ross commissioners are considering approval of a $35.3 million, five-year capital improvement program for the township. Of that, about $30.1 million, or 85%, is considered a priority, finance director Dan Berty told commissioners during a presentation at their Sept. 2 meeting. It includes about $13.6 million for street improvements, $9.4...
Ross mourns passings of former police officers Boyd, Freedman
The Ross community mourned the recent passings of two longtime public servants in the township, who died two weeks apart in August. Howard Boyd, a former Ross police officer and code enforcement officer, died on Saturday, Aug. 16. He was 83. Ralph C. Freedman Jr., a former police officer, chief...
Ross withdraws proposal targeting tiny houses, takes aim at controlling vape shops
Ross commissioners are taking their sights off tiny houses and taking aim at vape shops. A proposed ordinance that would have set a minimum 1,500-square-foot requirement for new and altered single-family homes was withdrawn, Commissioner Denise Rickenbrode said at Tuesday’s commissioners meeting. The decision was made at an Aug. 12...
2 new bands on bill for 5th annual Rock Against Cancer in Pine
There’s a new lineup and a new venue this year for a cancer survivor’s annual fundraiser for a Pittsburgh-based support organization. The fifth annual Rock Against Cancer, benefiting Cancer Bridges, will be held Sept. 20 at the new Friends of Pine Amphitheater at Pine Community Park in Pine. It was...
Millvale Hardee’s — chain’s only location in Pittsburgh region — closes
The only Hardee’s restaurant in the Pittsburgh region, and a cornerstone of the Millvale community, has closed. While a banner on the eatery at the convergence of North and Evergreen avenues thanks its customers for 50 years of business, the message under the red pylon sign simply said, “Closed.” Eric...
Finances to be focus of 4 Pine-Richland School Board meetings as district faces $4.9M deficit
The financial future of the Pine-Richland School District, and what that means for students’ education and property owners’ tax bills, will be the subject of four upcoming meetings of the school board. The meetings, scheduled for Sept. 15, Oct. 6 and 20, and Nov. 10, will each have a different,...
3 injured in fight involving a machete in Pittsburgh’s Fineview neighborhood
Three people were hurt in a fight involving a machete on Sunday afternoon in Fineview neighborhood in Pittsburgh’s North Side, according to Pittsburgh Public Safety. Officers from Zone 1 responded to the fight on Graib Street around 3:50 p.m. According to police, a man suffered a laceration to an arm,...
Band Blast may be fizzling out in New Kensington
A long-running event that has brought music and money to New Kensington’s Memorial Park may have come to its end. As they have for more than a decade, 11 bands donated their time to play half-hour sets on the park’s stage Sunday afternoon for Band Blast. But a lack of...
UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital nurses vote to unionize
A majority of about 700 nurses at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital have voted to unionize with SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, the union announced Sunday. Ballots were counted late Saturday following voting that day and Tuesday. Nurses voted 402 to 305, or 57% to 43%, in favor of unionizing. Nurses, elected officials, patients...
Harrison homeowner recipient of contractors’ generosity
A Harrison homeowner was happy that some long-needed work on her house was being done right. Wilda Chase’s home of nearly 30 years was the beneficiary of “Hands Off Home Maintenance,” or “HOHM,” a collection of contractors who donate their services to someone in need, with a focus on widows,...
