Brian C. Rittmeyer stories, Page 46
Morning Roundup: Westmoreland vape shop burglarized; Hopewell schools targeted in ransomware attack
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Tuesday, Oct. 24: Unity vape shop burglarized A Unity vape shop was burglarized Monday night, Tribune-Review news partner WTAE-TV reported. A person wearing a mask was caught on surveillance cameras around 9:40 p.m. using a rock to break into...
Pennsylvania opens lottery registration for chance to buy rare whiskeys
Lottery winners will have the opportunity to shop from over 4,400 bottles of rare whiskeys, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board announced Monday. State residents and licensees have until 5 p.m. Friday to opt in to the lottery at the limited-release lottery web page at fwgs.com. The event will feature six...
Fatal New Kensington fire ruled accidental
A house fire that claimed the life of a New Kensington man over the weekend was accidental, the city’s fire chief said Monday. Scott Fularz, 45, died Saturday at Allegheny Valley Hospital, where he was taken for treatment of smoke inhalation. A neighbor reported the fire at 723 Kennedy Ave....
Building the Valley: Lelulo’s Pizzeria owner deepens roots in Plum with expansion into full restaurant
Patyn McCune started working at a Plum pizza shop in 2011, answering the phone and cleaning dishes. “I had no idea how to make pizzas,” she said. One night, with an hour left in the day, she was left alone with a driver. Instead of an easy end to the...
Suspect arrested in death of Butler County teen hit on bicycle
A Butler man accused of hitting a teen bicyclist with his vehicle and fleeing has been taken into custody, Butler Township police said. Joshua A. Rivera, 38, was placed in the Butler County Prison, the department said on its Facebook page. The incident happened about 3:30 p.m. Thursday at Dutchtown...
Morning Roundup: Temps to warm up in Western Pa.; Beaver humane society facing ‘crisis’
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Monday, Oct. 23: Temperatures to warm up in Western Pa. Western Pennsylvania is getting a taste of winter Monday morning, but it’s not going to last. The coldest air was north of the city, National Weather Service meteorologist David...
4-year-old dies after being found unresponsive in Fayette County pool
A 4-year-old boy died after being found unresponsive Saturday afternoon in a Fayette County swimming pool. Liam Vanderlee of Eighty Four was found around 2:30 p.m. in an outdoor pool in Washington Township while attending a birthday party, according to a release from Washington County Coroner S. Timothy Warco’s office....
Man, woman dead after separate shootings in Pittsburgh neighborhoods
Pittsburgh police are investigating two fatal shootings. A 21-year-old woman was found shot just before 3 p.m. Sunday at Finance Street and North Homewood Avenue by the East Busway overpass in Homewood South, police said. The woman had a gunshot wound to her upper body. She was taken to a...
5 candidates vying for 3 council seats in Plum
Voters in Plum will have five people to choose from to fill three council seats in November. Those seeking to vote a straight Democratic ticket will elect a Republican. Three seats on the seven-member council are up for election this year. Two incumbents, Dave Vento and Dan Hadley, are not...
Police continue to investigate New Kensington shooting
A man remained hospitalized Friday morning after being shot Thursday afternoon in New Kensington. The shooting in the 1000 block of Kenneth Avenue, near McCargo Street, was reported to Westmoreland County 911 around 3:20 p.m. No arrests had been made as of Friday afternoon, said Melanie Jones, a spokeswoman for...
Industrial development venture finalizes $10.7M acquisition of New Kensington manufacturing park
Two industrial development corporations announced Wednesday that they have finalized their acquisition of the New Kensington Advanced Manufacturing Park. The Westmoreland County Industrial Development Corp. and the Regional Industrial Development Corp. acquired the park from New Kensington’s redevelopment authority by assuming $10.7 million in park-related debt held by the redevelopment...
Leading off, Re:Build to produce softball bats at new site in New Kensington
Softball bats will be the first thing produced at a new manufacturing plant in New Kensington. Components for satellites are the second. Production for both will begin next year at Re:Build Manufacturing’s facility in the New Kensington Advanced Manufacturing Park, formerly the Schreiber Industrial Park along the Allegheny River in...
New Kensington firefighters to host 1st fire safety day in honor of Matt Sobecki
Fire prevention and safety were passions for New Kensington volunteer firefighter Matt Sobecki. When he did programs for kindergarten students at Martin Elementary School, Sobecki would show the children what firefighters look like dressed in their gear, so they would not be afraid of them. “He was always worried that...
Columbia Gas shuts off service to 4,000 Beaver County residents because of gas ‘issue’
Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania says about 4,000 of its customers in Beaver County will be without natural gas for several days, the utility announced Sunday. The affected areas are in and around Baden, Conway, Economy Borough and Freedom. A list of streets impacted is available online. Columbia Gas said it...
Plum’s Festival of Honor returning to support Rustic Ridge community
A festival created after a tragedy that shook the Plum community more than a decade ago is returning in the wake of another. After a six-year absence, the Plum Borough Education Association, the school district’s teachers union, is bringing back its Festival of Honor to support Rustic Ridge families affected...
Knoch Middle School student, 12, died in crash with grandfather in Butler County
A 12-year-old boy who died in a crash Friday night in Butler County was a student at Knoch Middle School. Zane D. Rupert was killed in the crash in Winfield Township along with his grandfather, David A. Faulx, 65, of Cabot. The crash happened shortly before 10 p.m. Friday on...
Deer Lakes students help take Tarentum audience back to the 1940s at USO-themed event
When Deer Lakes High School drama and choir teacher Matt Derby sought student volunteers to sing 1940s songs for an event in Tarentum, he found his 21st-century students knew more of the tunes than he thought they would. Marianna Vergerio, 17, recognized “At Last” from the America’s Got Talent. Young...
Firefighters battling rowhouse fire in Etna
Firefighters were battling a residential structure fire in Etna Saturday night. The fire at a rowhouse in the 100 block of Cherry Street was reported at 8:35 p.m., an Allegheny County 911 dispatcher said. There were no immediate reports of injuries. After about an hour into the fight, no one...
Lead poisoning leads to death of bald eagle, rescue group says
A bald eagle suffering from lead poisoning that was too severe to treat had to be euthanized, a Pittsburgh-based animal welfare group said. Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh said the eagle was suffering from lead toxicity when it entered its care at its rehabilitation center in Penn Hills. According to...
Butler teachers organize concert fundraiser for colleague who lost husband, home in Plum explosion
It was from the shape of a swimming pool that Valerie Lepage realized her friend and colleague, Jackie Thomas, was among those affected by the August house explosion in Plum. The pool was all that was left of the Thomas home, which burned after the house of Paul and Heather...
Arnold hires former New Kensington police officer after charges withdrawn, expunged
It took several Arnold residents only minutes to raise questions about City Council’s approval of a new police officer hiring Tuesday. Council voted, 4-1, to hire Joseph Martino II, 35, who previously worked as a police officer in New Kensington. In October 2020, Pittsburgh police accused Martino of beating up...
Rain threat spurs move of some Willie Thrower anniversary events to Valley High School
Rain has forced a change in events planned Saturday in New Kensington for the 70th anniversary of city native Willie Thrower’s first snap as an NFL quarterback. Because of the anticipation of rain, the community day and cookout, as well as several other events scheduled to run from 11 a.m....
Arnold formalizes firing of city manager, names temporary replacement
Arnold Council approved starting a search for a new city manager Tuesday after firing its former manager and hiring a temporary replacement. Council voted 4-1 to fire Mario Bellavia, with Councilman Phil McKinley casting the only vote against. While McKinley previously said Bellavia had been fired on Sept. 20, city...
Falling gas prices arrive as destabilized Middle East raises concerns, analyst says
Even as oil prices rise in reaction to the Hamas attack on Israel, an oil industry analyst is optimistic that the national average could continue to fall another 25 to 45 cents by late November. In the past week, the national average fell about 10 cents per gallon to $3.67,...
New Kensington-Arnold approves contracts to replace Valley High pedestrian bridges
Work to replace the twin pedestrian bridges in front of Valley High School is expected to start near the end of the school year in June, New Kensington-Arnold Business Manager Jeff McVey said. The school board Tuesday approved two contracts totaling more than $400,000 for the project. They do not...
