(Brighton Twp., Pa.) Beaver County Radio 99.3 and 95.7 FM along with 1230 WBVP, 1460 WMBA and beavercountyradio.com is your exclusive outlet to hear the live simulcast of the 2025 Beaver County Boom simulcast that pays tribute to Zambelli’s 2024 Award Winning Show “Cosmic Connection”. The sound track is choreographed to fireworks by Zambelli International  and Beaver County Radio. You can also down load our free apps at the Google play store and on Apple I-tunes by typing in beaver county radio. The 2025 Beaver County Boom is being presented by PUSH Beaver County.

 

 

 

 

By Scott Tady

BURGETTSTOWN — Avril Lavigne plus the words “greatest hits tour” equaled a jam-packed Pavilion at Star Lake on Thursday.

Canada’s pop-punk princess showcased hits, including set-starter “Girlfriend” with its leadoff line “Hey, hey, you, you, I don’t like your girlfriend,” setting a tone for breezy, sing-along fun.

The sound could have been better — it was over-amplified and muffled for much of Lavigne’s banter — but the hooks rang true, as on fan favorites “Complicated” and “My Happy Ending” featured in the first-third of the performance.

Lavigne charmed fans with her enthusiasm, sincerity and spunkiness. She pantomimed a punch with a P-popping vocal sound to punctuate one of the more rousing “Complicated” moments.

“Here’s to Never Growing Up” tracked philosophically with the decisively girls-just-want-to-have-fun crowd.

For “Keep Holding On,” Lavigne grabbed an electric guitar, joining forces with her band’s two six-stringers.

Having earlier sung a faithful cover of The Chicks’ “Wide Open Spaces,” a seated Lavigne started out acoustically on “Breakaway,” a song she wrote as a 16-year-old that became a smash hit for Kelly Clarkson.

Thanking fans for their decades of support, Lavigne noted this was a greatest hits tour, but she couldn’t resist gathering with opening act Simple Plan before hitting the road months ago to record a new, nostalgia-driven song, “Young & Dumb.” Simple Plan singer Pierre Bouvier came out on stage so they could perform it live. A half-dozen, randomly chosen, ardent young fans were brought onto the stage for visual accompaniment. Lavigne handed each of those fans an autographed skateboard while Pierre tossed bundled up concert T-shirts into the crowd.

From those joyful and sweet moments, Lavigne somehow segued into “Bite Me.”

Back to her skateboard roots she went for “Sk8er Boi,” another jubilant singalong that got spectators dancing.

By that point, a heavy rain was falling, but the mood was never dampened for fans who got to witness the 40-year Lavigne in maybe her biggest ever western Pennsylvania headlining visit.

Simple Plan set the stage well for her, with a blissful, boisterous pop-punk set. Bouvier introduced “I’m Just a Kid” as a song written 23 years ago, acknowledging that would make some fans shout “(heck) yeah!” and make others put their head in their hands and groan “oh (heck) no.” Wearing a T-shirt that said “I’m Just a Kid” with the “kid” crossed out and replaced by the word “adult,” Bouvier engagingly commanded the stage, taking a turn behind the drum kit as drummer Chuck Comeau ran through the crowd slapping high-fives.

The Montreal mirth-makers maintained an entertaining, upbeat vibe.

Source for Photo: -Danielle Smith, Keystone News Service, Credit for Photo: (Alexander Raths/Adobe Stock) Caption for Photo: Nurse cares for a elderly woman lying in bed

(Reported by Danielle Smith of Keystone News Service)

(Harrisburg, PA) The One Big Beautiful Bill has hit a roadblock. The Senate parliamentarian has ruled that a key Medicaid provider tax change violates chamber rules. The House version would slash federal Medicaid spending by at least $700 billion to help fund tax cuts and other Trump-era priorities. Pennsylvania nurse Molly McCullough warns the cuts could put seniors at risk and threaten rural hospitals. She says many older adults in Southwestern Pennsylvania depend on Medicaid, and hopes the Senate’s action helps protect their care. Medicaid supports about 3 million Pennsylvanians across all 67 counties. McCullough says that no matter what changes the Senate makes, the bill would still need to return to the House for approval, and Republicans may have to rewrite or scrap major parts to keep it alive.

(File Photo of the Kennywood logo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(West Mifflin, PA) A Kennywood operations team employee named Noah helped successfully rescue some ducklings after they were trapped on the tracks of the Pittsburg Plunge on Tuesday. According to Kennywood, a family of ducks went for a swim in the Lost Kennywood fountain and Noah put the baby ducklings of the family in some nearby bushes after rescuing them. The video of this action went viral on TikTok and has over 100,000 views.

(Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) According to a release from the U.S. Customs and Border Protections, the CBP seized 13 counterfeit Rolex watches and 12 pairs of designer brand sunglasses in Pittsburgh on June 6th. This information was released on Thursday and according to that release, the shipment was destined to a Pittsburgh address and manifested as “Empty Poly Bag Ladies Hand Bag” and the shipment contained six Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust models, five Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona models, and two Rolex Diamond Iced-Out models, and sunglasses bearing Burberry, Chanel, Gucci, Miu Miu, and Valentino brand names. If these products would have been authentic, $573,200 would be the manufacturer’s suggested retail price. The United Arab Emirates is where the items arrived from before being suspected counterfeit. The items were detained for further review by CBP officers, who suspected them counterfeit. These items were inspected by CBP officers initially on April 27th.

(File Photo of Fire Background)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Duquesne, PA) One person has died and three other people got taken to the hospital after a fire left four houses in flames in the City of Duquesne early Thursday morning. At 1:30 a.m. yesterday, the fire began at one house and then went to three other homes. Water damage was sustained by one of the houses, which is owned by Juanita Jennings. According to Duquesne Fire Chief Frank Cobb, Jennings’ home should be able to be renovated. The fire departments from Allegheny County, Duquesne and West Mifflin also helped to assist on scene. 

(File Photo of a Gavel)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Lawrenceville, PA) A woman from Pittsburgh is getting charges of animal cruelty after police confirmed she left her dogs in the extreme heat outside for two days, which caused them to get heat stroke. Thirty-eight-year-old Christine Crowther is being charged with animal neglect and aggravated animal cruelty. On Tuesday afternoon, police went to 44th Street in Lawrenceville during an extreme heat warning. Both dogs had no shelter and investigators confirmed 90-degree heat that day.