Author: Beaver County Radio

Tamra Kaye Justison (1961-2026)

Tamra Kaye Justison, 65, of Beaver Falls, passed away on August 22nd, 2026, at Kadima of New Wilmington.

She was born in Ellwood City on August 8th, 1961, the daughter of the late Ralph and Rose Boots.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother, Ray Boots and her fiancé, Harmon Kidd, Jr.

She is survived by her children, Robert Justison, Jr. and Sherri Justison and her grandchildren, Talyn Hoschar, Bella Hoschar, Patrick Thomas and Brooklynn Justison.

Tamra was a graduate of Riverside High School. She worked for McGuire Memorial for many years and cherished her time helping others. She enjoyed fishing, crocheting and watching Charmed. She will be remembered for the cookies she made at Christmas time and the life she brought to everyone’s hearts.

A memorial service for Tamra will be announced at a later date.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Corless-Kunselman Funeral Services, LLC, 3801 4th Avenue, Beaver Falls.

Julia D. (Pawlik) Casino (1945-2026)

Julia D. (Pawlik) Casino, 80, of Beaver Falls, formerly of Jeannette, passed away on August 27th, 2026, surrounded by her family and with her loving husband of 58 years, Sam Casino by her side.

She was born in Greensburg on August 31st, 1945, a daughter of the late John J. and Stephanie Pawlik.

Julia and Sam shared a close and loving marriage and treasured the many years they spent together. In 2020, they moved from Jeannette to Beaver Falls, where she quickly came to love their new home. She especially enjoyed reading in the four-season room while watching the deer along the tree line in their backyard. She was an avid reader throughout her life and could often be found with a book in her hands. Reading was one of her greatest pleasures, but her family was the most important part of her life. She worked as the manager of JDMH Federal Credit Union in Jeannette, where she served its members for many years before retiring in 2020.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by her children, Michele Filak and her husband, John, of Jeannette and Jeffrey Casino and his wife, Sharon, of North Sewickley Township, her grandson, Christopher Passaro, her granddaughter, Samantha Filak, her great-granddaughter, Gianna, her siblings, Joyce Parker and her husband, Keith, of Jeannette, Susie Catalona and her husband, Danny, of Hempfield Township and John Pawlik of Jeannette.

In addition to her parents, Julia was preceded in death by her beloved daughter, Stephanie Casino.

Julia will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by all who knew her.

Julia’s family would like to express their sincere gratitude to the paramedics who responded to their call and to the physicians, nurses, and healthcare professionals in the CCU at AHN Beaver Hospital for the compassionate care they provided to Julia and the support they extended to her family. The family also extends its heartfelt thanks to Father Paul Kuppe of Our Lady of the Valley Parish for his spiritual care and for administering Julia’s Last Rites.

Services will be private. Julia will be laid to rest with her daughter, Stephanie, at Brush Creek Cemetery, 127 Altar Lane, Irwin. Arrangements have been entrusted to the J&J Spratt Funeral Home, Inc., 1612 Third Avenue, New Brighton.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Ascension Church, 615 Division St, Jeannette, PA 15644.

To send flowers or plant a memorial tree in memory, please visit the flower store of the J&J Spratt Funeral Home, Inc. by clicking here.

Gary A. Luikart (1948-2026)

Gary A. Luikart, 78, of Economy Borough, passed away on August 22nd, 2026, in hospice at AHN Wexford Hospital.

He was born in Clarksburg, West Virginia, on April 8th, 1948, a son of the late Clifford and Amanda (Rutherford) Luikart.

Gary was honorably discharged from the United States Navy, and his last duty assignment was on the U.S.S. Capricornus. he spent his career as a steelworker and millwright with J&L Steel and Koppel/IPSCO Steel in Ambridge. He was Protestant by faith and was also a proud union member of the United Steelworkers Local 9305, District 10. In his free time, he enjoyed fishing, horse racing, and, years ago, owning racehorses. He also looked forward to his occasional trips to the casino. He loved his dogs, and he could sing and dance well.

Gary is survived by his beloved wife of 32 years, Christine (Brock) Luikart, Esq. (retired), his children: Kim Neill and her husband, Kevin, Erica Parent and her husband, Kurt, Matt Harvey and his wife, Missy and Zachary Harvey and his wife, Karen, eight grandchildren: Zach, Jeremy, Lexi, Madi, Caden, Cole, Allie, and Ethan; as well as one great-granddaughter, Marlee, his brother, Jay (Cheryl) Luikart and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his former wife, Linda, and his sister, Brenda.

In accordance with Gary’s wishes, no viewing or services will be held. A memorial event will be held in the near future. His cremains will be at rest in Beaver Cemetery, Buffalo Street, Beaver, with a private service and military honors.

The GABAUER-LUTTON FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICES, INC., 117 Blackhawk Road, Beaver Falls, was honored to provide care and guidance to Gary’s family during this time and was the funeral home that was in charge of his arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Gary’s name may be made to the Beaver County Humane Society, 3394 Brodhead Road, Aliquippa, PA 15001.

Joseph David Pritchard (1945-2026)

Joseph David Pritchard, 81, of Chippewa Township, passed away unexpectedly at home on August 26th, 2026.

He was born in Mckees Rocks on February 13th, 1945, a son of the late David and Frances (Dziedzic) Pritchard.

Joseph was a graduate of New Brighton High School, then went to work for Duquesne Light Co. where he was employed for 32 years until his retirement, first as a lineman, then as a machinist. He was a part of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 142, having served as the Union Steward from the Beaver Valley Nuclear Power Station.

He was an enthusiastic member of the Happy Days Car Club, where he served as vice president for several years. His favorite past times were hunting and fishing, and his favorite place to be was sitting in front of the campfire with his family at his camp in Tionesta. He had an infectious smile and a sense of humor that made everyone laugh.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 55 years, Patricia A. (Corsetti) Pritchard, his five children: Anthony (Kerry) Pritchard, Tim Pritchard, David (Esther) Pritchard, Denise (Andrew) Doby, Joe Pritchard, and Diane Beck;  as well as 14 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren, along with numerous nieces, nephews, and friends.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his grandson, A.J. Pritchard, his brother, Robert Pritchard and his nephew, Jeffrey Pritchard.

Friends will be received on Saturday, August 29th from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. in the GABAUER-LUTTON FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICES, INC., Chippewa Township, 117 Blackhawk Road, Beaver Falls, who was in charge of his arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Joseph’s name to the Beaver County Humane Society, 3394 Brodhead Road, Aliquippa, PA 15001, a cause especially meaningful to him and his family, as his pacemaker will be donated to help provide life-saving care to a pet in need.

The family of Joseph would like to thank Dr. Michael and staff at the wound center for taking such good care of him the past two years, and also the Concordia Traveling Nurses for all the care they have given him over the past year.

Bills close preseason with 28-27 win over Steelers on Buechele’s late 2-point conversion

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Buffalo Bills quarterback Shane Buechele (6) runs the ball for a short gain in the second half of a preseason NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Orchard Park, NY., Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills rookie head coach Joe Brady closed a perfect preseason with a come-from-behind victory and the opportunity to get Josh Allen’s insights as a play-caller on the sideline.

Now comes the next challenge for Brady, as the 36-year-old enters the season as the NFL’s youngest coach and overseeing a team with Super Bowl aspirations.

For a moment, all that could wait, with Brady instead savoring the closing minutes of a 28-27 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night. With 1:06 left, Ian Wheeler scored on a 2-yard run and the Bills went ahead on Steve Buechele off-balance completion to Dante Pettis for a 2-point conversion.

“There’s so much to be proud of for those guys,” Brady said.

“Some of those guys might not ever play football again and I wanted to make sure they did everything they can to play good football,” he added, referring to NFL teams making their final cuts this weekend. “I learned a lot about just the mindset of both our starters, just how they were on the sidelines, (and) the makeup of the football team.”

As for Allen’s involvement, Brady said he welcomed the opportunity to have Allen on the headset sharing his thought process with the game on the line.

“Usually the first things that come to his head are the things that I probably should be calling. So I’ve had a lot of fun with it,” Brady said.

The Bills closed the preseason 3-0, while the Steelers finished 1-2 and face a few injury questions.

Second-year quarterback Will Howard, who started the game, was being evaluated for an undisclosed injury and not made available to reporters, the team announced.

Also, special teams ace Ben Skowronek appeared to hurt his head while tackling Mecole Hardman on a kickoff return in the first half. Skowronek was escorted up the tunnel and coach Mike McCarthy did not have an update on the player’s status.

The Steelers’ last chance to pull ahead ended at Pittsburgh’s 38, with Drew Allar’s pass sailing behind tight end Lake McRee on fourth-and-7 with 44 seconds remaining. It was a disappointing finish for Allar in an outing the rookie was attempting to separate himself from Howard in the competition for the Steelers’ third-string job.

“I feel good about everything that I put on tape,” Allar said. “I think the biggest thing is I have a lot of great mentors, between players and coaches to learn from. From the things I’ve done well and also the mistakes I’ve made.”

With Rodgers back home resting in Pittsburgh, and primary backup Mason Rudolph watching from the bench, Howard and Allar finished with mixed results.

Allar finished 9 of 18 for 88 yards and oversaw one touchdown drive that was capped by Eli Heidenreich scoring on a 9-yard run to open the second half.

Howard, a sixth-round pick in 2025, started and went 9 of 15 with two touchdowns — both on drives starting inside Buffalo’s 30 — and an interception on seven possessions in the first half. The interception was Howard’s third of the preseason, after being picked off twice in a 17-0 loss to the New York Jets last weekend.

Howard completed a 13-yard touchdown pass to Germie Bernard to open the scoring, and also hit McRee for a 5-yards touchdown.

Kaden Wetjen also scored on a 45-yard punt return that put the Steelers ahead 27-17 four minutes into the fourth quarter.

With Kyle Allen appearing to have locked up the primary backup job behind Josh Allen, Buechele handled the quarterback duties in finishing 26 for 38 for 196 yards. After Wheeler scored on third down, Buechele back-pedaled in the face of pressure before getting off a pass to Pettis, who was open along the left side of the goal line.

“I thought this was one of my best preseasons, if not the best,” said Buechele, who has split his first five NFL years between Kanas City and Buffalo, and made his first game appearance last season with the Chiefs. “I don’t know how this thing is going to roll, but just staying in prayer and seeing what happens.

Frank Gore Jr. scored on a 1-yard run for Buffalo, and receiver Skyler Bell also found the end zone on a 28-yard scamper off a reverse.

Up next

Steelers: Open regular season hosting Atlanta on Sept. 13.

Bills: Open regular season at Houston on Sept. 13.

Fire occurs at the American Legion building in Ambridge

(Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of Gavin Thunberg)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Ambridge, PA) Ambridge Firefighters were dispatched to the American Legion on Duss Avenue yesterday at around 11:20 P.M. because a caller reported that they could see flames inside the building. 

Crews were sent to check for an extension of this fire.

Water was put on the fire quickly, and it took firefighters over an hour to make sure that the fire was out. 

2026 Little League Baseball World Series Generated an Estimated $40 Million for Pennsylvania’s Economy and Attracted Nearly 70,000 People to Williamsport

(Credit and Caption for Photo: South Williamsport, Pennsylvania – August 24: Phenix City’s Kinley Rasmus #16, representing the Southeast Region, hits a single against East Side, representing the Mid-Atlantic Region, during the Little League World Series at Howard J. Lamade Stadium on Monday, Aug. 24, 2026 in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Williamsport, PA) According to the Lycoming County Visitor’s Bureau, more than 70,000 players, coaches, and fans traveled to Williamsport for the 79th Little League Baseball World Series, which injects an estimated $40 million into Pennsylvania’s economy.

This competition has included teams from 44 of the 50 U.S. states and 29 different countries and it was first held at Memorial Park in Williamsport in 1947.

Cardiac Surgeons at AHN Allegheny General First in Pennsylvania to Implant New Device for the Treatment of Aortic Arch Disease

(Credit for Photo: Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of Allegheny Health Network)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Cardiac surgeons at Allegheny Health Network’s (AHN) Allegheny General Hospital (AGH) announced today that they are the first in Pennsylvania to implant the investigational Arcevo™ LSA hybrid stent graft device as part of a clinical trial, ARTIZEN sponsored by Artivion, evaluating its safety and effectiveness in patients with certain aortic arch conditions, specifically aortic arch dissections (aortic tears) and aneurysms.

Scott M. Halbreiner, MD, a cardiac surgeon and the medical director of AHN’s aortic disease program, will serve as the local principal investigator and he successfully completed the first implant in May.

Aortic dissection can be a medical emergency that is life-threatening, and it occurs when there is a tear in the inner layer of the aorta, which is the body’s main artery.

Blood travels through this tear, which forces the inner and middle layers of the artery wall to dissect or split apart.

Aortic aneurysms happen when there is damage to the aortic wall that causes all aortic layers to grow, which can lead to rupture.

Matzie: More than $350,000 secured for Beaver County building improvements

(File Photo of State Representative Rob Matzie)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Ambridge, PA) State Representative Rob Matzie announced in Ambridge today that new state grants totaling $351,000 will fund capital improvements to Beaver County municipal and public buildings.

According to Matzie, the funding secured through the state Department of Community and Economic Development will support renovations and repairs to boost efficiency and save taxpayers money.

Matzie confirmed that the funding includes:

  • $140,000 to South Heights Borough for renovations, including HVAC and flooring, to the borough building.
  • $125,000 to Beaver Valley Regional Police Department for renovations to create new office space for the regional police department covering Baden, Conway, Freedom and Rochester Township.
  • $86,000 to B.F. Jones Memorial Library in Aliquippa for renovations to the front steps and retaining wall.

Route 4068 Bakerstown Road Sealcoat Operations Saturday, Sunday in Allegheny County

(File Photo of a Road Work Ahead Sign)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Allegheny County, PA) PennDOT District 11 announced that sealcoat operations on Bakerstown Road (Route 4068) in Pine and Richland townships in Allegheny County will occur tomorrow and Sunday, August 29th and 30th, weather permitting.

Alternating single-lane mobile operations will occur to accommodate sealcoat operations on Bakerstown Road between Route 8 and Babcock Boulevard, according to the following schedule from a release courtesy of PennDOT District 11:

Saturday

  • From 7:00 AM to approximately 7:00 PM

Sunday

  • From 7:00 AM to approximately 7:00 PM

Those restrictions may be lifted sooner if work is completed earlier.