(File Photo: Source for Photo: This photo provided by NASA shows NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Artemis II commander, from left, Victor Glover, Artemis II pilot, Christina Koch, Artemis II mission specialist, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, Artemis II mission specialist, right, in a group photograph as they visit NASA’s Artemis II SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft, Monday, March 30, 2026, at Launch Complex 39B of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA began the countdown Monday for humanity’s first launch to the moon in 53 years.

The 32-story Space Launch System rocket is poised to blast off Wednesday evening with four astronauts. After a day in orbit around Earth, their Orion capsule will propel them to the moon and back. There are no stops — just a quick U-turn around the moon. The nearly 10-day flight will end with a splashdown in the Pacific.

“Our team has worked extremely hard to get us to this moment,” said launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson. “Certainly all indications are right now we are in excellent, excellent shape.”

Managers said the rocket is doing well following the latest round of repairs. Forecasters said the weather should cooperate.

NASA’s Artemis II mission should have soared in February, but was grounded by hydrogen fuel leaks. The leaks were fixed, but then a helium pressurization line became clogged, forcing a return to the hangar late last month. The rocket returned to the pad 1 1/2 weeks ago, and its U.S.-Canadian crew arrived at the launch site on Friday.

Unlike Apollo, which sent only men to the moon from 1968 through 1972, Artemis’ debut crew includes a woman, person of color and a non-U.S. citizen.

Artemis II’s pilot Victor Glover said over the weekend that he wants young people to see them and think, “Girl power and that’s awesome, and that young brown boys and girls can look at me and go ‘Hey, he looks like me and he’s doing what???’”

At the same time, Glover, who is Black, looks forward to when ”one day we don’t have to talk about these firsts” and exploring the cosmos becomes an all-encompassing “human history.”

NASA has the first six days of April to launch Artemis II before standing down until the end of the month.

(File Photo of a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Car)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Lawrence County, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in New Castle reported via release yesterday that forty-five-year-old Eric Brown of New Castle was not charged after he crashed his vehicle in Lawrence County on Wednesday. Brown was driving on I-376 East at 4:38 a.m. and a deer entered the road. He could not avoid it and hit the deer with his vehicle. There were no injuries. 

(File Photo: Caption for Photo: police car lights at night in city with selective focus and bokeh background blur, Credit for Photo: Courtesy of Getty Images/iStockphoto/z1b)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver County, PA) A man from North Carolina is facing nearly 50 charges after police said he physically and sexually assaulted a teenage girl in Beaver County. Police were called to Route 68 in New Sewickley Township on March 4th for reports of a thirteen-year-old who had been assaulted. According to court documents, the victim told police she was in an intimate relationship with nineteen-year-old Jacob Bentley Baker of North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. She explained that she and Baker had gotten into an argument and that he grabbed both of her arms, screamed at her and tried to take her phone before leaving. Police stated that Beaver County emergency dispatchers received a call from the Sheetz in the City of Beaver Falls from Baker who said he wanted to turn himself in. In an interview, police confirmed that Baker admitted to having sex with the victim on five occasions. He told police he did not know she was thirteen when he first met her, but said that he engaged in sexual acts multiple times after learning that she was. Police also note that Baker also admitted to filming explicit interactions with the victim. Investigators also express they recovered illicit videos and photos from Baker’s phone. Baker is being held at the Beaver County Jail and faces 48 charges and these include corruption of minors, child sexual abuse material, indecent assault, sexual assault and statutory rape, among others.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: A vehicle passes a gasoline price board at a filling station in Philadelphia, Friday, March 27th, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. gas prices jumped past an average of $4 a gallon for the first time since 2022 on Tuesday as the Iran war pushed fuel prices to soar worldwide.

According to motor club AAA, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is now $4.02 — over a dollar more than before the war began. The last time U.S. drivers were collectively paying this much at the pump was nearly four years ago, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The price is a national average, meaning drivers in some states have been paying well over $4 a gallon for a while now. Prices vary from state to state due to factors ranging from nearby supply to differing tax rates.

Since the U.S. and Israel launched a joint war against Iran on Feb. 28, the cost of crude oil — the main ingredient in gasoline — has spiked and swung rapidly. That’s because the conflict has caused deep supply chain disruptions and cuts from major oil producers across the Middle East.

Motorists around the world are also coping with higher gas prices due to the war. In Paris, for example, gas is at 2.34 euros per liter ($2.68), which is about $10.27 a gallon.

Expensive gas could drag on the economy and drive up other prices

Higher gas prices are impacting consumers and businesses as many households continue to face wider cost of living strains. And as drivers pay more to cover necessities like gas, many may be forced to cut their budgets in other places.

More expensive fuel can also push up other spending, from utility bills to the price of many goods consumers buy each day.

Consumer prices and the cost of living already have become flashpoints in this midterm election year, with Democrats especially hammering Trump and Republicans as the GOP tries to hold majorities on Capitol Hill. A recent AP-NORC poll found that 45% of U.S. adults are “extremely” or “very” concerned about being able to afford gas in the next few months, up from 30% shortly after Trump won the 2024 presidential election with promises to lower costs.

(Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of AAA East Central)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Gas prices are steady in Western Pennsylvania this week at about $3.96 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report. The national average for a gallon of gas $3.99, which is up four cents over the past week and over one dollar since last month. Crude oil prices are still high as the Iran conflict hits the four-week mark. AAA confirms that the national average has reached $4/gallon in the for the first time since August of 2022 at about $4.02. Gasoline demand is also on the rise as spring break season continues, which is another factor in surging pump prices. The report states that the average price for a gallon of gas in Western Pennsylvania at this time a year ago was around $3.46 and the average price that you can expect for a gallon of regular unleaded gas here in Beaver County is about $3.98. According to a release from AAA East Central and AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report, here are the average prices of unleaded self-serve gasoline this week in various Pennsylvania areas:

$3.986      Altoona
$3.975      Beaver
$3.994      Bradford
$3.734      Brookville
$3.987      Butler
$3.951      Clarion
$3.854      DuBois
$3.971      Erie
$3.956      Greensburg
$3.992      Indiana
$3.992      Jeannette
$3.996      Kittanning
$3.958      Latrobe
$3.978      Meadville
$3.996      Mercer
$3.948      New Castle
$3.970      New Kensington
$3.994      Oil City
$3.974      Pittsburgh
$3.877      Sharon
$3.956      Uniontown
$3.999      Warren
$3.985      Washington

(File Photo of Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Cars)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(North Sewickley Township, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Gibsonia reported via release today that sixty-one-year-old Mark Preste of Toronto, Ohio crashed his vehicle in North Sewickley Township on Friday. Preste was driving on I-76 West when he moved too far to the right and hit the end of a guide rail at 6:25 a.m. He was not charged and there were no reported injuries.

(File Photo of a Sign in New Brighton)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(New Brighton, PA) Downtown New Brighton will host its free 2026 Easter Bunny Hop and Shop from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 4th. Kids and their families will be able to take photos with the Easter Bunny in the Central Business District and the event will also have treats and Easter activities. Shops will also be open to sell their items with spring discounts available. Restaurants will also be open to serve meals for your family.