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

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Allegheny Health Network (AHN) recently announced that Allegheny General Hospital (AGH) in Pittsburgh has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Advanced Certification in Spine Surgery (ACSS) by demonstrating continuous compliance with its rigorous performance standards. The Gold Seal is a nationally recognized symbol of quality which reflects a healthcare organization’s commitment to providing safe, high-quality patient care. Allegheny General Hospital is the first hospital in Pennsylvania to receive the designation. 

The certification is offered in collaboration with the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and recognizes health systems that deliver exceptional spine surgery care through coordinated, evidence-based treatment and strong collaboration among multidisciplinary teams involved throughout the patient journey, from initial consultation and surgery through rehabilitation and follow-up care.

Organizations must implement evidence-based care and clinical practice guidelines and participate in the American Spine Registry to be eligible for ACSS, which is a national quality improvement registry for spine care. Organizations also needed to collect performance measurement data on surgical site infection rates, new neurological deficits, unplanned return visits to the operating room, and pre-operative and post-operative patient reported outcomes.

AGH was subjected to an unannounced and rigorous onsite review by The Joint Commission during which reviewers evaluated compliance with advanced spine surgery standards related to clinical care, program management, patient safety, and care coordination.

The review process also included on-site observations and interviews with members of the clinical and administrative teams of the hospital.

(File Photo of a Gavel)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced yesterday that a resident of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of trafficking fentanyl. 

Twenty-four-year-old Edwin Hernandez pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy. 

The Court was informed that, on February 2nd, 2022, Hernandez possessed with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl in connection with the guilty plea. 

Judge Hardy scheduled Hernandez’s sentencing for October 27th, 2026.  

Hernandez could face a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both, provided by the law. 

(File Photo)

Story by Beaver County Radio Staff, 6/24/26 @7:29 AM

(Monaca, Pa.) The Beaver County Office on Aging has announced the 2026 Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program Vouchers Distribution Schedule. Below is the schedule:
▪Friday, July 10 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Independence Township Community Center
104 School Road, Aliquippa
▪Monday, July 13 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Rochester River Front Park
Water Street, Rochester
▪Friday, July 17 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Midland School Gymnasium
901 Midland Ave., Midland
▪Monday, July 20 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Salvation Army
514 Franklin Ave., Aliquippa
▪Monday, July 27 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Pavilion at 8 th Street and Park Road
Ambridge
▪Friday, July 31 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Geneva College-Northwood Hall, lower lobby
3200 College Ave., Beaver Falls
▪Monday, August 3 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. Circle of Friends New Brighton-Madonna Hall
1851 3 rd Ave., New Brighton
▪Friday, August 7 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Circle of Friends Conway
305 11 th St., Conway
▪Monday, Aug. 10 10 a.m.- 2p.m. Koppel Community Park
6 th Avenue and Arthur Street, Koppel

To be eligible you must be a Beaver County resident age 60 and over by December 31, 2026. The income limit is up to $29,526 for 1 person and up to $40,034 for 2
persons.
The Vouchers will be distributed at the designated start time by Circle of Friends.
The Farmers Market Voucher program is brought to you by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture in cooperation with the Beaver County Office on Aging.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks to reporters at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, June 23, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate for the first time approved a war powers resolution Tuesday seeking to block U.S. military action against Iran, as lawmakers warily watch President Donald Trump’s efforts to resolve a conflict that the administration launched on its own and now needs Congress to fund.

It was the 10th time the Senate has tried to stop the war, and the outcome, on a vote of 50-48, was a stunning turnaround from past efforts. While the resolution is largely symbolic, and does not carry the full force of law, it reflects the growing concerns from a number of Republican lawmakers in both the House and Senate over both the war and the deal Trump struck with Iran to end it. The House approved the resolution earlier this month.

Trump responded angrily Tuesday night on his Truth Social platform, calling the vote “poorly timed and meaningless” and saying it “provided aid and comfort” to Iran.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said, “Time after time, the vast majority of Senate Republicans sided with Trump and his war instead of the American people.”

Schumer said Americans have paid the price for “Trump’s historic blunder in Iran. It’ll go down in the history books as one of the worst foreign policy forays America has ever made.”

In the past, as many as four GOP senators have voted for the war powers resolutions, and they did so Tuesday — Republicans Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana. One Democrat, Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, voted against.

Trump bashed the four Republicans as losers, saying, “These senators have made my job more difficult.”

On this vote, the absence of two Republicans, including Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who was admitted to the hospital recently for an undisclosed matter, left the GOP without a full majority to halt the effort. Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pa., also missed the vote.

The vote comes as the Pentagon is seeking $80 billion from Congress mostly for the Iran war as it backfills munitions and stockpiles.

(File Photo of Police Siren Lights)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Cranberry Township, PA) Cranberry police are now warning the public to stay alert for a suspect who is still on the run from police after he shot at a car at a Speedway gas station on Fifth Street in New Brighton on Sunday. Thirty-three-year-old Jalen Isaiah Sims of New Brighton is facing a number of charges including two felony counts each of attempted homicide and aggravated assault. According to police, a couple was in their car at a gas pump at Speedway just before 8:30 p.m. when Sims shot the car. He eventually escaped to Cranberry Township. A driver who forced Sims to drive for him ran out of gas in a church parking lot in Cranberry and called 911. Sims is not in custody. However, Beaver County District Attorney Nate Bible stated to not approach Sims if you spot him and call either the state police or local police because Bible recommends that people should not apprehend Sims themselves. 

(File Photo of a Gavel)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced criminal charges yesterday against two defendants, fifty-five-year-old Abdou Jallow and thirty-nine-year-old Alicia Mastrantoni, both of Pittsburgh, in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud the United States Department of Agriculture. The charges stem from the two defendants exchanging Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or food stamp, benefits for cash, which allowed certain beneficiary recipients to use this cash to purchase illegal controlled substances. As alleged in the complaint, Jallow, a manager of a Pittsburgh convenience store, and Mastrantoni, an employee of the same store, exchanged these SNAP benefits for cash for various store customers, many of whom used this cash to purchase illegal controlled substances. Jallow and Mastrantoni tried to conceal the nature of these transactions by using fraudulent universal product codes (UPCs) on the cash register of the store. The store was identified as being involved in fraud through the SNAP benefit transactions, which were significantly high in both dollar amount and volume. It is believed that Jallow and Mastrantoni fraudulently exchanged over $550,000 in SNAP benefits over the course of the investigation. The charges that were filed in federal court are part of the Department of Justice’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown. The charges announced by Rivetti yesterday are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in charges against 455 defendants, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims and significant patient harm, including death.

(File Photo of the Road Work Ahead Sign)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) PennDOT District 11 announced that bridge inspection activities on Route 65 in the City of Pittsburgh will occur today and tomorrow, weather permitting.  

Bridge inspection activities on the Route 65 bridge over Chateau Street and Norfolk Southern rail lines will occur in both directions between the Chateau Street on-ramp and California Avenue lines from 9 A.M. to 3 P.M. each day according to the following schedule: 

Wednesday, June 24th 

• Northbound Route 65 

• The on-ramp from Chateau Street to northbound Route 65 will be placed in a stop condition during these inspection activities. 

Thursday, June 25th 

• Southbound Route 65 

Crews from Michael Baker International will conduct these inspection activities.