Central Valley Competition Cheer Squad places 8th in the 2023 PIAA Spirit Competition

Photo submitted by Central Valley Staff
Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published February 1, 2023 8:21 A.M.

(Center Township, PA) Heather Semovoski, Central Valley’s Cheer Squad placed 8th in the 2A Small Varsity Competitive Spirit Division last weekend in Hershey. The district was the first cheer squad in the county to make it to the PIAA finals.  On the first day of  the PIAA States they placed first, and were able to compete the second day with 33 other squads. Mrs. Semovoski said, “The division is loaded with so much talent, and we were honored to be surrounded by so many passionate and skilled athletes”. She is in her fifth year as head cheer coach and rebuilding the program. She said she has been devoted to focusing on the growth and development of the student athletes ensuring they are prepared ‘for life for life both on and off the mat/sidelines. She said in a statement, she has also made it a goal to build the Cheer program  within Beaver County. She most recently ran a Stunt Camp for her alma mater Aliquippa High School’s Cheer Squad. In November Central Valley’s Cheer Squad won the district’s first WPIAL Competitive Spirit Championship and WPIAL Overall Champion.

Beaver

The Bobcats went up the road to the home of the Blackhawk Cougars and in front of a big crowd showed that they are a team that can play, Blackhawk came out and hit a three pointer on their first shot but that was the last lead of the game for the Cougars on senior night for Blackhawk. The first couple of quarters where what Bruce Frey described as street ball with both teams running and gunning up and down the court. The first quarter Beaver went up 14 to 7, the second quarter was fast paced and Beaver was playing a two three zone and it was causing Blackhawk to turn the ball over many times . The third quarter Blackhawk started to make a comeback getting the lead down to 11 points but the Bobcats kept making shots and finished the game off going away with the win 63 to 39. Mike Azadian and Bruce Frey had the call on 99.3 FM 95.7 FM and WBVP/WMBA and world wide on Beaver County Radio.

President Biden to end COVID-19 emergencies on May 11

President Joe Biden talks with reporters on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, Jan. 30, 2023, after returning from an event in Baltimore on infrastructure. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has informed Congress that he will end the twin national emergencies for addressing COVID-19 on May 11, as most of the world has returned closer to normalcy nearly three years after they were first declared. The move to end the national emergency and public health emergency declarations will formally restructure the federal coronavirus response to treat the virus as an endemic threat to public health that can be managed through agencies’ normal authorities. It comes as lawmakers have already ended elements of the emergencies that kept millions of Americans insured during the pandemic.

7th Memphis officer disciplined, EMTs fired in Nichols death

A group of demonstrators gather at dusk in Shelby Farms Park on Monday, Jan. 30, 2023, in Memphis, Tenn., in response to the death of Tyre Nichols, who died after being beaten by Memphis police officers. Nichols, who had a hobby in photography, frequented the park to photograph sunsets. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Memphis police say two more officers involved in the arrest, beating and death of Tyre Nichols have been disciplined. Five Memphis officers already had been fired and charged in the Jan. 7 arrest of Nichols, who was Black. Police said Monday that officer Preston Hemphill was relieved of duty shortly after Nichols’ Jan. 7 arrest. The department said later that another officer has been relieved of duty. In total, seven officers have been disciplined for the arrest of Nichols, who died Jan. 10. Also Monday, two Memphis Fire Department emergency medical workers and a lieutenant were fired in connection with the case.

Analysis: NFL wasn’t at its best in conference championships

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) walks back to the sidelines during the second half of the NFL AFC Championship playoff football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

The Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs prevailed on championship weekend to reach Super Bowl 57. But the NFL didn’t exactly have a stellar weekend as infuriating flags and non-calls dominated both the NFC and AFC title games. The NFC championship was a blowout because the San Francsico 49ers lost all their quarterbacks. An emergency third quarterback would have come in handy Sunday but the league and its players ditched the third quarterback designation more than a decade ago. The AFC title game went down to the wire but questionable calls including an intentional grounding on Joe Burrow proved crucial.

Boeing bids farewell to an icon, delivers last 747 jumbo jet

The final Boeing 747 lands at Paine Field following a test flight, Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023, in Everett, Wash. Boeing bids farewell to an icon on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023, when it delivers the jumbo jet to cargo carrier Atlas Air. Since it debuted in 1969, the 747 has served as a cargo plane, a commercial aircraft capable of carrying nearly 500 passengers, and the Air Force One presidential aircraft, but it has been rendered obsolete by more profitable and fuel-efficient models. (Jennifer Buchanan/The Seattle Times via AP)

SEATTLE (AP) — Boeing bids farewell to an icon on Tuesday: It’s delivering its final 747 jumbo jet. Since it debuted in 1969, the 747 has served as a cargo plane, a commercial aircraft capable of carrying nearly 500 passengers, and the Air Force One presidential aircraft. It revolutionized international travel. But over about the past 15 years, Boeing and its European rival Airbus have introduced more profitable and fuel efficient wide-body planes, with two engines instead of the 747’s four. The final plane is the 1,574th built by Boeing in the Puget Sound region of Washington state. It’s being delivered to cargo carrier Atlas Air.

Child welfare algorithm faces Justice Department scrutiny

FILE – Case work supervisor Jessie Schemm looks over the first screen of software used by workers who field calls at an intake call screening center for the Allegheny County Children and Youth Services, in Penn Hills, Pa. The Justice Department has been scrutinizing a controversial artificial intelligence tool used by a Pittsburgh-area child protective services agency following concerns that it could result in discrimination against families with disabilities, The Associated Press has learned. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Justice Department has been scrutinizing a controversial artificial intelligence tool used by a Pittsburgh-area child protective services agency following concerns that it could result in discrimination against families with disabilities, The Associated Press has learned. The interest from federal civil rights attorneys comes after an AP investigation revealed potential bias and transparency issues about the opaque algorithm. The Allegheny Family Screening Tool is designed to assess a family’s risk level when they are reported for child welfare concerns. A Justice Department spokesman declined to comment. An Allegheny County Department of Human Services spokesman said the agency had not heard from the Justice Department.