Author: Beaver County Radio

Helicopter crash kills a pilot and a line worker near Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania

(File Photo of Police Lights)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Jim Thorpe, PA) According to a report from WYOU, a helicopter crash near Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, has left two people dead yesterday. The crash occurred near the 300 block of Maury Road close to Penn’s Peak in a wooded area. WYOU confirms that the two people that passed away from this helicopter crash yesterday were a line worker and a pilot, who have not been identified at this time. It is not clear what led to this crash occurring, but this crash is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board.

After a name change from the Carnegie Science Center to the Kamin Science Center, the Kamin Science Center building in Pittsburgh is revealed

(Photo Courtesy of the Kamin Science Center)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) The reveal of the new building with a rebrand of its new name occurred yesterday for the Kamin Science Center in Pittsburgh, previously called the Carnegie Science Center. The reason that the Carnegie Science Center was changed to the Kamin Science Center was because Daniel G. and Carole L. Kamin made a donation of $65 million in 2024 to this center filled with scientific activities and experiments. This donation was the largest gift in the history of the previously known Carnegie Science Center since its original founder, Andrew Carnegie, made his original contribution to the now Kamin Science Center.

Two separate men, both of Aliquippa, get taken into custody because of bench warrants

(File Photo of the City of Aliquippa Police Department)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Aliquippa, PA) Thirty-nine-year-old Eric Bruce of Aliquippa was noticed by officers in the area of Wade Street and Maratta Road in Aliquippa on the evening of July 15th, 2025. Bruce had an active bench warrant of the Beaver County Sheriff’s Office. Bruce was turned over to the sheriff’s department of the City of Aliquippa Police Department after getting taken into custody. Fifty-seven-year-old Johnny Hill, Jr. of Aliquippa, who had a bench warrant out of the Beaver County Sheriff’s office, was found by the City of Aliquippa Police Department on the afternoon of August 10th, 2025 in the area of Sheffield Avenue and 5th Avenue in Aliquippa. Hill got taken into custody and got put in the Beaver County Jail. 

Anthony R. Blobner, Jr. (Passed on Septmber 10th, 2025)

Anthony R. Blobner, Jr. passed away unexpectedly at home on September 10th, 2025.

He was a son of the late Anthony R. Blobner Sr. and Irene Leek Schuster. His father died when he was 3 months old, and he was raised by his mother and stepfather, the late Oscar Schuster as well as his paternal grandparents, Louis and Caroline Blobner. In addition to his parents and stepfather, he was preceded in death by his grandparents, Louis and Caroline Blobner; his sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Ann and Bud Rea. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Norma Feller Blobner, his daughter, Caroline (Daren) Sallis of Ellwood City, his son, Anthony T.J. Blobner of State College, his special nephews and nieces: Mike, Dan, Joyce, Sue and their families; along with many cousins and friends. The family lived in Conway for 12 years before moving to Monaca. Anthony was a proud 1960 graduate of Monaca High School, where he played football and golf and made many lifelong friends. After school, Anthony served four years in the U.S. Air Force from 1960-1964. He then worked as a supervisor at Westinghouse Electric in Beaver and retired from the Physical Plant at Penn State Beaver. He was a member of Saints Peter & Paul Church of Beaver, Our Lady of the Valley Parish, and the Knights of Columbus. He was a wonderful husband, father, uncle, and friend to all who knew him.

Friends will be received on Monday, September 15th, from 2-6 P.M., with a service to follow at Simpson Funeral & Cremation Services, 1119 Washington Avenue, Monaca, who was in charge of his arrangements.

Bart Trautvetter (1959-2025)

Bart Trautvetter, 65, of South Beaver Township, passed away unexpectedly on September 9th, 2025.

He was born in Darlington on October 27th, 1959. He is survived by his children: Christopher Trautvetter, Chadd (Ariel) Trautvetter, Charlee (Leroy) Williams and Virginia (Josh) Gibbs. He deeply loved his grandchildren: Preston, Jayce, and Kera, Lyriq, and Leroy Jr.; as well as his grand-raccoon, Rigby: who brought him immense joy and with whom he shared many lessons, from target practice to words of wisdom. He is also survived by his mother, Peggy (Trautvetter) Taylor and was preceded in death by his father, Mervyn Trautvetter, his stepfather, David Taylor, his brothers, Mark and Curt Trautvetter, and his in-laws, Jack and Esther Stout. He is also survived by his stepchildren and his wife, Marcie, as well as his niece, Melissa (Brian) Koah. He also leaves behind his lifelong friend and former wife, Darla (Les), who remained an important part of his life as the mother of his children.

Bart was raised on his family’s dairy farm, where he developed a lifelong passion for farming and hard work. He continued that legacy by running the family dairy farm and tending crops throughout South Beaver Township. Above all, Bart was proud to be a father and grandfather.

Bart will be remembered for his strong work ethic, love of the land, and the pride he took in passing down knowledge and traditions to the next generation.

Family and friends will be received on Friday, September 19th from  2-4 P.M. & 6-8 P.M. in the GABAUER-LUTTON FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICES, Inc., 117 Blackhawk Road, Beaver Falls, who was in charge of his arrangements and where a Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, September 20th at 11 A.M.

Interment will follow in Grandview Cemetery, 139 Norwood Drive, Beaver Falls.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the family in care of Gabauer Family Funeral Homes, 117 Blackhawk Road, Beaver Falls, PA 15010.

Irene C. Rowan (1936-2025)

Irene C. Rowan, 89, of Brighton Township, formerly of Raleigh, North Carolina, passed away on September 5th, 2025, at Cambridge Village of Beaver Falls. She was born in Rochester on July 31st, 1936, the daughter of the late Karl E. Sr. and Dorothea Holsinger Kelbaugh. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, James Hartley, her second husband, Harold L. Rowan Jr., a son, Karl Hartley and a grandson, Matthew Hartley. She is survived by two sons, Jon Hartley, of Raleigh, North Carolina, and Jason Hartley, of Huntsville, Alabama, as well as five grandsons: Jeremy and Austin Hartley, Tim Bowes and Shane Hartley and Marshall Hartley; as well as three great-granddaughters, Alora, Raven and Addyson, one sister and brother-in-law, Denise K. and John Wilson of Brighton Township and one brother and sister-in-law, Karl E. Jr. and Caroline Kelbaugh of West Hurley, New York. Irene was a retired Travel Agent in North Carolina as well as being a part of Cruise Planners Company who loved traveling. She was a graduate of Rochester Area High School’s class of 1954 who was a band majorette and drum major. She was Lutheran by faith and was a member of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church of Rochester. She was an immense lover of animals, especially dogs. Irene’s wish was to be cremated with no viewing or service. Arrangements have been entrusted to the William Murphy Funeral Home, Inc., 349 Adams Street, Rochester. Inurnment will be in Arlington National Cemetery, 1 Memorial Avenue, Fort Myer, Virginia. Family wishes memorial contributions to the Beaver County Humane Society, 3394 Brodhead Rd, Aliquippa, PA 15001.

William “Bill” Pifer (1952-2025)

William “Bill” Pifer, 72, of Bell Acres, passed away on September 9th, 2025. He was born on December 13th, 1952, a son of the late Robert and Catherine Pifer.

He is survived by his devoted partner, Lorene McKissic, his son, Jason McKissic, his siblings, Robert (Linda) Pifer, Karen (Dennis) Rogers, and Susan (Tom) Cunningham; along with two grandchildren, Kaytlyn and Colin McKissic, as well as many nieces, nephews, and dear friends.

William was a graduate of Quaker Valley High School who enjoyed playing cards with friends, traveling with Lorene to Jamaica, and cheering on Pittsburgh sports teams.

Services are private and services and arrangements have been entrusted to Alvarez-Hahn Funeral Services and Cremation, LLC, 547 8th Street, Ambridge.

Forbes releases list of “definitive ranking of America’s richest people 2025” which is a list of 400 that includes eleven Pennsylvanians, three of them from the Pittsburgh area

(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – Twenty dollar bills are counted on June 15, 2018, in North Andover, Mass. The number of Americans who do not have a bank account fell to a record low last year, as the proliferation of online-only banks and an improving economy is bringing more Americans into the traditional financial system, according to a report Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)

(Jersey City, NJ) Forbes released their “definitive ranking of America’s richest people 2025” list on Tuesday. This list includes 400 people, whose net worth an estimated $6.6 trillion. This list includes eleven people from Pennsylvania with four of them as someone and their families and three of those eleven Pennsylvanians from the Pittsburgh area. They are: #280, Edward Stack and his family at an estimated $5.4 billion, who own Dick’s Sporting Goods, the sporting equipment and goods store which is based in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, #291, Thomas Tull, at an estimated $5.3 billion, who owns a minority stake in the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Yankees and is the founder of Legendary Entertainment, a production company, and tied at #347 with three other people, Maggie Hardy, at an estimated $4.3 billion, who is both the CEO and the owner of 84 Lumber who is also the owner of Nemacolin. Even though they do not live in Pennsylvania, two natives of Pittsburgh made it on to Forbes’ “definitive ranking of America’s richest people 2025” that was released on Tuesday. David Tepper, who grew up in the Stanton Heights neighborhood of Pittsburgh and is the owner of the National Football League’s Carolina Panthers and the founder of Appaloosa Management earned #41 at an estimated $23.7 billion and Mark Cuban, who grew up at Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania, who is a minority owner of the National Basketball Association’s Dallas Mavericks, earned #246 at an estimated $6 billion. The link to the full list of Forbes’ “definitive ranking of America’s richest people 2025” released on Tuesday can be found below:

“Click here to see the full list of Forbes’ “definitive ranking of America’s richest people 2025“

Retired Duquesne Light Company worker charged for allegedly sending over 200 emails to management that were threatening

(File Photo of the Duquesne Light Company Logo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Allegheny County, PA) A worker who retired from Duquesne Light Company got charged yesterday for allegedly sending over 200 emails to management that were threatening. According to the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office, fifty-eight-year-old Stephen Neal of Sharpsburg is facing six charges of harassment. According to the criminal complaint against Neal, Neal has allegedly sent more than 200 harassing and threatening emails to Duquesne Light’s management since July of 2025. The reason Neal allegedly sent these emails were because a monthly disability benefit was given to Neal after he retired from Duquesne Light Company in March of 2025 and Neal blamed Duquesne Light Company for that benefit reportedly ending in July of 2025. This benefit was managed by a third party and was offered by Neal’s union. According to information provided to KDKA-TV, Lincoln Financial Group suspended Neal’s benefits after his doctor failed to provide the insurance company with documentation of disability or a treatment plan.  One of the emails that Neal allegedly sent to Duquesne Light Company management stated: “It’s pure evil how we kill our own people and high titles they can do unjust (sic) without any consequences and think they are going to get away with it? I think the corrupt union and mismanagement of LBTQ discrimination won’t win.” It was told by Duquesne Light Company to police that they had given Neal directions on whom to speak to about his benefits ending and that they have no control over the decision. Neal allegedly continued sending the threatening emails despite being told Duquesne Light Company was not responsible and them requesting that he stop sending them emails. A professional threat assessment was then requested by Duquesne Light Company, who screened each alleged email from Neal.

The Cornerstone of Beaver County Hosts 9th Annual Party with a Purpose: “Bingo with Elvis” Fundraiser To Help End Homelessness in Beaver County

(Photo Provided with with Release Courtesy of the Cornerstone of Beaver County)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver County, PA) According to a release on Tuesday from the Cornerstone of Beaver County, the Cornerstone of Beaver County will host its 9th Annual Party with a Purpose: BINGO With Elvis” fundraiser on Saturday, October 11th, 2025 at 6 p.m. at Monaca Turners, which is located on 1700 Old Brodhead Road in Monaca. The doors for this event open at 5 p.m. on October 11th, 2025. This event includes twelve games of bingo, a cash bar, a 50/50 drawing, raffle baskets, cash and merchandise prizes and performances between bingo games by Jamie Harris, an Elvis Presley tribute artist who is based in Pittsburgh. Tickets for this event start at $35 and you can purchase these tickets either by going online at CornerstoneBeaver.org or you can purchase tickets by either calling 724-846-6400 or by emailing amclaughlin@cornerstone.org. CornerstoneBeaver.org is also where you can visit for more information and how you can find out about sponsorships, which are also available for purchase for this event, in which organizations and businesses that wish to support a worthy local cause while showing off their brand. All proceeds and sponsorships from this event goes to the Cornerstone of Beaver County, which seeks to both end and prevent homelessness in Beaver County.