(File Photo)

(Pittsburgh, Pa.) After deliberating for approximately one hour, a federal jury returned a verdict finding 41-year-old Iklas Davis, of Turtle Creek, guilty of one count of conspiracy, one count of use of unauthorized devices and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Davis was tried before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
According to Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway, who prosecuted the case, the evidence presented at trial established that in the summer of 2017, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Allegheny County Police investigated a series of vehicles that had been broken into while parked at various entertainment venues, including the Boyce Wave Pool, the Pittsburgh Zoo and similar venues. The victims reported the theft of their credit cards and means of identification and the use of the credit cards, typically on the same day as the break-ins occurred. Investigators secured video of Davis using and attempting to use some of the stolen credit cards at various retail establishments. The later investigation revealed that an individual named Terry Porterfield broke into the vehicles and then transferred the credit cards to Davis and others, who then used the credit cards to purchase primarily gift cards and electronic equipment.
Davis faces a possible sentence of up to 22 years in prison, a fine of $750,000, or both. Pending sentencing, the court remanded Davis back into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

(Braddock, Pa.) Pennsylvania Lt. Governor John Fetterman’s campaign on Thursday announced that it has raised over $1.6 million in the first 24 hours after clinching the Democratic nomination for the US Senate on Tuesday night.
Fetterman said in a release “Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your support, I am deeply honored to be your nominee, and I am looking forward to turning this seat blue in November.”

(Monaca, Pa.)  The CCBC Foundation announced a new scholarship endowed by the Beaver Valley Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) for the 2022 fall semester. The scholarship will support students pursuing a career in the criminal justice field with the goal of increasing diversity in the workforce. 

The Beaver Valley Fraternal Order of Police is the largest organization of law enforcement officers in Beaver County, consisting of members from over 30 law enforcement agencies. It is the fourth oldest lodge in the United States following the founding of the FOP by two Pittsburgh police officers in 1915. Today, over 100 years after the first meeting, the FOP consists of more than 2,100 lodges. The organization supports law enforcement officers through education, legislation, community involvement, and employee representation. 

The endowment of $10,000 will offer financial support to minority and underrepresented students who are studying criminal justice. CCBC offers multiple criminal justice and public safety degree and training programs, including Criminal Justice, Police Technology, and the Police Academy.

Scholarships are awarded according to the following criteria:

• Applicants must be a full-time student enrolled in for-credit courses at CCBC.
• Applicants must have applied for financial aid.
• Applicants must submit a completed scholarship application by the stated deadline to the Executive Director of the CCBC Foundation.

Established in 1974, the Police Training Academy at CCBC offers Act 120 training required to become a certified police officer in Pennsylvania as well as Act 180 Mandatory In-Service training for active-duty police officers. The Academy operates with the assistance of the Municipal Police Officers Education and Training Commission to provide physical and defensive tactics, firearms, and emergency vehicle operation training to cadets and current officers. Cadets who receive their Act 120 can also go on to receive an associate degree in Police Technology.

The Criminal Justice program prepares students for careers in a wide variety of fields including corrections, probations and parole, juvenile justice, substance abuse counseling, and paralegal studies. Coursework includes investigative techniques such as crime lab analysis, forensics, interrogation, and criminal law. An optional internship provides real-world experience while students continue earning credits toward their degree. CCBC awards two-year associate degrees in Criminal Justice – Applied Science. The major is also Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Center (TAOC) approved, meaning that graduates are prepared to transfer to a four-year college or university that offers a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. 

The criminal justice field includes a wide variety of careers at local, state, and federal levels. These important jobs require a diverse workforce that accurately represent the communities they serve to build trust, understand, and respond to their needs, and encourage faith in law enforcement and the government. The Beaver Valley Fraternal Order of Police Scholarship is a valuable addition to the opportunities available to CCBC students through the CCBC Foundation.

To learn more about other scholarship opportunities, apply or donate: https://www.ccbcfoundation.org/scholarships

(Beaver, Pa.) The Beaver County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors  via press release announced the hiring of Donna Lee Siple as the new President of the Beaver County Chamber of Commerce effective Wednesday, June 1, 2022.
Donna Lee joins the Chamber staff as a former Chief Executive Officer of the Japan-America Society of Tennessee and the Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania. She currently resides in Beaver, PA with her husband, Sam. She is looking forward to furthering the Chamber’s mission of leading and advocating for economic growth and community vitality, through collaboration, networking and education, in order to foster the best, most diverse and inclusive environment for our members.
Lee Replaces current President Helen Kissick who announced her resignation on February 21, 2022 after three years as President.
Kissick and Lee will work together to transition Lee into the position. Kissick is expected to leave her post by early summer.

By MARC LEVY Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Vote counting in Pennsylvania’s Republican primary for U.S. Senate has dragged into a third day as Dr. Mehmet Oz and former hedge fund CEO David McCormick remain essentially tied with tens of thousands of ballots left to tally. Oz led McCormick by 1,122 votes as of Thursday evening. The race remains close enough to trigger Pennsylvania’s automatic recount law, and Oz’s margin has narrowed. Pennsylvania’s Department of State, which oversees elections, says there are about 38,000 mail-in and absentee ballots — 8,700 in the Republican primary — left to be counted. Oz and McCormick each have said they believe victory is near.

(AP Photo/Chris O’Meara, File)
By MICHELLE CHAPMAN AP Business Writer
Spirit Airlines is advising shareholders to reject a tender offer for shares from JetBlue three days after it went hostile in its bid to create what would be the nation’s fifth largest airline. Spirit repeated Thursday that any attempt to merge with JetBlue would face substantial regulatory hurdles, largely because of JetBlue’s alliance with American Airlines in the Northeast. The Justice Department is suing to block that deal. JetBlue offered to buy Spirit Airlines after a proposed acquisition of that carrier by Frontier Airlines, a deal that Spirit is backing despite a lower offering price.

(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
By MARK SCOLFORO and CHRISTINA A. CASSIDY Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Counting of mailed ballots in Pennsylvania is drawing renewed scrutiny amid a too-close-to-call U.S. Senate primary between Republicans David McCormick and Dr. Mehmet Oz. Former President Donald Trump blasted the state’s elections procedures on social media, even though there are no indications of any wrongdoing with those ballots other than a printing error that was slowing the tally in one county. Numerous safeguards are in place to ensure that people casting mailed ballots are who they say they are and only vote once. Voter fraud in Pennsylvania and elsewhere does happen, but it is exceedingly rare.

(File Photo)

(Wayne Twp., Lawrence County, Pa.) Pa State Police in New Castle reported yesterday that they were called to a location on Morgan Lane in Wayne Township, Lawrence County, on May 8, 2022 at 11:24 AM for reports of Terroristic threats against a pair of victims who were attempting to repo a vehicle.
Upon arriving on the scene and investigating it was learned that 32-year-old Holly Poloka of Wampum came outside the residence on Morgan Lane as 35-year-old Jonathan McGirr of Greenville, Pa. and 55-year-old Pamela Crouser of Transfer, Pa. were attempting to repo a 2013 Ram truck that was in default on payments and threatened the victims with a Springfield 9 MM Pistol.
Troopers said in the release that Poloka was taken into custody without incident. The firearm was retrieved by troopers and entered into evidence. Charges are currently pending against