Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) is investigating a series of phone calls made to 911 centers about schools across the Commonwealth involving threats of an active shooter situation or bomb threat.

These phone calls were made to several schools in different counties. All calls have had similar content. All calls are being thoroughly investigated and responded to by law enforcement.

These calls have created lockdowns and/or evacuations of the schools with a large response from police and emergency services.

The PSP has responded to all incidents in our primary coverage areas and has been in contact with municipal law enforcement partners investigating these incidents in their coverage areas.

At this time, all claims in these calls have been determined to be false. All schools involved have been cleared or are in the process of being cleared by law enforcement.

The investigation is ongoing.

(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

Despite the time of the meeting running under 30 minutes, the Beaver County Commissioners managed to provide and receive many different updates at their March 29 work session.

Public Works director Dan Colville announced that there was no major damage done to any of the major parks in Beaver County following the series of harsh winds over the weekend. “Just a couple trees, nothing that interfered with operations,” Colville said. He also added that cleanup crews were out on Monday collecting whatever minor debris had made its way into those areas.

Parks and Recreation director Tony Caltury announced that the opening of trout season will be this Saturday (April 1), and that camping for the weekend will be allowed from 3 PM on Friday with evacuation set for Sunday at noon. He also notified the Commissioners that the inspection of the infrastructure at county pools is set to take place this coming Tuesday, “with the anticipation of the pool agreement being on the next resolution without any major infrastructure issues.”

Commissioner Tony Amadio spoke about the board’s meeting with the National Transportation Safety board in Darlington recently, with both him and Commissioner Jack Manning praising the conversation they had with NTSB chairperson Jennifer Homendy in regards to the eventual report that will come from the East Palestine train derailment. “I have complete confidence that they will eventually come up with a very good summary report of everything that happened,” Manning added.

Perhaps the biggest topic of discussion throughout the week leading up to the meeting was the release of reassessment values for properties throughout Beaver County, with an expected mill rate drop from around 26 to an estimated 3.5857. “We’re not raising county taxes,” Manning reaffirmed. “We’re still going to collect only 57 and a half million dollars in taxes.”

Commissioner Dan Camp stated that the possible tax increases may come from school taxes following their reactions to the reassessment of their properties. “The county will set those tentative values for the municipality for the schools and what their millage rate will be,” Camp mentioned, noting that the schools will then take two votes following the rates being set. One will be to accept the values, and the second will be to raise the values–“which will virtually be a tax increase,” per Camp.

The Beaver County Historical Landmarks & Research Foundation finally received bids for the restoration of the Vicary Mansion in Freedom, where the BCHLRF is headquartered. Executive director Brenda Applegate presented the bids to the County Commissioners at the work session, and the Commissioners chose Landmarks SGA as the contractors as their preference for the restoration of the porch for the building. Applegate stated that the foundation is also seeking a DCED grant through State Representative Rob Matzie.

The next Commissioners’ work session is scheduled for April 5 at 10:00 AM.

The photo above shows students exiting the school as police line the entrance to Hopewell High School amid the false alarm shooter situation.
Story and photos by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio News Director. Published March 29, 2023 1:10 P.M.

(Hopewell Township, PA) Students crying, parents and faculty distraught, and emergency responders in full action were the sights and sounds of a false alarm school shooting at Hopewell High School Wednesday morning. The call came in around 10:30am. Parents told Beaver County Radio at the scene, they were relieved when they found out the shooting was a hoax, citing it was sparked by an automated phone call. They commended the fast response time by police. Most were initially under the impression that an active shooter had killed or injured 6 students, it is unclear where the number 6 rumor originated. These reports were ultimately false and no shooting took place nor was anybody harmed.

Students were evacuated and moved to the Hopewell Junior High School to be dismissed along with the rest of the district as an investigation got underway. As students were reunited with their parents and gaurdians, they described actions of what happened during the lockdown, such as moving heavy items to block doorways, and noting the actions their teachers took to protect them. One story was that a group of students locked themselves in a bathroom, and wouldn’t come out until the police correctly said the predetermined password that was in place.

Officials were unable to make a statement on scene, but said they will as soon as the situation is wrapped up. State Police are investigating similar calls made to numerous other districts as well. Beaver County Radio’s Sandy Giordano reported the scene was officially cleared at 12:53pm, according to a statement from Hopewell Police Chief Don Sedlacek. Stay tuned to Beaver County Radio, we will keep you informed as more details become available.

Police cars line the entrance to Hopewell High:

Video from the scene shows students exiting the school:

The Congregation of Mount Olive Lutheran Church is moving. Our last Divine Service at our current worship site, 2679 Darlington Road in Chippewa, will be Sunday, April 23, 2023 at 9:30 am. Beginning Sunday, April 30, Divine Service will begin at 9:30 am at 1154 Shenango Road, Beaver Falls PA 15010 (at the intersection of Shenago and Wallace Run Roads).

Mount Olive is a member of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, and was founded in 1953. The current church was constructed in 1962. Due to financial difficulties, the property was recently sold, but the congregation, which numbers between 50-60 worshippers per Sunday, will continue to gather for Divine Services. New members are now being accepted.

The congregation is served by Rev. Paul Cwynar, Pastor Emeritus. More information can be obtained by calling the church office at 724-843-0952.

Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published March 29, 2023 10:07 A.M.

(Hopewell Township, PA) Some residents  who support the district’s teachers are working under the old contract that expired June 30, 2022. Talks are ongoing, and board president Dan Santia said he’s tired of being called “the bad guy.” He said, “We’re the stewards of the whole community”.

Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published March 29, 2023 10:04 A.M.

(Hopewell Township, PA) A service order authorization from the township engineer, HRG was approved for the Route 151 Sewers and Upper Raccoon Creek Interceptor  Preliminary Engineering Study for $13,100 with a completion date of within 45 days of authorization.

(The photo above shows a water sample given to Beaver County Radio by an Industry resident)
Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio News Director. Published March 29, 2023 7:24 A.M.  

(Industry, PA) Residents attended an Industry Borough Municipal Authority meeting Tuesday evening to voice their frustrations with ongoing water quality issues. Notable issues brought up during the public session were elevated manganese levels that have not been corrected, as well as low water pressure issues.

As public comments began, it was noted that there was a discrepancy over public testimonies following the last meeting, with only one testimony out of multiple being accounted for in the minutes. The disrepair of a building at one of the tanks was questioned and the authority said it was struck by a tree and they are working on it. Residents claim the roof has been falling in for a year now. More than one resident inquired if they could be removed from the public water to utilize well water instead, and the authority informed them they didn’t think that was possible, and even if so, they would still have to pay fees to the water authority regardless.

Audio of the well water discussion:

The authority stated all of their tanks have been flushed and they are awaiting reports back on the results. They also advised that they have a list of properties to be checked for water issues and said they are working diligently to do solve any issues, acknowledging they were aware of an ongoing manganese issue. A meter shortage is said to be delaying the process with an estimated 4 to 6 week wait time. The water authority also advised that they are currently short staffed and are in the process of interviewing and hiring.

At one point the meeting got heated with the police nearly being called to remove a resident after he brought up additional comments outside of his 5 minute time frame.

Audio of the altercation:

Residents say they just want action taken to fix these problems, and they’re tired of waiting. Beaver County Radio was provided with a sample of a residents water which is nearly black in color and filled with sediment. The issues started in October.

Damaged roof at tank site on Engle Road in Industry (submitted by Industry resident):

Industry Borough Municipal Authority Sign (Curtis Walsh):

(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

The Beaver Falls City Council held their regular meeting on Tuesday evening, but several of the “regulars” were not in attendance.

Mayor Kenya Johns and councilman Leonard Chiappetta were absent from the meeting, making Deputy Mayor Peggy Evans the leader of the March 28 agenda. She joined fellow council members John Kirkland and Vanessa Ford Taylor as the only ones able to vote on any of the resolutions throughout the evening. Also absent from the meeting were city treasurer Sandy Wilkins, fire chief Mark Stowe, and city engineer Tony Sadaka.

Nevertheless, the meeting moved along with no major issues or hang-ups, as each of the eight resolutions on the agenda were approved unanimously by the voting councilmembers. Among them was the approval of a new trial schedule for daylight street sweeping throughout the city, with the sweeping of streets and avenues to take place from 5 AM until 1 PM. General Fund expenditures were approved in the amount of $952,930.70.

Beaver Falls police sergeant Robert Applegarth had his retirement letter read and accepted by city council, with the longtime sergeant’s retirement to become effective on April 17. Applegarth’s pension calculations were also approved, while the pension contributions of former fireman William Cummings will be set for him to obtain as agreed upon by the council. Cummings had retired from the Beaver Falls Fire Department in January of 2022.

Three recommendations from the Safety Committee for road closures during upcoming events were given the green light, including an alumni reunion for Geneva College baseball on April 15 (33rd Street from 7th to 8th Avenue), an “After School Bash” fundraiser for Ruhe Park on 5th Avenue set for June 2, and a dental health expo by Highmark on June 8 (12th Street between 7th and 8th Avenue).

City Manager Charles Jones announced that the council was awarded the Governor’s Excellence Award by Governor Josh Shapiro, an award for exemplary performance by commonwealth officials in the state. Several elected officals will be making the trip to Harrisburg on April 12 to meet with Governor Shapiro. Deputy Mayor Evans closed the meeting by speaking about the new editions to Library Park, citing that the improvements were “easy on my eyes”, and stated that she was “proud of Beaver Falls”.

The next city council meeting is scheduled for April 11 at 7:00 PM.

FILE – Wind turbines stand in fields near Palm Springs, Calif, March 22, 2023. Electricity generated from renewables surpassed coal in the United States for the first time in 2022, the U.S. Energy Information Administration announced Monday, March 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File)

The U.S. Energy Information Administration announced that electricity generated from renewables surpassed coal electricity production in the United States for the first time in 2022. The growth of wind and solar significantly drove the increase in renewable energy and experts say these two resources will be the “backbone” of clean energy growth in the U.S. because of their reliability and affordability. Renewables passed nuclear electricity production for the first time in 2012 and continued to outpace it.

Photo submitted by Congressman Deluzio Staff

BEAVER COUNTY, PA — On Saturday, Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17) hosted a roundtable conversation with Beaver County constituents and SEIU members who work in nursing homes across the 17^th Congressional District. Hosted at a union hall in Beaver, Pennsylvania, the Congressman heard workers’ stories about being understaffed, overworked, and underpaid in their efforts to try and support some of western Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable residents.

“High-quality care in our nursing homes can only be achieved through safe staffing standards,” said Congressman Deluzio. “We heard plenty of talk calling these essential workers ‘heroes’ during the pandemic, but we need action to improve both the level of care and workplace quality in our nursing homes. I was grateful for the chance to hear directly from nursing home workers and SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania members in Beaver County this weekend and am proud to support their fight for national staffing standards.”

“We’re glad Congressman Deluzio sees the care crisis in our nursing homes as the important issue it is,” said Matthew Yarnell, President of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania. “I always say that the way we treat our caregiving workforce is a direct reflection of how we treat our residents, and a direct reflection of our Commonwealth’s values. I’m glad Congressman Deluzio can see that it’s our union members who are the constant advocates for our most vulnerable Pennsylvanians, who show up to care for their residents every day. More of Congress should listen to them and pass nationwide staffing standards.”

The nursing home industry has been in crisis for decades due to severe understaffing, regulatory neglect, and lack of owner accountability. The COVID pandemic brought it to the brink of collapse, especially in Pennsylvania which ranked 4th in the nation for COVID resident deaths. Understaffing, outdated regulations, and little owner accountability undermined nursing homes’ ability to operate safely. Now, COVID-weary caregivers watch as for-profit business practices continue to make the industry worse for them and their residents.

“It was important for the Congressman to hear directly from us,” said Shelina Clarit, a certified nursing assistant who has worked at Beaver Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center for almost 22 years. “My coworkers and I talk about staffing until we’re blue in the face. Safe staffing is just common sense. With more staff, we’d have more time with residents. We wouldn’t have to rush, and we wouldn’t be burned out having to help cover other shifts. As a CNA, you get attached to the residents, and they are attached to us.”

“It’s heartbreaking,” said Shelly Houk, a certified nursing assistant who’s been at her Beaver nursing home for 24 years. “Back in the day, we used to be able to sit and have a conversation with our residents, curl their hair. Some residents like to just talk about things in their lives, but you don’t have time to talk to them. Some residents don’t have family members, don’t have anything, and you might be all they have. With more staffing, we’d be able to give residents more than just a brush over.”

Across 22 nursing homes, around 700 Pennsylvania nursing home staff members were on strike last September. While each nursing home had a separate contract with its unionized workforce, employees at various worksites coordinated their organizing efforts. This resulted in contracts with higher wages, more staff time for residents, and better health insurance. While the strikes last year were able to achieve stronger contracts, they did not include required national staffing standards. However, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania did institute new rules this year, requiring higher staffing levels and more disclosure when nursing homes are sold. These new staffing ratios will go into effect this July. Now, nursing home workers and SEIU are trying to take this successful state effort to the national level with support from members of Congress like Rep. Deluzio.

President Biden announced in his 2022 State of the Union Address that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) would begin a year-long study on staffing in nursing homes and propose new mandatory staffing standards to ensure residents receive full, quality care and workers are not overburdened with high caseload and inadequate support. At Saturday’s event, Congressman Deluzio announced that he has signed onto a letter written by Reps. Doggett and Schakowsky calling for congressional action on Pres. Biden’s commitment to federal nursing home reforms, including national staffing standards at nursing homes across the country. The letter also pushes CMS to improve staffing data collection and to examine Medicare and Medicaid payments to ensure reimbursement rates are sufficient to meet safe staffing standards.