Author: Beaver County Radio

State Police issue report on I-376 chain reaction crash of 4 women

Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio. Published March 5, 2024 12:17 A.M.

(Center Township, Pa) State Police in Beaver have released details on a chain reaction crash that took place on I-376 in Center Township in February. 4 women were operating 4 vehicles travelling on I-376 West near mile marker 41 when the second vehicle rear ended the first. As the third vehicle continued operating, the fourth vehicle went on to rear end vehicle 3. Two of the vehicles were able to driven from the scene while two had to be towed. No injuries were reported. Two of the women were issued citations for travelling too closely.

Skip Haswell passes away at age 79

Photo of Skip Haswell obtained from ellwoodcity.org

(Nokomis, Florida) Lloyd “Skip” Haswell has passed away at the age of 79 in Nokomis, Florida. He graduated from Lincoln High School in Ellwood City in 1964 and went on to join the Marines and serve in Vietnam. Many knew Skip for his service with the Beaver Falls Police Department in which he was the chief for many years and his work with Medic Rescue and the Beaver County Coroner’s Office. After retiring, he had since moved to Florida. A full obituary for Skip Haswell has been posted at ellwoodcity.org: https://ellwoodcity.org/2024/03/05/lloyd-e-skip-haswell-jr-79/

Social Media outages across the world Tuesday morning

Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio. Published March 5, 2024 11:43 A.M.

A global social media outage has caught the attention of the world this morning. Meta owned Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram all went down abruptly approximately an hour ago. Users were logged out of their accounts and are unable to log back in. Intermittent issues have also been reported for Youtube and Discord. Andy Stone, Meta’s head communications, told the Associated Press the company is working on the issue. Service began to be restored to the platforms shortly before noon.

Production at Tesla’s plant in Germany is halted after a power outage. Officials suspect arson

BERLIN (AP) — Production at Tesla’s electric vehicle plant in Germany came to a standstill and workers were evacuated after a power outage that officials suspect was caused by arson. The interior ministry in the state of Brandenburg says unidentified people are suspected of deliberately setting fire to a high-voltage transmission line on a power pylon. Police say they are examining a “letter of confession” by a leftist group in connection with the outage. Environmental activists have been protesting in a nearby forest against plans by Tesla to expand. Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Germany’s interior minister condemned the incident.

AAA: Gas Prices Rising in Pennsylvania

Motorists saw gas prices increase over the final week of February. The national average for a gallon of gas is $3.35, nine cents higher than it was one week ago. Historically, March and April bring higher gas prices as travelers start heading out of town for Spring Break and demand increases. Today’s national average is 24 cents more than a month ago but four cents less than a year ago.
The current average price for a gallon of gas in Beaver County is $3.66

Train crews working on cleanup and track repair after collision and derailment in Pennsylvania

This photo provided by Nancy Run Fire Company shows a train derailment along a riverbank in Saucon Township, Pa., on Saturday, March 2, 2024. Authorities said it was unclear how many cars were involved but no injuries or hazardous materials were reported. (Nancy Run Fire Company via AP)

BETHLEHEM, Pa. (AP) — Norfolk Southern crews and contractors are working on cleanup and track repair after a collision and derailment in eastern Pennsylvania over the weekend. The derailment involved three trains that left some railroad cars scattered along a riverbank and at least one partially in the river. Officials in Northampton County say the derailment happened at 7:15 a.m. Saturday in Lower Saucon Township along the Lehigh River. It caused no reported injuries. The National Transportation Safety Board says one train hit a stopped train and a third hit wreckage from that crash. Norfolk Southern says cars from two of the trains derailed. The safety board is still gathering information at the scene.

Pennsylvania court rules electronic voting data is not subject to release under public records law

FILE – A polling judge, right, helps guide a voter’s ballot into a voting machine during the Pennsylvania primary election, at Mont Alto United Methodist Church in Alto, Pa., on May 17, 2022. Voter-by-voter electronic election records are not subject to public scrutiny, a Pennsylvania court ruled Monday, March 4, 2024, in a case that began with a request for those records by an election researcher whose work has fueled right-wing attacks on voting procedures. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania state court says spreadsheets of raw data associated with every ballot cast in an election aren’t subject to public scrutiny. The Commonwealth Court ruled Monday on “cast vote records,” which were requested by an election researcher whose work has fueled right-wing attacks on voting procedures. The 5-2 ruling sides with Secretary of State Al Schmidt, whose office argued against access to these electronic records from Lycoming County for the 2020 General Election. The court majority says the cast vote records are the “electronic, modern-day equivalent” of all the votes in a traditional ballot box. State law says the contents of ballot boxes are not public records.

Ann (Manolovich) Smith (1947-2024)

Ann (Manolovich) Smith, 76, of McCandless Township, passed away on March 3, 2024 at Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh. She was born in Sewickley on October, 23, 1947, a daughter of the late Morris “Ace” & June Manolovich. Ann was preceded in death by her parents, Rade “Ace” & June Manolovich and her beloved grandparents, “Bubba” and “Jedo” Rade and Jubica Manolovich.

She is survived by her beloved husband of 52 years, Walter R. Smith; her daughter Annie & D.R. Cupka; two sons, Walter Smith and Matthew & Kacey Smith; two grandchildren, Aden and Samantha Cupka; two sisters, Nancy and Mary, and her brother Rade & Karen Manolovich, and her nephews and cousins.

Ann was a librarian all of her life from the time she graduated high school. Her first and most favored job was at BF Jones Memorial Library, and she also worked at North Allegheny High School and Robert Morris College as a librarian. She enjoyed reading a great deal and read her Bible every day.

Friends will be received on Friday, March 8th, 2024 from 2-4 p.m. & 6-8 p.m. in the Huntsman Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Aliquippa, 2345 Mill Street. A Funeral service will be held on Saturday, March 9, 2024 at 10am in House of Prayer Lutheran Church, 2100 W Irwin Street, Aliquippa.

Interment will follow in Woodlawn Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to B.F. Jones Memorial Library 633 Franklin Avenue, Aliquippa, PA 15001.

Adele Marie Crognale (1940-2024)

Adele Marie Crognale, 83, a longtime resident of Beaver Falls, passed away on Saturday, March 2, 2024 at Celebration Villa in Chippewa surrounded by loved ones. Adele was born on September 8, 1940, in Isabella PA, the daughter of Richard Coughenour and Laura Coughenour Stevenson. She was preceded in death by her husband Alfred Crognale and son Fred Crognale. She was the youngest of four sisters, Pat Beeles, Laura Robison, and Shirley Triance, who have all preceded Adele in death. She is survived by her daughter, Lori Martin (Robert), daughter-in-law, Aleene Crognale, granddaughters Megan Crognale (Aron Alber), Jennifer Sproull (Scott) and grandson David Alfred Sproull.

It is because of her maiden name that many who were close to her called her “Cokie,” even her husband.  She was known to her many nieces and nephews as “Aunt Cokie.”  Adele was beloved as a kind, caring woman who was always concerned about others and would help however she could.

At the age of 19, she married Alfred, and they soon moved to White Township in Beaver Falls, where they lived until Alfred’s passing in 2022.  For many years, Adele ran a beauty shop in the basement where regular clients would come to have their hair done, have a cup of coffee, and catch up on the latest goings on in and around Beaver Falls.  This allowed her to be at home while Fred and Lori were growing up. Later, her kindness would lead her to become a caregiver for mentally challenged adults, an occupation she held until retirement.

Adele was also known as a wonderful cook.  Her specialty was homemade spaghetti.  She would labor long and hard over the homemade pasta and the sauce.  This was a treat for many special occasions.  She also baked world class pies.  Two rules in the Crognale home were, one, that meals had to be homemade, and two, no leftovers.  She was also a legendary storyteller, and laughter was part of any dinner with Adele.  Her sense of humor was among her most endearing qualities.

Her family is very grateful to the staff of Celebration Villa Chippewa and Gateway Hospice for their loving care.

Friends will be received on Thursday, March 7 from 4pm-8pm at Gabauer-Lutton Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc., 117 Blackhawk Road Beaver Falls, PA. Funeral services will be held on Friday, March 8 at 11am at Pathway Church at 239 Braun Road, Beaver Falls, PA.

 

Curtis Y. Frank (1944-2024)

Curtis Y. Frank of Meadville, PA, formerly of Beaver, passed away on March 2, 2024. He was born May 30, 1944 in Canton, OH, to Rev. Howard F. and Edith (Wilt) Yeager; adopted by Rev. Dr. James N. Frank in 1953. He was preceded in death by his parents, a dear grandmother Elsie Wilt and other grandparents, aunts, and uncles.

He is survived by his wife and soulmate of 59 years, Sally; beloved children – James Dale (Christina) Frank and Susan Jane (Kevin) Dellicker; grandsons Willard, Jacob, and Elijah; and a special nephew Matthew Clarke; two sisters – Barbara (Louis) Frischkorn and Kathleen Bacik; and a dear brother & sister-in-law – James & Rosemary Clarke; surrogate daughter Gesine (Thomas) Kutter, dear friends and cousins in Germany; and many nieces and nephews.

Curt was valedictorian and president of New Brighton Pennsylvania High School class of 1962. He earned degrees in chemistry from Wittenberg University and Bowling Green State University, both in Ohio. He married Sally Jane Clarke of Beaver in Holy Trinity Lutheran Church of Beaver in 1965. He taught Chemistry for 43 years in Beaver Area HS, Community College of Beaver County, Geneva College and Thiel College, all in western Pennsylvania. He also coached football and track at Beaver Area High School. Curt was active in professional education associations, worked for Beaver Borough, and served on the Beaver Area School Board.

He was a long-time active member of Trinity Lutheran Church, New Brighton and Trinity Lutheran Church, Meadville. He served on congregation council, taught adult Sunday School, and sang in the chancel choir in both parishes.

Curt loved to read, teach, garden, watch sports, and do crosswords and sudoku.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to ROBERT W. WAID FUNERAL HOME, INC. 581 Chestnut Street, Meadville.

Friends will be received at Trinity Lutheran Church of Meadville on Friday, March 8 from 4:00-6:00pm and Saturday from 10:00-11:00 am. Funeral services will be Saturday, March 9 at 11:00 am. A receiving line will be held at Noll Funeral Home Inc., 333 Third Street, Beaver PA 15009 on Sunday, March 10 from 3:00-6:00 pm. Interment will be at Beaver Cemetery and Mausoleum of Beaver in a private family ceremony on Monday, March 11. In lieu of flowers, Curt asks that donations be made to either the Beaver Area Education Foundation: 1500 5th Street Extension, Beaver, PA 15009; to Camp Lutherlyn; PO Box 355, Prospect, PA 16052; Trinity Lutheran Church: 649 Park Ave, Meadville, PA 16335; or The Wesbury Foundation: 31 North Park Ave, Meadville, PA 16335.