(File Photo of the Pittsburgh International Airport Logo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) According to the Pittsburgh International Airport, there will be another public dress rehearsal for the new terminal at the Pittsburgh International Airport and the date for it will be announced in the next few weeks. The first public dress rehearsal for the new Pittsburgh International Airport terminal is on Saturday, September 20th. Both public dress rehearsals simulate an actual day at the airport with passenger traffic with roleplay instructions. It is not confirmed yet when the opening date will be for the new terminal at the Pittsburgh International Airport will open, but the fall of 2025 is expected to be when the terminal there is expected to be complete.

(Photo Courtesy of Pittsburgh Public Safety)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) The Jefferson Apartments in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh got hit with a huge fire on Tuesday which caused as many as thirty people to be displaced, and now plans are set to demolish that building. This building is located on Forward Avenue and as of noon yesterday, firefighters from Pittsburgh were still pouring water on the Jefferson Apartments. According to Pittsburgh city officials, if the building owner failed to take “significant action” by the end of the day yesterday, the Pittsburgh Department of Permits, Licenses, and Inspections will initiate a city-led demolition, paid out of the city’s general fund, which could begin as soon as today.

(File Photo of a Police Siren Light)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Raccoon Township, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver report that seventy-four-year-old John Monroe Jr. of Butler, Pennsylvania was charged after causing a single-vehicle crash in Raccoon Township on Monday. Monroe was driving on Frankfort Road going south on State Route 18 in the Smith Road area when he made an exit off of the right side of that road and hit the end of a guide rail. Monroe then went down an embankment in his vehicle into a tree line. According to police, Monroe got transported by emergency medical services for suspected minor injuries and Monroe was charged for “driving on roadways that were laned for traffic.”

(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – President Donald Trump shakes hands with moderator Charlie Kirk, during a Generation Next White House forum at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex in Washington, Thursday, March 22, 2018. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

(AP) Charlie Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was fatally shot at an event at a Utah college.

Kirk was a top podcaster, culture warrior and ally of President Donald Trump. He led an effort to remake the GOP’s get-out-the-vote effort in the 2024 election based on the theory there were thousands of Trump supporters who rarely vote but could be persuaded to vote.

His killing Wednesday is the latest example of political violence in the U.S. spanning a range of political ideologies and affecting both major political parties.

Here’s what to know about Kirk’s shooting:

One gunshot fired from a roof

Kirk was speaking at a debate hosted by Turning Point USA at Utah Valley University when authorities said the shooter fired from a roof.

Videos posted to social media show Kirk speaking into a handheld microphone while sitting under a white tent. A single shot rings out and Kirk reaches up with his right hand as blood gushes from the left side of his neck.

Utah Valley is the state’s largest public university with an enrollment of 47,000. It’s about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of the state capital of Salt Lake City.

The hunt for Kirk’s killer

The shooter targeted one person, said Beau Mason, the commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety.

Gov. Spencer Cox called the killing a “political assassination.”

A person of interest was in custody Wednesday evening, Cox said, though no charges were immediately announced. Officials had no information indicating a second person was involved, the Republican governor said.

Officers were seen looking at a photo on their phones and showing it to people to see if they recognized a person of interest. Authorities said the shooter wore dark clothing.

Two people were detained Wednesday, but neither was determined to be connected to the shooting and both were released, public safety officials said.

The university said the campus was immediately evacuated and remained closed. Classes were canceled until further notice. Those still on campus were asked to stay in place until police officers could safely escort them off.

Kirk’s rise from Trump aide to major conservative influencer

Kirk was 18 years old when he co-founded Turning Point in suburban Chicago in 2012 with William Montgomery, a tea party activist. They aimed to take their ideas for low taxes and limited government to college campuses.

Turning Point enthusiastically backed Trump after he clinched the GOP nomination for president in 2016. Kirk served as a personal aide to the then-candidate’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., during the general election campaign.

The Trump connection helped fuel Turning Point’s rise to prominence. Soon, Kirk was a regular presence on cable TV, where he leaned into the culture wars and heaped praise on the president.

Contributions to the group doubled and then tripled — eventually climbing to $79.2 million in 2022, according to an analysis of publicly available tax filings. The group states that it now has a presence on nearly 4,000 high school and college campuses, operating as a conservative lifestyle brand that promotes hundreds of online influencers.

Kirk was known for provocative statements on race that he used to court Gen Z voters.

“I’m sorry. If I see a Black pilot, I’m going to be like, ‘Boy, I hope he’s qualified,’” Kirk said during a 2024 podcast episode with fellow right-wing activist Jack Posobeic.

Kirk staunchly opposed the enactment of Juneteenth as a federal holiday. He said the move to elevate the date was motivated by “anti-American” sentiment that promoted “a neo-segregationist view” that he claimed sought to supplant Independence Day.

Politicians unite in condemning the attack

Republicans and Democrats alike swiftly condemned the attack.

Trump ordered flags lowered to half-staff and issued a presidential proclamation. The president, who sustained a minor ear injury when he was shot at a campaign event last year, said he and Kirk had a close relationship.

He described Kirk on Truth Social as a “great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!”

Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who last March hosted Kirk on his podcast, posted on X: “The attack on Charlie Kirk is disgusting, vile, and reprehensible.”

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Flags and flowers are placed in the inscribed names at the National September 11 Memorial in New York on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Donald King)

NEW YORK (AP) — Americans are marking 24 years since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks with solemn ceremonies, volunteer work and other tributes honoring the victims.

Many loved ones of the nearly 3,000 people killed will join dignitaries and politicians at commemorations Thursday in New York, at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Others choose to mark the day at more intimate gatherings.

James Lynch, who lost his father, Robert Lynch, during the World Trade Center attack, said he and his family will attend a ceremony near their hometown in New Jersey before spending the day at the beach.

“It’s one of those things where any kind of grief, I don’t think it ever goes away,” Lynch said as he, his partner and his mother joined thousands of volunteers preparing meals for the needy at a 9/11 charity event in Manhattan the day before the anniversary. “Finding the joy in that grief, I think, has been a huge part of my growth with this,” he said.

The remembrances are being held during a time of increased political tensions. The 9/11 anniversary, often promoted as a day of national unity, comes a day after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed while speaking at a college in Utah.

The reading of names and moments of silence

Kirk’s killing is expected to prompt additional security measures around the 9/11 anniversary ceremony at the World Trade Center site in New York, authorities said.

At ground zero in lower Manhattan, the names of the attack victims will be read aloud by family and loved ones in a ceremony attended by Vice President JD Vance and his wife, second lady Usha Vance. Moments of silence will mark the exact times when hijacked planes struck the World Trade Center’s iconic twin towers, as well as when the skyscrapers fell.

At the Pentagon in Virginia, the 184 service members and civilians killed when hijackers steered a jetliner into the headquarters of the U.S. military will be honored. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump will attend the service before heading to the Bronx for a baseball game between the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers Thursday evening.

And in a rural field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, a similar ceremony marked by moments of silence, the reading of names and the laying of wreaths, will honor the victims of Flight 93, the hijacked plane that crashed after crew members and passengers tried to storm the cockpit. That service will be attended by Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins.

Like Lynch, people across the country are also marking the 9/11 anniversary with service projects and charity works as part of a national day of service. Volunteers will be taking part in food and clothing drives, park and neighborhood cleanups, blood banks and other community events.

Reverberations from attacks persist

In all, the attacks by al-Qaida militants killed 2,977 people, including many financial workers at the World Trade Center and firefighters and police officers who had rushed to the burning buildings trying to save lives.

The attacks reverberated globally and altered the course of U.S. policy, both domestically and overseas. It led to the “ Global War on Terrorism ” and the U.S.-led invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq and related conflicts that killed hundreds of thousands of troops and civilians.

While the hijackers died in the attacks, the U.S. government has struggled to conclude its long-running legal case against the man accused of masterminding the plot, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. The former al-Qaida leader was arrested in Pakistan in 2003 and later taken to a U.S. military base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, but has never received a trial.

The anniversary ceremony in New York was taking place at the National Sept. 11 memorial and Museum, where two memorial pools ringed by waterfalls and parapets inscribed with the names of the dead mark the spots where the twin towers once stood.

The Trump administration has been contemplating ways that the federal government might take control of the memorial plaza and its underground museum, which are now run by a public charity currently chaired by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a frequent Trump critic. Trump has spoken of possibly making the site a national monument.

In the years since the attacks, the U.S. government has spent billions of dollars providing health care and compensation to tens of thousands of people who were exposed to the toxic dust that billowed over parts of Manhattan when the twin towers collapsed. More than 140,000 people are still enrolled in monitoring programs intended to identify those with health conditions that could potentially be linked to hazardous materials in the soot.

(File Photo of Road Work Ahead Sign)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) PennDOT District 11 announced that starting tomorrow, weather permitting, the implementation of a new traffic configuration from northbound I-579 to northbound I-279 (Parkway North) in the City of Pittsburgh will begin. The anticipation is that this new traffic configuration will be fully implemented by noon on Sunday, September 14th. According to a release from PennDOT District 11, details about this new traffic configuration and the detours for it can be found below:

Motorists will see the following for this configuration anticipated for Sunday:

• Northbound I-579 traffic will be crossed over into the northbound I-579 HOV lanes on the Veterans Bridge.
• Northbound traffic in the I-579 HOV lanes will continue into the I-279 HOV lanes.
• Northbound traffic can exit at McKnight Road or continue to the terminus of the HOV lanes onto mainline I-279 north of the Perrysville Road exit.
• Two 11-foot lanes will be maintained in this new configuration.

Additional traffic restrictions include:

• Northbound I-579/I-279 HOV traffic will not have access to the Hazlett Street (Exit 3), Evergreen Road (Exit 4) and Perrysville Avenue (Exit 5) off-ramps.
• The northbound I-579 ramp to northbound Route 28 will be closed to traffic.
• Access to the I-279 HOV lanes in the southbound direction will be prohibited.
• Southbound I-279 and southbound I-579 will remain in their current configuration.

Posted Detours

Northbound I-279 HOV lanes to Hazlett Street

• From the northbound I-279 HOV lanes, merge onto mainline I-279
• Take the Bellevue/West View (Exit 7) off-ramp
• Turn left onto Union Avenue
• Turn left onto the ramp to southbound I-279 toward Pittsburgh
• Take the East Street (Exit 4) off-ramp
• Turn left onto East Street
• End detour

Northbound I-279 HOV lanes to Evergreen Road

• From the northbound I-279 HOV lanes, merge onto mainline I-279
• Take the Bellevue/West View (Exit 7) off-ramp
• Turn left onto Union Avenue
• Turn left onto the ramp to southbound I-279 toward Pittsburgh
• Take the East Street (Exit 4) off-ramp
• Turn right onto Evergreen Road
• End detour

Northbound I-279 HOV lanes to Perrysville Avenue

• From the northbound I-279 HOV lanes, merge onto mainline I-279
• Take the Bellevue/West View (Exit 7) off-ramp
• Turn left onto Union Avenue

• Turn left onto the ramp to southbound I-279 toward Pittsburgh
• Take the 19/Perrysville Avenue (Exit 5) off-ramp
• End detour

Northbound I-579 to northbound Route 28

• From the northbound I-279 HOV lanes, merge onto mainline I-279
• Take the Bellevue/West View (Exit 7) off-ramp
• Turn left onto Union Avenue

• Turn left onto the ramp to southbound I-279 toward Pittsburgh
• Take the To 28 North/East Ohio Street (Exit 2B) off-ramp
• Continue straight onto East Street
• Turn left onto East Ohio Street
• Continue straight onto the 28 North/Etna ramp
• End detour

Bedford Avenue HOV Lanes

• The Bedford Avenue HOV gate will open to traffic approximately one hour before the end of any regular season Penguin’s game at PPG Paints Arena.
• To accommodate post-event traffic, the left-hand lane of the I-579 crossover will be restricted with one lane remaining open for mainline I-579 traffic.
• A single-lane of traffic will be maintained on the I-579 HOV lane from Bedford Avenue to the merge point with mainline I-579.
• The Bedford Avenue gate will be closed when post-event traffic has cleared.

Mazersoki Way and Anderson Street HOV Lanes

• The Mazeroski Way and Anderson Street/9^th Street HOV gates will open to traffic approximately one hour before the end of major sporting event at Acrisure Stadium or PNC Park.
• To accommodate traffic, the left-hand lane of the northbound I-279 HOV lanes will be restricted with one lane remaining open for mainline northbound traffic.
• A single-lane of traffic will be maintained on the North Shore HOV lanes prior to the merge point with the I-279 HOV lanes.
• The Mazeroski Way and Anderson Street HOV gates will be closed when post-event traffic has cleared.

More Details on this Work:

• In preparation for the new traffic configuration work will occur in the currently closed HOV lanes.  Crews will conduct sign updates, line eradication and painting, and resetting barrier.
• Crews from Swank Construction will conduct repair work to bridges on I-579. The long-term repair work follows previous inspection activities where the department found significant deterioration on several piers on I-579 and the I-579 HOV lanes. Out of an abundance of caution, traffic was shifted on mainline I-579 and completely removed from the I-579 HOV lanes while analysis was conducted.  The department performed hands-on inspections of 35 piers in this location. The project team has been in constant communication to safely and efficiently develop and implement repairs while minimizing the impacts to motorists. The repair plan makes necessary long-term repairs while maintaining as much traffic flow as possible.

(Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of Grove City College)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Grove City, PA) The GoFundMe page for Grove City College head women’s volleyball coach Leo Sayles, who is battling stage one multiple myeloma has reached a total of over $5,000, surpassing its $5,000 goal. According to a release from Grove City College, a women’s college volleyball game between Grove City College and Carnegie Mellon University was held at Grove City College in Grove City on Tuesday not just for that game, but to raise money for those battling cancer and to raise awareness to fight against cancer. The goal of this GoFundMe from Sayles to raise money to support both Sayles and his effort to donate to the Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute at Grove City Hospital and to raise awareness about blood cancer is now $7,000. You can donate on that GoFundMe page at the link below:

Click here to donate, Fundraiser by Leo Sayles : Help Leo Sayles and AHN Grove City Cancer Institute

(Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of AAA East Central)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) AAA is currently letting college students and their parents know that they need to review both their coverage for insurance and policies for insurance before they move to their respective college campuses. According to a release from AAA East Central, some tips that AAA provides regarding both homeowners and renters insurance for college students and their families and things to keep in mind for college students as they go to their respective campuses can be found below:

Homeowners’ and Renters’ Insurance Tips

• If living in a dorm, some personal possessions may be covered under parents’ insurance policies. Expensive items such as computers and other electronics may be subject to coverage limits under a standard homeowner’s policy, and some states require a special student endorsement.
• If living off-campus, purchase renters’ insurance. Renters’ insurance is necessary to protect belongings and can offer protection from liability in the event that someone is accidently injured on the property.
• Leave valuables at home. While some valuable items, such as laptops, may be needed on campus, items such as expensive jewelry may be best left at home.
• Create a “dorm inventory.” Keep a detailed inventory of all items moved to the dorm and include photos and receipts. If it’s necessary to file a claim, an up-to-date inventory will help make the process easier.
• Safeguard items from theft. Always lock dorm-room doors and never leave belongings unattended on campus. According to the Insurance Information Institute, the library, dining hall and other public places are common areas where property theft occurs on campus.

More to Consider Before the Move to Campus

• Every two seconds, someone is a victim of identity theft. While away from home, students often live in dorms or other shared spaces, and they may be connecting to unsecured Wi-Fi networks. This can make it easier for their identity to be stolen. Parents should encourage their students to secure personal documents, use strong passwords for all electronics and keep social media profiles private. AAA members can help protect family members’ identities by enrolling in ProtectMyID. More information can be found at AAA.com/IDTheft.

• Plan ahead for moving essentials like boxes, pads and transportation. In some cases, moving to campus may be as simple as packing up the family car and heading to campus. But if moving many boxes or items like furniture, it may be necessary to rent a truck. AAA members can take advantage of discounts on truck rentals and moving supplies through exclusive truck-rental partner Penske. For more information, go to AAA.com/Penske

 

Harrisburg, PA – Today, in accordance with the United States Flag Code and the President’s proclamation, Governor Josh Shapiro ordered United States and Commonwealth flags on all Commonwealth facilities, public buildings, and grounds across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to fly at half-staff as a mark of respect for the memory of Charlie Kirk. The flags shall remain lowered until sunset on Sunday, September 14, 2025. All Pennsylvanians are invited to participate in this tribute.

FILE – Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk speaks at a Turning Point event prior to Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, speaking, Sept. 4, 2024, in Mesa, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)

OREM, Utah (AP) — Charlie Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, has died after being shot Wednesday at a college event, President Donald Trump says. Videos posted to social media from Utah Valley University show Kirk speaking into a handheld microphone while sitting under a white tent. A single shot rings out and Kirk can be seen reaching up with his right hand as a large volume of blood gushes from the left side of his neck. A person who was taken into custody was not the shooting suspect, according to a person familiar with the investigation who was not authorized to speak publicly.

The Latest: Conservative activist Charlie Kirk has been shot at an event in Utah

Charlie Kirk, a conservative youth activist and CEO of Turning Point USA, has been shot during an event at a college in Utah. Videos posted to social media show Kirk speaking into a handheld microphone while sitting under a white tent emblazoned with the slogans, “The American Comeback” and “Prove Me Wrong.” A single shot rings out and Kirk reaches for his neck. A large volume of blood gushes from the left side of his neck. Stunned spectators gasp and scream. Some run away.

Turning Point founder has been a key figure in building support for Republicans among young people

Charlie Kirk is a prominent conservative activist who embodies the pugnacious and populist approach to politics under Donald Trump’s Republican party. He was shot at an appearance at a Utah college Wednesday. In 2012, Kirk launched Turning Point USA to reach out to young conservatives. That organization and its affiliates are now near the center of the conservative universe. They helped turn out voters to get Trump elected in 2024, trying to focus on those who felt shut out of politics and rarely cast a ballot. Kirk regularly uses apocalyptic rhetoric to paint Democrats as evil and the country on the verge of disaster. He has also continued to visit college campuses like Utah Valley University where he was shot Wednesday.

South Korean plane in Atlanta for workers detained in immigration raid; departure timeline uncertain

FOLKSTON, Ga. (AP) — A South Korean charter plane arrived in Atlanta to take home Korean workers detained in an immigration raid in Georgia last week. But even after a high-level meeting between U.S. and South Korean officials Wednesday morning, there was no immediate word on when the workers would be able to leave and the flight planned for Wednesday was canceled. A total of 475 workers, more than 300 of them South Koreans, were rounded up in the Sept. 4 raid at the battery factory under construction at Hyundai’s sprawling auto plant west of Savannah. South Korea’s government later said it reached an agreement with the U.S. for the release of the workers.

3 fired FBI officials sue Patel, saying he bowed to Trump administration’s ‘campaign of retribution’

WASHINGTON (AP) — Three fired FBI officials have sued to get their jobs back, calling their terminations part of a “campaign of retribution” carried out by a director who caved to political pressure from the Trump administration. The complaint asserts Director Kash Patel indicated to one of the ousted agents he knew the firings were “likely illegal” but he was powerless to stop them because the White House and the Justice Department were determined to remove all agents who worked on investigations into President Donald Trump. The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in federal court in Washington. Spokespeople for the FBI have declined to comment.

Over 40% of arrests in Trump’s DC law enforcement surge relate to immigration, AP analysis finds

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has portrayed his federal law enforcement surge in Washington as a crime-fighting effort. However, data analyzed by The Associated Press shows that over 40% of the arrests during the operation were immigration-related. This highlights the administration’s continued focus on its hardline immigration agenda. The operation led to more than 2,300 arrests, including homicide suspects and gang members. More than 940 were immigration-related. The prominence of immigration arrests has fueled criticism that the true purpose was to expand deportations. Critics argue the effort appears more like a model for federal intervention in cities led by Democratic mayors. The administration argues deportations are inseparable from crime reduction.

NATO scrambles jets to shoot down Russian drones in Poland, raising fears of war spillover

WOHYN, Poland (AP) — Multiple Russian drones crossed into Poland in what European officials described as a deliberate provocation, causing NATO to send fighter jets to shoot them down. A NATO spokesman said it was the first time the alliance confronted a potential threat in its airspace. The incursion happened late Tuesday and into the early hours of Wednesday during a wave of strikes by the Kremlin on Ukraine. The NATO response swiftly raised fears that the war could spill over — a fear that has been growing in Europe as Russia steps up its attacks and peace efforts go nowhere.

Israeli airstrikes on Yemen kill at least 35, Houthi officials say

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Yemen’s Houthi rebels say Israeli airstrikes targeting the rebels in Yeman have killed at least 35 people and wounded over 130 others. Most of those killed in the strikes Wednesday were in Sanaa, the capital, where a military headquarters and a fuel station were among the sites hit, the health ministry said. Israel’s military carried out the strikes just days after Houthi rebels launched a drone attack that struck an Israeli airport. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, meanwhile, plans to seek sanctions and a partial trade suspension against Israel over the war in the Gaza Strip. The move adds to Israel’s already unprecedented global isolation as it grapples with the fallout from its strike targeting Hamas leaders in U.S.-allied Qatar on Tuesday.

Previous charges, delayed mental health evaluation were missed opportunities in Charlotte stabbing

After Decarlos Brown Jr. was arrested for the fatal stabbing of a Ukrainian refugee aboard a North Carolina commuter train, he was quickly sent to a state mental hospital for an evaluation. That’s a sharp contrast from a January arrest, where it took more than six months for a court to order a mental evaluation after Brown told officers that he had been given a human-made substance that controlled him. The January arrest was just one of the missed opportunities in Brown’s criminal history, according to experts. He had cycled through the criminal justice system for more than a decade. He now faces federal and state charges in the Aug. 22 killing of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska,

Trump administration appeals ruling blocking him from firing Federal Reserve Gov. Cook

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s administration is appealing a ruling blocking him from immediately firing Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook as he seeks more control over the traditionally independent board. The notice of appeal was filed Wednesday, hours after U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb handed down the ruling. The White House insists the Republican president had the right to fire Cook over mortgage fraud allegations involving properties in Michigan and Georgia from before she joined the Fed. Cook’s lawsuit denies the allegations and says the firing was unlawful. The case could soon reach the Supreme Court, which has allowed Trump to fire members of other independent agencies but suggested that power has limitations at the Fed.