(Beaver Falls, Pa.) Today is Presidents Day, which is a federal holiday that began as a celebration of President George Washington’s birthday. Over the years it has transitioned into a holiday to include a celebration of all the U.S. presidents.
All federal government offices and most state and county offices are closed today. There is also no mail delivery today and most banks credit unions are also closed.
The US Stock exchange is also closed today.
If you are expecting a package from UPS, FedEx or any other delivery company they are open and running today.
Some school districts have the day off today and if you’re a shopper many retailers are running specials sales for the Presidents Day Holiday.

By R.J. RICO Associated Press
Rents have exploded across the country, causing many to fall behind on payments, dig deep into their savings or downsize to subpar units. According to Realtor.com, median rent rose an astounding 19.3% from December 2020 to December 2021 in the 50 largest metro areas in the U.S. Experts say many factors are responsible, including a nationwide shortage of housing, extremely low rental vacancies and unrelenting demand as young adults continue to enter the crowded market. Rising rents are an increasing driver of high inflation in the U.S. Analysts expect rents to continue to rise this year, but at a slower pace, thanks to increased construction.

Associated Press undefined
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A gemstone, billed as one of the largest gem-quality opals in existence, has been sold for nearly $144,000 at auction in Alaska on Sunday. The auction house, Alaska Premier Auctions & Appraisals, said the opal, dubbed the “Americus Australis,” weighs more than 11,800 carats. It also has a long history. Most recently, it was kept in a linen closet in a home in Big Lake, north of Anchorage, by Fred von Brandt, who mines for gold in Alaska and whose family has deep roots in the gem and rock business. The opal is larger than a brick. Von Brandt said the stone has been in his family since the late 1950s, when his grandfather bought it from an Australian opal dealer.

(File Photo)

(Wilmington Twp., Pa.) Pa State Police in New Castle are reporting that they are investigating a report of theft by deception that occurred at a location on Heather Heights Road in Wilmington Twp Lawrence County on January 19, 2022 between 8 and 10 AM.
Troopers arrested 27-year-old Scott Walter of Timblin, Pa on charges of theft by deception in the incident.
Troopers didn’t supply any information as to exactly what happened only that a gold an silver color Bar that was valued at $8000 was stolen by Timblin. Troopers also said that a 2013 Chevy Silverado was involved in the incident.

(File Photo)

(Industry, Pa.) PennDOT announced over the weekend a portion of Barclay Hill Road between Route 68 and Tuscarawas Road in Industry Borough, will have a single-lane closure until further notice due to a slide.
PennDOT is asking motorist to please use caution when traveling in this area.
Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.

(Shippingport, Pa.) Pa State Police in Beaver released more information about the deadly head-on crash that happened in Shippingport last Wednesday night that claimed the life of 56-year-old Raymond Rock and 21-year-old Nikola Dordevic, both of Midland were both killed in the accident.
State Troopers are reporting that Rock was traveling in his vehicle south on Shippingport Hill Road approaching Kiss Lane when he crossed over the center line and went into the northbound lane while negotiating a right hand curve on the roadway and struck the vehicle that Nikola Dordevic was driving head on. The impact of the head on crash killed both Rock and the younger Dordevic. 51-year-old Slobodan Dordevic was a passenger in the younger Dordevic’s car and was severely injured and was life-flighted to UPMC Presby for further treatment. There is no word on his condition.
Beaver County Deputy Coroner Bill Pasquale said late last week that the cause of death for both men was blunt force trauma.

Pennsylvania high court eyes how to pick House districts map
By MARC LEVY and MARK SCOLFORO Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Justices on Pennsylvania’s state Supreme Court are weighing how to pick a map of new congressional districts. The justices listened to more than a dozen lawyers for five hours Friday each trying to persuade them that their proposed map is best. Meanwhile, justices did not necessarily embrace a Republican-backed map recommended by a lower court judge, but viewed by Democrats as blatantly partisan. Rather, justices seemed to search for a non-partisan and neutral basis on which to select a map. Pennsylvania’s Democratic-majority court must make the final decision on how to draw the state’s congressional districts after Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf and the Republican-controlled Legislature deadlocked.