(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – A sign outside the Internal Revenue Service building in Washington, on May 4, 2021. Effective immediately, the Internal Revenue Service will end its decades-old policy of making unannounced home and business visits — in a nod to worker safety and combatting scammers who pose as IRS agents. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Washington, D.C.) According to a release in Washington, D.C. today from the IRS, the IRS announced today that the optional standard mileage rate for business use of automobiles will increase by 2.5 cents in 2026, while the mileage rate for vehicles used for medical purposes will decrease by half a cent, reflecting updated cost data and annual inflation adjustments and beginning January 1st, 2026, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car, van, pickup or panel truck will be:

• 72.5 cents per mile driven for business use, up 2.5 cents from 2025.
• 20.5 cents per mile driven for medical purposes, down a half cent from 2025.
• 20.5 cents per mile driven for moving purposes for certain active-duty members of the Armed Forces (and now certain members of the intelligence community), reduced by a half cent from last year.
• 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations, equal to the rate in 2025.

The rates will apply to fully-electric and hybrid automobiles, as well as gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles. Optional standard mileage rates are used for the calculation of the deductible costs of operating vehicles for business, charitable, and medical purposes.

(Photo Courtesy of KDKA Photojournalist Brian Smithmyer)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Detectives from the Fire Investigation Unit are currently holding an investigation into what caused a fire in a house in the Marshall-Shadeland neighborhood of Pittsburgh this morning which displaced ten people. The fire broke out along Woods Run Avenue around 1 a.m. and firefighters were able to get it under control around 45 minutes later. According to Pittsburgh Public Safety officials, when firefighters arrived at the home, they were able to rescue three children and a young adult from a second-floor window and a fire lieutenant was taken to the hospital to be evaluated for a shoulder injury. A 17-year-old boy with autism was initially unaccounted for, but around 3:30 a.m., police officers located the boy several blocks away along Lecky Avenue. The boy was deemed to be okay after he was evaluated by medics. Two cats were also rescued from the home, but a third cat died in the fire and a fourth cat is believed to have ran away. The American Red Cross is now working to help the people that were displaced from the home. Pittsburgh Public Safety confirms that the family were put in temporary accommodations at the hotel.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – Vehicles move past signs that indicate payment methods for driving on the Pennsylvania Turnpike at the entrance ramp in Gibsonia, Pa. in this file photo from Aug. 30, 2021. Gov. Tom Wolf gave final approval on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022, to legislation aimed at getting owners or operators of some 25,000 vehicles to pay their overdue bills for turnpike usage, The law that could trigger the suspension of thousands of vehicle registrations early next year. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Middletown, PA) The price of tolls on the Pennsylvania Turnpike will go up by an increase of 4% starting this weekend. According to Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission officials, a 4% increase goes into effect on January 4th, 2026, which is the lowest rate increase since 2014. Officials are also estimating that the most-common toll for a passenger vehicle will increase from $1.86 to $1.94 for E-ZPass customers and from $3.72 to $3.88 for Toll By Plate customers. 

(Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of Getty)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Heyburn, ID) A company based in Heyburn, Idaho is recalling ground beef in Pennsylvania and five other states over concerns that it may be contaminated with E. coli. This recall was announced on Saturday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and it affects 2,855 pounds of ground beef sold by Mountain West Food Group to distributors in Pennsylvania, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana and Washington. The recalled product is a 16-oz.vacuum-sealed package of grass-fed ground beef and it has a label that says “Forward Farms”, a use or freeze by date of January 13th, 2026 and “EST 2083” printed on the side of the packaging, according to the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). FSIS confirmed it discovered the issue during routine testing, when sampling results revealed the presence of E. coli O26, which is a strain of the bacterium that can cause diarrhea and vomiting, and, in more severe cases, a severe infection. FSIS also stated that no illnesses have been reported thus far and anyone who is concerned about a potential illness should contact their health care provider and consumers who have bought the recalled ground beef are advised to either throw it away or return it to the place where they purchased it.

(Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) According to a release in Harrisburg today from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC), the PUC announced today the scheduling of two additional in-person hearings on January 29th, 2026 to gather public input on proposed rate increases by Pennsylvania American Water Company (PAWC) for both its water and wastewater service. The PUC voted 5-0 on December 4th, 2025 to suspend and investigate the proposed changes. These two additional in-person hearings will be at the New Garden Township Municipal Building in Landenberg, Pennsylvania with the first beginning at 1 p.m. and the other beginning at 6 p.m. PAWC serves approximately 682,000 water customers and 97,000 wastewater customers in 37 counties across Pennsylvania.

Here is some more information on the other hearings and these proposed changes from PAWC, according to a release in Harrisburg on December 22nd, 2025 from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission:

In-Person Public Input Hearings

A total of eight in-person public input hearings will be held at the following locations and times:
(Note: Preregistration in not required for the in-person hearings)

 

• Tuesday, January 13th, 2026 (Washington County)

Crossroads Center
Meeting Room G-16
95 West Beau Street
Washington, PA 15301
Hearing #1 will begin at 1 p.m.
Hearing #2 will begin at 6 p.m.

 

• Thursday, January 15th, 2026 (Lackawanna County)

Scranton University
Brennan Hall, Fifth Floor
320 Madison Avenue
Scranton, PA  18510
Hearing #1 will begin at 1 p.m.
Hearing #2 will begin at 6 p.m.

 

• Friday, January 16th, 2026 (Dauphin County)

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Keystone Building
Hearing Room #1
400 North Street
Harrisburg, PA 17120
Hearing #1 will begin at 1 p.m.
Hearing #2 will begin at 6 p.m.

 

• Tuesday, January 20th, 2026 (Berks County)

Dunn Community Center – Upper Level
4565 Prestwick Drive
Reading, PA 19606
Hearing #1 will begin at 1 p.m.
Hearing #2 will begin at 6 p.m.

Telephonic Public Input Hearings

 

Two telephonic hearings will be held on Wednesday, January 21st, 2026, at the following times:
(Note: Preregistration is encouraged for the telephonic hearings)

 

• Wednesday, January 21, 2026Telephonic hearing #1 will begin at 1 p.m.
  Telephonic hearing #2 will begin at 6 p.m.

Participating in the Telephonic Input Hearings

 

The call-in information for the two telephonic hearings is as follows:

Toll-free Conference Number: 866-675-4281

PIN Number:                              85057514

To participate in a telephonic public input hearing, please complete the following:

• You must dial the toll-free Conference number above.
• You must enter the PIN number above when instructed.
• You must speak your name when prompted, and press #.
• Then, the telephone system will connect you to the hearing.

 

• NOTE: Individuals wishing to testify at a telephonic public input hearing are encouraged to pre-register by 4 p.m. on January 19th, 2026. Failure to pre-register could result in you not being called to testify by the PUC Judges.
• To pre-register, please email the PUC Judges’ Legal Assistant, Sumathi Jayakumar Raj, at sumjayakum@pa.gov or call the Judges’ office phone at 717-787-4972 and provide the following information:
• Your first and last name.
• The hearing for which you are registering.
• The phone number you will be using to call into the public input hearing.
• A phone number where you can be reached prior to the hearing, if needed.
• Your email address, if you have one.

Assistance with Registration

 

If you need assistance pre-registering to testify, you may have someone register for you, but they will need to provide the PUC Judges with all the information listed above. Additionally, if more than one person in your household would like to testify, one person may pre-register for other individuals in the same household by providing the PUC Judges’ Legal Assistant with the information for each individual planning to testify.

Requests for Interpreters

 

If you require an interpreter, please pre-register as soon as possible.  If you register too close to the hearing date, we may not have enough time to arrange for an interpreter.  If you request an interpreter, we will make every reasonable effort to have one present.

The TTY-based Telecommunications Relay Service number for persons who are deaf or hearing-impaired is 1-800-654-5988.

Hearing Exhibits

 

If you have any hearing exhibits to which you will refer during the hearing, please email them to the Legal Assistant at Sumjayakum@pa.gov. The PUC Judges will forward your exhibits to the active parties.

 

• Exhibits for any in-person public input hearing must be received by the Legal Assistant by Friday, January 9th, 2026.
• Exhibits for the telephonic public input hearings must be received by the Legal  Assistant by Monday, January 19th, 2026.

 

Offering Testimony at a Public Input Hearing

 

The PUC offers tips on how to participate in a public input hearing, including:

• Prepare what you are going to say beforehand. Even though it is not required, you may want to write out your statement, which can be read.
• Any formal testimony that is offered during the hearing will become part of the record on which the PUC will issue its final decision.
• Understand that parties in the case may want to ask you a question to clarify something you said.

Questions

 

Individuals needing assistance with pre-registration, or having questions about the public input hearing or the company’s application, may contact the Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate toll free at 1-800-684-6560 or by email at consumer@paoca.org.  Small businesses can contact the Office of Small Business Advocate at 717-783-2525 or osba@pa.gov.

Other Ways to be Heard

 

If you want to be heard about the proposed rate increase but do not want or cannot testify at the public input hearings, you may file a formal complaint or comment on the proposed rate increase. Please visit the PUC’s website to use the applicable form available.

Proposed Rate Changes

 

PAWC’s proposes an overall increase of $168.7 million (approximately 14.6%) in total annual operating revenues for water and wastewater service.  As proposed, PAWC customers would have seen the following rate changes:

 

• For a typical residential water customer using 3,263 gallons a month, an increase ranging from $2.73 per month to $27.77 per month, an increase between 9.8% and 41.14%, depending on their service area.

 

• For a typical wastewater customer using 3,164 gallons a month, an increase ranging from $0 per month to $26.29 per month, an increase between 0% and 54.14%, depending on their service area.

 

• For customers with combined stormwater and wastewater systems, an increase of approximately $20 per month.

 

A final PUC decision on PAWC’s rate increase requests is due by August 13th, 2026.

(File Photo of a Fireworks Burst)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver County, PA) As 2025 is ready to come to an end, some local events like light shows are going on in Beaver County and beyond to celebrate the end of that year. According to the Beaver County Times, here is a list of these events for you and your family as the new year of 2026 approaches:

Events

• Pinball PA video arcade and museum, 2284 Brodhead Road, Suite 10B, Hopewell Township, 412-423-8532, is hosting a New Year’s Eve party from 2 p.m. December 31st, 2025 until 2 a.m. January 1st, 2026. Admission tickets are available online by clicking here for individuals or a group of up to four players and offers free play on all pinball and video games, with random giveaways throughout the evening and snacks and soft drinks are provided. The ticket also includes a raffle ticket for a special prize, awarded at midnight, for a one-year admission with unlimited visits to Pinball PA. Celebrate the new year surrounded by the lights, sounds and joy of your favorite arcade games.
• Three Rivers Karting Entertainment Park, 541 Avenue B, Suite 10, Leetsdale. 412- 527-8464. Open from 12-6 p.m. on December 31st, 2025 and normal hours on and after January 1st, 2026. It offers its Winter Wonderland go-kart track through January 5th, 2026 with over 50 decorated trees, where guests age 10 and over can race through the twinkling lights of the darkened track. Racers can also take part in the Rudolph Race-Off Sweepstakes, where racers who make a set lap time on the track are entered into a raffle to win a handful of prizes. For the younger guests, there is also a “Find The Hidden Golden Ticket” in the upstairs arcade to win a free prize.
• Tickets are sold out for the Neighborhood North Museum of Play’s New Year’s at Noon celebration in Beaver Falls on December 31st, 2025. However, there is a waiting list available by clicking here for those who are interested in attending if a guest cancels their visit. The museum also plans a “Snow Much Fun” event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on January 24th, 2026, and registrations are open now for that event.by clicking here.
• Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, 10 Children’s Way, Allegheny Square, Pittsburgh. 412-322-5058. “Countdown to Noon,” a faimly-freindly countdown to end 2025, takes place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. December 31st, 2025 at the museum. Activities include music from Lee Robinson and ISKA as the clock ticks down to noon and a balloon drop at noon in the garage; share your hopes for the new year live on the radio with SLB Radio Productions; make confetti and confetti art in the art studio; make a party hat and other party accessories in MAKESHOP and explore ice mold making in Waterplay. Activities are included with museum admission; tickets can be purchased online in advance or in person at the museum that day. The Children’s Museum is closed on January 1st, 2026 and the MuseumLab is closed on December 31st, 2025 and January 1st, 2026.
• First Night Pittsburgh takes place from 6 p.m. to midnight on December 31st, 2025 throughout the city’s Cultural District. A variety of family-friendly activities are included in the schedule of events, including the Citizens Activity Zone from 7-10 p.m. at Highmark Fifth Avenue Place; Dollar Bank children’s fireworks and a New Year’s Eve countdown for kids at 8 p.m. at the Highmark stage; live ice sculpting from 8-11 p.m. at Seventh and Penn parklet; Pittsburgh Cultural Trust children’s book giveaway from 7-10 p.m. at the Benedum lot and a family dance party from 7:15 to 7:59 p.m. at the Highmark Stage.

New Year’s Eve Light Shows

• Parade of Lights, New Castle. Open from 5-11:30 p.m. nightly through January 1st, 2026 at Pearson Park, 179 Pearson Park Drive. Use the Mercer Road entrance to the park.
• Christmas Light Up Celebration, Findlay Township. Open from 5-10 p.m. nightly through January 3rd, 2026 at Clinton Park, 600 Clinton Park Drive. For GPS directions, use Findlay Township or Imperial for the city. A $10 admission fee is charged per car, cash only. Proceeds go to community charitable organizations.
• Moon Holiday Lights, Moon Township. This drive-through light display is open from 5-10 p.m. nightly through January 7th, 2026 at Moon Park, 1350 Joe DeNardo Way.
• Oglebay Festival of Lights, 465 Lodge Drive, Wheeling, West Virginia. Open nightly, dusk to dawn through January 4th, 2026. This 6-mile, drive-through light show features over 100 displays and places to shop, eat and have fun along the way.
• Overly’s Country Christmas, 116 Blue Ribbon Lane, Greensburg. Open from 5:30-9 p.m. on select days through December 30th, 2025; visit its website by clicking here for more details. A walk-through Christmas village display with lights, a model train display, Santa’s workshop, a talking Christmas tree, a Country Kitchen and more.
• Kennywood Holiday Lights, West Mifflin. A walk-through lights display open through January 4th, 2026, hours are either 3-9 p.m. or 5-9 p.m., depending on the date. New this year are the Gingerbread Express, a train ride through a gingerbread village; a meet and greet with Santa Claus in Gingerbread Junction and new shows and entertainment. More information and ticket sales are available online at Kennywood Holiday Lights by clicking here.
• Wild Illuminations: A Holiday Lantern Experience at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, 7370 Baker St., Pittsburgh. Open for walk-through only this year, on select nights through January 11th, 2026. This year’s show features silk and steel lanterns paired with light displays. Guests who need a wheelchair or an electric scooter should reserve one in advance. Show times, prices and ticket reservations are available online by clicking here.