(File Photo of the Seal of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) According to a release in Harrisburg today from Attorney General Dave Sunday’s office, Sunday is advising Pennsylvanians considering a pet as a gift this holiday season to be aware of deceptive pet-sale practices and predatory financing schemes. Consumers should consider potential risks when shopping for a dog online or at a store, as their pet of choice may not actually exist or may be sourced from a puppy mill, facilities known for poor conditions and chronic health issues.
These situations can leave new dog owners facing unexpected financial burdens, including high-interest debt, veterinary expenses, and even the loss or severe illness of their new pet. “We are offering this advice so no one has to deal with the immediate loss of a pet, or encounter unexpected costs related to financing,” Attorney General Sunday said. “As a pet owner myself, I can’t imagine the heartbreak my family and I would feel if this happened to us. Don’t allow your holiday to be spoiled by misleading promises about a potential pet for your family.”

Indicators of potential scams may include:

• Offering puppies for thousands of dollars with high-interest loans.
• Requesting payment online or through apps before providing the puppy.
• Refusing to share breeder names, credentials or vaccination records.
• Selling puppies that are already ill or underage.

Consumers considering a new dog or cat are encouraged to:

• Explore breed-specific rescue groups if seeking a particular breed.
• If purchasing directly from a breeder, request to meet the mother of the puppy or kitten. The mother should appear healthy, clean and alert.

“Puppy mills keep dogs in poor conditions, so don’t be fooled by adorable photos or vague promises of responsible breeders,” Kristen Tullo, Pennsylvania State Director of the Humane World for Animals, said. “Consider your local shelter or rescue – many pets would love to start the new year in a loving home.”
Consumers seeking more information about safe pet sourcing can contact Humane World for Animals at Puppy buyer complaint form | Humane World for Animals by clicking here.
Anyone who believes they have been the victim of a pet scam or predatory pet financing scheme should file a complaint with the Office of Attorney General at Puppy Lemon Law – PA Office of Attorney General by clicking here.

(File Photo of the Vanport Bridge)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Vanport, PA) PennDOT crews will now be closing one lane on the I-376 Vanport Bridge as they install containment structures so steel workers can make repairs in the spring for about a month or so. According to PennDOT, there will be work in the westbound lanes daily from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m., and one lane eastbound will be closed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The preparation work should be finished next month as long as the weather permits.

(File Photo of the Beaver County Courthouse)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver, PA) Several topics were discussed at the Beaver County Commissioners’ work session this morning at 10 a.m. at the Beaver County Courthouse in Beaver. The main topic that took up most of the meeting was when the Director and Recycling Coordinator of the Beaver County Department of Sustainibility and Waste Management, Becca Naber, mentioned that three landfills missed the deadline of about a month ago when Beaver County “closed their request for proposals for landfills for disposal capacity for all of Beaver County’s residents.” during the department head report of the session. These landfills that did not make the deadline were facilities that were associated with Brunner Disposal, Republic Services, and Waste Management’s (WM) backup facilities. Brunner Disposal and Republic Services did not submit to be part of Beaver County’s disposal plan and WM did not include their backup facilities. WM was required to do that in case there happened to be a closure and the refuse of Beaver County could not be delivered to their facility. Naber also asked the Commissioners if there could be a petitioning process that would be issued to contact all three of these companies and petition to be part of Beaver County’s disposal plan. Naber also noted that the Beaver County Recycling Center will be closed on Christmas Eve of 2025, Wednesday, December 24th, as well as Thursday December 25th and Friday December 26th of 2025, and January 1st, 2026. In other business, one of the things that Beaver County Commissioner Jack Manning mentioned was that the project for the Aviation Sciences building at the Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) is almost complete. However, Manning mentioned that federal funds are still needed for a tower there to complete the project. Manning also expressed that the airport at CCBC is the third busiest airport in the state of Pennsylvania in terms of takeoffs and landings for its activity annually. Beaver County Solicitor Garen Fedeles also noted that the Parking Garage at the Beaver County Courthouse is currently open to the public. Adam Tipko, the new executive director of the Beaver County Humane Society (BCHS), was also introduced at the session by Debbie Glasser, the Board Chair of the BCHS.

(File Photo of Fire Background)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Darlington, PA) A fire occurred at a Beaver County salvage yard this morning and destroyed a garage building and equipment there. According to emergency dispatchers, the fire broke out around 8:03 a.m. at Brickyard Auto Parts in Darlington. Photos sent to WPXI showed heavy smoke coming from the area. 911 confirms that no injuries have been reported at this time. The cause of this fire is unknown at this time. This is the second fire that has happened at Brickyard Auto Parts in under a month as a fire broke out there on November 17th, 2025.

(File Photo of the Allegheny Health Network Logo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) The Allegheny Health Network (AHN) Cancer Institute announced its 2026 Saturday cancer screening schedule today, which is designed to empower patients with accessible, convenient and vital tools for early prevention and detection. Patients can receive several different cancer screening tests for these types of cancer: breast, cervical, colorectal, head and neck, lung, prostate and skin. According to a release in Pittsburgh from Allegheny Health Network today, here is some more information about these screenings:

• Weekly Comprehensive Clinics: Offering one-on-one personalized cancer screenings by appointment Monday through Friday at AHN Cancer Institute – Jefferson, AHN Cancer Institute – Forbes, and AHN Cancer Institute – West Penn.
• Monthly Saturday Cancer Screenings: For those whose weekday commitments make appointments difficult, these popular monthly Saturday events bring screenings to various locations across Western Pennsylvania. Registration for Saturday clinics opens approximately one month before the event date and fills up quickly.
  • January 10th, 2026 – AHN Cancer Institute – West Penn
  • February 7th, 2026 – AHN Cancer Institute – Allegheny Valley
  • March 7th, 2026 – AHN Cancer Institute – Allegheny General
  • April 18th, 2026 – AHN Cancer Institute – Forbes
  • May 16th, 2026 – AHN Cancer Institute – Saint Vincent (Erie)
  • June 13th, 2026 – AHN Cancer Institute – West Penn
  • July 18th, 2026 – AHN Cancer Institute – Jefferson
  • August 15th, 2026 – AHN Cancer Institute – Allegheny General
  • September 12th, 2026 – AHN Wexford Health + Wellness Pavilion
  • October 17th, 2026 – AHN Cancer Institute – Saint Vincent (Erie)
  • November 7th, 2026 – AHN Cancer Institute – Grove City
  • December 5th, 2026 – AHN Cancer Institute – Hempfield

• Registration is now open for the first Saturday clinic of 2026, set for January 10th, 2026, at the AHN Cancer Institute – West Penn, located at 4815 Liberty Avenue, Suite 340, Pittsburgh.
• To schedule an appointment for either the weekday or Saturday cancer screening events, patients in Pittsburgh can call (412) 359-6665.

(File Photo of State Representative Josh Kail)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) According to a release in Harrisburg today from Pennsylvania State Representative Josh Kail (R-Beaver/Washington), Kail announced that he will host two more in-person town halls in the 15th District to discuss issues impacting both the region and Pennsylvania. Kail will have his next town hall on Monday, December 15th, from 5-6 p.m., at the Burgettstown Senior Center in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania. The final town hall that Kail will have this year will be on Thursday, December 18th, from 5-6 p.m., at the Independence Township (Beaver County) Community Center, 116 School Road, Aliquippa. Kail also noted that pizza will be served and attendees should come with concerns, questions, ideas and appetites. Anyone that has questions is asked to contact the Vanport Township district office of Kail by calling 724-728-7655.

(File Photo of a Drawing of a Dollar General Store)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) According to a release in Harrisburg yesterday from Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday’s office, Sunday announced a settlement with Dollar General Corporation and its parent company (Dolgen Corp, LLC) regarding consumers being charged higher prices than what was labeled and advertised on shelves. The Office of Attorney General investigation uncovered numerous occasions when consumers were charged higher prices at registers at Dollar General, which operates more than 900 retail locations throughout Pennsylvania. The investigation also revealed that Dollar General stores failed more than 40 percent of pricing accuracy inspections between 2019 and 2023. The corporation, under the settlement, will pay $1.55 million to the Commonwealth in penalties and costs, and agreed to improve their business practices through employee training and sufficient staffing.

“Our investigation found widespread and repeated instances of Pennsylvanians being overcharged at checkout — blatant deception of customers all over the Commonwealth,” Attorney General Sunday said. “We are hopeful the corporation takes this settlement very seriously as Pennsylvanians expect to pay the price that is on stickers and labels.”

This settlement resolves allegations that Dollar General misrepresented prices and engaged in practices that are prohibited by the Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law. In addition to the settlement funds, the settlement further requires that Dollar General modify its business practices to prevent future violations of the Pennsylvania consumer protection law. As detailed in the settlement agreement, Dollar General will undertake the following steps in its Pennsylvania stores:

• Train employees on ensuring price accuracy as well as their obligation to honor the lowest advertised price, including Dollar General’s obligation to provide price adjustments for overcharges;
• Maintain sufficient staffing to update shelf tags on at least a weekly basis;
• Ensure each store undergoes at least two unannounced pricing audits during each fiscal year;
• Conduct either an enhanced audit or full store assessment of each store that fails three or more price audits during a 12 month period;
• Correct all reported or known price inaccuracies within 24 hours; and
• Post a notice at each register (point of sale) stating that the lowest posted price will be honored and informing customers that they can seek a price override if necessary.

Consumers who see retailers charging higher prices at the register than as advertised are encouraged to file a complaint with the Bureau of Consumer Protection online, over the phone at 717-787-3391, or by emailing scams@attorneygeneral.gov. This settlement was submitted for filing as an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County by Deputy Attorney General Jaimie George.