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

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) is joining state and national partners in recognizing April as Safe Digging Month as spring construction and outdoor projects increase across Pennsylvania. The PUC is reminding contractors, homeowners and utility operators to follow essential safety steps before any excavation work begins. According to a release in Harrisburg yesterday, here is some more information about Safe Digging Month along with tips the PUC recommends that are related to it:

What’s at Stake – Growing Activity Brings Greater Responsibility

Each year, the PUC’s Damage Prevention Committee (DPC) reviews hundreds of cases involving damage to underground utilities – incidents that can disrupt essential services, create safety hazards, and result in significant costs.

 

Recent trends in Pennsylvania highlight ongoing challenges across the system, including:

·         Facility owners responding late – or not at all – to locate requests;

·         Failure to properly identify and mark underground lines within required tolerance zones;

·         Excavators not exercising due care when working near marked facilities;

·         Misuse of emergency tickets, which are intended for situations involving immediate danger to life, property or the environment.

At the same time, overall excavation activity continues to increase, with higher volumes of locate requests, larger and more complex projects, and tighter timelines placing added pressure on both excavators and facility owners.

National data from the Common Ground Alliance (CGA) continues to show that the leading causes of damage remain:

 

·         Failure to contact 8-1-1 before digging;

·         Improper excavation practices;

·         Inaccurate or unverified utility markings.

Telecommunications and landscaping projects remain among the most common sources of damage, both in Pennsylvania and nationwide.

Reauthorization of PA One Call Law – Act 127 of 2024

Pennsylvania reinforced its commitment to underground utility safety with the passage of Act 127 of 2024, which reauthorized and strengthened the state’s Underground Utility Line Protection Law.

Key updates include:

 

·         Mandatory reporting: All stakeholders must submit Alleged Violation Reports (AVRs), with no exemptions;

·         Stricter timelines: Facility owners must respond promptly to locate requests and all stakeholders adhere to AVR deadlines;

·         Increased accountability: Repeat violations and failure to comply with penalties or training requirements may result in daily fines;

·         Extended review period: The DPC now has 270 days to evaluate and act on new cases.

These updates are designed to improve consistency, accountability, and communication across all participants in the excavation process.

What You Can Do – Safe Digging Starts With a Call

To reduce risks and prevent accidents, the PUC encourages anyone planning to dig this spring to follow these key steps:

·         Always contact 8-1-1 at least three business days before digging;

·         Wait for utilities to mark underground lines at no cost;

·         Confirm that all lines have been marked before starting work;

·         Respect markings and use caution when digging near utilities;

·         Ensure contractors place their own 8-1-1 requests, as required by law;

·         Plan ahead – especially for larger projects – and allow adequate time for accurate markings.

 

For more information, visit www.pa811.org by clicking here or call 8-1-1. Out-of-state callers may dial 1-800-242-1776 to reach the Pennsylvania One Call system.

(Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of Penn State Extension)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Cranberry Township, PA) According to a release from Penn State Extension, they will be offering the ServSafe Food Safety Manager course from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on May 15th, and 9 a.m. to 12 noon on May 16th at the Cranberry Township Municipal Building. The exam will be held at 10 a.m. on May 16th. This course is aimed at restaurant and food service managers as well as others who need food safety certification. These in-person trainings are led by certified ServSafe instructors, who will teach participants how to prevent contamination by properly cooking, cooling, preparing, receiving, storing, and serving food and by sanitizing food service facilities. The classes are taught by experts in food safety: extension educators with advanced degrees, extensive food safety training and industry experience. Faculty members in the Department of Food Science in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences provide training that is ongoing on current industry issues. Strong relationships with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and industry leaders enable instructors to assist course participants in learning the underlying principles of food safety so they can educate their own staff. Extension educators that are based in the communities they serve will remain available as resources after the course to provide science-based support to address complex questions. Organizers expressed that the workshop is moderately and competitively priced at $165. The course fee will cover an all-in-one bundle, including the cost of the most recent edition of the ServSafe Manager book, virtual study materials, handouts, class instruction, review and exam. Participants should register by May 7th to attend this in-person course and exam. A second option that will help caterers, chefs, cooks, food service managers, health officials and inspectors prepare to take a Food Protection Manager certification exam, such as ServSafe, is the TAP Online Food Safety Manager Certification course. The portion online can be taken anytime, but the exam is conducted in person and proctored at a scheduled location that is typically in conjunction with the second day of the in-person ServSafe class. Alternate exam arrangements can be made with the instructor of the course. The online course is self-paced and can be started anytime throughout the year. It must be completed within 180 days of enrollment. The fee of the course is $145. After finishing the in-person or online course and passing the multiple-choice exam with a score of 70% or higher, participants will receive a ServSafe Food Protection Manager certificate. This certification is valid for five years. A third option called “Food Safety Manager Certification Prep Course,” is a live online webinar that is spread over two days and prepares participants for the certification exam. Participants will receive live instruction from experts in food safety without needing to travel. A textbook will also be mailed before the first day’s class. After the course, participants can choose from several certification exam options which are available in multiple languages. The fee for the exam is approximately $100 and it is separate from the course fee of $65. Participants are responsible for paying and registering for their chosen exam. All course and exam options meet the requirements for the Food Employee Certification Act from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. You can visit https://extension.psu.edu/food-safety-manager-certificate-training-options by clicking here to register for any of these courses or to learn more. If you have any registration questions, you can call 877-345-0691, which is the number to register by phone.

(File Photo of Congressman Chris Deluzio)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Aliquippa, PA) Congressman Chris Deluzio visited a Head Start classroom at Aliquippa Elementary School this week to read with students and meet with other leaders and teachers. Head Start is a federal program which provides no-cost childcare and early learning for young children up to the age of five whose families live below the federal poverty line. These programs have a goal of helping these kids reach the developmental milestones that they need to succeed in kindergarten and beyond. According to Deluzio: “Visiting with Head Start kids in Aliquippa this week was a powerful reminder of our region’s bright future and how important Head Start and high-quality childcare is for our kids. I fought the Trump Administration’s attempts to freeze Head Start funding last year, and we’ve got to go even further to tackle America’s childcare crisis. “Instead of starting another war in the Middle East, our government should be investing a heck of a lot more in kids and families right here at home.”

(File Photo of a Gavel)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today that a resident of New Castle has been sentenced in federal court to 30 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on her conviction of
violating federal drug trafficking laws as part of a Homeland Security Task Force prosecution. The sentence was given to thirty-year-old Alexis Donnell, who previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine between
August of 2023 and August of 2024. According to information presented to the Court, Donnell was part of a drug trafficking conspiracy that was based in Detroit, Michigan, and in New Castle. She participated in the conspiracy by retailing cocaine, fentanyl and heroin to her customers in both Beaver County and Lawrence County. Donnell had several prior convictions for crimes involving drugs, theft and violence.

(File Photo of the Penn State Beaver Logo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Monaca, PA) Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and Penn State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences Dean Dr. Troy Ott celebrated a milestone for Pennsylvania farmers as a ribbon cutting was held to open the Keystone Animal Diagnostic Center at Penn State University’s Beaver Campus today at 11 a.m. at the Michael Baker Building. The lab will expand the capacity of Pennsylvania to respond to animal disease outbreaks, speeding diagnoses for farmers in the western part of the state, lowering their business costs, and helping protect their animals and investments funded by a $6 million investment from Governor Josh Shapiro’s bipartisan 2024-2025 budget. This new lab is the first to join the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System since the state established the partnership in 1991 to more effectively protect human and animal health across the state and region. It joins the system’s three cutting-edge labs, which are the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s Pennsylvania Veterinary Laboratory in Harrisburg, Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences’ Animal Diagnostic Laboratory in University Park, and the New Bolton Center at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in Kennett Square. These three labs are all members of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: A worker arranges furniture from an apartment of a destroyed building that was hit a week ago in an Israeli airstrike in central Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, April 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

CAIRO (AP) — Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 10-day ceasefire, President Donald Trump announced Thursday, two days after the countries held their first direct diplomatic talks in decades in Washington.

The truce that Trump said was scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. Eastern follows more than a month of war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon.

Lebanon has insisted on a ceasefire to stop the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah before engaging in more talks, while vowing to commit to disarming the group.

The president also invited the leaders of Israel and Lebanon to the White House for what he said would be “the first meaningful talks” between the countries since 1983.

“Both sides want to see PEACE, and I believe that will happen, quickly,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Lebanon and Israel signed an agreement in 1983 saying Lebanon would formally recognize Israel, and Israel would withdraw from Lebanon. The deal fell apart during Lebanon’s civil war and was formally rescinded a year later.

Trump said the pause in fighting followed “excellent” conversations with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

(Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of KDKA Photojournalist Bryce Lutz, Caption for Photo: A man was taken into custody after an argument led to shots fired outside of the Neville Roller Drome on Wednesday evening.)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Allegheny County, PA) The man that was taken into custody after a fight took place at a roller skating rink yesterday in Neville Island that led to multiple shots being fired has been identified and charged. Allegheny County dispatchers confirmed to WTAE that officials were called to the Neville Roller Drome around 9 p.m. Ohio Township Police confirm that the incident started following an argument outside of the roller rink and believed it began with a gathering of adults with no ties to the immediate area. According to a criminal complaint, video captured Tommy Paige in an altercation where he was hit with his own crutches. Police note that someone then handed him a gun and he proceeded to fire multiple shots into the air. Paige was taken into custody after attempting to leave the scene and faces multiple charges which include endangering the welfare of children, recklessly endangering another person and escape. Paramedics evaluated four people, but there were no reported injuries as a result of the incident.