Author: Beaver County Radio

Robert G. Dawson (1934-2026)

Robert G. Dawson, 91, of Midland, passed away on January 26th, 2026, at Celebration Villa of Chippewa surrounded by his family.

He was born in Ohioville on February 22nd, 1934, a son of the late F. Glenn and Mary Dawson. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son, Ray Dawson, his brothers, Donald, Fred and Lloyd Dawson and sisters, Bernice May Dawson, Hazel Givens, and Janet Petz. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Virginia Dawson, his daughters, Sandra (George) Jonas of Industry, Beth (Drew) Miladin of Center Tonwship, his son, Robert (Debbie) Dawson, Jr. of West Palm Beach, Florida, jhis daughter-in-law, Patsy Dawson Pearce of Carnegie, his sister, Linda Lomagro of Industry, his sisters-in-law, Martha Dawson of Beaver Falls, Norma Dawson of Beaver, his grandchildren: Tera Turnsek, Zachary (Stacey) Jonas, Robert (Jenna) Dawson III, Paige (Jonny) Rosales, Chase (Delaney) Miladin, Ryan Dawson; as well as his great-grandchildren: Lydia and Landon Turnsek, Gracyn and Joleigh Jonas, Hunter and Brayden Dawson, Sistine and Scarlet Rosales; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Robert was a proud veteran of the U. S. Army and was a Master Carpenter with the Carpenters Local 922. He was a life-long member of Midland Volunteer Fire Deptartment. He also attended the New Salem Presbyterian Church in Ohioville.

He had a great sense of humor and was always a gentleman. He loved playing cards, especially with his brothers. He enjoyed hunting and building jigsaw puzzles. His passion was woodworking. He liked to travel to Florida and being a snowbird, but most of all, his greatest joy was his family.

Friends will be received on Friday, January 30th, from 3-7 p.m. in the Schwerha-Noll Funeral Home, 629 Midland Avenue, Midland, where a funeral service will be conducted on Saturday, January 31st at 11 a.m. A Military burial at a later date in the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies, 1158 Morgan Road, Bridgeville. Online condolences may be shared at nollfuneral.com.

The family would like to thank the staff at Celebration Villa, Chippewa, and Gateway Hospice for their compassionate care. The family would also like to thank all the great neighbors, friends and family for their love and support.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Robert G. Dawson, please visit the flower store of the Noll Funeral Home, Inc. by clicking here.

Clendon Thomas, former Pro-Bowl defensive back for the Steelers, dies at 90

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Former Oklahoma halfback Clendon Thomas speaks during a news conference in New York, Dec. 6, 2011. (AP Phot/ Seth Wenig, File)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Tulsa, OK) Clendon Thomas, a former Pro-Bowl defensive back for the Pittsburgh Steelers has died at the age of 90. Chuck Bowman, a longtime friend and a former college roommate of Thomas, confirmed on Tuesday that Thomas died of pneumonia on Monday night in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Thomas was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the second round of the 1958 NFL Draft. Thomas was traded to the Steelers in 1962 and played for them from 1962-1968. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1963. Thomas was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011 and played for the University of Oklahoma from 1955-1957, helping the Sooners win back-to-back national championships in 1955 and 1956.

Charges filed against man who walked on the icy Allegheny River for hours after trespassing a former VA building in Pittsburgh

(Photo Courtesy of WPXI/WPXI)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Charges have now been filed against the man who fled from officers by walking on the frozen Allegheny River for hours. The incident all began at the former Veterans Affairs building on Highland Drive in the Lincoln-Lemington Belmar neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Police were called to the area shortly after noon yesterday for someone trespassing. According to the criminal complaint, when officers arrived, they found a man, later identified as Gary Cawley, tampering with an electrical panel. Police note that Cawley ignored their orders and ran across a large field covered with snow and into the woods. Cawley eventually made his way onto the icy Allegheny River and walked several miles. Around 4 p.m., Cawley complied and was taken into custody in Harmar Township near a Target store. He was then taken to a hospital in stable condition. Cawley has charges of burglary, criminal trespassing, possessing instruments of crime, evading arrest and disorderly conduct. 

Fugitive who pleaded guilty to animal cruelty found in crawlspace and arrested in East Pittsburgh

(Photo Courtesy of WPXI/WPXI)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Allegheny County, PA) According to police, a fugitive who previously pleaded guilty to animal cruelty was arrested in East Pittsburgh after he was found in a crawlspace. The suspect that was recently arrested was twenty-five-year-old Kachyphe McCullough-Williams, who the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office confirms pleaded guilty to eleven counts of animal cruelty in 2022. Investigators confirm they tracked McCullough-Williams to a house on Franklin Avenue in East Pittsburgh using information that was provided to them this week. He was taken into custody without incident and is being held at the Allegheny County Jail.

Three Pittsburgh-area athletes among five Pennsylvanians selected to compete for the U.S. in 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy

(Credit for Photo: LAKE PLACID, NEW YORK – MARCH 14: Kaysha Love and Jasmine Jones of the United States compete during the two-woman Bobsleigh heat 1 on day five of the 2025 IBSF World Championships at Mt Van Hoevenberg on March 14, 2025 in Lake Placid, New York. Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Several athletes who are Pittsburgh–area natives have been selected to compete for the United States in the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games in Italy from February 6th to February 22nd. Jasmine Jones of Greensburg was selected for the two-woman bobsled team. Jones has earned five medals during International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation competitions throughout her career. Vincent Trocheck, a Pittsburgh native who plays hockey for the NHL’s New York Rangers and played youth hockey with the Pittsburgh Hornets, was named to the United States men’s hockey team, who are aiming to win their first gold medal since 1980. Trochek is in his 13th season with the Rangers, whose head coach is former Pittsburgh Penguins head coach, Mike Sullivan. Ava McNaughton of Seven Fields, who is a junior at the University of Wisconsin, was selected for the United States women’s hockey team. McNaughton played youth hockey in the area of Pittsburgh, skating with the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite Girls Team and the Arctic Foxes boys team. Two other Pennsylvanians have been selected for Team USA. Taylor Anderson of Broomall, Pennsylvania will compete in curling for the United States and Summer Britcher of Glen Rock, Pennsylvania will be a representative for Team USA in the luge.

Geneva College hires Tom Contenta as their next college football head coach

(Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of Geneva College Athletics, Posted on January 28th, 2026)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver Falls, PA) Geneva College Athletics announced on Facebook yesterday that Geneva College hired a new college football head coach. Tom Contenta was recently hired by the Golden Tornadoes following a national search and he will become the 30th head football coach in the history of the school located in Beaver Falls. Contenta has served on the Geneva football coaching staff since 2007 and also played for the Golden Tornadoes from 2002-05. Contenta will become just the third Geneva head football coach since 1976. Contenta will replace Geno Demarco, who stepped down after his 33rd season as the head Geneva College football coach, which helped DeMarco become the longest tenured college football coach at any level. Contenta has served as the assistant head coach for the football program next to DeMarco for the last several seasons. Contenta spent time as both the offensive and defensive coordinator for the Golden Tornadoes, and he has also served as the recruiting coordinator for Geneva College for many years.

Woman scammed out of $544 via Cash App in Lawrence County after trying to sell a fish tank on Facebook Marketplace

(File Photo of a Dollar Sign)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(North Beaver Township, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in New Castle reported via release today that an unidentified thirty-two-year-old woman was scammed out of $544 via Cash App on Tuesday evening in Lawrence County. At 5:06 p.m., PSP New Castle was dispatched to East Poland Road in North Beaver Township because of a theft. The female victim was scammed after trying to sell a fish tank on Facebook Marketplace. The investigation into this incident is ongoing. 

Three-year-old girl found dead inside a Harrison Township home

(File Photo: Caption for Photo: police car lights at night in city with selective focus and bokeh background blur, Credit for Photo: Courtesy of Getty Images/iStockphoto/z1b)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrison Township, PA) A child was found dead inside a home in Harrison Township yesterday. According to Allegheny County Police, they were called to the 50 block of Pine Street at 12:18 p.m. for reports of a three-year-old child who was unresponsive. The child was a girl and she was pronounced dead at the scene. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner is now working to determine the cause and manner of death. Police are asking anyone that has information about this incident to call 1-833-ALL-TIPS. 

Suspect damages a transformer owned by New Castle company

(File Photo of a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Car)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Lawrence County, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in New Castle reported via release today that an incident of criminal mischief occurred in Lawrence County on the afternoon of October 2nd, 2025. At 12:45 p.m., the suspect deliberately damaged a transformer that was owned by FirstEnergy of New Castle in Little Beaver Township along State Highway 351.  

Beaver Falls man charged after crash in Wampum Borough

(File Photo of Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Car)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Wampum Borough, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in New Castle reported via release today that twenty-year-old Deontae Wade-Epps of Beaver Falls was charged after a crash in Wampum Borough on the early morning of November 27th, 2025. At approximately 3 a.m., Wade-Epps was driving on State Route 18 north of Moss Street and he failed to react in time to an active PennDOT work zone when he was traveling at a high rate of speed. Wade-Epps then hit a tree and the vehicle became overturned on its roof before he escaped the scene prior to the arrival of police.