(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – The Tuskegee Airmen Way street sign is briefly displayed in front of a 1943 North American T6 Texan aircraft used to train pilots during WWII, at the Selfridge Air National Guard Base, in Harrison Township, Mich., Feb. 27, 2018. (Todd McInturf/Detroit News via AP, File)

(AP) Lt. Col. George Hardy, the youngest fighter pilot of the Tuskegee Airmen, the nation’s first Black military pilots, has died. He was 100.

Hardy was the last surviving combat pilot of the Tuskegee Airmen who went overseas. He died last week, according to Tuskegee Airmen Inc.

“His legacy is one of courage, resilience, tremendous skill and dogged perseverance against racism, prejudice and other evils,” Tuskegee Airmen Inc. said in a Facebook post.

Born in Philadelphia, Hardy was a dedicated student who dreamed of becoming an engineer and never planned on joining the military. He was intrigued after his brother joined the U.S. Navy, but still pursued a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a master’s degree in systems engineering from the U.S. Air Force Institute, according to the National WWII museum.

“It wasn’t until 1941 when the Army started opening the door for us to be pilots and whatnot. And we walked through the door and had a great opportunity, and we took advantage of it,” Hardy told AVI-8, an “aviation-inspired” watch manufacturer, in an interview.

Before World War II, Black Americans were not allowed to serve in the Air Force. But in 1941, the Tuskegee Airmen unit was established by the U.S. Army Air Corps as the 99th Pursuit Squadron based at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. The military pilots served in a segregated World War II unit, and their all-Black 332nd Fighter Group had one of the lowest loss records of all the bomber escorts in the war.

Several white leaders in the U.S. Army Air Forces tried to prevent Black pilots from combat duty and banned them from using their club spaces, spurring civil disobedience from Tuskegee Airmen.

Hardy was commissioned as a second lieutenant at 19 and flew his first combat mission before he had ever driven a car, he told AVI. He ultimately completed 21 World War II missions and also served in the Korean War and Vietnam War.

Brian Smith, president and CEO of the Tuskegee Airmen National Historical Museum, described Hardy as a “humble man” with a passion for aviation. He was passionate about encouraging young people to become pilots, and up until recent years, he often attended air shows, Smith said.

“We always talked about the racism in World War II, but we also celebrated the progress America and the world has made in accepting people of color,” Smith added.

The Tuskegee Airmen were spotlighted in a 1995 HBO film, “The Tuskegee Airmen,” and a 2012 feature film, “Red Tails.”

The men are commemorated in several states year each year as a part of Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day, usually on the fourth Thursday of March.

Amid President Donald Trump’s attempts to purge federal diversity, equity and inclusion programs, the Air Force removed training courses with videos of the Tuskegee Airmen and the Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASPs, in January. They later restored them after bipartisan criticism.

(File Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of AAA East Central)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) According to a new study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, a staggering 96% of motorists admit to engaging in aggressive driving behaviors over the past year. The more motorists are exposed to behavior that is aggressive on the road, the more likely they are to drive aggressively themselves is what this study found. The normal behind the wheel behavior is turning into a cycle of both road rage and aggressive driving in a self-fulfilling cycle. According to a release from AAA East Central, here is some more information about what this study found and more information about the AAA Foundation for Public Safety:

Other Key Findings:

• 92% of motorists reported aggressive behaviors that put others at risk, like speeding or cutting off other vehicles. Their top motivators were to get to their destination faster and avoid perceived danger.
• 11% admitted to violent actions such as intentionally bumping another car or confronting another driver.
• Aggressive driving is contagious: Motorists who experienced higher levels of aggressive driving also had higher levels of engagement in aggressive driving.
• The vehicle plays a role: The kind of car driven could predict how motorists act – and how others perceive them. People in sports cars, big trucks, and motorcycles are often seen as more aggressive. Some motorists say they felt more powerful and dominant behind the wheel of these vehicles.

This latest study updates research originally conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety in 2016, offering a look at how aggressive driving behaviors have shifted over time. While some behaviors have become more common, others have declined:

Since 2016:

• Cutting off other vehicles is up 67%.
• Honking out of anger is up 47%.
• On the positive side, tailgating is down 24% and yelling at other drivers is down 17%.

AAA encourages motorists to prioritize courtesy and safety to help curb aggressive driving. In fact, the study found that encouraging good road etiquette may be the most effective way to reduce aggressive driving and road rage. Simple actions—like using turn signals, letting others merge, and offering a friendly wave—can help de-escalate tensions.

AAA’s Top Tips When Encountering an Aggressive Driver:

1. Stay Calm – Don’t Engage
   No eye contact, no gestures, no response.
2. Give Space
   Let them pass and keep your distance.
3. Protect Yourself
   Call 911 or go to a public place — never drive home.

AAA’s Top 3 Tips to Control Road Rage:

1. Breathe Before Reacting
   One deep breath can help reset the drive.
2. Don’t Take the Bait
   Ignore and avoid aggressive drivers.
3. Choose Time Over Tension
   Leave early, give space, arrive safe.

About the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

• Established in 1947 by AAA, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is a nonprofit, publicly funded 501(c)(3) charitable research and educational organization. The AAA Foundation’s mission is to prevent traffic deaths and injuries by researching their causes and by educating the public about strategies to prevent crashes and reduce injuries when they do occur. This research informs the development of educational materials for drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and other road users.

(File Photo of Congressman Chris Deluzio)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Washington, D.C.) According to a release from Congressman Chris Deluzio, Congressmembers Deluzio (PA-17), Brendan Boyle (PA-02), and LaMonica McIver (NJ-10) introduced the Rail Passenger Fairness Act yesterday to help Amtrak improve on-time performance for passenger train travel across the country. This bill would help to take on the freight train interference problem, which occurs when freight trains do not follow the current law which requires them to provide preference to passenger trains that operate on their rail lines. Specifically, this bill would give empowerment to Amtrak to sue freight railroads in federal court, which would enforce the law. If the Rail Passenger Fairness Act is passed into law, it would assist in reducing delays for Amtrak, hold corporations for freight railroads accountable, and save money that is public.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – This photo taken with a drone shows portions of a Norfolk Southern freight train that derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, Feb. 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(East Palestine, OH) Over 100 people who live in and around East Palestine, Ohio, presently say they were duped into joining a settlement from Norfolk Southern that is $600 million after the derailment disaster that occurred in East Palestine, Ohio on February 3rd, 2023. They believe that lawyers have tricked them, while attorneys filed a motion to get relief in federal court. That motion states these people opted in the personal injury, and they did so based on information that was false. This motion claims experts hired by class counsel concealed the results of soil tests and water conducted by their experts, which have not been disclosed yet. This motion also claims that these experts were misleading people into believing there would be no health impacts that were long-term from the derailment, despite counsel being aware of people with permanent injuries that were documented already. This motion continues by claiming that their priority was to secure a settlement instead of a judgment that was proper and it now seeks to force the release of all reports, as well as to release people from both opt-ins for personal injury and the settlement.

(File Photo of a Fire Background)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(South Beaver Township, PA) According to a Facebook post yesterday morning from the Chippewa Township Volunteer Fire Department, that fire department got requested this morning to help with a semi-truck that caught on fire. That semi-truck was branded with the well-known pizza company, Papa Johns, and it was found on the 800 block of Blackhawk Road in South Beaver Township at about 6:35 a.m. yesterday morning. The cause of this fire is unknown at this time.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: The Clairton Coke Works, a U.S. Steel coking plant, is seen Monday, Aug 11, 2025, in Clairton, Penn. (AP Photo/Gene Puskar)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Clairton, PA) An update was given yesterday in Clairton, Pennsylvania by the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board into the explosion at the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works plant in Clairton on August 11th, 2025 which killed two workers and injured at least eleven people. According to a release, preliminary information “indicates that the explosion occurred during maintenance activities involving a gas isolation valve in the basement of the Battery 13/14 transfer area at the facility.” Once the investigation by the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board into the explosion at the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works plant in Clairton on August 11th, 2025 is complete, a final report detailing new findings, analyses, and recommendations will be released.

(File Photo of Police Siren Lights)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Brighton Township, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver report yesterday that an unidentified driver was charged and cited by police after that driver caused a single-vehicle crash in Brighton Township on Wednesday. This driver was driving on I-376 East and that person lost control of their vehicle past the Brighton Exit because of the storm of rain and the roads that were wet. The vehicle of this driver made contact with a guide rail after going off of the left side of the road and then went off of the right side of the road after making contact with the guide rail. This driver was not injured from this crash. This driver requested that their vehicle would be towed and that vehicle was able to be driven from the scene of this crash.

(File Photo of a Gavel)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Acting United States Attorney Troy Revetti announced yesterday that a resident of Butler, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges
of willful failure to collect or pay over tax. Forty-nine-year-old Michael D. Funovitis pleaded guilty to this crime and will be sentenced on February 17th, 2026. Funovitis did not pay over to the payroll taxes of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) he collected on behalf of his businesses, PennRo Associates LLC and Penn Exteriors LLC between 2016 and 2023. According to Revetti, Funovitis could face a maximum total sentence of up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both, provided by the law.

 

(Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of AAA East Central)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Gas prices are four cents lower in Western Pennsylvania this week at about $3.38 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report. The national average for a gallon of gasoline dropped down to $3.13, which is two cents lower than last week. The report states that the average price for a gallon of gas in Western Pennsylvania was around $3.48. The report also notes that the average price that you can expect for a gallon of unleaded gas here in Beaver County is about $3.53. According to a release from AAA East Central and AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report, here are the average prices of unleaded self-serve gasoline this week in various areas:

$3.323      Altoona
$3.532      Beaver
$3.580      Bradford
$3.022      Brookville
$3.464      Butler
$3.058      Clarion
$3.269      DuBois
$3.317      Erie
$3.282      Greensburg
$3.4          Indiana
$3.421      Jeannette
$3.467      Kittanning
$3.272      Latrobe
$3.281      Meadville
$3.528      Mercer
$3.374      New Castle
$3.472      New Kensington
$3.459      Oil City
$3.421      Pittsburgh
$3.258      Sharon
$3.495      Uniontown
$3.599      Warren
$3.405      Washington

(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

(Hanover Township, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver report today that sixty-one-year-old Timothy Block of Clinton, Pennsylvania was the victim of a theft in Hanover Township on August 26th, 2025. According to police, an unknown actor or actors attempted to open a fraudulent Wells Fargo account on 330 Murdocksville Road. That is all the information that we have at this time.