Author: Beaver County Radio

The American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania encourages Pennsylvanians to get ready now and in the future for emergencies during September of 2025, which is National Preparedness Month

(File Photo of the American Red Cross Logo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) The American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania is encouraging Pennsylvanians to get ready for emergencies this September, which is National Preparedness Month. The most common natural disaster in Pennsylvania is flooding, and ways you can prepare for a flood or another emergency recommended by the American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania include preparing a kit of supplies or using public transportation. According to a release from the American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania, here are some more ways that you can prepare for an emergency, which can happen anytime.

  • Depending on the emergency, you may need to stay where you are or go somewhere else to stay safe. If you may need to leave, think about where you’ll go, how you’ll get there, where you’ll stay and what you’ll take with you. Plan well in advance if you’ll need help leaving or use public transportation.
  • Next, gather and organize critical supplies — like food, water and medicine — into a go-kit and a stay-at-home kit. Make sure to include backup batteries and chargers for your devices (cell phone, CPAP, wheelchair, etc.), a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, and critical personal records.
  • Your go-kit should include three days of supplies that you can take with you. Your stay-at-home kit should have two weeks of food and water, and a one-month supply of medications, if possible.
  • Customize your kit to meet your household’s specific needs. If you have young children, don’t forget formula and diapers. If you have pets, include leashes, carriers, food, bowls, litter and a litterbox.
  • Finally, make a plan to reconnect with loved ones if you are separated or if the phone or internet is down. Write down important phone numbers on a contact card and carry it with you.
  • Download the free Red Cross Emergency app for weather alerts, safety steps for different emergencies and expert advice in both English and Spanish. Don’t forget to sign up for local government emergency alerts to get critical local information — like evacuation notices — during an emergency.
  • People can also help their community be better prepared for disasters by giving blood, taking a class in lifesaving skills like CPR, or becoming a Red Cross volunteer. Visit redcross.org or call 800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) to learn more today.

Pennsylvania Lottery Generates More than $1 Billion for Programs that Benefit Older Pennsylvanians for the 14th Consecutive Year

(File Photo of the Pennsylvania Lottery Logo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Middletown, PA) According to a release from the Pennsylvania Lottery, Pennsylvania Lottery officials today announced that the Pennsylvania Lottery generated a profit of more than $1.05 billion to benefit older Pennsylvanians during the 2024-2025 fiscal year. 2025 is the 14th year in a row that the Pennsylvania Lottery achieved generation of over $1 billion to assist funding for programs for seniors including assistance with prescription, transportation that is both free and reduced fare, property tax rent rebates and more. The Pennsylvania Lottery has made contributions of over $37.2 billion to programs that benefit older adults from Pennsylvania since it was founded in 1972. 

Explosion occurs at The Time Brewpub in Ellwood City

(File Photo of an Ellwood City Police Car)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Ellwood City, PA) An explosion occurred at The Time Brewpub in Ellwood City this morning and the cause of it is still being investigated. The explosion occurred not too long after midnight early this morning at The Time Brewpub located at the 600 block of Mount Vernon Drive. Colombia Gas was on the scene trying to shut the gas off because of the explosion. According to Ellwood City Fire Chief Rick Myers, the surrounding businesses don’t seem to have damage, but at this point, the integrity of the entire building of the Time Brewpub is compromised. There were no reports of injuries initially. Myers also noted that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (the ATF) and the Pennsylvania State Police are investigating the cause of this explosion at The Time Brewpub in Ellwood City.

Kennywood cancels its 21+ events effective immediately because of the recent fights occurring at those events

(File Photo of the Kennywood logo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(West Mifflin, PA) Kennywood recently announced that it is canceling their 21+ events after recent fights have been happening at Kennywood in West Mifflin for two weeks in a row. According to a recent statement from Kennywood General Manager Ricky Spicuzza, “Anyone displaying unruly or disruptive behavior will be banned from the park. We are cancelling the 21+ event at Kennywood, effective immediately.” On Friday, a 21+ event was held at Kennywood and a fight broke out. Another fight broke out at Kennywood the week prior at the same event the previous Friday which involved two women throwing punches. A spokesperson told KDKA that those women were permanently banned from Kennywood.

Aliquippa man charged for crashing his motorcycle in Hookstown Borough while under the influence of alcoholic beverages and drugs

(File Photo of Police Siren Lights)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver County, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver report that thirty-seven-year-old Ryan Farmer of Aliquippa was charged after crashing his motorcycle in Hookstown Borough on August 26th, 2025. Farmer was speeding while riding his motorcycle on Main Street in Hookstown Borough and hit a concrete barrier there after he left the road. Farmer was not able to keep control of his motorcycle because he was under the influence of both drugs and alcoholic beverages. According to police, Farmer got transported to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital of Pittsburgh for serious but non-life-threatening injuries and charges will be filed against him for having a blood-alcohol content of 0.16% or greater at the time of this incident.

Former resident of Wampum sentenced to seventeen years in prison and fifteen years of supervised release on his conviction of producing material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor

(File Photo of a Gavel)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Acting U.S. Attorney Troy Revetti announced on Friday that a former resident of Wampum got sentenced in federal court to 17 years of imprisonment followed by 15 years of supervised release on his conviction of producing material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor. Twenty-two-year-old Thomas Hyatt-Baney received this sentence on Thursday. According to information presented to the Court, on June 25, 2023, from 12:30 p.m. to 12:37 p.m. that day using his phone, Hyatt-Baney produced three video clips depicting the sexual exploitation of a toddler. The sentence on Hyatt-Baney also reflected the personality of him for the production of another video of that toddler as well as him possessing both still images and hundreds of videos that depict minors being sexually exploited. Restitution for the crimes of Hyatt-Baney will be given at a hearing in the future after the court of the Department of Justice ordered it.

Pittsburgh Steelers sign running back Jaylen Warren, a former undrafted rookie, to a 3-year extension

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren runs against the Carolina Panthers during the first half of an NFL preseason football game, Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Scott Kisner)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — When Jaylen Warren arrived in Pittsburgh in the spring of 2022 as an undrafted rookie free agent running back, he was hoping he could do enough to earn a spot on the practice squad.

Warren has done far more than that.

Six months after letting former first-round pick Najee Harris leave in free agency, the Steelers on Monday signed Warren to a three-year contract extension that erased any doubt about his status going into 2025 and beyond.

“It’s a great feeling knowing they have my back,” Warren said shortly after the deal was announced. “I’m going to do what I can to have their back.”

Heady territory for a player who reported to Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, (about two hours south of Salt Lake City) as a freshman in 2017 a little “pudgy,” according to one of the coaches.

The staff at Snow told Warren that if he could get in shape, his future might change considerably.

He did. And it has.

Playing with a physicality that belies his size (5-foot-8, 215 pounds), Warren has methodically risen from Snow to Utah State to Oklahoma State to a surprise roster addition in 2022 to — after three years coming off the bench to spell Harris — an NFL starter.

When the Steelers open the season at the New York Jets on Sunday, Warren will run out onto the field alongside Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf and Pat Freiermuth.

While admitting his journey has been “surreal,” Warren likely won’t stop carrying the chip that’s been visible from his first padded practice at training camp in the summer of 2022, when he opened eyes during the traditional “backs on (line)backers” drill by holding his own against bigger, more experienced defenders.

“If anything, it’s going to add more chips,” Warren said.

He believes there are still naysayers out there who might doubt his ability to handle a heavier workload. Warren has never carried the ball more than 15 times in a game as a pro, though most of that is due to Harris’ durability and the way the club split the workload between the two.

Warren has thrived as a role player, averaging 4.8 yards per carry over the course of his career while being a capable receiver out of the backfield. He also has proven ferociously effective as a blocker, even if it has sometimes crossed the line in the eyes of the NFL.

Steelers All-Pro outside linebacker T.J. Watt joked that Warren’s deal means he can recoup some of the money in fines he’s piled up over the years.

“(It’s) awesome, but don’t mistake it for all the hard work that he’s done and how it’s truly well-deserved,” Watt said. “And he’s going to continue to earn it, I know that.”

The extension comes just months after the Steelers drafted former Iowa star Kaleb Johnson in the third round. While the 6-foot-1, 224-pound Johnson profiles as more of the traditional NFL running back, Warren made it a point not to view Johnson’s arrival as an imminent sign of his own departure.

Turns out, he was right.

“I wasn’t concerned,” Warren said. “I stay present in my moment, my lane. I was glad we got Kaleb. He’s a baller. The more weapons, the better for the team.”

Warren will head into the opener fresh. He played sparingly in the preseason, a nod of respect from coach Mike Tomlin on how vital he is to Pittsburgh’s success.

While the addition of Rodgers, Metcalf and tight end Jonnu Smith in the offseason gives the Steelers plenty of established star power in the passing game, there won’t be much change to offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s formula of being more run-heavy than most teams in the league.

“Protect Aaron and run the ball,” left tackle Broderick Jones said Monday when asked to describe the team’s philosophy.

That’s fine by Warren, who plans to do plenty of both. He’s well aware that the list of junior college players who receive second contracts in the NFL is not lengthy. He now finds himself on it thanks to the firm belief that he always belonged.

“Everyone who goes to JuCo (this) is what they dream about, being in a situation like mine,” he said. “And so I hope I can be the one they look up to when you’re in those hard situations in JuCo … because that life is … not easy.”

Pennsylvania resident wins $1 million from the August 30th, 2025 Powerball drawing

(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – Powerball lottery tickets are displayed Oct. 4, 2023, in Surfside, Fla. An estimated $1.4 billion Powerball jackpot that has been growing since July is about to be on the line. Saturday night’s jackpot is the world’s fifth-largest lottery prize after rolling over for 33 consecutive drawings. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Middletown, PA) According to the official Powerball website, at least one resident of Pennsylvania recently won $1 million for the Powerball drawing for Saturday. The Saturday drawing had these winning numbers that this unidentified winner matched: 3, 18, 22, 27, and 33. It is not clear where the recent Powerball winner is from in Pennsylvania or if that person is from Western Pennsylvania.

Beaver Valley Artists’ first free fall artist demonstration of 2025 will be at the Merrick Art Gallery in New Brighton featuring guest artist Craig Wetzel of East Liverpool, Ohio

(Photo of Craig Wetzel Provided with Release Courtesy of the Beaver Valley Artists)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(New Brighton, PA) According to a release from the Beaver Valley Artists, their first fall artist demonstration which is free for the public to see some art will be on Thursday, September 11th at 7 p.m. at the Merrick Art Gallery in New Brighton. The featured guest artist for September for this event from the Beaver Valley Artists is Craig Wetzel, a professional artist from East Liverpool, Ohio. Wetzel is also a graphic designer and author along with being a professional artist.

Target store in Center Township has a full grocery store section

(File Photo: Source for Photo: A sign outside a Target store is seen Wednesday, May 24, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. Target is removing certain items from its stores and making other changes to its LGBTQ+ merchandise nationwide ahead of Pride month after an intense backlash from some customers including violent confrontations with its workers. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Center Township, PA) The Target store in Center Township recently has a full grocery store section in that store. In August of 2025, this new grocery section was revealed. The Center Township Target had been undergoing a renovation for months before the new grocery section there being added occurred. Grocery items in that section include produce, fresh berries, hummus, bagged lettuce, frozen items and staples for your pantry. Customers can also buy items in that grocery section made by national retailers and house brands of Target like Market Pantry and Good & Gather at the Center Township Target.