Author: Beaver County Radio

Parking garage partially collapses at North Shore apartment complex; structure condemned

(Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of Giuseppe LoPiccolo/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) Caption for Photo: Cars hang after an I-beam collapsed in the garage of Bracken House Apartments on Friday, April 24, 2026. The collapse the day before pinned multiple vehicles and left others suspended from the floor above.)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) A parking garage at an apartment complex on Pittsburgh’s North Shore partially collapsed yesterday. According to Pittsburgh Public Safety officials, the incident occurred at about 8:45 p.m. at the Bracken House garage in the 100 block of Anderson Street. The city Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections is investigating this incident. Officials confirm that even though several vehicles were damaged in the collapse, no one was injured. A resident of the building sent WPXI a photo of a letter posted on the structure, saying it has been condemned. 

Norfolk Southern’s profit fell 27% as it didn’t collect big insurance payments for 2023 East Palestine, Ohio derailment

(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – A Norfolk Southern freight train rolls past the U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works, in Clairton, Pa., Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

(Atlanta, GA-AP) Norfolk Southern railroad’s first-quarter profit fell 27% because it didn’t collect big insurance payments related to the East Palestine, Ohio, derailment and its planned merger with Union Pacific added to its costs.

The Atlanta-based railroad said Friday that it earned $547 million, or $2.43 per share. That’s down from $750 million, or $3.31 per share, a year ago. The disastrous derailment in the small town on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border has generally boosted earnings in recent quarters as the railroad collected insurance payments, but that wasn’t the case this time, so it combined with planning costs related to the merger, earnings per share were reduced by 22 cents. Last year’s results were also helped by some land sales.

Without those unusual costs, the railroad’s profit would have beat Wall Street estimates. The analysts surveyed by FactSet Research predicted the railroad would earn $2.51 per share.

CEO Mark George said the railroad also dealt with the uncertain economy that reduced the shipments it delivered by 1%, along with severe weather and rapidly rising fuel costs.

“Despite these challenges, our employees safely delivered a solid service product, managed costs effectively, and earned the continued trust of our customers. As conditions improved, we captured momentum exiting the quarter, reinforcing the strength of our operating foundation and the dedication of the entire Norfolk Southern team,” George said.

The railroad’s revenue was relatively flat at just under $3 billion. But its expenses jumped 15% compared to last year when insurance payments from the derailment added $185 million to Norfolk Southern’s bottom line.

Norfolk Southern is working with Union Pacific to update its application to merge that the railroads plan to submit next Thursday. The U.S. Surface Transportation Board rejected the railroad’s first request to approve the $85 billion merger because the regulators wanted more information. The STB hasn’t yet decided whether the deal that would cut the number of major freight railroads down to five will enhance competition.

Norfolk Southern operates trains all over the eastern United States. Combining with Union Pacific’s network west of the Mississippi River would create the nation’s first transcontinental railroad.

Leonard “Len” P. Sadowy (1956-2026)

Leonard “Len” P. Sadowy, 70, of Baden, passed away on April 23rd, 2026. He was born on April 5th, 1956, a son of the late Peter and Mary Sadowy. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his siblings, Rebecca Sadowy, Lorraine Sadowy, and Robert Sadowy, as well as his son, Leonard P. Sadowy Jr. He is survived by his brother, William (Christine) Sadowy, his nieces, Kayla Sadowy, Ashley Selby, and Nicole White, his nephew, Joshua Sadowy, his great-niece, Colette, his beloved canine companion, Bailey and numerous cousins and friends.

Leonard graduated from Ambridge High School and began his career at J&L Steel. He later worked as a school bus driver for the former Rhodes Transit (now ABC Transit). He was also a devoted member of Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church in Ambridge. He also enjoyed tabletop shuffleboard, playing the lottery, and was an avid Pittsburgh sports fan.

Family and friends will be received on Sunday, April 26th, from 1-3 P.M. at Alvarez-Hahn Funeral Services and Cremation, LLC, 547 8th Street, Ambridge, who was in charge of his arrangements and where a funeral service officiated by Father Michael Polosky of Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church, will be held on Monday, April 27th, at 10 A.M. Interment will follow at Saints Peter and Paul Cemetery, 404 6th Street, Ambridge.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church, 404 6th Street, Ambridge, PA 15003.

Wonolia Pennington (1953-2026)

Wonolia Pennington, 73, of Midland, passed away unexpectedly on April 21st, 2026, at her home. She was born in East Liverpool, Ohio on March 12th, 1953, a daughter of the late Roy and Hazel Pennington. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her two brothers, Richard and Jim Pennington and a sister, Nora Winn. She is survived by her husband of 13 years, W. Todd Holland, her son, Chad Rocca of Anchorage, Alaska, her step-daughters, Tara (Jeffrey) Shriver Burgettstown and Nicole Holland, Weirton, West Virginia, her grandchildren: Brenna Rocca, Chippewa, Josiah Rocca, Alaska and Todd and Gemma Shriver; as well as her sisters, Darlene Candle and Junivee Le Port, both of Industry and great-grandson, Lane Majeski, with whom she loved spending time.

Wonolia had been a resident of Midland most of her life. She formerly worked as a secretary for a judge in Anchorage, Alaska for 20 years before returning home. In her free time, she enjoyed gardening, painting and building puzzles.

Friends will be received on Monday, April 27th, from 3 p.m. until the time of service at 6 p.m. in the Schwerha-Noll Funeral Home, 629 Midland Avenue, Midland, who was in charge of her arrangements. Online condolences may be shared at www.nollfuneral.com.

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

Shirley M. Henley (1936-2026)

Shirley M. Henley, 90, of Providence Health and Rehabilitation Center, formerly of New Sewickley Township, passed away on April 21st, 2026. She was born in Freedom on January 11th, 1936, a daughter of the late John G. and Hazel Ruckert McClure. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Allen D. Henley, as well as two sisters, Alice Barnes and Grace Crosby, three brothers, Larry, William, and Gerald McClure. She is survived by her six daughters and four sons-in-law: Sheryll L. Mihelic, Sandra and Michael Wilson, Sarah A. and Mark Mawhinney, all of New Sewickley Township, Stacy E. and Don Mayle of Front Royal Virginia, Gretchen L. and Michael Freed of Wampum, and Lola and Dan Lewis, two sons and daughters-in-law, James A. and Vicki Henley, of New Brighton, and Jeffery T. and Tamara Henley, of Warren, Ohio, twenty-seven grandchildren, seventy-six great-grandchildren, and fifteen great-great-grandchildren, one sister, Carol Reid of Florida, one brother and sister-in-law, Arthur and Dianna McClure of Babson Park, Florida and numerous nieces and nephews.

Shirley was a retired showroom clerk with Yesco Electric. She was also a member of New Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church in Freedom (Economy Borough) where she took part in the Women’s Evangelical Lutheran Church Auxiliary, the fellowship committee, and former church council. She was also a volunteer with the Meals on Wheels program of Rochester and a member of the Strike Out Bowling League for twenty-seven years.

Family and friends will be received on Sunday, April 26th, from 2-4 p.m., with a service following at 4:30 p.m. at New Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church, 200 2nd Avenue, Freedom. Reverend Martin Galbraith will officiaite the service. Private interment will take place in Oak Grove Cemetery, 1101 9th Street Extension, Freedom.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the William Murphy Funeral Home, Inc., 349 Adams Street, Rochester.

The family wishes memorial contributions be made to New Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church, 200 2nd Ave, Freedom, PA 15042.

Former Primary Health Network CEOs Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding Non-Profit Medical Organization of Millions of Dollars

(File Photo of a Gavel)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today that two former CEOs of Primary Health Network (PHN), a non-profit medical organization headquartered in Sharon, Pennsylvania, have been sentenced in federal court to terms of imprisonment on their convictions for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. The sentences were imposed on fifty-eight-year-old Drew Pierce of West Middlesex, Pennsylvania, and seventy-two-year-old Jack Laeng of Lake Milton, Ohio. Pierce was sentenced yesterday to 40 months of imprisonment and Laeng was sentenced on April 16th, 2026, to 24 months of imprisonment. According to information presented to the Court, Pierce engaged in multiple schemes to defraud PHN over the course of almost a decade, with Laeng joining him in two of those schemes. Pierce, Laeng, and others first agreed to enter into contracts with a developer on behalf of PHN in return for kickback payments of 50% of the funds the developer received from PHN. PHN’s board of directors was not aware of the kickback payments, which ultimately caused a loss to the company of more than $1.5 million. Laeng was the CEO of PHN for the beginning of the scheme, from 2011 to about 2014, at which time Pierce took over as CEO. Pierce, Laeng, and others also engaged in a scheme in which they inserted a company called TopCoat between PHN and the company’s legitimate vendors. PHN paid TopCoat through the scheme, which provided no services other to then pay the true vendors a lesser price. PHN’s board of directors was unaware that TopCoat performed no actual work and was made up entirely of PHN insiders. The TopCoat scheme caused a loss to PHN of more than $400,000. In addition to these schemes, Pierce separately engaged in another kickback scheme, as well as in a scheme to pay his own personal expenses out of PHN accounts and conceal those payments as business expenses. Another co-defendant in some of the schemes, Mark Marriott, is scheduled to be sentenced on May 8th, 2026.

Report: Pennsylvania still has time to capture billions in federal solar tax credits

(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – Employees of NY State Solar, a residential and commercial photovoltaic systems company, install an array of solar panels on a roof, Aug. 11, 2022, in the Long Island hamlet of Massapequa, N.Y. The Biden administration is announcing Thursday, April 20, 2023, more than $80 million in funding as part of a push to make more solar panels in the U.S. and make solar energy available in more communities. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

(Reported by Danielle Smith, Keystone News Service)

(Harrisburg, PA) Researchers say Pennsylvania still has time to capture billions in federal solar incentives, but they’re close to slipping away. Solar capacity has grown sixfold since 2019, but expansion is still needed to maximize Inflation Reduction Act tax credits, according to the Keystone Research Center’s “Use It or Lose It” report. Economist Stephen Herzenberg with Keystone Research Center says most projects awaiting grid connection are solar, and maintaining momentum is key to avoiding electricity shortages and price spikes. He says Pennsylvania needs commercial and grid-scale projects to capitalize on federal tax credits established in 2022 before they expire.

DeGrom has 62nd 10-K game and Carter hits inside-the-park HR as Rangers beat Pirates 6-1

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob Degrom throws to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jacob deGrom struck out 10 over 5 2/3 innings, Evan Carter hit an inside-the-park home run while Corey Seager went deep and the Texas Rangers beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-1 on Thursday night in the rubber match of their three-game series.

It was the 62nd career 10-strikeout game for deGrom (2-0), who has a 2.13 ERA in his six starts. The 37-year-old, two-time Cy Young Award winner threw 63 of 89 pitches for strikes, allowed five hits and exited after issuing his only walk.

Carter’s two-run homer for the game’s first runs came when he lined a 97.5 mph full-count fastball beyond the reach of right fielder Ryan O’Hearn in the third inning. The ball ricocheted hard off the bottom of the wall and Carter rounded the bases for his first career inside-the-parker, and third homer this season.

That came two pitches after home plate umpire Dan Merzel signaled ball four, but that was overturned on a ABS challenge by the catcher Joey Bart and kept Carter at the plate instead of a walk.

Seager made it 6-0 in the fourth with his three-run homer, his sixth of the year being a 382-drive pulled into the right-field stands off Pirates rookie Bubba Chandler (1-2).

Chandler allowed six runs and seven hits while striking out four and walking three.

Oneil Cruz hit his eighth homer for Pittsburgh, a two-out solo shot in the fifth.

Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin played his last game as a teenager, going 0 for 4 the night before his 20th birthday. He was the last batter of the game, striking out against Peyton Gray, a 30-year-old right-hander making his big-league debut with a 1-2-3 inning.

Gray was called up earlier Thursday after eight years going through the minor leagues, independent ball and four winters outside the United States.

Up next

Pittsburgh goes to Milwaukee on Friday night for the first of 10 consecutive games against NL Central foes. The Rangers stay home to open a three-game series against the Athletics.

Charges withdrawn from New Castle man after two-vehicle crash in Lawrence County

(File Photo of a Police Siren Light)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Lawrence County, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in New Castle reported via release yesterday that charges were withdrawn from thirty-five-year-old Stephen Kent, Jr. of New Castle after a two-vehicle crash occurred in Lawrence County on March 23rd, 2026. Kent was driving on a shortcut road towards its intersection with Glenkirk Road in New Beaver Borough at 7:55 a.m. and his vehicle was hit by the vehicle of forty-three-year-old Anika Tyson of New Castle. There were no injuries. 

Monaca man charged for tailgating in Lawrence County

(File Photo of Police Siren Lights)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Lawrence County, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in New Castle reported via release yesterday that twenty-one-year-old Jacob Weber of Monaca was charged for tailgating in Lawrence County on March 21st, 2026. Weber was traveling east on State Highway 208 in Wilmington Township at 1:58 p.m. and hit the vehicle of thirty-three-year-old Helga Lewis of Wooster, Ohio when she was turning into the parking lot of 3356 State Highway 208. Lewis had a possible injury but was not transported. Weber was not injured.