Beaver County Lighthouse Open House: 12/6 and 12/7/24
Author: Beaver County Radio
Gas prices dropping in Western Pennsylvania this week, according to a report from AAA East Central
(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – In this Monday, Sept. 16, 2019, file photo, a woman pumps gas at a convenience store in Pittsburgh. Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg of the Lundberg Survey said Sunday, March 15, 2020, that gas prices could continue to fall as demand shrinks amid the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(Beaver County, PA) According to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report, gas prices are decreasing in Western Pennsylvania this week at $3.307 per gallon. The report states that in Western Pennsylvania, both last week and the first week of Dember in 2023 each had a three cent increase from the average gas price this week. The report also confirms that the average amount to pay for an unleaded gallon of gas here in Beaver County is about $3.26.
The unleaded gasoline price in various Pennsylvania counties this week, according to this week’s AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report:
$3.340 Altoona
$3.262 Beaver
$3.734 Bradford
$3.195 Brookville
$3.259 Butler
$3.346 Clarion
$3.283 DuBois
$3.308 Erie
$3.275 Greensburg
$3.377 Indiana
$3.305 Jeannette
$3.462 Kittanning
$3.257 Latrobe
$3.252 Meadville
$3.338 Mercer
$3.160 New Castle
$3.223 New Kensington
$3.390 Oil City
$3.327 Pittsburgh
$2.979 Sharon
$3.289 Uniontown
$3.710 Warren
$2.992 Washington
Health advocates in Pennsylvania rallying in Washington D.C. for federal funding
(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – Twenty dollar bills are counted on June 15, 2018, in North Andover, Mass. The number of Americans who do not have a bank account fell to a record low last year, as the proliferation of online-only banks and an improving economy is bringing more Americans into the traditional financial system, according to a report Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)
(Reported by Danielle Smith of Keystone News Service)
(Harrisburg, PA) Pennsylvania health-care advocates are in Washington, D.C. today and Wednesday to urge Congress to extend federal funding for Community Health Centers before the end-of-the-year deadline. Community Health Centers serve as primary-care providers for more than 32-million Americans. Joe Dunn with National Association of Community Health Centers says more than three hundred advocates are rallying for a solution and to ensure that patients can continue to get health access and be seen by their clinicians. Health centers receive federal funding from two sources, annual discretionary funding and multi-year base funding. In March, Congress extended the base funding through this month at a rate of more than four billion per year. This bipartisan legislation would need to continue to increase funding for health centers.
Fundraiser for Scottish Rite Hospital from Dallas, Texas, seeks five hundred dollars to support crippled children
(File Photo: Source for Photo: Caption: More Than 500K People Helped GoFundMe Set Single-Day Giving Record After George Floyd’s Death with Credit Courtesy of GoFundMe)
(Reported by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano, Published on December 3rd, 2024 at 10:12 A.M.)
(Pennsylvania) Elizabeth Lane is sponsoring a fundraiser to raise money for the Dallas, Texas based Scottish Rite Hospital for Crippled Children. Elizabeth and her husband, John, have a daughter, Gianna, who was diagnosed with Leggs-Calve Perthes disease last year. Mrs. Lane said that Scottish Rite is the only hospital that has been able to help their daughter. The family is asking for donations, and they expect to raise $500.00.
Teen pleads guilty after a crash in North Park last year that kills two teenagers that were passengers
(File Photo of Police Lights)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(Allegheny County, PA) After a crash that happened last year before Christmas that killed two teenagers, the teenage suspect has pleaded guilty. Nineteen-year-old Aiden Saber received a sentence of a stay in prison for two and a half years with probation following. On December 23rd of last year, a single vehicle caused a crash, and according to a criminal complaint, a tree split almost in half after it was run into by the vehicle and then went across Irwin Road, proceeding to rest on a hill with wooded environment. Eighteen-year-old Taylor Orlowski of Baden and fourteen-year-old Jonathan Tourney of Gibsonia passed away after the accident near Babcock Avenue in McCandless, and the four that were in the car had injuries that were minor. Both Taylor and Jonathan were passengers in the vehicle and were killed after Saber did not have control of the vehicle with his system having alcohol, causing him to drive seventy miles an hour at least in North Park. Saber has since apologized for the incident.
Fundraiser spaghetti dinner to help local family and their son, as well as to raise awareness for hypoplastic left heart syndrome
(File Photo of Monaca-Beaver Railroad Bridge)
(Reported by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano, Published on December 3rd, 2024 at 10:02 A.M.)
(Monaca, PA) There will be a fundraiser spaghetti dinner on Friday, December 6th at the Monaca American Legion, from 3 to 7 p.m. The fundraiser will help the son of Sam and Justine Holden of Aliquippa who is to be born this month, as well as to also raise awareness for hypoplastic left heart syndrome. The cost is $20 for adults, and $10 for children 12 and under. Baked goods and basket raffles will be available.
Deluzio part of those who celebrated grant to expand robotics in Beaver, Allegheny, and neighboring counties
(File Photo of Chris Deluzio)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(Carnegie, PA) According to a release from Zoe Bluffstone in Carnegie on Tuesday, Congressman Chris Deluzio helped to celebrate a grant totaling three quarters of a million dollars given by the Appalachian Regional Commission for the project called Maturing Appalachia’s Robotics Workforce, which is part of the Pittsburgh Robotic Network. Bluffstone states that this grant will be able to create the Robotics Leadership Academy, to expand the field of robotics and let up to two hundred and twenty workers to be trained in Beaver, Allegheny, as well as other nearby counties. Bluffstone also comments that in just over three years, one hundred students and businesses, as well as one hundred and twenty workers will be involved with the initiative.
Pennsylvania State Police release data for both crashes and enforcements after the 2024 Thanksgiving holiday
(File Photo of Pennsylvania State Police)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(Harrisburg, PA) According to a release from the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) in Harrisburg on Monday, announcements for enforcement and crash data from the period of travel for the 2024 Thanksgiving holiday were confirmed. The release stated that seven deaths occurred From November 27 to December 1, 2024, out of 1,075 vehicle crashes, while one fatality happened because of someone driving impaired, while sixty-four crashes happened because of an impaired driver.
The data also shows from the release that five-hundred and fifty-two people got a driving under the influence related arrest, with over seven thousand arrests for speeding, over one hundred arrests for not letting children buckle up in seatbelts, and over one thousand arrests for people not wearing their seatbelt.
Table Provided with Release, Source: The Pennsylvania State Police
Table 1: Thanksgiving Weekend Crash Data
| Year | Total Crashes | Fatal Crashes | People Killed | People Injured | DUI Crashes | DUI-Related Fatal Crashes |
| 2024 (5 days) | 1,075 | 7 | 7 | 194 | 64 | 1 |
| 2023 (5 days) | 979 | 4 | 4 | 197 | 73 | 0 |
Table 2: Thanksgiving Weekend Enforcement Data
| Year | DUI Arrests | Speeding Citations | Child Seat Citations | Seat Belt Citations | Other Citations |
| 2024 (5 days) | 552 | 7,770 | 124 | 1,020 | 21,161 |
| 2023 (5 days) | 542 | 10,590 | 133 | 1,187 | 18,870 |
Margaret Alice “Peg” (Platts) Porada (1938-2024)
Margaret Alice “Peg” (Platts) Porada, 86, of Robinson Township, passed away on November 27th, 2024 in Tapestry Senior Living of Moon Township. She was born in Pittsburgh on May 24th, 1938, the daughter of the late John & Katherine (Skiles) Platts.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband David Frank Porada, Sr., her son, Brian Keith Porada, a granddaughter, Ashlyn Porada and her sisters and brother, Joann Jeffries. John Platts, Jean Smith.
She is survived by her son, David Frank Porada Jr. (Kim) of Coraopolis, daughter, Beth Schogren (Tim) of Pittsburgh, seven Grandchildren: Cassady K. Adams, Maddy E. DeAngelis & Kristina R. Soltez, Timothy D. Jr. & Heather Schogren, daughter in law, Shelley Porada, Jacquelyn & Colson Porada, sister, Mary Monti, great grandkids, Ford DeAngelis, Rosie and Charlie Soltez, Blue, Emma and Anneli Schogren.
Margaret was a graduate of Langley High School.
Friends will be received on Wednesday, December 4th from 2-4 P.M. & 6-8 P.M. in the Huntsman Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Moon Township, 1522 Coraopolis Heights Road, where a Funeral Service will be held on Thursday, December 5th at 10 A.M. Interment will Follow at Robinson Run Cemetery, McDonald.
In lieu of flowers, memorial; contributions can be made to: The Missionary Fund, at the Allegheny Center Christian Missionary Alliance Church.
(www.huntsmanfuneralhomes.com)
Paul Farkas (1930-2024)
Paul Farkas, 93, of West Mayfield, passed away on November 21, 2024. He was born on November 30th, 1930, a son of the late Louis and Rose Biro Farkas. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Hazel (Eiler), grandson Jeffrey Paul, and siblings: Veronika Farkas, Louis Farkas, Rose Bovalino, Goldie Thomas, Gyorgy Farkas, Sylvia Zwieryznski, Margaret Nicgorski, Esther Barnes, Wilma Custer, and Sally Jo Nelson Patton.
Paul is survived by his sons: Paul Michael (Elaine) Farkas, Jeffrey (Carol) Farkas, Kevin (Rhonda) Farkas; cherished grandchildren: Benjamin, Scott, Ashlee (Tom) and Louis; brothers, Steven (Norma) Farkas and Frank (Wilma) Farkas, and his very special friend and companion, Dee Fox.
He was born in Darlington but raised in Beaver Falls. Paul graduated from Beaver Falls High School in 1948 and left for the U.S. Navy the very next day. He proudly served aboard the USS Coral Sea (CV43) as an Aviation Machinist’s Mate. After returning home, he married Hazel Eiler in 1952, the same year he was hired by the Babcock & Wilcox company and trained as a machinist. He retired from B&W as plant fire marshal after 38 years.
Paul was an active member of his community, first joining the West Mayfield Volunteer Fire Department in 1966 (former fire chief and life member) and then joining Council in 1972. He also served as mayor for 11 years. In total, Paul served in local government for 49 years, the longest serving elected official in West Mayfield’s history. Over the years he was a mentor and friend to many aspiring toward community service, something he believed in very strongly. He never lost faith in younger generations and encouraged people to get involved in making West Mayfield a nicer place to live and raise a family.
Many will remember Paul’s presence for decades at the Beaver County Maple Syrup Festival, where he loved to give tours and talk about handcrafting maple syrup. In his later years, he generously volunteered his time with his church’s charity programs, and he was a strong supporter of St. Jude’s Hospital. With over 50 years of Brotherhood, Paul was a 32nd degree Mason, Scottish Rite.
In lieu of flowers, the family has suggested memorial contributions be made in Paul’s name to St. Jude’s Hospital. A celebration of life ceremony will be held in West Mayfield Community Park during the summer of 2025.
Services and arrangements were entrusted to CORLESS-KUNSELMAN Funeral Services, LLC, 3801 4th Avenue, Beaver Falls.