Author: Beaver County Radio

Penguins Release 2019-20 Regular Season Schedule

The Pittsburgh Penguins have released their schedule for the 2019-20 regular season, their 53rd of operation in the National Hockey League.

The season begins at home, as the Pens host the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday, October 3. It’ll be the first of four for the opening homestand of the season, as the Penguins will also welcome in Columbus (5th), Winnipeg (8th) and Anaheim (10th) to the PPG Paints Arena before playing their first road game in Minnesota on October 12.

Pittsburgh will have their first crack at the Stanley Cup Champion St. Louis Blues on November 30 (at Enterprise Center), while the first shot at revenge against the Islanders takes place on November 7 in New York.

As always, you can hear live coverage of the Pittsburgh Penguins right here on 1230 WBVP & 1460 WMBA all season long with Mike Lange, Phil Bourque, and Josh Getzoff.

To see the full 2019-20 schedule, click here.

(Schedule courtesy of the Pittsburgh Penguins)

Former Penguin Orpik retires after 15 NHL seasons, 2 Stanley Cup titles

Orpik retires after 15 NHL seasons, 2 Stanley Cup titles
By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Hockey Writer
Brooks Orpik called it a career Tuesday after 15 bruising NHL seasons in which he established himself as a big-hitting, shutdown defenseman and won the Stanley Cup twice.
The 38-year-old played 1,171 regular-season and playoff games for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals. He won the Cup with Pittsburgh in 2009 and Washington in 2018.
“I’ve been extremely lucky to have the best job in the world for many years, but my body is telling me it is time to move on to something new,” Orpik said. “I’m excited for more family time and to experience a lot of the things that being a professional athlete forces you to miss out on.”
Orpik was more known for his physicality and defense than his offense. He put up 194 regular-season and 26 playoff points but also scored the Game 2-winning goal for Washington in the 2018 final on the way to the franchise’s first title.
“We wouldn’t have a Stanley Cup if it wasn’t for him,” Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby said at the end of this season. “The impact he’s had on our team is probably second to none, the way he’s changed the culture and pushed guys to make them better. One of the true leaders in our game.”
Orpik became a respected alternate captain and leader during his five seasons in Washington. Teammates nicknamed him “Batya” — Russian for “Dad.”
“Batya was a great leader in our locker room and was so important for us to win our first Stanley Cup,” captain Alex Ovechkin said in a statement Wednesday. “We will miss his presence in the room and on the ice. Not only was he a great leader and a player, but he was a better person. I’m so happy I had a chance to play with him and for our young guys to have had the chance to learn from him.”
Orpik implied throughout this season it could be his last in the NHL. He had surgery in November to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee.
“Trying to maintain that level, efficiency was tough,” Orpik said. “So I think there were times of the year, I was frustrated just that I couldn’t do what I wanted to do.”
Orpik was back to his vintage self in the playoffs, emptying the tank for 18 minutes a night during the Capitals’ seven-game series against Carolina. After the first-round exit in late April, the San Francisco native conceded he thought he may have played his final NHL game but didn’t want to make a rash decision.
“You got to be 100% committed to it,” Orpik said of potentially playing another season. “If you’re not, then it’s unfair to your teammates and other people that are trying to help you out. In terms of like wanting to play or being committed to play, I think that’s something that, I think when stuff doesn’t go your way after the season you got to take a lot of time off to let things settle down.”
Orpik came to that decision and will now turn his attention to finishing his communications degree at Boston College. He said he wished he had a better post-playing career plan in place but will see where the degree takes him.
He will be remembered for being the muscle behind two Cup champions — Sidney Crosby’s first and Ovechkin’s first. He often toed the line on hits and was suspended three games during the 2016 playoffs for a late, high hit that injured Pittsburgh’s Olli Maatta.
“He’s a little bit of a dinosaur because he hits and there’s not a lot of hitting in this game,” said Columbus coach John Tortorella, who knows Orpik well from U.S. teams in international play. “A lot of people think he might hit hard. I think he plays the game hard. I think he plays the game the right way.”
Orpik’s ability to play on the edge and defend other players made him beloved in Washington. The Capitals prepared for his departure by trading for big-hitting defenseman Radko Gudas, but teammates know there’s no replacing Orpik and what he meant on and off the ice.
“He’s been a force for all of us to gain knowledge from — how to better understand certain parts of the game, what it takes, the mental side of it,” Capitals defenseman John Carlson said. “He’s just a really aware person that can help anybody at any part of their career at any level of play. He’s just been so important to us.”
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Follow AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno
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More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Severe Thunderstorms Cause Damage in Beaver County

The first storm of the summer brought rain, wind and lightning to the area. It caused some damage to Beaver County, where several houses are without power. Shannon Hefferan of the National Weather Service tells Beaver County Radio newsman Pat Septak that here in Beaver County, heavy rain and wind brought down trees and power lines…..

Hefferan says there are still homes and businesses without power this afternoon…

Hefferan was asked if there were any microbursts or tornadoes spotted in the area…

Hefferan says the next storm system is only 24-30 hours away with a few spotty showers and isolated thunderstorms in the area Wednesday.

Sunshine Today To Replace Yesterday’s Severe Thunderstorms

WEATHER FORECAST FOR TUESDAY, JUNE 25TH, 2019

 

TODAY – CHANCE OF A MORNING SHOWER. SUN AND
CLOUDS MIXED. HIGH – 82.

TONIGHT – CLEAR SKIES. LOW – 63.

WEDNESDAY – MOSTLY SUNNY IN THE MORNING. THEN
INCREASING CLOUDS WITH SOME
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS LATER IN THE DAY. HIGH – 85.

Western Pennsylvania Gas Prices Rise Slightly; National Demand at Record High

Western Pennsylvania Gas Prices Rise Slightly; National Demand at Record High
The average price of gasoline across Western Pennsylvania is three cents higher this week at $2.884 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

New York ($2.84) ranks as the 10th most expensive state average in the country. At the same price, Pennsylvania ranks 11th.

For the week ending June 14, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports inventories fell for a second week, by 1.3 million barrels, to total 62.1 million barrels. With the Philadelphia Energy Solution’s (PES) facility at reduced levels combined with unplanned maintenance at United Refining’s Warren, Pennsylvania, we can expect gasoline stocks and regional refinery utilization to decline in upcoming EIA report’s reports with moderate impacts to gas prices in the region.

This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average               $2.884
Average price during the week of June 17, 2019                                    $2.850
Average price during the week of June 25, 2018                                    $3.056

The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline in various areas:      

$2.730      Altoona
$2.890      Beaver
$2.900      Bradford
$2.948      Brookville
$2.780      Butler
$2.869      Clarion
$2.866      Du Bois
$2.937      Erie
$2.926      Greensburg
$2.896      Indiana
$2.935      Jeannette
$2.898      Kittanning
$2.909      Latrobe
$2.883      Meadville
$2.869      Mercer
$2.774      New Castle
$2.929      New Kensington
$2.907      Pittsburgh
$2.803      Sharon
$2.924      Uniontown
$2.959      Warren
$2.910      Washington

On the National Front
Today’s national average is $2.66, which is two cents less than last week and 18 cents less than a month and year ago. U.S. gasoline demand hit its highest level at 9.93 million b/d, for the week ending June 14. It is the highest level ever recorded since the EIA began publishing data in 1991.

Counterintuitively, as motorists drive demand to new heights, pump prices pushed even cheaper across the country on the week. This is due to the recent trend in cheaper crude pricing and because crude comprises roughly 60% of the costs motorists pay at the pump, drivers are seeing summer savings. When compared to this time last year, domestic crude prices are cheaper by approximately $12 per barrel.

At the end of last week, a massive fire took PES, the largest on the East Coast, offline, causing concern of what this could do to gas prices this summer. The incident will likely lead to reduced gasoline production at the refinery. However, gasoline from Canada, neighboring refineries, and the Colonial Pipeline are likely solutions to help backfill supply, meet demand and relieve any tightness in gasoline supplies as a result of reduced gasoline production at PES’ refinery and keep gas prices cheap throughout summer.

At the close of Friday’s formal trading session on the NYMEX, West Texas Intermediate increased by 36 cents to settle at $57.43. Crude prices climbed as tension rises in the Middle East.

Approximately 20% of global crude supplies flow through the Gulf of Omans. Moving into this week, if tensions between the U.S. and Iran escalate, the market will likely continue pushing global crude prices higher due to increased market fears that a military standoff between Iran and the U.S. could limit global supply and access to crude.

Motorists can find current gas prices nationwide, statewide, and countywide at GasPrices.AAA.com.

AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 79 local offices in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia serving 2.7 million members.  News releases are available atnews.eastcentral.aaa.com.  Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

For More Information, Contact: 
Jim Garrity, Public and Legislative Affairs Manager
Desk: 412-365-7274 / Cell: 412-905-9021 / Email: Garrity.James@aaaec.com

-AAA-

Truck Driver Crashes Vehicle in New Hampshire, Kills Seven Motorcyclists

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — The driver of a truck in a crash killed that seven motorcyclists is expected to appear in court Monday. New Hampshire attorney general’s office says 23-year-old Volodymyr Zhukovskyy was arrested Monday morning at his home in West Springfield, Massachusetts. He has been charged with seven counts of negligent homicide. A relative of the suspect says he can’t say whether the driver was right or wrong.

Florida Woman Arrested for Giving Her Violent Husband’s Guns to Police

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A Florida woman’s effort to protect herself from domestic violence has become a flashpoint in the debate over gun rights and victims’ safety. Courtney Irby gave her estranged husband Joseph Irby’s guns to police after he was charged with domestic violence-aggravated battery, only to find herself arrested for burglary and theft. Now a Florida lawmaker and gun safety advocates are championing her cause, while gun rights advocates want her prosecuted.

Woman, 3 children Died of Heat Exposure in Texas Near Mexican Border

MISSION, Texas (AP) — Authorities say four people, including three children, found dead in South Texas near the border with Mexico likely died of dehydration and heat exposure after crossing the Rio Grande into the country. A law enforcement official close to the investigation told The Associated Press the four were overcome by the heat and foul play is not suspected. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the person isn’t authorized to speak publicly about the bodies found Sunday.

Air Canada Reviewing How Crew Left Passenger on Parked Plane

BC-APFN-CN–Canada-Stranded Passenger,2nd Ld-Writethru

Jun 23, 2019 1:05PM (GMT 17:05) – 371 words

By NATALIE SCHACHAR Associated Press

Eds: Removes dateline.

Air Canada said Sunday it’s looking into how crew members could have disembarked from a plane without noticing a sleeping passenger who was left behind.

The airline was responding to an incident involving a woman who described waking up “all alone” on a “cold dark” aircraft after a flight to Toronto earlier this month.

“I think I’m having a bad dream bc like seriously how is this happening!!?!” Tiffani Adams recounted in a June 19 Facebook post sent by her friend, Deanna Noel-Dale.

The airline confirmed the incident took place but declined to comment on its disembarking procedures or how the passenger may have been overlooked.

“We are still reviewing this matter so we have no additional details to share, but we have followed up with the customer and remain in contact with her,” Air Canada told the Associated Press.

Adams wrote that after she woke up, she called Noel-Dale to try to explain what happened, but her phone died and she couldn’t charge it because power to the plane was off. She said she was “full on panicking” by the time she found the “walky talky thingys in the cockpit,” which also didn’t work.

After no one saw the “sos signals” she made by shining a flashlight out the window, she unbolted a cabin door. Facing a steep drop to the tarmac, she leaned out of the aircraft and called over a ground crew, who got her out.

The passenger wrote that Air Canada personnel asked if she was OK and whether she would like a limo and hotel, but she declined the offer. She said airline representatives apologized and said they would investigate.

“I haven’t got much sleep since the reoccurring night terrors and waking up anxious and afraid I’m alone locked up someplace dark,” she wrote.

The AP attempted to reach Adams through Noel-Dale’s Facebook account but had not received a response by late Sunday morning.

Air Canada said in a Facebook response to the post that it was surprised to hear the story and “very concerned,” asking Adams to send a private message with her flight details.

“We’ll take a look into it,” the airline wrote.

Man Accused of Sex with Teen on Plane Sentenced to 7 Years

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — A New Jersey man accused of having sex with a teen on a plane is sentenced to seven years in prison. 53-year-old Stephen Bradley Mell, a former CEO of a New Jersey investment firm, was sentenced last week in federal court. Mell confessed to engaging in sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl on his private airplane…after he set it on auto-pilot.