Christina “Tina” Marie Sariochek (1983-2025)

Christina “Tina” Marie Sariochek, 41, of Patterson Township, passed away unexpectedly from meningococcal pneumonia on February 11th, 2025 at home.

She was born in Beaver on August 16th, 1983, the beloved daughter of Regina Colaianni Sariochek (Patterson Township) and the late Andrew Sariochek. In addition to her father, she was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Ercole & Marfisa Ricci Colaianni, paternal grandparents, Andrew & Jeanne George Sariochek and her Godfather, Daniel Colaianni. In addition to her mother, she is survived by her sister, Nicole Sariochek of Patterson Township, Godmother, Bridget Berry Kotuba of North Sewickley, Goddaughter, Clara Sidor of Middleburg Heights, Ohio, as well as numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

She graduated from Blackhawk High School, class of 2001. She then went on to earn her bachelor’s degree from Mount Union College of Alliance, Ohio in elementary education and then pursued her master’s degree in special education from Point Park University. She graduated from Point Park University in 2018. She was employed as a Pre-Kindergarten teacher for Fairview Elementary School in the Western Beaver County School District since 2007. Christina had a passion for teaching and was always someone that had an impact on the children that she taught and the families that she supported. She was a mentor, friend and guiding light who made the world a much better place.

Family and friends will be received on Monday, February 17th, from 2 to 8 p.m. at Corless-Kunselman Funeral Services, LLC, 3801 Fourth Avenue, Beaver Falls. Prayers will be recited on Tuesday, February 18th, at 9:30 a.m. in the funeral home followed by a Mass of Christian burial at 10 a.m. at Saint Monica Church, 116 Thorndale Drive, Beaver Falls. Rev. Kim J. Schreck will officiate.

Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery & Mausoleum of Chippewa Township.

Donations may be made to the Saint Monica Angel Fund and Western Beaver PTO – Fairview Elementary School.

Ronald W. Martin II (1967-2025)

Ronald W. Martin II, 57, of Liverpool, New York, formerly of Pittsburgh, passed away on February 6th, 2025 at home in Montgomery, Alabama. He was born in Pittsburgh on August 23rd, 1967, a son of the late Ronald W. & Georgia Ann (Cain) Martin. He is survived by his wife of seventeen years, Megan B. Martin, four children: Gabrielle Derusha (Andrew Wilson) of Virginia, Rebecca Andresen (Michael) of Virginia, Samara Heseleton (Matthew) of New York, and Sarah Derusha of Massachusetts, four grandchildren: Jason, Everley, Marceline and Lucas, three brothers, Brian Andrew Martin of Pennsylvania, George Raymond Martin (Melissa) of South Carolina, Stephen R. Martin (Shelby) of Ohio, two nephews, Grant Martin of South Carolina, Ian of Massachusetts and a niece, Audrey of California.

Ronald graduated from Seneca Valley High School in 1985 and then attended Liberty University where he became a lifelong supporter of the University. He earned his Eagle Scout Badge from the Boy Scouts and was involved with the organization as an adult as a leader and mentor for many years to come. He enjoyed Pittsburgh sports and traveling to new places.

Ronald has had the opportunity to work in various fields over years. He was fortunate to work alongside both his parents at different times. One of his favorite positions was being a DJ on two different radio stations. He then moved on to various representative and managerial positions for companies that kept him traveling.

Ronald was recently faced with a health crisis and a new diagnosis. Ronald decided to meet it head on to adapt and overcome with his strong faith in God. He passed away with his wife Megan at his side.

Friends will be received on Saturday, February 15th from 10 A.M. until the time of service at 12 noon in the Huntsman Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Moon Township, 1522 Coraopolis Heights Road. Interment will follow at Union Dale Cemetery of Pittsburgh.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Samaritan’s Purse at www.samaritanspurse.org.

Connie Lee Wingrove (1950-2025)

Connie Lee Wingrove, 75, of Freedom, passed away on February 10th, 2025 in Brighton Rehab and Wellness. She was born in Dubois, Pennslyvania on January 9th, 1950, a daughter of the late Charlotte and Albert Stuckwish. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her fiancé, George Bable and two siblings, Judy Watson and Charles Stuckwish. She is survived by her two sons, Tom Wingrove Sr. (Jodi Bailey) and George & Elizabeth Wingrove, five grandchildren: Tom Wingrove Jr. (Mikayla Dixon), Kylee Wingrove (Noah Bernard), Jim Wingrove (Sydney Zapsic), Devon Wingrove and Dawhnel Wingrove (Thomas Provance), a great granddaughter, Charlotte Wingrove, a sister, Jenny Flook, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

She enjoyed sitting outside and taking in the outdoors. Even though she was a very private person, she loved to spend time with her grandchildren.

In accordance with Connie’s wishes, all services are private. Arrangements have been entrusted to the branch of Huntsman Funeral Home and Cremation Services.

Hubert J. Kovalesky (1961-2025)

Hubert J. Kovalesky, 63, of Ohioville, passed away unexpectedly on February 11th, 2025.
He was born in Rochester on November 17th, 1961, a son of the late Hubert J. Kovalesky Sr. and Patricia Simechak. He is survived by his beloved wife of 44 years, Barbara Guy Kovalesky, sons: Thomas (Dena) Lipp of Ohioville, Curtis (Rebecca) Kovalesky of Ohioville, Hubert (Alisha) Kovalesky III of Industry, step-father, John Simecak, brother, Eugene (Kathryn) Kovalesky of Bridgewater, sister, Patricia Sipe Kovalesky of Ohioville and grandchildren: Macie Lipp, Lincoln Kovalesky, Kelly Kovalesky, Curtis Kovalesky II, Andrew Kovalesky. He was also anxiously awaiting a new granddaughter in May. He is also survived by his honorary 1st grandson, Jacob Myers, as well as his large loving family which includes nieces and nephews.

Hubert was a former Western Beaver school board member for 30 years. He loved being around the farm, gardening and canning. He lived for his grandchildren, helped coach Brighton Township Football, mostly twerps, for fifteen years. He also attended Christian Assembly Church of Ohioville.
Friends will be received on Saturday, February 15th from 2-4 P.M. and 6-8 P.M. in the Noll Funeral Home, Inc., 333 Third Street, Beaver. Online condolences may be shared at www.nollfuneral.com.

Diana D. Lutz (1959-2025)

Diana D. Lutz, 65, of Monaca, passed away on February 5th, 2025. She was born on August 17th, 1959.
She was preceded in death by her husband Dick M. Lutz and many other loving family members. She is survived by her children, John Lutz and Michelle Buchanan, her grandchildren whom she loved dearly, Kayli, Nick, Gabby, Jaxson and Skyler. She is also survived by many loving cousins, friends and extended members of her family. She will be truly missed by all, but her legacy continues in our hearts and memories.
Diana was affectionately known as Mom, Yaya and Grandma.
At her request, she wanted no fanfare, no flowers, no tears and staying true to the PITA* motto. She fought so hard and kept her strengths and wits about her to the very end.
Arrangements were entrusted to the Anthony Mastrofrancesco Funeral Home, Inc., 2026 McMinn Street, Aliquippa.

Fred J. Totera (1948-2025)

Fred J. Totera, 76, of Patterson Township, passed away on February 10th, 2025, at Heritage Valley Beaver.

He was born in Beaver Falls on August 17th, 1948, the son of the late Margaret (Barile) and Fred Totera. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Sandra Totera and in-laws, Kay and Paul Stevens. He is survived by his daughter, Tiffany (Ben) Diaz, three brother-in-laws, Mark (Bonnie) Stevens, Bruce (Eileen) Stevens and Craig (Mary) Stevens, a nephew, Brad (Cari) Stevens, a great-nephew, Lukas Stevens, a great-niece, Hailee Stevens, as well as many cousins.

Fred graduated from Beaver Falls High School in 1966 and from Geneva College in 1970. He owned and operated Fred Totera Vending for many decades.

He was a loyal husband, father and friend. Fred had a larger than life personality and was a friend to everyone he met. He enjoyed golfing, the Steelers and his Harley. He loved sharing drinks and laughs with friends at the Owls and Turners clubs.

The family would like to thank Franciscan Manor and Rochester Manor for their compassionate care. The family would also like give special thanks to Yvette Cavallo for her love and dedication to the “old man.”

In accordance with Fred’s request, a private service will be held at a later date. Arrangements were handled by Gabauer-Lutton Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the Beaver County Humane Society:https://beavercountyhumanesociety.org/online-donation/

McKinney’s Furniture and Mattress Direct to close Monaca store

(Photo of Monaca location provided with the release)

MONACA, Pa. (February 13, 2025) —McKinney’s Furniture and Mattress Direct will close the doors of its Monaca showroom permanently after providing premier home furnishings at affordable prices for 15 years. The family-owned and operated business begins final liquidation February 15.

McKinney’s Furniture and Mattress Direct was founded in 1955. Throughout seven decades, the McKinney family has dedicated their lives to providing the Tri State communities with quality furniture and excellent customer service.  Fourth-generation owner Greg McKinney has announced the permanent closure of McKinney’s Furniture and Mattress Direct in Monaca after losing the lease on the building. The two other stores in Calcutta and Salem will remain open.

“My family and I are deeply grateful to our loyal customers who have supported us in Monaca over the past 15 years,” said McKinney. “Although this store is closing, we’re excited to continue providing the same great service and quality furnishings at our other locations.”

McKinney’s Furniture and Mattress Direct in Monaca begins its store-closing sale February 15. The 30,000-square-foot showroom is located at 3940 Brodhead Road in the Walmart Plaza next to Planet Fitness. During the final sale, deep discounts will be offered on a wide variety of furniture for every room in the home including 50% off accessories and lamps. Famous name brands include Ashley, Best Home, Corinthian, Craftmaster, Crownmark, Howard Miller, Leather Italia, Liberty, Magnussen, Mega Motion, Revive, Southerland, Southern Motion, Steve Silver, and Vaughn Bassett.

Management encourages early shopping for the best selection. For more information on the final sale visit www.mckinneyssale.com.

Governor Shapiro Files Lawsuit Challenging Trump Administration’s Unconstitutional Federal Funding Freeze in Order to Protect Pennsylvania Interests 

FILE – Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro speaks during a news conference in Philadelphia, Tuesday, July 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

Pennsylvania state agencies unable to access $1.2 billion in Congressionally-appropriated federal funding as of February 12, 2025, with an additional $900 million requiring an undefined review by federal agencies.   

Despite efforts to work with Pennsylvania’s Congressional delegation and multiple court rulings ordering federal agencies to restore access to funding, dollars for critical Pennsylvania-based initiatives remain frozen. 

(Harrisburg, PA) –Today, Governor Josh Shapiro filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s unconstitutional freeze of federal funding. As of today – even after multiple court orders to release the federal funds and Governor Shapiro’s engagement with Pennsylvania’s federal representatives — state agencies still remain entirely unable to access $1.2 billion in federal funding, with an additional $900 million requiring an undefined review by federal agencies before it can be drawn down. To ensure the interests of our Commonwealth and its residents are protected, Governor Shapiro is taking legal action to restore access to this funding.

“The federal government has entered into a contract with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, promising to provide billions of dollars in Congressionally-approved funding that we have committed to serious needs – like protecting public health, cutting energy costs, providing safe, clean drinking water, and creating jobs in rural communities,” said Governor Shapiro. “With this funding freeze, the Trump Administration is breaking that contract – and it’s my job as Governor to protect Pennsylvania’s interests. Over the past two weeks, my team and I have engaged with our Congressional delegation to try to restore access to all the federal funding Pennsylvania has been promised under law – but despite those efforts, state agencies remain unable to draw down these critical dollars. While multiple federal judges have ordered the Trump Administration to unfreeze this funding, access has not been restored, leaving my Administration with no choice but to pursue legal action to protect the interests of the Commonwealth and its residents.”

Almost immediately after the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a directive on January 27, 2025, Commonwealth agencies realized that billions in federal funding appropriated by Congress to Pennsylvania were no longer accessible. Federal agencies suspended access to billions of dollars in funding without supplying a plausible explanation as to why certain funds are being suspended, giving any consideration to the harm their action would cause, or considering how Commonwealth agencies have relied on receiving that committed funding.

Since then, the Shapiro Administration has worked with its federal partners and Pennsylvania’s Congressional delegation in an attempt to fully restore access to these funds. Simultaneously, multiple federal judges have ordered the Trump Administration to unfreeze this funding – however, because Pennsylvania was not involved in previous litigation, it is not guaranteed that future litigation in those cases will protect Pennsylvania’s interests and funding.

As of February 12, 2025, despite those multiple court orders, over $1.2 billion in federal funding owed to Pennsylvania agencies remains suspended – and more than $900 million in funding is now marked as requiring further (but unarticulated) federal agency review before reimbursement requests can be approved.

While Commonwealth agencies cannot draw from certain federal accounts, they are stuck incurring debts and obligations in federally approved projects that the Trump Administration currently is refusing to reimburse. While agencies have some reserves and discretionary dollars to cover small, unexpected debts, the scope of the federal freeze will far exceed those reserves.

Federal funding is in jeopardy for critical Pennsylvania-based initiatives including reclaiming abandoned mine land, capping and plugging orphan wells, and lowering consumer costs. For example, abandoned mine land dollars that are currently frozen will allow the Commonwealth to reclaim 24,000 acres of abandoned mine land across Pennsylvania, construct or maintain 16 water treatment systems that deal with toxic runoff from abandoned mines, and respond to about 60 emergency events per year. Left unaddressed, abandoned mines can cave in and form sinkholes, causing significant property damage and even death – as happened in Westmoreland County in December 2024. Additionally, the federal funding freeze has restricted access to funding that would help plug more than 500 orphaned and abandoned wells that are releasing toxic chemicals in Pennsylvania communities, as well as funding that would help up to 28,000 Pennsylvania households lower their utility bills.

The U.S. Constitution clearly states that federal agencies do not have the power to suspend states’ access to money that Congress appropriated or to impose new conditions on money already appropriated and obligated. Governor Shapiro is taking action to unfreeze these funds and ensure Pennsylvania is legally protected so that Commonwealth agencies can continue their work to improve Pennsylvanians’ lives.

Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board Reports Over $100 Million in Super Bowl Wagers Placed in Commonwealth

 (File Photo)

HARRISBURG, PA: The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (“Board”) today reported that preliminary figures show $101,548,073 was wagered in the Commonwealth on this past weekend’s Philadelphia Eagles/Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl through retail and online sportsbooks. That was a 20.4% increase over the previous high for wagers placed in Pennsylvania for a Super Bowl achieved in 2023 when the Eagles and Chiefs also faced off.

At the same time, patrons overwhelmingly placed winning wagers resulting in negative revenue for the sports wagering operators of $6,532,147. The Board noted in particular a high percentage of wagers placed on the Eagles to win. The Eagles defeated the Chiefs 40-22.

Patrons could choose to place Super Bowl wagers in Pennsylvania at 18 retail locations and through 11 online wagering sites. Figures show that 91.2% of the money wagered was through online sites.

The following charts provide a breakdown of Super Bowl wagers and revenue this year and in the subsequent five years in which wagering could be conducted in Pennsylvania:

 

Year – Opponents Wagers Retail Wagers Online Wagers Total
2025 – Philadelphia/Kansas City $8,978,567 $92,569,506 $101,548,073
2024 – Kansas City/San Francisco $6,866,870 $64,687,229 $71,554,099
2023 – Philadelphia/Kansas City $10,316,188 $73,997,001 $84,313,189
2022 – Cincinnati/Los Angeles Rams $6,938,462 $61,106,349 $68,044,810
2021 – Tampa Bay/Kansas City $6,137,478 $47,497,202 $53,634,680
2020 – Kansas City/San Francisco $6,728,544 $24,035,942 $30,693,942

 

 

Year – Opponents Revenue Retail Revenue Online Revenue Total
2025 – Philadelphia/Kansas City -$3,808,959 -$2,723,188 -$6,532,147
2024 – Kansas City/San Francisco $451,039 $10,611,872 $11,062,911
2023 – Philadelphia/Kansas City $4,652,018 $25,070,884 $29,722,902
2022 – Cincinnati/Los Angeles Rams $697,646 $3,877,693 $4,575,339
2021 – Tampa Bay/Kansas City -$24,264 $9,418,535 $9,394,271
2020 – Kansas City/San Francisco -$450,894 -$2,840,675 -$3,334,787