Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing inspection activities on the Ambridge- Aliquippa Bridge and Laughlin Memorial Bridge over Route 65 (Ohio River Boulevard) in Ambridge Borough, Beaver County will occur Tuesday and Wednesday, September 19-20 weather permitting.

Single-lane restrictions will occur from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day on Route 65 for bridge inspection activities according to the following schedule:

• Tuesday, September 19 – A southbound lane restriction between 12th Street and 9th Street for the inspection of the Ambridge-Aliquippa Bridge
• Wednesday, September 20 – Lane restrictions in both directions between Cross Street and 4th Street for the inspection of the Laughlin Memorial Bridge

Crews from the Pickering, Corts & Summerson will conduct the routine inspection activities.

Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published September 19, 2023 9:52 A.M.

(Hopewell Township, PA) On Friday, Hopewell Area School District Superintendent Dr. Jeff Beltz said a threat was found on social media targeting schools holding homecoming festivities over the weekend. A Hopewell Police officer was sent to each of the district’s buildings as a precaution.

Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published September 19, 2023 9:48 A.M.

(Center Township, PA) Center Township Police Chief Aldo Legge reported Monday night that there were no more threats made after a search was done at the mall. The mall will operate as normal Tuesday.

(Sandy Giordano/Beaver County Radio)

Center Township Police are present at the Beaver Valley Mall. Evacuation of the mall is currently underway, according to a police spokesperson.

More details will be provided to Beaver County Radio when  they are available.

MORGANTOWN, Pa (AP) — Nine juveniles who escaped from a detention center in Pennsylvania and were at large for less than a day have been captured, state police said Monday.

All will be charged with escape and some may face other charges.

“We’re going to interview all nine of them,” said Pennsylvania State Police Trooper David Beohm. “I know there’s stuff in the works right now to decide where they are going to go after that takes place.”

Beohm said the first four were taken into custody shortly before 6 a.m. after they went to a residence and knocked on the door.

They turned themselves in because they were cold and tired, Beohm said.

The other five were captured after police received a report of a stolen vehicle and “a sort of pursuit” took place, Beohm said. Four youths were taken into custody from the vehicle and a fifth, who took off on foot, was caught in a field a short time later.

State and local police were called late Sunday to take control of the juvenile center in Morgantown, about 49 miles (78.8 kilometers) northwest of Philadelphia. Beohm said the escape happened after the juveniles wrested the keys away from two staff members.

Abraxas Academy is a secure residential treatment program providing “specialized care for delinquent male youth between the ages of 14 to 18 in 9th grade or above,” according to the facility’s website.

The escape follows the capture of an escaped murderer who eluded Pennsylvania authorities for several days despite an extended manhunt.

But Beohm said the teenagers likely didn’t have the desperation or motivation of someone like Danelo Souza Cavalcante, who escaped from a Pennsylvania jail and eluded law enforcement for two weeks before his capture on Sept. 13.

“I figured we’d catch these kids because they are not as resilient” as Cavalacante, Beohm said at a press conference.

The convicted murderer escaped from the Chester County jail in southeastern Pennsylvania on Aug. 31 by crab-walking up between two walls that were topped with razor wire, then jumping from the roof.

(Sandy Giordano/Beaver County Radio)

The Act 47 designation for financial distress for a community in Pennsylvania could be coming to an end soon in Aliquippa.

A hearing was held Thursday night regarding the Act 47 status, attended by Mayor Dwan B. Waller, City Manager Sam Gill, and City Solicitor Myron Sainovich among others in coordination with Act 47 coordinator Debbie Grass.

The city is sending their final report to the PA Department of Community and Economic Development for termination of the Act 47 status. A decision will be made by year’s end.

State Representative Rob Matzie is pushing for the approval of several house bills designed to strengthen safeguards for consumers against predatory practices that drive up costs in many different areas of life.

Matzie, who is the majority chairman of the House Consumer Protection, Technology and Utilities Committee, says that the most recent efforts by the committee focus on the arenas of speculative ticketing and “fly-by-night” gas and electric companies.

“We are also reviewing legislation to address unsightly, unsafe duplicate utility poles and legislation to protect consumers from high-pressure sales tactics by some fly-by-night companies,” Matzie said. “It doesn’t matter whether we’re talking about goods or services – every PA consumer deserves a fair shake.”

Some of the bills under review include:

• H.B. 1578, which would protect consumers from “fly-by-night” gas and electric companies whose salespeople prey on seniors and other vulnerable customers.
• H.B. 1658, which would ban speculative ticketing.
• H.B. 1378, which would ban the use of “grinch bots.”
• H.B. 1655, which would standardize fees and requirements imposed on utilities performing street repairs to contain the costs passed on to consumers.
• H.B. 1619, which would address unsafe, unsightly duplicative utility poles.