Gun violence was the topic of discussion in Rochester High School’s Little Theater last night with  about 80 persons in attendance, including District Attorney David Lozier.  Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano was also there. She reports that Lozier said  an open discussion meeting was organized  for the event  about the ongoing violence in the county The district attorney said the violence  effects every town in the county.Anthony Thomas, originally from California told the group  he was robbed, at gunpoint several times, and was arrested for drug trafficking sent to prison and was” in the hole”  for 15 months  He was facing a life sentence for the charges  His comment to the crowd was”We need to get a center to educate the kids , there a lot of senseless murders. He said he missed a lot of things because of his selfish ways. he added that prison isn’t somewhere nobody wants to be.”‘ Brian Gillborn was shot leaving a bar and is now confined to a wheelchair because he is crippled . Jerome Riggins said he lost his brother and friends due to gun violence , his mom Ursula also  addressed the crowd. Jeanine Cleckley lost her son 4 years ago, was shot in the back and died,  he left behind to young daughters, she said , and it’s hard being around them, because they look like him.   She told the group gun violence isn’t the answer.”‘ :We need to get together and figure it out, if there is a way I can help, I will”” Pastor Larry Vreen of  Word of Life Church in Monaca  said”We need resources to navigate this violent environment.””Randy Bacon, a Rochester native, now living in Harrisburg , said Beaver County is not the same , it needs to get back to being a community.” Sandy Gill, Aliquippa School Board member that leads a group of girls  called the DREAMERS.  She told the group that   she and her committee instill self worth in the girls  grade school to high school.  Gill told the group that 5 of the members will graduate college.  She worked at the jail and is very involved volunteering , what we teach in the homes, teach it in the streets. Ursula Riggins, also of Aliquippa said  “We need a community based group for parents.””Her son was also killed because of gun violence, it’s a now win situation, she said.Kids are locked up with adult prisoners., I can’t get mad at the police.  “We’ve got a God that gives us a second chance.””  Joellen Character discussed Amercore,  a group that connects the school and community . She is a community liaison.”We’re here to help”. Rick Hacker, Rochester’s school resource officer , said “I hope  I can guide and mentor some of these kids”  Rochester Twp. police officer, Sam Piccininni, who also worked in the boro as an officer for over 25 years said the hardest thing he had to do is to go” and tell  a parent their child is dead.””

Today kicks off a series of 2017 Beaver County budget hearings that will be held in the commissioners’ conference room of the Beaver County courthouse. There will be a total of 38 meetings that will include the county commissioners, financial administrator Ricardo Luckow and the row officer/ department head who oversees the particular section of the budget that’s being addressed. Today’s meeting begins at 2 p-m and will involve the coroner, the library commission, central services, records management…and victim witness. The meetings will continue thru December 1st.

As the Beaver County Commissioners face another sizeable budget dilemma for next year, they have some questions they’d like answered before they vote on the new budget. Budget director Ricardo Luckow told the commissioners yesterday that they face a 10-million-dollar deficit in 2017. But commissioners Tony Amadio and Dan Camp told Mike Romigh on Teleforum on Beaver County Radio this morning that they want to know more about revenues. Comissioners chairwoman Sandie Egley did not appear on this morning’s program.

Aliquippa City Council met last night  in executive session and once they reconvened,  terminated firefighter Christopher A. McCune, based on a ruling by the fire civil service commission.  According to Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano, he had been suspended without pay for operating  the city’s ladder truck and had a blood alcohol level of .22. Engineer Ron Rizzo and  City Administrator Sam Gill  met with Penn DOT Dist. 11  last Monday  about hazardous steps going up to the Henry Mancini Bridge.   Council voted unanimously last night to remove the steps., instead of replacing them.  Had they been replaced it would have cost $62,000. City Administrator Gill outlined what was discussed at last week’s Vacant Property and Blight Review Committee’s  briefing on what it is expected of them.Coordinator Alicia Hunt Williams and Gill  prepared a chart showing the eight zones in the city  and explained what is expected of the committee members, and council and the public were given an overview last night. Mayor Walker said that the city does need help to  get us on the right track.” A city guide will be  printed  for all residents listing regulations, events, and other valuable information , he said.  The last one was printed in 2012. Councilman Donald Walker announced that all 4 Little Quips football teams  are playing for the championship, and he’s coached 15 years and it’s the first time all 4 have made it to the championship.