HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A tax on beer sold at Pennsylvania breweries and brew pubs is in effect, and some are passing along the higher cost to customers. The use tax of about 1.5 percent that began Tuesday is technically a tax on the brewer for using its own products at its business.

Some state lawmakers are introducing their own bill that would allow college athletes to be paid. The bill would allow students to sign endorsement deals, letting them earn money for their name and likeness. The measure would also permit the young athletes to hire an agent. Allegheny County state Representative Dan Miller calls the bill a worker’s freedom issue, adding the athletes help their coaches earn big salaries while they don’t financially benefit as well.

State lawmakers are considering a bill that would raise the salary cap on local elected officials. The bills, if approved, would allow townships and boroughs the option to increase salaries for their leaders, based upon the size of the community. The largest communities could see the amount of compensation rise from five-grand to near 84-hundred-dollars per year. The bills could come up for a vote starting October 21st.

A partially naked man was arrested after trying to break in to a woman’s apartment in Pittsburgh. Police say James Lipinski, a convicted arsonist, tried to break into the woman’s apartment Monday night. Lipinski is charged with aggravated assault and burglary after police said he stripped naked from the waist down and tried to force his way into the apartment.

Firefighters saved a man trapped in a car after it caught fire near the Cranberry Mall late Tuesday. The car had rolled onto its side across the parking lot from Emiliano’s restaurant, according to Cranberry police. The fire was coming from the rear of the car. According to police, the roof had to be taken off the car to rescue him. Firefighters from Cranberry Fire and Adams Fire responded. The man was alert when he was taken to the hospital.

Police say a Butler man pulled a gun on some neighbor kids after their ball went in his yard. Scott Spahn is accused of threatening the kids with a revolver and refusing to give their ball back. Spahn was charged Tuesday with aggravated assault and terroristic threats and is in Butler County Jail on 200-thousand-dollars bail.

A woman is in custody for the alleged theft of hundreds’ of dollars in merchandise from the Cranberry Mall last week. Sabrina Eisenberg was charged Tuesday after around 480-dollars in stolen merchandise was found in her vehicle September 27th. Eisenberg has more than three prior retail theft convictions and is wanted in several surrounding counties.

(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

Two Beaver County Bridges became the focal points of discussion during the October 2 Comissioners’ work session at the County Courthouse.

First was the Veterans’ Bridge, which connects Routes 18 & 65 on Junction Stretch with Route 51 connecting Fallston with Bridgewater. County Solicitor Garen Fedeles spoke about the new technological item that could be in step with the Veterans’ Bridge:

 

However, Fedeles also made mention of the fact that the plans the company has in regard to the new fiber optics line is still in the works:

 

Then it was the Brush Creek Bridge that came into the spotlight. Among the most notable updates in regard to Brush Creek is that the bridge measures over the limit of the designation of merely “park bridge” and now belongs to the county. This revelation was a surprise for County Commissioner Sandie Egley:

 

The limit for bridges to be considered public is 20 feet.

Meanwhile, when asked about why there will not be any debates for the 2019 Commissioners’ race, both Dan Camp and Tony Amadio declined for comment.

MUNHALL, Pa. (AP) — Bed bugs have forced a school district in Allegheny County to close. The Steel Valley School District in Munhall is keeping students and staff home today in order to treat and clean all its buildings. In a letter to parents on Tuesday, Superintendent Edward Wehrer wrote a suspected bed bug was found in a high school classroom on Monday and in a middle school student’s book bag on Tuesday. The district expects to reopen on Thursday.