This weekend…if you happen to run into a man or woman in uniform, you may want to let them know how much you appreciate the work they do. Tomorrow is National Law Enforcement Apppreciation Day. Officer David Puiri – President of the Fraternal Order of Police, Beaver Valley Lodge #4 – tells Beaver County Radio News that in light of national events in recent years portraying police officers in a negative light, it’s important not to cast that light on everyone. So if you see a police officer over the next couple of days, make sure you say- Thank You!
Author: Beaver County Radio
Pennsylvania Sued Over Budget Fight’s Holdup Of School Aid
The Pennsylvania School Boards Association is suing Gov. Tom Wolf and the state Legislature, saying it’s illegal and unconstitutional to withhold state and federal school aid during a budget impasse. The lawsuit, filed today, asks Commonwealth Court to prevent the state from withholding the dollars. The lawsuit also seeks damages for the loss of investment income and borrowing costs while schools went six months without aid.
Powerball Jackpot Reaches $800 Million, Largest U.S. Prize Ever
The Powerball jackpot, already the largest in the United States history, has been boosted yet again to a whopping $800 million. The cash prize is now at $496 million. Lively ticket sales have propelled the jackpot up at an astounding rate.
Beaver Falls Man Who Sent Gag Gift To Sheriff Will Not Be Charged
New Beaver County district attorney David Lozier says no charges will be filed against an unidentified Beaver Falls man who sent a gift to new sheriff Tony Guy that was an inert hand grenade mounted to a wall plaque. At a press conference this morning, which was attended by Beaver County Radio’s Greg Benedetti, Lozier said the item that caused the evacuation of the courthouse when discovered yesterday, was a commercially available product. Lozier advises Beaver County residents not to send questionable items to the courthouse.
Beaver County Residents Give Mixed Reaction to Obama’s Gun Control Efforts
President Barack Obama will join CNN tonight for an exclusive one-hour live town hall meeting on gun control at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia in hopes of mounting a final pitch to the public. Beaver County Radio’s Lindsey Watson spoke to some Beaver Countians to get their reaction to the president’s unilateral action that was announced earlier this week. Reaction was mixed: some say more background checks are needed while others said no matter how much one tries to regulate gun sales, gun violence is here to stay.
Lottery Jackpot Grows
A lottery official says the estimated prize for this weekend’s Powerball drawing is the largest jackpot of any lottery game in U.S. history. Officials say Saturday’s drawing will be worth about $675 million. That’s because no one matched the numbers drawn for Wednesday night’s estimated $500 million jackpot. The previous record was a $656 million Mega Millions jackpot won in March 2012.
Bill Cosby’s Preliminary Hearing Postponed
Bill Cosby’s next court appearance on a sex assault charge in Pennsylvania is being postponed. Officials say Cosby’s January 14th preliminary hearing will be rescheduled. Cosby’s defense lawyers sought a postponement to give them more time to prepare. At the hearing, the prosecutors will argue they have enough evidence to go to trial.
Pirates management have high hopes for 2016.
(Seven Springs, PA) The Pittsburgh Pirates front office staff held a question and answer
session with members of the Pittsburgh Pirates Radio Network at an affiliate gathering earlier today at Seven Springs Mountain Resort. Pirates Team owner Bob Nutting opened the meeting by re affirming his thoughts that this year’s team is expected to continue the their winning ways in 2016. Nutting then challenged other Pirates team leadership present that he fully expects this year’s squad to be better than last year’s.
Pirates General Manager Neil Huntington and President Frank Coonley also addressed numerous issues at the meeting including the need for Major League Baseball to come up with a a different formula for revenue sharing and how foreign professional players are recruited and signed among others, to help make all teams be able to compete on an equal basis with each other in the future.
Coonley lauded the Pirates success of this past year pointing out several interesting observations including the fact that the Pirates, with 98 wins in 2015, had the third best record in Baseball, were one of only three teams to make the playoffs in each of the past three seasons, and yet the greater Pittsburgh area , is the second smallest market in the league.
Bomb Squad Called To Evacuated Beaver County Courthouse
The Allegheny County police bomb squad was called to the Beaver County Courthouse, which was evacuated this morning. Beaver County Radio’s Bob Barrickman was inside the courthouse when the evacuation began at 10:05. An all-clear was given and the building was re-opened at 11:23 this morning. Officials have not yet said what type of threat had been made.
Ellwood City man Convicted Of Stalking Amish Kids Waives Hearing
An Ellwood City man convicted of stalking Amish schoolchildren waived his detention hearing today on federal child pornography charges and will remain in custody at the Mercer County Jail on a federal detainer. 39-year-old Lucas Klobetanz was indicted last month after a search of his house by the FBI and state police turned up child pornography on a thumb drive and photos of young boys engaged in sex acts. Klobetanz was charged last winter with attempting to lure children into the courthouse of an Amish school. When the children told a neighbor, Klobetanz explained that he had dropped toilet paper and needed help picking it up. He pleaded guilty to stalking in that case and prosecutors dropped a related charge of luring.