Author: Beaver County Radio

Aliquippa School Board Approves 2016-17 Budget

The Aliquippa School Board met last night and approved the retirements of Assistant Elementary School assistant principal Dennis Drevna and elementary Gifted Education Teacher Debbie Frank. Drevna taught several years before becoming assistant principal.. Frank taught in the district 31 years Both are effective June 30.

Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano reports that the board also approved the 2016-2017 budget of $23,312,442.00. Real estate taxes will be 232 mills on land, and 36 mills on buildings. The 2015-16 millage was 224 on land, and 34.75 on buildings.

Salaries for the 8 clerical and secretarial staff members in the district were approved by the board.

Beaver County Sheriff’s Office Under Scrutiny For Being Over Budget

The Beaver County Sheriff’s office is coming under scrutiny for being consistently over budget. Beaver County Radio’s Greg Benedetti was at the courthouse this morning for the commissioners’ work session. He says that County Commissioners Chairwoman Sandie Egley stated that the sheriff’s department remains consistently over budget halfway through the budget year. According to Benedetti, Egley said that Sheriff Tony Guy was instructed to come up with a plan to correct the budget problem, but so far hasn’t done that. Egley has asked her fellow commissioners to consider what options are available to get the budget back on track.

Hopewell Area School Board Adopts 2016-17 Budget

THE HOPEWELL AREA SCHOOL BOARD MET LAST NIGHT AND ADOPTED ITS 2016-17 budget of $39-million dollars. According to Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano, real estate taxes will be 72.2 mills. The millage is an increase of 2.2 mills from 2015-16.

Giordano says that the board adopted a resolution requesting that the county’s chief assesor direct inspection and reassessment of all taxable properties within the district to which major improvements were made after 9/1/15. Those properties were not included in the tax duplicate for fiscal year 7/1/16 and ending 6/30/17.

The district hired Keelen Fiedler as InnovateED teacher to head the STEAM program for grades 5 through 8 in the district.

Deborah Skiba was hired as a transportation nurse effective May 26, 2016, The purpose of the hiring was to transport students to a Pediatric facility at the former Johnson Street School when necessary.

The board’s next meeting is July 26 at 7 p.m. in the Central Administration Building.

Cracked Windshield Forces Pittsburgh-Bound Flight Back To Boston

A Pittsburgh-bound JetBlue Airways flight had to return to Boston because of a cracked windshield. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the Wednesday morning incident. No one was hurt.  A passenger told New England Cable News that the pilot who made the announcement said it was a common occurrence.

Man Accused In Murder Of Beaver Woman Now Facing New Charges

A man, accused of killing his girlfriend, is now facing new charges today. According to a press release from the Beaver County District Attorney’s office, Edward Baker Jr. was charged yesterday with rape, criminal trespass and burglary. Baker was previously charged with murdering Addaleigh Huzyak in her Beaver apartment earlier this month. Baker was arrested in Kentucky shortly after the crime and reportedly told police to just shoot him.

Trial Underway For Accused Beaver Falls Arsonist

A trial is underway for an accused Beaver Falls arsonist. 22-year-old Zachary Metcalf is accused of igniting several fires in 2015. Police say Metcalf started nine fires in Beaver Falls and two in White Township during the months of August and September of last year. He was arrested near the scene of one of the White Township fires on September 29th. The non-jury trial began yesterday morning.

Rochester Police Investigating Daytime Burglary

Police in Rochester are asking for the public’s help in catching a daytime burglar. According to police, the suspect kicked down a resident’s door in the 500 block of Reno Street in the borough and took one-thousand dollars worth of coins and other items. The burglary occurred near Rochester High School, which is where police obtained surveillance video. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Rochester police at (724) 775-1110.

Riverside School District Raising Taxes

Real estate taxes are going up for a second consecutive year in the Riverside School District. The school board unanimously adopted the 2016-2017 budget that raises real estate taxes by two mills. The cause for the tax hike is being attributed to an increase of about $479,000 in the district’s contribution to the state’s school retirement fund.

Jordan Brown To Live in Boardman, Ohio

Jordan Brown’s new temporary home will be in the Boardman, Ohio region. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Brown – who was accused of committing a double homicide in Lawrence County at the age of 11 – will be living with his father’s aunt and uncle. Brown’s new living arrangement will reportedly last until he goes to college. Brown was found delinquent for the 2009 fatal shooting of 26-year-old Kenzie Houk and her unborn child. Houk’s family wanted Jordan to be tried as an adult. They believe Brown should spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Garbage Truck Hits House In Cranberry Twp.

A garbage truck hit a house in Cranberry Township this morning. The Vogel Disposal truck reportedly rolled backward and crashed into a house on Parkwood Drive. Officials say the siding of the house was damaged by the impact. Witnesses say the vehicles’s operator got out to straighten a trash can, apparently forgot to put on the brake, allowing the truck to roll back and hit the house. No injuries were reported.