(File Photo of a Road Work Ahead Sign)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(Shenango Tonwship, PA) PennDOT District 11 announced that beginning Monday, April 14th weather permitting, gas main installation work will occur on Route 65 in Shenango Township. From 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day between Douglas Drive and Sherwood Drive, single-lane alternating traffic will take place on Route 65 through late July. The gas main installation work will be conducted by crews from Miller Pipeline.
(File Photo of Gavel)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(Pittsburgh, PA) Acting U.S. Attorney Troy Revetti announced Friday that a man from Butler was charged after threatening to murder President Donald Trump, U.S. officials, and ICE agents. Thirty-two-year-old Shawn Monper made threats as the user “Mr. Satan” on YouTube to the President and those other individuals between January 15th, 2025 and April 5th, 2025. According to Revetti, Monper was ordered detained pending preliminary on Thursday and will have detention hearings today.
(File Photo of Police Lights)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(Independence Township, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver report that a man from Pennsylvania was arrested on Saturday for harassing a woman from Aliquippa in Independence Township. According to police, an unidentified thirty-three-year-old man had an altercation with an unidentified thirty-year-old woman on State Route 151. The man got two citations from police. One was for criminal mischief and the other was for harassment.
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Robert Walter Currie, 81, of Moon Township, passed away on April 8th, 2025 in his home. He was born in Aliquippa on April 28th, 1943, the son of the late Robert & Esther Currie.
Robert was a graduate of Aliquippa High School, Youngstown University, and Robert Morris University. His interests included fishing, shooting and cars.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Sarah L. (Wilkie) Currie.
Robert is survived by his son, Robert Thomas Currie (Colleen) of Moon Township & daughter, Desiree Currie of Jamaica and two granddaughters, Genevieve Marie Currie & Jillian McCaughtry-Popp.
All services are private. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Huntsman Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Moon Township.
Interment will take place at the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies of Bridgeville.
Rose E. Scally, 73, of New Brighton, passed away on April 12th, 2025, at Heritage Valley, Beaver, surrounded by family.
She was born in Beaver Falls on December 15th, 1951, in Beaver Falls, a daughter of the late Paul K. and Eleanor E. (Skillenger) Scally. Rose worked as an Administrator in the offices of New Brighton School District for 35 years prior to retirement. She had a love for rock music, especially Def Leopard. She also had a great love for animals.
Rose is survived by a sister, Paula Chapman, her niece and Goddaughter, Katie (Dan) Eudy, her nephew, Davy Chapman, her great-niece, Nicole (Bradley) Rossi, her great-nephews, Joey Durr and Davie Chapman, and her great-great-niece, Kaylee Rossi, and numerous friends.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by an infant sister, Elizabeth Scally and her brother-in-law, Dave Chapman.
Friends will be welcomed on Tuesday, April 15th from 4 p.m. until the time of the Blessing Service at 7 p.m., at the J&J Spratt Funeral Home, 1612 3rd Avene, New Brighton.
Private interment will take place at St Joseph Catholic Cemetery of New Brighton.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to The Beaver County Humane Society.
Felicia N. (Gizzi) Cleaver, 94, of Chippewa Township, passed away on April 12th, 2025, at Heritage Valley Beaver.
She was born in Homewood, Pennsylvania on December 29th, 1930, a daughter of the late James and Frances (Trozzi) Gizzi.
Felicia was a member of St. Monica Catholic Church of St. Augustine Parish. She had a deep passion for cooking and baking and loved exploring new destinations with her husband, David. She also enjoyed bowling and cherished many moments with her family.
Felicia is survived by her beloved husband, David W. Cleaver; her daughter, Darlene (David) Coates; a sister, Norma Pavlinch; a granddaughter, Chelsea (Gregory) Powell; two great-grandchildren, Emma and Gavin Powell; and numerous loving nieces, nephews, and friends.
In addition to her parents, she is preceded by a brother, Nickolas (Nancy) Gizzi, and a brother-in-law, Robert Pavlinch.
Friends will be received on Tuesday, April 15th from 4-7 P.M. in the GABAUER-LUTTON FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICES, Inc., 117 Blackhawk Road, Beaver Falls. A visitation will be held on Wednesday, April 16th at the funeral home from 9 A.M. until the time of the blessing service at 10 A.M. Father Kim Schreck will officiate.
A private interment will take place at Beaver Falls Cemetery.
In lieu of the flowers, donations in Felicia’s name can be made to the Saint Monica Angel Fund, 609 10th St Beaver Falls, PA 15010.
Felicia’s family wishes to extend a heartfelt “Thank You” to the staff of Celebration Villa of Chippewa, as well as Gallagher and Fox Home Health for their loving care.
Darlas Marie (Catherman) Bango passed away peacefully at home in Center Township on April 11th, 2025.
Darlas was born at her family home on College Hill in Beaver Falls and was a daughter of the late Roy and Nina (Corl) Catherman. She worked at the Youth Center, and married Blackie (John) Bango on September 10th, 1950. Together, they traveled to Boston, Niagara Falls and Las Vegas, and arranged frequent family trips to Wildwood, New Jersey and Geneva on The Lake. Together, they owned 3 popular local bars-the Bama Inn and The Hideout in New Brighton, and the 19th Hole in Chippewa. She also worked for many years at the One Stop Shopper in Darlington. During their years in Beaver Falls, Darlas and Blackie loved to entertain. Summer was “pool time”, and on any given weekend, one phone call brought 50 people for a pool party, with enough food to feed all of College Hill.
In 1984, they moved to Jensen Beach, Florida. There they sold decorator pillows at the B&A Flea market, where they became known as the “Pillow People”. Following the death of Blackie, Darlas became a Home Health Aide, working almost exclusive with hospice and ALS patients. In 2004, Darlas came back to the Pittsburgh area to live with her daughter and son-in-law, settling in Center Township in 2011.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Blackie, her sister, Miriam and her brother-in-law Butch (Clarence) Newton, her brother, Harold (Sara Caughey) Catherman and her oldest son, Terry Roy (Martha Thompson) Bango of Stuart, Florida.
She is survived by her son, Jeffrey (Debbie) Bango of Poland, Ohio, her daughter, Tami Sue (David) Seretti, who she lived with, grandchildren, John (Ellen) Bango of Port St Lucie, Florida, and Jamie (Patrick) McNealy of Jensen Beach, Florida, Great grandchildren, Addison Bango, and Colin and Genevieve McNealy. She is also survived many special nieces, nephews and cousins that meant so much to her, and will carry on her stories.
Darlas was unapologetically herself-nebby, funny, opinionated, a rabid fan of reading and The Lettermen, a generous lover of the outdoors and flowers, sometimes without tact, but always with a great story. Many of the family conversations start with “So, I’ve got a story,” followed by the most ridiculous thing that ever happened to them.
In accordance with Darlas’ wishes, there will be no funeral. The family will hold a Celebration of Life in her honor in the summer.
Arrangements have been entrusted to SIMPSON FUNERAL & CREMATION SERVICES, 1119 Washington Avenue, Monaca.
The family would like to thank Dr. Gregg Zernich and his staff for their wonderful care over the years, and Amedicus Hospice for their compassion and kindness. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the National Psoriasis Foundation or the Beaver County Humane Society.
Vincent G. “Butch” Galas, Jr., 81, of Center Township, passed away on April 9th, 2025, at UPMC Shadyside Hospital.
He was a son of the late Vincent G. Galas, Sr. and Beatrice Galas Satterfield, Butch grew up in Monaca where he was a graduate of Monaca High School.
After graduation, Vincent’s career began with a brief period as a barber. His path took a significant turn when he answered the call to serve his country. Vincent joined the U.S. Navy and served honorably during the Vietnam War from 1965 until 1967.
Upon his return from military service, Vincent’s industrious spirit led him to further his education in welding. This decision paved the way for a long career with Nova Chemical.
It was at the First Presbyterian Church of Monaca in 1968 that Vincent married the love of his life, Patricia Wolfe Galas. Their union was blessed with two children, Amy Claypoole and Vincent Galas, and further enriched by the joy of their two grandchildren, Gabriella and Jacob Claypoole.
Vincent’s life was complemented by the support of his siblings, Karen (Dave) Smith, Jacque (late Gregory) McWilliams, and Robert (Diane) Satterfield, along with several nieces and nephews.
Vincent was an active member of the Monaca American Legion Post #580 and a former trustee. He was also a man of many interests. Vincent’s love for the outdoors was evident in his passion for golfing with his buddies on Tuesdays and Thursdays, tending to his vegetable garden and riding his quad across his property.
Friends will be received on Monday, April 14th from 1-4 p.m. at SIMPSON FUNERAL & CREMATION SERVICES, 1119 Washington Avenue, Monaca, where military honors will be presented by the U.S. Navy at 4 p.m., which is the time of the service for Vincent.
In lieu of flowers, the family has suggested memorial contributions be made, if desired to the National Diabetes Foundation. 888 234 9055.
(File Photo: Source for Photo: Health department staff members enter the Andrews County Health Department measles clinic carrying doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Andrews, Texas. (AP Photo/Annie Rice)
(AP) U.S. measles cases topped 700 as of Friday, capping a week in which Indiana joined five others states with active outbreaks, Texas grew by another 60 cases and a third measles-related death was made public.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed in a televised Cabinet meeting Thursday that measles cases were plateauing nationally, but the virus continues to spread mostly in people who are unvaccinated and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention redeployed a team to West Texas.
The U.S. has more than double the number of measles cases it saw in all of 2024, and Texas is reporting the majority of them with 541.
Texas’ cases include two unvaccinated elementary school-aged children who died from measles-related illnesses near the epicenter of the outbreak in rural West Texas, which led Kennedy to visit the community Sunday. The third person who died was an adult in New Mexico who was not vaccinated.
Other states with active outbreaks — defined as three or more cases — include New Mexico, Indiana, Kansas, Ohio and Oklahoma.
The multistate outbreak confirms health experts’ fears that the virus will take hold in other U.S. communities with low vaccination rates and that the spread could stretch on for a year. The World Health Organization has said cases in Mexico are linked to the Texas outbreak.
Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that’s airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000.
Here’s what else you need to know about measles in the U.S.
Texas’ outbreak began in late January. State health officials said Friday there were 36 new cases of measles since Tuesday, bringing the total to 541 across 22 counties — most of them in West Texas. A total of 56 Texans have been hospitalized throughout the outbreak.
Of the confirmed cases, state health officials estimated Friday that about 5% are actively infectious.
Sixty-five percent of Texas’ cases are in Gaines County, population 22,892, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has logged 355 cases since late January — just over 1% of the county’s residents.
Last week’s death in Texas was an 8-year-old child, according to Kennedy. Health officials in Texas said the child did not have underlying health conditions and died of “what the child’s doctor described as measles pulmonary failure.” A child died of measles in Texas in late February — Kennedy said age 6.
New Mexico announced two new cases Friday, bringing the state’s total to 58. State health officials say the cases are linked to Texas’ outbreak based on genetic testing. Most are in Lea County, where two people have been hospitalized, two are in Eddy County and one is in Chaves County.
New Mexico reported its first measles-related death in an adult on March 6.
Kansas has 32 cases in eight counties in the southwest part of the state, health officials announced Wednesday. Two of the counties, Finney and Ford, are new on the list and are major population centers in that part of the state. Haskell County has the most with eight cases, Stevens County has seven, Kiowa County has six, and the rest have five or fewer.
The state’s first reported case, identified in Stevens County on March 13, is linked to the Texas and New Mexico outbreaks based on genetic testing, a state health department spokesperson said. But health officials have not determined how the person was exposed.
Cases in Oklahoma increased by two Friday to 12 total: nine confirmed and three probable cases. The first two probable cases were “associated” with the West Texas and New Mexico outbreaks, the state health department said.
A state health department spokesperson said measles exposures were confirmed in Tulsa and Rogers counties, but wouldn’t say which counties had cases.
The Ohio Department of Health confirmed 20 measles cases in the state as of Thursday: 11 in Ashtabula County near Cleveland, seven in Knox County and one each in Allen and Holmes counties.
Ohio is not including nonresidents in its count, a state health department spokesperson told The Associated Press. The Knox County outbreak in east-central Ohio has infected a total 14 people, according to a news release from the county health department, but seven of them do not live in Ohio. In 2022, a measles outbreak in central Ohio sickened 85.
The outbreak in Ashtabula County started with an unvaccinated adult who had interacted with someone who had traveled internationally.
Indiana confirmed six connected cases of measles in Allen County in the northeast part of the state — four are unvaccinated minors and two are adults whose vaccination status is unknown.
The cases have no known link to other outbreaks, the Allen County Department of Health said Wednesday. The first case was confirmed Monday.
Measles cases also have been reported in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, and Washington.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines an outbreak as three or more related cases. The agency counted seven clusters that qualified as outbreaks in 2025 as of Friday.
In the U.S., cases and outbreaks are frequently traced to someone who caught the disease abroad. It can then spread, especially in communities with low vaccination rates. In 2019, the U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles. So far in 2025, the CDC’s count is 712.
The best way to avoid measles is to get the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old.
People at high risk for infection who got the shots many years ago may want to consider getting a booster if they live in an area with an outbreak, said Scott Weaver with the Global Virus Network, an international coalition. Those may include family members living with someone who has measles or those especially vulnerable to respiratory diseases because of underlying medical conditions.
Adults with “presumptive evidence of immunity” generally don’t need measles shots now, the CDC said. Criteria include written documentation of adequate vaccination earlier in life, lab confirmation of past infection or being born before 1957, when most people were likely to be infected naturally.
A doctor can order a lab test called an MMR titer to check your levels of measles antibodies, but experts don’t always recommend it and health insurance plans may not cover it.
Getting another MMR shot is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says.
People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective measles vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said. That also includes people who don’t know which type they got.
Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash.
The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC.
Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to dangerous complications such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death.
There’s no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.
In communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called “herd immunity.”
But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots.
The U.S. saw a rise in measles cases in 2024, including an outbreak in Chicago that sickened more than 60.
