Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio News Director with contributions by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio News Correspondent. Published June 7, 2023 6:55 A.M.   

(Rochester Township, PA) Fire crews responded Tuesday to an abandoned railroad trestle in the woods of Rochester Township. The large trestle that stands approximately 100 feet high had been commonly referred to as the “art bridge”, due to the amount of artwork that had been painted on the bridge by explorers over the years.
Fire reports came in shortly after 7pm Tuesday. Crews appeared to have it under control by around 8:30pm. Flames and smoke could be seen coming from a section of the trestle.
The trestle formerly served as part of the former railroad lines that ran between New Brighton and Rochester. The property is owned by Pennsylvania Lines and Norfolk Southern.
UPDATE 6/7/23 10:46am: Beaver County 9-1-1 reported that crews were called to  Cleveland Street at the site of a railroad trestle in the township at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday night. Upon arrival, they realized that there was a brush fire on a trestle behind Sherwin Williams. No injuries were reported. Norfolk Southern Railroad was notified, and they have not returned a request for comment.
Additional photos/video of the fire:

FILE – An historical marker at the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa., is seen on Feb. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Pennsylvania House of Representatives on Monday overwhelmingly approved a bill to increase the state’s property tax and rent subsidy for seniors and people with disabilities, plus raise the income eligibility cap to expand the program. The bill passed 194-9 and goes on to the state Senate. The legislation aims to follow through on one of Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro’s budget proposals, increasing the maximum rebate for seniors from $650 to $1,000, plus bumping the income cap to $45,000 for renters and homeowners.

(AP Photo)

SPRINGDALE, Pa. (AP) — A blast of air and dust from the implosion of two smokestacks at a shuttered coal-fired power plant in western Pennsylvania last week caused damage to nearby homes. But the demolition company is vowing full repairs. The implosion was Friday at the Cheswick Generating Station in Springdale. KDKA-TV reports that Controlled Demolition said one chimney’s steel liner “focused air pressure as it collapsed.” A county emergency official says the air blast broke windows, blew dust into homes and caused a power surge that damaged electrical appliances. The company says repairs of minor damage are underway and “will be fully completed to the satisfaction of each property owner affected.”

Mike Romigh speaks to Donnie Iris during a past broadcast.
Story by Beaver County Radio News Staff. Published June 6, 2023 11:58 A.M.

An announcement made by representatives of Donnie Iris revealed that shortly after his sold out 80th birthday show in March, it was discovered he had cancer. His team says he has the best care, and everyone is very optimistic for his full return to health. They add that he recently had surgery and his prognosis is good but as a result of his recovery, he will not be able to perform in Youngstown at The Foundation Amphitheater on June 21 with REO Speedwagon.
He is looking forward to resuming a regular schedule though, beginning July 24 at Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls with Foreigner and Loverboy.

Story by Beaver County Radio News Staff. Published June 6, 2023 10:41 A.M.

(Monaca, PA) A Monaca man is healing with over 20 broken bones after he was hit by a car Saturday night in Monaca. Christopher Alexander was reportedly crossing the street near the American Legion on a Pennsylvania Avenue crosswalk shortly before 10 pm. Alexander was flown to UPMC Pittsburgh. As of this time, we have not received any further details from Monaca Police. It is currently unclear if any charges are being filed in the incident.

Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published June 6, 2023 10:38 A.M.

(Pittsburgh, PA) At 10:45 a.m. Monday morning PIT Airport officials spotted an unmanned drone in close proximity to the airport. It was reported that after the discovery was made that a 1/2 ground stoppage was put in place. An official reported at 1:20 p.m. that the drone operator had not yet been located.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania lawmakers are back in session, as House Democrats are advancing a spending plan that could test Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro’s ability to manage a politically divided Legislature in his freshman year. House Democrats on Monday unveiled and passed a spending plan that goes well beyond what Shapiro proposed for the fiscal year starting July 1. Democrats want more money for public schools and say strong tax collections this spring will support it. It’s likely to get a chilly reception in the Republican Senate, however. There, GOP leaders were skeptical of Shapiro’s more modest spending proposal, citing forecasts of slowing tax collections, deficits and possibly a recession.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A measure that would expand the kind of criminal records that can be sealed from public view has passed the Pennsylvania House with bipartisan support. The legislation cleared the House on a 189-14 vote on Monday, and now goes to the Senate. It expands the state’s existing Clean Slate law to make non-violent drug felonies with a maximum sentence of 2 1/2 years eligible for automated sealing. It also would allow those with a criminal history to petition to seal other nonviolent felonies if they are conviction-free for 10 years. It would also reduce the waiting period for automated sealing of misdemeanors to seven years, rather than 10 years.

HARRISBURG, June 5 – Pennsylvania is on track for improved rail safety after the PA House today voted to pass legislation by Beaver County state Reps. Rob Matzie and Jim Marshall that would strengthen state standards for freight trains and add reporting requirements for transport of hazardous materials.

The lawmakers said they introduced H.B. 1028 – which passed by a vote of 141-62 – to supplement existing federal rail safety standards they say are insufficient to prevent the risk of derailments along heavily traveled Pennsylvania routes.

“There may be equals, but there has been no bigger supporter of freight rail in the legislature during my tenure than me,” said Matzie, who is majority chair of the PA House Consumer Protection, Technology, and Utilities Committee. “The intention is not to hurt railroads, but to enhance and strengthen rail safety for the public, the workforce and emergency responders.

“We can’t wait for Washington D.C. to act. We have the right to implement laws for rail safety in Pennsylvania, and that’s exactly what this bill does. Extraordinary events bring about extraordinary action. This bill lets the public know we hear them, and we are responding.

“The ball is now in the Senate’s court.”

Marshall, Republican committee chair, said, “I’m a strong proponent of rail freight and passenger service and I expect our railroads to prioritize the safety of both the public and their workforce. This legislation will help ensure that these expectations are met.”

Among other things, the bill would:

• Establish new staffing and train length requirements – including, among other things, a minimum two-man crew and a maximum train length of 8,500 feet (approximately 1.6 miles) – to be enforced by the state Public Utility Commission.
• Require PUC, working with PennDOT, to develop standards for reporting and tracking the transport of hazardous materials, including maintaining a database to be accessed by FEMA, PEMA and county emergency response agencies in the event of a derailment.
• Require PUC and PennDOT to ensure proper functioning of wayside detectors – trackside sensors intended to warn when train cars are overheating because of problems that can cause derailment.
• Limit the length of time trains may be parked in an area where they block road crossings needed for access by emergency response vehicles.
• Allow a union representative to be present for rail safety inspections without being accused of trespassing.

The bill now heads to the state Senate for consideration.

In 2022, there were more than 1,000 train derailments in the United States.

(New Brighton, PA) New Brighton Borough Council recently entered into a new five year agreement with Aiken Refuse for the collection of solid waste and recyclable materials in New Brighton Borough.  Aiken Refuse will begin providing services on Monday, July 3 and the new contract will require modifications to the collection schedule.  All customers will receive a letter in the mail late next week with the new schedule.