Preliminary investigation into the August 11th, 2025 U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works plant explosion cites a failure with a gas isolation valve

(File Photo: Source for Photo: The Clairton Coke Works, a U.S. Steel coking plant, is seen Monday, Aug 11, 2025, in Clairton, Penn. (AP Photo/Gene Puskar)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Clairton, PA) An update was given yesterday in Clairton, Pennsylvania by the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board into the explosion at the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works plant in Clairton on August 11th, 2025 which killed two workers. According to a release, preliminary information “indicates that the explosion occurred during maintenance activities involving a gas isolation valve in the basement of the Battery 13/14 transfer area at the facility.” Once the investigation by the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board into the explosion at the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works plant in Clairton on August 11th, 2025 is complete, a final report detailing new findings, analyses, and recommendations will be released.

Unidentified driver charged and cited by police for causing a single-vehicle crash in Brighton Township near the Brighton Exit on I-376 East

(File Photo of Police Siren Lights)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Brighton Township, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver report yesterday that an unidentified driver was charged and cited by police after that driver caused a single-vehicle crash in Brighton Township on Wednesday. This driver was driving on I-376 East and that person lost control of their vehicle past the Brighton Exit because of the storm of rain and the roads that were wet. The vehicle of this driver made contact with a guide rail after going off of the left side of the road and then went off of the right side of the road after making contact with the guide rail. This driver was not injured from this crash. This driver requested that their vehicle would be towed and that vehicle was able to be driven from the scene of this crash.

Butler man pleads guilty to charges of willful failure to collect or pay over tax between 2016 to 2023

(File Photo of a Gavel)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Acting United States Attorney Troy Revetti announced yesterday that a resident of Butler, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges
of willful failure to collect or pay over tax. Forty-nine-year-old Michael D. Funovitis pleaded guilty to this crime and will be sentenced on February 17th, 2026. Funovitis did not pay over to the payroll taxes of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) he collected on behalf of his businesses, PennRo Associates LLC and Penn Exteriors LLC between 2016 and 2023. According to Revetti, Funovitis could face a maximum total sentence of up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both, provided by the law.

 

AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report states that gas prices in Western Pennsylvania drop by four cents this week

(Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of AAA East Central)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Gas prices are four cents lower in Western Pennsylvania this week at about $3.38 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report. The national average for a gallon of gasoline dropped down to $3.13, which is two cents lower than last week. The report states that the average price for a gallon of gas in Western Pennsylvania was around $3.48. The report also notes that the average price that you can expect for a gallon of unleaded gas here in Beaver County is about $3.53. According to a release from AAA East Central and AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report, here are the average prices of unleaded self-serve gasoline this week in various areas:

$3.323      Altoona
$3.532      Beaver
$3.580      Bradford
$3.022      Brookville
$3.464      Butler
$3.058      Clarion
$3.269      DuBois
$3.317      Erie
$3.282      Greensburg
$3.4          Indiana
$3.421      Jeannette
$3.467      Kittanning
$3.272      Latrobe
$3.281      Meadville
$3.528      Mercer
$3.374      New Castle
$3.472      New Kensington
$3.459      Oil City
$3.421      Pittsburgh
$3.258      Sharon
$3.495      Uniontown
$3.599      Warren
$3.405      Washington

Theft occurs in Hanover Township where an unidentified suspect or suspects tried to open a Wells Fargo account that was fraudulent

(File Photo: Caption for Photo: police car lights at night in city with selective focus and bokeh background blur) Credit for Photo: Courtesy of Getty Images/iStockphoto/z1b)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Hanover Township, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver report today that sixty-one-year-old Timothy Block of Clinton, Pennsylvania was the victim of a theft in Hanover Township on August 26th, 2025. According to police, an unknown actor or actors attempted to open a fraudulent Wells Fargo account on 330 Murdocksville Road. That is all the information that we have at this time.

Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver Troop D Beaver members conduct a DUI checkpoint/Roving Patrol Detail in Beaver County on September 26th and 27th, 2025

(File Photo of a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Badge)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver County, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver report yesterday that their Troop D Beaver members conducted a DUI checkpoint/Roving Patrol Detail in Beaver County on Friday and Saturday. Nine citations were issued, seven warnings were made and two arrests were made during this initiative, one for driving under the influence and one for a misdemeanor of drug possession. Over this past weekend, six DUI arrests and two drug possession arrests were what the Beaver Patrol Unit affected. Police also remind Pennsylvanians that .08 percent is the blood-alcohol legal limit in Pennsylvania and it is illegal for anyone under 21 to have any amount of alcohol in their system.

Pittsburgh teenager that was wanted for allegedly shooting and killing his father in a home in East Pittsburgh turns himself in to custody in the Allegheny County Jail

(Photo Courtesy of the Allegheny County Police Department)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Allegheny County, PA) Nineteen-year-old Tayron Perry Reid of Pittsburgh, who was wanted for allegedly shooting and killing his father in an East Pittsburgh home on September 16th, 2025, is now in custody. Reid has been wanted since September 18th, 2025, which is when a charge of criminal homicide was filed against him. According to police, Reid’s father, forty-five-year-old Ta’Ron Reid, was shot multiple times and pronounced dead at a house on Ridge Avenue on September 16th, 2025. Tayron Reid is now in the Allegheny County Jail after turning himself in to detectives yesterday. 

A man from Beaver gets arrested for assaulting a woman from Beaver in Bridgewater Borough

(File Photo of Handcuffs)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Bridgewater Borough, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver report today that thirty-nine-year-old John Tomlin of Beaver was arrested on August 20th, 2025 for assaulting a woman in Bridgewater Borough that day. Tomlin assaulted forty-two-year-old Abigail Metzger of Beaver on 226 Poplar Street. According to police, the complaint related that Tomlin was the ex-boyfriend of the daughter of Metzger, Tomlin assaulted Metzger, Metzger had visible bruises and charges were filed against Tomlin. 

Koppel man hits his vehicle into a parked vehicle in Koppel Borough, which caused the bumper of the parked vehicle to come off completely

(File Photo of a Police Siren Light)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Koppel Borough, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver report yesterday that sixty-five-year-old Anthony Leavens of Koppel hit another vehicle with his vehicle in Koppel Borough on Saturday. Leavens hit the front bumper of another vehicle that was parked on 4th Avenue north of Arthur Street, which caused the bumper to come off completely. Leavens was not charged by police.

Elaine Ludovici (1939-2025)

Elaine Ludovici, 86, of Baden, passed away peacefully on September 23rd, 2025. She was born on June 3rd, 1939, a daughter of the late Alice and Oscar Bittner. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 59 years, Dominick Ludovici. She is survived by her devoted daughter, Cindy (Keith) Kristek, eight cherished grandchildren: Samantha (Matt) Lesak, Elijah (Caitie) Kristek, Ezekiel (Katie) Kristek , Jordan (Nikki) Kristek, Caleb Kristek , Phoebe Kristek , Malachi Kristek , and Celeste (Logan) Evagues; along with four great-grandchildren: Oliver, Alice, Emma, and Iris, her sister and best friend, Barbara Harsch, her brother, Robert Bittner, her sister-in-law, MaryJane Ferret, as well as several nieces and nephews.

Elaine found joy in sewing, quilting, gardening, and crocheting. She will be fondly remembered by many preschool children for the hats and mittens she lovingly made for them. The family extends heartfelt gratitude to the nurses and staff at Beaver Valley Rehab and Nursing and Seven Oaks Hospice for the compassionate care they provided.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, October 11th at 10 a.m. at Saint Luke the Evangelist Church, 725 Glenwood Avenue, Ambridge. Interment will be private at Saint James Cemetery, 417 Water Works, Sewickley. Arrangements have been entrusted to Alvarez-Hahn Funeral Services and Cremation, LLC, 547 8th Street,  Ambridge.

Memorial contributions may be made in Elaine’s name to the Saint Vincent de Paul Fund.