Author: Beaver County Radio

Christmas tree lighting events around Beaver and Lawrence Counties

(File Photo of the Christmas Star)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver County, PA) Christmas of 2025 is just over a month away, but you can celebrate early by going to a Christmas tree-lighting event to get into the holiday spirit in your community. There are some local get-togethers in both Beaver and Lawrence Counties to get the winter season in full swing. According to the Beaver County Times, here is a list of tree-lighting events that you can join through the first week of December:

November 19th-22nd, 2025

Shenango Township’s annual Christmas Tree Lighting Extravaganza takes place from 5:30-8 p.m. November 21st at the Shenango Township Community Park, 238 Kittery Drive. Live music, Christmas lights set to music, meet and greet with Santa, food trucks, holiday vendors, a “stuff the police car” holiday toy drive and fireworks are planned.

Hometown Holidays Christmas Parade in New Castle begins at 3 p.m. November 22nd in downtown New Castle with food trucks and music. A fireworks display starts at 5:30 p.m., followed by the city Christmas tree lighting at 5:45 p.m. and the Christmas parade at 6 p.m.

November 23rd-29th, 2025

Beaver Light Up Festival, November 28th from 5-9 p.m. along Third Street. Events include live music, a Christmas parade at 6 p.m., horse-drawn carriage rides and hayrides, hot chocolate and donuts, pictures with Santa from 6:30-8:30 p.m. and a fireworks display starting at 8:30 p.m.

Beaver Falls Christmas Parade and Winterfest is November 29th, along Seventh Avenue. This year’s theme is “Nutcracker Sweet.” The Christmas parade starts at 6 p.m. with floats, bands and the arrival of Santa Claus.

Light Up Enon Valley takes place from 6-9 p.m. at the community pavilion, 1084 Main Street in Enon Valley. Tree lighting, Christmas music, cookies, hot beverages and fun for the family.

November 30th-December 6th, 2025

Light Up the Town in Wampum is scheduled from 6-8 p.m. December 4th along Main Street. Activities include lighting of luminaries, free hot chocolate and fresh baked cookies, carriage rides and fireworks.

Ellwood City Let there Be Lights light up night starts at 6 p.m. December 5th along Lawrence Avenue. Live music and holiday performances, holiday shopping at vendors and stores, free face painting and visits with Santa, horse and carriage rides and trolley rides to Christmas in the Park. The tree lighting ceremony starts at 7:30 p.m. in the Community Plaza, followed by a fireworks display.

Sewickley Light Up Night is scheduled from 5-9 p.m. December 5th at Sewickley Village on Beaver Street. Activities include live performances on two stages, horse-drawn carriage rides, ice sculpting contest, visit with Santa, photo booth, food trucks, strolling characters, fireworks and more.

Santa, Trains and Candy Canes takes place from 4-7 p.m. December 6th at the Hopewell Township Community Park, 2500 Laird Drive. Enjoy a train ride around the lake, take a photo with Santa Claus, sample the hot chocolate and s’mores, shop among the holiday vendors and visit the train display in the Nature Center.

Monaca Borough Hometown Christmas Parade is from 5-7 p.m. December 6th at CJ Mangin, 998 Indiana Avenue. The Christmas parade starts at St. John’s Church on 15th Street and proceeds down Pennsylvania Avenue to George Washington Plaza. Other activities include the lighting of the borough’s Christmas tree, food trucks, kids’ activities, holiday vendors, raffles and pictures with Santa Claus.

Moon Lights Holiday Festival, 5-7:30 p.m. December 6th at Moon Park, 1350 Ewing Road in Moon Township. Live performances, food trucks, a holiday market, games and more. Santa and the Grinch will ride into Moon Park at 5:30 p.m. on a fire truck and light the Moon Park Christmas tree at the Rotary Pavilion. After the tree lighting, Santa will stick around for photos and visits with children and their families. Bring a letter to Santa to drop in his mailbox. A Toys for Tots collection is also planned.

New Brighton’s Christmas in the Park takes place from 5-7 p.m. December 6th at Townsend Park. The evening includes live entertainment, light refreshments and the lighting of decorations at 6 p.m. Santa Claus is to arrive and will greet guests after the lighting of the decorations. Wreaths decorated by New Brighton Elementary students will be on display and auctioned off later that evening.

Swedish company Tobii Dynavox opens new office space in Coraopolis

(File Photo: Caption for Photo: panoramic wide banner. coffee cafe shop text on vintage sign board hanging on glass door in cafe shop open after coronavirus quarantine in restaurant ready to service, small business owner concept)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Coraopolis, PA) The company Tobii Dynavox has recently opened a new office space in Pittsburgh International Business Park in Coraopolis. Tobii Dynavox is a Swedish company that produces technology that is assistive for individuals with disabilities that are speech-based. The company has roots in Pittsburgh because of an acquisition of the Pittsburgh-based company DynaVox by Tobii Technology, a Swedish-tech company.

Cranberry Township confirms Kenneth Ruckel will be their new chief of police

(File Photo of a Cranberry Township Police Car)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Cranberry Township, PA) Yesterday evening, the Cranberry Township Board of Supervisors officially ratified the selection of Kenneth Ruckel to serve as Cranberry Township’s new chief of police. Ruckel will start his new position on December 1st, 2025 and will replace the retiring Kevin Meyer, who had been the Cranberry Township chief of police since 2015. Ruckel has most recently served as a division commander at the Allegheny County Police Department headquarters. Ruckel started his career in law enforcement as a patrol officer in Hanover Township and then went on to serve with the Allegheny County Police Department. Ruckel also spent time as a detective in the general investigation and homicide units and then became a sergeant and took on roles as a shift and unit supervisor.

Samuel J. Lofaso, Sr. (1942-2025)

Samuel J. LoFaso, Sr., 83, of Economy Borough, passed away on November 20th, 2025, at UPMC Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh. He was born in New Brighton on September 30th, 1942, in New Brighton, the son of the late Samuel and Lina Bonanno LoFaso. In addition to his parents, she was preceded in death by one sister, Janet Primo. He is survived by his wife of forty-two years, Linda K. (Nicolo) LoFaso, as well as two daughters, Shelby L. Espenschied, of Kent, Ohio, and Kaylee L. LoFaso, of Baden, one son, Samuel J. Jr. and Joelle LoFaso, of Brunswick, Ohio, five grandchildren, Megan James and her husband Hunter, Samuel J. LoFaso III and his fiance, Audrey Guggenbiller, John J. LoFaso, Michael and Maci Espenschied, a great-grandson, Finley James, one brother and sister-in-law, Thomas and Anna LoFaso, of Monaca, three nieces, Natalie Anderson and her husband Kevin, Michelle Cronin and her husband Dan, and Angela Benson, two nephews, T.J. LoFaso and his wife, Carrie, Anthony Primo and his wife, Christine, several great-nieces and great-nephews. Samuel was a retired school teacher with the Wichita Kansas, Monaca, and Quaker Valley School Districts, where he taught Health and Physical Education, as well as coached football at all of these schools. He was the girls softball coach at OLSH and Chatham College. He was a 1960 graduate of Monaca highschool, where he was Class President and a 1964 graduate of Wichita State College, where he played quarterback on a full scholarship. He was also a member of the Divine Grace Parish and Holy Redeemer Roman Catholic Church in Ellwood City. He was also a charter member of the Quaker Valley Sports Hall of Fame, where he had been inducted. He was also inducted into the Beaver County Coaching Hall of Fame.  The family will receive friends on Tuesday, November 25th, from 3-7 p.m., at the William Murphy Funeral Home, Inc., 349 Adams Street, Rochester, who was in charge of his arrangements. Friends are requested to meet at St. James Roman Catholic Church, 200 Walnut Street, Sewickley, on Wednesday, November 26th for a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. The celebrant of the Mass will be Father Rich Johns.

A beloved Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Mounted Patrol male horse retires

(Photo Courtesy of KDKA-TV, CBS Pittsburgh, Posted on Facebook on November 20th, 2025)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) A male horse named Cannonball retired yesterday after he worked with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Mounted Patrol. Cannonball served in that position for eight years and is leaving the city stables on the North Side of Pittsburgh and he was taken to Bella Terra Stables in Murrysville yesterday. Cannonball will be celebrated in a special event on December 13th, 2025 at Bella Terra Stables when its horses will join Santa Claus. Cannonball will become a therapy horse to help young people, which includes those with both disabilities and post-traumatic stress disorder. According to Officer Jamie Bush, “He’s a great horse, gentle, kind, patient, and pretty much bulletproof when it comes to sensory stuff Downtown and crowd control.”

ALDI’s grocery store opens on Banksville Road in Pittsburgh

(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – Customers walk into an Aldi supermarket in Bensalem, Pa., March 14, 2022. Discount grocer Aldi plans to add 800 stores across the U.S. in a five-year expansion plan as it looks to capitalize on cost-conscious Americans feeling the pinch at grocery stores. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) A new ALDI’s grocery store opened on Banksville Road in Pittsburgh yesterday to sell their grocery items. This is the 51st Aldi’s in the greater Pittsburgh area. According to Aldi’s, shoppers can save up to 36% on average household shopping.

Pittsburgh police officer receiving second charge for DUI in less than five years

(File Photo of Police Siren Lights)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) A Pittsburgh police officer has now been placed on paid administrative leave after recently being charged with DUI for the second time in less than five years. On November 10th, 2025, forty-four-year-old Sergeant Tariq Jamal-Francis of Pittsburgh, was found parked in Plum Borough with his car angled into the road, but police confirmed that he was asleep behind the wheel. According to a criminal complaint, Jamal-Francis allegedly told officers he was “Pittsburgh police” and had been drinking at a nearby bar. According to police, Jamal-Francis was taken to the police station for a field sobriety test, but failed to pass and later agreed to a blood sample and the blood test later showed Jamal-Francis had a blood alcohol content of nearly four times the legal limit. Jamal-Francis had been involved in a crash in Plum Borough previously in 2021 that led to him facing a prior charge of driving under the influence. 

New welcome center opens in the Heinz History Center building in Pittsburgh

(File Photo of an Open for Business Sign)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Yesterday was when a new welcome center was opened on the first floor of the Heinz History Center building in the Strip District of Pittsburgh. This was accomplished to celebrate The Heinz History Center’s new partnership with VisitPittsburgh. There are graphics, flyers and other informational media in the new center which are all about Pittsburgh so visitors to the city can view them. The ribbon cutting also took place yesterday for the new welcome center and Pittsburgh-mayor elect Corey O’Connor was one of the local leaders that was on hand for it. 

 

New Castle man not charged after hitting a deer in Mahoning Township

(File Photo of a Police Siren Light)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(New Castle, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in New Castle reported via release today that fifty-five-year-old Donald Nogay of New Castle was not charged by police after causing a single-vehicle crash in Mahoning Township in Lawrence County yesterday morning. A determination was made that at 7:15 a.m. yesterday, Nogay hit a deer in the area of 4626 West State Street in the westbound lane. Nogay was wearing his seatbelt when the crash occurred and no injuries were observed or reported. 

Steelers visit Bears with Aaron Rodgers’ status uncertain because of wrist injury

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) holds his arm after a hit by the Cincinnati Bengals during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

CHICAGO (AP) — Aaron Rodgers once famously turned to the crowd at Soldier Field and screamed that he still owns the Bears. No one would have argued back then.

Rodgers would love a chance to show it’s still true, though it’s not clear if he’ll get the opportunity when the Pittsburgh Steelers visit Chicago on Sunday.

The four-time MVP broke his left wrist in last week’s 32-14 win over Cincinnati, throwing his status for what could be his final game against the franchise he has tortured into question.

Rodgers was optimistic but far from certain that he would be able to play through the injury to his nonthrowing hand. It depends on if he feels he can protect himself and handle the ball the way he normally does.

Either way, Rodgers said this week he hopes Bears fans can let “bygones be bygones.” And, with a laugh, he added: “Maybe, I can, I guess.”

Rodgers, as he has done in the past, praised Chicago. He mentioned growing up a fan of Michael Jordan and the Bulls and watching Cubs games on WGN.

“They got great sports, man,” he said.

Rodgers is 25-5 against Chicago, counting the playoffs. If he is unavailable, the AFC North-leading Steelers (6-4) will go with Mason Rudolph. The veteran returned to Pittsburgh for a second stint when he signed a two-year deal in March and came through after Rodgers exited last week. He completed 12 of 16 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown, helping the Steelers win for the second time in three games and keep a tenuous grip on first place ahead of Baltimore.

Narrow escapes

The NFC North-leading Bears (7-3) have won seven of eight and lead Green Bay (6-3-1) by the slimmest of margins. They have five wins this season after trailing in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter, including the past three games.

They squeezed out a 19-17 victory at Minnesota last week when Devin Duvernay returned a kickoff 56 yards to set up a 48-yard field goal by Cairo Santos as time expired. The Vikings had scored a touchdown with 50 seconds remaining.

“I think we feel good with where we’re at,” quarterback Caleb Williams said. “But you also do understand that things can turn. We have a whole season left basically with seven games left. And so, things can still turn fast in those ways.”

Monitoring a ‘Magician’

The Steelers are well-versed in the problems created by a team whose quarterback likes to move around. They can thank years and years of chasing Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson.

Williams, however, presents a different challenge. Where Jackson typically takes off the second he tucks the ball under his arm, the slippery Williams is more likely to scramble around in the backfield while hoping something develops downfield.

“He’s kind of like a little magician back there, being able to get out of tough jams and (he’s) got a hell of an arm,” Steelers inside linebacker Patrick Queen said. “So you definitely got to respect the guy. Even with him being young, he’s been playing at a high level.”

The Steelers can try to take solace in this: they’re 5-4 against Jackson, one of the few teams the two-time MVP has a losing record against.

Pick it

A two-time All-Pro, Bears safety Kevin Byard was no stranger to picking off passes. He just hadn’t done it as much as he would have liked the past few seasons.

Byard is making up for it with a league-leading five interceptions after combining for two the previous two years with Tennessee, Philadelphia and Chicago. He had one last year in his first season with the Bears.

“I just think it’s the (opportunities),” said Byard, who has 34 interceptions in 10 seasons. “Honestly, even last year. I feel like I dropped two. I felt like I should have had multi-interceptions last year as well.”

With Nahshon Wright and Tremaine Edmunds tied for second with Jacksonville’s Devin Lloyd with four, the Bears have three of the NFL’s top four leaders in interceptions.

‘Kenny G’ hits the right notes

The Steelers signed running back Jaylen Warren to a modest extension before the season began, and while the former undrafted rookie free agent has been effective with the ball in his hands, he’s also been knocked around a bit.

Enter Kenneth Gainwell. The former Philadelphia Eagle began the season as a complementary piece but has shown a couple of things that Warren has not. He’s been durable, and he’s figured out a way to get to the end zone.

Gainwell had 105 total yards last week against the Bengals and caught two touchdown passes. The Steelers opted to roll with him late even though doctors had cleared Warren to return after tweaking his right knee in the third quarter.

One-sided

Though Rodgers has dominated Chicago, the Bears have done the same against the Steelers.

They lead the series 22-8-1 and are 14-1 at home, including a pair of wins over the combined 1943 Philadelphia-Pittsburgh and 1944 Chicago Cardinals-Pittsburgh teams. The Steelers’ lone victory in Chicago was in 1995. Pittsburgh’s record against the Bears is the franchise’s worst against any NFL team still in existence.