A Pennsylvania State trooper and members of the Luzerne County Coroner Office stand in front of an early morning fatal fire at 733 First Street in Nescopeck, Pa., Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. The fire was reported around 2:30 a.m. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. (Jimmy May/Bloomsburg Press Enterprise via AP)

NESCOPECK, Pa. (AP) — Authorities say all 10 people found dead after an early morning fire in northeastern Pennsylvania last week died of smoke inhalation. The Luzerne County coroner’s office said autopsies were completed Saturday and Sunday on the victims of the Friday blaze in Nescopeck. A ruling on the manner of death for all 10 is pending the results of the state police investigation. Positive identification of the victims is pending review of medical records, dental records and DNA if required. Police said seven adults ranging from late teens to age 79 were killed along with children aged 5, 6 and 7. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

(File photo)
SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) — Prosecutors say a Pennsylvania defense attorney targeted vulnerable clients and pressured them into having sex in exchange for legal work. Corey Kolcharno was charged Monday with felony counts of promoting prostitution. The state attorney general’s office says Kolcharno sexually exploited four women between 2018 and 2022. Kolcharno was arraigned Monday and was released on $20,000 unsecured bail. A statement issued by his attorney said Kolcharno “has made a conscious decision to accept responsibility.” Kolcharno was a Lackawanna County prosecutor before entering private practice.

(Photo of Kolt Codner from the CCBC Foundation and Julie Kolat provided with the release)
(Monaca, PA) The CCBC Foundation announced a new scholarship endowed by the Kolat family in memory of Matthew who passed away in January 2022. The Matthew and Julie Kolat Professional Pilot Scholarship will support professional pilot students who demonstrate passion and determination in the pursuit of the piloting profession.
The initial endowment contribution is $10,000 and professional pilot major Cassandra Henry of Monaca, Pennsylvania, received the first $500 award for the fall semester.
Both proud veterans of the U.S. Air Force, Matthew and his wife Julie attended CCBC’s professional pilot program at the James M. Johnson School of Aviation Sciences, located at the Beaver County Airport in Chippewa Township. He formerly worked for Delta Airlines as an avionics technician.
“This year has had many challenges and many wins for me,” explained Julie Kolat. “Losing Matthew is the most difficult thing that I have had to deal with in my life. For my first birthday without him, I wanted to do something memorable for him and myself.”
CCBC will award the Matthew and Julie Kolat Professional Pilot Scholarship annually to one second-year student enrolled in the CCBC Professional Pilot associate degree program.
“I know how very much Matt loved flying and his passion for being in the blue skies away from everything, so I wanted to celebrate my birthday this year and every year with this scholarship. Matthew and I are incredibly happy to be sharing and helping fellow aviators realize their dreams.”
Today, CCBC’s James M. Johnson School of Aviation Sciences has a national reputation for its high quality and lofty standards. Named consecutively by American Airlines as a top innovative aviation the College’s globally known Aviation programs have placed an air-traffic controller in every tower in the country and a professional pilot behind the cockpit with every major airline in the United States.
Each student who graduates from CCBC’s professional pilot program obtains a minimum of a commercial pilot certificate with a multi-engine land and instrument rating and receives instruction from one of the College’s approved fixed-based operators. The average student earns these flight certifications in approximately 250 hours of flight time.

To learn more about other scholarship opportunities or apply:
https://www.ccbcfoundation.org/scholarships
To learn more about how to donate to this new endowment:
www.ccbcfoundation.org/donate

(File Photo)

(Connoquenessing Twp, Butler County, Pa.) Pa State Police in Butler are reporting that they were dispatched to the area of Whitestown and Evans City Roads in Connoquenessing Twp. Butler County last Wednesday at 10:57 AM for reports of a postal worker being assaulted.
Troopers reported upon arriving and investigating it was learned that 56-year-old Todd Hovis of Chicora assaulted United States Postal Service Employee Peter Gall, of Butler, while he was delivering mail on Pa Route 68 in Connoquenessing Township. Hovis was taken into custody by Pa State Police and is charges with simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and harassment.
There’s no word on what caused the incident.

(File Photo)

Story by Sandy Giordano, Beaver County Radio News
(Center Twp., Beaver County, Pa.) Center Township Police were dispatched last Thursday night, August 4, 2022,  at 7:57 PM  to a two vehicle accident at Brodhead Road and Short Street .  According to police a northbound vehicle made a left turn onto Short Street when a southbound vehicle went through the intersection at the red light, and a collision occurred. The northbound vehicle’s driver was injured, and was treated for injuries at the scene.  Police reported  the accident is under investigation.

(Photo provide with release by Pa Crime Stoppers) 

(Aliquippa, Pa.) The Pennsylvania State Police Troop D – Beaver Station  is investigating at shooting incident.  On July 1, 2022, at approximately 0055 hours, the Aliquippa Police Department was struck by multiple rounds being fired from what appears to be the Valley Terrace Apartment Complex area. Rounds entered the station from the rear (north) wall and ultimately entering the patrol room and second floor storage closet. Additional rounds struck a patrol vehicle and a vehicle personally owned by an Aliquippa Police Officer. Rounds also struck the grassy area around the station and the parking lot area. No officers were harmed during this incident, but officers were present inside the building and outside the building when the incident occurred. The Aliquippa Police Department relinquished the investigation to the Pennsylvania State Police Troop D Beaver Criminal Investigation Unit on July 11, 2022. If anyone has information relative to this investigation please contact the Pennsylvania State Police Troop D Criminal Investigation Unit at 724-773-7400 and speak with a Criminal Investigator or anonymously contact the Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers Toll Free at 1-800-4PA-TIPS (8477) or online at https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=107 All callers to Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers remain anonymous and could be eligible for a CASH REWARD for information that leads to an arrest, the solving of a crime/cold case or the location of a wanted person/fugitive or missing person. All information is accurate as of Release Date and is subject to change or updated.

Sourced via CRIMEWATCH®: https://www.crimewatchpa.com/crimestoppers/316/cases/pa-state-police-investigating-shooting-city-aliquippa-police-department-beaver-county

(Photo of Aliquippa Council meeting and Story by Sandy Giordano, Beaver County Radio News)

(Aliquippa, Pa.) Aliquippa City Council met on Wednesday night and voted to exit Act 47 next year, and  coordinator Debbie Grass explained how the  Home Rule  Charter would work if the study reveals that the city would go in that direction. If that happens it will change the city’s current form of government.  A decision must be made between August 22 and August 30 of this year if they want to have the county board of elections place  the question on the ballot.

(Photo of local attorney John Havey, who represents the San Rocco Foundation, speaks at Wednesday night’s Aliquippa City Council Meeting. Photo and story by Sandy Giordano, Beaver County Radio News)

(Aliquippa, Pa.)  The Aliquippa City council met on Wednesday night and during the meeting they were given an update on the San Rocco celebration by John Havey. He is the attorney representing the San Rocco Foundation. Havey reported that the celebration will go on despite  issues between the foundation and  San Rocco Festa Committee.