Author: Beaver County Radio

Charlene A. (Akins) Doolittle (1931-2025)

Charlene A. (Akins) Doolittle, 94, of Chippewa Township, passed away on July 7th, 2025 at her residence.

She was born in Beaver Falls on April 4th, 1931, the daughter of the late Albert Akins and Helen (Robinette) Akins. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her son, Richard Doolittle, Jr. and a grandson, Christopher Graeser. She is survived by her daughters, Cathy Doolittle (care giver), Joan VanKirk and Jane (William) McGraw, her grandchildren: Philip (Amy) Graeser, Joshua (Shanthi) Graeser, Ryan (Gabby Baldasare) Brown, Eric (Marina) Brown, Joe and Erin (VanKirk) Daugherty, Steven VanKirk, and Jack VanKirk; as well as eight great-grandchildren: Phil, Christina, Jayna, Madisyn, Evyenia, Yianni, Markella, and Thespina.

Charlene was a member of St. Monica Church of St. Augustine Parish. She was a sales manager at Gimbels, Kaufman’s, and Lazarus department stores, as well as working at the Christmas Shop as the manager located inside the Beaver Valley Mall for over 20 years. After working at Allan Jewelers, she finally retired.

Friends will be received on Thursday, July 10th from 4-8 p.m. in the GABAUER-LUTTON FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICES, INC., 117 Blackhawk Road, Beaver Falls. Departing prayers will be offered in the funeral home on Friday, July 11th at 9:50 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. at St. Monica Church of St. Augustine Parish, 116 Thorndale Drive, Beaver Falls. Father Bill Schwartz will officiate.

Entombment will follow in Beaver Cemetery & Mausoleum, Buffalo Street, Beaver.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Charlene’s honor to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, www.stjude.org/donate.

Georgann Bell (1938-2025)

Georgann Bell, 87, of Brighton Township, formerly of Punxsutawney, passed away on June 25th, 2025.

She was born in Punxsutawney on March 12th, 1938, a daughter of the late George and Josephine Turnbull. She is survived by her husband, James W. Bell, her sons, James (Becky) Bell and Thomas Bell, along with her grandchildren, Jimmy (Kari) Bell and Ashlen, Brittany, Justin and Erin Bell.

Georgann was a resident of Brighton Township for most of her life. She retired following a long career as a lunch monitor with the Beaver Area School District. She will be remembered as a devoted wife, loving mother and proud grandmother.

In accordance with Georgann’s wishes, all services were private. Professional arrangements have been entrusted to Noll Funeral Home, Inc., 333 Third Street, Beaver. Online condolences may be shared at nollfuneral.com.

Amy L. Marinelli (1978-2025)

Amy L. Marinelli, 46, of Beaver Falls, PA, passed away on July 3rd, 2025, at West Penn Hospital of Pittsburgh following a valiant battle with cancer.

Friends will be received on Tuesday, July 8th at 2-4 P.M. and 6-8 P.M. in the GABAUER-LUTTON FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATION SERVICES INC., 117 Blackhawk Road Beaver Falls, who was in charge of her arrangements and where prayers will be offered on Wednesday, July 9th at 9:30 A.M. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 A.M. at St. Monica Church of St. Augustine Parish, 116 Thorndale Road, Beaver Falls.

Congressman Chris Deluzio hires two Beaver County natives in his office, one as his district director and another as his new director of constituent services

(File Photo of Congressman Chris Deluzio)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver County, PA) According to a release from Congressman Chris Deluzio’s office, Deluzio announced new senior positions in his congressional office in Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District. Deluzio made the announcement on Monday that Seron Cox will be his new district director and Victoria Adamson will be his new director of constituent services. Both are Beaver County natives. Cox served as both the previous director of constituent services for Deluzio and his deputy district director. Cox, who holds an associate’s degree in paralegal studies, also worked in Congressmen Conor Lamb’s office and the office of Jason Altmire, as well as at the Shell cracker plant in Monaca as an Executive Administrative Assistant. Adamson, who attended the Community College of Beaver County, was previously a Constituent Service Representative for the office of Deluzio. Adamson also worked for the PA House of Representatives as a Constituent Services Representative. The two positions will help with responsibilities of managing the district offices of Congressman Deluzio and overseeing a constituent services representatives team.

Two shootings occur in Penn Hills in a span of two days; one kills one man and another kills one woman and injures another woman

(File Photo of Police Siren Lights)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Penn Hills, PA) On Monday, a man was killed from a shooting that occurred in Penn Hills. According to a news release that day, the Allegheny County Police Department said officers were called to the 11000 block of Frankstown Road around 6:15 p.m. for reports of a shooting. Authorities confirm a preliminary investigation found the man walked into a detailing shop for cars in the Duff and Frankstown roads intersection. Authorities also confirm he was shot after he argued with the business owners, who told KDKA someone with gloves and a mask walked in. No immediate information was brought up about any arrests or suspects involved in the incident. On Sunday night, a shooting in Penn Hills injured two women and killed one of them. According to Allegheny County Police, dispatchers were notified of shooting along Frankstown Road near the intersection with McCutcheon Lane around 9:30 p.m. on Sunday. On Monday afternoon, police confirmed that one woman who was in critical condition last was pronounced dead and the other is in stable condition. Call 1-833-ALL-TIPS if you have any information about either of the Penn Hills shootings. Detectives are leading the investigation into both shootings. 

Chaos ensues on East Carson Street in Pittsburgh with some people in a crowd firing shots at police and others throwing fireworks at police

(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

(Pittsburgh, PA) East Carson Street in Pittsburgh has been disrupted by chaotic crowds and a total of thirty-eight people have been arrested for their actions from July 2nd through July 6th of 2025. The South Side Entertainment Patrol of Pittsburgh made these arrests. On the early morning of Saturday, two people got taken into custody after they threw fireworks at police. Some people threw fireworks while others fired shots at police.

Recent study shows efficacy of marijuana is not documented well for alleviating anxiety in Pennsylvania

(File Photo of a Background Photo with a Medical Marijuana case)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) According to researchers from the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s decision to let people treat anxiety with medical marijuana has reshaped the commonwealth’s cannabis program. In a study that was recently published, researchers noted that the efficacy of marijuana is not well documented for alleviating anxiety. In 2019, Pennsylvania added anxiety as a qualifying condition for medical cannabis. Anxiety is also the diagnosis that has been cited the most commonly to qualify for the cannabis program in Pennsylvania.

Governor Josh Shapiro signs bill for law enforcement to investigate, tag and get rid of boats that are problematic in Pennsylvania waterways

(File Photo of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Logo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) Governor Josh Shapiro signed House Bill 103, which gives a process to law enforcement that is local to go to waterways in Pennsylvania and tag problematic boats. Tagging these boats as well as investigating them beforehand and removing them from Pennsylvania waterways will be in the House Bill 103 process. The law will be in effect after January 1st of 2026. It also brings both the amount of time and new definitions for how long boats can be abandoned on lakes or rivers. 

Congressman Chris Deluzio supporting policies that go against using phones in school districts

(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – A person uses an iPhone on Oct. 8, 2019 in New York. Apple is letting some iPhone users fix their own phones, a sharp turnaround for a company that has long guarded its software in a walled garden that only Apple-approved technicians can unlock. The company said Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2021, it will enable users of two of the newest iPhone models and later some Mac computers to get access to genuine Apple parts and tools to be able to repair them. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(McKees Rocks, PA) Congressman Chris Deluzio is supporting policies that go against using phones in school districts. Deluzio sent letters to the 59 school districts in the 17th Congressional District to inquire if they are developing a ban for smartphones or have one already. One school that got rid of phones in the classroom until the end of its school days is Sto-Rox Junior and Senior High School. Pennsylvania does not have a policy to limit or ban phones or smartphones in the classroom.

Horse neck deep in a manure pit in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania rescued by crews from the Robert Fulton Fire Company

(Photo Courtesy of Robert Fulton Fire Company)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Lancaster County, PA) A horse was rescued from a pit of manure on Monday morning by crews in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. According to a Facebook post from Robert Fulton Fire Company, the company responded to the 200 block of Cedar Hill Road in Little Britain Township for a horse stuck in a manure pit. The Robert Fulton Fire Company said a crane truck and rescue slings were used to lift the horse out of this manure pit that it was neck deep in. Officials confirm that under two hours was how long it took for both the horse to be saved and the scene to be cleared.