(File Photo of Police Lights)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(Center Township, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver report that criminal charges will be filed after an Aliquippa man caused a two-vehicle crash on I-376 East on Sunday. At 7:48 p.m., a thirty-nine-year-old unidentified male driver from Aliquippa caused a crash and was discovered to be under the influence. That is all the details that we have at this time.
(File Photo of Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Badge)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(Koppel Borough, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver are still investigating a fight that took place at McDowell’s Bar in Koppel Borough on Friday. At 12:03 a.m., a person left the scene after troopers arrived. The same person went back to speak with troopers and Medic Rescue transported that person after the incident and an injury evaluation. That is all the details we have at this time.
(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro arrives to deliver his budget address for the 2025-26 fiscal year to a joint session of the state House and Senate at the Capitol is seen, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, in Harrisburg, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration is recommending the closure of Rockview state prison and the Quehanna boot camp, both in central Pennsylvania, amid longer-term national trends of shrinking prison populations.
The administration said on Monday it expects to save more than $100 million in future fiscal years, once the facilities are closed. Prison staff will be guaranteed a job offer at their existing pay and classification at a nearby correctional institution, the administration said.
It added that public comment will be accepted for three months before a final decision is made. The state’s 24 prisons are at about 82% capacity, according to Department of Corrections data.
Shapiro announced last week when he released his budget proposal that he would close two prisons amid steeply rising Medicaid costs.
The union that represents prison staff, the Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association, has said it will fight the closures and warned that closing two prisons will endanger officers and inmates. Violence in the prisons has dropped, in part, because the prison population is spread more evenly, the union said.
Still, half of all prisons were over 90% capacity last year and four were over 100% capacity, the union said.
Rockview, in Centre County, was built in 1915 and is the second-oldest state prison, the corrections department said. It has about 650 staff and houses about 2,100 inmates out of a capacity of more than 2,500, the department said.
Quehanna boot camp, in Clearfield County, is designed for lower-risk inmates and lacks traditional prison security measures, such as a fence. It has about 230 staff and houses about 350 inmates out of a capacity of about 600.
All told, state prisons hold just over 38,000 inmates, as of December. That figure has crept up in the past couple years, but is down from about 45,000 five years ago and 49,000 a decade ago, when many prisons were over capacity.
Shapiro’s predecessors closed three prisons over the past decade and opened one new one, Phoenix, in suburban Philadelphia. Shapiro’s administration also said it would close halfway houses, called community corrections centers, in Greene and Berks counties.
(File Photo of the New Brighton Area School District Logo)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(New Brighton, PA) New Brighton High School will present their 2025 musical “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” The New Brighton high school auditorium will host the show which begins at 7 p.m. on February 20th, February 21st, and February 22nd. Reserved seat admission tickets cost $10. The website to purchase those tickets can be found below:
You can purchase tickets at https://cur8.com/15402/project/128757.
An optimist at heart, Angela always looked for the best in others. One of her lasting and often said sentiments was “God has been good to me.” In truth, it was Angela who was so good to all. People were touched by knowing her and who were blessed to be a part of her life. Her loss will forever be felt.
Visitation will be on Wednesday, February 12th from 2 p.m. until the time of service at 4:30 p.m. in the Anthony Mastrofrancesco Funeral Home Inc., 2026 McMinn Street, Aliquippa. The burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society in memory of Angela.
To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Angela (Roma) Lukens, please visit the Sympathy Store of the Anthony Mastrofrancesco Funeral Home, Inc., 2026 McMinn Street, Aliquippa.
Elizabeth Eleanor Fife (Aukscunas), 96, of Wooster, Ohio passed away on February 8th, 2025 with family by her side.
She was born on March, 17th, 1928 on her family’s milk farm in Industry. Lee, as she was called, was the youngest child of Enoch and Anna Aukscunas, along with six older brothers and sisters, who all preceded her in death. She was the beloved wife of 61 years to the late Samuel Robinson Fife Jr, the loving mother of the late Rachel Fife Derr (Tom) and Samuel Robinson Fife III and the most beloved grandmother to the late Thomas Benjamin Derr (Tyler) and Amanda Lee Derr (deceased). She is survived by sister-in-law Rae Nancy Zuberbuhler, her brother-in-law Dick Zuberbuhler and many nieces and nephews.
After moving to several job destinations with her husband Samuel, Elizabeth settled onto the Fife family’s 1830s homestead outside of Beaver. She rejoiced in beautifying her home and property with creating bountiful gardens of vegetables and flowers into the garden spot of Brighton Township. That bounty she grew was generously shared with friends and family throughout the area. Her visiting grandchildren were the beneficiaries of a master class in gardening and nature.
Her resolute strength and spirit will remain close in our hearts always.
Friends will be received on Friday, February 14th from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. in the Noll Funeral Home, 333 Third Street, Beaver. Interment will take place on the family plot at Scrub Grass Presbyterian Cemetery of Emlenton, Pennsylvania. Online condolences may be shared at nollfuneral.com.
Donations in her memory can be given to Ohio’s Hospice Lifecare of Wooster.
In lieu of flowers, Elizabeth would have loved that you plant flowers to continue honoring her legacy.
Peggy Lou Dellera, 78, of Rochester, formerly of Kittanning, passed away on January 29th, 2025 in the Rochester Manor. She was born in Rochester on December 11th, 1946, a daughter of the late Philip E. Sr. and Stella A. Jurich Sullivan. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, James A. Craig, her second husband, Luigi J. Dellera, one sister, Mary A. Tyma and a grandson, Dakota J. Marshall. She is survived by one daughter and son-in-law, Dorothy Jean and James Marshall of Hocus Pocus, New Mexico, one son, Barry J. Craig of Rochester, fourteen grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren, two brothers and a sister-in-law, Philip E. “Skip” Sullivan, Jr., John E. “Jack” and Judy Sullivan of Brighton Township and numerous nieces and nephews.
Peggy was a housewife and homemaker and was Protestant by faith. Her wishes were to have no visitation with a private service that was held on February 3rd in William Murphy Funeral Home, Inc., 349 Adams Street, Rochester. Arrangements were entrusted to the William Murphy Funeral Home, Inc., 349 Adams Street, Rochester. Interment followed in Oak Grove Cemetery, Freedom. The family wishes memorial contributions be made to the Beaver County Cancer Association.
Shirley Mae Means, 81, of Brighton Township, formerly of Rochester, passed away on February 9th, 2025 in Heritage Valley Beaver. Shirley was born October 28, 1943 at home in Rochester. She is the daughter of the late John L., Sr. and Emma Atchison Means. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a brother, John L. Means, Jr. Shirley is survived by her sister-in-law, Mary and a nephew, Tyler Means, seven cousins: Susan L. and Bruce Johnson, Jay and Marguerite Hunt, David and Mary Haney, Judy Lokomski, Joanne Means, Mary Anne Means and Gerry Means. She is also survived by her caregiver for many years, Julie Drewnowski.
Shirley was a retired LPN with The Medical Center Beaver and was a member of Faith Community United Methodist Church of Rochester. She was a 1961 graduate of Rochester High School and then went on to receive her Associate Degree in Nursing through CCBC. Shirley’s wish was to be cremated with no services. Arrangements are entrusted to the William Murphy Funeral Home, Inc., 349 Adams Street, Rochester. Shirley’s wish was for memorial contributions to be made in her name to the Beaver County Humane Society, 3394 Brodhead Road, Aliquippa, PA 15001.
Preston “Ross” Fischer, 62, of Monaca, formerly of Chippewa Township, passed away on February 7th, 2025 at Heritage Valley Beaver.
He was born in Buffalo, New York on July 26th, 1962, a son of Richard and Mary Lou (Hart) Fischer. In addition to his parents, he is survived by his loving wife of 23 years, Patricia (Hiles) Fischer, his children: Ryan Fischer, Brandon (Brooke Kemery) Fischer, Allie Fischer, Rachelle (Shawn) Bunnell and Michael (Andria) Misco; grandchildren: Lincoln, Cole, Logan, Nolan and Madden; his siblings: Todd (Martha) Fischer, Betsy Fischer, Scott Fischer and Duff (Angela) Fischer; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and friends.
Preston was a Claims Manager for Liberty Mutual Insurance who attended the Chippewa United Methodist Church. He was a proud volunteer for many organizations and was the coach of his grandson’s baseball team. He was a football fanatic and his favorite team was the Buffalo Bills. Preston was an athlete who was a self-proclaimed “great pitcher.”
Friends will be received on Friday, February 14th from 2-4 P.M. & 5 P.M. until the time of services at 7 P.M. in the Gabauer-Lutton Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Inc., 117 Blackhawk Road, Beaver Falls.
In accordance with Ross’ wishes, he will be cremated following services.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Table of Grace Ministry, https://www.tableofgracefm.org/donate/
Lois M. Guinto, 79, of Beaver, passed away on February 5th, 2025 at Providence Care Center, Beaver Falls.
She was born in Rochester on January 4th, 1946, a daughter of the late Eugene and Margaret (Deere) Durst. She is survived by her loving husband of 56 years, Gregory Guinto, Sr., her children, Gregory (Samantha) Guinto, Jr. and Kristin (Craig) Stanzak, her grandchildren, Quintin, Calvin and Kaitie, her brother, Thomas Durst and her sisters, Margaret Katekovich and Mary Ingram.
Lois was a homemaker and a member of Saints Peter and Paul Church, part of Our Lady of the Valley Parish. She adored her grandchildren and enjoyed spending precious moments with them as well as both traveling and hosting family dinners.
In accordance with her wishes, all services were private for her family. Arrangements were entrusted to the branch of Gabauer Funeral Homes.
Inurnment was in Beaver Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Lois’ name to https://www.helpfightra.org/donations/, or to the Alzheimer’s Association at https://alz.org.