Author: Beaver County Radio

AAA East Central’s gas price report confirms that gas prices increase by three cents in Western Pennsylvania this week

(File Photo: Source for Photo: A customer holds a credit card at the pay-at-the-pump gasoline pump in Rolling Meadow, Ill., Thursday, June 30, 2022. The U.S. economy shrank from April through June for a second straight quarter, contracting at a 0.9% annual pace and raising fears that the nation may be approaching a recession. The decline that the Commerce Department reported Thursday, July 28, in the gross domestic product — the broadest gauge of the economy — followed a 1.6% annual drop from January through March. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver County, PA) Gas prices are three cents higher in Western Pennsylvania this week at around $3.53 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s gas price report. The report states at that week last year, the average price for gas was around $3.44. The report also notes that the average price that you can expect for a gallon of unleaded gas here in Beaver County is about $3.55. 

According to AAA East Central’s gas price report, here are the prices of unleaded self-serve gasoline in some Pennsylvania areas:

$3.564      Altoona
$3.548      Beaver
$3.574      Bradford
$3.363      Brookville
$3.588      Butler
$3.465      Clarion
$3.519      DuBois
$3.561      Erie
$3.547      Greensburg
$3.589      Indiana
$3.573      Jeannette
$3.533      Kittanning
$3.556      Latrobe
$3.585      Meadville
$3.581      Mercer
$3.387      New Castle
$3.502      New Kensington
$3.599      Oil City
$3.540      Pittsburgh
$3.374      Sharon
$3.589      Uniontown
$3.599      Warren
$3.535      Washington

Big Lots in East Rochester remains open despite Big Lots stores closing around the United States

(File Photo of Open Sign on Door)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(East Rochester, PA) Big Lots is closing stores around the United States. However, one local store will continue operations. According to filings from bankruptcy courts, Variety Wholesalers will run more than two-hundred Big Lots stores, which includes the East Rochester location on Ohio River Boulevard. The locations for Big Lots in both Hopewell and Moon Townships are closed. 

Police will file charges after a drunk driver crashes into porch of Center Township home

(File Photo of a Center Township Police Department Car)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Center Township, PA) A drunk driver crashed into the porch of a Center Township home on Monday. The incident occurred at around 4:30 p.m. when an unidentified male driver went off of Center Grange Road and into a porch. The woman that lives in that house is now doing well. According to police, the man had over twice the legal limit for his blood alcohol level. Police confirm that the man was driving under the influence and his charges will be filed on Tuesday.

Police file charges after an Aliquippa man causes a two-vehicle crash on I-376 East

(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.

Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver are still investigating a fight at McDowell’s Bar in Koppel Borough

(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.

Pennsylvania governor tags an older prison and a boot camp for closure

(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.

“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” will be presented at New Brighton High School for their 2025 high school musical

(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.

Angela (Roma) Lukens (1963-2025)

Angela (Roma) Lukens, 61, of Aliquippa passed away on February 6th, 2025 at Allegheny General Hospital surrounded by her loving family. She was born on November 21st, 1963, she was the youngest of seven children born to Antonio and Elizabeth (Slizik) Roma. She is survived by her loving and devoted sons, Michael (Taylor) and Brian (Jennifer), their father, Michael “Luke” Lukens, her adoring granddaughter, Sloane, her brother Joe Roma, sisters: Toni Romano, Sylvia Roma, Bernadette (Ron) Morelli, Beth (Eric) Lohner, Theresa (Blake) Nero; as well as her longtime partner, Augie Topetta and many nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles and in-laws.
Throughout her life, Angela was the consummate giver and caretaker. Anytime that a friend or relative was in need, she was the first to offer assistance. Perhaps that trait is what led her to a long career in the food service industry that began when she was sixteen. She later transferred her skills to the healthcare sector, specializing in geriatric care. A hardworking and dedicated employee, Angela’s most recent position was with Life Beaver County.
From an early age, Angela made friends easily. Classmates, work colleagues and those who met her even once will attest to her quick wit, generosity, her humor and her sometimes off-color, irreverent, yet never offensive remarks. A fun loving and spirited woman, Angela was a cat lover and an ardent fan of reality tv shows, cooking, trivia games and travelling. She was not a fan of driving.Humility was one of Angela’s many virtues. Her unassuming nature led her to rarely take credit for the countless good deeds she did for others. Angela’s role with her two sons was important to her. She took great pride in her children and their accomplishments. She also reveled in the relationship as Nonna with her only granddaughter, taking on the role of weekend babysitter prior to her illness.

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 E. Fife (1928-2025)

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 (1946-2025)

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.