In this courtroom sketch, Erich Smith testifies Tuesday, June 13, 2023, in Pittsburgh, in the federal trial of Robert Bowers. Bowers is accused of shooting to death 11 worshippers in a synagogue more than four years ago, the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history. (AP Photo/David Klug)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — A gunman who killed 11 worshippers at a Pittsburgh synagogue ranted incessantly on social media about his hatred of Jews before the 2018 attack. That’s according to evidence introduced at his federal death penalty trial Tuesday. Prosecutors are trying to show Robert Bowers was motivated by extreme hostility toward Jewish people when he opened fire at the Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018 and committed the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history. The 50-year-old truck driver is charged with hate crimes, among other counts. The defense acknowledges Bowers was the shooter but is trying to raise questions about motive.

Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio News Director. Published June 14, 2023 10:15 A.M.

(Beaver Falls, PA) Beaver Falls City Council met last night for their monthly meeting. Council approved ordinance 4099 for the placement of stop signs at 6th avenue and 20th street. Resolution 1682 was approved to amend the asset purchase agreement with Aqua Incorporated.
Resolution 1683 was also approved for establishing fees for special use of parks and playgrounds. Mayor Johns clarified that the parks will still be free to use, but paying the fee will guarantee the parks for a scheduled time and ensure the availability of amenities such as electricity. An upcharge will be imposed for non community members.
Also approved was a list of general fund expenditures in the amount of $419,081.30. Council approved to authorize a cooperation agreement between the city and the county for a community development block grant program for 2024-2026. The resignations of two police officers, Spencer and Ursida, were granted as well.

Jerel Crew, one of the founders of a gun safety training organization That Gun Talk, speaks on Monday, June 12, 2023, at a rally outside of the Pennsylvania state Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa. Organizers said about a hundred attendees came to the annual Right to Keep and Bear Arms Rally in support of the Second Amendment. (AP Photo/Brooke Schultz)

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Organizers warned at an annual gun rights rally at the Pennsylvania Capitol on Monday that with a slim Democratic majority in the House, there could be more attempts to pass gun control measures, weeks after they narrowly advanced the first gun control legislation in years that Republicans criticized as attempts to “dwindle away at our Second Amendment rights.” One of the event’s organizers, Rep. Abby Major, a Republican from Armstrong County, says that gun rights supporters find themselves at a disadvantage with Democrats empowered by a one-vote majority in the House.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Stan Savran, who spent nearly five decades in sports broadcasting chronicling Pittsburgh’s rise to the “City of Champions,” has died. He was 76. WTAE-TV, where Savran worked as a sports anchor in the 1980s and early 1990s, announced Savran’s death. No official cause of death was given but Savran had been very public about his battle with lung cancer in recent years. Savran was known best known for the long-running “SportsBeat” regional cable show he hosted for nearly 20 years in the 1990s and early 2000s, most of them alongside good friend Guy Junker.

JEANNETTE, Pa. (AP) — Authorities say police are seeking a man in connection with a shooting that killed a woman and injured four other people at a western Pennsylvania home. The Westmoreland County coroner and district attorney say 25-year-old Brianna Lartz was killed in the gunfire Friday evening at a Jeannette home. Officials say four other people brought to hospitals were expected to survive their injuries. No further information about the victims or their conditions was immediately available Saturday. Authorities said they were seeking a 25-year-old man in the case and also believed a second person who hasn’t been identified was involved. They said both should be considered armed and dangerous.

A view of the scene Feb. 24, 2023, as the cleanup continues at the site of of a Norfolk Southern freight train derailment that happened on Feb. 3 in East Palestine, Ohio. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said Monday, March 6, 2023 that Norfolk Southern has pledged several million dollars to cover the cost of the response and recovery in Pennsylvania after last month’s derailment of a train carrying toxic chemicals just across the border in Ohio. (AP Photo/Matt Freed, file)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Officials say they plan to conduct safety investigations of all the major freight railroads over the next year. That’s after the Federal Railroad Administration recently completed a review of Norfolk Southern’s safety culture. A report will be released soon on what investigators found at Norfolk Southern after the fiery February derailment that prompted the evacuation of half of East Palestine, Ohio. The crash has sparked intense interest in railroad safety nationwide and prompted several proposed reforms in Congress. Railroad unions have been raising concerns that operating changes and deep cuts the railroads have made over the past six years have made trains riskier. But the railroads maintain they haven’t sacrificed safety as they became more efficient.

Gas prices are a penny lower in Western Pennsylvania this week at $3.652 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

The average price of gas in Beaver County is currently $3.73.

For the first time since 2021, domestic gasoline demand was above 9 million barrels daily for a third straight week. Yet despite the robust numbers, pump prices barely budged in most of the country. The national average for a gallon of gas dipped a penny since last week to $3.56, which is three cents more than a month ago but $1.39 less than a year ago.

According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gas demand increased slightly from 9.1 to 9.22 million b/d last week. Meanwhile, total domestic gasoline stocks rose by 2.7 million barrels to 218.8 million barrels. Although gas demand increased, increasing stocks and lower oil prices have contributed to limiting increases. At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, West Texas Intermediate increased by 79 cents to settle at $72.53. Today, it’s hovering around $67 per barrel.

Harrisburg, PA — The deadline for older adults and Pennsylvanians with disabilities to apply for rebates on rent and property taxes paid in 2022 has been extended from June 30 to December 31, 2023, Acting Secretary of Revenue Pat Browne announced today.

Claimants of the Property Tax/Rent Rebate (PTRR) program are encouraged to file their rebate applications online by visiting mypath.pa.gov. This online filing option makes it easy for the Pennsylvanians who annually benefit from the program to submit their applications.

“So far this year, we’ve already seen more than 50,000 of our rebate applicants use myPATH to file their applications online. This shows us that many of our customers are finding this online tool to be an easy way to make sure their applications are filed seamlessly and processed as quickly as possible,” said Acting Secretary Browne. “Other eligible applicants can take advantage of myPATH in the coming months now that the program deadline has been extended through the remainder of the year.”

This extension comes as Governor Josh Shapiro is calling for a major expansion of the PTRR program in his 2023-2024 proposed budget. Under the Governor’s proposal, the maximum standard rebate would increase from $650 to $1,000. Meanwhile, the income limits for renters and homeowners would be made equal and both increase to $45,000. Those income limits would also be tied to the cost of living moving forward, which means the people who receive a rebate won’t have to worry about losing their eligibility through no fault of their own in the years to come.

Ultimately, the Governor’s proposal would result in nearly 175,000 additional Pennsylvanians qualifying for a property tax or rent rebate. At the same time, the Department of Revenue estimates that 86% of the 430,000 claimants who already qualify will see their rebates increase.

Under current Pennsylvania law, the annual deadline for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is set at June 30. The law requires the Department of Revenue to evaluate the program prior to the statutory June 30 deadline to determine if funds are available to extend the deadline. To date, funding has been available to allow all who qualify to benefit from the program, meaning the deadline can be extended to December 31 for the current year. Applications postmarked by that date will be accepted for processing.

The rebate program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians age 65 and older; widows and widowers age 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older. Currently, the income limit is $35,000 a year for homeowners and $15,000 annually for renters, and half of Social Security income is excluded.

Since the program’s inception in 1971, it has delivered more than $8 billion to older and disabled adults across the Commonwealth. The Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is funded by the Pennsylvania Lottery and revenue from slots gaming.

When Can You Expect Your Rebate?

Rebates will be distributed beginning July 1, as required by law. Here is additional information to keep in mind:

• If you provide your phone number on your Property Tax/Rent Rebate application form or in the myPATH electronic application, you will receive an automated call from the Department of Revenue when your claim posts to the department’s processing system. You will also receive another automated call when your claim is approved.
• The easiest way to check the status of your rebate is to use the Where’s My Rebate? tool. To check on the status of your claim, you will need your:
  • Social Security number
  • Claim year
  • Date of birth

About the Property Tax/Rent Rebate program

The current maximum standard rebate is $650, but supplemental rebates for certain qualifying homeowners can boost rebates to $975. The Department of Revenue automatically calculates supplemental rebates for qualifying homeowners.

Eligible applicants should check the Property Tax/Rent Rebate program page on the Department of Revenue’s website for more information, including detailed instructions on the program, the paper application form, and contact information for those with questions. It’s free to apply for a rebate, and applicants are reminded that free assistance is available at hundreds of locations across the state, including Department of Revenue district offices, local Area Agencies on Aging, senior centers and state legislators’ offices.

Applicants must reapply for rebates every year because rebates are based on annual income and property taxes or rent paid in each year. Spouses, personal representatives, or estates may file rebate claims on behalf of claimants who lived at least one day in 2022 and meet all other eligibility criteria.

(Monaca, PA) – Walking for at least 11 minutes every day could lower the risk of premature death by  almost 25 percent, according to the largest study of physical activity, disease risk, and mortality. 

Community College of Beaver County is introducing a new set of outdoor walking and exercise trails as a  way for community members, employees, and students to explore CCBC’s beautiful, safe campus and  move their bodies. 

Spearheaded and designed by Professor of Business Paul Rogers, CCBC’s new walking trails are also  equipped with fitness stops and dog waste stations. 

“The CCBC Walking Trails provides a safe, comfortable community location for people to exercise on all  levels. The pet friendly environment attracts community members, staff, and students and is a basic  ingredient to a healthy lifestyle,” said Professor Rogers. 

The public can choose from six different routes, ranging from the Courtyard Stroll (890 ft.) to The Long  Haul (1 mile), challenge themselves with inclines and stairs, or take it easy on flat, shaded paths with a furry friend. 

Through a donation to the CCBC Foundation, Professor Rogers made it his mission to provide the  campus and community with guided paths for everyone from pet parents to wellness walkers and  fitness gurus. 

“Professor Rogers is a true example of dedication, selflessness, and community spirit,” said Kolton Codner, Executive Director of the CCBC Foundation. “He has poured his resources and time into creating  the fitness and walking trail at the Community College of Beaver County. Through his unwavering  commitment, he has paved the path to a healthier future, inspiring countless individuals to embrace an  active lifestyle. Professor Rogers’ remarkable contributions stand as a testament to the transformative  power of passion and generosity, leaving an indelible mark on both the college and the community it  serves.” 

Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published June 13, 2023 9:41 A.M.

(Center Township, PA) A 4 year old girl was struck by a car on Oak Lane in Center Township Monday night at 7:59 pm.  Police, firefighters, and Medic-Rescue responded to the scene. The child’s injuries are unknown and she was transported to Children’s Hospital. Her condition is unknown and the accident is under investigation.