Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published June 26, 2024 11:12 A.M.
(Aliquippa, Pa) Firefighters responded to a fire at an abandoned building on Erie Avenue in West Aliquippa at 4 a.m. The building is owned by the city, according to the report and was destroyed by the blaze. Firefighters remained on scene for 45 minutes and were assisted by Ambridge, Center Township, and Crescent Township.
Juliann Lematte, age 32, of New Brighton formerly of Conway, passed away on June 23rd, 2024, in Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh. She was born May 3rd, 1992 in Kaliningrad Region, Russia. She is the daughter of Christian M. Lematte of New Brighton, and the late Patricia Ann Giannette Lematte. Juliann loved being at home with family, and had a strong love for any animal. In addition to her father, she is survived by one brother, Christian A. Lematte of Conway, and her best friend Ciera. In addition to her mother, Patricia, Juliann was also preceded in death by her grandmother, Helen Giannette.
Friends will be received Monday from 2-4 P.M. in The William Murphy Funeral Home, Inc. 349 Adams Street, Rochester, PA 15074. Private Interment will be Tuesday at Calvary Cemetery, Freedom PA. The family wishes memorial contributions be made to Animal Rescues such as Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh https://humaneanimalrescue.org/
Shirley M. Spence, 85, from Baden, peacefully passed away on June 25, 2024. She was born to the late Frank and Mary Triska. Shirley was preceded in death by her sister, Rebecca Triska. She is survived by her loving husband of 59 years, John Everett Spence, her daughter Pam (Jack) Spencer, her brother Brad (Linda) Triska, niece Tawny (Hunter) Pollard, and numerous cousins. Shirley’s love for shopping and planting flowers brought joy to her life, complemented by the joy of planning grand events with her husband at their property in Marshall Township. Her beautiful soul touched the lives of many, and her absence will be deeply felt by all who knew and loved her. Friends and family are invited to pay their respects at the Alvarez-Hahn Funeral Services and Cremation, LLC., located at 547 8th Street, Ambridge, where visitation will take place on Friday, June 28, 2024, from 4:00 to 7:00 PM. A funeral service honoring Shirley’s life will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, June 29, 2024, at the funeral home. Following the service, Shirley will be laid to rest at Beaver Cemetery.
Anthony (Tony) Joseph Chiodo, 79, of Conway, passed away Sunday June 23rd surrounded by his family following a long and hard-fought battle with cancer. Son of the late Anthony and Beatrice Chiodo, he was born October 19th, 1944, in Aliquippa. He was a 1963 graduate of Quaker Valley High School, and began working at Taylor’s Milk Co. in Ambridge, for which he later retired. In 1967, he married the love of his life, Kathy, for whom he had longed to reunite with since her passing in 2017. In the 70’s they welcomed 3 children. Tony was a dedicated family man. He attended all his children’s activities and volunteered in coaching both baseball and football. He was an avid hunter and fisherman, only giving it up in the last couple years due to failing health. Tony loved the outdoors. He especially loved his garden and was still gardening up until his final days. He always called it his labor of love and was known to randomly drop off his tomatoes to family, friends, and neighbors all the time. Tony was deeply dedicated to his catholic faith, attending church every week, saying his prayers every morning before starting the day, and going to visit our mom at the cemetery daily since her passing to say prayers for her, stopping at Shop and Save in Ambridge for his coffee, donuts, lottery tickets, and to see many friends he met there over the years on the way. While we lost our most beloved Dad and Grandpa, many have lost a true friend, and loved one in him. He has been a rock to many, a man known for his hilarious sense of humor, and wit to all. No matter how you knew him, if you were important to him, he was loyal to you, and dedicated to help you if you ever needed anything. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife Kathy in 2017, and his precious baby great grandson Rashaud in January of this year. Surviving is his two daughters Angela of Conway, and Tamara (Charles Pope) of Monaca, son Joseph of Pittsburgh, Grandchildren Mariah Moreland, Noah Searfoss, Damion Chiodo, and Dannika Chiodo, and great granddaughter Ka’Ori Dawkins, his sister Andrea Chiodo, and numerous extended family members. Friends will be received on Sunday from 1-5 P.M. in the John Syka Funeral Home, Inc., 833 Kennedy Drive, Ambridge where a prayer will be offered Monday at 10:00 A.M. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 A.M. in the Good Samaritan Catholic Church-St Luke the Evangelist Parish. Interment will follow in the Good Samaritan Catholic Cemetery.
Patricia Massie, 88 of Fair Oaks, passed away Friday, June 21, 2024, in her home surrounded by her loving family.
She was born January 2, 1936, in Pittsburgh, a daughter of the late Ralph and Elizabeth Stevenson Weeks. She was a longtime member of New Brighton Christian Assembly. She loved her family, especially her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was very crafty and made gifts for everyone during the holidays. She helped out with the girl scouts and enjoyed growing plants and flowers. She enjoyed going to car shows with her husband and loved getting her hands dirty with home and auto repairs.
Surviving is her son Ronald (Mindy) Massie, 3 daughters Jamie (Allan) Cybak, Linda (David) Heinemann, Libbie (Ken) Kucel, 12 grandchildren, 9 great grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews, and a longtime dear friend and neighbor Dawn Gallagher.
Preceding her in death in addition to her parents were her husband Ronald J. Massie to whom she was married for 38 years, sister Jean Swisher, brother Ralph Weeks, and a good friend Eva Lilly.
Friends will be received on Monday from 3-8 P.M. in the John Syka Funeral Home, Inc., 833 Kennedy Drive, Ambridge, from where a funeral service will be conducted Tuesday at 10:00 A.M. with Rev. Beth Wierman officiating. Interment will follow in Sylvania Hills Memorial Park.
The family would like to thank the many caregivers who provided loving and compassionate care to their mother, especially to her good friend Rose Luchen.
Danyelle Blackwell, Councilwoman, Upper Darby Township, District 4 PA goes for a test drive in an EV during EOPA’s United for Health and Energy Security Tour, (Lauren Urbiztondo)
Danielle Smith – Keystone State News Service
Pittsburgh is one stop on a nationwide summer tour to raise awareness about electric vehicles and clean energy.
The group Elected Officials to Protect America said in 2022, electric vehicle registrations increased by about 82% from the previous year.
Jake Pawlak, deputy mayor and director of the Office of Management and Budget for the City of Pittsburgh, said the city will invest $15 million in EVs for its fleet this year with federal help. He added Pittsburgh is working with organizations on a new program to help low-income residents cut energy costs with more electric appliances, weatherization and solar installation.
“Our goal is to have significantly reduced the energy burden for 100 City of Pittsburgh residents by the end of this year,” Pawlak explained. “And in the next six years, do so for 10,000 residents across the southwestern Pennsylvania region.”
Pittsburgh’s goal of reducing emissions by 50% by 2030 is the same target President Joe Biden set for the country. Pawlak notes Pittsburgh is leveraging its designation as a federal workforce hub, working with businesses, unions and government to create training programs for clean energy jobs.
Khari Mosley, a Pittsburgh city council member, said Pennsylvania’s transition to clean energy is an opportunity to revitalize the city and become a leader in a new, sustainable economy. He added it includes improving infrastructure to withstand extreme weather and affect the economy and environment.
“Pittsburgh can truly be a leader for the country,” Mosley contended. “As we invest in these new technologies that not only are going to create economic prosperity, but again, make our cities more resilient as we fight climate change and ensure that this next generation of Americans will truly be the environmental stewards that set our country on the right path.”
Brittany Prischak, deputy director of sustainability for Allegheny County, said the county has invested in electric vehicles since 2020. She added Pennsylvania is also deploying infrastructure for charging stations, which is now standard on all new construction projects and renovations.
“We’ve had great partnerships — Duquesne Light Company and West Penn Power — that operate within Allegheny County,” Prischak emphasized. “They’ve assisted us in infrastructure or electric upgrades to our facilities so that we can put in charging stations, make sure our vehicles can make it to their destinations.”
Pennsylvania has seen a significant increase in EV purchases. As of December, there were more than 47,000 electric vehicles registered in the state.
[June 24, 2024] — As the busy Fourth of July holiday week gets closer, the American Red Cross asks donors to be a powerful force for good by giving blood or platelets now and in the weeks to come. You can be the difference between someone’s storm and their sunshine. Donors are critically needed right now after a sharp decrease in donations since late spring. All blood types are needed, especially donors giving type O blood and those giving platelets.
Full summer calendars and holiday plans may prevent regular donors from being able to give. Additionally, significant summer weather threats such as hurricanes, flooding and tornadoes can result in travel hazards and blood drive cancellations that could impact the blood supply. Help keep lifesaving blood products stocked on hospital shelves and book a time to give blood or platelets by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App.
The Red Cross has teamed up with Universal Pictures for the theatrical release of TWISTERS to help avoid a summer blood shortage. All who come to give blood or platelets July 1-31 will get a Fandango Movie Ticket* by email. Plus, those who come to give July 1-14 will also receive a one-of-a-kind TWISTERS and Red Cross umbrella, while supplies last. BONUS: Those who come to give blood in July will also automatically be entered for a chance to win a 2025 Ram 1500 Big Horn®. See RedCrossBlood.org/Twisters for full details.
Swarms of tornadoes and extreme flooding in recent months have tragically taken lives and destroyed entire communities. Most recently, millions of people have endured one of the longest lasting and strongest heat waves in years, including large portions of the Midwest. Unfortunately, in states like Arkansas, Ohio and Nebraska, many communities are still picking up the pieces and recovering from the second most active tornado season on record, according to the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center.
“The Red Cross is grateful to have partners like Universal Pictures who are not only lending this support to encourage blood donations during this critical time of year but have also generously donated to help support disaster relief,” said Jennifer Pipa, vice president of Disaster Programs for the Red Cross. “Because of the climate crisis, the Red Cross is now launching twice as many relief operations for major disasters than we did a decade ago. And disasters are not only straining our relief operations but also our ability to collect lifesaving blood donations. So far this year we have collected 20,000 fewer blood donations due to severe weather.”
In just the first five months of the year, the Red Cross has responded to 20 tornado related disasters across 13 states. Unfortunately, meteorologists expect more powerful and destructive storms to continue in the months to come as the effects of the climate crisis continue. This year’s outlook is part of a years-long trend of more frequent and intense climate disasters, such as hurricanes, wildfires, severe storms and floods.
Dare to be a force of nature this summer. Give blood or make a financial donation to the Red Cross by visiting RedCross.org.
How to donate blood
Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.
Monaca, PA – Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) welcomes new Women’s Head Volleyball Coach George Bellinger to the campus community, reinvigorating the Titans volleyball program.
“We are extremely excited to have George lead our volleyball program. His extensive experience and local connections will be pivotal to our volleyball team taking the next steps forward,” said Tyler Care, director of student life and athletic administration.
Coach Bellinger is excited to start the next season of CCBC volleyball. He has over 30 years of coaching experience at the high school level for both boys and girls including tenures at West Allegheny, Hopewell, Blackhawk, Monaca, Ambridge, Western Beaver, and Freedom. He has also served as a USA Volleyball club director and coach for 25 years and is the current director of Club Hollywood Pennsylvania. George is also a certified USA Volleyball official. When not on the volleyball court, he works full-time as a high school counselor at Aliquippa Jr./Sr. High School.
“George’s experience and involvement in the community will be invaluable when recruiting and retaining athletes,” said Brittney Golden, dean of students. “He makes a difference in students’ lives both on and off the court.”
The Titans volleyball team is expected to start practice in August with the first home tri-match of the 2024-25 season scheduled for Saturday, September 21 at the Dome.
FILE – Surgeon General Vivek Murthy speaks during an Archewell Foundation panel discussion in New York City, Oct. 10, 2023. On Tuesday, June 25, 2024, Murthy, the nation’s top doctor, declared gun violence a public health crisis, driven by a growing number of injuries and deaths involving firearms in the country. The advisory came as the U.S. grappled with another weekend marked by mass shootings that left dozens of people dead or wounded. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. surgeon general on Tuesday declared gun violence a public health crisis, driven by the fast-growing number of injuries and deaths involving firearms in the country.
The advisory issued by Dr. Vivek Murthy, the nation’s top doctor, came as the U.S. grappled with another summer weekend marked by mass shootings that left dozens of people dead or wounded.
“People want to be able to walk through their neighborhoods and be safe,” Murthy told The Associated Press in a phone interview. “America should be a place where all of us can go to school, go to work, go to the supermarket, go to our house of worship, without having to worry that that’s going to put our life at risk.”
To drive down gun deaths, Murthy calls on the U.S. to ban automatic rifles, introduce universal background checks for purchasing guns, regulate the industry, pass laws that would restrict their use in public spaces and penalize people who fail to safely store their weapons.
None of those suggestions can be implemented nationwide without legislation passed by Congress, which typically recoils at gun control measures. Some state legislatures, however, have enacted or may consider some of the surgeon general’s proposals.
Separately on Tuesday, the White House reported that more than 500 people, including some linked to transnational cartels and organized crime rings, have been charged with gun trafficking and other crimes under the landmark gun safety legislation President Joe Biden signed two years ago.
The report obtained by The Associated Press on the implementation of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act also said that enhanced background checks under the new law have stopped roughly 800 sales of firearms to people under age 21 who would be prohibited from buying them.
The bill was a signature achievement for the Democratic president, and the particulars on how it has been implemented come as he seeks reelection in November. But Biden is also quick to say the law didn’t go far enough, as he continues to push for stricter background checks and has called for a ban on assault rifles.
Surgeon General Murthy said there is “broad agreement” that gun violence is a problem, citing a poll last year that found most Americans worry at least sometimes that a loved one might be injured by a firearm. More than 48,000 Americans died from gun injuries in 2022.
However, his advisory promises to be controversial and will certainly incense Republican lawmakers, most of whom opposed Murthy’s confirmation — twice — to the job over his statements on gun violence.
Murthy has published warnings about troubling health trends in American life, including loneliness and social media use. In an opinion piece in The New York Times earlier this month, he said social media has contributed to the mental health crisis among the country’s young people and asked Congress to require warning labels on social media platforms similar to those on cigarette boxes.
He’s stayed away from issuing a similar advisory about gun violence since his 2014 confirmation as surgeon general was stalled and nearly derailed by the firearm lobby and Republicans who opposed his past statements about firearms.
Murthy ended up promising the Senate that he did “not intend to use my office as surgeon general as a bully pulpit on gun control.”
Then-President Donald Trump dismissed Murthy in 2017, but Biden nominated him again to the position in 2021. At his second confirmation hearing, he told senators that declaring guns a public health crisis would not be his focus during a new term.
But he has faced mounting pressure from some doctors and Democratic advocacy groups to speak out more. A group of four former surgeon generals asked the Biden administration to produce a report on the problem in 2022.
“It is now time for us to take this issue out of the realm of politics and put it in the realm of public health, the way we did with smoking more than a half century ago,” Murthy told the AP.
A 1964 report from the surgeon general that raised awareness about the dangers of smoking is largely credited with snubbing out tobacco use and precipitating regulations on the industry.
Children and younger Americans, in particular, are suffering from gun violence, Murthy notes in his advisory called “Firearm Violence: A Public Health Crisis in America.” Suicide by gun rates have increased significantly in recent years for Americans under the age of 35. Children in the U.S. are far more likely to die from gun wounds than children in other countries, the research he gathered shows.
In addition to new regulations, Murthy calls for an increase on gun violence research and for the health system — which is likely to be more amenable to his advisory — to promote gun safety education during doctor visits.