(Sandy Giordano/Beaver County Radio)

Aliquippa’s Zoning Hearing Board will soon be ruling on a decision to use the former Hunter Personal Care Home located at 1916 Main Street for use by the organization Deewalk Promise Hands as an emergency shelter for women and children.

The request from Rayetta Lee was submitted to the Zoning Board last night, and that the board now has thirty days to render a final decision on variance that would allow for the change to move forward. Under current zoning regulations, the building would not be able to be used.

Lee told those in attendance at Thursday’s meeting that 72 individuals have signed a petition in favor of using the facility on Main Street as the new home of Deewalk Promised Hands.

Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio. Published January 4, 2023 12:33 P.M.

(Aliquippa, Pa) Reports indicate that Coach Mike Warfield of the Aliquippa Quips has been informed by PIAA officials that Aliquippa will be required to compete in the 5A division for the 2024 football season. The reason for the bumped up classification is cited as being due to the competitive balance rule, suggesting that Aliquippa has student transfers. Aliquippa has most recently been playing and winning in 4A, including State Championship wins in 2021 and 2023, while their current school enrollment would technically put them in 2A. Aliquippa intends to appeal the PIAA.

(Sandy Giordano/Beaver County Radio)

Nora Lemon and Karma Jackson were sworn in as Aliquippa’s newest members of City Council at last night’s city council meeting, the first of the new year. Beaver County Radio news correspondent Sandy Giordano reports that the two women were sworn in by Beaver County Common Pleas Court Judge Mitch Shahen.

Mayor Dwan B. Walker, Councilman Donald Walker, and City Treasurer Lynne Kakiou were sworn in as re-elected officials for 2024. Kakiou will also serve as delinquent tax collector for Aliquippa, with Delphine Gilliam as her assistant. Mayor Walker said that a main focus for 2024 will be to watch finances as the city enters its first year without Act 47 designation.

(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

It may be a new year, but so far the downward trend of gas prices has stayed the same. According to AAA East Central’s latest report, the average price for a gallon of unleaded gasoline is down to $3.41. That average is down from last week’s average of $3.44 by three cents, and down a full 30 cents from the average of $3.71 one year ago.

Beaver County takes a downward trend this week, dropping four cents from $3.50/gallon to $3.46/gallon. Butler drops one cent to $3.43/gallon, as does the Pittsburgh area who now sits at an average of $3.46.

The national average is currently at $3.10 according to AAA East Central, 31 cents below the regional average.

This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average                          $3.414
Average price during the week of December 26, 2023                                       $3.435
Average price during the week of January 3, 2023                                              $3.712

The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline in various areas:      

$3.248      Altoona
$3.461      Beaver
$3.638      Bradford
$3.378      Brookville
$3.427      Butler
$3.390      Clarion
$3.298      DuBois
$3.295      Erie
$3.481      Greensburg
$3.456      Indiana
$3.436      Jeannette
$3.649      Kittanning
$3.453      Latrobe
$3.294      Meadville
$3.419      Mercer
$3.146      New Castle
$3.453      New Kensington
$3.385      Oil City
$3.464      Pittsburgh
$3.309      Sharon
$3.407      Uniontown
$3.599      Warren
$3.428      Washington

(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

Congressman Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania’s 17th District has put his name on a growing list of politicians nationwide showcasing their concern over the acquisition of Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel by Nippon Steel of Japan. On Wednesday, Deluzio joined the Congressional Labor Caucus Co-Chairs and other members of Congress in creating a letter to the Biden Administration for a full comprehensive regulatory review of the acquisition.

“Domestic steel production is crucial to the U.S. economy, including by supporting tens of thousands of well-paying, middle-class jobs across the country, as well as being key to the U.S. industrial base and our global competitiveness. To preserve U.S. domestic steel production capacity and to ensure that steel production jobs remain good jobs going forward, it is critical that any company that acquires U.S. Steel commits to respecting and working collaboratively with the company’s workforce,” the Members wrote in a letter to President Biden.

The letter was written by a bipartisan group of 53 members of Congress.

(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

At a very quick Commissioners’ work session to begin 2024, Public Works Director Dan Colville was congratulated on the completion of the newly installed parking lot located in between the Beaver County Courthouse and Market Street in Beaver. The last thing to add to the lot are additional signs that Colville states are on the way.

Meanwhile, EMS director Eric Brewer gave the Commissioners an update on the hiring process for a pair of open positions on his staff. Sixty of the eighty applicants took an at-home skills test in regards to handling emergency responses; of the sixty, twenty-six will sit down with Brewer and his current administration for interviews along with a second test.

Brewer stated that the recent raise in rates for the positions may have played a role into the strong amount of applications submitted; he also mentioned that the positions are not restricted to being held by county residents.

The next Commissioners’ work session is scheduled for January 10, 2024 at 10:00 AM.