(Credit for Photo: Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of McDonald’s)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Coraopolis, PA) McDonald’s will be celebrating artwork created by talented Cornell High School and Sto-Rox Junior Senior High School students in support of Hispanic Heritage Month.

The selected artwork by Vanessa Bosetti will be displayed and unveiled at a local McDonald’s restaurant tomorrow at the Coraopolis McDonald’s at 4 p.m.

This event marks the culmination of the “Golden Arches Mural Program,” which is a McDonald’s-supported initiative that honors student creativity and community pride.

Bosetti will receive an award of $1,000 from McDonald’s in recognition of her artistic achievement. 

The art departments at Cornell High School and Sto-Rox Junior Senior High School will also receive a grant of $500 to support creative endeavors in the future. 

High school art students from Cornell High School and Sto-Rox Junior Senior High School were invited to participate in the program this semester in partnership with local McDonald’s Owner/Operator Sam Nwagbo.

Students were challenged to create artwork which blends McDonald’s nostalgia with their unique interpretation of Coraopolis, to showcase their personal connection to the city.

The winning artwork will be transformed into 5-foot by 5-foot mural and will be displayed at the McDonald’s in Coraopolis to highlight the commitment the McDonald’s has to celebrate creativity and culture in every community.

Bosetti’s piece and pieces created by other students that participated in the program will be on display at the McDonald’s at 1010 4th Avenue in Coraopolis.

(File Photo of a Gavel)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) A federal jury in Pittsburgh recently convicted thirty-nine-year-old
Justin Lee Plunk of Corinth, Mississippi, of conspiring to distribute and distributing child sexual abuse material for profit over multiple years on platforms including Instagram and Telegram after less than two hours of deliberation.

The jury found Plunk guilty of the two counts on October 9th after a trial that lasted four days.

The evidence that was presented during the trial established that Plunk was part of a criminal conspiracy that operated online from at least 2021 to 2024 in which the conspirators recruited female minors, including ones as young as 10 years old, in the Western District of Pennsylvania and other places to make “packages” of 30 images and seven videos of child sexual exploitation material, and participate in live video calls with customers.

This conspiracy operated over messaging and social media platforms which included Instagram, Snapchat, and Telegram, with one female minor introduced to the conspiracy when she was on Roblox.

It used multiple payment methods, which included the payment services Cash App and Venmo as well as gift cards from Roblox and Walmart.

The evidence also established that Plunk was involved in the conspiracy in a lot of ways, which included receiving over $57,000 in proceeds from the conspiracy in the form of cash transfers and retail store gift cards.

Plunk had been convicted previously of enticement of a child for sexual purposes in 2016 in Mississippi.

Plunk’s sentencing is scheduled for January 26th, 2027 and he could face a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in jail, a fine of up to $250,000, or both on each count, provided by the law.

(Credit for Photo: Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of Allegheny Health Network)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Allegheny Health Network (AHN) announced today that Nipun B. Merchant, MD, who is an internationally recognized healthcare executive, researcher, and surgical oncologist, has been appointed chair of the network’s Department of Surgery and its first surgeon-in-chief, effective February of 2027.

The newly created surgeon-in-chief role reflects the commitment that AHN has to creating a more integrated model of surgical care across its network that is growing.

Dr. Merchant’s appointment as chair represents an investment that is broader in elevating the Department of Surgery to national prominence in education, patient care, and research.

Dr. Merchant joins AHN from the University of Miami Health System and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, which are where his leadership spanned clinical care, health system operations and scientific investigation.

He was the Alan S. Livingstone Professor of Surgery and served in senior leadership roles including Chief Surgical Officer, Executive Director of Perioperative Services and Chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology.

He was also Sylvester’s Associate Director of Translational Research and founding Director of the Sylvester Pancreatic Cancer Research Institute, which are roles that brought together cancer care, program development and translational science.

Dr. Merchant will serve as the senior physician executive for AHN’s surgical enterprise as surgeon-in-chief to provide strategic oversight for surgical services across the hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers of the network.

He will lead the Department of Surgery’s academic, clinical and strategic growth as chair of that department, with a focus on developing and recruiting outstanding faculty, expanding surgical programs that are advanced, building its research enterprise and strengthening education.

He will also help to drive improvements in patient experience, safety and quality by working closely with physicians, nurses and operational leaders.

(File Photo of a Gavel)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today that a resident of Sewickley has been sentenced in federal court to two months of imprisonment, to be followed by two years of supervised release, on her conviction of bank fraud.

The sentence was given to sixty-four-year-old Judith A. Hetzell yesterday, who was ordered to pay $80,966 in restitution to her former employer. 

According to information presented to the Court, between November of 2023 and February of 2025, Hetzell, who was the former business manager for a non-profit guardianship agency based in the Western District of Pennsylvania, fraudulently drafted checks against individuals’ bank accounts to which the agency had access as a provider of guardianship and other fiduciary services to the victims. 

These checks were drafted to cash and to Hetzell’s mother and were deposited into two personal bank  accounts that Hetzell controlled. 

(File Photo of A Road Work Ahead Sign)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Baden, PA) PennDOT District 11 announced that utility work on Route 65 in Baden Borough, Beaver County will begin tomorrow, weather permitting.

From 9 A.M. to 3 P.M. each weekday, as needed, through late April of 2027, there will be a single lane restriction on southbound Route 65 between Tevebaugh Road and Logan Lane.

Sanitary sewer line cleaning and surveying work will be conducted by crews from Robinson Pipe Cleaning.

(File Photo of the Beaver County Courthouse)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver, PA) Several topics were discussed at today’s County Commissioners’ work session.

County Solicitor Garen Fedeles brought up some things to mention during the solicitors’ report of the session.

Fedeles noted that as of yesterday, the county has received 6,447 returned ballots.

This is at a return percentage rate of 48%, which Fedeles stated is “the highest percentage return rate in Southwestern Pennsylvania at this time.”

Fedeles also confirmed that the Board of Commissioners are still receiving assessment appeals, with “53 cases still being appealed to the court for this year.”

Once the Board of Commissioners hears the appeals and hears the decisions that are made, there is window of thirty days to file an appeal to the court.

However, Fedeles mentioned that one of the things the County Law Department is working on is a public, private partnership to have a joint effort to renovate the baseball fields at Brady’s Run Park.

This includes putting turf on some of the fields so they can be used for youth tournaments.

A lease agreement is in the works to hopefully have this in place as early as 2027, which is when the construction would begin.

County Commissioner Tony Amadio reminded the audience of the session that in house voting at the County Courthouse at its Bureau of Elections starts tomorrow and goes through October 27th.

County Commisioner Jack Manning also praised the work that was done to put on the second edition of Beaver County Edfest at the CCBC Golden Dome in Monaca, which occurred on Monday.

Teachers across the county were celebrated for their work, had some coffee, and got some advice from guest speaker Michael Bonner, who is a teacher at Ron Clark Elementary in Atlanta that has been featured on shows like “The Ellen Show.”

Manning also gave thanks to Dr. Jordan from Youngstown, Ohio publicly because Dr. Jordan had ground-penetrating radar that scanned all of Legionville a couple of weeks ago to look for disruptions of soil that may be the location of the sixteen unknown gravesites of the troops of Legionville from back in the year 1792.

The Commissioners are trying to get a memorial and marker that is suitable to capture where those troops were at that time.

Beaver County’s William Penn Peace Tree has also arrived, which is an eastern pine tree.

This tree will be placed in all 67 counties in Pennsylvania.

The county will also be getting a plaque to symbolize the history that Pennsylvania has with William Penn.

More details are to come about a ceremony for planting that tree outside of the County Courthouse.

Beaver County Recreation and Tourism Director Tony Caltury also mentioned the Brady’s Run Ice Arena will be closed from tomorrow through Sunday. because it is hosting the American Kennel Club Dog Show.

That show, which has 650 dogs registered, will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday and will begin at 8 a.m. on Sunday.

(File Photo of Police Siren Lights)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver County, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver reported today that a three-vehicle crash occurred in Beaver County yesterday. This happened in Greene Township at 2:42 p.m. on State Route 30.

A seventeen-year-old girl from Hookstown did not stop in time after noticing slowing and stopped traffic behind a school bus on the road.

Her vehicle hit a vehicle driven by a seventeen-year-old boy from Georgetown, Pennsylvania and his vehicle subsequently hit the vehicle driven by eighteen-year-old Andrew Hartman of Hookstown.

There were no reported injuries.

Hartman received a citation as a result of this crash.

The girl from Hookstown was charged for tailgating, and the boy from Georgetown was given a written warning as a result of this crash. 

(File Photo of a Gavel)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Butler County, PA) A man from Valencia is headed to trial and he is accused of planning a terror attack in which he tried to help ISIS.

The attorney of twenty-one-year-old Jonathan Hunter Kramer entered a not guilty plea in federal court yesterday.

The FBI arrested Kramer outside of the Cranberry Park Hotel on September 12th, which is on or about when he received several guns knowingly to provide both resources and material support to ISIS, a designated federal terrorist organization.

Kramer could face a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in jail, a fine of up to $250,000, or both provided by the law.

“Critical Hours” is a radio show and podcast that discusses the ideas, movements, and moments reshaping our world, our communities, and our lives. Produced by the Catanzarite Studio LLC, with hosts Lauren Leonard and Stephen Catanzarite. Listen live Saturday mornings at 7.

Episode 1: Why We Think What We Think with guest Dan LeRoy

Dan LeRoy joins “Critical Hours” to trace the rise and fall of Western thought, and to ask whether recovering it can help us meet this moment.
Artificial intelligence is accelerating, the demand for clean energy is growing, and our politics feels more divided than it has in a generation. In this episode of Critical Hours, Lauren Leonard and Stephen Catanzarite talk with journalist, educator and school leader Dan LeRoy, author of “Why We Think What We Think: The Rise and Fall of Western Thought” (Sophia Institute Press) about how we got here, what the
Western philosophical tradition gave us, what we lost along the way, and why we need those ideas now.

Listen to the episode here:

Part 1 –

 

Part 2-

Part 3 –

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(Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of Sean Simmers, Caption for Photo: Skill games at SkillGame Kingdom June 10, 2025. Sean Simmers of PennLive Patriot News)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) announced today that the enforcement of the skill games law in Pennsylvania has begun after the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania decided on June 15th that these “skill games” are slot machines.

A compliance deadline for businesses to remove unauthorized skill game devices from their premises expired yesterday.

The state police have entered into agreements with six skill games operators/distributors who are committed to complying with the state law.

Agreements with multiple other distributors are pending, all of whom have indicated a willingness to voluntarily comply with the law but have requested more time to do so.

According to a release from the Pennsylvania State Police, here is some more details that relate to this enforcement:

These aforementioned businesses have agreed to: 

• Ensure devices are rendered inoperable beginning on October 14, 2026.
• Commit to removing machines from PA businesses on a continuing rolling basis.
• Provide a comprehensive list of all machines owned, including where they are located.
• Provide weekly status updates to PSP on removals.
• Consent that any machines that are not removed by the PSP provided timeline will be forfeited to PSP.

If these terms are agreed to, the PSP has offered to:

• Provide a timeline for completion of removals that is proportional to the amount of equipment promised to be removed.
• Delay seizure of machines by PSP until after that date.

Informational Webpage and Resources

PSP launched an informational webpage on pa.gov/psp/skillgames (click here) to provide businesses and establishments with additional resources and contact information regarding the skill games decision and compliance requirements.

Businesses and establishments with questions should use the following resources:

• Establishments with a liquor license: Contact the local Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement office (click here) for assistance.
• Establishments without a liquor license: Contact the local police department or PSP station (click here) for assistance.

If Pennsylvanians have a tip regarding skill game machines that you would like to report to law enforcement, please email tips@pa.gov (click here) or call 1-888-292-1919.