(File Photo of the PennDOT Logo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Carlisle, PA) PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll highlighted the process of the Shapiro Administration to upgrade PennDOT facilities while visiting the newly renovated PennDOT Driver License Center in Carlisle. That center is one of 23 driver license centers across Pennsylvania which recently underwent renovations to modernize facilities and improve customer service for Pennsylvanians. The Shapiro Administration has a commitment to making government more accessible and more effective for Pennsylvanians across the state. Millions of Pennsylvanians visit one of the many Driver License Centers from PennDOT every year and these facility improvements will help serve more Pennsylvanians, speed up processes, and cut wait times. PennDOT has been able to add more workstations and counters, expand seating for customers and overall space for buildings, upgrade both electrical and HVAC systems and install new flooring, lighting and carpet, among other projects as part of the renovations for driver license centers. Select driver license center locations offer free public Wi-Fi in addition to physical renovations improving the customer experience. The Motor Vehicle Network, which displays relevant information to customers on flat-screen TVs while they wait, are also equipped in all 76 PennDOT driver license centers in Pennsylvania. Customer queuing information on these screens that display the Motor Vehicle Network are also displayed at 59 of those driver license centers.

(File Photo of Congressman Chris Deluzio)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Washington D.C.) Congressman Chris Deluzio celebrated today that funding for eight more of his community projects was signed into law by President Donald Trump in Washington D.C. The Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development spending bill that President Trump signed yesterday included over $6.8 million in federal funds for key transportation and community development projects in Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District. According to a release in Washington D.C. from Deluzio’s office, the $6,888,581 in funding passed into law breaks down across the following eight projects:  

1. $2,000,000 for the Borough of Aspinwall to create a safer intersection by realigning Brilliant Ave at Freeport Rd and the entrance to Allegheny RiverTrail Park–formerly known as Aspinwall Riverfront Park 
2. $1,338,581 for the Borough of Crafton to implement a streetscaping and pedestrian safety project along Crafton Blvd, from Noble Ave to Baldwick Rd 
3. $850,000 for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to replace the existing Verona Bridge in the Municipality of Penn Hills, located on Verona Rd between Mt. Carmel Rd and Lincoln Rd.
   
4. $850,000 for Allegheny County to extend Panhandle Trail by about 3.4 miles by acquiring and converting inactive Pittsburgh & Ohio Central Railroad property from Genesse and Wyoming, Inc. (G&W) in the Borough of Carnegie 
5. $850,000 for Mt. Lebanon Municipality to upgrade and expand their existing community recreation center, focusing on accessibility upgrades 
6. $500,000 for Churchill Borough to build an all-inclusive, fully accessible playground 
7. $250,000 for the Borough of Sewickley to implement the Sewickley Road Safety Improvement Project, which aims to monitor and eliminate roadways vulnerable to landslides 
8. $250,000 for Ben Avon Borough to install a rooftop solar photovoltaic system on a borough-owned building

(Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of the Community College of Beaver County)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Monaca, PA) According to Statista projections, the global airline pilot shortage could reach 50,000 by 2025, while the National Air Traffic Controllers Association reports that the FAA is short nearly 4,000 air traffic controllers. The Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) and Republic Airways Inc. have signed an agreement to create the Aviation Career Pipeline Interview Program to address industry hiring demands and to put future pilots and air controllers on successful career paths, as stated in a recent release from CCBC. The purpose of this agreement is to increase the access of Republic Airways to qualified candidates for certain positions while increasing the employment opportunities for graduates of CCBC’s renowned James M. Johnson School of Aviation Sciences.

(File Photo of a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Car)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Darlington Township, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver reported via release today that an unidentified driver caused a single-vehicle crash in Darlington Township yesterday evening. At 10:34 p.m., the driver was driving west on Constitution Boulevard on Route 51 near its intersection with Oakdale Road. A deer came from a wood line on the left side of that road and the driver tried to slow their vehicle down before hitting the deer, but they were unable to, which resulted in the front passenger side of their vehicle making minor contact with the deer. The driver then drove their vehicle off of the right side of the roadway, leaving the road that was cleared for travel. The driver that was involved in this crash was not injured and the vehicle of the driver sustained minor damage as a result of the crash, but the driver requested that their vehicle would be towed from the scene.

(File Photo of a Dollar Sign)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) According to a Facebook post yesterday from the Office of the Governor of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro, the Pennsylvania House just advanced a bill to finally raise the minimum wage in the state to $15 an hour. This happened in Harrisburg not too long after Shapiro’s 2026-2027 budget address on Tuesday. Shapiro called on both parties and both houses yesterday to get that done and to put a bill regarding minimum wage on his desk. The office of Shapiro also noted in the aforementioned post that the Senate of Pennsylvania should follow the lead of the House regarding this development. 

(File Photo of a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Car)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Brighton Township, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver reported via release today that forty-six-year-old Elissa Allen of Beaver was charged after a two-vehicle crash in Brighton Township on Monday morning. At 7:44 a.m., Allen was driving on I-376 East near Exit 36 and she lost control merging onto I-376. Allen crossed both lanes of traffic with her vehicle and was hit by the vehicle of forty-six-year-old Anna Edris of Beaver Falls. There were no injuries as a result of the crash and both vehicles were towed by Monroe’s Towing from the scene.

(File Photo of Police Siren Lights)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Allegheny County, PA) A 19-year-old and several juveniles are facing charges in connection with a year-long investigation into stolen guns. According to sources, law enforcement arrested seven juveniles yesterday, and the Allegheny County Police Department arrested 19-year-old Chalais Ramey, of Pittsburgh, in connection with multiple crimes. A criminal complaint states that police believe Ramey and the juveniles conspired to commit burglaries and steal guns to resell them on the street. Multiple local and federal law enforcement agencies, which included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, investigated this along with Allegheny County police.  A video obtained by KDKA shows a stolen vehicle pulled up to Allegheny Arms and Gun Works in Bethel Park at 4:30 a.m. on January 13th, 2025, and a person shoots a gun at the front window. Once they were inside, the suspects take all of 45 seconds and escape with 56 guns and an armful of ammunition. Court paperwork expresses that before the Allegheny Arms incident, Ramey allegedly took part in a burglary of Iron City R.C. Hobbies in West Mifflin the same day, even though Legion Arms was the target, as the suspects went to the wrong part of the building complex that houses both businesses. Court paperwork also states that Ramey is tied to a break-in on January 19th, 2025, near Youngstown, Ohio as police express that four suspects shot their way into Expert Outfitters Gun Shop and stole 23 guns. Multiple firearms from both gun shops were recovered during the investigation and investigators used seized cell phone data, physical evidence, video surveillance and other measures to solve the crimes. There are also other alleged crimes with this operation, including vehicles that were stolen. A press conference today is expected to shed more light on the investigation.   

(Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of WPXI/WPXI)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) The City of Pittsburgh demolished a pedestrian bridge in its Brighton Heights neighborhood. According to the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure (DOMI), it has finished tearing down the long-closed Wilksboro Bridge. Crews used heavy equipment to collapse the structure yesterday. That bridge was closed in 2007 because of safety concerns.

(File Photo of State Representative Rob Matzie)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) According to a release in Harrisburg from State Representative Rob Matzie’s office, the Pennsylvania House adopted two resolutions yesterday introduced by  Matzie to highlight the importance of government transparency and the unique history of the commonwealth’s government, and a third resolution to raise awareness about multiple sclerosis. Matzie’s H.R. 398 gives a designation for March 15th-21st as “Sunshine Week” in Pennsylvania to promote dialogue about the importance of open government and public access to government documents and meetings. Matzie also introduced H.R. 409 to designate March 8th, 2026 as “Charter Day” in Pennsylvania, to mark the anniversary of the 345th birthday of the commonwealth and to celebrate the significance of the charter which serves as its birth certificate. Finally, the House adopted Matzie’s H. R. 392, designating March 8th-14th, 2026, as “Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week” in Pennsylvania, which encourages people to learn more about the disabling central nervous system disease that is affecting close to 1 million Americans.