Category: News

I-79 Improvement Project Begins Daytime Restrictions Today in Allegheny County

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing daytime roadway improvement work on Interstate 79 in Glenfield, Sewickley Hills and Franklin Park boroughs, and Kilbuck, Aleppo, and Ohio townships, Allegheny County will begin Monday, September 13 weather permitting.

Lane restrictions and shoulder closures will occur in both directions of I-79 between the Neville Island Bridge and I-279 weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. through late November. One lane of traffic in each direction will be maintained during operations. Crews will eradicate existing paint lines and replace them for joint mastic sealing and perform lighting upgrades.

Future improvements include four bridge deck replacements, one bridge preservation, milling and resurfacing, preservation work on seven sign structures, installation of five new ITS signs, guide rail improvements, signage updates, and pavement marking installation. Crossovers will occur on I-79 in 2022 and 2023 for bridge deck replacement work. The majority of the project will conclude in the fall of 2023.

The prime contractor on this $26.49 million project is the Joseph B. Fay Company. Work on this project will be coordinated with other projects in the area.

To help keep motorists informed as work progresses, PennDOT has created an email distribution list for the I-79 Neville Island Bridge rehabilitation including traffic advisories and construction updates. Enroll by sending email addresses to stcowan@pa.gov. Please write “Subscribe – I-79” in the subject line.

Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

Carnegie Mellon Spoils Geneva’s Home Opener!!

Carnegie Mellon spoils Geneva’s home opening tonight 31-17. The Golden Tornadoes struck first scoring on their second drive off of a 59 yard run making it 7-0. But, the Tartans quickly answered back marching down the field and scoring on a 6 yard run making it 7-7 going into the second quarter. As, the second quarter was all the Tartans scoring two touchdowns in the quarter as they took a commanding 21-10 lead into halftime. The third quarter was evenly matched as both teams traded touchdowns in the quarter, the Tartans held on to the lead as they entered the fourth quarter leading 28-17.Despite the valiant effort by the Golden Tornadoes it was not enough as they fall 31-17. The Golden Tornadoes drop to 0-2 as they will play Saint Vincent next week, and as for Carnegie they move to 1-1 as they will play Grove City next week.

You can listen to the postgame here:

Beaver Falls Car Cruise Honors 9/11, First Responders and Veterans

(Beaver Falls, Pa.) The 30th Annual Beaver Falls Car Cruise was held on Saturday, September 11, 2021 on Seventh Ave. in Beaver Falls. The cruise was originally scheduled for June 12, 2021 but the committee chose to move it to September due to the pandemic.

The theme of the day was “911 Never Forget”. When the cruise was moved the cruise committee decided September the 11th would be the perfect day so that we could honor those who perished on the 20th Anniversary of 911. The cruise honored those who perished, those who gave their all as first responders and laborers, all first responders, and all veterans who served or are serving or paid the ultimate sacrifice with their life for our freedom with a parade at the beginning of opening ceremonies.

The opening ceremonies start with Beaver County Radio Program Director Frank Sparks welcoming the crowd to Beaver Falls on a beautiful day for a car cruise. The parade started at the Beaver Falls High School and made its way up Seventh Ave to the main stage  in front of Beaver County Radio. The key speakers who attended were Beaver Falls Mayor George Quay, Beaver Falls City Manager Charles “Mick” Jones, Beaver County Commissioners Tony Amadio and Jack Manning, Pa State Senator Elder Vogel, Pa State Reps Jim Marshall and Josh Kail, Larry Googins, President of the VVA 862, Ron Bogolea, and Donna Groom.

The Colors were presented by the VVA 862 Honor Guard and the 21 gun salute was also presented the honor guard. There ceremonies contained the invocation by Jeff Huff, Taps and Amazing Grace played on the bag pipes. National recording artist Donna Groom sung the National Anthem followed by a fly over of the c-47 Luck Of the Irish that was presented by Air Heritage in Chippewa.

You can watch opening ceremonies by pressing the play button below:

Check out all of the fun that happened throughout the cruise below:

 

LISTEN: Acts Cancer Care Program Starts Monday Evening At Newell First Church Of The Nazarene

Sometimes it’s not about getting rid of pain and suffering, but obtaining a stronger power to override it and push forward.

The Acts Cancer Care program is a faith-based gathering program that sets to do just that, using the power of prayer, devotion, and networking to help those dealing with cancer and the struggles that come along with it. The inaugural meeting takes place on Monday, September 13 at the Newel First Church Of The Nazarene located in Newell, West Virginia.

Though the gathering is in Newell; the ACC is actually organized by the First Baptist Church of Rochester, of which Dr. Phil Huggins is the pastor. Dr. Huggins, along with Cliff Hutchinson (who is currently battling colon cancer) joined Matt Drzik on A.M. Beaver County to talk about the upcoming meeting. The two men talked about how the spiritual power they’ve encountered and hope to see spread throughout the weekly gatherings, and they spoke about the connection with the book of Acts and how it pertains to these battles and gatherings.

To listen to the full interview, click on the player below!

Beaver Falls Police Arrest Man Outside Bar on Warrants Thursday Night

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano 

(Beaver Falls, Pa.) Just after midnight Friday morning, Beaver Falls Police  received information that Trae Ellis Jackson, 27, had arrest warrants out of multiple police agencies, including Ambridge, Pittsburgh, McKees Rocks, and the Beaver County Sheriff’s Department.  He was at the Third Base inn, Beaver Falls, New Brighton,  and Patterson Township Pol.ice responded.

Jackson was observed trying to exit the bar, was ordered to stop and show his hands.  He retreated back in to the bar, and called back outside,  he attempted to escape, and was placed in custody and taken to the Beaver County  Jail.
Another incident at the bar is being investigated, but was found to be unrelated to Jackson. Dispatch reported a subject pointed a gun at another person.

New Business Opens on Church Street in Ambirdge

Story and Photos by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Ambridge, Pa.) HANDS ON HEALTH AND WELL RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY AT , 1400 CHURCH STREET IN AMBRIDGE  WAS HELD THURSDAY MORNING. .BUSINESS OWNER JESSICA PATRICK, ALONG WITH HER BUSINESS PARTNERS  DEBBIE KLESSER AND DENISE DEMAILO WERE JOINED BY  VALERIE PEDIGO, CHAMBER PRESIDENT, BILL ROEHM, ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE CHAMBER PARTICIPATED IN THE FESTIVITIES ALONG WITH

AMBRIDGE BOROUGH MAYOR DAVE DREWNOWSKI, BOROUGH MANAGER MARIO LEONE, AND COUNCILMAN MIKE MIKULICH .
MS PATRICK, WHO IS 1987 ALIQUIPPA GRADUATE , WORKED AT PNC BANK IN PITTSBURGH FOR 17 YEARS, AND GRADUATED FROM CCBC IN 2012 WITH A DEGREE IN HUMAN RESOURCES.  MS PATRICK SAID,’ I WAS AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR IN THE COUNTY AND OTHER AREAS.’   SHE SAID HER GOAL WAS ALWAYS TO OWN HER OWN SPA.”.

Republican Leaders Request More Detailed COVID-19 Data from Wolf Administration

HARRISBURG – The Republican leaders of the Pennsylvania General Assembly—President Pro Tempore Jake Corman (R-Centre/Mifflin/Juniata/Huntingdon), Speaker of the House Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster), Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland), and House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre/Mifflin)—wrote a letter joined by Senate Health and Human Services Chairman Michele Brooks (R-Crawford/Erie/Mercer/Warren) and House Health Committee Chairman Kathy Rapp (R-Warren/Crawford/Forest) to Gov. Tom Wolf and Acting Health Secretary Alison Beam seeking more specific COVID-19 data from the Wolf administration.

“We are writing to request from you receipt of more specific COVID-19 data daily updates, to include not only new COVID-19 case numbers, number of patients hospitalized and percentage recovered as specified on the COVID-19 Data Dashboard; but specific data that includes breakout information for cases regarding individuals age 18 and under. It is also important that we are able to review metrics that include case counts for individuals who are unvaccinated as well as vaccinated or partially vaccinated,” the letter reads in part.

“It remains important for all of us to be fully aware of the current situation and future outlook; and all Pennsylvanians, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, deserve to know how their respective group is performing.”

Sweeping New Vaccine Mandates for 100 million Americans

By ZEKE MILLER Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has announced sweeping new federal vaccine requirements affecting as many as 100 million Americans in an all-out effort to curb the surging COVID-19 delta variant. The government’s expansive new rules, announced Thursday, mandate that all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly, affecting about 80 million Americans. Biden has also signed an executive order requiring vaccination for all employees of the executive branch and contractors who do business with the federal government. No testing opt-out is expected to be included for the executive branch requirement.

TSA to Increase Civil Penalties for Violations of the Federal Face Mask Requirement 

Today, the Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will increase the range of civil penalties that may be imposed on individuals who violate the federal mask mandate at airports, on commercial aircraft, and in various modes of surface transportation, including passenger railroads, intercity bus services, and other public transportation.  The federal mask mandate for transportation, which was implemented by TSA on February 2, 2021, will remain in effect until January 18, 2022.   

The new range of penalties, which take effect Friday, September 10, 2021, will be $500-$1000 for first offenders and $1000-$3000 for second offenders. 

“Wearing a mask protects the traveling public and all of the personnel who make the travel experience safe, secure, and comfortable,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas.  “We will continue to enforce the mask mandate as long as necessary to protect public health and safety.”

“We appreciate the majority of travelers each day who voluntarily follow the requirement, but find this action necessary to maximize the protections for those who use and work within the transportation system, and to contain COVID-19,” said TSA Administrator David Pekoske. “By doubling the range of penalties, we seek to reinforce the importance of voluntary adherence.”  

TSA will provide updated signage at airports regarding these increased civil penalties.  For more information about the federal face mask requirement, visit the TSA Coronavirus webpage.

These federal mask mandate-related civil penalties are separate from the civil penalties the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issues for individuals who engage in unruly and unsafe behavior.