Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Hopewell Twp., Pa.) Hopewell Township Solicitor  Mike Jones presented a resolution to the commissioners at last night’s meeting  regarding the paving of Route 151 in the township, and    they approved  it. The paving will be done from Stone Quarry Road to  the Five Points intersection.  Township Manager Jamie  Yurcina  said the resolution was necessary in order for PennDOT to do the project. The  date when the project is to start is known, Yurcina said..

(Muddy Creek Twp., Pa.) Pa State Police in Butler are charging the driver of a single vehicle accident that occurred at 4:45 pm Tuesdy afternoon on Interstate 79 in Muddy Creek Twp..

Alicia Harper of Portersville was driving a 1998 Toyota Camry southbound at mile marker 97 when she lost control of the vehicle and drove into the embankment before the vehicle rolled on its roof. Harper sustained minor injuries and the vehicle had to be towed from the scene. Harper is being charged by Pa. State Police with not properly driving on roadways laned for traffic.

AAA: Pennsylvania Gas Prices Jump as Oil Rises, Refineries Shut Down
The average price of gasoline across Western Pennsylvania is 13 cents higher this week at $2.940 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average                  $2.940
Average price during the week of February 15, 2021                                $2.810
Average price during the week of February 24, 2020                                $2.721

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

$2.993      Altoona
$2.935      Beaver
$2.981      Bradford
$2.964      Brookville
$2.979      Butler
$2.921      Clarion
$2.959      DuBois
$2.982      Erie
$2.783      Greensburg
$2.996      Indiana
$2.869      Jeannette
$2.968      Kittanning
$2.710      Latrobe
$2.982      Meadville
$2.997      Mercer
$2.831      New Castle
$2.972      New Kensington
$2.963      Oil City
$2.945      Pittsburgh
$2.974      Sharon
$2.989      Uniontown
$2.998      Warren
$2.954      Washington

Trend Analysis:
Motorists are filling-up to some of the most expensive gas prices seen in more than a year. On the week, 66% of state averages spiked by double digits (10–22 cents), driving the national average up by 13 cents to $2.63. That is the most expensive national average since October 2019.

The two major factors at play are rising crude oil prices and the forced shutdown of Gulf Coast and some Mid-West refineries due to last week’s winter weather.

While domestic gasoline stocks are at a relatively healthy level, the shutdowns have tightened supply nationwide. Close to 40% of U.S. crude production is offline because of the refinery closures. Two dozen impacted refiners are expected to restart operations this week, if they haven’t already, which means that regular gasoline deliveries will resume, and impacted stations will be re-fueled. While prices will likely remain volatile until crude production is back to normal levels, large spikes at the pump are likely to subside.

Crude oil prices are hovering around $60 today (West Texas Intermediate), which is about $12-13 more expensive than the beginning of the year. Oil prices took a step back last week amid market concern that demand may not rebound as previously expected, but then pushed higher due to supply and delivery impacts from the winter storm. Prices were also bolstered by the Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) latest weekly report revealing total domestic crude inventories dropped by 7.3 million barrels, bringing the supply level to 461.8 million barrels.

The EIA’s latest demand measurement of 8.4 million b/d is the highest reported since early November of last year. However, AAA expects that number to be lower in this Wednesday’s report as last week’s winter storm took motorists off the road.

Motorists can find current gas prices nationwide, statewide, and countywide at GasPrices.AAA.com.

AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 73 local offices in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia serving 2.7 million members.  News releases are available at news.eastcentral.aaa.com.  Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

(Washington, D.C.) Tomorrow could be a big day in the fight against the COVID-19 Pandemic as the FDA meets to discuss the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Last Thursday, Johnson & Johnson told congress it could get 20 million doses out nationwide if it’s approved.

Johnson & Johnson is only one dose shot and doesn’t require any special refrigeration compared to Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines already on the market.

The only draw back of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine is that during trials it was about 25% less effective than the two vaccines.

Yesterday, Pfizer and Moderna also committed to an additional 145 million doses shipped nationwide by the end of March.

(File Photo of PJ Caul Park)

(Ambridge, Pa.) One day after a brother and sister were supposedly shot to death by their mother inside a home on Maplewood Ave. a vigil was held to honor them at PJ Caul last night. Members of the community  gathered in the park to remember them.

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Beaver Falls, Pa.) A brutal double shooting occurred during a burglary  in Beaver Falls on September 25, 2020  Joshua Diegdio 33, killed Littrell Parker  Patrick Haynes shot and  wounded  Parker’s  female friend  when they broke into their Fifth Avenue apartmen.tOn December 10, 2020, the prosecutors in the case  notified    a Beaver County  judge.. of their intention to seek the death penalty for Diegdio., according to Beaver County District Attorney David J. Lozier

(Connoquenessing Twp., Pa.) Pa State Police in Butler are reporting that a Catalytic converter was taken from a 2004 Ford F250 Super cab at the Platinum Service Center located on Evans City Road in Connoquenessing Twp..  State Police report that this is the second incident that has been reported in recent weeks at the service center. The first incident occurred on February 7, 2021 and the latest was reported last Wednesday February 17, 2021. Both thefts involved Ford trucks. Video Surveillance is currently being reviewed and State Police are asking anyone with information to call the Butler Barracks at 724-284-8100. Troopers estimate the value of the catalytic converters to be around $1000.00 each.

(New Wilmington, Pa.) Pennsylvania State Police in New Castle are continuing to investigate the police shooting and homicide that occurred in New Wilmington last Thursday, February 18, 2021.

Investigators have determined that 24-year-old Chynna Cardena of Springdale, Arkansas was not killed as the result of a hate or bias crime. When New Wilmington Police arrived on the scene 33-year-old Juan Hernandez of Campbell, Ohio was striking Cardena with a blunt object. Police ordered him to stop and when he continued the assault he was shot and killed by a New Wilmington Police officer. Cardena was transported to a Youngstown hospital where she later died.

Investigators said that Cardena and Hernandez knew each other prior to the attack. The nature of their relationship has not been disclosed as State Police continue to investigate.