THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE ARE OFFERING ASSISTANCE TO BEAVER COUNTY RESIDENTS AFFECTED BY TODAY’S POWER OUTAGES. ACCORDING TO BEAVER COUNTY 9-1-1, THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO EMERGENCY SHELTERS IN PLACE FOR RESIDENTS WITHOUT HEAT OR POWER. AS A TEMPORARY SOLUTION, THE STATE POLICE HAVE ANNOUNCED THAT ITS LOBBY AT THEIR BEAVER BARRACKS ON BRIGHTON ROAD IS AVAILABLE FOR ANYONE THAT NEEDS ASSISTANCE UNTIL A MORE PERMANENT SOLUTION CAN BE OBTAINED.
THE HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP POLICE DEPARTMENT’S NEW K-9 OFFICER REPORTED FOR DUTY THIS WEEK. BEAVER COUNTY RADIO NEWS CORRESPONDENT SANDY GIORDANO HAS MORE. Click on ‘play’ to hear Sandy’s report…
Local officials say a firefighter will be okay after being rushed to the hospital this morning after part of a tree fell on crews responding to a report of power lines down in Daugherty Township. The crews were called out for a report of power lines down when the tree branch, described as being 12 to 14 feet long, fell. Three firefighters were in the path of that falling branch but only one was seriously hurt. The extent of the firefighter’s injuries is unclear but officials say he will be fine. The victim’s name is not being released. Part of Tyler Lane was closed for a while until Duquesne Light crews were able to respond.
Thousands of people are woke up in the dark on this morning after a winter storm moved through the area. The storm started with freezing rain, which iced over power lines. As the storm progressed, the precipitation changed over to snow, which brought down trees and power lines across the area. At the storm’s peak, 22,000 West Penn customers were without power. An additional 20,000 Duquesne Light customers were without power as well. Most of the outages were reported in Butler County. However, there were 3,000 customers in Beaver County are also left in the dark. At last check, Duquesne Light reported there are still approximately 3,500 customers still without power in Beaver County. Spokesperson Jerry Bucci provided this information to Beaver County Radio News correspondent Sandy Giordano.
Tune into Beaver County Radio 1230 WBVP and 1460 WMBA Tuesday November 20, 2018 at 9 a.m. for Tom Young from 1st Consultants Inc. in Beaver. Tom will be making his monthly appearance and the topic this month will be “The difference between typical, traditional and Holistic financial planning ” . In a continuation of last month’s segment, find out why, although they might sound the same, the three methods have dramatically different perspectives regarding managing your money. Tom will explain that and more during his appearance this month. You can also participate in the show by calling 724-843-1888 or 724-774-1888. You can also ask your questions on Facebook Live.
Click Tom’s picture below at showtime of 9:10 a.m. to be directed to the WBVP and WMBA Facebook Page where Tom’s appearance will be on Facebook Live.
Click on the logo below to find out more about 1st Consultants Inc.
A GROUP OF 8TH GRADERS WAS RECOGNIZED BY THE ALIQUIPPA SCHOOL BOARD LAST NIGHT. BEAVER COUNTY RADIO NEWS CORRESPONDENT SANDY GIORDANO WAS THERE. Click on ‘play’ to hear Sandy’s report…
A Southwest Airlines flight to Fort Myers, Florida, returned to Pittsburgh shortly after takeoff because of a bird strike, the airline said Wednesday. Flight 1486 landed safely at Pittsburgh International Airport, where it will be removed from service and inspected. The passengers and crew members eventually boarded a different plane to Fort Meyers.
* WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR BEAVER COUNTY UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING… MIXED PRECIPITATION. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES AND ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF A LIGHT GLAZE UP TO ONE TENTH OF AN INCH ARE EXPECTED. EXPECT REDUCED VISIBILITIES AT TIMES. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW, SLEET OR FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. EXPECT SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES, AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING. *
TODAY – FREEZING RAIN THIS MORNING…CHANGING TO
RAIN. SNOW AND ICE ACCUMULATIONS LESS
THAN ONE INCH. TEMPS NEARLY STEADY IN THE
LOW TO MID 30’S.
TONIGHT – SNOW SHOWERS. 1 TO 3 INCHES OF SNOW
EXPECTED. LOW – 32.
FRIDAY – CLOUDY. TEMPS NEARLY STEADY IN THE MID-30’S.
SATURDAY – CLOUDY. HIGH – 38.
SUNDAY – RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS IN THE MORNING
CHANGING TO ALL RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON.
HIGH NEAR 40.
This year commemorates the 70th anniversary of when Beaver County’s first radio station, WBVP, was heard over the airwaves for the the first time on May 25, 1948. To mark the historical event, each week, another “70th Anniversary Moment” will be showcased on the airwaves and published on the station’s online feeds.
The line up at the end of the 1980’s on WMBA featured Jaye Phillips on the Mornings, Al McDowell hosted the morning talk show called “Straight Talk” and Bobbie Vaughn did an afternoon show on WMBA. Rob Matzie would help produce the talk show for Al McDowell and did many of the remote broadcasts.
Newspaper ad from 1988 promoting WMBA talk shows. Courtesy of Mike Romigh.
In March of this year, Rob Matzie met Mark Peterson for lunch at the Maple Restaurant in Ambridge, and while the Hot Roast Beef with gravy sandwiches were good, the two hours of story telling were great. Peterson later used much of the conversation shared that day in the book, Behind The Microphone, The History Of Radio In Beaver County, PA. Well, who’s kidding who, the Hot Roast Beef was great too, but we digress. Anyhow, the following excerpts about Al McDowell have been taken from the publication: “Al McDowell had already enjoyed a successful media career in Pittsburgh by the time Donn Wuycik hired him to host a show on WMBA. McDowell had done television work on WTAE, Channel 4. McDowell still resided in Upper St.Clair and commuted in to Ambridge, getting in about 9 A.M. everyday and taking up residence in a middle cubicle in a back room located down the hall from the Merchant Street studio of WMBA. Matzie used the far cubicle and the other cubicle was typically used by a variety of part timers. McDowell would have his USA Today paper in hand and read the paper for an hour, followed by hosting the talk show, which aired from ten until noon. Matzie reported that typically, Al McDowell would be out the door by about 12:30 in the afternoon after recording a commercial or two and then, being the man of routine that he was, he headed to Ro
Al McDowell at A Nationality Days live broadcast on WMBA on Merchant Street in Ambridge in 1989. Courtesy of Mike Romigh.
ok’s East side Saloon on 4th street in Ambridge everyday for a couple of Martinis. Not just any Martinis either. Matzie shared that Al McDowell would bring his own Martini glass with him everyday, and then have the bartenders at Rook’s make his daily Martini’s in his own glass. “That was his daily ritual” offered Matzie.”
One of the more popular promotions that WMBA staged in the late eighties and early nineties was “Breakfast With Santa”. The event featured a live broadcast hosted by Al McDowell at various Pappan’s Family Restaurants in the area. Rob Matzie reportedly would drive the WMBA van and go pick up Santa Claus, who, by the way, lived on 11th street in Ambridge in those days, and then head to the Breakfast with Santa promotion. It was a perfect idea, grandparents would arrive in huge numbers, bringing with them their their grand kids. The grandparents all enjoyed listening to Al McDowell on WMBA and this gave them a chance to see him broadcasting live and meet him. The grand kids in tow got to sit on Santa’s lap.
70th Anniversary Moments” is presented by Abbey Carpet and Floor, Albert’s Heating, Cooling and Plumbing, Aliquippa Giant Eagle, The Beaver Falls Municipal Authority, Beaver Valley Auto Mall, Beaver Valley Sheet Metal, Castlebrook Development, The Community College Of Beaver County, Farmers Building and Savings Bank, Freedom United Federal Credit Union, Hank’s Frozen Custard and Mexican food, The Health Huts, Kitchen City, Laughlin Insurance Agency, Rochester Manor and Villa and Young’s Jewelry and Coins.
