State police have reportedly taken one man into custody after an hours long chase in Beaver County overnight. It started just before midnight along Route 168 in Hookstown. It remains unclear why police started chasing the man. There are reports the suspect may have shot at troopers during the chase. No one was hit. Troopers are still on the scene near border with West Virginia, searching for a second person. State Police from Beaver County say a large wooded area is being searched from the Pennsylvania border to a bridge that connects East Liverpool, Ohio, to Chester. Stay with Beaver County Radio News for the latest on this developing story.

WEATHER FORECAST FOR THURSDAY, JANUARY 2ND, 2019

 

TODAY – MOSTLY CLOUDY. HIGH – 48.

TONIGHT – CLOUDY WITH PERIODS OF RAIN. LOW – 42.

FRIDAY – A STEADY RAIN IN THE MORNING. SHOWERS
CONTINUING IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGH – 47.

SATURDAY – A STEADY LIGHT RAIN IN THE MORNING
TRANSITIONING TO SHOWERS OF RAIN AND
SNOW IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGH – 43.

SUNDAY – CLOUDY. HIGH – 35.

Authorities say homicides in Pittsburgh have hit a 20-year low. Data from police and the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office show 37 homicides city-wide last year. That’s way down from 52 homicides reported in 2018, and ties the number of homicides in 1998. All but four of last year’s victims were men and all but three were shot to death. Five victims were children. The Tribune-Review reports that homicides in Pittsburgh have been decreasing since a spike in 2014 when the city saw 70 homicides. Surrounding Allegheny County had 59 homicides last year.

Floats, marching bands hit the streets for 131st Rose Parade
Marching bands and floral floats moved through the streets under mostly sunny California skies as the 131st Rose Parade drew hundreds of thousands of spectators on New Year’s Day. A flyover by a B-2 stealth bomber and a performance by singer Ally Brooke kicked off the annual extravaganza in Pasadena. It featured dozens of colorful floats decked out with countless flowers. The theme is “The Power of Hope.” The grand marshals were actresses Rita Moreno and Gina Torres and Olympic gymnast Laurie Hernandez. Spectators started lining the route Tuesday, many of them camping on sidewalks and braving chilly overnight temperatures.

A report from Healthgrades recently named Heritage Valley Beaver among the top 10 percent of hospitals in the nation for Gastrointestinal Care. Every year, Healthgrades evaluates hospital performances of nearly 4,500 hospitals nationwide. Heritage Valley Beaver was also recognized for several clinical achievements, some of which include:

• Five-Star Distinction in Treatment of Heart Attack in 2020.

• Five-Star Distinction for Total Knee Replacement in 2020.

• Five-Star Distinction for Esophageal/Stomach Surgeries in 2020.

• Five-Star Distinction for Colorectal Surgeries for 2 years in a row (2019-2020).

The complete Healthgrades 2020 Report to the Nation can be found at partners.healthgrades.com.

A house caught on fire last night on Penn Avenue in New Brighton. A mother, child and pet dog were inside the home when the fire sparked. When the mother smelled smoke, she discovered the fire and was able to get everyone out safely. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. The family is being taken care of by the Red Cross.

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump says the federal government will soon announce a new strategy to tackle underage vaping, promising, “We’re going to protect our families, we’re going to protect our children, and we’re going to protect the industry.” Trump was vague about what the plan would entail but suggested “certain flavors” in cartridge-based e-cigarettes would be taken off the market “for a period of time.” The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that the Food and Drug Administration would ban the sale of most flavored e-cigarettes, such as those sold by Juul and NJOY. E-cigarette pods formulated to taste like tobacco or menthol would still be allowed.

UNDATED (AP) — 2020 is being rung in around the globe. More than 1 million people descended on Sydney Harbour to see fireworks despite the wildfires ravaging other parts of Australia. In Hong Kong, revelers as well as pro-democracy protesters came out to usher in the new year. Russia held the world’s longest New Year’s celebrations, spread across 11 time zones. Samoa’s New Year’s Eve remembered the 81 lives lost in a measles epidemic while Pope Francis delighted tourists in St. Peter’s Square when he took a stroll. In Indonesia, revelers were warned not to get too close to an active volcano. And in New York, a throng gathered in Times Square for the iconic ball drop.

HERSHEY, Pa. (AP) — The Hershey Co. will soon retire its vehicles that are shaped like its Hershey’s Kisses. The Hershey Kissmobiles are each made up of three huge Kisses candies and have traveled across the country since 1997. The chocolate company has confirmed that the 26-foot-long vehicles won’t return in 2020. A Hershey Co. spokesman says the company decided to pull the aging Kissmobiles out of safety concerns for employees and the public. It has also become more difficult to find replacement parts for the custom vehicles. One of the Kissmobiles will be available for public viewing at the AACA Museum in Hershey.