(File Photo of the PennDOT logo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) PennDOT is inviting those in Pennsylvania and the public to take an online survey which gives them feedback about their services for construction and maintenance, which is available through October 21st, 2025. The 2025 PennDOT Construction/Maintenance Customer Satisfaction Survey is twenty-two questions and asks those taking it about how they receive roadway information from PennDOT, how often PennDOT exceeds or meets expectations in activities of construction and maintenance, experiences with reporting concerns to PennDOT, and how or whether they use the 511 PA traveler information services in Pennsylvania. According to a release from PennDOT, PennDOT has been hard at work improving Pennsylvania’s roads and bridges throughout the year, improving more than 2,600 miles of road, including over 900 miles of paving, and beginning work to repair, replace, or preserve more than 230 bridges from January through August of this year. You can take the 2025 PennDOT Construction/Maintenance Customer Satisfaction Survey by clicking on the link below:

Click here to take the 2025 PennDOT Construction/Maintenance Customer Satisfaction Survey.

(Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of the Pennsylvania Department of State)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt reminded registered voters in Pennsylvania today that October 28th, 2025 at 5 p.m. is the deadline for applying to vote by mail for the November 4th, 2025 general election in Pennsylvania, which is four weeks away. According to Schmidt: “The Shapiro Administration wants every registered voter to be able to make their voice heard, and casting a mail ballot continues to be a safe, secure, and convenient option for voters. Voters need only a few minutes to apply online for a mail ballot or they can visit their county board of elections to apply in person. Registered Pennsylvanians who prefer to vote by mail should apply today to give themselves as much time as possible to receive, complete, and return their ballot before the 8 p.m. deadline on Election Day, Nov. 4. Whether voting in person or by mail, the most important part is making your voice heard. Ensuring our elections are conducted freely and fairly, and that every eligible voter has a chance to vote, are top priorities for the Shapiro Administration.”

You can also click here to contact your election officials in your county.

You can also click here to apply online for a mail ballot.

According to a release from the Pennsylvania Department of State, here is some more information about what mail ballot voters should know about the November 4th, 2025 municipal election in Pennsylvania:

Once voters receive their mail ballot, they should do the following:

• Carefully read the instructions.
• Fill out the ballot, being sure to follow the instructions on how to mark their candidate selections.
• Seal the ballot in the yellow secrecy envelope marked “official election ballot.”
• Seal the yellow secrecy envelope in the outer return envelope.
• Sign and date the outer envelope.

More information:

• If a voter makes an error while completing their ballot, they should contact their county elections office to get a replacement ballot.
• Completed mail ballots must be received by a voter’s county elections office by 8 p.m. Nov. 4, which is Election Day. Mail ballots received after that time will not be counted.
• Options for mail ballot voters include mailing the completed ballot or dropping it off in person at their county elections office, which you can click here to contact the officials in your county . Some counties provide drop boxes or other drop-off sites for mail ballots and you can click here to find out where you can return your mail ballot.
• Pennsylvanians can also request their mail ballot, complete it, and return it in one visit to their county elections office until the close of business on Oct. 28. Voters are encouraged to check their county elections office’s hours and mail ballot availability before making the trip.
• Voters who received an absentee or mail-in ballot may still vote in person on Election Day if they bring their mail ballot materials with them to be surrendered.
• Voters who requested a mail ballot but did not receive it or do not have it to surrender may vote by provisional ballot, which you can click here to find more information about, or they can vote at their polling place.
• The Department’s voter information website, vote.pa.gov, is available in English, Spanish, and Chinese and offers voter registration applications, which you can find more information about by clicking here, a polling place locator by clicking here, and contact information for county elections offices by clicking here. It also includes tips for first-time voters by clicking here, mail-in and absentee voters by clicking here, elderly and disabled voters by clicking here, and members of the military by clicking here.

(File Photo of a New Sewickley Township Police Car)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(New Sewickley Township, PA) A man from Brooklyn, New York who is also an undocumented immigrant from China has now received more filed charges against him of extorting money from residents through a scam that involved a telephone and a computer. Thirty-five-year-old Xinhua Chen is currently in the Beaver County Jail and is being held there without bond as a result of charges that were filed against him by the Pennsylvania State Police and the City of Aliquippa Police Department and he is also being held because of a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer as a result of that. Chen has six felony counts of charges, which are one count each of theft, theft by deception, theft by extortion, receiving stolen property, criminal use of a communication facility and unlawful use of a computer. Chen also has a charge of impersonating a public servant, which is a misdemeanor count. In the criminal complaint filed by New Sewickley Township police, a township resident gave a report to them on September 5th, 2025 that they had given $24,700 in money to “Jack,” the name of a supposed federal agent, to resolve “unpaid subscriptions” for which that resident believed they were responsible. According to the police affidavit, the resident was using their computer on September 4th, 2025 when several pop-up messages appeared, leading the victim to believe that the computer was locked and they needed to call what they thought was the Microsoft Help Desk to resolve the issue. Then, the affidavit went on to say the victim called the phone number on the screen of their computer and “was instructed by a female voice on the phone to download an application named Ultra Viewer onto their computer,” which let another person to gain remote access into the computer of the victim. The victim then got told that $24,700 in “unpaid subscriptions” was owed and to fix their computer, $20 bills for the total of that money should be withdrawn by the victim from their bank account so “Jack” the federal agent would collect the money at their residence in person. The affidavit also confirmed that “Jack” arrived in a gray SUV at the residence of the victim several hours later and opened a bag for the victim to place the money into. New Sewickley Township police also discovered on September 15th, 2025 that a man, who was identified as Chen, got arrested on September 12th, 2025 by the City of Aliquippa Police Department for allegedly stealing about $100,000 from a resident of Aliquippa who responded to a pop-up message that showed up on their computer. Chen was charged with six felony counts by extortion and deception. A preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled for October 14th, 2025 for Chen in regards to both incidents.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – The Tuskegee Airmen Way street sign is briefly displayed in front of a 1943 North American T6 Texan aircraft used to train pilots during WWII, at the Selfridge Air National Guard Base, in Harrison Township, Mich., Feb. 27, 2018. (Todd McInturf/Detroit News via AP, File)

(AP) Lt. Col. George Hardy, the youngest fighter pilot of the Tuskegee Airmen, the nation’s first Black military pilots, has died. He was 100.

Hardy was the last surviving combat pilot of the Tuskegee Airmen who went overseas. He died last week, according to Tuskegee Airmen Inc.

“His legacy is one of courage, resilience, tremendous skill and dogged perseverance against racism, prejudice and other evils,” Tuskegee Airmen Inc. said in a Facebook post.

Born in Philadelphia, Hardy was a dedicated student who dreamed of becoming an engineer and never planned on joining the military. He was intrigued after his brother joined the U.S. Navy, but still pursued a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a master’s degree in systems engineering from the U.S. Air Force Institute, according to the National WWII museum.

“It wasn’t until 1941 when the Army started opening the door for us to be pilots and whatnot. And we walked through the door and had a great opportunity, and we took advantage of it,” Hardy told AVI-8, an “aviation-inspired” watch manufacturer, in an interview.

Before World War II, Black Americans were not allowed to serve in the Air Force. But in 1941, the Tuskegee Airmen unit was established by the U.S. Army Air Corps as the 99th Pursuit Squadron based at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. The military pilots served in a segregated World War II unit, and their all-Black 332nd Fighter Group had one of the lowest loss records of all the bomber escorts in the war.

Several white leaders in the U.S. Army Air Forces tried to prevent Black pilots from combat duty and banned them from using their club spaces, spurring civil disobedience from Tuskegee Airmen.

Hardy was commissioned as a second lieutenant at 19 and flew his first combat mission before he had ever driven a car, he told AVI. He ultimately completed 21 World War II missions and also served in the Korean War and Vietnam War.

Brian Smith, president and CEO of the Tuskegee Airmen National Historical Museum, described Hardy as a “humble man” with a passion for aviation. He was passionate about encouraging young people to become pilots, and up until recent years, he often attended air shows, Smith said.

“We always talked about the racism in World War II, but we also celebrated the progress America and the world has made in accepting people of color,” Smith added.

The Tuskegee Airmen were spotlighted in a 1995 HBO film, “The Tuskegee Airmen,” and a 2012 feature film, “Red Tails.”

The men are commemorated in several states year each year as a part of Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day, usually on the fourth Thursday of March.

Amid President Donald Trump’s attempts to purge federal diversity, equity and inclusion programs, the Air Force removed training courses with videos of the Tuskegee Airmen and the Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASPs, in January. They later restored them after bipartisan criticism.

(File Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of AAA East Central)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) According to a new study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, a staggering 96% of motorists admit to engaging in aggressive driving behaviors over the past year. The more motorists are exposed to behavior that is aggressive on the road, the more likely they are to drive aggressively themselves is what this study found. The normal behind the wheel behavior is turning into a cycle of both road rage and aggressive driving in a self-fulfilling cycle. According to a release from AAA East Central, here is some more information about what this study found and more information about the AAA Foundation for Public Safety:

Other Key Findings:

• 92% of motorists reported aggressive behaviors that put others at risk, like speeding or cutting off other vehicles. Their top motivators were to get to their destination faster and avoid perceived danger.
• 11% admitted to violent actions such as intentionally bumping another car or confronting another driver.
• Aggressive driving is contagious: Motorists who experienced higher levels of aggressive driving also had higher levels of engagement in aggressive driving.
• The vehicle plays a role: The kind of car driven could predict how motorists act – and how others perceive them. People in sports cars, big trucks, and motorcycles are often seen as more aggressive. Some motorists say they felt more powerful and dominant behind the wheel of these vehicles.

This latest study updates research originally conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety in 2016, offering a look at how aggressive driving behaviors have shifted over time. While some behaviors have become more common, others have declined:

Since 2016:

• Cutting off other vehicles is up 67%.
• Honking out of anger is up 47%.
• On the positive side, tailgating is down 24% and yelling at other drivers is down 17%.

AAA encourages motorists to prioritize courtesy and safety to help curb aggressive driving. In fact, the study found that encouraging good road etiquette may be the most effective way to reduce aggressive driving and road rage. Simple actions—like using turn signals, letting others merge, and offering a friendly wave—can help de-escalate tensions.

AAA’s Top Tips When Encountering an Aggressive Driver:

1. Stay Calm – Don’t Engage
   No eye contact, no gestures, no response.
2. Give Space
   Let them pass and keep your distance.
3. Protect Yourself
   Call 911 or go to a public place — never drive home.

AAA’s Top 3 Tips to Control Road Rage:

1. Breathe Before Reacting
   One deep breath can help reset the drive.
2. Don’t Take the Bait
   Ignore and avoid aggressive drivers.
3. Choose Time Over Tension
   Leave early, give space, arrive safe.

About the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

• Established in 1947 by AAA, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is a nonprofit, publicly funded 501(c)(3) charitable research and educational organization. The AAA Foundation’s mission is to prevent traffic deaths and injuries by researching their causes and by educating the public about strategies to prevent crashes and reduce injuries when they do occur. This research informs the development of educational materials for drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and other road users.

(File Photo of Congressman Chris Deluzio)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Washington, D.C.) According to a release from Congressman Chris Deluzio, Congressmembers Deluzio (PA-17), Brendan Boyle (PA-02), and LaMonica McIver (NJ-10) introduced the Rail Passenger Fairness Act yesterday to help Amtrak improve on-time performance for passenger train travel across the country. This bill would help to take on the freight train interference problem, which occurs when freight trains do not follow the current law which requires them to provide preference to passenger trains that operate on their rail lines. Specifically, this bill would give empowerment to Amtrak to sue freight railroads in federal court, which would enforce the law. If the Rail Passenger Fairness Act is passed into law, it would assist in reducing delays for Amtrak, hold corporations for freight railroads accountable, and save money that is public.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – This photo taken with a drone shows portions of a Norfolk Southern freight train that derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, Feb. 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(East Palestine, OH) Over 100 people who live in and around East Palestine, Ohio, presently say they were duped into joining a settlement from Norfolk Southern that is $600 million after the derailment disaster that occurred in East Palestine, Ohio on February 3rd, 2023. They believe that lawyers have tricked them, while attorneys filed a motion to get relief in federal court. That motion states these people opted in the personal injury, and they did so based on information that was false. This motion claims experts hired by class counsel concealed the results of soil tests and water conducted by their experts, which have not been disclosed yet. This motion also claims that these experts were misleading people into believing there would be no health impacts that were long-term from the derailment, despite counsel being aware of people with permanent injuries that were documented already. This motion continues by claiming that their priority was to secure a settlement instead of a judgment that was proper and it now seeks to force the release of all reports, as well as to release people from both opt-ins for personal injury and the settlement.

(File Photo of a Fire Background)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(South Beaver Township, PA) According to a Facebook post yesterday morning from the Chippewa Township Volunteer Fire Department, that fire department got requested this morning to help with a semi-truck that caught on fire. That semi-truck was branded with the well-known pizza company, Papa Johns, and it was found on the 800 block of Blackhawk Road in South Beaver Township at about 6:35 a.m. yesterday morning. The cause of this fire is unknown at this time.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: The Clairton Coke Works, a U.S. Steel coking plant, is seen Monday, Aug 11, 2025, in Clairton, Penn. (AP Photo/Gene Puskar)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Clairton, PA) An update was given yesterday in Clairton, Pennsylvania by the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board into the explosion at the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works plant in Clairton on August 11th, 2025 which killed two workers. According to a release, preliminary information “indicates that the explosion occurred during maintenance activities involving a gas isolation valve in the basement of the Battery 13/14 transfer area at the facility.” Once the investigation by the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board into the explosion at the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works plant in Clairton on August 11th, 2025 is complete, a final report detailing new findings, analyses, and recommendations will be released.

(File Photo of Police Siren Lights)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Brighton Township, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver report yesterday that an unidentified driver was charged and cited by police after that driver caused a single-vehicle crash in Brighton Township on Wednesday. This driver was driving on I-376 East and that person lost control of their vehicle past the Brighton Exit because of the storm of rain and the roads that were wet. The vehicle of this driver made contact with a guide rail after going off of the left side of the road and then went off of the right side of the road after making contact with the guide rail. This driver was not injured from this crash. This driver requested that their vehicle would be towed and that vehicle was able to be driven from the scene of this crash.