(File Photo of Congressman Chris Deluzio)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Carnegie, PA) According to a release in Carnegie today from Congressman Chris Deluzio’s office, Deluzio (PA-17) announced today that the Veterans Health Foundation is receiving $231,589 in federal grant funding to support the development of a new partnership model for Western Pennsylvania Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Centers. The Administration for Community Living and the Administration on Aging was where the funding was provided through and they are sub-agencies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which was received as part of their Elder Justice Innovation Grant program. Deluzio is a Navy Veteran himself. Western Pennsylvania is home to a large population of veterans that are older, and the advocates for older veterans are concerned that when threats to both their safety and health are reported to a local AAA, weak mechanisms for both collaboration and coordination with the local VA Medical Center can result in opportunities that are missed for care. This grant will help address those concerns and it will also support work with the VA Medical Centers in Butler and Pittsburgh to pilot a new program that is innovative for the VA to better support patients that are experiencing elder mistreatment. Lena Makaroun, MD, VA Pittsburgh researcher, is the person that is leading the program.

(File Photo of Road Work Ahead Sign)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Allegheny County, PA) PennDOT District 11 announced that on Monday, December 15th, weather permitting, intermittent traffic stoppages on southbound Interstate 79 in Robinson Township of Allegheny County will occur. From 3:30 a.m. to 6 a.m. on Monday, intermittent traffic stoppages of 15 minutes or less will occur on southbound I-79 just south of the Neville Island Bridge at the structure carrying I-79 over Route 51 as crews will conduct bridge jacking operations for bearing replacement work there. People are advised to use caution and allow extra time when traveling through the work zone.

(File Photo of a Fire Background)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) A fire broke out in an apartment yesterday afternoon which was located in the 1700 block of East Carson Street in the South Side of Pittsburgh. According to fire officials on scene, they contained the fire to the apartment. It did not spread to the Milkshake Factory, which was the business below, but that place was closed for the rest of yesterday after the incident. 

(File Photo: Caption for Photo: police car lights at night in city with selective focus and bokeh background blur, Credit for Photo: Courtesy of Getty Images/iStockphoto/z1b)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Two separate fires that occurred last night are now under investigation after they occurred just blocks apart on the same street in the Bloomfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh. The first one was reported at around 10:15 p.m. last night in an apartment on the 4700 block of Friendship Avenue on the second floor. There was an evacuation at the building, but no one was injured. The second fire happened at around 11 p.m. about two blocks away on the 4900 block of Friendship Avenue. At the scene of that fire, two people were taken to the hospital. The cause of these fires and if they are connected to each other are unknown at this time. 

(File Photo of State Representative Rob Matzie)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Ambridge, PA) According to a release in Ambridge yesterday from State Representative Rob Matzie’s office, Matzie announced yesterday that new funding of nearly $792,000 will strengthen resources for Beaver County crime survivors and help the county expand its crisis intervention capacity. Matzie noted that this funding will support both training and tools that are needed to better serve survivors of violent crimes who are vulnerable, improve outcomes for people that are experiencing mental health crises and fund services for both parole and probation. These grants were approved by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and according to that same release from Matzie’s office, this funding includes:

• $144,664 to Beaver County commissioners to establish and train crisis intervention team facilitators.
• $138,229 to Beaver County commissioners to help protect the rights of crime survivors in the justice system.
• $125,000 to the Women’s Center of Beaver County under the STOP Violence Against Women Advocacy Project to continue collaborative efforts to reduce violence.
• $47,000 to the Beaver County satellite office of A Child’s Place to support in-county forensic interviewing, physical exams and other services for survivors; provide training and other resources for multidisciplinary team members; and continue efforts to educate the community on recognizing and preventing child abuse.

Beaver County was allocated a total of $241,711 under the FY 2025-26 Continuing County Adult Probation and Parole Grant Program and a total of $95,000 under the 2025-26 Intermediate Punishment Treatment Program in addition to these grants.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – This April 2, 2021, file photo shows bridges spanning the Allegheny River in downtown Pittsburgh. Republicans in Congress are making the politically brazen bet that it’s more advantageous to oppose President Joe Biden’s ambitious rebuild America agenda than to lend support for the costly $2.3 trillion undertaking for roads, bridges and other infrastructure investments. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Stanton Avenue residents in Pittsburgh are frustrated with a bike lane that was installed last July, which they state has caused parking and access issues that prompted discussions at a community meeting yesterday. Residents have raised concerns about parking, access, and a critical fire hydrant, and they believe they were not given adequate notice to contest the bike lane installation. 

(Photo Courtesy of the Rochester Borough Police Department, Posed on Facebook on December 11th, 2025)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Rochester, PA) The Rochester Borough Police Department shared on Facebook yesterday that Sergeant Dawn K. Shane had been promoted to the chief of that department and she had been in the new role since September 15th, 2025. That makes Shane the first woman ever to serve as police chief in the history of policing in Beaver County. Shane has served with the Rochester Borough Police Department for nearly fifteen years. 

(Photo of Jason Lando Courtesy of Justin Guido/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) The man selected to be the next police chief of Pittsburgh had been the subject of a criminal investigation in Maryland. Jason Lando resigned yesterday as police chief in Frederick, Maryland. He was accused of sending disparaging and harassing text messages to a former corporal. The office of the State Prosecutor of Maryland has cleared Lando of any wrongdoing.Published reports out of Maryland statethat the mayor of Frederick is calling for a new investigation.

(File Photo of a Police Siren Light)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) A part of southbound I-279 was shut down in Allegheny County after a crash and according to an Allegheny County 911 supervisor, it was reported around 4 p.m. yesterday. PennDOT closed all of the southbound lanes between I-79 and the Camp Horne Road interchange. A tractor-trailer blocked both lanes because it was on its side. There were no reported injuries. WPXI learned that no one was trapped and that the tractor-trailer was reportedly hauling steel coils. This crash also delayed the NHL hockey game last night between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Montreal Canadiens to 7:30 p.m. that night. 

(File Photo of the AAA East Central Logo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) AAA is reminding consumers about the potential dangers that involve online shopping, suspicious texts and emails, and gift card fraud. Cybercrime jumps to nearly 30% during the holiday season because of an increase in online shopping and busy, distracted consumers. According to a recent release in Pittsburgh from AAA East Central there, they have identified the top scams and advice for avoiding them, along with more information about cybersecurity and this information is found below:

Online Shopping Tricks

• The Scam: Fake websites that look like well-known brands.
• The Solution: Always double-check the URL. Fraudsters will tweak a single letter or swap endings (such as .biz instead of .com). Also, make sure the beginning of the URL starts with “https”; without the “s,” it’s not a secure site.
• The Scam: Phishing emails promoting incredible deals.
• The Solution: Don’t click a link that could be trying to access personal information. Hover over it first and the URL will be displayed. If that web address looks suspicious, delete the email. Better yet just go to the retailer’s official site.
• The Scam: Hackers lurking on public Wi-Fi, ready to intercept personal information.
• The Solution: Limit shopping or banking on public networks. Attackers can set up fake networks (called evil twin attacks) or access unencrypted data. Instead, use a VPN, which encrypts information and protects it from cybercriminals.

Charity Fraud

• The Scam: A phishing email from an unfamiliar nonprofit asks for a holiday donation.
• The Solution: Make sure the charity is legitimate by using a website such as BBB Wise Giving Alliance, or search for the nonprofit using the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search Tool.
• The Scam: A text message pleads for money now.
• The Solution: Don’t be fooled by an emergency request that plays on emotion. Go to the charity’s official website and donate there, rather than through the phishing link.

Gift Card Fraud

• The Scam: A caller claims to be from a bank, the IRS, or even poses as a family member in trouble, insisting a fine be paid immediately using gift cards.
• The solution: No legitimate business or organization will ever demand payment via gift cards. If someone insists, simply hang up. Treat gift cards like cash: Once the number is shared, the money is gone.
• The scam: Criminals tamper with gift cards on store racks, scratching off the protective strip and covering it again so they can steal the funds once activated.
• The solution: Inspect gift cards carefully before buying them. If possible, ask the cashier for a gift card that has been stored securely behind the counter. Save receipts so there is proof of purchase if an issue arises. Another option: Order a gift card directly from a retailer’s website and have it delivered to the recipient via email.

Delivery Tricks

• The scam: A text or email says a package couldn’t be delivered and asks to click a link to reschedule.
• The solution: Delivery companies don’t send unsolicited messages asking for sensitive information. Don’t click the link. Instead, go directly to the carrier’s official website or use the tracking number provided at the time of purchase.
• The scam: A phishing email appears to come from a big-name company, asking to verify an order by clicking on a link.
• The solution: Go directly to the website where the order was placed to confirm it went through; never click on the email link. Other telltale signs of scam emails include greetings that don’t use names, urgent messaging to “act now” to avoid delivery delays, and grammatical or spelling errors.

Consumers can ensure that they have a safe and secure by staying organized, checking accounts, and being vigilant. More information regarding cybersecurity can be found by clicking here.