(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. 

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Kilmar Abrego García arrives to his home in Beltsville, Md., Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, after being released from ICE custody. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

PHILIPSBURG, Pa. (AP) — Kilmar Abrego Garcia was freed from immigration detention on a judge’s order Thursday while he fights to stay in the U.S., handing a major victory to the immigrant whose wrongful deportation to a notorious prison in El Salvador made him a flashpoint of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis in Maryland ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement to let Abrego Garcia go immediately, writing that federal authorities had detained him again after his return to the United States without any legal basis.

Abrego Garcia returned to his home in Maryland wearing a white shirt and orange hat hours after his release at 5 p.m., the deadline the judge gave the government for an update on Abrego Garcia’s release. He’s lived for years in Maryland, where he has an American wife and child, since originally immigrating to the U.S. illegally as a teenager.

Abrego Garcia had been held at Moshannon Valley Processing Center about 115 miles (185 kilometers) northeast of Pittsburgh.

His attorney, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, said he’s not sure what comes next, but he’s prepared to defend his client against further deportation efforts.

“The government still has plenty of tools in their toolbox, plenty of tricks up their sleeve,” Sandoval-Moshenberg said, adding he fully expects the government to again take steps to deport his client. “We’re going to be there to fight to make sure there is a fair trial.”

The Department of Homeland Security sharply criticized the judge’s decision and vowed to appeal, calling the ruling “naked judicial activism” by a judge appointed during the Obama administration.

“This order lacks any valid legal basis, and we will continue to fight this tooth and nail in the courts,” said Tricia McLaughlin, the department’s assistant secretary.

Sandoval-Moshenberg said the judge made it clear that the government can’t detain someone indefinitely without legal authority and that his client “has endured more than anyone should ever have to.”

An immigration judge ruled in 2019 that Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national, could not be deported to El Salvador because he faced danger from a gang that targeted his family. When he was mistakenly sent there in March, his case became a rallying point for those who oppose President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement actions.

A court later ordered his return to the United States. Since he cannot be removed to El Salvador, ICE has been seeking to deport him to a series of African countries. His federal suit claims the Trump administration is illegally using the removal process to punish Abrego Garcia for the public embarrassment caused by his deportation.

In her order releasing Abrego Garcia, Xinis wrote that federal authorities “did not just stonewall” the court, “They affirmatively misled the tribunal.” The judge was referencing the successive list of four African countries that officials had sought to remove Abrego Garcia to, seemingly without commitments from those countries, as well as officials’ affirmations that Costa Rica withdrew its offer to accept him, a claim later proven untrue.

“But Costa Rica had never wavered in its commitment to receive Abrego Garcia, just as Abrego Garcia never wavered in his commitment to resettle there,” the judge wrote.

Xinis also rejected the government’s argument that she lacked jurisdiction to intervene on a final removal order for Abrego Garcia, because she found no final order had been filed.

Separately, Abrego Garcia is asking an immigration court to reopen his case so he can seek asylum in the United States.

He is also criminally charged in Tennessee, where he has pleaded not guilty to human smuggling. He has asked the federal court to dismiss the case, arguing the prosecution is vindictive. His defense attorney in Tennessee, Sean Hecker, declined to comment.

A judge in that case has ordered an evidentiary hearing after previously finding some evidence that the charges “may be vindictive.” The judge also noted several statements by Trump administration officials that “raise cause for concern,” including a statement by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche that seemed to suggest the Justice Department charged Abrego Garcia because he won his wrongful deportation case.

Loller reported from Nashville and Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio. Associated Press reporters Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington and Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia contributed to this report.

(Photo Courtesy of Business Wire and the Associated Press)

PITTSBURGH–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Dec 11, 2025– PPG (NYSE:PPG) today announced that Todd M. Schneider, president and chief executive officer of Cintas, has been elected to join PPG’s board of directors, effective Jan. 14, 2026. Schneider will serve on the Nominating and Governance and Sustainability and Innovation committees of PPG’s board.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251210784668/en/

PPG announced that Todd Schneider, president and chief executive officer at Cintas, has been elected to join PPG’s board of directors, effective Jan. 14, 2026. Schneider will serve on the Nominating and Governance and Sustainability and Innovation committees of PPG’s board.

Schneider has been with Cintas for more than 35 years, serving in a variety of leadership roles. He was appointed president and chief executive officer and a member of the Cintas board of directors in June 2021. Prior to that, he served as executive vice president and chief operating officer, responsible for operations and marketing.

“PPG’s board of directors continuously seeks to strengthen its experience and membership to drive PPG’s long-term growth strategy,” said Michael W. Lamach, PPG lead independent director. “Todd’s success growing Cintas and his deep knowledge of sales, service and operations will be valuable in guiding PPG’s strategic priorities.”

“We’re pleased to welcome Todd to the board and look forward to leveraging his proven track record of driving organic growth,” said Timothy M. Knavish, PPG chairman and chief executive officer. “Todd’s understanding and experience in providing top-tier technical and other services to customers will be a great asset to me and the PPG team in this important role.”

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Tyler Robinson, who is accused of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk, appears during a hearing in Fourth District Court in Provo, Utah, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. (Rick Egan/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP, Pool)

PROVO, Utah (AP) — The Utah man charged with killing Charlie Kirk made his first in-person court appearance Thursday as his attorneys pushed to further limit media access in the high-profile criminal case.

Prosecutors have charged Tyler Robinson with aggravated murder in the Sept. 10 shooting of the conservative activist on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem, just a few miles north of the Provo courthouse. They plan to seek the death penalty.

Robinson, 22, arrived amid heavy security, shackled at the waist, wrists and ankles and wearing a dress shirt, tie and slacks.

He smiled at his parents and brother sitting in the front row. His mother teared up after he walked in and clutched a tissue throughout the hearing while his father took notes. Robinson had previously appeared before the court via video or audio feed from jail.

Early in the proceedings, state District Court Judge Tony Graf briefly stopped a media livestream of the hearing and ordered the camera be moved after Robinson’s attorneys said the stream showed the defendant’s shackles in violation of a courtroom order.

Graf said he would terminate future broadcasts if there were further violations of the order issued in October, which bars media from showing images of Robinson in restraints or anywhere in the courtroom except sitting at the defense table.

“This court takes this very seriously,” Graf said. “While the court believes in openness and transparency, it needs to be balanced with the constitutional rights of all parties in this case.”

The warning comes as Graf has been weighing the public’s right to know details about the case against concerns by Robinson’s attorneys that the swarm of media attention could interfere with a fair trial.

Robinson’s legal team and the Utah County Sheriff’s Office have asked to ban cameras in the courtroom, but Graf has not yet ruled on the request.

Coalitions of national and local news organizations, including The Associated Press, are fighting to preserve media access in the case.

Graf held a closed hearing on Oct. 24 in which attorneys discussed Robinson’s courtroom attire and security protocols. Under a subsequent ruling by the judge, Robinson is allowed to wear street clothes during pretrial hearings but must be physically restrained due to security concerns. Graf also prohibited filming or photographing Robinson’s restraints after his attorneys argued widespread images of him shackled and in jail clothing could prejudice potential jurors.

Media attorney David Reymann urged Graf on Thursday to let the news organizations weigh in on any future requests for closed hearings or other limitations. He said media organizations want “limited party status” in the case.

Staci Visser, one of Robinson’s lawyers, pushed back: “We don’t want the chaos that is out in the media in this courtroom.”

Several college students who said they witnessed Kirk’s assassination attended Thursday’s hearing.

Zack Reese, a Utah Valley University student and “big Charlie Kirk fan,” said he had skepticism about Robinson’s arrest and was seeking answers. Reese has family in southwestern Utah, where the Robinsons are from, and said he believes they’re a good family.

Brigham Young University student William Brown, who said he was about 10 feet from Kirk when he was shot, said he felt overwhelmed seeing Robinson walk into the courtroom.

“I witnessed a huge event, and my brain is still trying to make sense of it,” Brown said. “I feel like being here helps it feel more real than surreal.”

Lawyers for the media wrote in recent filings that an open court “safeguards the integrity of the fact-finding process” while fostering public confidence in judicial proceedings. Criminal cases in the U.S. have long been open to the public, which the attorneys argued is proof that trials can be conducted fairly without restricting reporters.

Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, has called for full transparency, saying, “We deserve to have cameras in there.” Her husband was an ally of President Donald Trump who worked to steer young voters toward conservatism.

Robinson’s legal team says pretrial publicity reaches as far as the White House, with Trump announcing soon after Robinson’s arrest, “With a high degree of certainty, we have him,” and “I hope he gets the death penalty.”

Defense attorney Kathy Nester has raised concerns that digitally altered versions of Robinson’s initial court photo have spread widely, creating misinformation. Some altered images show Robinson crying or having an outburst in court, which did not happen.

Robinson is due in court again in January. A preliminary hearing, where prosecutors will lay out their case against him, is tentatively scheduled for the week of May 18.