BREAKING NEWS: The Beaver County coroner was called to the scene of a fatal crash in Daugherty Township early this morning. It happened just before 6 a.m. at the intersection of Blockhouse Run Road and Harmony Road. Further details have not yet been released. Stay with Beaver County Radio News For More Details.
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WEATHER FORECAST FOR THURSDAY, OCT. 25TH, 2018
TODAY – PARTLY SUNNY. HIGH NEAR 50.
TONIGHT – CLOUDY SKIES. LOW – 37.
FRIDAY – OVERCAST. SLIGHT CHANCE OF A RAIN SHOWER.
HIGH – 53.
SATURDAY – CLOUDY WIT OCCASIONAL LIGHT RAIN.
HIGH – 47.
SUNDAY – CLOUDY WITH OCCASIONAL RAIN SHOWERS.
HIGH – 47.
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.
Last week, the term “hotbed of talent” was used to describe Beaver County as it pertained to number of world class broadcasters that spent their childhoods, and began their careers here. This week we take a look at another superstar that emerged from the Beaver Valley, Jim Merkel. When one is trying to think about famous people who graduated from Monaca High school, it would be easy to think about sports legends like Pro Basketball players and brothers, Brad and Mickey Davis, and another pro basketball player that matriculated at Monaca, Bill Zopf. But, we must not stop with just the great athletic achievements that came out of the school which used the Indian as a mascot and is located along the western bank of the Ohio River. In 1977, the graduating class of Monaca included a young lad who had a voice that would eventually become very familiar throughout the entire United States.
Jim Merkel grew up listening to WBVP. According to an interview with Merkel conducted earlier this year, he claimed that his mom would listen to Jim “The Teddy Bear” Reynolds every morning and reflected back on those days: “Mom would always have WBVP on in the morning. Jim Reynolds would be on and I thought it was magic”. Merkel was so smitten with the radio that he convinced his parents to drive him over to WBVP in Beaver Falls in 1974 as a fifteen year old so that he could apply for a job that had been posted. While WBVP management at that time thought Merkel was too young and sent him back home without an offer, that visit to WBVP was his first exposure to a world that he would, in time, conquer. Eventually Merkel got his driver’s license and was able to drive himself to WMBA in Ambridge just a few years later to interview, and ultimately be hired, for an announcer position that had become available.
The following is an excerpt from the recently published book , Behind The Microphone, The History Of Radio In Beaver County, PA. “Jim Merkel recalled that at the time of his hiring at WMBA, in 1978, The top three songs on the charts were: 1. “Night Fever” by the Bee Gees. 2. “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees and 3. “If I Can’t Have You” by Yvonne Elliman. His point was, this was in the middle of the disco era, and the movie Saturday Night Fever had captivated movie audiences, and radio airwaves, as all three songs were featured in that film. Merkel, along with his bell bottom pants,rayon shirts, sideburns and high heeled shoes, reminiscent of that time period, joined an announcing staff that included, among others, Norm Jones, Don Vohar, Diane Brown and Chris Shovlin. Steve Conti served as an engineer for WMBA in this era. In addition to his airshift, Merkel would produce high school sports broadcasts back at the station while Shovlin and Bill Fontana called the action on site at local gyms and fields. Norm Jones was also known as Rick Jones, and later on worked at WBVP and WWKS in the mid 1980’s. Merkel enjoyed getting fish sandwiches “that were as big as your head” from Mim’s Tavern and also heading north on Duss Avenue to the Eat’N Park, while in Ambridge working at the station, to fetch a bite to eat. Merkel began to get philosophical in a March, 2018 interview for this book. “Radio touches on emotions and emotionally speaking, you (the listener) become connected to the radio like a comfortable pair of shoes”. Merkel would know, too. He referred to WMBA as a great place “where you were able to get your chops”, referring to beginner training and experience. He went on to be a prominent air personality in Pittsburgh on WWSW F.M. , or 3WS for about thirty years before breaking away and working full time at his own company in 2010. These days, Merkel provides voice over and audio production that can literally be heard on various media outlets all over the world. . . . Merkel’s company, Voice Imaging, in fact, provides audio production to radio stations all over the United States. In addition, his talents find their way into the ears of people in the Caribbean, Beirut, Asia, Canada and other places. . . . Merkel even does voice over work for the pesky phone telemarketers that use pre recorded messaging. And yes, Merkel admitted that he has already been called at home on a time or two by himself, as the recorded message on the other end of the line.” Many of the National Hockey League teams, including the Pittsburgh Penguins, use Jim Merkel’s voice in team imaging commercials and promotional announcements aired throughout the United States and Canada.
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
(New Brighton, PA) The 2018 edition of the annual New Brighton Halloween Parade was a huge success. Parade attendees lined the street watching as seven area high school bands dressed in Halloween costumes marched down 3rd Ave. playing classic Halloween songs like Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Fire Trucks, local organizations, football teams, dance teams and just general citizens participated in the parade. Some people threw out sweet treats for the kids who were watching. Beaver County Radio’s Frank Sparks, Matt Drzik, Ed Hermick, Taylor Nichol, and Maureen Cipriani were stationed in front of the PA Liquor Store broadcasting while the Beaver County Radio Personality and Prize Wheel was in full force. Check out all of the photos of a very fun and successful night below…
Tune into 1230 WBVP and 1460 WMBA at 11:35 a.m. Thursday morning, October 24, 2018 during Notes on Local Entertainment with Frank Sparks and Scott Tady for the unveiling of the new host of “Solid Gold Saturday Afternoon” .
The new host will replace the recently retired Bob Fry who hosted the show for 18 years when Fry a WMBA employee moved to the current Beaver Falls studios upon Frank Iorio Jr’s purchase of WBVP’s longtime rival WMBA in June 2000.
We at Beaver County Radio are positive that the new host will continue the tradition of the show. WBVP and WMBA has a tradition of great music shows as earlier versions of Solid Gold were hosted by John Nuzzo and Tom Renkenberger more known persona’s R.D. Summers and Rinky Dink.
At their regular work session Wednesday, Beaver County Commissioners met in executive session regarding the search for an administrator-chief clerk. Commissioners chairman Dan Camp said commissioners and human resources have met privately and expressed their opinions of the applicants.
Camp said work is on target for the 2019 county budget and instructions to acting financial administrator Corey Trautman is to come up with a five year financial plan.
District attorney David Lozier reported opiod overdose deaths are on track for a 50 percent reduction over last year. Lozier reported 82 deaths for 2017 and estimates this year will finish between 35 and 40. Lozier credits the interaction of behavorial health and law enforcement as the main reason for success in reducing opoid deaths.
Crude pipe bombs sent to Obama, Clintons, CNN; no injuries
By MICHAEL BALSAMO, ERIC TUCKER and COLLEEN LONG, Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Crude pipe bombs targeting Hillary Clinton, former President Barack Obama, CNN and others were intercepted Tuesday night and Wednesday in a rash of attacks two weeks before nationwide elections that could reshape Congress and serve as a referendum on the first two years of President Donald Trump’s presidency.
The devices, which officials said shared a similar design, were aimed at prominent Democrats and a cable news network often criticized by political conservatives. A similar device was found Monday at the New York compound of liberal billionaire George Soros, a major contributor to Democratic causes.
The bombs overtook other campaign news in an already-tense political season, which has included pitched fights over immigration, the Supreme Court and sexual violence against women.
The White House quickly condemned the attacks aimed at Democrats and perceived foes of the administration.
“Acts or threats of political violence have no place in the United States,” Trump said. “This egregious conduct is abhorrent.”
“That’s a very bipartisan statement,” he said.
All the confirmed bombs appeared to come from the same person or persons, said John Miller, the New York Police Department’s head of intelligence and counterterrorism, who briefed reporters in New York.
The U.S. Secret Service intercepted a bomb that was addressed to Hillary Clinton at the Chappaqua, New York, home she shares with former President Bill Clinton, and another that was sent to former President Obama at his home with Michelle Obama in Washington. A police bomb squad removed still another from CNN’s New York headquarters, which was evacuated.
Overhead TV shots showed a truck carrying that device, which law enforcement officials said was linked to the other explosives, being driven away. The package sent to CNN contained a live explosive and envelope with white powder, and officials said the substance was being tested to see if it was dangerous.
“We will not rest until we stop these hazardous devices from being mailed and bring the individual or individuals to justice,” said Bryan Paarmann, the FBI’s top counterterrorism official in New York.
The FBI also said it was responding to a report of a suspicious package at a Florida office of Rep. Deborah Wasserman Schultz. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said his office received a similar package, but New York police officials said the office was cleared and no device was found.
Cuomo said at a briefing that “we will not allow these terrorist thugs to change the way we live our lives.”
A U.S. official told The Associated Press that investigators believe the explosive that was discovered near the Clintons’ home was linked to one found Monday at the Soros compound.
The official noted that one of the packages had the return address of Florida Rep. Schultz, a reference to the former chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee who was accused by Clinton rivals of secretly helping the party’s eventual presidential nominee.
Neither Clinton nor Obama received the packages, and neither was at risk of receiving them because of screening procedures, the Secret Service said.
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement, “These terrorizing acts are despicable, and anyone responsible will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
Two law enforcement officials, speaking to AP on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation, said the pipe bomb at CNN was crude but operational and was addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan, who regularly appears as a television contributor and who has publicly clashed with Trump. They said it was similar to other explosives discovered in the past few days.
The device was mailed in an envelope to CNN’s offices on Columbus Circle using six stamps. It was compact, perhaps about the length of a wooden spoon, and contained wires and a black pipe, officials said.
Hillary Clinton was attending campaign events for Democrats in Florida on Tuesday and Wednesday and was not at the family’s New York residence at the time. Bill Clinton was at the family’s Chappaqua home at the time the package was intercepted Tuesday night at a Westchester County facility, said a person familiar with his schedule. The person said the device was screened at the facility — not in proximity to their residence — and never reached the Clintons’ home.
A law enforcement official told the AP that the package discovered at Soros’ home appeared to be a pipe bomb and was in a package placed in a mailbox outside the gates of the compound. A Soros employee opened it just inside the gates, not near Soros’ quarters, the official said.
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Associated Press writers Ken Thomas in Washington and Mike Sisak and Jim Mustian in New York contributed to this report.
THE BEAVER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AT THEIR REGULAR WORK SESSION TODAY…HEARD A PROGRESS REPORT FROM DISTRICT ATTORNEY DAVID LOZIER CONCERNING THE OPIOID CRISIS. BEAVER COUNTY RADIO’S GREG BENEDETTI HAS DETAILS…
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FIRST ENERGY OFFICIALS SAY THE PLACING OF HALF A DOZEN TOWERS AT THE SITE OF AN EXPLOSION IN CENTER TOWNSHIP ABOUT SIX WEEKS AGO…IS NEARLY COMPLETE. BEAVER COUNTY RADIO NEWS CORRESPONDENT SANDY GIORDANO HAS MORE. Click on ‘play’ to hear Sandy’s report…
MONACA BOROUGH COUNCIL DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY OF HIRING A SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER FOR ITS MIDDLE SCHOOL…DURING THE COUNCIL MEETING LAST NIGHT. BEAVER COUNTY RADIO NEWS CORRESPONDENT SANDY GIORDANO WAS THERE. Click on ‘play’ to hear Sandy’s report…
