Rochester Parents Were High On Heroin Before Crashing On I-79 With Baby In Car, Police Say

Two Rochester parents are accused of being high on heroin with their baby in the car when they were involved in a crash in Interstate 79, police said. The incident was reported Wednesday around 7 p.m. in Jackson Township. Police said Emily Shontz lost control of the car when she noticed her boyfriend, Nathan McKee, had stopped breathing while seated in the passenger seat. Investigators said the car veered off the highway and crashed into the grassy median. When police arrived, they said Shontz was slurring and glassy-eyed and McKee was not breathing. Medics revived McKee with Narcan. The couple’s 1-year-old baby, who was in the backseat, was not injured.
State police said the couple admitted to using heroin right before they got in the car with their child and headed to the interstate. The couple lives in Rochester, and police said it’s not clear what they were doing in Butler County. Both are charged with child endangerment, and the baby is staying with family, police said

DEP: Earthquakes In Lawrence County Were Result Of Fracking

Pennsylvania environmental regulators are set to release the findings of their investigation into a series of minor earthquakes that took place near fracking operations by an oil and gas company. The quakes, all too weak to be felt by humans, were recorded last April in Lawrence County,  three-quarters of a mile from a natural gas well owned by Houston-based Hilcorp Energy Co. No damage was reported.
The state Department of Environmental Protection has been investigating. Regulators are releasing their findings on Friday. DEP notes the quakes had a “marked … relationship” to Hilcorp’s drilling operation in terms of timing and location.
Fracking, a method to extract gas or oil from underground shale, has been tied to earthquakes in neighboring Ohio and other states, but never in Pennsylvania, the nation’s No. 2 natural gas-producing state.

Gov. Wolf’s Proposed Budget Focuses On Education

Governor Wolf’s proposed budget includes new investments from pre-k through higher education..These new investments include $75 m for pre-k/Head Start. $100 m for Basic Education, $25m for special ed, and a 2% increase for the state system of higher education, according to Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano.  In addition, the budget includes a new plan of accountability to target 15 under performing schools in 3 districts.  The plan invests $2 m in state funding to leverage $1 in federal funding.  These funds will be used to conduct diagnostic audits to determine specific district and school needs, to develop improvements plans, and to prepare for implementing these plans in the following school year.. The districts will have 3 years to demonstrate improved performance.  For those that fail to  improve performance the Dept. of Education will assess the next steps, which could include placing the school under state control or closing the school. A school breakfast initiative will have a $2m state investment, it will be drawn down up to $20m to expand in schools where at least 60% of the students are eligible for free and reduced price lunches. The investment, under the proposal includes funding to offer competitive grants to help  schools address current barriers to participate.

Ambridge Area School Board Meeting Focuses On Winners Of Oratorical Contest Winners

Ambridge School Board recognized. MLK<Jr Oratorical contest winners at last night’s meeting  and junior high school Science Fair Winners  Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano reports that the winners of the oratorical contest were 4th and 5th graders from the district’s schools, 4th grader Madelyn Palmer from Economy placed first, Mackenzie Sutton from State St., a 5th grader.First place won $50, and 2nd place winners Jared Astorino, highland Elementary Madison Holcomb , State St.2nd place won $25 The winners received a plaque and certificate of Achievement from the PA House of Representatives and the Senate,  The CCBC STEM ACADEMY   is being added to the high school curriculum..  The district participates in CCBC’s Aviation and Health Academys.    The programs allow students to receive college credits while in high school.

Aliquippa School Board Meeting Focuses On School Funding

Tom Zelesnik, retired executive director of the Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit, spent 44 1/2 years in education is now  one of eight circuit riders , advocates from across the state advocating school funding spoke at last night’s Aliquippa School Board meeting.  According to Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano, Zelesnik said the  program  focuses more on in investment in public education and is funded by the William Penn Foundation out of Philadelphia. Zelesnik told the board, “Don’t be fooled by the Property Tax Independence Act. After hearing Zelesnik’s talk about the program the board unanimously adopted a resolution opposing a resolution to eliminate school property tax. The board approved salaries for spring sports coaches Baseball head coach Danny Bible , $3,762.70, asst. John Simmons, $3,215.60, softball head coach Ray Pranskey, %4,182.90, asst. Charles Brantner, $2,788.60, track and field (boys and girls) Sherman McBride, $5,882.80, asst. coach, Vashawn  Patrick, $3,058.90. Supt. Dr. Pete Carbone announced that the boys basketball playoff game against Charleroi is at Baldwin High School at 2 :30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets will be on sale from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the high school office, Adults $7, students $5, no  tickets will be sold at the game.

Friday’s Teleforum Will Be…

Honestly?

Your guess is as good as mine. Make no mistake, every episode of Teleforum is meticulously planned, and Friday’s no different. Concordia Visiting Nurses’ Dino Capestrani will be on at 9a to answer your questions about the services offered by Concordia-in the 10 o’clock hour a Pittsburgh broadcasting legend will join Teleforum to talk about his newest novel! (proof that some media types are actually literate) The best questions and statements come from you, so make a point to call in and share! My last day of Teleforum is Friday the 17th, and I hope you make yourself a part of it by calling in. Until then: EXCELSIOR!

eddy crow

Beaver County Commissioners Receive Update On County’s Financial Status

Budget director Ricardo Luckow discussed preliminary figures on the state of Beaver County finances with an audit about four months down the road. Beaver County Radio’s Greg Benedetti, according to Luckow, the actual county debt in 2015 was 9-point-one million dollars. 2016 ended with the county between one and two-million in the red. Seven million dollars from bond refunding and 1-point-two million from the early retirement program helped pay down the debt. As for current expenditures, wage increases to county employees currently total 5-hundred-forty thousand dollars.

Ambridge Woman Sent To Jail After Overdosing On Heroin While With 4-Year-Old Child

An Ambridge woman will spend from 6 to 23 1/2 months in the Beaver County jail  after she didn’t dispute  charges of endangering the welfare of a child and   providing a false report to law enforcement., according to officer Zadock Dismuke.  According to Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano, Rikki A. Ours  was found overdosed on heroin lying  on top of her baby by the child’s father on Feb. 2 They were found in the kitchen  . Police were called to the home at 6 p.m.  and she was charged and taken to jail. The hearing was held  at the court house on Tuesday..

Ambridge Borough Council Honors Retired Crossing Guard

Retired crossing guard Mary Ann Rapp was honored by Ambridge Borough Council upon her retirement after 18 years service at last night’s meeting.  According to Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano, Council president Mike Mikulich presented her with a plaque  thanking her .. he said that she protected thousands of kids on Duss  Avenue  during her tenure.Mrs. Jula said she misses the kids . Council is submitting a request for a grant  to the local government academy  to9 fund an intern to develop and implement a Business Investment Strategy  plan to develop and promote the downtown and historic district, the borough would pay 1/2 the cost, borough manager Joe Kauer said. Council is also seeking a Beaver County CDBG grant for $124,120 for storm water  outfall, and an application for $43,602.50 for 6th St. and Melrose Ave. , the area is located across from St. Peter and  Paul Church, Kauer said where a  blighted building  was located. Borough manager Kauer said 14 streets are listed for repaving  in the borough this year.  It was also announced PennDOT they plan to repave Route 65 Ohio River Blvd. that includes replacing traffic signals,

New Brighton High School Wins Beaver County Mock Trial Championship

Beaver County Radio would like to congratulate New Brighton High School, the winner of the Beaver County Mock Trial Championship  that was hosted by the Beaver County Bar Association at the Beaver County  Courthouse Monday evening. Blackhawk and New Brighton were the two schools that participated in the event. New Brighton beat Blackhawk 9 to 3. They had 12 jurors in the box; New Brighton was the Prosecution, and Blackhawk the Defense. New Brighton will now advance to the PBA Statewide Mock Trial Championships, which are being held on March 24th and 25th in Harrisburg. The winner of the state championship will represent Pennsylvania at the national mock trial finals to be held in Mary in Hartford, Connecticut.