Several hourly and daily-wage positions with Beaver Area schools are getting a pay raise. The school board approved the increases yesterday. Among the pay hikes is a 50-cent uptick for full-time and substitute special education teacher assistants. Nine of the 14 school districts in the county pay more than Beaver Area. The district saved 70-thousand dollars by eliminating half a dozen positions in the current budget, and the money will be used to pay the increases.
Category: News
Hopewell Township Police Investigating Possible Mobile Meth Lab
Police are investigating a possible mobile methamphetamine lab in Hopewell. Crews were called to Brodhead Road Saturday for a report of suspicious activity and took one person into custody. Pizza Masters and a store in the Brodhead Road shopping plaza closed early but no homes were evacuated. More information is expected today.
PA Secretary Of Education Visits Aliquippa School District
PA Secretary of Education Pedro A. Rivera brought the Schools That Teach Tour to Aliquippa School District on Friday, according to Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano. Rivera toured the elementary school and junior senior high school, and a round table discussion with administrators, teachers, local leaders and students convened in the Black Box Theater at the junior senior high school. Rivera told the group after being introduced by Superintendent Dr. Peter M. Carbone that schools only work when communities come together . Elverna Cuffie, vice president of the school board said we’re very proud of the students , and every child can learn and be successful, “I know we’re on the right track.” Ms. Cuffie graduated from Aliquippa High School in 1966, went to college, and came back and taught in the district and retired from here, remaining involved in the community. Secretary Rivera thanked her for her service. Secretary Rivera said the opiod wpidemic is a problem , education is the biggest issue to be addressed , how we assess the schools, not just with the standardized tests , how we assess schools will change , and we are looking at programs ,are kids learning after high school.? He said restoring critical funding and supporting pre-k to post secondary are the keys to Governor Tom Wolf’s “SCHOOLS THAT TEACH” initiative. Ideas are being explored to to modify the SCHOOL PERFORMANCE PROFILE established in 2013 a program that heavily relies on standardized tests. He said the spp is heavily reliant on the test scores at a single point in the school year . PDE”s recommendations for FUTURE READY PA INDEX retains everal of the indicators , however weighting of the indicators would be modified he said. Under the Wolf Administration he has worked with legislature to secure $640 million in education funding at all levels. Aliquippa is struggling, according to board member Catherine Colalella because the district doesn’t receive enough funding, and teachers pay out of pocket for necessary supplies for the classroom. Colalella asked it anything can be done at the state level, Rivera said yes.Dr. Carbone said there’s alot of pride , we’re successful, and we’ll keep it that way.” Secretary Rivera said ,”we’re here to help, we’re here to change the conditions you’re working in.” He talked about cleaning up communities ,and we’re here to help.He added we’re at a really messy part if the state had been in the investment of education 5 years ago , we’re behind the 8 ball now. He said PDe is working with school districts and the IU’s to make sure teachers have what they need for personalized learning. He said there will be a data summit in a few months Curriculum coordinator Lisa Dutkovich said Aliquippa is unique and the district can’t afford the advanced placement testing and students have to do it online. She said PDE has been extremely helpful.
Two Men Charged In Beaver County Carfentanil Case
Two local men have been jailed on charges they caused separate overdose deaths in Beaver County linked to abuse of an opioid-based sedative for elephants and other large animals. Nineteen-year-old Hakeem Shamier Stuckey is charged with drug delivery resulting in death and other charges for the November overdose and 29-year-old Reginald Bernard Davis faces similar charges in the December death. They haven’t responded to the charges.
Man Found Shot In The Head In New Castle
New Castle City police arrested a man in connection with a shooting that took place Saturday morning.Police identified the shooter as 26-year-old Michael Cox Jr. of New Castle. The incident happened in the 500 block of West Washington Street around 2:30 a.m. Police say a man called 9-1-1, saying he’d been shot, and they arrived to find him shot in the head. The 34 year old man was flown to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh. Cox is charged with criminal attempted homicide, aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person, and simple assault.
Beaver County Radio’s Steelers Pep Rally 2017
Beaver County Radio held a Pep Rally for the Pittsburgh Steelers at the County Courthouse on Friday, bringing plenty of food and fun for the proud fans that arrived. The event, sponsored by Russ Medical & Sport Massage Clinic and MRS Physical Therapy, featured the Magic Accordion of Pat Septak and the Beaver County Radio Singers! If you missed it, check out the photos below!
‘Forever’ Stamp Prices Going Up, According To Aliquippa Post-Office
U.S. residents will be paying $.49 each again for a stamp beginning on Sunday, according to Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano. Stamps are currently .47 cents each, according to a U.S.Postal service spokesman at the Aliquippa, PA post office .
New Brighton Police: Candy Store Employee Secretly Filmed Women In Bathroom
A former candy store employee is accused of hiding a cell phone in the store bathroom in an attempt to take video of women in the restroom. Officers were called to Rosalind’s Candy Castle in New Brighton back in November. The owner handed over the phone of an employee, 35-year-old Aaron Zimmerman, and informed officers that the device contained video of one of his employees in the bathroom. When officers confronted Zimmerman he admitted the phone was his and that he placed it next to the toilets in an attempt to record women using the restroom. He stated that he filmed three other females and that none of them were aware they were being filmed nor did they give them permission to do so. Zimmerman is charged with five counts of invasion of privacy.
Cranberry Township Woman Charged With Drugging 10-Year-Old Son
A Cranberry Township woman is facing charges for allegedly drugging her ten-year-old son. The child’s teacher noticed the boy seemed “spaced out” in class last month and when she asked him about it, he told her his mom gave him a sleeping pill the night before. The boy’s mother admitted to giving him a narcotic to calm him down.
Classes Resumed Today In Lawrence County’s Mohawk School District
Classes in the Mohawk school district will resume today after recent water tests showed no signs of contamination. According to Superintendent Michael Leitera, tests to detect bacteria were conducted Jan. 17 and Jan. 18. All samples were safe. The schools were closed this week after drinking water tested positive for coliform bacteria, including E.coli. Classes were canceled Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.