Police are offering a $15,000 reward in hopes of finding a man who shot a Beaver County police officer in his bulletproof vest. Harmony Township Officer Alan Loskoch was briefly hospitalized after the shooting early Wednesday. The suspect is described as a light-skinned African-American male, standing 6 feet tall with 3 to 4-inch dreadlocks.

Heroin and prescription drug abuse – and drug overdose deaths – are on the increase across the country and it’s no different in Beaver County. Today Beaver County Radio began a three-day series on the growing problem of drug addiction and how we as a community can do a better job of responding to and hopefully preventing such abuse. Dr. Neil Capretto is the Medical Director at Gateway Rehabilitation Center. He says the drug problem as it exists today in Beaver County is the worst he’s ever seen. He says every age bracket and every community in the county is affected by this problem.

A police officer in Harmony Township has survived a shooting thanks to his bulletproof vest. State police in Beaver county say shots that were fired at the Harmony officer early today struck his bulletproof vest. He was taken to a local hospital. No word on his name or condition. Police are still searching for a suspect.

We’re just one week away from Election Day…and there’s a war of words underway between the two Democratic commissioners and the Republican Committee of Beaver County. The committee has taken issue with a political mailer that was sent out by commissioners Joe Spanik and Tony Amadio (who are up for re-election in next week’s elections) that did not have the legally required disclaimer, noting who paid for them. Amadio admits they made a mistake, but he says it just an oversight and he says he has the receipts and invoices to prove who paid for those fliers. But Megan Carpenter, chairwoman of the Republican Committee of Beaver County – is still calling for a full investigation immediately.

Democratic candidates for the Beaver County row offices were showcased at Center Stage on Sunday afternoon along with hundreds of supporters as part of a “Good Old Fashioned Democratic Rally”.   With just over a week to go before elections on November 3rd, the featured candidates took full advantage of talking about their agendas and encouraging people to get out and vote.  The event featured a special address by AFL-CIO official Frank Snyder who stressed the importance of supporting  democratic choices in the general election. State Representative Rob Matzie served as Master of Ceremonies and talked about the importance of next year’s election as well and how it will be pivotal in the make up of state wide politics.

A small coal-fired power plant in Potter Township is shutting its doors, two years earlier than anticipated. Virginia-based AES Corporation says the plant will close because the company couldn’t find a buyer for its electricity. Jack Manning – president of the Beaver County Chamber of Commerce – tells Beaver County Radio that the plant closing wasn’t unexpected, although it wasn’t expected this soon. The Beaver County Times reports AES hasn’t said when the 125-megawatt facility will shut down.

One person is still recovering in the hospital following a two-vehicle crash in North Sewickley Township this morning. Police say the vehicles collided on Route 65 near the North Sewickley police department around 7 a.m. Firefighters and an EMS crew also responded to the scene. No word on the victim’s name or condition.

Two government-related events are to take place tonight…and both will occur at Brady’s Run Park. First…a ribbon-cutting ceremony in recognition of the official opening of the newly -constructed Four Seasons Pavilion is scheduled for 5:00. The public is invited to attend tonight’s official opening of the pavilion. They are also invited to stick around for the regularly scheduled 6 p-m public meeting of the board of commissioners. The commissioners’ public meeting will mark the first official use of the Four Seasons Pavilion. The facility is located at 474 Brady’s Run Road in Beaver Falls. Mike Romigh will be there and we’ll have more coverage tomorrow morning on AM Beaver County beginning at 6:30.