Fire officials say Christmas lights are to blame for starting a fire early this morning in Lawrence County. Fire investigators say the fire broke out shortly after 1:00 this morning at a home on Matthews Road in Mahoning Township. Officials say a couple was home when the woman heard crackling and discovered the fire. Officials say everyone was able to get out of the home but the flames destroyed a portion of the home. Mahoning Township Fire Chief Francis Exposito said the fire started on the porch and believes it was an electrical fire started by Christmas lights strung on the porch. It took fire crews more than two hours to fight the flames.

THE GRINCH WHO STOLE THE COLOR FASHION SHOW DEBUTED AT HOPEWELL HIGH SCHOOL LAST NIGHT. BEAVER COUNTY RADIO NEWS CORRESPONDENT SANDY GIORDANO WAS THERE. Click on ‘play’ to hear Sandy’s report…

AT LEAST ONE BEAVER COUNTY DEPARTMENT IS ON ITS WAY TO GOING GREEN. BEAVER COUNTY RADIO’S GREG BENEDETTI HAS DETAILS. Click on ‘play’ to hear Greg’s report…

THE HOPEWELL SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS APPROVED THE CONTINUATION OF THE DUAL ENROLLMENT PROGRAM FOR 2017-18. BEAVER COUNTY RADIO NEWS CORRESPONDENT SANDY GIORDANO HAS DETAILS. Click on ‘play’ to hear Sandy’s report…

A man is facing drug charges following an incident in Aliquippa. Officers allegedly saw Daryl Adamson engaging in a “hand-to-hand” drug transaction last week at the intersection of Griffith and Wykes streets. They say when they approached him, he began to run, but slipped and fell in the snow. Officers say they found four individually packaged pieces of crack cocaine in his possession.

THE BLACKHAWK SCHOOL BOARD IS HOLDING A SPECIAL MEETING TONIGHT. ON THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT, AMONG OTHER THINGS, IS THE HIRING OF A NEW FACILITIES DIRECTOR AND A NEW FOOTBALL COACH. THE MEETING IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND STARTS AT 6:00 TONIGHT AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY.

BREAKING NEWS: AS THE YEAR ENDS, THE BEAVER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ARE STILL HAGGLING OVER FRIENDSHIP RIDGE. BEAVER COUNTY RADIO’S GREG BENEDETTI HAS DETAILS. Click on ‘play’ to hear Greg’s report…

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BREAKING NEWS: THE BEAVER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS – AT THEIR REGULAR WORK SESSION TODAY – HEARD SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT MUCH EXCESS PAPER. BEAVER COUNTY RADIO’S GREG BENEDETTI HAS DETAILS. Click on ‘play’ to hear Greg’s report…

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A Beaver Falls mother is accused of hitting her 9-year-old daughter with a two-by-four. Charmeairria Stanford is being charged with assault and child endangerment. According to the criminal complaint, police say Stanford used a two-by-four on her 9-year-old’s bottom, “hitting the victim with the board every time the child got her spelling words wrong.” According to police paperwork, Stanford admitted to authorities that she had disciplined the child using the board, but she didn’t believe she injured her daughter. Police say the hits with the board were always over improper homework. Police got involved when the child’s father brought her to the hospital for unusual bruising on her hands and bottom. They said social services is now involved.