The Seneca Valley School District announced this afternoon that it has suspended without pay a middle school math teacher arrested Thursday for possessing child pornography. Meanwhile, the Allegheny County District attorney’s office says it learned only today from Seneca Valley that defendant 26-year-old Jonathan Brecht of Franklin Park was a teacher. As a result, the D-A’s office is continuing its investigation and says it plans to notify its counterparts in Butler County. According to the affadavit, Brecht admitted to investigators that he posed as a woman on the dating app Skout and suggested a sexual liaison with an underage girl. The affadavit says that investigators poring over Brecht’s hard drive found three images of child pornography. Brecht was arraigned and has posted bond.
Category: News
Several Beaver County School Districts Apply For Act 1 Status
Several Beaver County school districts have applied for Act 1 status, which would allow them to increase property taxes over the state limit. These districts include Ambridge Area, Blackhawk, Central Valley, Freedom Area, South Side Area and Western Beaver. However, local district officials say that applying for Act 1 is only a way to give the district options, not a guarantee that taxes will be raised.
AG Kane Gets Two Weeks To Give Ethics Board Justice’s Emails
Pennsylvania’s judicial ethics court is giving state Attorney General Kathleen Kane two weeks to produce material for a pending disciplinary case against Supreme Court Justice Michael Eakin. Judge Jack Panella with the Court of Judicial Discipline signed an order Thursday setting a Feb. 25 deadline to fulfill a demand for emails involving Eakin since 2008. If convicted, Eakin could be removed from the bench. Kane’s spokesman says she will comply but believes she’s already turned over all Eakin-related materials in her agency’s possession.
County Employee Union President speaks out about proposed budget cuts
Friday February 12 at 10:10am, Joe Mann of the Beaver County Service Employee Union joins Mike to talk about how the rank & file feel about paying more for their insurance coverage and opening up the labor contract.
Beaver County Sheriff Concerned About Budget Cuts To His Department
There is more fallout from the county budget shortfall. Beaver County Sheriff Tony Guy tells Beaver County Radio Newsman Pat Septak that he’s concerned about some of the cuts that the commissioners have proposed in a revised 2016 budget that would hurt his department. To make the cuts that were initially proposed by the commissioners, the department would have to cut its DARE program in Beaver County school districts, its K-9 unit and some deputies in the warrant division. After meeting yesterday with commissioners chairwoman Sandie Egley, county financial administrator Ricardo Luckow and commissioners chief of staff Joe Weidner , Sheriff Guy says he feels a bit more hopeful that cuts to his department won’t be as drastic as originally proposed.
OneJet Adding Pittsburgh Flights To Hartford, More In Future
OneJet has named Pittsburgh a “focus city” and plans to add daily flights to Hartford, Connecticut and four other cities. The carrier uses seven-passenger Hawker 400 jets to cater to business travelers. It launched service from Pittsburgh International Airport in May, with nonstop flights to Indianapolis and Milwaukee. At a news conference today, the company pledged to add nonstop flights to four still-to-be decided destinations later this year, and to hire about 40 pilots, mechanics and other workers in Pittsburgh. The airport has added 14 non-stop destinations in the last 13 months, meaning the airport now served 53 destinations with non-stop flights. Hartford will become the 54th once twice-daily flights begin May 9.
Kane Survives Senate Vote To Remove Her From Office
State Attorney General Kathleen Kane has survived a Senate vote to remove her from office. All but one of her fellow Democrats stood by her yesterday, defeating a resolution that said her lack of a valid law license had rendered her unable to perform her officials duties.
Wolf Promises To Veto Funding For State Prisons
Governor Tom Wolf says he’ll veto a House-approved measure restoring $939 million in funding for state prisons. The bill cleared the GOP-controlled House yesterday and is headed to a Senate vote.
Ambridge Borough Hires New Fire Chief
A new fire chief has been hired for Ambridge borough. Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano reports that Ambridge borough council met last night and approved the hiring of Robert Gottschalk as the new chief. Gottschalk replaces Dave Grenalski, who is retiring after serving over 30 years as fire chief. The assistant chief will be Don Larrick, Jr. They will both begin their new duties April 1st.
Vehicle Registration Stickers Will Be A Thing Of The Past In Pa.
When 2016 ends, vehicle registration stickers will become a thing of the past in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will no longer issue registration stickers beginning January 1, 2017. Instead, PennDOT officials say law enforcement officers will be able to use Automated License Plate Reader technology to identify expired vehicle registrations and insurance coverage. The last registration sticker will be issued on Dec. 30. Customers will still need to have their vehicles registered and inspected, but will not be required to display a registration sticker on their license plate after Dec. 31.