Many Beaver County School Districts are feeling the devastating effects of the state budget impasse. We’ve been talking with school administrators all week…and today we spoke with Midland Schools Superintendent Sean Tanner. Tanner tells Beaver County Radio newsman that they have put a freeze on all purchasing, continue to take out loans which only take them deeper into debt and have monthly conversations regarding the possibility of closing the schools.

A former Beaver county VFW commander is accused of spending more than $100,000 on an organization credit card. 51-year-old Donald Smith is facing more than 1,000 theft charges. Authorities say Smith is accused of charging a Midland VFW Post 8168 credit card 568 times between 2012 and 2014, accruing $103,483.96 in debt. Most of the charges to the card were ATM withdrawals, but various retail charges and entertainment were also made, according to the criminal complaint. Smith was charged with 568 counts each of unauthorized credit card use, theft and counts of receiving stolen property. His bail was set at $50,000.

The search continues this afternoon in the Pittsburgh area for at least two gunmen who opened fire on a backyard party in Wilkinsburg. Five people were killed and three others were wounded in the shooting. Police describe the attack as an ambush, with gunshots coming from two distinct locations. The suspects fled on foot.

Nearly 46,000 Pennsylvania Democrats have switched to Republicans since the beginning of the year. According to Penn  Live, some experts attribute the the mass exodus to Donald Trump. Numbers show that some Republicans are also switching to the Democratic party, but nowhere near the numbers that are switching to Republican.

Service workers union local 668, representing about 180 workers at the social service center in Beaver Falls, set up about 20 informational pickets this afternoon to call attention to their contract impasse with the county. Beaver County Radio’s Greg Benedetti was there. He says local 668 does not represent the service workers at the Beaver County Courthouse who are currently negotiating a new contract.

A McKees Rocks woman was killed when a train struck her in Leetsdale last night. 54-year-old Carolyn Mayhugh was struck at First and Perry Streets at 9:12 p.m. She was pronounced dead at the scene at 9:23 p.m., according to the Allegheny County medical examiner’s office. No word on why the woman was walking along the tracks that late at night or why she didn’t see or hear the train in time.

We continue our special series on the long-range impact of the budget impasse in Harrisburg on school districts here in Beaver County. Dr. Joe Guardino is the superintendent of schools in the New Brighton Area School District. He tells Beaver County Radio newsman Pat Septak that 70% of the district’s funding comes from Harrisburg. He says  they’ve had to put a ban on all purchasing in the district except for that which is deemed “critical” and says he can’t rule out shutting down the schools if a budget isn’t passed soon.

A woman was rushed to the hospital after a car fire in Franklin Township overnight. Officials say the car fire happened around 1:30 this morning along South Hazen Avenue. Witnesses say that an off-duty officer was able to pull a 19-year-old woman inside the car to safety. She was rushed to the hospital and there is no word on her condition. A dog inside the car died in the fire. Firefighters quickly put out the flames, but not before they spread a little to the auto shop next to the car. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Three Beaver Falls men are being recognized for outstanding safety on the roads. Paul Yarosz, Mark Tukalo and Carl Zahn have been inducted into the prestigious National  Safety Council’s “Million Mile Club” for achieving 30 or more years of accident-free driving on the job. Beaver Falls postmaster Margo Perry tells Beaver County Radio newsman Pat Septak that the three men received a special plaque in a ceremony among their co-workers this morning at the Beaver Falls office.