(Pennsylvania) Panera Bread has settled a case with the family of twenty-one-year-old Sarah Katz, who passed away after drinking the company’s Charged Lemonade. In 2023, Katz’s family filed an incorrect death lawsuit which stated that Panera Bread did not warn customers of the ingredients in the drink or did not call it an “energy drink.” Katz went into cardiac arrest in September 2022 after drinking the lemonade at a Panera Bread location and died after a second cardiac arrest. The lawsuit said that Katz had no idea how much caffeine the drink had, because she was not warned. According to NBC, this case was supposed to go to trial this month and details of the settlement were not released. 

(East Palestine, Ohio) After a train derailment that happened in East Palestine, Ohio in 2023, some residents should still be able to receive personal injury payments even while the bulk of their $600 million class action settlement with Norfolk Southern railroad remains on hold during an appeal. The lawyers haven’t provided any breakdown of how many of the roughly 55,000 claims they received are for injuries and how many are for property damage, nor have they said how much each person will receive. Only 370 households and 47 businesses opted out of the deal. Residents don’t really know exactly how much they will receive. 

Source for Photo: FILE – A black plume rises over East Palestine, Ohio, as a result of a controlled detonation of a portion of the derailed Norfolk Southern trains, Feb. 6, 2023. Norfolk Southern announced new details Monday, Sept. 18, about its plan to compensate East Palestine residents for lost home values since the fiery derailment disrupted life in the eastern Ohio town in February. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

(Sewickley, PA) A man who exposed himself to children at a Scoops Ice Cream store appeared in court on Tuesday when 82-year-old David Whitten walked into his preliminary hearing and tried to cover his face with a jacket. In the middle of a Wednesday afternoon last month, police say Whitten pulled his pants down near Scoops Ice Cream store, exposing himself, and began touching himself inappropriately. The district judge told Whitten he’s not to have any contact with Scoops’ witnesses or victims, no contact with minors without supervision, and must stay 100 yards away from schools and parks. Whitten’s defense attorney decided to waive the hearing even though there were two female witnesses that were ready to testify if needed.

 

(Story written by Sandy Giordano, Beaver County Radio News Correspondant, Published on October 9th, 2024 at 8:01 A.M.)

(Ambridge, PA) CVS in Ambridge is back in operation. Beaver County Radio was told they are back in operation and no other information was available.

Source for Photo: A box of Maximum Strength Zantac tablets is shown at a pharmacy, Monday, Sept. 30, 2019, in Miami Beach, Florida. CVS has halted sales of the popular heartburn treatment and the store generic version after warnings by U.S. health regulators. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

(Ambridge, PA) After holding his two-year-old daughter hostage on Tuesday, a Beaver County man is behind bars and will face charges. Beaver County 911 confirmed law enforcement was called to 6th Street in Ambridge around 2:30 p.m. and spotted a man barricading a child. SWAT team officers were called after police tried to negotiate for several hours, and police say it was because of a language barrier. Ambridge Police Chief John Deluca said that the home officers found the man in is the same one where on Monday the man faced charges after jumping on the roof of that home, a neighbor’s roof, and running after an Ambridge police officer was injured. The child According to police, the two-year-old has been returned to her mother. The man is currently in the Beaver County jail, and the charges he will face are unclear at this time.

(Beaver County, PA) Communities here in Beaver County will celebrate Halloween with the popular tradition of trick-or-treating for the kids. Most of the trick-or-treat times start after 6 p.m. on October 31st. Other communities and organizations like Robert Morris University, Three Rivers Karting, the New Brighton Business District, and the New Beaver Borough will be hosting events like Halloween parties and experiences.

The full list of trick-or-treat times is listed below, organized by community name: 

Aliquippa – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. 

Ambridge – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. 

Baden – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. 

Beaver – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. 

Beaver Falls – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. 

Big Beaver – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. 

Bridgewater – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. 

Brighton Township – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. 

Center Township – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. 

Chippewa Township – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. 

Conway – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. 

Darlington Township – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. 

Economy – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. 

Ellwood City – Saturday, Oct. 26, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. 

Franklin Township – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. 

Hanover Township – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. 

Harmony Township – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. 

Hopewell Township – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. 

Independence Township – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. 

Monaca – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. 

Moon Township – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. 

New Brighton – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. 

New Sewickley Township – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. 

North Sewickley Township – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. 

Patterson Heights – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. 

Patterson Township – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. 

Potter Township – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. 

Racoon Township – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. 

Rochester – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. 

Rochester Township – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. 

Shippingport – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. 

Vanport Township – Thursday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m.

Here is some more information on the other upcoming Halloween events in Beaver County, according to the Beaver County Times.

Cars wait in line to get into the parking lot for gas at Costco, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in Altamonte Springs, Fla., as residents prepare for the impact of approaching Hurricane Milton. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP)

Not even two weeks after Hurricane Helene swamped the Florida coastline, Milton has strengthened rapidly into a major hurricane on a path toward the state.

The system is threatening the densely populated Tampa metro area — which has a population of more than 3.3 million people — with a potential direct hit and menacing the same stretch of coastline that was battered by Helene.

Traffic was thick on Interstate 75 heading north Monday as evacuees fled in advance of Hurricane Milton. Crews are also hurrying to clear debris left by Helene.

Follow AP’s coverage of tropical weather at https://apnews.com/hub/weather.

When will Milton make landfall?

According to the National Hurricane Center’s Live Hurricane Tracker, Milton will make landfall on the west coast of Florida late Wednesday. It’s expected to be a Category 3 storm, which have winds of 111-129 mph (180-210 kph), when it hits the shore in the Tampa Bay region, which has not endured a head-on hit by a major hurricane in more than a century.

It could retain hurricane strength as it churns across central Florida toward the Atlantic Ocean. That track would largely spare other states ravaged by Helene, which killed at least 230 people on its path from Florida to the Carolinas.

How strong will it be?

Milton intensified quickly over the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told reporters Monday afternoon the hurricane was far stronger than what was predicted two days ago.

Milton was a Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 180 mph (285 kph) and was centered about 675 miles (1,085 kilometers) southwest of Tampa at late Monday afternoon.

Those winds eased to 155 mph (250 kph) by early Tuesday and the hurricane was downgraded to Category 4 status. It was centered about 560 miles (900 kilometers) southwest of Tampa. The hurricane center said Milton still posed “an extremely serious threat to Florida.”

How bad is damage expected to be?

The entire Gulf Coast of Florida is especially vulnerable to storm surge.

Hurricane Helene came ashore some 150 miles (240 kilometers) away from Tampa in the Florida Panhandle and still managed to cause drowning deaths in the Tampa area due to surges of around 5 to 8 feet (1.5 to 2.5 meters) above normal tide levels.

Forecasters warned of a possible 8- to 12-foot storm surge (2.4 to 3.6 meters) in Tampa Bay. That’s the highest ever predicted for the location and nearly double the levels reached two weeks ago during Helene, said hurricane center spokeswoman Maria Torres.

The storm could also bring widespread flooding. Five to 10 inches (13 to 25 centimeters) of rain was forecast for mainland Florida and the Keys, with as much as 15 inches (38 centimeters) expected in some places.

What if I have travel plans to that part of Florida?

Tampa International Airport said it planned to stop flights at 9 a.m. Tuesday. The airport posted on X that it is not a shelter for people or their cars.

St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport said it is in a mandatory evacuation zone and will close after the last flight leaves Tuesday.

How is Mexico preparing?

Mexican officials were organizing buses to evacuate people from the low-lying coastal city of Progreso on the Yucatan Peninsula after Mexico’s National Meteorological Service said Hurricane Milton “may hit between Celestun and Progreso.”

Celestun, on the western corner of the peninsula, is a low-lying nature reserve home to tens of thousands of flamingos. Progreso, to the east, is a shipping and cruise ship port with a population of about 40,000.

FILE — Ghost guns are displayed at the headquarters of the San Francisco Police Department, in San Francisco, Nov. 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Haven Daley, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court will hear a challenge Tuesday to a Biden administration regulation on ghost guns, the difficult-to-trace weapons with an exponentially increased link to crime in recent years.

The rule is focused on gun kits that are sold online and can be assembled into a functioning weapon in less than 30 minutes. The finished weapons don’t have serial numbers, making them nearly impossible to trace.

The regulation came after the number of ghost guns seized by police around the country soared, going from fewer than 4,000 recovered by law enforcement in 2018 to nearly 20,000 in 2021, according to Justice Department data.

Finalized after an executive action from President Joe Biden, the rule requires companies to treat the kits like other firearms by adding serial numbers, running background checks and verifying that buyers are 21 or older.

The number of ghost guns has since flattened out or declined in several major cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Baltimore, according to court documents.

But manufacturers and gun-rights groups challenged the rule in court, arguing it’s long been legal to sell gun parts to hobbyists and that most people who commit crimes use traditional guns.

They say the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives overstepped its authority. “Congress is the body that gets to decide how to address any risks that might arise from a particular product,” a group of more than two dozen GOP-leaning states supporting the challengers wrote in court documents.

U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor in Texas agreed, striking down the rule in 2023. The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals largely upheld his decision.

The administration, on the other hand, argues the law allows the government to regulate weapons that “may readily be converted” to shoot. The 5th Circuit’s decision would allow anyone to “buy a kit online and assemble a fully functional gun in minutes — no background check, records, or serial number required. The result would be a flood of untraceable ghost guns into our nation’s communities,” Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar wrote.

The Supreme Court sided with the Biden administration last year, allowing the regulation to go into effect by a 5-4 vote. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined with the court’s three liberal members to form the majority.

Gas prices are a penny higher in Western Pennsylvania this week at $3.489 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average                          $3.489
Average price during the week of Sept. 30, 2024                                              $3.479
Average price during the week of Oct. 9, 2023                                                  $3.901

The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline in various areas:      

$3.452      Altoona
$3.483      Beaver
$3.771      Bradford
$3.488      Brookville
$3.496      Butler
$3.423      Clarion
$3.475      DuBois
$3.460      Erie
$3.488      Greensburg
$3.489      Indiana
$3.498      Jeannette
$3.533      Kittanning
$3.450      Latrobe
$3.478      Meadville
$3.449      Mercer
$3.397      New Castle
$3.463      New Kensington
$3.494      Oil City
$3.480      Pittsburgh
$3.382      Sharon
$3.479      Uniontown
$3.759      Warren
$3.362      Washington

Trend Analysis:
Despite higher crude oil prices, the national average for a gallon of gas fell by four cents over the past week to $3.17. There are now 18 states east of the Rockies with averages below $3 a gallon. And OPEC+ is saying, at least for now, they will increase production starting December 1^st, putting even more downward pressure on pump prices. Today’s national average is 11 cents less than a month ago and 55 cents less than a year ago.

While Hurricane Helene’s devastation did little to impact gasoline supply, it crushed demand in affected areas by destroying infrastructure and causing power outages. Also, the ongoing tensions between Iran and Israel are fueling worries that oil shipments could be disrupted through the Straits of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint for maritime traffic. This has led to oil prices creeping higher.

According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gas demand fell from 9.20 million barrels per day last week to 8.52. Meanwhile, total domestic gasoline stocks rose from 220.1 million barrels to 221.2, while gasoline production decreased last week, averaging 9.6 million barrels daily.

At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, West Texas Intermediate rose by 27 cents to settle at $70.10 per barrel. The EIA reports that crude oil inventories increased by 3.9 million barrels from the previous week. At 416.9 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are about 4% below the five-year average for this time of year.

Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published October 8, 2024 11:53 A.M.

(Aliquippa, Pa) A drug deal gone bad occurred at 1300 Main Street in Aliquippa Monday night at 8:30pm. Aliquippa Police reported this morning that a male suffered a laceration to the forehead during the incident. SWAT was called out due to a report that 2 males were barricaded in the house. No one was in the home when it was searched no arrests have been made, according to police. The investigation is ongoing.