HARRISBURG – Sen. Elder Vogel, Jr. (R-47) announced $2.48 million will be awarded to several Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) applicants in Beaver, Butler and Lawrence counties.

“The PHARE Fund is a vital funding source that helps our organizations and local government entities improve our local infrastructure; offer informational and educational opportunities related to housing; and better assist vulnerable communities,” said Vogel. “As someone who has fought hard to enhance this fund, I am pleased to see so many community projects benefit from it.”

Beaver County

The County of Beaver was awarded $100,000 for its Home Modification Program which be used to help provide home modifications for households with mobility and/or safety challenges; and $100,000 to go toward its Rental/Utility Assistance program.

The Cornerstone of Beaver County was awarded $100,000 to go toward operations for its Men’s Shelter.

The Women’s Center of Beaver County was awarded $100,000 to go towards its Homeless Prevention for Survivors of Violence project which includes the provision of intensive case management and support for vulnerable individuals and families living in emergency shelter who are at risk of becoming chronically homeless and the provision of direct financial assistance, such as rent and utility assistance, to eliminate barriers to obtaining safe, stable housing.

The Salvation Army was awarded $150,000 for its Beaver County Housing Homelessness Assistance Program, specifically assist Beaver County households in obtaining and maintaining permanent housing, including those currently involved in ESG, RRH, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing programs. Additionally, it will allow them to engage landlords to help address the lack of affordable housing options in the county.

Harbor Point Housing, Inc. was awarded $200,000 for part 2 of the Sheridan Rehabilitation Project which would rehab the six remaining apartments in the Beaver Falls apartment building; rehab the common areas; a new HVAC system and the outside walkway; and by re-point and repaint the east side of the building.

Housing Opportunities of Beaver County was awarded $200,000 for its Restoring Communities: Housing, Workforce, and Opportunities, specifically training underserved young adults in construction and including the rehabilitation of one duplex and one single-family home in Aliquippa.

Butler County

The County of Butler was awarded $80,000 for its First Time Home Buyer Down Payment Closing Cost Assistance Program which will match a first-time homebuyer dollar for dollar toward their closing costs or downpayment of a new home in the county up to $5,000.

Lawrence County

The Lawrence County Department of Planning and Community Development was awarded $200,000 for its Countywide Housing Rehabilitation and Blight Removal Program.

The Redevelopment Authority of Lawrence County was awarded $400,000 for the Countywide Housing Rehabilitation and Blight Removal Program.

Joint County

NeighborWorks Western Pennsylvania was awarded $150,000 to offer expanded and enhanced homeownership counseling education. Specifically, they will offer pre-purchase counseling and education to buyers at all stages of purchase readiness and will expand post-purchase counseling and education services, providing support for those experiencing mortgage delinquency, default and foreclosure as well as serving stable homeowners seeking to maintain, improve, or renovate their properties. This will benefit Allegheny and Beaver counties.

The Housing Opportunities of Beaver County was awarded $100,000 for its Housing Opportunity Fund: Emergency Repair Track grants program which is a targeted initiative to stabilize and preserve homeownership in Beaver and Lawrence counties.

Mercer County Housing Authority was awarded $500,000 for its Veterans Housing Development Center project which will provide 10 units of affordable housing – six transitional and four long-term rentals, for homeless and at-risk veterans in Mercer and Lawrence Counties.

Catapult Greater Pittsburgh was awarded $100,000 to growing and maintaining black generational housing equity in Allegheny County. Specifically, they will provide low- and moderate-income new homebuyers and existing low-income homeowners with comprehensive trauma-informed financial education. With a specific focus on the Revitalizing Neighborhoods and Increasing Homeownership initiative, the Organization has access to RNIH to Beaver County. They will also grow its Equity Protection Division which includes a Tangled Title Clinic and Home Repair program for existing low-income homeowners.

PITTSBURGH (Jun. 12, 2024) — Vitalant and the Pittsburgh Pirates will mark 29 years of partnership by hosting a three-day blood drive at PNC Park June 24-26 and additional life-saving events throughout Western Pennsylvania.

All donors who give with Vitalant at a designated Pittsburgh Pirates Blood Drive location will receive a voucher redeemable for two tickets to a 2025 Pirates home game (Sunday through Thursday).* Donors will also receive a $10 Vitalant Rewards Gift Card and entry into a drawing for one of two $10,000 gift cards.*

Last year’s Pirates Blood Drives collected more than 900 units of blood, helping patients at hospitals throughout the region, like UPMC and AHN. Summer is one of the most challenging times to maintain a reliable blood supply, as schools are on break, many people travel, and regular routines change.

All blood types are needed, especially type O, the most transfused blood type. O-negative is what emergency room personnel reach for when there is no time to determine a patient’s blood type.

29^th Annual Pittsburgh Pirates Blood Drives

Every donation helps ensure blood is on the shelves when patients need it,” said a Vitalant communications manager, Maya Santana. “These drives highlight the strength of the Pittsburgh community and the impact we can make when we act together.”

Vitalant is encouraging fans and the community to donate at the Pittsburgh Pirates Blood Drives. To beat the line and view other participating locations, schedule your appointment today at vitalant.org/pirates, on the Vitalant app, or by calling 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825).

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing single-lane and shoulder restrictions on I-376 (Beaver Valley Expressway) in Vanport, Brighton and Chippewa townships, Beaver County will occur Monday through Friday, June 16-20 weather permitting.

A single-lane and shoulder restriction will occur on I-376 in each direction as needed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday as crews from Road Safe to conduct overhead sign replacement work.

Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio. Published June 12, 2025 7:50 P.M.

(New Brighton, Pa) A crash took place on Junction Stretch of Route 65 in New Brighton Thursday evening shortly after 7pm. An SUV was lifted off of its wheels and held up by a Beaver County Sheriff Cruiser.

It appears that a chase likely took place but we have not yet received word from officials. What appeared to be spike strips were also visible on the ground.

Numerous Police Departments responded to the scene including New Brighton, Beaver Falls, BV Regional, State Police, as well as the New Brighton Fire Department.

Crews were working to remove the vehicles as of 7:35pm.

We have no further details at this time.

Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio. Published June 12, 2025 10:55 A.M.

(East Palestine, Ohio) Many people who were affected by the East Palestine Train Derailment have struggled with no assistance recently to receive settlement payments or get answers about money they entitled to.

Simmons Hanly Conroy, one of the nation’s law firms dedicated to holding corporations responsible for wrongdoing, announced Wednesday in a release that a federal court in Ohio has suspended and terminated the appointment of Kroll Settlement Administration, LLC as the settlement administrator for those impacted by the East Palestine Norfolk Southern train derailment.

The court order comes following numerous complaints and an investigation that uncovered calculation errors, ultimately leading the court to believe Kroll has mismanaged the settlement.

Epiq has been named as the replacement settlement administrator, and Class Counsel plans to move swiftly to accommodate residents while continuing to audit Kroll.

Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published June 12, 2025 10:50 A.M.

(Ambridge, Pa) Twenty-five new body cameras for the Ambridge Police Department will be purchased from Motorola Solutions at a cost $30,012.50. They have a credit of $6,806.40 and the total cost will end up being $23,206.10.

Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published June 12, 2025 10:46 A.M.

(Aliquippa, Pa) The Aliquippa boys basketball coach’s contract has not been renewed. The school board voted 5-4 against renewing Coach Nick Lackovich’s contract for the 2025-26 season at Wednesday night’s meeting.  In a phone conversation this morning with Giordano he said, “I’m ok with their decision not to rehire me, “They don’t owe me anything.”

Story by Beaver County Radio News Staff. Published June 12, 2025 10:42 A.M.

(Aliquippa, Pa) State Police in Beaver have released details about a crash that took place in late May in Aliquippa. The crash took place on Route 51 northbound and occurred as a result of a pursuit.

42 year old Ryan Lee was traveling at approximately 40mph on Franklin avenue in a posted 25mph zone. Police pursued the vehicle and initiated lights and sirens. The vehicle failed to yield and sped off onto 51.

The vehicle reached a top speed of approximately 120mph before crashing into the guard rail on the right side of the roadway. The initial impact was at the 12 o’clock position causing disabling damage to the vehicle.

The operator sustained possible serious injuries.

FILE – Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom presents his revised state budget during a news conference in Sacramento, Calif., Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Photo/Rich Pedroncelli,File)

California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is calling President Donald Trump’s military intervention at protests over federal immigration policy in Los Angeles an assault on democracy and has sued to try to stop it. Meanwhile, Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is putting the National Guard on standby in areas in his state where demonstrations are planned.

The divergent approaches illustrate the ways the two parties are trying to navigate national politics and the role of executive power in enforcing immigration policies.

In his live TV address this week, Newsom said that Trump’s move escalated the situation — and for political gain.

All 22 other Democratic governors signed a statement sent by the Democratic Governors Association on Sunday backing Newsom, calling the Guard deployment and threats to send in Marines “an alarming abuse of power” that “undermines the mission of our service members, erodes public trust, and shows the Trump administration does not trust local law enforcement.”

The protests in Los Angeles have mostly been contained to five blocks in a small section of downtown; nearly 200 people were detained on Tuesday and at least seven police officers have been injured.

In Republican-controlled states, governors have not said when or how they’re planning to deploy military troops for protests.

Since Trump’s return to office, Democratic governors have been calculating about when to criticize him, when to emphasize common ground and when to bite their tongues.

The governors’ responses are guided partly by a series of political considerations, said Kristoffer Shields, director of the Eagleton Center on the American Governor at Rutgers University: How would criticizing Trump play with Democrats, Republicans and independent voters in their states? And for those with presidential ambitions, how does that message resonate nationally?

Democratic governors are weighing a number of considerations.

“There probably is some concern about retributions — what the reaction of the administration could be for a governor who takes a strong stance,” Shields said.

And in this case, polling indicates about half of U.S. adults approve of how Trump is handling immigration, though that polling was conducted before the recent military deployment.

On other issues, Democratic governors have taken a variety of approaches with Trump.

At a White House meeting in February, Maine Democratic Gov. Janet Mills told Trump, “ we’ll see you in court ” over his push to cut off funding to the state because it allowed transgender athletes in girls’ school sports. Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer, a possible 2028 presidential candidate, publicly sparred with Trump during his first term but this time around, has met with him privately to find common ground.

Initially, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green referred to Trump as a “straight-up dictator,” but the next month he told a local outlet that he was treading carefully, saying: “I’m not going to criticize him directly much at all.”

Democratic governors speaking out — but some cautiously

Apart from their joint statement, some of the highest-profile Democratic governors have not talked publicly about the situation in California. When asked, on Wednesday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office pointed to a Sunday social media post about the joint statement. Whitmer didn’t respond.

The office of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who is set to testify before Congress on Thursday about his state laws protecting people who are in the country without legal status, reiterated in a statement that he stands with Newsom. The office said “local authorities should be able to do their jobs without the chaos of this federal interference and intimidation.”

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, in an interview Wednesday in The Washington Post, said Trump should not send troops to a weekend protest scheduled in Philadelphia.

“He’s injected chaos into the world order, he’s injected it into our economy, he is trying to inject chaos into our streets by doing what he did with the Guard in California,” Shapiro said.

As state attorney general during Trump’s first term, Shapiro routinely boasted that he sued Trump over 40 times and won each time. As governor he has often treaded more carefully, by bashing Trump’s tariffs, but not necessarily targeting Trump himself.

GOP governors weighing in

Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has often clashed with Newsom, a fellow term-limited governor with national ambitions.

Newsom’s office said DeSantis offered to send Florida State Guard troops to California.

“Given the guard were not needed in the first place, we declined Governor DeSantis attempt to inflame an already chaotic situation made worse by his Party’s leader,” Newsom spokesperson Diana Crofts-Pelayo said in an email to The Associated Press.

Speaking on Fox News on Tuesday, DeSantis said the gesture was a typical offer of mutual aid during a crisis — and was dismissive of the reasons it was turned down.

“The way to put the fire out is to make sure you have law and order,” he said.

States are preparing for more protests this weekend

Protests against immigration enforcement raids have sprung up in other cities — and a series of “No Kings” demonstrations are planned for the weekend — with governors preparing to respond.

In Connecticut, Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont said he has spoken with his public safety commissioner to make sure state and local police work together.

“I don’t want to give the president any pretext to think he can come into Connecticut and militarize the situation. That just makes the situation worse,” said Lamont, who called Trump “a little eager to send federal troops and militarize the situation in Los Angeles.”

It is unclear how many Texas National Guard members will be deployed or how many cities asked for assistance. In Austin, where police used chemical irritants to disperse several hundred protesters on Monday, the mayor’s office said the National Guard was not requested.

San Antonio officials also said they didn’t request the Guard.

Florida’s DeSantis said law enforcement in his state is preparing “The minute you cross into attacking law enforcement, any type of rioting, any type of vandalism, looting, just be prepared to have the law come down on you,” DeSantis said Tuesday. “And we will make an example of you, you can guarantee it.”

___

Associated Press reporters Nadia Lathan and Jim Vertuno in Austin, Texas; Sophie Austin in Sacramento, California; Isabella Volmert in Lansing, Michigan; Andrew DeMillo in Little Rock, Arkansas; Susan Haigh in Hartford, Connecticut; Anthony Izaguirre in Albany, New York; Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Kate Payne in Tallahassee, Florida; and Sophia Tareen in Chicago; contributed.