2026 Henry Mancini Awards winners announced

(File Photo of the Henry Mancini Awards Logo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

Midland —The 2026 Henry Mancini award winners were announced on Sunday during its annual ceremony at Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center. The ceremony recognizes outstanding student achievement in high school musical theater across Beaver, Butler, Lawrence, and Mercer counties.

Here are the winners for this year’s awards:

Best Actor Beaver Falls High School, Kash Stevenson, “James and the Giant Peach.”
Best Actress Freeport Area High School, Jersey Diehl, “Tuck Everlasting.”
Best Supporting Actor Beaver Falls, Jordan Jesseman, “James and the Giant Peach.”
Best Supporting Actress Ambridge Area High School, Ariana Avolio-Mason, “Chicago: Teen Edition.”
Best Choreography Execution Budget 1 Mohawk High School, “Water for Elephants”
Best Choreography Execution Budget 2 Slippery Rock High School, “Anastasia”
Best Choreography Execution Budget 3 Moniteau High School, “Mary Poppins”
Best Choreography Execution Budget 4 Mars Area High School, “The Wizard of Oz”
Best Costume Design Budget 1 Mohawk, “Water for Elephants”
Best Costume Design Budget 2 Laurel High School, “The Addams Family”
Best Costume Design Budget 3 Moniteau, “Mary Poppins”
Best Costume Design Budget 4 New Castle High School, Disney’s “Frozen”
Best Crew/ Technical Execution Budget 1 Mohawk, “Water for Elephants”
Best Crew/ Technical Execution Budget 2 Slippery Rock, “Anastasia”
Best Crew/ Technical Execution Budget 3 Beaver Area High School, “Matilda”
Best Crew/ Technical Execution Budget 4 Neshannock High School, “SpongeBob the Musical”
Best Ensemble Budget 1 Mohawk, “Water for Elephants”
Best Ensemble Budget 2 Slippery Rock, “Anastasia”
Best Ensemble Budget 3 Moniteau, “Mary Poppins”
Best Ensemble Budget 4 Knoch High School, “Hadestown: Teen Edition”
Best Lighting Design Budget 1 Freeport Area High School, “Tuck Everlasting”
Best Lighting Design Budget 2 North Catholic High School, “Footloose”
Best Lighting Design Budget 3 Western Beaver Jr./ Sr. High School, “Hadestown: Teen Edition”
Best Lighting Design Budget 4 New Castle High School, Disney’s Frozen
Best Scenic Design Budget 1 Mohawk, Water for Elephants
Best Scenic Design Budget 2 North Catholic, Footloose
Best Scenic Design Budget 3 Western Beaver, Hadestown: Teen Edition
Best Scenic Design Budget 4 Knoch, Hadestown: Teen Edition
Best Student Orchestra Freeport, Tuck Everlasting
Best Musical Budget 1 Mohawk, Water for Elephants
Best Musical Budget 2 Slippery Rock, Anastasia
Best Musical Budget 3 Western Beaver, Hadestown: Teen Edition
Best Musical Budget 4 Knoch, Hadestown: Teen Edition
Special Judge Award Freedom Area High School, Brandon Yeager
Outstanding Student Artist Beaver Falls, Sa’Miyah Thompkins

Dr. Zambelli Gives Update on Patient Access To Parking Lot and Adams Street

(Rochester, Pa.) — Dr. George Zambelli provided Beaver County Radio with an update on patient access to his parking lot and Adams Street as construction work continues in the area.

Back on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, Dr. Zambelli joined Frank Sparks on Driving in the Fast Lane to discuss plans to demolish a home he owned in order to create a temporary roadway allowing patients to access his parking lot from the alleyway during the Adams Street construction project.

On Monday, Dr. Zambelli reported that demolition work on the home has now been completed. Matt Cook Demolition Specialist fully removed the structure, including the foundation. In a text message update Monday, Dr. Zambelli said the project is “progressing nicely,” as shown in the photos below.

Dr. Zambelli also noted that concrete is scheduled to be poured on Thursday. Once completed, the concrete will need time to cure before the new access route can officially open.

In the meantime, patients can still access the parking lot by traveling down Ohio Avenue. Motorists can also turn off Jefferson Street onto Ohio Avenue toward Adams Street. There is currently an opening that allows drivers to exit onto Adams Street and circle around the building to reach the parking area.

 

Beaver County Radio will continue to provide updates on the progress of the Adams Street construction project as more information becomes available.

Structure fire breaks out in Lawrence County

(Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of Gavin Thunberg)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Lawrence County, PA) Fire crews were dispatched to a structure fire on Frew Mill Road in Lawrence County shortly before 10:30 a.m. yesterday. 

Additional tanker units were requested to Slippery Rock Township as firefighters battled the blaze. 

Officials said crews were forced to take a defensive approach because of heavy fire conditions. 

The incident was later brought under control. 

Two-alarm fire damages historic building in Harmony

(Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of Gavin Thunberg)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harmony, PA) A two-alarm fire damaged a historic building in Harmony after flames tore through the roof around noon yesterday. 

Harmony Fire District Chief Rob Reeb said that a big hole was burned in the roof of the building. 

Reeb said firefighters were able to contain the fire to the attic, though the building sustained significant water damage. The structure is located at the corner of Main and Mercer streets. 

Records show the building was once the site of the Beahm Hotel, which was constructed after another fire decades ago. It also previously housed the family-owned Sapienza Market. 

More recently, Rodgers Brothers Incorporated operated an investment advisory firm in the building. Officials said all employees escaped safely. 

Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the fire.

AAA: Memorial Day Travelers to Pay Highest Gas Prices in Four Years

(Credit for Photo: Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of AAA East Central)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Gas prices in Western Pennsylvania fell nine cents this week to an average of $4.76 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report. 

After several weeks of declines, the national average price for gasoline rose toward the end of last week. The national average is now $4.51 per gallon, down one cent from a week ago but nearly 50 cents higher than a month ago. 

With travelers expected to hit the road in record numbers for the Memorial Day holiday, drivers are facing the highest holiday gas prices since 2022. 

At this time last year, the national average price for a gallon of gasoline was $3.17. The report states that the average price that you can expect for a gallon of regular unleaded gas in Beaver County is about $4.93. 

According to a release from AAA East Central and AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report, here are the average prices of unleaded self-serve gasoline this week in various Pennsylvania areas:

$4.680      Altoona
$4.931      Beaver
$4.718      Bradford
$4.524      Brookville
$4.809      Butler
$4.659      Clarion
$4.561      DuBois
$4.720      Erie
$4.641      Greensburg
$4.800      Indiana
$4.718      Jeannette
$4.937      Kittanning
$4.728      Latrobe
$4.741      Meadville
$4.803      Mercer
$4.869      New Castle
$4.876      New Kensington
$4.891      Oil City
$4.894      Pittsburgh
$4.614      Sharon
$4.825      Uniontown
$4.741      Warren
$4.817      Washington

Hopewell Township store sells winning $131,095 Pennsylvania Lottery Fast Play ticket

(Photo Courtesy of the Pennsylvania Lottery)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Hopewell Township, PA) A winning Pennsylvania Lottery Fast Play ticket worth $131,095 was sold in Beaver County.

According to the Pennsylvania Lottery, the top-prize ticket for the Watts of Cash game was purchased Sunday at Kuhn’s Market.

The store will receive a $500 bonus for selling the winning ticket.

Lottery officials advise the holder of a top-prize Fast Play ticket to immediately sign the back of the ticket and call the Pennsylvania Lottery at 1-800-692-7481.

Cranberry Township woman charged for causing two-vehicle crash in Allegheny County

(File Photo of a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Car)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Allegheny County, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Pittsburgh reported today that a 29-year-old Cranberry Township woman was charged following a two-vehicle crash in Ross Township on Tuesday.

According to police, Alaa Aljassem was driving on Interstate 279 North near the Bellevue/West View Exit 7 at about 9:46 p.m. when she attempted to change lanes and struck a vehicle driven by 24-year-old Claire Mapes of Slippery Rock.

Police said Mapes suffered a possible injury. Aljassem was not injured.

Congressman Chris Deluzio Announces 2026 Congressional Art Competition Winner

(File Photo of Congressman Chris Deluzio)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Carnegie, PA) Congressman Chris Deluzio announced the winner of his fourth annual Congressional Art Competition. 

The nationwide competition, sponsored each spring by the U.S. House of Representatives, invites high school students to submit artwork representing their congressional districts. 

This year’s first-place winner is Kavinaya Murali, a sophomore at North Allegheny Intermediate High School. 

Murali’s piece, titled Her World of Peace, is an abstract mixed-media portrait and landscape exploring themes of peace, healing and national identity. 

Murali will be honored at an event in Washington, D.C., alongside winners from congressional districts across the country. The artwork will also be displayed for one year in a gallery at the U.S. Capitol. 

New Galilee man arrested following assault incident in White Township

(File Photo of Police Siren Lights)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(White Township, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver reported today that a 33-year-old New Galilee man was arrested following an incident in White Township on April 25. 

According to police, the incident occurred at about 11:28 p.m. along 149 Colonial Oaks.

During the investigation, troopers determined that Jack Duncan Jr. allegedly assaulted 29-year-old Anna Bonomo of Beaver Falls. 

Police said charges will be filed against Duncan. 

PennDOT Driver’s License, Photo Centers Closed for Memorial Day Holiday

(File Photo of the PennDOT Logo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) PennDOT announced today that all driver license and photo centers, including the full-service center in Harrisburg, will be closed Saturday, May 23, through Monday, May 25, in observance of the Memorial Day holiday.

Customers can still obtain a variety of driver and vehicle products and services online through PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services, including forms, publications and driver training manuals.

You can access PennDOT’s Driver and Vehicle Services website by clicking here.