(Harrisburg, PA) The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) today released its preliminary employment situation report for September 2024.

According to this report, Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate was unchanged over the month at 3.4% in September. This was the 12^th consecutive month with an identical rate – the longest streak on record (back to 1976). The rate remained well under the U.S. unemployment rate which fell by one-tenth of a percentage point from its August level to 4.1%.

The Commonwealth’s unemployment rate was one-tenth of a percentage point above its September 2023 level of 3.3%, while the national rate was up three-tenths of a percentage point over the year.

Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force – the estimated number of residents working or looking for work – was down 24,000 over the month to 6,556,000 in September. Resident employment (-23,000) accounted for most of the labor force decline.

Pennsylvania’s total nonfarm jobs were up 6,800 over the month to a record high of 6,205,000, setting the 14^th consecutive record high for Pennsylvania’s jobs count. Jobs increased from August in five of the 11 industry supersectors. The largest supersector movement was a gain of 6,100 in leisure & hospitality which reached a record high. Education & health services reached a record high for the 16^th consecutive month.

Over the year, total nonfarm jobs were up 102,700 with gains in six of the 11 supersectors. Education & health services (+59,800) had the largest volume over-the-year gain.

Source for Photo: FILE—In this file photo from May 5, 2021, a vehicle speeds by a hiring sign offering a $500 bonus outside a McDonalds restaurant, in Cranberry Township, Butler County, Pa. Pennsylvania will resume work search requirements in July for hundreds of thousands of people receiving unemployment compensation, a top Wolf administration official said Monday, May 24, 2021. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File)

Story reported by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano, Published on October 18th, 2024 at 10: A.M.)

Borough officials announced on Thursday that groundbreaking for the new fire station at 1300 Pacific Avenue is upcoming.  The event will take place on Saturday, November 2, 2024 at 1 p.m.

(Story reported by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano, Published on October 18th, 2024 at 9:58 A.M.)

Beginning today, Friday, October 18th 2024, the in-ramp on Route 51 coming into  the city of Aliquippa will be closed. The closure is necessary so 5 buildings can be demolished on Sheffield Avenue, city officials reported this morning. The closure began Thursday and the ramp is closed until the demolition is complete.

(Findlay Township, PA) Transportation Security Administration officers at Pittsburgh International Airport intercepted two guns in two days. On Monday, a .38 caliber handgun was found in a carry-on bag and was confiscated from a man from Washington, Pennsylvania. A loaded gun with a 9 mm firearm with 12 bullets, one in the chamber, was also discovered in a carry-on bag on Wednesday and according to a news release, the gun belonged to a woman from Munhall, Pennsylvania. The total number of guns that the Pittsburgh International Airport have intercepted this year has now increased to thirty-six. 

(Beaver County, PA) As those in Beaver County get ready for Halloween, PennDOT is giving tips for kids and adults to stay safe on October 31st. PennDOT advises drivers to be extra cautious in residential neighborhoods during trick-or-treating and if you are going to a Halloween party, plan ahead to get home on time. PennDOT also provides that parents should remind their children to be careful and look both ways before they cross the street, to always walk on sidewalks, cross at street corners, pay attention instead of looking at electronic devices, and to not dart across the road or cross between parked cars. For costumes, PennDOT considers adding reflective tape to costumes, carrying a flashlight, wearing glow sticks, and using face paint instead of masks, which obstructs vision. Pedestrians also need to make sure they are visible to drivers. 

(Unity Township, PA) Former President Donald Trump will be having a rally at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Latrobe on Saturday. The doors will open at 2 p.m. and the Republican Presidential Nominee will speak starting at 6 p.m. The Trump campaign has capped tickets on a first-come, first served basis for two tickets a person, but other tickets for the Latrobe rally are free. This is the first rally for Former President Trump since he returned to Butler on October 5th, the same location where an assassination attempt on the presidential candidate was attempted. 

Source for Photo: Republican presidential candidate and former president, Donald Trump, speaks during the final day of the Republican National Convention Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

(Aliquippa, PA) A man was convicted by a Beaver County jury for killing a transgender woman in her Aliquippa apartment in 2021. On Wednesday, Darese Raines was found guilty of murdering Brandon Murray, known as B, inside a Linmar Terrace apartment. According to police, Murray identified as a woman. Beaver County District Attorney Nate Bible claimed that there was not a clear motive that was proven. According to Pennsylvania State Police, video evidence was found outside Murray’s apartment. Raines’ sentencing date has not yet been determined. 

(Story reported by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano, Published on October 18, 2024, at 5:56 A.M.)

(Aliquippa, PA) The Boys and Girls Club of Western Pennsylvania are hosting their 50th anniversary concert. According to a news release from David Tobiczyk, the Vice President of Advancement for the Boys and Girls Club of Western Pennsylvania, on November 16, the club will host a concert in honor of the classic hit “Could It Be I’m Fallin in Love” written by Pittsburgh-are natives Mervin and Melvin Steals. The concert will be staged at the Moon Area High School Auditorium in Moon Township at 7 p.m. and will feature performances from the Tramps, Earl Young, the Bill Henry band, with headliner Russell Thompkins, Jr., who is the Stylistic’s lead singer. Emceeing the concert is three-time Super Bowl Champion with the Pittsburgh Steelers J.T. Thomas. Tobiczyk also confirms that all proceeds will support the mission of the Boys and Girls Club of Western Pennsylvania to advance the potential of greater Aliquippa local youth and these proceeds will also benefit BGCWPA’s Aliquippa Clubhouse. Tickets for the concert are now available at bgcwpa@aliquippaclubhouse.ludus.com.

(Beaver County, PA) The WPIAL boys soccer playoffs begin on Saturday. The WPIAL boys soccer championship game will take place at Highmark Stadium.

Class 3A 

• No. 1 Moon Area Vs. No. 16 Belle Vernon or No. 17 West Mifflin Sat. Oct. 19, 6 p.m. at. Moon Area High School 
• No. 8 West Allegheny Vs. No. 9 Hampton Sat. Oct. 19, 2 p.m. at West Allegheny High School 

Class 2A 

• No. 8 Elizabeth Forward Vs. No. 9 Central Valley Mon. Oct. 21, 6:30 p.m. at Elizabeth Forward High School 
• No. 4 Quaker Valley Vs. No. 13 Burrell Mon. Oct. 21, 6:30 p.m. at. Quaker Valley High School 
• No. 3 Deer Lakes Vs. No. 14 Hopewell Mon. Oct. 21, 6:30 p.m. at. Deer Lakes High School 

Class A

• No. 4 Beaver County Christian School Vs. No. 13 Riverview Sat. Oct. 19, 2 p.m. at. Moon Area High School 
• No. 3 OLSH (Our Lady of Sacred Health) Vs. No. 14 Freedom Area Sat. Oct. 19, 4 p.m. at West Allegheny High School 
• No. 6 Springdale Vs. No. 11 Sewickley Academy Sat. Oct. 19, 11 a.m. at. Franklin Regional High School