Gas prices are four cents higher in Western Pennsylvania this week at $3.909 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average                      $3.909
Average price during the week of July 31, 2023                                                $3.863
Average price during the week of August 8, 2022                                             $4.435

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

$3.987      Altoona
$3.816      Beaver
$3.905      Bradford
$3.944      Brookville
$3.898      Butler
$3.939      Clarion
$3.977      DuBois
$3.972      Erie
$3.903      Greensburg
$3.891      Indiana
$3.911      Jeannette
$3.883      Kittanning
$3.920      Latrobe
$3.967      Meadville
$3.997      Mercer
$3.795      New Castle
$3.871      New Kensington
$4.001      Oil City
$3.852      Pittsburgh
$3.754      Sharon
$3.878      Uniontown
$3.999      Warren
$3.852      Washington

Trend Analysis:

The national average for a gallon of gas is continuing to trend higher, rising seven cents over the last week to $3.82. Pump price increases are primarily due to the price of oil, which has been staying close to $80 per barrel. Last month’s extreme heat also played a role in the recent gas price spike as some refineries pulled back on production, but operations are now returning to normal. Today’s national average is 29 cents more than a month ago but 24 cents less than a year ago.

According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gas demand decreased slightly from 8.94 to 8.84 million barrels per day last week. Meanwhile, total domestic gasoline stocks increased by 1.5 million barrels to 219.1 million barrels.

At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, West Texas Intermediate decreased by $1.88 to settle at $79.49. Oil prices temporarily dropped after the U.S. credit rating declined, increasing market fears that oil demand could decline if the economy eases. Additionally, the EIA reported that total domestic, commercial crude inventories decreased by 17 million barrels to 439.8 million barrels.

Motorists can find current gas prices nationwide, statewide, and countywide at gasprices.aaa.com.

(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

Seven years after its establishment, a local food pantry cemented a milestone in their journey to combat food insecurity in Beaver County.

Families Matter Food Pantry held an official ribbon-cutting for their new distribution center at 186 Wagner Road in Monaca. The former site of the Steamfitters Union building is now responsible for maintaining and preserving different types of food for those in need. The event was hosted by director Rachel Triscila and assistant director Quina Price, in cooperation with the Beaver County Chamber of Commerce.

According to Price, Families Matter takes in roughly 239,000 pounds of food a month; ranging from fresh produce to packaged meals. The non-profit organization is an agency of the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank, and they also receive local donations from farmers and other donors. The new facility of operation in Monaca has two major storage areas for produce and packaged foods, several cold storage areas for refrigerated foods and dairy, and a expansive walk-in freezer for frozen goods. The staff maintain the quality of the foods donated to Families Matter, before they are distributed during their hours of operation each week.

Families Matter has been cooperating with Lowe’s in Monaca for distributing food three days a week: Monday (for veterans only), Tuesday, and Thursday. Food is also distributed through several trucks to its parent distributor in the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank throughout the week.

Triscila and Price showed much gratitude and gratefulness that their operation, which started out under the Faith Restorations Inc. moniker back in 2016, but Triscila hinted at the possibility that this may not be the mountaintop. “We’re always looking to expand,” she told Beaver County Radio during the tour of the facility.

For now, though, they’re focusing on this new chapter of the pantry’s evolution, albeit with the same goal they’ve been pushing towards for nearly a decade.

FILE – Damarra Atkins pays respect to George Floyd at a mural at George Floyd Square in Minneapolis, April 23, 2021. Tou Thao, the last former Minneapolis police officer to face sentencing in state court for his role in the killing of Floyd, will learn Monday, Aug. 7, 2023, whether he’ll spend any additional time in prison. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The last former Minneapolis police officer to face sentencing in state court for his role in the killing of George Floyd is expected to learn Monday whether he’ll spend any additional time in prison. Tou Thao has said he merely served as a “human traffic cone” in 2020 when he held back the crowd as former Officer Derek Chauvin, who is white, knelt on Floyd’s neck for 9 1/2 minutes as the Black man pleaded for his life. Minnesota guidelines have recommended four years for Thao’s conviction on an aiding and abetting manslaughter charge. He would serve that concurrently with his 3 1/2-year sentence on a federal civil rights charge.

HARRISBURG – To better inform local seniors of programs and services available to them, Sen. Elder Vogel, Jr. (R-47) will be hosting his annual FREE Senior Expo on Friday, Sept. 29, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Community College of Beaver County located at 1 Campus Drive in Monaca.

Representatives from various state and local organizations will be present to offer helpful information concerning healthcare, government services, and more to attending seniors.

Additionally, there will be refreshments, door prizes, and health screenings which are also free of charge.

Vendors for this event include, but are not limited to: AAA East Central, AARP, AARP- Driver Safety Program, Aetna Medicare Solutions, Allegheny County Health Department- Injury Prevention Program, Anova Health Care System, The American Legion, Beaver County Association for the Blind, Beaver County District Attorney, Beaver County Historical Research and Landmarks Foundation, Cambridge Retirement Living, CapTel Outreach, Columbia Gas of PA, Den-Mar Consulting, Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Sewickley, Franciscan Manor Senior Living, Gallagher Home Health and Hospice, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, Medic Rescue, MRS Physical Therapy, Patriot Home Care, PA Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, PA Relay, Senior Select Plans, Inc/ Alyson Gross, St. Barnabas Beaver Meadows, Successful Financial Solutions/ American Senior Benefits, and Tri Rivers Musculoskeletal Centers.

For further information, contact Vogel’s Cranberry District Office at 878-978-2575.

BEAVER FALLS, PA – Stray Cat Studio, the new owner of the former PNC branch at 2200 9th Ave in Beaver Falls, and home to the “Baby Bello”, phase one of the county’s newest Portobello Cultural Life & Arts Center. We welcome the public to a Grand Opening celebration for both on Saturday, September 9 from 4-7 PM, rain or shine.

With a ribbon cutting, local business basket raffles, music, pottery demonstrations, a clay project (open to the public), and food trucks (offered partly in sponsorship with Brighton Music Center, Jumet Financial, and Chelsea Party Center), the celebration will also include a birthday cake cutting and tours of the newly renovated building. RSVPs, though not required, are highly recommended as they include an entry into a prize drawing offered by co-sponsor, Stray Cat Studio.

Celebrating 10 years in business, Stray Cat Studio’s new location will allow it to house a much larger and more exclusive pottery production department than the former location, and an expanded space for members and classes, including 12 pottery wheels, a separate kiln room, event spaces, and 2nd-floor offices for the staff.  The Baby Bello, a scaled-down first phase of the future Portobello Cultural Life & Arts Center, waylaid by the COVID-19 pandemic, will offer a flexible-use space for community-driven programming as well as Bello-hosted events including, but not limited to lectures, yoga, social gatherings, business meetings, book clubs, script/author readings, music, spoken word, performing arts classes, & pop-up gallery showings.

After years of pivoting to get this project up and running for the community, Renee Suhr, Owner of Stray Cat Studio reflects, “This will be an amazing place to hang out or meet up with friends. One person might be coming in for a fundraiser and bump into a friend who is there for a yoga or a pottery class, for instance. Our building will be a place where all kinds of people can meet on common ground and shared interests.”

Stray Cat will continue to provide all the same classes and pottery production they have been, only on a slightly larger scale and now alongside the vitality of the Baby Bello activities and presence in the building.

 “The Baby Bello will answer the lack of community gathering spaces we heard a need for prior to the pandemic,” stated Joline Atkins, Director of Artistic Programs for the Baby Bello, adding, “Now, as many are craving in-person gatherings, even on smaller scales, we have the answer for artistic, educational, and civic gatherings – and in a setting surrounded by artists, which comes with an added dollop of inspiration!”

Community members will be glad to know the PNC ATM will remain operable at the site. Because the Baby Bello and Stray Cat strive to be good neighbors, community members can expect a cleaner, more well-lit experience. Patrons should also expect some changes to the parking lot for safety and ATM convenience.

“To be a part of a growing small business that has such a dynamic, positive impact on the community is thrilling,” shared Stray Cat Studio’s new Operations Manager, Helen Kissick. The former President & Executive Director for the Beaver County Chamber of Commerce continued, “We’re eagerly looking forward to this new space that will serve our community and staff for years to come!”

PITTSBURGH — Duquesne Light Holdings (DLH), which encompasses Duquesne Light Company, The Efficiency Network and DQE Communications, today announced the promotion of Samantha Hartzman to head of social impact and chief diversity officer, effective Aug. 1. Hartzman, who previously served as the organization’s senior manager of environmental, social and governance (ESG) and corporate giving, will further build upon DLH’s culture of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) as it continues advancing the region’s clean energy future.

“As DLH makes greater strides in delivering a clean energy future for our customers and communities, we remain steadfast in our work to have a positive social impact,” said Christine Waller, vice president of communications and corporate responsibility at DLH. “As Sam creates a performance framework to enhance our DEI initiatives, we’ll be able to drive even better and more inclusive results that benefit our workforce, customers and region. Additionally, as we conducted deliberate and thoughtful efforts to find the right candidate for this critical role, we leveraged the opportunity to reflect on our strengths and opportunities through meaningful dialogue with members of the DEI community, and I believe that these trusted partnerships will continue to be an essential ingredient to our success.”

Following a comprehensive internal and external search, the decision to promote Hartzman demonstrates DLH’s commitment to empower leaders who have a proven and positive influence on the organization and those it serves. Hartzman’s new role also further aligns the company’s DEI aspirations to broader social impact initiatives as part of its ESG journey.

“Sam’s vision for the untapped potential of our culture, community initiatives and ESG efforts stood out as strengths in her candidacy for this incredibly important position,” added Kevin Walker, president and CEO at DLH. “Under her leadership, we will continue to amplify our efforts to create a workplace that is inclusive and equitable for all and representative of the diversity that enriches our region, while also supporting the vibrant and unique neighborhoods where we work and live.”

Hartzman has a bachelor’s degree in English and American studies from the University of Virginia and an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She also recently graduated from The Advanced Leadership Institute’s Executive Leadership Academy, delivered in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business. The program includes executive coaching and mentoring and provides hands-on guidance from renowned academic and industry experts.

Hartzman resides in the North Hills with her husband and son.

Writer/director/executive producer Greta Gerwig poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film ‘Barbie’ on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, in London. (Scott Garfitt/Invision/AP)

In just three weeks in theaters, “Barbie” is set to sail past $1 billion in global ticket sales, breaking a record for female directors that was previously held by Patty Jenkins. “Barbie,” which Gerwig directed and co-wrote, added another $53 million from 4,178 North American locations this weekend, according to studio estimates on Sunday. Warner Bros. said the film will cross $1 billion before the end of the day. Second place went to “Meg 2: The Trench,” with $30 million, while “Oppenheimer” landed in third place in its third weekend, with “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” close behind in fourth.

FILE – This combo of file images shows Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, left, and Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. Elon Musk says his potential in-person fight with Mark Zuckerberg would be streamed on his social media site X, formerly known as Twitter. “Zuck v Musk fight will be live-streamed on X,” Musk wrote in a post Sunday Aug. 6, 2023, on the platform. “All proceeds will go to charity for veterans.” (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, Stephan Savoia, File)

NEW YORK (AP) — Elon Musk says his potential in-person fight with Mark Zuckerberg would be streamed live on his social media site X, formerly known as Twitter. The two tech billionaires seemingly agreed to a “cage match” face-off in late June. Must wrote in a post Sunday that the “Zuck v Musk fight will be live-streamed on X.” He added that “all proceeds will go to charity for veterans.” Zuckerberg is trained in mixed martial arts. Whether or not Musk and Zuckerberg actually make it to the ring in Las Vegas has yet to be seen, especially as Musk often tweets about action prematurely or without following through.

HARRISBURG — Attorney General Michelle Henry announced major developments in the OAG’s lawsuit against home improvement contractor, Gillece Services, recently issued by the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas.

 

The Court has found Gillece and its owner, Tom Gillece Sr., to be in violation of the Pennsylvania Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act and the Pennsylvania Consumer Protection Law, as the OAG alleged in its ongoing suit, initially filed in 2020.
The Court found that Gillece engaged in misconduct resulting in violations — as alleged by the OAG — and ordered Gillece take immediate action to comply with state law.

 

“We are pleased with the Court’s findings and injunctive order regarding Gillece’s deceptive and unlawful treatment of consumers,” Attorney General Henry said. “We have more work to do in this suit, but the Court’s recent order offers immediate relief and protection to consumers.”

 

The lawsuit followed an original investigation in which the Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection discovered that Gillece’s technicians allegedly failed to make a good faith effort to unclog consumers’ sewer pipes with a sewer snake before recommending costly excavation work to clear up any clogs.
Upon consideration of the parties motions for summary judgment, the Court denied all of Gillece’s motions for summary judgment and found that Gillece Services and its owner engaged in the following misconduct that violated the Pennsylvania Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act and/or Pennsylvania Consumer Protection Law:

• Refusing to honor customers’ requests to cancel their home improvement contracts;
• Penalizing consumers who cancel contracts;
• Failing to disclose and misrepresenting the right to cancel;
• Utilizing advertising materials that make false or misleading statements regarding the qualifications of Gillece’s technicians, including that these technicians were “certified,” “licensed,” and “background-checked;”
• Utilizing advertising materials that fail to clearly and conspicuously disclose material terms and restrictions on Gillece’s advertising offers of the “Clog Crusher” and “Same Day or You Don’t Pay;” and,
• Misrepresenting to consumers that Gillece was prohibited by law from providing itemized invoices to consumers or charging by parts and labor and misrepresenting that Gillece was required by law to use flat-rate pricing.

The Court also issued several injunctions against Gillece and its owner, which required them to comply with the law. Specifically, the Court required Gillece to permit consumers to revoke their contracts within three business days, provide timely refunds to consumers who cancel within three business days, and clearly and conspicuously disclose in its advertising and all materials the terms and restrictions for any offers.

 

Finally, the Court also prohibited Gillece from:

• Misrepresenting that consumers’ deposits are non-refundable unless that consumer signs a valid emergency work authorization form when there is a bona fide emergency; and
• Misrepresenting that Gillece is prohibited by law from providing itemized invoices or prohibited by law from charging by parts and labor, or that Gillece is mandated by law to use flat-rate pricing.

Any civil penalties and/or restitution will be assessed at trial.

 

The remaining issues in the lawsuit, including allegations that Gillece has recommended unnecessary work and utilized scare tactics, will be tried at a later date.

 

The case is being handled by Senior Deputy Attorney General Jill Ambrose.