Gas prices are five cents lower in Western Pennsylvania this week at $4.828 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average                $4.828
Average price during the week of July 5, 2022                                        $4.929
Average price during the week of July 12, 2021                                      $3.291

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

$4.759      Altoona
$4.946      Beaver
$4.839      Bradford
$4.776      Brookville
$4.836      Butler
$4.813      Clarion
$4.786      DuBois
$4.790      Erie
$4.895      Greensburg
$4.769      Indiana
$4.894      Jeannette
$4.850      Kittanning
$4.898      Latrobe
$4.793      Meadville
$4.826      Mercer
$4.788      New Castle
$4.771      New Kensington
$4.799      Oil City
$4.868      Pittsburgh
$4.799      Sharon
$4.889      Uniontown
$4.812      Warren
$4.850      Washington

Trend Analysis:

Pump prices declined across the country again, with the national average falling another 12 cents since last week to $4.67. Today’s national average is 32 cents less than a month ago and $1.53 more than a year ago.

The dip in the cost of gas occurred despite a rise in demand, likely due to robust July 4^th holiday automobile travel. AAA forecast that 42 million people would hit the roads for the holiday weekend, a new record. According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gas demand increased from 8.92 million barrels per day to 9.41 million barrels per day ahead of the 4th of July holiday, while total domestic gas stocks decreased by 2.5 million barrels. Typically, these supply/demand trends would put upward pressure on pump prices but falling oil prices contributed to lower pump prices

At the close of Friday’s formal trading session, West Texas Intermediate increased by $2.06 to settle at $104.79. Although the price of crude rose at the end of the week due to increased optimism as markets rebounded, the price was still down nearly $4 per barrel from the previous week.

Motorists can find current gas prices nationwide, statewide, and countywide at GasPrices.AAA.com.

AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 72 local offices in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia serving 2.7 million members.  News releases are available at news.eastcentral.aaa.com.  Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)
(Photo/Beaver County Radio Files)

“You don’t name a football field after somebody if they don’t do a lot of things right, and it was a no-brainer for Western Beaver to name its football field in Rich’s honor.”

Rich Niedbala was the long-time head coach at Western Beaver from 1971 until 2001; winning three WPIAL titles in 1976, 1983, and 1994, and earning enshrinement into the Beaver County Sports Hall Of Fame in 1998. He was laid to rest on Tuesday following his passing at the age of 80 on July 8, leaving behind his name and legacy to football and education not just at Western Beaver…but all throughout Beaver County.

Bob Barrickman, Beaver County Radio sports director and fellow member of the Beaver County Sports Hall of Fame (2008) reflected on the legacy of one of Beaver County’s best all-time coaches on the July 12 edition of A.M. Beaver County, and spoke to Matt Drzik about how Coach Niedbala’s persistence made Western Beaver such a successful program: “He just had a lot of solid football players, and he made them get better as time went along…he was the straw that stirred the drink at Western Beaver for many, many years.”

Western Beaver reached the pinnacle of Western Pennsylvania football achievement with three WPIAL titles in three decades, an achievement amplified by the ever-changing rosters of high school teams and–as the Golden Beavers would experience throughout the remainder of the 1980s–cold streaks that could demand changes from the school and community. “Basically the numbers were down and the cupboard was bare–there just weren’t enough good football players,” Barrickman remembers. “But then he (Niedbala) was able to revive the program…and once the 1990s kicked in, Western Beaver became a football powerhouse again.” The Golden Beavers won their third championship under Niedbala in 1994, and Barrickman feels that “if Rich would have stayed on board, it would not have shocked me if he would had won four WPIAL championships in four decades.”

Niedbala was honored permanently when the Golden Beavers named their football gridiron Rich Niedbala Field in Industry after him, a name that remains on the stadium to this day.

“For as long as high school football goes on in Beaver County, his name will certainly come up in the first sentence as far as all-time great coaches,” Barrickman added. “We’ve been blessed, but Rich Niedbala certainly deserves his name in that conversation. The guy was a true legend, and his record brought that out.”

To listen to the full conversation reflecting on the achievements and legacy of Coach Rich Niedbala, click on the player below.

(Photo of St. Barnabas Skilled Nursing Facility in Gibsonia, Pa. provided by St. Barnabas)

(Gibsonia, Pa.) St. Barnabas nursing home in Gibsonia has received a 5 star rating from Medicare.gov. The facility provides skilled nursing care for short-term care or extensive rehabilitative support after a hospital stay, injury, or other circumstances. St. Barnabas’ skilled nursing care home is located at 5827 Meridian Road, Gibsonia, PA 15044 If you would like more information you can call them at (724) 443-0700 or you can get more information about any St. Barnabas Facility on their website at https://stbarnabashealthsystem.com/

(Butler County, Pa.) Pa State Police in Butler have charged four individuals with disorderly conduct and other charges in accordance with an incident that occurred at the Butler Farm Show Grounds in Connoquenessing Township, Butler County.
Troopers reported via release that they were alerted of four individuals doing donuts along the runway at the Butler Farms Show Grounds at 3:36 AM Sunday morning.
Troopers were able to find the four vehicles at a nearby Sheetz. Troopers have charged 19-year-old Trent Scott of Butler, 20-year-old Hunter Dietrich of Butler along with two 17-year-old males with trespassing, disorderly conduct, and applicable summary traffic violations.

(Beaver County, Pa.) An 18 month old boy from Chippewa Township  was found unresponsive in the family  pool Sunday night. Coroner David J. Gabauer  ruled the cause of death as accidental drowning. No information was readily available from Chippewa Township Police on Monday.

While the child’s identity has been released we at Beaver County Radio respect the privacy of the family at this difficult time and will not be releasing his name. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family at this difficult time.

(Photo taken at the scene of the Fire by Frank Sparks)

(City of Beaver Falls, Pa.) The City of Beaver Falls Fire Department responded to a home on 6th Avenue in College Hill for a report of smoke coming from the windows shortly after 10 am yesterday morning .
When first responders arrived on the scene they found smoke coming out of a large 3-story residential home. Two dogs were found unconscious in the home and were rescued by first responders. The dogs were given oxygen and treated at a local veterinary hospital. The dogs are expected to make a full recovery. Crews contained the fire to the kitchen on the first floor. there was heavy damage to the kitchen and the remainder of the house suffered heat and smoke damage. First responders remained on scene for about 90-minutes. The American Red Cross was contacted to assist the residence with lodging. There was no one home at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported.
Beaver Falls was assisted on the scene by multiple Fire Departments.

(File Photo)

(Harrisburg, Pa.) Rep. Josh Kail (R-Beaver/Washington) today praised the formation of the House Select Committee on Restoring Law and Order, an investigative select committee that will recommend remedies—including possible impeachment and potential policy changes due to local officials refusing to enforce state law in Philadelphia.

“The people of Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs have suffered from the prosecutorial negligence of a district attorney who refuses to fully prosecute crime,” White said. “Philadelphia is on track to surpass last year’s record homicide rate. The city is in crisis and the crime is leeching into the suburbs and throughout the state. I have complete faith in those chosen to serve on this committee. They will listen to those who testify and let the facts take us to the truth.”

Kail, who introduced House Resolution 216 to create the committee, urged those chosen to serve to act promptly but judiciously. “We cannot forget that many lives have been lost and families crushed as a result of inaction and willful dereliction of Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner,” Kail said. “I believe those chosen to serve will take their jobs seriously and weigh the information they gather fairly.”

After the House passed the resolution last week, Speaker of the House Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) selected its five members, comprising of three Republicans and two Democrats. They include Reps. John Lawrence (R-Chester), Wendi Thomas (R-Bucks), Torren Ecker (R-Adams), Amen Brown (D-Philadelphia) and Danilo Burgos (D-Philadelphia).  Lawrence will chair the committee.

The committee, which has subpoena powers, is expected to hold several hearings to take testimony from those impacted by decisions made by the Philadelphia district attorney’s office.  It will issue a report at the end of its investigation and make recommendations that will be considered by the full House.

If the committee recommends the impeachment of Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, articles of impeachment would be voted on by the House and, if passed, would be sent to the state Senate for a trial.

(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers have run out of Heinz. And they’re not running to the store to grab more. The Steelers have ended their longtime partnership with the formerly Pittsburgh-based food company. Heinz had served as the title sponsor for the NFL franchise’s home stadium on the city’s North Shore since it opened in 2001. The venue will now be known as Acrisure Stadium after the Michigan-based financial tech company agreed to a 15-year sponsorship deal with the team.

(AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
MIAMI (AP) — Mitch Keller pitched one-run ball over seven innings, Jake Marisnick homered and doubled, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Miami Marlins 5-1. Keller scattered five hits, struck out five and hit a batter in his longest outing of his career. Diego Castillo singled twice and drove in two runs, while Kevin Newman had three hits for the Pirates, who won their third straight. Newman is 7 for 18 since returning from the injured list Friday. The Pirates struck quickly on Castillo’s two-run single against Trevor Rogers in the first. Newman’s RBI double in the second increased Pittsburgh’s advantage.