Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published March 15, 2024 3:23 P.M.

(Monaca, Pa) Monaca Borough Council accepted a bid for its streetscape project at their meeting this week. Bronder Technical Service, inc’s bid is for $6,668,510.83.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17) recognized the impact of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) to help make internet more affordable and available to his constituents in Western Pennsylvania. The program is set to end by May 2024 unless Congress replenishes the appropriate funding.

“From programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program to fighting corporate rip-off junk fees, I’m fighting in Congress to lower costs for the American people,” said Rep. Deluzio. “Since the Affordable Connectivity Program began, it has helped more than 29,800 of my constituents save up to $30 a month on their internet bills. However, the program will soon run out of funding unless Congress acts. I call on congressional leadership to pass the Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act and invest to make internet affordable for all Americans—no matter where they live or how much money they make.”

“Over the past three years, more than 8,800 low-income households in Beaver County have subscribed to a federal government program (ACP) that helps them pay for reliable home internet access,” said Lance Grable, Director of the Beaver County Office of Planning and Redevelopment. “Thanks to ACP-funded connectivity, these households can go to school online when needed, can access vital information about their health care and jobs, and get assistance with food and heating bills. The internet connects them to essential government services and to information about what’s going on in our County.”

According to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, 1 in 5 U.S. households are not connected to the internet. Moreover, 44% of households earning less than $30,000 each year do not have broadband, according to the White House. As of February 2024, 29,826 households in Pennsylvania’s 17^th Congressional District enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program, and the district received a total of $14,976,583 from the program.

The American Rescue Plan initially created the Emergency Broadband Benefit, which expanded into the Affordable Connectivity Program under President Biden’s bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and offered discounted or free internet broadband to low-income households. Without additional funding, April 2024 will be the last fully funded month for the ACP discount and the Federal Communications Commission has stopped accepting new ACP applications and enrollments. Households that were approved and enrolled with an internet provider will continue to receive their ACP discounts during the wind-down period until the ACP ends.

Congressman Deluzio is a cosponsor of the Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act of 2024 that would fund the ACP with $7 billion and continue the payments for eligible households. The legislation is supported by both Democrats and Republicans, led by Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01) and Yvette Clarke (D-NY-06) in the House and by U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-VT), JD Vance (R-OH), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) in the Senate.

AMBRIDGE, March 14 – A $148,500 grant from the Department of Community and Economic Development will assist the city of Aliquippa as it emerges from Act 47 status and works to achieve long-term sustainability, state Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver, announced today.

“It took decades of work and collaboration and faith in our city, but together with support from the commonwealth and city leadership led by Mayor Dwan Walker, we had the resolve to do it, and we built back,” Matzie said. “The city strengthened infrastructure, paid off debt and shored up finances to get to a position where they can chart their own future.

“The project funding from DCED will help us develop long-range plans for the future and keep the city moving on a new, independent path.”

(File Photo)

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Seventeen individuals from Lawrence County, Pennsylvania; Puerto Rico; and  Youngstown, Ohio, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh for violating federal  narcotics, firearms, and racketeering laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.  The defendants were charged in two Indictments that were unsealed today and allege that, between  September 2022 and March 2024, the defendants conspired to distribute cocaine throughout Western  Pennsylvania, specifically in the New Castle area, as well as in Youngstown, Ohio.  

 As alleged in the Indictments, members of the two charged groups would transport, either by  person or mail, drugs from Puerto Rico to Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, and elsewhere to distribute those drugs as part of an ongoing illicit business enterprise. Two of the defendants, Daniel Feliciano  and Markus Hobel, allegedly possessed firearms in furtherance of the drug trafficking. Another  defendant, Jamie Klinesmith, allegedly possessed with intent to distribute a significant quantity of  methamphetamine. 

A complete list of the defendants, charges, and maximum penalties is included at the bottom  of this release. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based  upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of each defendant. 

“Today’s indictments represent an important step toward dismantling a multi-state drug  trafficking operation that brought significant quantities of cocaine from Puerto Rico to Western  Pennsylvania and our neighbors in Ohio,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “Together with our federal,  state, and local law enforcement partners, we will continue to work collaboratively to keep our  communities safe from drug traffickers and, in particular, those who choose to carry firearms in  connection with their drug dealing.”  

“Joint investigations that involve federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies working  together as part of the HIDTA and OCDETF programs are what lead to successful cases and  significant indictments, as is the case here,” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of the  Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division. “These individuals are  accused of trafficking cocaine, methamphetamine, and firearms from outside the continental United  States, specifically Puerto Rico, to right here in Western Pennsylvania. I commend the efforts of all  the agencies involved.”  

Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler is prosecuting this case on behalf of the  United States. 

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Lawrence County High Intensity Drug Trafficking  Area (HIDTA) Drug Task Force, and United States Postal Inspection Service led the investigation  resulting in the Indictments in this case, with significant assistance from the New Castle Police  Department, Ellwood City Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue  Service – Criminal Investigation, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania State  Police, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and United States Department of Agriculture.  

Lawrence County is one of six Western Pennsylvania counties officially designated as a High  Intensity Drug Trafficking Area by the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy. The  county received its HIDTA designation in July 2022, allowing it to receive dedicated federal  resources to coordinate federal, state, and local governments in fighting drug trafficking and abuse.  

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF)  investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money  launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using  a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal,  state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. 

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  

List of Defendants 

Feliciano Indictment: 

Tulla Torres Indictment:  

### 

FILE – A sign on the sidewalk outside an antique store in Spartansburg, Pa., on Feb. 29, 2024. Shawn C. Cranston, accused of killing a pregnant Amish woman in her rural home last month was expected to be in a courtroom on Friday, March 14, where a Pennsylvania judge will consider whether investigators have sufficient evidence to advance the charges toward trial. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, file)

MEADVILLE, Pa. (AP) — A truck driver accused of killing a pregnant Amish woman in her rural home is headed to a Pennsylvania courthouse for a preliminary hearing. A Pennsylvania judge on Friday will consider whether investigators have sufficient evidence against 52-year-old Shawn Cranston to advance the charges toward trial. He is accused of killing 23-year-old Rebekah Byler and her unborn child inside the Byler home near Spartansburg in February. The hearing in the Crawford County Courthouse is to determine if there is enough evidence to support those charges, as well as accusations of burglary and trespassing. Cranston’s lawyer has not responded to messages and the chief prosecutor has declined to discuss the case.

Pittsburgh Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin (71) celebrates after his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the San Jose Sharks in Pittsburgh, Thursday, March 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — John Ludvig and Rickard Rakell scored two minutes apart in the third period and the Pittsburgh Penguins pulled away from the San Jose Sharks for a 6-3 win. Evgeni Malkin, Bryan Rust, Jeff Carter Noel Acciari also scored for Pittsburgh, which won for the first time since dealing star winger Jake Guentzel to the Hurricanes at the trade deadline last week. Tristan Jarry made 30 saves for the Penguins, who were outscored 17-2 during their losing streak. Fabian Zetterlund, Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Klim Kostin scored for San Jose, which lost for the 11th time in 12 games. Magnus Chrona stopped 25 shots.

FILE – Former President Donald Trump speaks at the National Rifle Association Convention in Indianapolis, on April 14, 2023.(AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)

FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) — Donald Trump listened in court as his lawyers urged a federal judge to dismiss the criminal case accusing the former president of illegally retaining classified documents after he left the White House. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon heard arguments Thursday over whether a law that underpins the bulk of the charges is too vaguely worded to enforce against a former president. Cannon asked probing questions of both sides and didn’t immediately rule on Trump’s bid to throw out the case before ever reaching a jury. More arguments are expected later Thursday.

HARRISBURG — In response to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed energy plan, released today, March 13, in Scranton, Reps. Tim O’Neal (R-Washington) and Josh Kail (R-Beaver/Washington) issued the following statement:

“Once again, Gov. Shapiro is pushing extreme California policies that will cost Pennsylvanians more. After campaigning on pulling out of RGGI, Gov. Shapiro is pushing another outrageous energy tax. There are many things wrong with this proposal, from rolling blackouts to massive job loss, but the most egregious thing is this cap and tax program that will increase electric bills for every Pennsylvanian. Pennsylvania cannot afford more failed Shapiro policies. We stand against ANOTHER Shapiro tax increase.”

A freshly decorated Key Lime pie rests on a counter in a busy bakery kitchen at Michele’s Pies, Wednesday, March 13, 2024, in Norwalk, Conn. Math enthusiasts and bakers celebrate Pi Day on March 14 or 3/14, the first three digits of a mathematical constant with many practical uses. Around the world many people will mark the day with a slice of sweet or savory pie. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

College students, rocket scientists and math enthusiasts around the world are celebrating Pi Day. The holiday is on Thursday, March 14 since 3/14 correlates to the first three digits of the infinite number. It’s also Albert Einstein’s birthday, making the pie eaten at Pi Day gatherings all the sweeter. Pi is a mathematical constant that expresses the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. It is part of many formulas useful in physics, astronomy, engineering and other fields, dating back thousands of years to ancient Egypt and Babylon.

Beaver County Radio News Staff. Published March 14, 2024 2:34 P.M.

(Crescent Township, Pa) The Department of Environmental Protection in Pittsburgh is cooperating with the Allegheny County Fire Marshal in the investigation of the home explosion that took place Tuesday in Crescent Township that claimed the lives of a couple living in the home.

A press release was issued from Lauren Camrda from the DEP Communications Office  and they cannot speculate on the possible cause. DEP’s role in the investigation will include inspections of nearby oil and gas wells and infrastructure, including a search for unregistered home use wells in the vicinity. DEP’s investigation will establish a soil gas monitoring network to track possible methane migration through the subsurface. The nearest registered oil or gas wells are more than 2,500 feet away from the incident site, however there are two unregistered historic wells in closer proximity to the home.

Residents with home use wells are encouraged to make sure they are registered with DEP to ensure that they are being operated safely. Residents with questions about home use wells or wishing to ensure a well is registered should contact the DEP Office of Oil and Gas Management at 717-772-2199 or by email.