Category: News

New Pennsylvania law mandates defibrillators at all PIAA sporting events and CPR training for school sports

(Caption for Photo: The Millcreek Township School District in Erie County received 10 automated external defibrillators in 2025 to place at each of the district’s buildings. The cost was covered by AEDGrant.com and LECOM Health. Credit for Photo: Photo Courtesy of Millcreek Education Foundation)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) Pennsylvania schools will be required to ensure defibrillators are available at all Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association sporting events and to develop emergency response plans for cardiac arrests under new statewide safety requirements.

Governor Josh Shapiro signed the measure Wednesday. The law is named for a Monroe County teenager who suffered cardiac arrest and died during a high school basketball game more than 25 years ago.

Following his death, his mother has advocated for expanded access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in schools and public gathering spaces.

The legislation, sponsored by state Sen. Rosemary Brown, requires AEDs at all PIAA-sanctioned competitions and practices. It also mandates that schools develop cardiac emergency response plans and conduct annual drills.

Superstar country singer Lainey Wilson marries former Steelers quarterback Devlin “Duck” Hodges

(Caption for Photo: (L-R) Duck Hodges and Lainey Wilson attend the Lainey Wilson: Keepin’ Country Cool SXSW Premiere on March 17, 2026 in Austin, Texas.(Photo Credit: Robin Marchant)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Dickson, TN) Country music star Lainey Wilson and former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Devlin “Duck” Hodges tied the knot in Tennessee over the weekend.

The couple announced the news in a joint Instagram post Thursday, sharing 20 photos from the ceremony with the caption: “we’re hitched!”

The wedding took place Sunday at Ruskin Cave in Dickson, Tennessee, according to Vogue.

Wilson and Hodges, who became engaged in February 2025, made their public debut as a couple at the 2023 ACM Awards. Earlier, romance rumors circulated after Wilson was seen wearing a Hodges jersey while in Pittsburgh during Luke Combs’ world tour. In a past interview, Wilson said the couple kept their relationship private for about two and a half years before going public.

Hodges became a fan favorite in Pittsburgh during the 2019 season after injuries to Ben Roethlisberger and Mason Rudolph opened the door for playing time.

Known for his quirky nickname and viral popularity, Hodges inspired memes and merchandise during his brief NFL run. The Pittsburgh Steelers released him in 2020, and he did not appear in another NFL game. He announced his retirement in 2022.

Wilson has earned her spot as a country music superstar, winning nine Country Music Association Awards. She also won its top honor of Entertainer of the Year in 2023 and 2025. Her accolades also include a 2025 Grammy Award and sixteen Academy of Country Music Awards.

2 Pittsburgh-area lawmakers among 20 lawmakers threatened through social media by Lebanon man

(File Photo: Caption for Photo: police car lights at night in city with selective focus and bokeh background blur, Credit for Photo: Courtesy of Getty Images/iStockphoto/z1b)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Lebanon County, PA) Court documents say two Pittsburgh-area lawmakers were among those named on an alleged online hit list.

According to police, Lindsey Williams and Emily Kinkead were identified in posts allegedly made by Adam George Berryhill of Lebanon.

Berryhill was scheduled to appear in court Thursday morning, but his preliminary hearing was waived. He is now expected to be arraigned next month.

Video from the Lebanon County Courthouse showed Berryhill wearing a red jumpsuit and handcuffs as he entered the courthouse.

According to Pennsylvania State Police, Berryhill directly named about 20 Democratic lawmakers in posts on his X account.

Investigators said the posts referenced shootings and mentioned a possible Memorial Day operation.

Spotlight PA reported that state police acknowledged failing to notify lawmakers about the alleged threats and said the agency plans to improve its notification process.

Berryhill was arrested on May 6th. 

Pennsylvania State Police are also creating a new political violence threat unit within the Bureau of Criminal Investigation to address issues like this one.

New Castle Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl, Heroin, and Cocaine Trafficking

(File Photo of a Gavel)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) A New Castle man pleaded guilty in federal court to trafficking fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, according to U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti. 

Melvin Dorsey-Pace, 33, entered the plea before Chief U.S. District Judge Cathy Bissoon. 

Federal prosecutors said Dorsey-Pace possessed with intent to distribute mixtures containing fentanyl and heroin, as well as fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, on Feb. 12, 2025. 

Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for Sept. 9, 2026. 

Dorsey-Pace faces a maximum sentence of up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $2 million, or both. 

Twelve-year-old boy chases suspect in Aliquippa Dollar Tree who stole his mother’s wallet

(File Photo of a City of Aliquippa Police Department Car)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Aliquippa, PA) A mother says her 12-year-old son chased down a masked man who stole her wallet outside a store in Aliquippa. 

Dispatchers confirmed police responded to the Dollar Tree along Brodhead Road on Thursday afternoon for a reported robbery. 

The victim told WPXI-TV the suspect ran from the scene after taking her wallet, but her son chased after him. 

According to the boy, the suspect got into a vehicle and drove away. He said he was able to provide police with a license plate number. 

The victim also said a Dollar Tree clerk told her the suspect had pulled a knife on her moments earlier inside the store. 

Aliquippa Police Department confirmed the incident remains under investigation. 

Ellwood City man charged after hitting a deer with his vehicle in Allegheny County

(File Photo of a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Car)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Franklin Park Borough, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Pittsburgh reported Friday that a 23-year-old Ellwood City man was charged with a summary traffic violation following a single-vehicle crash last month. 

Police said Douglas Balin Jr. was driving north on Interstate 79 in Franklin Park Borough around 9:52 a.m. on April 25 when his vehicle struck a deer that entered the roadway. 

No injuries were reported. 

Clinton man hits a deer with his vehicle in Findlay Township

(File Photo of a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Car)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Findlay Township, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Pittsburgh reported Friday that a 24-year-old man from Clinton crashed his vehicle in Findlay Township on May 7. 

Police said Dominic Marino was traveling east on Interstate 376 around 1:36 p.m. when his vehicle struck a deer in the roadway. 

No injuries were reported. 

Pittsburgh man charged for rear-ending vehicle in Ohio Township

(File Photo of a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Cars)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Ohio Township, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Pittsburgh reported Friday that a 63-year-old Pittsburgh man was charged following a crash Tuesday in Ohio Township.

Police said Joseph Yunker was driving north on Interstate 279 around 4:22 p.m. when he rear-ended a vehicle driven by 44-year-old Allison Vovk of Wexford.

Both drivers suffered injuries of unknown severity. Yunker was transported to UPMC Mercy Hospital for treatment.

Steelers 2026 schedule released

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt is introduced prior to an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) The full 2026 National Football League schedule was released Thursday night. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers will once again face their AFC North rivals — the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns — twice each during the regular season. 

Other notable games for the Steelers include a road matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles and an international game in Paris against the New Orleans Saints on Oct. 25. The Saints will serve as the designated home team for the game. The Steelers’ schedule for the preseason and the 2026 regular season is as follows:

PRESEASON 

WEEK 1 – Aug. 13 vs. Green Bay Packers 7 p.m. 

WEEK 2 – Aug. 21 vs. New York Jets 7 p.m. 

WEEK 3 – Aug. 27 at Buffalo Bills 7 p.m. 

REGULAR SEASON 

WEEK 1 – Sept. 13 vs. Atlanta Falcons 1 p.m. 

WEEK 2 – Sept. 20 at New England Patriots 1 p.m. 

WEEK 3 – Sept. 27 vs. Cincinnati Bengals 1 p.m. 

WEEK 4 – Oct. 1 at Cleveland Browns (Thursday) 8:15 p.m. 

WEEK 5 – Oct. 11 vs. Indianapolis Colts 1 p.m. 

WEEK 6 – Oct. 18 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1 p.m. 

WEEK 7 – Oct. 25 vs. New Orleans Saints (Paris) 9:30 a.m. 

WEEK 8 – Nov. 1 vs. Cleveland Browns 1 p.m. 

WEEK 9 – BYE 

WEEK 10 – Nov. 15 at Cincinnati Bengals 8:20 p.m. 

WEEK 11 – Nov. 22 at Philadelphia Eagles 4:25 p.m. 

WEEK 12 – Nov. 27 vs. Denver Broncos (Friday) 3 p.m. 

WEEK 13 – Dec. 6 vs. Houston Texans 8:20 p.m. 

WEEK 14 – Dec. 14 at Jacksonville Jaguars (Monday) 8:15 p.m. 

WEEK 15 – Dec. 20 vs. Baltimore Ravens 1 p.m. 

WEEK 16 – vs. Carolina Panthers (TBD) 

WEEK 17 – Jan. 3 at Tennessee Titans 1 p.m. 

WEEK 18 – at Baltimore Ravens (TBD) 

Over 145,000 Pennsylvanians cancel Affordable Care Act coverage amid monthly cost spikes

(Credit for Photo: Photo of the Pennie Logo Provided with Release Courtesy of the Pennsylvania Insurance Department)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) More than 145,000 Pennsylvanians have dropped Affordable Care Act coverage in recent months after premiums increased sharply, marking a steady decline in enrollment that state officials say could continue into 2026.

About 60,000 of those residents have left the state’s health insurance marketplace, known as Pennie, since the close of open enrollment on January 31, according to state data through April.

Pennie officials said the decline was expected after Congress declined to extend federal tax credits that had reduced monthly premium costs for many enrollees.

The expiration of those credits caused premiums to more than double on average, with even steeper increases in some parts of the state.

State estimates suggest as many as 150,000 Pennsylvanians could ultimately lose health coverage as a result of the changes.