Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published April 26, 2023 10:08 A.M.

(Hopewell Township, PA) Seasonal park recreation employees Isabella Leseiko, Zach Landry, Abbey Andrews, Sage Fox, Abigail Oldham, Ean Maxwell, Corey Obeldobel and Bella Hage were rehired for the summer season and will each be paid $10 an hour. Vicky Dong was approved to volunteer again at Camp Lakewood. New hires for the park are Abigail Magistro, Jordyn Glumac, and Madison Krah. They will also receive $10 an hour. Greg Barilon was promoted by the commissioners to full time grounds assistant supervisor and will earn $16 an hour.

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing ramp improvement work continues at the I-376 (Beaver Valley Expressway) Monaca/Shippingport Route 18 interchange in Potter Township, Beaver County.

The ramp from southbound Route 18 to westbound I-376 has closed to traffic continuously through the evening of Saturday, May 6 for improvement work.

Ramp traffic will be detoured to allow crews from Lindy Paving to conduct milling and paving operations, inlet adjustments, signage improvements, and pavement marking installation.

Posted Detour

Southbound Route 18 to westbound I-376

• Continue on southbound Route 18 past the closed ramp
• Take the ramp for East I-376 toward Pittsburgh
• From eastbound I-376, take the Center (Exit 42) off-ramp
• Turn left onto Pleasant Drive
• Take the ramp for West I-376 toward New Castle/Beaver
• Follow westbound I-376 back to the Monaca/Shippingport interchange
• End detour

PennDOT is not involved in this work and is providing this information as a public service announcement only. For additional information contact Eric Yauger at 724-208-9474.

Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

Harrisburg, PA – Acting Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt reminded Pennsylvanians today they can apply for, complete, and return their mail ballot in-person in one visit to their county board of elections office until 5 p.m. May 9. Ensuring that our elections are conducted freely and fairly, and that every eligible voter can make their voice heard, are top priorities of the Shapiro Administration.

“Voters can ensure their voices are heard by requesting, completing, and returning their mail-in or absentee ballot in a single stop at their county board of elections office,” Schmidt said. “This provides eligible Pennsylvanians with another convenient option for casting their ballot.”

Once a county has finalized and printed absentee and mail-in ballots, voters can go to their county elections office or satellite office and request a mail-in or absentee ballot application. County election officials will first verify the voter’s eligibility, which will include checking proper identification. Election officials will then provide the voter with a ballot, which they can complete and return on the spot.

Voters should read all instructions carefully and follow these steps to ensure their ballot is counted:

• Enclose the mail ballot in the inner security envelope marked “official election ballot” and seal it.
• Seal the inner security envelope in the pre-addressed outer envelope.
• Sign and put the current date on the voter’s declaration on the outer envelope.

Voted mail ballots must be received by a voter’s county board of elections by 8 p.m. May 16, Primary Election Day. To date, more than 660,000 Pennsylvanians have applied for a mail-in ballot and more than 53,000 Pennsylvanians have applied for an absentee ballot to vote in the primary.

In Pennsylvania, voters also have the option of voting in person at their polling place on Primary Day if they have not already submitted a mail ballot. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. May 16.

The deadline to register to vote in the primary is May 1. Pennsylvanians can register to vote and check their registration status online or download and print a registration form and deliver it to their county election board. Applications must be received by the county no later than May 1.

Pennsylvanians wishing to register to vote in the May 16 primary must be:

• a U.S. citizen for at least one month before the primary;
• a resident of Pennsylvania and of the election district in which the person plans to register and vote for at least 30 days before the primary;
• at least 18 years old on or before the primary.

Only voters registered as Democrats or Republicans will select nominees in the primary to represent their party in the Nov. 7 general election. However, all registered voters, regardless of party affiliation, will be able to vote May 16 on any local ballot questions and in special elections in the following districts:

• 108th Legislative District for state representative in parts of Montour and Northumberland counties, and
• 163rd Legislative District for state representative in parts of Delaware County.

For more information on voting and elections, visit vote.pa.gov or call the Department of State’s year-round hotline, 1-877-VOTESPA (1-877-868-3772), which offers information and interpretation services in more than 200 languages.

(Hanover Township, PA) Connect Beaver County is excited to announce that construction has started in Hanover Township. Sixty-five locations previously lacking reliable Internet service will soon be able to access high-speed broadband Internet.

The new broadband service deployment is the result of a multi-year collaborative effort between Beaver County and ISPs that aims to bridge the digital divide and connect all unserved or underserved locations in the county with high-speed Internet.

(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

New officer, new park, new rules…the city of Beaver Falls made the most of Tuesday night looking toward the future of the city.

The evening started with the official swearing-in ceremony of the Beaver Falls Police Department’s newest member, as Mayor Kenya Johns officially welcomed Tyler Ursida to the force. Ursida had his hiring approved by city council at the behest of Chief David Johnson at their previous meeting on April 11, following a stint with the Beaver Area Police Department. He becomes the second new officer for the city in the last 5 months, joining Christina Good who was sworn in last November.

Following the opening ceremony, the council shifted their attention to upcoming Spring and Summer events. Official approval was given by council to hold the Beaver Falls Car Cruise on June 10, following a request for approval by chairman Tom Gargaro. A trio of recommendations to the Safety Committee for upcoming usage of city streets, parks, and playgrounds were also unanimously approved. Simultaneously, the council also approved for “adopting, defining, and establishing regulations for the use of city parks and playgrounds” as well, ensuring that these upcoming events will have a code for citizens to follow.

One of the major events coming up for the city is the official grand opening of Library Park, which is in its final stages of completion. “The lighting is in place now, they just finished the roof on the pergula,” spoke city manager Charles Jones, “we’re looking to put the benches in on Friday, so we’ll be fully functional for Saturday.” The Saturday Jones refers to is Saturday, April 29, when the Library Park will celebrate its grand opening at 4:00 PM, followed by a event hosted by Beaver Falls CORE later in the evening.

Additionally, the city council approved a request by Treasurer Sandy Wilkins to exonerate taxes from the years 2019 through 2022, along with an agreement with the State Attorney General’s office to coordinate with the guidelines for the Task Force Program. Fire Chief Mark Stowe announced that six more buildings were demolished in the city before collapsing, preventing further damage to adjacent buildings. The city approved General Fund expenditures at an amount of $343,713.65.

The next Beaver Falls council meeting is scheduled for May 9 at 7:00 PM.

Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio News Director. Published April 25, 2023 12:02 P.M.   

(Ellwood City, PA)  The Ellwood City Ledger office at 501 Lawrence Avenue in Ellwood City will officially close for good at the end of this month, according to a column by Patrick O’Shea for the Ledger/Times. Ledger staff will move operations to the current site of the Beaver County Times at 400 Corporation Drive in Hopewell Township. O’ Shea stated operating costs of the local office, along with digital functions becoming more prominent led to the decision for the paper to leave downtown Ellwood City, but added that the paper will continue to serve the residents of Ellwood City. The Beaver County Times left their historic location in Bridgewater in 2019.

PITTSBURGH (April 25, 2023) – Allegheny Health Network’s (AHN) Schools of Nursing are seeking applicants to join the next generation of standout nurses.

Applications are being accepted through June 15 for AHN’s two nursing schools: West Penn Hospital School of Nursing in Pittsburgh’s Bloomfield neighborhood, and Citizens School of Nursing in Tarentum.

Both schools offer 22-month registered nurse (RN) programs, with classroom learning and hands-on clinical experiences led by highly qualified faculty members. Small class sizes and one-on-one learning opportunities provide a personalized experience for each student.

The schools’ diploma programs are completed in half the time of a four-year collegiate program. Nursing school tuition is also significantly more affordable than a college-based bachelor’s program.

“AHN’s Schools of Nursing set students up for success from the very beginning,” said Amy Stoker, PhD, RN, director of the West Penn School of Nursing. “Our engaged and caring instructors prioritize relationship-building with each student to ensure they feel comfortable and confident as they pursue their nursing careers.”

Over 90% of graduates who seek employment as entry-level registered nurses will obtain a position in a health care setting within one year of graduation.

“One of the many benefits of attending AHN’s nursing schools is the opportunity to be hired within the network post-graduation, with a highly competitive salary when hired,” said Ruth Tarantine, DNP, director of AHN Schools of Nursing and the Citizens School of Nursing. “The familiarity from clinical experience makes the transition seamless for students who choose to stay in the network to pursue their nursing careers.”

Jacob Tirk, 21, of South Butler, is one of the 25 nurses graduating from the Citizens School of Nursing on May 3, and already has a job secured at AHN’s Allegheny General Hospital (AGH), working in the Cardiothoracic Telemetry unit. He credits his instructors at the Citizens School of Nursing for his remarkable nursing school experience.

“Before attending the Citizens School of Nursing, I heard about how engaging and accessible the instructors were, and I found that to be true during my time there,” shared Tirk. “Their ongoing support was vital to my success and helped prepare me to excel throughout my education. I’m looking forward to applying what I learned to my new career at AGH this spring.”

Daniela O’Neil, 26, is originally from West Palm Beach, Florida, and pursued nursing as her second career. She moved to Pittsburgh to attend the West Penn School of Nursing after living in New York City at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. She’s one of the 40 nurses graduating from the West Penn School of Nursing on May 25.

O’Neil will remain in Pittsburgh after graduation and begin her new job as a NICU nurse at AHN’s West Penn Hospital.

“Nursing school is challenging, but the support provided by the instructors at West Penn School of Nursing allows anyone who wants to become a nurse to succeed in their career,” shared O’Neil.

AHN Schools of Nursing offers types of financial aid such as federal government grants, federal student loans, state grants, scholarships, and private educational loans. On-site housing is available at the West Penn School of Nursing, while the Citizens School of Nursing has free, on-site parking.

AHN is one of just a handful of hospital systems to operate multiple nursing schools. Since the 1970s, as college nursing programs proliferated nationally, hospital-affiliated diploma programs began to close. But the Northeast, and Pennsylvania in particular, maintain a strong tradition of hospital-based education for nurses.

To learn more about the AHN Schools of Nursing, visit https://www.ahn.org/health-care-professionals/education/nursing/schools.

Photo from Bigham Tavern at Bridgewater Facebook Page
 Story by Beaver County Radio News Staff. Published April 25, 2023. 11:13 A.M.   

(Bridgewater, PA) Owners of Bigham Tavern in Mount Washington of Pittsburgh, have announced they are expanding to Beaver County with a location right on the Beaver River in Bridgewater. Bigham Tavern has a sports bar approach at its Mount Washington location, and the same experience is expected in Bridgewater. Pizza, wings, and craft beers are set to be menu items. A summer cocktail menu is also said to be in the works.

The new bar and restaurant will take place of the former Mario’s Dockside site at 1420 Riverside Dr., which moved to the location of the former Thursday’s. The business is currently working on building a staff. They plan to open in June.
A Facebook post made by the business can viewed below:     

Story by Beaver County Radio News Staff. Published April 25, 2023 10:40 A.M.

(Aliquippa, PA) Aliquippa Police Department officers have denied that they unlawfully arrested a 24-year-old Theaughn Lewis, assaulted him while he was in custody and filed false affidavits to justify the arrest after the fact, Pennsylvania Record reports.

According to Pennsylvania Record, Theaughn Lewis of Beaver Falls filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania on Jan. 10 against the Aliquippa Police Department, Officer Bruce A. Tooch Jr. of Coraopolis, Officer Paul Woods and John Doe Officer. The plaintiff is represented by Anthony J. Giannetti of Swartz Culleton, and the defendants are represented by Brian Patrick McLaughlin and Jordan P. Shuber of Dillon McCandless King Coulter & Graham in Butler.

A witness caught most of the arrest on cell phone video and it was posted on social media, which led to discrepancies with the police report filed.  Many actions seen in the video were not accurate to the police report filed.

The initial report filed by Aliquippa Police can be read here:

3 people arrested after brawl with Aliquippa Police in West Aliquippa