A scam is going around in the form of a text telling people they owe money for trips on the Pennsylvania turnpike or on the road in general. One text read “to prevent further fees totaling $106, please settle the due amount of $106.” It also gives a website to pay the funds, but a Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission spokesman confirmed that the website is fake and asks for credit card information for identity theft. This problem is called smishing, which is coined by the FBI for hackers to use phishing scams with secret message service. Smishing started in March when residents in Illinois began receiving the texts, supposedly from the Illinois Tollway and various phone numbers were given out to scammers claiming to act as the specific state toll for people that view the text. If you see these texts or see emails that ask for personal information, do not answer them and delete them.

PennDOT replied to recent social media posts that claimed that Pennsylvania is removing state inspection requirements. They confirmed that legislation has not eliminated annual state safety inspections and emissions testing. The state of Texas recently passed a law that forbids these requirements, but PennDOT has responded that this change will not affect Pennsylvania.

The Beaver Falls Fire Department has received a grant that will keep their first responders safe. According to local representatives, the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) awarded $187,428.57 to the department for equipment, head-to-toe protective gear, emergency vehicles, training and other resources. The department also released that they will also have to supply equal to or more than 5% of non-federal funds given to them by the grant.

The crisis of mental health is still affecting both children and teens across the country, and a free option is available for mental help during back-to-school season. A new poll from the American Psychiatric Association Foundation shows 84% of Americans believe school staff can play a crucial role in identifying signs of mental health issues in students. However, the executive director of the APA Foundation, Rawle Andrews Jr., found that only less than half of school staff are getting training to fight mental health. The program that the APA Foundation is providing is called Notice. Talk. Act. At School. This goes in three phases, noticing peculiar signs and symptoms, talking through active listening, and acting by implementing resources to help. This program is not in Pennsylvania schools as of yet, but it is funded by a federal grant and available at no cost to schools, staff, and parents.

The medical nonprofit Vitalant are looking for blood donors as they will be holding three separate blood drives here in Beaver County this month. They are specifically needing type O blood, but all types are still urged to donate as well. Those who participate will receive a $10 gift card and will be entered into a raffle that will give two winners a stake of $10,000 as part of their Grocery Giveaway. The blood drives will be on Saturday, August 17 at 908 Market Street in Bridgewater from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday August 19, at 3590 Darlington Road, Darlington Township from 1-7 p.m., and Thursday, August 29 at the Beaver Valley Mall in Monaca from 12-6 p.m. Donors can also schedule appointments on the Vitalant website, through their group’s app, or by calling 877-258-4825.

Middletown, PA – A Pennsylvania Lottery retailer in Allegheny County sold a jackpot-winning Powerball® ticket worth $213.8 million for the Monday, August 12 drawing.

The ticket matched all five white balls drawn, 9-22-57-67-68, and the red Powerball 14, to win a jackpot worth an estimated annuity value of $213.8 million, or $106.4 million cash, less applicable withholding.

Quick Pizza and Hoagies, 3565 Harts Run Road, Pittsburgh, will earn a $100,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.

“The Pennsylvania Lottery congratulates the lucky winner and our retailer, Quick Pizza and Hoagies, for selling this big Powerball jackpot-winning ticket,” said Pennsylvania Lottery Executive Director Drew Svitko. “Thanks to our loyal players and our network of nearly 10,000 retailers across Pennsylvania, the PA Lottery is able to continue generating proceeds to pay for life-sustaining programs and services our senior population relies upon.”

Monday night’s drawing marked the sixth time the Powerball® jackpot has been won this year. The Powerball® jackpot had been rolling since July 3, 2024, when the last jackpot worth $139.3 million was won in Ohio. In Pennsylvania, this recent jackpot run generated more than $16.6 million in sales, creating a profit of $6.6 million to benefit older Pennsylvanians.

This is the 20th Powerball® jackpot won in Pennsylvania since the game debuted in 1992.

The last time the Powerball® jackpot was won in Pennsylvania was back in August of 2022 when a $206.9 million jackpot-winning ticket was sold in Westmoreland County.

Winners are not known until prizes are claimed and tickets are validated. Pennsylvania Lottery Powerball® winners have one year from the drawing date to claim prizes. Winning tickets purchased at a Lottery retailer should immediately be signed on the back. Online winnings automatically appear in a player’s account after the claim has been processed. Players may visit palottery.com for more information about how to file a claim.

More than 22,200 other PA Lottery Powerball® tickets won prizes of various amounts in the Monday drawing, including more than 4,400 purchased with Power Play® and more than 2,700 tickets purchased with Double Play®. Players should check every ticket, every time.

The Powerball® jackpot reset to an estimated annuity value of $20 million, or $10 million cash, for the next drawing on Wednesday, August 14.

Pennsylvania Lottery players have options to purchase their Powerball® tickets online or by visiting a retailer. Players can find lottery-selling locations closest to them by visiting the Find a Retailer section of the Lottery’s website.

About Us: The Pennsylvania Lottery remains the only state lottery to direct all proceeds to programs that benefit older residents. Since ticket sales began in 1972, it has contributed more than $35.1 billion to fund property tax and rent rebates, transportation, care services, prescription assistance, and local services including senior centers and meals. The Pennsylvania Lottery operates as a bureau within the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue.

Visit the Winners and Benefits pages at palottery.com to review how much money each county receives in Lottery prizes and funding to benefit older Pennsylvanians.

Players must be 18 or older. Please play responsibly. Call 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) for help with a compulsive gambling problem.

Visit palottery.com for winning numbers, rules, chances of winning, and to join the VIP Players Club to play online or enter for second chances to win. Install our Official App, like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn. Use the hashtag #palottery to share your messages with us.

Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published August 13, 2024 9:29 A.M.

(Aliquippa, Pa) Aliquippa has announced that a produce cart will be available for residents to obtain fresh fruits and vegetables. The schedule for the cart is on Wednesdays, August 14, 12-2pm, August 28, 12-2 pm. September 11, 12-2pm, September 25, 12-2pm. October 9, 12-2 pm, and the last one is scheduled for October  23, 2024 from 12- 2pm.

As summer comes to an end, back to school season is under way in Beaver County. As your students get their supplies ready, the first days of school this year go from August 21 to September 3. The following days are when classes begin in these Beaver County schools.

August 21: Blackhawk, Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School, Midland Innovation and Technology Charter School, Moon Area, West Allegheny

August 22: Aliquippa, Ambridge Area, Beaver Area, Big Beaver Falls Area, Cornell Area, Hopewell Area, New Brighton Area

August 26: Central Valley, Freedom Area

August 27: Beaver County Christian School, Rochester Area, South Side Area, Western Beaver

August 28: Midland Borough, Riverside Area

August 29: Sewickley Academy

September 3: Ellwood City Area

For Our Lady of Sacred Heart (OLSH), first day of school for freshmen is on August 21, and all other OLSH students report to their first day of school on August 22.

For Quaker Valley, grades kindergarten through 9th grade have their first day on August 21 and grades 10-12 report to their first day of school on August 22.

After transferring from Central Catholic, and then to Lincoln Park, Western Beaver sophomore star quarterback Jaivin Peel has been deemed eligible to play in the 2024 WPIAL high school football season by the WPIAL board Monday afternoon. Peel had to transfer because of transportation despite participating in Western Beaver’s heat acclimation workouts. Peel last season broke the all-time WPIAL freshman passing record throwing for over 2,800 yards and 33 touchdowns.

Gas prices are on the rise in western Pennsylvania.

According to AAA, gas prices are 4 cents higher than they were last week, with an average price of $3.759 per gallon.

During the same week last year, gas prices averaged $3.893 per gallon. Here in Beaver County, gas is at $3.826 per gallon.