Beaver County Radio News Staff. Published April 30, 2024 1:16 P.M.

(New Brighton, Pa) New Brighton Mayor Valerie McElvy wants residents to collaborate and connect. While she is planning many events for New Brighton, the first will be “Take a stroll downtown New Brighton with the Mayor”. The date is Wed., June 12th at 8 am. The location is to be announced. Mayor McElvy said “Downtowns are on the rebound. The value small businesses can bring to communities should never be underestimated.” There will be more details to follow and refreshments are part of the event. There is no charge for the event and all are invited.

Beaver County Radio News Staff. Published April 30, 2024 1:10 P.M.

(Greene Township, Pa) PA State Police in Beaver say they responded to a false report of a burglary in Georgetown earlier this month. Troopers were called to Tomlinson Church Road on April 3rd for a call of a burglary in progress. When Troopers arrived, they say they encountered 33 year old Cody Cox who was allegedly high and not actually being burglarized. Charges have been filed against Cox.

Cheng “Charlie” Saephan holds display check above his head after speaking during a news conference where it was revealed that he was one of the winners of the $1.3 billion Powerball jackpot at the Oregon Lottery headquarters on Monday, April 29, 2024, in Salem, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — One of the winners of a $1.3 billion Powerball jackpot this month is an immigrant from Laos who has had cancer for eight years and had his latest chemotherapy treatment last week.

Cheng “Charlie” Saephan, 46, of Portland, told a news conference held by the Oregon Lottery on Monday that he and his 37-year-old wife, Duanpen, are taking half the money, and the rest is going to a friend, Laiza Chao, 55, of the Portland suburb of Milwaukie. Chao had chipped in $100 to buy a batch of tickets with them. They are taking a lump sum payment, $422 million after taxes.

“I will be able to provide for my family and my health,” he said, adding that he’d “find a good doctor for myself.”

Saephan, who has two young children, said that as a cancer patient, he wondered, “How am I going to have time to spend all of this money? How long will I live?”

After they bought the shared tickets, Chao sent a photo of the tickets to Saephan and said, “We’re billionaires.” It was a joke before the actual drawing, he said, but the next day they won.

Chao, 55, was on her way to work when Saephan called her with the news: “You don’t have to go anymore,” he said.

Saephan said he was born in Laos and moved to Thailand in 1987, before immigrating to the U.S. in 1994. He wore a sash at the news conference identifying himself as Iu Mien, a southeast Asian ethnic group with roots in southern China. Many Iu Mein were subsistence farmers and assisted American forces during the Vietnam war; after the conflict, thousands of Iu Mien families fled to Thailand to avoid retribution and eventually settled in the U.S.

Tens of thousands of Iu Mien people live along the West Coast, with a sizeable and active community in Portland.

Saephan graduated from high school in 1996 and has lived in Portland for 30 years. He worked as a machinist for an aerospace company.

In the weeks leading up to the drawing, he wrote out numbers for the game on a piece of paper and slept with it under his pillow, he said. He prayed that he would win, saying, “I need some help — I don’t want to die yet unless I have done something for my family first.”

The winning Powerball ticket was sold in early April at a Plaid Pantry convenience store in Portland, ending a winless streak that had stretched more than three months. The Oregon Lottery said it had to go through a security and vetting process before announcing the identity of the person who came forward to claim the prize.

Under Oregon law, with few exceptions, lottery players cannot remain anonymous. Winners have a year to claim the top prize.

The jackpot had a cash value of $621 million before taxes if the winner chose to take a lump sum rather than an annuity paid over 30 years, with an immediate payout followed by 29 annual installments. The prize is subject to federal taxes and state taxes in Oregon.

The $1.3 billion prize is the fourth largest Powerball jackpot in history, and the eighth largest among U.S. jackpot games, according to the Oregon Lottery.

The biggest U.S. lottery jackpot won was $2.04 billion in California in 2022.

This image provided by Walmart shows products from the store’s new Bettergoods label. Walmart said Tuesday it is launching its biggest store-label food brand in 20 years in terms of its breadth of items, as it seeks to appeal to younger customers who are not brand loyal and want chef-inspired foods that are more affordably priced. (Walmart via AP)

NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart is launching the U.S. retailer’s biggest store-label food brand in 20 years in terms of the breadth of items, seeking to appeal to younger customers who are not loyal to grocery brands and want chef-inspired foods that are more affordably priced.

The brand, called Bettergoods, is just hitting Walmart stores and the company’s online shopping site. Walmart said Tuesday it expects to have 300 products in the line by the fall, including frozen foods, dairy items, snacks, beverages, pastas, soups, coffee and chocolate. The prices range from under $2 to under $15, with most products costing under $5.

The Bettergoods line is divided into three categories: plant-based options like desserts made with oat milk and non-dairy cheeses; products catering to other dietary lifestyles, such as gluten-free, or made without artificial flavors, colorings or added sugars; and “culinary experiences.” The last category features items like creamy corn jalapeno chowder and pasta from Italy.

The launch from the country’s largest retailer comes as inflation has driven shoppers to seek less-expensive alternatives, lifting the popularity of private-label brands. Private brands accounted for nearly 26% of the overall market share in the number of units in the food and beverage category sold last year, up from 24.7% during the previous year, according to market research firm Circana. That compares with 74.5% for national name brands last year, down from 75.3% in 2022.

For so-called core pantry items, including breakfast meats, baking items, fresh bread and salty snacks, private brands accounted for 36.6% of market share in dollars in 2023, up from 36.2% in 2019. That compares with national brands, which accounted for 63.4% last year. That’s down from 63.8%, according to Circana.

But these store brands are becoming tastier and higher quality, mirroring national brands. Walmart’s rivals, including Target, have been growing and sprucing up their own labels. Target’s Good & Gather food and beverage brand, launched in 2019, has expanded to include dishes such as chicken tikka masala.

Many grocery retailers face increasing competition from Trader Joe’s, which offers shoppers a treasure hunt experience with its variety of high-quality meals, ingredients and snacks.

Bettergoods joins Walmart’s other store label food brands, including Great Value and Equate, that provide lower-priced alternatives to national brand products. In contrast, many of Bettergoods products are designed to be unique to Walmart while introducing its customers to new trends and flavors, the retailer said.

”As an industry, we’re seeing younger customers be more brand agnostic, prioritizing quality and value, and driving increased interest in private brands,” Scott Morris, Walmart’s senior vice president of private brands, food and consumables, said.

FILE – Norfolk Southern locomotives are moved through the Conway Terminal in Conway, Pa., June 17, 2023. The activist investors trying to take control of Norfolk Southern’s board are picking up key support, but the railroad’s CEO promised Monday, April 29, 2024, to continue fighting until the May 9 vote because he believes his strategy is the best in the long run for investors, customers and workers. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

The activist investors trying to take control of Norfolk Southern are picking up key support. But the railroad’s CEO promised Monday to fight the takeover attempt because he believes his strategy is the best in the long run. Ancora Holdings’ bid has gained the backing of one of the major proxy advisory firms, one of the railroad’s biggest customers and two of its largest labor unions. The main issue is whether CEO Alan Shaw’s strategy of keeping additional resources on hand during a downturn and his investments in safety are the best course for the railroad. Norfolk Southern that has been in the spotlight ever since its fiery 2023 Ohio derailment. Ancora argues a dramatic overhaul is needed to bring Norfolk Southern’s profits in line with its peers.

Harrisburg, PA – Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Secretary Nancy A. Walker today announced a new Shapiro Administration initiative to make the process of applying for Unemployment Compensation (UC) benefits even more accessible to Pennsylvanians who have lost a job through no fault of their own.

 

Pennsylvania’s system for filing UC claims uses numerous fraud-detection measures, including virtual identity verification vendor ID.me to verify the identities of all new UC applicants. With grant funding from the U.S. Department of Labor, L&I has installed kiosks at 17 PA CareerLink® locations and 29 UPS locations throughout the Commonwealth to help Pennsylvanians navigate the ID.me process. By July, ID.me kiosks will be available in all PA CareerLink® locations.

 

“These kiosks are a lifeline for folks who don’t have internet access or who need a little extra help navigating online systems,” Secretary Walker said. “This is another way the Department is making identity verification accessible for underserved populations — or for someone who simply wants in-person assistance.”

 

The new kiosks are designed to enhance and improve the accessibility of the identity verification process, which claimants can still complete from their home computer or mobile phone should they choose to do so. For most claimants, the self-service identity verification options take fewer than 10 minutes to complete.

 

The kiosks are free to use and require no appointment. The kiosks allow claimants to bring physical documents to the location and skip the step of scanning a photo. For individuals who share a phone with others, the kiosks make the process of verification much easier.

 

All locations with kiosks have trained personnel on site who know how to help a claimant navigate the ID.me verification process.

UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION
When he took office, Governor Josh Shapiro promised to make overhauling the UC system a priority and directed L&I to focus first on resolution of the pandemic-era backlog – a workload of 40,000 remaining claims filed between March 2020 and November 2021 that each required individual examination and adjudication. Under Secretary Walker’s leadership, the entire backlog was eliminated within seven months.

With bipartisan support in the 2023-24 budget, L&I leveraged the Service Improvement and Infrastructure Fund (SIIF) to hire more than 380 additional UC interviewers to staff service centers and answer calls since January 2023. The impact of that investment is clear: wait times for phone assistance have decreased dramatically, and Pennsylvanians are once again receiving the efficient, timely customer service they deserve.

L&I distributed more than $1.7 billion in UC benefits in 2023 to about 326,000 Pennsylvanians – all of whom experienced the loss of a job or work hours through no fault of their own. 

In March 2024, L&I received 40,390 claims and distributed UC benefits totaling $192,068,334 to 116,447 eligible claimants.

In March, L&I served:

• 93,335 individuals through the UC helpline at 888-313-7284;
• 4,365 individuals through the UC Live Chat service;
• 16,690 individuals through email.

Since May 2023, UC staff have been answering most emails within 24 hours. 

Through the Department’s UC Connect program offering in-person customer service at PA CareerLink^® locations, L&I served 2,394 individuals in March for a total of 73,117 since the program’s launch in May 2022.

L&I reminds UC claimants of their responsibility to file weekly benefit certifications online or by using the Department’s touch tone telephone service, called PAT, at 888-255-4728 (en Español, 877-888-8104).

CANONSBURG, Pa. – As part of its commitment to provide safe and reliable gas service to its customers, Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania will be starting a major pipeline replacement project along a portion of Coraopolis Road (Route 51) west of Herbst Road.

Columbia Gas is replacing nearly 3,700 feet of underground pipe along Coraopolis Road. Work is expected to begin April 29, weather permitting, and take place Mondays through Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The project is expected to be completed by early Fall.

Portions of Coraopolis Road (Route 51) will be closed west of Herbst Road during the project, so motorists should follow posted signs and expect delays when traveling through the area. Residents and emergency responders will have access to the closed section of road as necessary.

Motorists that encounter Columbia Gas work crews on the road can follow these simple tips to ensure their safety and the safety of road crews:

• Expect the unexpected – Normal speed limits may be reduced, traffic lanes may change, and people may be working on or near the road.
• Slow down – Speeding is one of the major causes of work zone crashes.
• Keep your distance – Keep a safe distance between you and the car ahead of you and don’t tailgate.
• Pay attention to the signs – Observe the posted signs until you see the one that says you’ve left the work zone.
• Obey road crew flaggers – A flagger has the same authority as a regulatory sign, so you can be cited for disobeying his or her directions.
• Stay alert and minimize distractions – Dedicate your full attention to the roadway and avoid changing radio stations or using cell phones while driving.

 

For more information about Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania’s focus on work zone safety, please visit www.ColumbiaGasPa.com/safety.

United Way of Beaver County (UWBC) and Vistra Corp. (Beaver Valley Nuclear Power Plant) are thrilled to announce a $25,000 Matching Grant from Vistra for the final phase of the 2023/2024 UWBC Annual Campaign, ending on May 31, 2024. Until then, all contributions to UWBC’s Annual Campaign will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $25,000, courtesy of Vistra.

Mary Lou Harju, Executive Director of UWBC, stated, “This year has presented financial challenges for our community, impacting contributions to our Annual Campaign. Workplace campaigns, corporate contributions, and individual giving have declined, jeopardizing funding for essential programs. We’re determined to support our agencies, and this matching grant from Vistra is crucial.”

Harju reached out to local companies, including Vistra, to bridge the gap toward UWBC’s $1.1 million goal for the 2023/2024 Campaign. Jim Graf, Vistra Community Affairs Team Member and UWBC Board Member, facilitated the $25,000 contribution. “We’re close to our target, but not quite there. Vistra’s generous support brings us closer to our goal,” added Harju.

“We’re grateful to Vistra and other Beaver County companies for their generosity during this campaign year,” Harju continued. Their support strengthens our community. We’re also thankful for the compassion of individual donors.

Together, we’re making a difference.”

Gas prices are a penny cheaper in Western Pennsylvania this week at $3.845 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average                         $3.845
Average price during the week of April 22, 2024                                              $3.852
Average price during the week of May 1, 2023                                                 $3.790

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

$3.819      Altoona
$3.892      Beaver
$3.898      Bradford
$3.764      Brookville
$3.846      Butler
$3.768      Clarion
$3.809      DuBois
$3.868      Erie
$3.780      Greensburg
$3.888      Indiana
$3.879      Jeannette
$3.865      Kittanning
$3.885      Latrobe
$3.865      Meadville
$3.918      Mercer
$3.767      New Castle
$3.703      New Kensington
$3.891      Oil City
$3.867      Pittsburgh
$3.831      Sharon
$3.894      Uniontown
$3.899      Warren
$3.848      Washington

Trend Analysis:
As domestic gasoline demand and the cost of oil remained steady over the past week, the national average is now two cents lower at $3.65. Today’s national average is 12 cents higher than a month ago and four cents higher than a year ago.

According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gas demand fell from 8.66 to 8.42 million barrels per day last week. Meanwhile, total domestic gasoline stocks decreased by .6 million barrels to 226.7 million barrels.

At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, West Texas Intermediate decreased by 55 cents to settle at $82.81. Oil prices dipped despite the EIA reporting crude oil inventories fell by 6.4 million barrels from the previous week. At 454 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are 4% below the five-year average for this time of year.

FILE – The Ford logo is seen on the grill of a Ford Explorer on display at the Pittsburgh International Auto Show in Pittsburgh, on Feb. 15, 2024. Two fatal crashes involving Ford’s Blue Cruise partially automated driving system have drawn the attention of U.S. auto safety regulators. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

DETROIT (AP) — Two fatal crashes involving Ford’s Blue Cruise partially automated driving system have drawn the attention of U.S. auto safety regulators.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation of the crashes, both involving Mustang Mach-E electric vehicles on freeways in nighttime lighting conditions, the agency said in documents Monday.

The agency’s initial investigation of the crashes, which killed three people, determined that Blue Cruise was in use just before the collisions.

One of the crashes occurred in February in San Antonio, Texas, killing one person, while the other happened in Philadelphia in March in which two people died.

The agency says the investigation will evaluate how Blue Cruise performs driving tasks as well as its camera based driver monitoring system.

Ford said Monday it is working with NHTSA to support the investigation.

The National Transportation Safety Board, which already is investigating the Feb. 24 San Antonio crash, determined in a preliminary report that it was operating on Blue Cruise.

The NTSB can only make recommendations, but NHTSA has the authority to take action including seeking recalls for safety issues.

Ford says on its website that its driving systems do not replace human drivers, who have to be ready to take control at any time.

The Texas crash occurred on Interstate 10 in San Antonio. The NTSB report says the Mach E struck the rear of a 1999 Honda CR-V that was stopped in the middle of three lanes around 9:50 p.m. The 56-year-old driver of the CR-V was killed.

Another driver who was able to avoid the CR-V told investigators that neither its tail nor hazard lights were working at the time.

The NTSB said it intends to issue safety recommendations to prevent similar crashes. It has said it opened the probe due to continued interest in advanced driver assistance systems and how vehicle operators interact with the new technology.

The other crash involving a Mach E killed two people around 3:20 a.m. March 3 in the northbound lanes of Interstate 95 in Philadelphia.

The Pennsylvania State Police said Thursday that a Mach E was in the left lane when it struck a stationary Hyundai Elantra that earlier had collided with a Toyota Prius.

The Mach E hit the Hyundai, pushing it into the rear of the Prius. During the crash, the driver of the Prius, who was outside of his vehicle, also was struck and thrown into the southbound lanes, the release said.

A police spokeswoman said a person from the Hyundai also was on the roadway and was hit. Both victims, males ages 21 and 20, were pronounced dead at the scene.

A police news release on the crash says a criminal investigation is underway and a charge of homicide by motor vehicle while driving under the influence is possible against the 23-year-old woman driving the Mach E.

Ford’s Blue Cruise system allows drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel while it handles steering, braking and acceleration on highways. The company says the system isn’t fully autonomous and it monitors drivers to make sure they pay attention to the road. It operates on 97% of controlled access highways in the U.S. and Canada, Ford says.

There are no fully autonomous vehicles for sale to the public in the U.S.

Both NHTSA and the NTSB have investigated multiple previous crashes involving partially automated driving systems.

Last week NHTSA began investigating whether Tesla’s fix for a December recall involving more than 2 million vehicles equipped with the company’s Autopilot automated system took care of the problem. The recall was done because the driver monitoring system was inadequate and posed a safety risk.

NHTSA said it ultimately found 467 crashes involving Autopilot resulting in 54 injuries and 14 deaths.