Category: News

Representative Roman Kozak responds to the passing of the $50.1 billion Pennsylvania state budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year

(File Photo of Representative Roman Kozak)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) State Representative Roman Kozak recently spoke on the Pennsylvania state budget finally being passed yesterday after just over four months. This budget is for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and is worth $50.1 billion, and it was passed 135 days late. The initial deadline for it was June 30th, 2025. Kozak stated yesterday: “As a first-year legislator to see the process unfold the way that it did, this budget vote today had a lot of really good things in it and also had some things in it that I’m really concerned about.” Kozak thinks that the budget was worth too much money. However, Kozak stated that people are going to see the growth of the economy through some of the measures passed through the Pennsylvania state budget, like the greenhouse gas initiative which expands energy and shows the importance of consumer costs. Another advantage that Kozak saw through the budget was benefit integrity. Kozak concluded his statements yesterday by saying: “We have to look forward into the years ahead and make sure that we are growing this economy in Pennsylvania, making sure that we pass policies that will continue to do so, and be really mindful so that we don’t have to raise taxes or cut services in the years ahead.”

Former NFL player Antonio Brown released from Miami jail to await attempted murder trial

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Former NFL star wide receiver Antonio Brown, left, greets his attorney Mark Russell Eiglarsh, right, after being released from the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

MIAMI (AP) — Former NFL star wide receiver Antonio Brown walked out of a Miami jail on Thursday, released on $25,000 bail after pleading not guilty to a second-degree attempted murder charge.

Brown, 37, embraced attorney Mark Eiglarsh outside the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami. He held a bag of belongings as they walked to a nearby food truck, where Brown got a drink, and then they left in the lawyer’s vehicle.

Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer ordered Brown to wear a GPS ankle monitor as he awaits his trial. He faces a potential 15-year prison sentence and a fine up to $10,000 if convicted.

Prosecutors had sought pretrial detention, contending Brown is a high-paid former professional athlete with resources to flee. Eiglarsh told the judge Wednesday that Brown, who no longer has a passport, would return to his home in Broward County, Florida, while the case proceeds.

Brown is accused of grabbing a handgun from a security staffer after a celebrity boxing match in Miami on May 16 and firing two shots at a man he had gotten into a fistfight with earlier, according to an arrest warrant. Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu told investigators that one of the bullets grazed his neck.

Brown’s attorney said Wednesday that the affidavit is mistaken — Brown actually used his personal firearm, and the shots were not aimed at anyone.

Brown spent 12 years in the NFL and was an All-Pro wide receiver who last played in 2021 for Tampa Bay. He spent much of his career with Pittsburgh. For his career, Brown had 928 receptions for more than 12,000 yards and 88 total touchdowns, counting punt returns and one pass.

Fire occurs inside of a shed in Beaver

(Photo Courtesy of Gavin Thunberg)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver, PA) The Brighton Township Volutneer Fire Department and their first alarm went to a residence on Grandvue Drive in Beaver just before 4 p.m. on Tuesday because of a shed that caught on fire. The fire inside the shed was handled very quickly after using tank water. The Brighton Township Police Department also assisted the three local fire departments of the Brighton Township Volunteer Fire Department’s first alarm at the scene and the mutual aid companies were returned shortly after the incident occurred.

Beaver County athletes commit to colleges during the 2025 signing period

(File Photo of the Beaver County Radio Sports Report Background)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver County, PA) Yesterday was when the signing period was for most of the sports in NCAA Division I and Division II as some Beaver County athletes committed to their respective colleges to play certain sports. On November 19th, 2025, the early period signing for NCAA Division I basketball players closes, while the regular period for those players opens on April 15th, 2026. On Decmber 3rd, 2025, the early period opens for Division I football players and closes on December 5th, 2025, with the resuming of this period occurring on February 4th, 2026. According to the Beaver County Times, here are some Beaver County athletes that have already signed the pen and paper to commit to college athletics and which colleges that they will be playing their respective sports, along with their repesctive sports that they will be playing during their college careers:

Blackhawk

Carter Davis, Pittsburgh, baseball

Aubree Hupp, Canisius, women’s basketball

Central Valley

Nathan Angelo, University of Charleston, WV, baseball

Aubrey Grater, women’s soccer, Slippery Rock University

Jacob Hunter, baseball, Seton Hill University

Ellwood City

Aaron Lake, Pittsburgh, baseball

Jordan Keller, Fairmont State, baseball

Amber McQuistion, Slippery Rock, softball

Lincoln Park

Josh Pratt, Columbia, men’s basketball

Moon Area

Lillian Barr, Penn West California, flag football

Quinn Arnold, Westminster College, women’s soccer

Andrew Cross, Penn State, baseball

Ainslie Romasco, SUNY Morrisville, women’s soccer

Thad Longwell, Penn West California, baseball

Reese Keslar, Kent State, women’s lacrosse

Jackson Bauman, University of Rio Grande, men’s basketball

Shiri Kudratullaev, Frostburg State, rugby

Quaker Valley

Mimi Thiero, Maryland, women’s basketball

Rochester

Kamryn Newman, Penn West Clarion

Beaver Valley Community Concert Association and Live On Stage Inc. presents “How Sweet It Is!: Steve Leslie sings James Taylor” in Beaver Falls

(File Photo of a Radio Mic: Caption for Photo: cropped-Mic-icon-circle-logo-white-small-March-2021.png)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver Falls, PA) The Beaver Valley Community Concert Association and Live On Stage Inc. will present a live concert at Beaver Falls Middle School on November 19th, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. featuring Grammy-award winning songwriter Steve Leslie. Leslie will be performing some of the biggest hits by James Taylor. Tickets will be available in the Beaver Falls Middle School lobby for adults that are worth $25 and for students that are worth $5, and you need to pay for them only with either a check or cash.

Steelers activate rookie quarterback Will Howard from injured reserve and sign veteran cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. to their practice squad

(File Photo: Source for Headline Photo: Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard (18) warms up prior to an NFL preseason football game against the Carolina Panthers, Aug. 21, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Brian Westerholt, File)

(File Photo: Source for Photo Below: FILE – Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. warms up before an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sept. 22, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Asante Samuel Jr. spent the last few months recovering from spinal fusion surgery by doing some distance running in hopes of being ready whenever a team called looking for help in the secondary.

Now it’s time to sprint.

The Pittsburgh Steelers signed the veteran cornerback to their practice squad on Wednesday in hopes the 26-year-old can eventually give the NFL’s worst pass defense a boost.

Samuel hadn’t been on the field in a team situation in more than a year until he jogged out for practice shortly after his signing was announced.

“It meant the world to me,” Samuel said. “Just being out there, putting on a helmet, putting on cleats, going at it, competing with other guys that’s trying to accomplish the same goal as me.”

Well, maybe not the exact same goal.

Samuel spent his first four seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, who selected him in the second round of the 2021 draft. He collected six interceptions in 50 games, plus three in a playoff loss to Jacksonville in 2022.

Yet his time in Los Angeles was cut short last fall, when Samuel was limited to just four games as the series of “stinger” injuries that had been a constant for years became too much. He ended the year on injured reserve, then entered free agency in March before undergoing surgery in April.

“I just wanted to take my time and weigh all the options,” he said. “I didn’t want to rush anything and just let my body heal on its own and then get the surgery and let it heal again.”

The idea of the surgery was initially daunting for a player who had never been under the knife before. He knew, however, that plenty of others had faced the same procedure and successfully returned. So he kept the faith and now considers himself as healthy as he’s ever been.

Samuel had the surgery done in Pittsburgh. He was cleared to return to football activities in October and now finds himself back in the Steel City trying to get up to speed as quickly as possible for an injury-riddled and inconsistent secondary that will face another stiff test when Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and the Cincinnati Bengals (3-6) visit Acrisure Stadium on Sunday.

While Samuel declined to say whether he could be available by this weekend, he doesn’t have to look far to find someone who worked their way onto the field in short order. Safety Kyle Dugger started for the Steelers against Indianapolis earlier this month just days after being acquired in a trade with New England.

“I’m trying to maximize every day and do whatever the coach is telling me,” Samuel said.

That might be getting in the game this weekend.

Veteran cornerback Darius Slay remains in the concussion protocol and did not practice on Wednesday, leaving the Steelers thin behind Joey Porter Jr., Brandin Echols and James Pierre.

Pittsburgh was torched by Joe Flacco & Co. in Cincinnati a month ago. Chase set a Bengals single-game record with 16 receptions on a night Flacco lit up the Steelers for 342 yards and three scores, symbolic of a season in which Pittsburgh has allowed more yards passing than any other team in the league.

Pierre, in line to make the fourth start of his five-year career if Slay is unavailable, welcomes the help.

“Like Coach (Mike) T(omlin) says, just jump on a moving train, stick your hand in the pile,” Pierre said. “We know what he can do.”

NOTES: Pittsburgh activated rookie quarterback Will Howard from injured reserve on Wednesday. The sixth-round pick had been out with a hand injury. … The Steelers also released running back Trey Sermon from the active roster and cut defensive back Darrick Forest from the practice squad.

(File Photo: Source for Headline Photo and Photo Below: Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard (18) warms up prior to an NFL preseason football game against the Carolina Panthers, Aug. 21, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Brian Westerholt, File)

Senator Elder Vogel, Jr: Bipartisan Budget Bill Advances Key Investments in Our Schools, Our Workforce and Our Farmers

(File Photo of Senator Elder Vogel, Jr.)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) Senator Elder Vogel, Jr. broke down some of the key investments made through the bipartisan $50.1 billion state budget approved by the General Assembly yesterday in Pennsylvania. According to Vogel, “Through these critical reforms, we have prevented Pennsylvanians from being affected by Governor Josh Shapiro’s proposed plan which would have increased our spending by 7.5% and in turn set our state on the path toward mass broad-based tax increases next year. After months of intense negotiations, we were able to agree on a more reasonable, fiscally responsible solution that invests in our schools, our workforce and our farmers all while protecting Pennsylvania taxpayers.” 

Representative Rob Matzie votes “yes” on new budget, citing public education, jobs, no new taxes

(File Photo of State Representative Rob Matzie)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) State Representative Rob Matzie cast a “yes” vote yesterday on the 2025-26 Pennsylvania budget worth $50.1 billion. According to Matzie, the budget invests taxpayer dollars wisely without adding any new tax burden on residents. Matzie also confirmed that the new plan for spending includes an increase of $105 million for basic education, then $40 million more for special education, as well as an increase of $565 million in Ready to Learn block grant funding for adequacy and finally tax equity payments including $178 million in savings from cyber charter reform. 

Republican House Leader Jesse Topper: State Budget Puts Pennsylvania in a Winning Position

(File Photo of the Seal of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Logo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) Pennsylvania House Republican Leader Jesse Topper commented yesterday on the passage of the Fiscal Year 2025-26 state budget that day with the following statement: “The process that led to the passage of this year’s budget was not perfect, but the result is significant progress for the people of Pennsylvania and this Commonwealth’s future well-being. From the beginning of this session, House Republicans have emphasized that no budget will truly balance unless we prioritize our economic growth in ways that capitalize on what we have, prepare our students for the future and make necessary government reforms particularly relating to benefit integrity. I am proud to say this budget has major accomplishments in all these areas. By getting out of RGGI and making significant strides in permitting reform, Pennsylvania is poised to take advantage of the economic opportunity under our feet by jumpstarting our energy industry, driving investment from tech companies and removing government as an impediment to growth while holding state bureaucrats accountable. The enhancement to the supplemental scholarship for students attending economically disadvantaged schools is another step forward in allowing more students to achieve a quality education regardless of their ZIP code, empowering students and parents in educational outcomes, and ensuring the generation of tomorrow is prepared with a solid foundation today. This budget also prioritizes essential learning skills, such as reading, by requiring structured literacy in Pennsylvania’s public schools so we can ensure every student in Pennsylvania has the necessary elements to achieve success in future learning endeavors. This budget also delivers on real benefit integrity by ensuring taxpayer benefits are going to those who truly need them and creating a benefit system that is more secure for long-term viability and availability for the most vulnerable. I am also proud we are returning taxpayer dollars back to working Pennsylvanians in a structured tax credit program that secures a reinvestment of their money into Pennsylvania communities while guaranteeing government is not sitting on unutilized funds better spent by hardworking Pennsylvanians. Overall, this is not just a budget for this fiscal year. This budget contains transformative policy that is really about the future of this Commonwealth. I am proud to support this budget and look forward to seeing the fruits of our hard work in the coming success of Pennsylvania, its children and its communities.”

Representative Josh Kail Praises Removal of Consequential Carbon Tax in State Budget

(File Photo of State Representative Josh Kail)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) Representative Josh Kail announced yesterday the House passed a $50.1 billion budget for the 2025-26 Fiscal Year in Pennsylvania. Kail recently released the following statement: “While not every budget is perfect, and I voted against the general appropriation because it spends too much, there were wins today I voted for that are a victory for common sense. For years, Gov. Josh Shapiro and his fellow Democrats have openly voiced support for an assault on Pennsylvania’s energy industry through the implementation of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) – a carbon tax that drove energy prices up and eliminated many jobs. I am pleased to report that, as part of the agreement, we will reassert the authority of the General Assembly by repealing, by law, the regulations that put us into RGGI. From the very beginning, I voiced significant concerns about this plan because of the dire impacts it would have on our district and Pennsylvania as a whole. For years, Pennsylvania has cemented itself as one of the top energy exporters in the nation, generating much-needed revenue for the state. RGGI was a classic case of authoritarianism, the opposite of productivity where we became more reliant on others for energy. I am grateful to see our efforts finally pay off. Let’s live up to our earned reputation as an energy producer by using the abundance of natural resources right beneath our feet. Doing so creates significant affordability for families across this great Commonwealth. We want to be a shining example for all to follow. Not only do we want to take care of the people who are here; we also want to show out-of-staters who are looking for new opportunities to look no further than Pennsylvania because we have a competitive, pro-family environment.”