(File Photo of a Scam Alert Logo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) As Valentine’s Day approaches on Saturday, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday is reminding Pennsylvanians to protect both their hearts and their wallets from scammers who try to seek companionship through online romance scams. Scammers look through social media which leads to interests and trust between them and the victims even though the scammers drain items like the bank accounts of the victims. Scammers also ask for payments through cryptocurrency transactions, wire transfers, and gift cards while insisting that the relationship be kept a secret. Those who feel they may have been victimized by this or any other scam may call 1-800-441-2555, may submit a complaint to the Office of Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection by visiting the website by clicking here, or by emailing scams@attorneygeneral.gov. According to a release in Harrisburg today from Sunday’s office, Pennsylvanians are encouraged to keep the following tips in mind before pursuing relationships online and common scammer behavior includes:

• Wanting to leave the dating site immediately in favor of emailing, texting or more direct messaging.
• Making excuses to not video chat or meet in person. When plans are made, they will cancel at the last minute.
• Contacting you from inconsistent phone numbers, email addresses or multiple online profiles.
• Attempting to isolate you from your family and friends. This can include the scammer telling you not to tell others about the situation and asking you to lie about an aspect of your interaction with them.
• Seeking personal or financial information or asking for compromising photos early in the conversation.

Other red flags to watch out for:

• Scammers often create fake profiles on dating apps.
• Scammers sometimes send engaging messages to potential victims, such as “hey we haven’t talked in a while, hope you’re ok,” which implies you have an existing relationship.
• Scammers may use Facebook to send a friend request. The request may appear to be from someone you may know or someone new to you.

Victims may also report scammers to the online dating website where you met them, the Federal Trade Commission website by clicking here, or on the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center website be clicking here.

(File Photo of a Friday Fish Fry Guide Logo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver County, PA) As the Catholic season of Lent approaches on Ash Wednesday on Wednesday, February 18th, most fish fries will be taking place in Beaver County, along with several other events. According to the Beaver County Times, here is a list of fish fries and pierogi sales coming up in Beaver County:

Pierogi sales

St. Titus Church, 952 Franklin Avenue, Aliquippa, is taking orders for potato/cheese pierogi by the dozen from 12-6 p.m. on February 18th, February 27th, March 13th and March 27th at Titan Hall. To pre-order, call Elena at 724-378-9374, or to order on the day of sale, call 724-378-2734.

Saints Peter and Paul School, 370 East End Avenue, Beaver. Ash Wednesday pierogi sale on Feb. 18. Potato and cheese pierogi sold by the dozen, for takeout only; choose either hot and ready to eat or cold. Orders close on February 16th; call the school at 724-774-4450. Orders can be picked up at the school cafeteria from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Specify pickup time when ordering. Cash or card (fees apply) accepted at pickup. Walk-in orders may be accepted while supplies last.

Fish fry dinners

New Brighton American Legion Post No. 19, 415-13th Street. 412-671-6314. Fish fry meals began February 6th and will continue through April 3rd, serving from 3-7 p.m. on Fridays. Dine in or take out available. Menu includesw fish dinner, fish sandwiches, fish on a dish, shrimp dinner and chicken plank dinner with sides (fries, coleslaw, macaroni and cheese). Crab cakes, hush puppies, pierogies and additional sides available at extra cost.

Hookstown Volunteer Fire Department, 102 Silver Slipper Road. Serving from 4:30 to 7 pm. on Fridays, starting February 13th through April 3rd. The menu includes beer-battered fish, homemade coleslaw and macaroni and cheese. Watch the department’s Facebook page by clicking here for updates on menu and pricing.

Rochester Elks Lodge No. 283, 440 Pinney Street. Fish fry dinners start on February 13th and continue through Lent, serving lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and dinner from 4-7 p.m. Menu includes fish dinner, baked fish dinner, fish sandwich, shrimp dinner and chicken planks dinner with choice of two sides (fries, coleslaw, applesauce, pierogies and macaroni and cheese), roll and beverage. Fish or chicken salads and additional sides are available at an extra charge. A children’s menu and a Friday lunch special are available and take-out orders are welcome.

Aliquippa Croatian Center, 2365 Concord Street, Aliquippa. 724-375-3021. Fish fry meals for take-out only, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Fridays starting February 20th. No Ash Wednesday dinner and no dine-in service available this year. Menu includes a fish dinner, fish sandwich, fish and fries, shrimp and chicken tenders and assorted sides. Call or stop in to order.

Beaver Valley Yacht Club, 219 Front Stront, Fallston. 724-847-4663. Serving from 4-8 p.m. on Fridays from February 20th to April 3rd. Menu includes a fish dinner or a fish sandwich (choose cod or perch), shrimp dinner or chicken plank dinner and choice of sides (fries, macaroni and cheese or coleslaw). Take-out orders are available.

Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School, 3005 Fatima Drive, Hopewell Township. Meals will start February 20th from 4-7 p.m. on Fridays in Kohler Hall. Dine-in or carry-out, no phone orders accepted. On April 3rd (Good Friday), only fish sandwiches and fries will be sold from 3-7 p.m. Cash and cards accepted for payment. Menu includes fried or baked fish or shrimp dinner with coleslaw, roll and choice of side (macaroni and cheese, fries, haluski, side salad or pierogies). Fish sandwich meal includes fries and coleslaw. Sides can also be purchased separately.

Patterson Township Volunteer Fire Department, 319 Darlington Road, 724-843-9617. Serving fish dinners from 4-7 p.m. on Fridays from February 20th through April 3rd. Menu includes fish dinner, half fish dinner, fish sandwich (with or without fries), chicken plank dinner and butterfly shrimp dinner. Dinners include a choice of fries, pierogies or mac and cheese and either coleslaw or applesauce. Additional sides available at extra cost. Take-out or dine-in available; calls for take-out orders accepted after 2 p.m. Credit and debit cards are now accepted and free delivery is available within Patterson Township and Patterson Heights.

Our Lady of the Valley Parish is serving fish fry dinners from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays during Lent at St. Cecilia Church hall, 643 California Avenue, Rochester. Eat in or take out. Menu includes Chesapeake Bay dinner (fish, shrimp and crab cake), baked or fried fish dinners, shrimp dinners, fish or shrimp salads and fish sandwiches. Dinners include coleslaw and a choice of fries, macaroni and cheese or pierogies. Pie is available at an extra cost. To order for takeout, call 724-775-3775 or 724-709-7426. Delivery is available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Credit cards are accepted.

Good Samaritan Church, 725 Glenwood Avenue, Ambridge. Serving fish meals on February 18th (Ash Wednesday) and each Friday during Lent in Jericho hall. Dine-in or take-out. Ash Wednesday meal is fish and fries only, served from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Friday meals are served from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; the menu includes fish dinner, shrimp dinner, crab cake dinner or the Francine special (fish, shrimp and crab cake) and choice of side (macaroni and cheese, haluski, fries or baked potato) and either coleslaw or applesauce. A fish sandwich and extra sides can be purchased separately. Payment is by cash or check only. Call 724-266-6010 before 4 p.m. for takeout orders; no phone orders accepted after 4 p.m. Volunteers are also needed; contact Bobby Aloe by email at baloe@saintluke.net.

Saints John & Paul Church, 2586 Wexford Bayne Road, Franklin Park. Serving fish meals from 4:30 to 7 p.m. each Friday in Lent except April 3rd (Good Friday). Dine-in or take-out, cash is preferred, but credit cards are accepted. Meals offered include a fried fish or baked fish sandwich dinner or fried shrimp dinner, with fries, macaroni and cheese and coleslaw. A la carte sandwiches and sides are available at extra cost. Online ordering is available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the day of the fish fry. Volunteers are also needed at this event; visit the church’s sign-up page by clicking here for more information.

St. Monica Church, 116 Thorndale Drive, Beaver Falls. Serving fish from 4-7 p.m. on February 18th (Ash Wednesday) and every Friday in Lent except April 3rd (Good Friday). Menu includes baked or fried fish or shrimp dinner and a choice of one side (fries, macaroni and cheese, haluski or pierogi), coleslaw and a roll. Fried fish sandwich, fish on a dish, extra sides and a kids’ meal are also available. Payment in person required, cash or credit accepted. Online orders accepted at SaintAugustineParish.com by clicking here.

Saints Peter and Paul School, 370 East End Avenue, Beaver. Fish fry dinners are sold on Fridays starting February 20th through April 3rd at the school cafeteria. Take-out orders only from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., but sales from 3-7 p.m. are for dine-in or take-out. On April 3rd (Good Friday), sales are 1-6 p.m. for take-out only. Menu includes baked or fried haddock, coleslaw, roll and a choice of side (pierogies, macaroni and cheese, haluski, fries or baked potato). Fish sandwich or fish salad is also available, and sides can be purchased separately. For take-out orders, call after 10 a.m. on Friday to 878-439-8594, 724-252-2382 or 412-496-1272, but do not leave a message.

Monaca Turners, 1700 Old Brodhead Road, Center Township, 724-774-7007. Offers a fish dinner on February 18th (Ash Wednesday) from 2-8 p.m. and a Friday fish menu that starts at 3 p.m.

Divine Redeemer Parish, 200 Walnut Street, Sewickley. Fish dinners served from 4:30-7 p.m. on Fridays starting February 20th through April 3rd in the St. James School cafeteria. Dine-in and take-out available; to order, call 412-528-1030 or place an order online by clicking here between 3-6 p.m. Grab-n-Go window also available. Menu includes fried or baked cod dinner, fish sandwich dinner, seared salmon dinner or baked crab cake dinner with two sides (fries, macaroni and cheese, buttered noodles, green beans, coleslaw, a perogi or applesauce). Sides can also be purchased separately, and a kid’s menu is available. Volunteers are also welcome.

(File Photo of State Representative Josh Kail)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver County, PA) State Representative Josh Kail is hosting a telephone town hall meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 25th to focus on issues impacting the local region and Pennsylvania. You can either listen to the conversation or ask a question and you can stay on the line for as long as you want. About five minutes before the scheduled start time, calls inviting your participation will start going out. If you miss the call or don’t receive one, you can either dial 1-877-229-8493 and when asked for the ID code, enter 118727. You can also listen on your personal computer, tablet or smartphone using the web audio streaming link, which can be found by clicking here, https://video.teleforumonline.com/video/streaming.php…

Any other questions can be answered by calling the Vanport district office of Kail at 724-728-7655.

(Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of AAA East Central)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) According to a recent release from AAA East Central in Pittsburgh, a new study from AAA and Bread Financial® finds that travel in 2026 will be driven by milestone moments that matter. Among the 61% of Americans that are planning to travel in 2026, 76% of them said that their trips will be planned around important milestones in life, such as anniversaries, birthdays, weddings and other celebrations. Millenials and Generation Z are leading this shift, and they are approaching those trips with a greater intention as they will balance showing up for the biggest moments in life with financial confidence and thoughtful planning.

(File Photo of a Police Siren Light)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) A man from California is facing over 50 charges after officials said he threatened and tried to extort a University of Pittsburgh student. According to a criminal complaint, 19-year-old Michael Vaca harassed a young woman whom he had met through a mutual friend via text message. Vaca and the woman had met in July of 2025. Vaca resided in Hollister, California, while the woman lived in San Jose. The complaint said Vaca and the woman started casually dating, but were not in a formal relationship. Documents state “intimate images and videos” were exchanged between both individuals prior to the woman beginning school at the University of Pittsburgh last August. The complaint also noted that Vaca soon began to accuse the girl of cheating and threatened to share the photos sent to him online if she did not stop talking to other men. Police confirm that the charges against Vaca include stalking and sexual extortion. Vaca allegedly also threatened to kill her cat and vandalize her parents’ home. Messages that were shared with police by the woman in January of this year showed multiple texts from Vaca saying he would share the photos with her parents, professor and school. After the messages were shared with the University of Pittsburgh Police Department, an investigation started involving the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and Allegheny County police. In addition to the threats, the complaint also expressed that Vaca attempted to extort the girl for $40 by threatening to share her explicit photos and videos if she did not pay him money. Vaca later began sending screenshots to the woman, showing videos and photos shared with her family and friends. Vaca also threatened to call ICE on her and her family because court documents confirm that the woman and her family had immigrated from another country. The victim told police the situation grew to the point where Vaca was beginning to demand full control of her life, including deciding who she was following on social media, who she was allowed to talk to, and who she was allowed to be with at any given point. Police state that they have found several accounts connected with Vaca that were used specifically for the purposes of harassing her. According to police, Vaca is facing over 50 charges, including sexual extortion, stalking, terrorist threats, and identity theft.

(File Photo of Handcuffs)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Montgomery County, PA) According to the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, a man from Dresher, Pennsylvania was arrested in a murder-for-hire plot to kill his ex-girlfriend and two men she dated after they broke up. That same office confirms that yesterday was when forty-one-year-old Eric Berkowitz was charged with attempted murder, criminal solicitation for murder, and other offenses after he planned to drive to New York yesterday and meet an Upper Dublin Township resident, Steven Luker outside one of the intended targets’ homes.  Officials stated on Tuesday that Luker contacted police and said that Berkowitz offered him $5,000 to murder his ex-girlfriend and two other people she dated in New York. Berkowitz also allegedly gave Luker a Mac 11 firearm and a “burner” cellphone. Berkowitz was arrested by police while he was in an Uber after leaving his home. Berkowitz was taken to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility, was denied bail, and his preliminary hearing will be on February 20th.  

(File Photo of Gavel)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced yesterday that a resident of Imperial, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating a federal firearms law. Twenty-two-year-old Ja’Shon Spencer pleaded guilty to one count and in connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on or about June 16th, 2025, Spencer possessed a Glock semiautomatic pistol equipped with a machinegun conversion device (MCD) or “Glock switch.” A MCD is a device which converts a semiautomatic firearm into a fully automatic firearm. Both the MCD itself as well as the firearm equipped with it are considered machineguns and are illegal under federal law. United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak scheduled the sentencing for Spencer on June 17th, 2026, and he will stay in custody pending his sentencing. According to Revetti, Spencer could face a maximum of up to 10 years in prison, an up to a $250,000 fine, or both, provided by the law.

(Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) According to a release in Harrisburg yesterday from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC), PUC Commissioner Kathryn L. Zerfuss sponsored and helped advance a national resolution recognizing renewable natural gas (RNG) as a strategic energy resource this week, as part of some broader efforts to address the growing demand for energy, reduce emissions, strengthen system reliability and support agriculture and economic development. The resolution was adopted during the 2026 Winter Policy Summit in Washington, D.C. by the Board of Directors of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC). Commissioner Zerfuss serves on Committee on Gas for NARUC and she has been engaged actively in both state and national discussions which examine the role of renewable natural gas within a diversified energy portfolio. 

(Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) According to a release in Harrisburg yesterday from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC), PUC Chairman Steve DeFrank helped lead a national discussion on energy affordability this week at the 2026 Winter Policy Summit of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) in Washington D.C., culminating in the adoption of a resolution supporting adequate and timely federal funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The resolution was adopted by the NARUC Board of Directors and urges Congress and the Administration to ensure predictable, sustained funding for LIHEAP, which is a long-standing federal program that helps vulnerable households manage cooling, heating and crisis-related energy costs, while supporting both energy efficiency improvements and weatherization.