Testing whether purchased toys are safe after Christmas in Pennsylvania and around the country is occurring

(File Photo: Caption for photo: Young boy playing with educational toys)

(Reported by Danielle Smith of Keystone News Service)

(Harrisburg, PA) As holiday spending in Pennsylvania and across the nation is expected to reach a record high of nearly nine-hundred and eighty-nine billion, there’s no guarantee that everyone who bought toys for the kids in their lives thought about whether they were safe. Many children’s toys are manufactured in other countries, like China and India. Product liability attorney Don Fountain says in their haste to avoid possible Trump administration tariffs, a few safety steps may have been skipped before sending these products to the United States. He believes consumers’ assumptions about toy reliability are not always accurate. The Consumer Product Safety Commission website lists thousands of unsafe or problematic items. Fountain notes complaints listed on the site are due to public grievances, not government detection. Fountain recommends the commission’s website, Saferproducts.gov, to report or search for information about unsafe products.

 

President Biden given fifteen days to decide whether Nippon Steel of Japan acquiring U.S. Steel works for the company

(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – A water tower at United States Steel Corp.’s Edgar Thomson Plant in Braddock, Pa., is seen, Thursday, May 7, 2020. On Sunday, Aug. 13, 2023, U.S. Steel said that it rejected a $7.3 billion buyout proposal from rival Cleveland Cliffs and was reviewing “strategic alternatives” after receiving several unsolicited offers. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Nippon Steel now has just over two weeks to think about acquiring U.S. Steel after the President of the United States processes the addition of U.S. Steel for fifteen billion dollars. President Joe Biden now only has fifteen days to refer this matter to determine whether the purchase will be a true trade for the company. On Thursday, Nippon Steel commented in a statement that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States decided on Monday to analyze gaining U.S. Steel to their company. Nippon Steel will be closing around the opening quarter of 2025. The third or final fourth of this year was the original date that the company was set to be closed.

Two men from New Castle jailed for operation that involved trafficking cocaine from Puerto Rico

(File Photo of Gavel)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(New Castle, PA) Two men from New Castle are now in jail after trafficking cocaine that originated from Puerto Rico. Seventeen people in total from Lawrence County, Ohio, and Puerto Rico were part of this plan to give the cocaine to residents of Ellwood City and New Castle. However, the New Castle natives, thirty-seven-year-old Luciano Bratini Rivera and thirty-five-year-old Markus Hobel, were given time in prison. Ninety-seven months in jail with a four-year supervised release was given to Rivera. Hobel received seventy-two months in jail, which includes a five-year supervised release.

Car goes off of a road and down a hill in Cranberry Township

(File Photo of Cranberry Township Emergency Medical Service logo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Cranberry Township, PA) On Thursday afternoon, a car went about one hundred feet down the side of a hill in Cranberry Township. Two people were in the car after traveling away from the road. According to the Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company, emergency crews performed a low-angle rescue for both patients and got them to awaiting ambulances. The condition of the two people involved in the incident is currently undetermined.

One million dollar lottery ticket sold at Aliquippa Sunoco gas station

(File Photo of Pennsylvania Lottery logo and past drawing)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Aliquippa, PA) An Aliquippa Sunoco gas station on Pleasant Drive sold a winning lottery ticket worth a million dollars after the Tuesday Mega Millions drawing. On Christmas Eve, the winning ticket featured five numbers that all matched. However, the more than a billion-dollar jackpot was not won as the number three featured on the Yellow Mega Ball was not picked. $5,000 was given to the Aliquippa Sunoco for the lucky ticket sold. The winner has a year to claim their prize after the winning numbers were selected in this order: 11,14,38,45,46.

New Year’s Eve celebrations are taking place in Beaver County as 2025 approaches

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Workers from Landmark Signs carefully carry a panel of Waterford crystal triangles to place on the Times Square New Year’s Eve ball, behind them, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020, in New York, in preparation for the New Year’s Eve ball drop. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver County, PA) As the new year is fast approaching, Beaver County will host some celebrations to kick off 2025. The American Italian Club of Aliquippa, the New Brighton Eagles and Pinball PA in Hopewell Township will have their own festivities. Jus1More Sports Bar and Grill and Neighborhood North’s Museum of Play, both in Beaver Falls, will also have their separate events, one for adults and one for kids.

Times and information for New Years’ Eve Events:

The American Italian Club of Aliquippa: The party starts at 8 p.m. without cover charge with a great celebration including music.

The New Brighton Eagles’ Hippie Themed Party: The New Brighton Eagles will have guest performers, The Project Band. 8th Avenue in New Brighton will host the event. Cost is $5 to attend and people are encouraged to wear hippie-themed clothes. Please call 724-513-5229 or 724-843-9751 for more information.

Jus1More Sports Bar and Grill in Beaver Falls: A brunch will occur from 12 noon to 4 p.m. with a bar including beer, margaritas, mimosas, bloody marys, and tacos worth $2, with music from DJ GLO.

Neighborhood North’s Museum of Play in Beaver Falls: The kids can celebrate at 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. with music, snacks, art, bubbles, and a noon balloon drop. $5 is the cost for admission and registration is required at neighborhoodnorth.com/…/new-years-at-noon.

Pinball PA in Hopewell Township: The arcade-game play area will start their party at 4 p.m. with food and more than 400 arcade games to try.

 

Gas prices take a dip in Western Pennsylvania as the New Year approaches

(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – In this Monday, Sept. 16, 2019, file photo, a woman pumps gas at a convenience store in Pittsburgh. Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg of the Lundberg Survey said Sunday, March 15, 2020, that gas prices could continue to fall as demand shrinks amid the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Gas prices are five cents lower in Western Pennsylvania this week at around $3.38 per gallon, that’s according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report. The report states that last week in Western Pennsylvania, the price was around $3.42 per gallon and at this week last year, at a price of around $3.44 per gallon. The report also notes that the average price that you can expect for an unleaded gallon of gas here in Beaver County is about $3.44.

According to the report, here is some areas in Pennsylvania and their prices for a gallon of unleaded gasoline:

$3.319      Altoona
$3.435      Beaver
$3.537      Bradford
$3.280      Brookville
$3.454      Butler
$3.357      Clarion
$3.385      DuBois
$3.369      Erie
$3.379      Greensburg
$3.405      Indiana
$3.416      Jeannette
$3.468      Kittanning
$3.406      Latrobe
$3.345      Meadville
$3.484      Mercer
$3.184      New Castle
$3.370      New Kensington
$3.434      Oil City
$3.351      Pittsburgh

$3.172      Sharon
$3.359      Uniontown
$3.501      Warren
$3.298      Washington

Pennsylvania Electoral College makes it official by voting for candidates Donald Trump and J.D. Vance for President and Vice President of the United States last week

(File Photo of the White House)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) On December 17th, 2024, the Pennsylvania Electoral College made their unanimous vote for Donald Trump for President and J.D. Vance as the Vice President of the United States. Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt delivered comments from Governor Josh Shapiro, who noted that he thanked those who made this election possible. Shapiro also confirmed that Pennsylvanians of both parties as well as those who classified as independents, were able to cast their votes and show their opinion to those around the country through their ballots.

President Joe Biden signs HEARTS Act of 2024, which provides more CPR training as well as automated external defibrillators in schools

(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – Buffalo Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin (3) leaves the field after an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, in Foxborough, Mass. Hamlin was in critical condition early Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023, after the Bills say his heart stopped following a tackle during the Monday Night Football game, which was indefinitely postponed. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper, File)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Buffalo, NY) President Joe Biden signed a bill on Monday to give more automated external defibrillators to schools and to access more training for people to learn CPR. This act is called the Cardiomyopathy Health Education, Awareness, and Research, and AED Training in the Schools Act of 2024, or HEARTS, for short. On of those who supported this action was Damar Hamlin, an NFL football player and Pittsburgh area native. Hamlin needed an automated external defibrillator to help him for the cardiac arrest that he suffered during a 2023 NFL football game.

Trial for man who tried to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump is moved to September of 2025

(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – Ryan Wesley Routh takes part in a rally in central Kyiv, Ukraine, April 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Orlando, FL) A judge confirmed on Monday in an order that the trial for the man who tried to assassinate President Donald Trump in Florida in September will move to September 8th, 2025. United States District Judge Aileen Cannon also confirmed in the order that the original date for the trial of Ryan Wesley Routh was for February 10th, 2025. Routh has already pleaded not guilty for his actions. However, according to prosecutors, Routh tried to shoot Trump with a rifle hiding in shrubbery at Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida. Routh is currently in a Miami jail and is being held without bail.