East Palestine Train Derailment (Curtis Walsh)

(AP) The removal of contaminated soil from the site of February’s fiery Norfolk Southern derailment in eastern Ohio is expected to be completed sometime this weekend although the larger cleanup will continue. EPA officials and the railroad announced the milestone Thursday in East Palestine near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border nearly nine months after the derailment that forced thousands from their homes and left residents with many lingering health worries. The derailment also inspired nationwide worries about railroad safety and prompted calls for reforms. More than 167,000 tons of contaminated soil and more than 39 million gallons of tainted water have been removed from the site since February.

Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio News Director. Published October 27, 2023 4:10 P.M.

(Aliquippa, PA) A fire destroyed a portion of Brunton’s Dairy Thursday. Crews reponded to a large fire at the farm on Ridge Road located in Independance Township late Thursday afternoon. A barn used for milking and the bottling plant were destroyed in the blaze.
Brunton Dairy provides products throughout the region and is a 7 generation family farm.

Story by Curtis Walsh- Beaver County Radio News Director. Published October 26, 2023 10:09 P.M., UPDATED 11:31 P.M.

(Pulaski Township, PA) A potential double stabbing took place at Marion Hill Grill on Rochester Road in New Brighton. The incident happened around 9pm Thursday.
Beaver Valley Regional Police confirmed with Beaver County Radio that two people were being transported by Medivac helicopter from the New Brighton High School parking lot following a stabbing situation. The scene at Marion Hill Grill was cleared around 11:20pm.
We are currently working on gathering more details in this developing story.

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing repair work on the Rochester Beaver Bridge (Route 51) in Rochester and Bridgewater boroughs, Beaver County will occur Thursday night, October 26 weather permitting.

A single-lane restriction will occur in the eastbound direction of the Rochester Beaver Bridge from 6 p.m. Thursday night through 6 a.m. Friday morning. Crews from JET Excavating Co. will conduct patching work. All ramps will remain open.

FILE—This is a Pittsburgh Transit Authority bus that was on the Fern Hollow Bridge in Pittsburgh when it collapsed in this file photo from Jan. 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)  

Harrisburg, PA – At a ceremony today, Governor Josh Shapiro will present a group of employees from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) with Governor’s Awards for Excellence in recognition of their efforts to replace the Fern Hollow Bridge in less than a year after its collapse, restoring a critical connection between communities in the City of Pittsburgh.

 

The honorees are all based in District 11, PennDOT’s Pittsburgh regional office:

• Michele Mara Acitelli, Senior Civil Engineer Manager;
• Robert Byrnes, Senior Civil Engineer Supervisor;
• Zachary Kamnikar, Civil Engineer Manager;
• Douglas Seeley, Assistant District 11 Executive, Design;
• Shane Szalankiewicz, Senior Civil Engineer Manager;
• Michael Szurley, Senior Project Manager;
• Douglas Thompson, Senior Civil Engineer Manager;
• Mark Young, Environmental Planning Manager; and
• Jason Zang, District 11 Executive.

 

“I’m incredibly proud that PennDOT and the project team have been recognized with this award,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “Rebuilding the Fern Hollow Bridge in record time was the direct result of incredible collaboration and is a testament to what is possible when everyone is committed to taking action and finding solutions.”

 

The Fern Hollow Bridge carries Forbes Avenue over Frick Park, Fern Hollow Creek and Tranquil Trail, collapsed on the morning of January 28, 2022. The cause of the collapse is still under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

 

Immediately following the collapse, then-Governor Tom Wolf and Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey issued Declaration of Disaster Emergency Proclamations, which permitted the City of Pittsburgh, which owns the bridge, to enter into a legal agreement to allow PennDOT to manage the design and construction of the new Fern Hollow Bridge. The proclamations also provided the Federal Highway Administration and PennDOT the approval to immediately contract with Swank Construction Company and HDR Inc. for the removal of the collapsed structure, and the design and construction of the new Fern Hollow Bridge. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), signed by President Biden in November 2021, allowed PennDOT to quickly dedicate $25.3 million in federal funds to the project without impacting other critical regional needs.

 

Thanks to collaboration with the City of Pittsburgh and PennDOT’s innovative approach to the standard design process, multiple design phases occurred simultaneously including foundation, substructure, superstructure, utility relocation, environmental, and aesthetic aspects of the project, which allowed project delivery to be expedited by multiple years. The bridge opened to traffic on December 22, 2022, less than a year after the collapse.

 

The Governor’s Awards for Excellence recognize exemplary job performance or service that reflects initiative, leadership, innovation and increased efficiency. The PennDOT team was among 54 employees from eight state agencies honored by Governor Shapiro at a ceremony today for exceptional accomplishments in 2022.

Harrisburg, PA – Pennsylvania State Police today announced the number of firearms purchase denials and subsequent investigations for the third quarter of 2023.

 

The Pennsylvania Instant Check System (PICS) is used by county sheriffs, police chiefs of first-class cities, and licensed firearms dealers to determine an individual’s legal ability to acquire a license to carry firearms or obtain a firearm through a purchase or transfer. When an individual attempts to provide false information on a state and/or federal form, an investigation is initiated, and an investigation referral is sent to a law enforcement agency.

 

According to Pennsylvania law, a person commits a third-degree felony if they make a false oral or written statement on any federal or state agency form or willfully presents false identification that is likely to deceive the seller, licensed dealer, or licensed manufacturer. During the PICS process, some individuals are identified as having an active warrant for their arrest.

 

In the third quarter, the following investigations were initiated by the PSP Firearms Division and referred to PSP Troops, municipal police departments, or ATF for further investigation and possible prosecution.

 

 

Table 1: Third quarter PICS statistics (2022 and 2023)

 

(PITTSBURGH, PA) A resident of Beaver, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury  in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal firearm laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. 

The two-count Indictment named Eric Kalif Hubbard, age 41, formerly of Beaver,  Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant. 

According to the Indictment, on May 23, 2023, and July 14, 2023, Hubbard possessed a  firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Under federal law, possession of a firearm and  ammunition is prohibited. 

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of fifteen (15) years in prison, a fine of  $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be  based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.  

Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of  the government. 

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Beaver Falls Police Department, and New Brighton Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. 

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels  of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to  make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent  crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and  legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent  violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and  measuring the results. 

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. 

PITTSBURGH, PA (October, 2023) – Brace yourselves, hockey fans! Labatt is taking an icy trip back to the 90’s with retro cans for the 2023-2024 hockey season. This year, as a proud partner of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Labatt is highlighting the fan-favorite, throwback Penguins jersey! These limited-edition cans are available in both Labatt Blue and Labatt Blue Light.

“I watched Lemiux and Jagr completely shred the ice in these Jerseys,” said Corey Berger, associate brand manager for Labatt USA. “Pens fans love that energy, and they loved that era on the ice. We know these nostalgic jersey cans will put that energy in the fans hands this season.”

On the front of the can, the classic Penguins logo is prominently displayed. The back features the yellow diagonal “PITTSBURGH” text, a nod to the away jerseys that the Penguins wore in the 90’s.

The Labatt Blue and Labatt Blue Light Pittsburgh Penguins jersey cans will be available this month throughout Pennsylvania. Fans can snag them in a variety of options including 30 and 15 packs of 12-ounce cans, as well as 24-ounce cans. Let’s go Pens!

FILE – Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., holds up an article while questioning Attorney General William Barr during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on the oversight of the Department of Justice on Capitol Hill, July 28, 2020 in Washington. Johnson, the new leader of one of the houses of Congress that will certify the winner of next year’s presidential election helped spearhead the attempt to overturn the last one. (Chip Somodevilla/Pool via AP, File)

The new speaker of the U.S. House had a key role in trying to overturn Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential election win. Republican Rep. Mike Johnson spearheaded a legal brief in support of an unsuccessful lawsuit trying to overturn the results. He repeated baseless conspiracy theories about the election and voted against certifying its outcome after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. His role is significant because he is now second in the line of presidential succession and because the House in January 2025 will have a key role in certifying the winner of next year’s presidential election.