President Joe Biden speaks about border security in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, in Washington. Vice President Kamala Harris stands at left. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is moving forward with a proposal that would lower student debt payments for millions of Americans now and in the future. It’s offering a new route to repay federal loans under far more generous terms. President Joe Biden announced the plan in August, but it was overshadowed by his sweeping plan to slash or eliminate student debt for 40 million Americans. Education Department officials on Tuesday called the new plan a “student loan safety net” that’ll prevent borrowers from getting overloaded with debt. The Democratic president is moving forward with the repayment plan even as his one-time debt cancellation faces an uncertain fate before the Supreme Court.

File Photo

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A school superintendent who won Pennsylvania superintendent of the year and has experience in both wealthy and poor districts will be Gov.-elect Josh Shapiro’s nominee for secretary of education. The incoming Democratic governor said Monday that Khalid Mumin will be nominated after Shapiro is inaugurated Jan. 17. Mumin has been superintendent of the Lower Merion School district in suburban Philadelphia for a little over a year. Before that, Mumin was superintendent for seven years in Reading, a majority Latino district that is one of the state’s largest districts and one of its poorest. Lower Merion is one of the state’s wealthiest districts.

Pennsylvania Speaker of the House Mark Rozzi is photographed at the speaker’s podium, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023, at the state Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Smith)

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The man who was a surprise choice last week to become speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives is canceling sessions for the rest of the week after failing to reach a deal on his primary legislative priority. Lawmakers were in Harrisburg on Monday as part of a hastily called special session designed to speed passage of new rules for certain lawsuits over child sexual abuse claims. But after the session got off to a slow start, Speaker Mark Rozzi said he will be setting up a six-person “working group” to help him advance the lawsuit amendment and “fix the workings” of government.

FILE – Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa., on April 4, 2022. Pennsylvania voters on Tuesday, Nov. 8, will send dozens of new representatives and senators to the Legislature, thanks to a slew of retirements and new district maps that were revamped by the state’s redistricting commission. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

HARRISBURG – The leadership team of the Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus: Leader Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster), Whip Tim O’Neal (R-Washington), Appropriations Chairman Seth Grove (R-York), Caucus Chairman George Dunbar (R-Westmoreland), Caucus Secretary Martina White (R-Philadelphia), Caucus Administrator Sheryl Delozier (R-Cumberland) and Policy Committee Chairman Josh Kail (R-Washington/Beaver) made the following statement on the announcement of House recess and the canceling of previously announced special session days for the remainder of the week:

“The House Republican Caucus was at the Capitol all day today, ready to work and organize both special session and regular House session. We had rules, we had the votes, and we were ready to proceed with the people’s business.

“It is disappointing that the most basic organizational issues continue to obstruct the work of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

“It is our hope that we can proceed the way we should have from the beginning: in regular session, with rules that receive engagement from both caucuses, and with the well-being of the people of Pennsylvania—and not individual interests—as our first priority.”

File Photo of Aliquippa Police Cruiser
Story by Beaver County Radio News Staff. Published January 10, 2023 7:28 A.M. Updated 4:30 P.M. 

(Aliquippa, PA) (WBVP-WMBA) According to the criminal complaint filed by police, Justin Lee Carr, 28, reported his vehicle had been stolen last Monday in Aliquippa. Later that afternoon he phoned police using obscenities to inform them that he found his car behind the police station. He hung up, according to the criminal complaint, the officer called him back, and he used loud obscenities again. Police went to his address 419 Allegheny Avenue , and ran the vehicle’s registration, and it was reported stolen. Two other individuals, Monica McCutchen and Theaughn Lewis arrived on scene, confronting officers, loudly yelling, screaming and threatening them and refusing to comply with police commands. Lewis threw a punch at Officer Paul Woods as police were attempting to restrain him ,according to Officer Bruce Tooch’s statement. McCutchen shoved Officer Woods, jumped on his back and continued throwing more punches. Officer Tooch grabbed McCutchen and released her hold on Officer Woods. Lewis continued pushing and punching Officer Woods and Sgt. Nicholas D’arrigo. The 2 were able to maneuver around him, placing him on the ground eventually restraining him. Sgt. D’arrigo restrained McCutchen and placed her under arrest. Officer Woods was treated at the scene by firefighters for multiple lacerations..
Carr was charged with disorderly conduct and is in the Beaver County Jail following arraignment. His bond is set at $5,000. McCutchen is charged with aggravated assault, resisting arrest/other law enforcement, obstruction of administrative law/other government functions. Lewis is charged with the same offenses. Bond for McCutchen and Lewis is set at $150,000 each.
A video of the incident was caught on camera and has since surfaced on social media with the public voicing their concerns with the actions seen of the officers and questioning the cause of the arrest. Certain details stated in the police report are not seen in the witness video such as McCutchen attacking Woods and Lewis throwing a punch at police.

(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

At their last meeting of 2022, the New Brighton School Board planned out their entire 2023 schedule. At their first meeting of 2023, there was a slight change of plans.

Preceding the scheduled committee meeting was a special voting meeting in which the board unanimously approved two hirings: Kara Stormfels as a Business Office Secretary for the school district, and Nick Long as the Director of Student Services. Stormfels’ hiring comes at the heels of the resignation of Karen Mooney on December 31, 2022; that resignation is set to be formally approved by the board at the voting meeting later this month. Both hirings are to take effect immediately (January 10), pending required forms and clearances.

Several items were submitted for approval at the regular committee meeting, including the finalized approval for the 2023-24 High School Curriculum Handbook, the purchase of a new PA system in the New Brighton Middle School (cost of $30,600), and the hirings of two staff members and fifteen coaches for varsity and middle school track, varsity baseball, varsity softball, and varsity and middle school volleyball.

The items brought forth at the committee meeting will be voted on at the next meeting for the New Brighton School Board, scheduled for January 23 at 7:30 PM at the High School’s “Little Theatre”.

(Photo of Tom Young during an appearance at Beaver County Radio)

(Beaver Falls, Pa.) Eddy Crow the normal host of Teleforum is on vacation this week and Beaver County radio is having an all-star line-up of hosts to fill in throughout the week.

Tuesday, January 9, 2023 Tom Young from 1st Consultants in Beaver will be in the captains seat from 9Am to Noon. Tom will be discussing the Financial Mastery Blue Print, What is prosperity?, Politics and the Federal Reserve, COVID ad vaccines, Twitter and the truth that is coming out,  and how politicians have buried the country in financial debt.

You can tune in on 95.7 and 99.3 FM along with 1230 WBVP, 1460 WMBA, and beavercountyradio.com. The show will also be streamed live on the Beaver County Radio Facebook Page and YouTube Channel. Click the Facebook icon below to be directed to our Facebook at the time of the show.

(File Photo)

Story by Beaver County Radio Staff
(Racoon Twp., Beaver County, Pa.) Pa State Police in Beaver are reporting that they were called to Frankfort Road in Raccoon Twp. for reports of an ongoing neighbor dispute.
Troopers are reporting that as they investigated it was learned that 33-year-old James-lea Glenn of Aliquippa removed a Ryobi power tool from the property of 54-year-old Eric Moore and that 52-year-old Mark Johnston of Aliquippa was in possession of the tool.
Troopers have charged both Glenn and Johnston with theft as they are continuing to investigate the incidents that occurred on January 5, 2023. The tool is valued at $179.00.

(File Photo)

Story by Beaver County Radio Staff
(Pittsburgh, Pa.) A man from New Castle is now the proud owner of the official truck of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
40-year-old Travis McConnell was announced the winner of the “Toughest Truck, Toughest Team Sweepstakes” at halftime of Sunday’s game.
He said this was the first time he had entered the contest and that he entered online.
There have been 10 winners of the sweepstakes so far. The prize is a black-and-gold Ford F-150.
The 10 finalists in this year’s competition were each allowed to select a numbered gift box. One of the gift boxes contained the keys to the truck. McConnell’s happened to be the lucky box. The other finalists were awarded gift cards.

(File Photo)

Story by Beaver County Radio Staff
(Chippewa Twp., Beaver County, Pa.) Chippewa Township Firefighters had to put out flames inside a home in the Highland Meadows neighborhood on Friday night after an air fryer caught on fire and began to spread.
When the owner of the house returned around 8:30 PM they noticed the house was full of smoke. They rescued a family pet and then called 911.
Officials said the fire started with an air fryer that was plugged in but not in use. The fire remained mostly contained to the kitchen. They believe the fire’s spread was limited because the door was closed and it limited the amount of oxygen able to keep the flames alive.
The Chippewa Volunteer Fire Department reminds everyone to close their bedroom doors when they go to bed and to make sure they unplug air fryers that are not in use.