(File Photo)

Story by Sandy Giordano, Beaver County Radio News
(Hanover Twp, Beaver County , Pa.) PA State Police in Beaver reported on Wednesday, October 26, 2022, that  Martin Devine , 77 of Hanover  Township  reported that on September 30, 2022 an unknown female caller told him he has to pay her company with Bitcoin totaling  $15,000.00 . They said he had child pornography on his computer and the money was needed to remove it.

(File Photo)

Story by Sandy Giordano, Beaver County Radio News
(Hopewell Twp., Beaver County, Pa.) The Hopewell School Board met earlier this week and hired Dr. Jeffrey R. Beltz as the district’s new superintendent.  The term is for 4 years and 7.5 months beginning November 15, 2022 through June 30, 2027. The employment agreement  was approved dated October 25, 2022. Dr. Robert Kartychak, high school assistant principal, was named acting superintendent following the resignation of Dr. Michelle Miller last year. Dr. Kartychak welcomed  Dr. Beltz and told him he’s looking forward to working with him.

(File Photo) Jacqueline Donahue of Hazleton, right, buys la Mega Millions lottery ticket at the Anthracite Newsstand on Public Square, Monday, Jan. 18, 2021, in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. (Mark Moran/The Citizens’ Voice via AP)

(Harrisburg, Pa.) No one won the $700 million Powerball that was drawn last night making Saturday night’s drawing worth and estimated $800 million.
According to the Pennsylvania Lottery, four tickets purchased in Pennsylvania matched four of five numbers and the Powerball to win $50,000.
The estimated $800 million top prize for Saturday’s drawing would make it second-largest Powerball jackpot ever and the fifth-largest U.S. lottery jackpot in history.
The winning numbers drawn Wednesday were 19, 36, 37, 46, 56 and Powerball 24, with an optional Power Play of 2x.

(File Photo)

Story by Beaver County Radio Staff
(Industry , Pa.) One person killed and two others injured after a three-vehicle crash that happened just after 10 PM on Midland Beaver Road in Industry last night.
The accident happened near the intersection with Barclay Hill Road.
The identity of the person who died has not been released nor has the condition of the other two who were injured as Beaver Police investigate into what caused the crash.

Stay tuned to Beaver County Radio as this is a developing story and we will update you as soon as possible.

(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

With October winding down, the Beaver County Commissioners gathered for their final work session of the month. The meeting ultimately focused on two places: the park and the polls.

Solicitor Garen Fedeles announced the resolutions for the October 27 public meeting; highlights includes an agreement with the Beaver Falls Municipal Authority to install the new water lines at Brady’s Run Park, with the cost not to exceed $1.32 million. The project is set to commence on October 27.

Another two resolutions are dedicated to survey work and soil testing for the flood plain area of Brady’s Run Park, which drew some comments from Commissioner Jack Manning. “Before we can make a decision about where to pipe it,” he stated, “we need to understand what that is, what the base is, whether to raise it two feet, three feet, where to fill it, and what the cost would be. Because I do tend to side with the architects who are recommending a spot partially in the flood plain; but if you do raise that, you don’t have to have flood insurance.”

Fedeles also echoed the recent updates about the latest in the mail-in ballot saga surrounding the 2022 election; he answered a question from Second Deputy of the Treasury Pamela Happ regarding what the decision of the county will be in regards to ballots without signatures.

“We are currently segregating ballots that aren’t dated,” Fedeles said. “So if a mail-in ballot comes in that’s signed and has no date, we’re putting that in a separate pile and we’re waiting for further direction…our thought process is that we keep it segregated, and it makes it easier for us to figure out what we’re going to do with those once all the dust settles with the litigation.”

The solicitor added that a decision about the no-date ballots may come closer to Election Day or soon after but “the Department of State is advising to segregate and count those at this point.”

The next Commissioners’ work session is scheduled for Wednesday, November 2 at 10:00 AM.

This combination of file photos shows Democratic Senate candidate, Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, left, and Republican Senate candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz in 2022 photos. (AP Photo)

(Harrisburg, Pa.) Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman showed that he is clearly still recovering from a stroke that he suffered just before the primary election in May as he struggled to explain his positions and spoke haltingly throughout a highly anticipated debate against Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz as they vie for a critical Senate seat here in Pennsylvania. Fetterman continually dodged the question on if he would release his medical records and said that his doctor feels that he is fit to serve in office. In the opening minutes of the debate, Fetterman addressed what he called the “elephant in the room”: the stroke he suffered five months ago. He said it knocked him down but he’s “going to keep coming back up.” Oz ignored his opponent’s health challenges, instead seizing on Fetterman’s policies on immigration and crime and his support for President Joe Biden. The race represents the best chance for Democrats to flip a Republican-held Senate seat this year.

(File Photo)

Story by Beaver County Radio Staff
(Ellwood City, Pa.) An unidentified man working on tree on Division Road in Ellwood City died yesterday after he fell 30 feet from where he was working in the tree.
He suffered cardiac arrest after a branch he was cutting fell and struck him causing the ladder to topple over. The unidentified man didn’t hit the ground and was hanging upside down for about 20 minutes until rescues could lower him to the ground.
Officials have not released the victim’s identity.

Keystone State News Connection ( Photo provided with release)

Danielle Smith

Tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians will be shopping for new health insurance plans for next year when open enrollment begins on Nov. 1.

Experts urge consumers to be aware of exactly what they are getting. More 680,000 Pennsylvania residents do not have health insurance, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Zachary Sherman, executive director of Pennie.com, the state’s online insurance marketplace, said the website is where to start if you are shopping for an individual health plan.

“Pennie is a place for Pennsylvanians who don’t have access to job-based coverage or medical assistance, or Medicare,” Sherman explained. “It’s for those who don’t have access to affordable coverage, for them to go to access high-quality, affordable health insurance plans. Very importantly, it’s the only place to get savings on coverage to lower your monthly premiums.”

The Inflation Reduction Act passed by Congress extended the Affordable Care Act’s premium subsidies through 2025, so the same subsidy rules in effect this year will continue for 2023. Sherman added if the subsidies had not been extended, Pennsylvanians would be spending about 20% more on their health coverage for next year.

Dr. Rhonda Randall, chief medical officer for UnitedHealthcare employer and individual, noted there are some options people may not think about, such as how a plan would handle a significant health event, like a pregnancy or chronic health condition. She added since the pandemic, more people also have recognized the benefits of getting care online.

“Plans that include virtual care services for both medical conditions as well as behavioral health conditions have become very popular,” Randall pointed out. “We’ve seen the utilization of those increase. You’re also looking for a plan that has not only virtual health options, but a connection to in-person care as well.”

Randall emphasized adding dental, vision or hearing coverage is another consideration, as well as double-checking whether the plan covers the prescriptions you need. In short, she recommends people do their homework, as enrollment dates are fast approaching.

In this Oct. 13, 2020, photo, an envelope of a Pennsylvania official mail-in ballot for the 2020 general election in Marple Township, Pa. The Supreme Court will allow Pennsylvania to count ballots received up to three days after the election, rejecting a Republican plea. The justices divided 4-4 on Oct. 19, an outcome that upholds a state Supreme Court ruling that allowed election officials to receive and count ballots until Nov. 6, even if they don’t have a clear postmark. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
By MARK SCOLFORO Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Senior Pennsylvania elections officials are arguing in a new court filing that handwritten dates on the envelopes that many state voters use to mail in their ballots shouldn’t be mandatory. The brief filed with the state Supreme Court on Tuesday says that’s partially because the Legislature in 1968 acted to deemphasize the importance of dates on envelopes. Some county officials who run the nuts and bolts of vote counting are poised to throw out ballots without the proper dates in next month’s election, while others are expected to count them. The Republican plaintiffs say if those ballots aren’t thrown out they should at least be segregated during counting.

(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

The Beaver Falls Police Department had a historic night at the October 25 City Council Meeting.

The evening started off with the introduction of a new K-9 officer to the BFPD staff, a young 17-month-old Czechoslovakian German Shepherd named Figo (pronounced fee-go). “He was imported over to the United States in July,” said Officer Wetter, who will be Figo’s partner and caretaker. “We took possession of him at the end of July, where we started to build some type of rapport amongst each other before going into school together.”

Officer Wetter trained with Figo at a training facility in Central Pennsylvania for six weeks, and were certified through the North American Police Work Dog Association to work as a K-9 team. Figo did a demonstration where he sniffed out and found a band-aid “with the odor of meth” on it, placed before the meeting by Officer Wetter. The K-9 unit was given several rounds of applause by the council and citizens in attendance.

Police Chief David Johnson also formally requested the approval to hire Christina Good to its staff. “I have been an officer for six years going on seven, I worked in the schools, I have my graduate degree,” Good spoke as she introduced herself to the council. She had previously served with Washington Township and the Southwest Regional Department of Fayette County. “I’m excited to get to know the community and especially our youth,” she added.

“I am confident in saying that she’d be very qualified to be an officer for the city of Beaver Falls,” spoke Chief Johnson, “and I would appreciate if you would approve that.” The Council did approve the hire, exuberantly and unanimously, and–once sworn in–Good would become the first woman of color to be on the police force (and only the second woman following the swearing in of Sierra Higby earlier in the year).

The city also approved General Fund Expenditures of $320,431.26, and learned from DPW director Patrick Burdine that street sweeping in the city will conclude on Friday, October 28.