Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio. Published August 10, 2023 7:57 A.M.

(Beaver County, PA) Power outages are affecting a large amount of Duquesne Light customers in the county this morning. As of 7:57 am, Duquesne light had reported that approximately 2,120 customers in Beaver County were without power, mainly in the areas of New Brighton and Beaver Falls. Use caution when driving, as traffic lights are out in many areas. There is no timeline as to when power will be restored in your area.

Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio. Published August 10, 2023 6:49 A.M.

(New Brighton, PA) A tree fell down on Second Avenue in New Brighton near the Fallston Bridge. The tree took down power lines and areas of New Brighton lost power. Numerous traffic lights were also out in the area. Crews were on scene as of 6:05 am.

FILE – Musician Robbie Robertson arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Robertson, the lead guitarist and songwriter for The Band, whose classics include “The Weight,” “Up on Cripple Creek” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” has died at 80, according to a statement from his manager. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

One of rock’s greatest songwriters and musicians, Robbie Robertson, has died at 80. His manager said he died Wedensday in Los Angeles, surrounded by family. As the guitarist and lead writer for The Band, Robertson mined American music and history for such classics as “The Weight” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.” He later worked on the soundtracks for several Martin Scorsese movies, including “The Departed” and “The Irishman.” Robertson was a self-taught musicologist and storyteller who absorbed everything American from the novels of William Faulkner to the scorching blues of Howlin’ Wolf to the gospel harmonies of the Swan Silvertones.

Harrisburg – The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) today issued an invitation for bids to award 20 expired restaurant licenses in the 12th license auction since Act 39 became effective in August 2016.

This auction includes one license in each of the following 20 counties: Allegheny, Beaver, Berks, Bradford, Clearfield, Clinton, Delaware, Erie, Greene, Indiana, Lackawanna, Lebanon, Luzerne, Lycoming, Montgomery, Northampton, Northumberland, Pike, Potter, and Somerset.

Bids for this restaurant license auction are due by noon Monday, Sept. 25. The 12th auction will again use a sealed bid process. Bids will be opened Wednesday, Sept. 27, and auction winners will be determined soon thereafter.

The minimum bid for each license is $25,000, and each bid must be accompanied by a bid surety of $5,000 or 5% of the total bid amount – whichever is higher – to avoid frivolous and underfunded bids.

The highest responsive bidder for each license will win the right to submit an application for the license to the PLCB within six months of auction award. If bid payment is not received within two weeks of auction award, the second-highest bidder will have the opportunity to apply for the license. Bids will be held in escrow by the PLCB, pending approval of the license application.

The Invitation for Bids is available online. Once on the page, scroll down to “Related Solicitation Files,” and click the links to view.

Bidders with questions regarding this invitation for bids must submit inquiries via email to RA-LBLicenseAuction@pa.gov by noon Friday, Aug. 25. Questions and answers will be posted to the Department of General Services e-marketplace website by 3:00 PM Tuesday, Aug. 29.

Lists of winning bids from each of the 11 previous auctions are available on the license auction page of the PLCB website. Auction revenue recognized thus far from all previous auctions totals $34.2 million, while another $1.9 million remains in escrow, pending license approvals.

The PLCB regulates the distribution of beverage alcohol in Pennsylvania, operates 600 wine and spirits stores statewide, and licenses 20,000 alcohol producers, retailers, and handlers. The PLCB also works to reduce and prevent dangerous and underage drinking through partnerships with schools, community groups, and licensees. Taxes and store profits – totaling nearly $19.5 billion since the agency’s inception – are returned to Pennsylvania’s General Fund, which finances Pennsylvania’s schools, health and human services programs, law enforcement, and public safety initiatives, among other important public services. The PLCB also provides financial support for the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, other state agencies, and local municipalities across the state. For more information about the PLCB, visit lcb.pa.gov.

Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published August 9, 2023 2:53 P.M.

(Beaver, PA) Beaver County Court of Common Pleas Judge Mitchell P.. Shahen  sentenced North Sewickley Township resident Eduardo Avriles 37, of Lancaster, to a minimum of 56 years to a maximum of 11 years  for the sexual assault of 2 victims under age 5. He was sentenced on Monday, August 7, 2023. A criminal complaint was filed on November 7, 2022 alleging he raped and sexually assaulted both children on multiple occasions at his home. The jury trial was in May 2023 and the jury rendered a guilty plea on 34 of the 30 criminal counts.

(Sandy Giordano/Beaver County Radio)

The Hopewell School District has officially accepted the resignation of high school principal Mike Allison. Allison has worked in the district for 25 years and is currently on medical leave, and it was announced that he plans on retiring later this year. He has spent his entire career at Hopewell. 

Assistant principal Dr. Robert Kartychak was named acting high school principal effective August 9, 2023.

Shannon Casillas retired from her position as a special education teacher at the junior-senior high school. Leann Bridge was hired to replace her. Emily Steinmetz was hired as an elementary art teacher, replacing Brieanna Dinardo. Both Bridge and Steinmetz will begin their new positions effective August 21.

The board’s next meeting is Tuesday, August 22, 2023 at 7 p.m.

NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A single ticket sold in Florida is good for a $1.58 billion Mega Millions jackpot, ending a stretch of lottery futility that had stretched for nearly four months.

A Publix grocery store in Neptune Beach sold the winning ticket, according to the Florida Lottery. The winning numbers drawn Tuesday night were: 13, 19, 20, 32, 33 and the yellow ball 14.

A message was left seeking comment Wednesday from Publix. Messages left for the Florida Lottery weren’t immediately returned.

Before the big win, there had been 31 straight drawings since the last time someone won the game’s jackpot on April 18. That enabled the prize to steadily grow to be the third-largest ever in U.S. history.

Mega Millions jackpot winners are so rare thanks to odds of one in 302.6 million.

The $1.58 billion payout would go to the winner if they opt for an annuity, doled out over 30 years. But people usually prefer a lump sum option, which for Tuesday’s jackpot was an estimated $783.3 million.

The prize money is subject to federal taxes. Many states also tax lottery winnings.

Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Neptune Beach has just over 7,000 residents and is 16 miles (26 kilometers) east of Jacksonville on Florida’s Atlantic Coast.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Orlando Arcia’s two-run double with two outs in the top of the ninth capped a three-run inning and rallied the MLB-best Atlanta Braves to an 8-6 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night after star right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. left the game.

Pirates closer David Bednar (3-2) came on to start the ninth with a 6-5 lead but took his third blown save in 26 opportunities this season. Arcia’s double came immediately after Kevin Pillar hit a tying single with the Braves down to their final out.

Arcia also homered and finished with three hits and three RBIs to help the Braves end their three-game losing streak.

“We had lost three in a row so we kind of felt we had to do whatever we had to do to win the game,” Arcia said through a translator. “I just wanted to lift the spirits of the team and luckily we were able to win it.”

Pillar’s clutch hit set the stage for Arcia’s game-winner. The 34-year-old outfielder has learned to channel his emotions with the game on the line after 11 seasons in the major leagues.

“Surprisingly, I feel pretty calm going up there,” Pillar said. “I feel like it’s a scenario where everyone in the ballpark might think that I’m going to make an out in that situation. I use that to my advantage. I’ve played in multiple playoffs, I’ve played in a lot of big games, bigger games than this. Even though it’s a big moment, you just try to recall those moments when you’ve been on the big stage. My dad gave me good advice when I first started this journey — regardless of what happens, never feel bad.”

The Pirates put two runners on in the bottom of the ninth inning, but Raisel Iglesias got Jack Suwinski to hit a game-ending comebacker for his 21st save in 23 chances.

Acuña was hit on the left elbow by a pitch from reliever Colin Holderman in the sixth inning and was removed for a pinch runner. X-rays were negative and Acuna is considered day to day.

“I’m sure it stung him pretty good, and he lost feeling in the arm,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “I’m just glad nothing showed up (on the X-rays). I’d rather not take any chances on it by leaving him in the game and just let him go get treatment and see how he feels tomorrow.”

Acuña has been one of the best players in the majors this season. He led off the game with his 26th homer — his 31st career leadoff homer and fifth this season — and went 1 for 3.

Acuña is batting .339 in 111 games and leads the majors with 53 stolen bases.

The Braves’ Matt Olson reached 100 RBIs, the first MLB player to reach that mark in 2023. Olson has driven in a run in 11 straight games.

Travis d’Arnaud had three hits for Atlanta and Michael Harris II had two.

Kirby Yates (6-0) pitched a scoreless eighth and kept his record perfect.

The Pirates used four home runs to build a 6-3 lead by the fifth inning. Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a three-run shot in the first inning, Alfonso Rivas led off the fourth with a longball and Josh Palacios and Bryan Reynolds went back-to-back to begin the fifth.

On the second pitch of the game, Acuña belted a 448-foot drive to center field off Mitch Keller.

Two of Bednar’s three blown saves this season have been in the last four days.

“David is a savage. He’s going to shake it off, for sure,” Palacios said. “This is baseball. It goes up, it goes down. Nobody has a zero ERA in the league — things happen. He’s an All-Star. He’s the best closer in the game in my opinion. He’s going to bounce back from this with ease.”