(Chippewa Twp., Pa.) Pa State Police in Beaver are reporting that they were dispatched to a one vehicle accident west bound on Interstate 376 in Chippewa Twp. on Saturday, July 17, 2021, at 2:04 PM.

Troopers stated via release that Jerry Everett from Chardon Ohio was driving a 2019 Toyota Tacoma west bound on I-376 in the area of Anchortown Road when he lost control of the vehicle going off the roadway onto the berm and then strike the guide cable with the driver’s side of the vehicle. Troopers said that a storm was coming through the area at the time of the crash causing Everett to wreck. He was issued a written warning for not properly driving on roadways lined for traffic.

(Hopewell, Twp.) The Hopewell School Board met on Monday night, July 19, 2021. The Board, based on a recommendation  from D.J. Frey of Frye Transportation  hired Shelly R. Kibby as Transportation Director. Kibby’s salary will be $65,000 .00 a year. She begins her duties August 4, 2021.

AAA: Western PA Gas Prices Higher as National Average Continues to Climb
Gas prices in Western Pennsylvania are two cents higher this week at $3.311 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average                 $3.311
Average price during the week of July 12, 2021                                       $3.291
Average price during the week of July 20, 2020                                       $2.458

The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline in various areas:      

$3.251      Altoona
$3.299      Beaver
$3.363      Bradford
$3.369      Brookville
$3.293      Butler
$3.340      Clarion
$3.292      DuBois
$3.341      Erie
$3.277      Greensburg
$3.298      Indiana
$3.295      Jeannette
$3.300      Kittanning
$3.297      Latrobe
$3.347      Meadville
$3.367      Mercer
$3.258      New Castle
$3.291      New Kensington
$3.359      Oil City
$3.282      Pittsburgh
$3.292      Sharon
$3.320      Uniontown
$3.340      Warren
$3.277      Washington

Trend Analysis:

Since Memorial Day weekend, the national gas price average has increased 13 cents to $3.17. That is 98 cents more than a year ago, but 41 cents cheaper than this time in July 2014, when the national average was last above $3/gallon.

One of the primary reasons for more expensive gas prices this summer is high crude oil prices. However, last week crude prices fluctuated from a high of $75 per barrel down to $71 per barrel. News from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) over the weekend, that they have reached a deal to increase production in August, could give crude oil prices the potential to drop under $70 per barrel. Regardless, AAA expects higher pump prices to be the norm throughout the summer. However, the more expensive prices aren’t stopping motorists from filling-up based on strong gasoline demand numbers.

While gas demand dipped to 9.28 million barrels per day, in the Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) latest report, the rate is strong for summer. The EIA report also shows gasoline stocks increased by 1 million barrels to 236.5 million. The jump in supply and drop in demand lessened fluctuations in the national gas price average, which had a two-cent increase on the week. During the last seven days, 25 state averages increased by at least two cents, with 11 of those seeing jumps of a nickel or more.

Motorists can find current gas prices nationwide, statewide, and countywide at GasPrices.AAA.com.

AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 73 local offices in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia serving 2.7 million members.  News releases are available at news.eastcentral.aaa.com.  Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing single-lane restrictions on Route 65 (Mercer Road) in North Sewickley Township, Beaver County, will occur Tuesday and Wednesday, July 20-21 weather permitting.

Single-lane alternating traffic will occur on Route 65 between Bologne Valley Road and Sylvia Drive from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday as crews conduct pavement core drilling work. Flaggers will assist motorists through the work zone.

Crews from Armstrong Drilling will conduct the work.

Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is advising motorists that line painting operations on I-376 (Beaver Valley Expressway) in Beaver County, will occur Tuesday and Wednesday, July 20-21 weather permitting.

Lane restrictions will occur on the I-376 between Hopewell/Route 151 (Exit 48) and Center (Exit 42) interchanges as crews conduct line painting operations. Work will occur from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Roadway line painting is an important part of PennDOT’s highway safety initiatives. Paint lines provide direction, delineation, and guidance to motorists.

Motorists who accidentally get paint on their vehicles should immediately wash the paint off with a high-pressure water stream and detergent.  Dried paint can be removed with de-natured alcohol and a soft cloth.  Generally, PennDOT is not responsible for paint on vehicles.

Motorists should use caution and be aware of changing traffic patterns when driving through the area.

Visit 511pa.com or call 511 from any phone to check traffic conditions on major roadways before traveling.

TAYLOR, Pa. (AP) — Authorities say a man died after he was struck by lightning while playing golf in northeastern Pennsylvania last week. Lackawanna County Coroner Timothy Rowland said Monday that 71-year-old Joseph Slivinski of Blakely was at Pine Hills Golf Course when severe weather rolled through at about 1:30 p.m. Friday. Rowland said Slivinski was apparently attempting to seek shelter when he was struck by lightning and died at the golf course. Golf course owner and general manager Scott Kozar told WBRE-TV that when a storm is near, a ranger tries to alert golfers, but Friday’s storm came in so fast that there was little time for people to get out of harm’s way.

Pennsylvania smashes record for gambling revenue in a year
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania smashed its record for gambling revenue in the most recent fiscal year. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board reported Monday that casinos, truck stops and fantasy sports operators collected nearly $3.9 billion in revenue. The rebound comes after pandemic-related shutdowns knocked casino revenue down significantly. The total for the fiscal year ending June 30 beat the previous high, two years ago, by about 17% and last year’s take by more than 40%. Revenue from slot machines and from table games remains lower than record highs. But online casino gambling and sports betting leaped to new record highs. Gambling revenue also benefited from the opening of two new casinos.

(AMBRIDGE,Pa.) Pa. State Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver/Allegheny, has written to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection urging it to deny Penn Energy’s request to withdraw water from Big Sewickley Creek.

In a July 16 letter to DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell, Rep. Matzie expressed his opposition to the permit application, which would allow Penn Energy to withdraw 3 million gallons of water daily from the creek.

(Beaver, Pa.) A State Trooper who is facing charges stemming from an incident that occurred in Rochester is scheduled to be in court today.

According to a criminal complaint Trooper Trask Alexander is charged with trying to withdraw a traffic citation issued to one of his friends that was issued by another state trooper after a traffic stop that happened in Rochester.

When the woman was pulled over by the other Trooper she allegedly told the Trooper that she and her boyfriend are friends of Trooper Alexander. The complaint states that the female then sent a photo of the citation to Alexander.

The District Court found inconsistencies, including a signature that didn’t match on a withdrawal form that Alexander then allegedly sent to the district court.

Alexander is suspended without pay pending the results of an internal investigation and what happens in court.