PITTSBURGH – A resident of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to a charge of violating federal conspiracy law in connection with the theft of 24 vehicles, Acting United States Troy Rivetti announced today.
Bernard Washington, age 31, pleaded guilty to Count One of the Indictment before United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from on or about May 30, 2021, until on or about Oct. 25, 2021, Washington conspired to commit offenses against the United States, namely, transportation and receipt of stolen vehicles. Washington admitted that he worked
as a contractor for the Hertz Rent a Car at the Pittsburgh International Airport between May and July 2021. During that time, and for several months thereafter, Washington and co-conspirators accessed the Hertz parking lot and stole approximately 24 vehicles, at least three of which were transported across state lines from Pennsylvania to other states, including Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. Washington and his co-conspirators provided these stolen vehicles to other individuals in exchange for payment. Washington also received at least two stolen vehicles from a co-conspirator, one of which had crossed state lines after being stolen.

Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for May 16, 2023. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of five 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 Attorneys Karen Gal-Or and William Guappone are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the
investigation leading that led to the prosecution of Washington.

Harrisburg, PA – The Shapiro Administration is working to ensure fire departments in Western Pennsylvania are reimbursed by Norfolk Southern for the costs of replacing all equipment contaminated during the response and remediation to the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine on February 3^rd.

Fire companies from Beaver, Lawrence, and Washington Counties responded to the derailment and the controlled vent and burn. While no fire departments are significantly impeded in being able to respond and serve the public at this point, many have reported contaminated turnout gear, hose, and Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) along with some drop tanks for water supply operations.

The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) and the Office of the State Fire Commissioner have reached out directly to local fire departments and are working with them to identify and catalogue their damaged and contaminated equipment, and to streamline submissions to the Norfolk Southern Claims Director.

“Pennsylvanians impacted by this incident are safe right now because of the hard work and public service of first responders and fire departments in Western Pennsylvania,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “First responders answered the call – their departments deserve to be made whole and we expect Norfolk Southern to quickly reimburse any department that responded to the derailment and needs to replace equipment. My Administration will continue to hold Norfolk Southern accountable for any and all impacts on the Commonwealth.”

“Our fire companies and first responders put their health and safety on the line for Pennsylvanians each day – we are proud of the good work they do and we thank them for their service,” said Acting Pennsylvania State Fire Commissioner Thomas Cook. “In order to continue doing their jobs safely and effectively, our firefighters need the right gear. We urge Norfolk Southern to swiftly reimburse our fire departments, it’s the right thing to do.”

Last week, Governor Josh Shapiro issued a letter to Norfolk Southern raising questions about the emergency response that was undertaken in the immediate aftermath of the derailment and vowing to hold the company accountable. Governor Shapiro also joined Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and the U.S. EPA Administrator Michael Regan for a press conference in East Palestine yesterday, and then met with affected residents in Beaver County.

Pennsylvania continues to see no concerning air or water quality readings following this incident. The Shapiro Administration announced last week that the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will be conducting independent water sampling to closely monitor water contamination risks. Visit here for more information about DEP’s sampling efforts and other details about the derailment.

Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published February 22, 2023 12:00 P.M.

(Hopewell Township, PA) Hopewell Township Police Chief Don Sedlacek was nominated  and approved to serve on the  Municipal Police  Officers  Education and Training Commission by then- Governor Tom Wolf on October 26, 2022.  Chief Sedlacek commented: “I’m looking forward to  helping the next generation of police officers to make policing better for our community.” He said, “I’ve been so fortunate in my career  and everything has led me  to this opportunity.”  He serves as chief in the town he grew up in  and said his goal is to improve the community.  He teaches  criminal justice at CCBC and PSU  and was also director of the police academy, and still teaches. and has been a police officer for 25 years. He said,”Twelve years into my career  I became interested in education and I felt the need  to teach and educate future police officers. chief Sedlacek was hired by the township in 2021  following the retirement of Brian Uhrmacher.

The national average for a gallon of gas dropped this week by six cents to $3.41. Fewer people fueling up, and lower costs for oil, are behind the price dip. Today’s average is 13 cents more than a month ago and seven cents less than a year ago.

The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline in Beaver County is $3.797

According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gas demand dipped slightly from 8.49 million to 8.43 million b/d last week. The current gas demand rate is approximately 700,000 b/d lower than the rate during the first week of February 2022, helping to explain why gas prices are declining. Meanwhile, total domestic gasoline stocks increased significantly by 5 million barrels to 239.6 million barrels last week.

At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, West Texas Intermediate increased by $1.33 to settle at $78.47. Crude prices rose last week due to persistent market optimism that global oil demand will be stronger than expected.

The photo above shows Governors Shapiro and DeWine shaking hands, also in the photo are PA Congressman Chris Deluzio, EPA Administrator Michael Regan, and East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway, among others at the press conference. (Curtis Walsh)
Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio news Director. Published February 21, 2023 3:01 P.M.

(East Palestine, Ohio) Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael S. Regan held a press conference with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, as well as other local leaders such as PA 17th District Congressman Chris Deluzio Tuesday afternoon in East Palestine. County Commissioner Dan Camp was also in attendance. Regan began by announcing under EPA authority, Norfolk Southern is ordered to clean up all contamination in soil and water as a result of the derailment, and dispose of it properly. Failure to comply will result in the EPA immediately stepping in to do the work themselves, while charging Norfolk Southern three times the price. The EPA states Norfolk Southern has 48 hours to respond to their order to begin an immediate comprehensive work plan. Governor Mike DeWine added that Norfolk Southern will be forced to tear up the tracks and properly remove the soil underneath, which was left when the railroad was repaired and reopened extremely quickly following the derailment. PA Governor Josh Shapiro commented that Pennsylvania DEP has already begun conducting private air and water quality tests and will continue to do so. Local Municipalities are also conducting testing of public water. The test findings will be made public. Anybody in Pennsylvania that has concerns with their private well water is advised to call the DEP Southwest Regional Office at 412-442-4000. Shapiro added “Norfolk Southern’s corporate greed, incompetency, and lack of care for our residents, is absolutely unacceptable”. The Mayor of East Palestine, Trent Conaway, stated during the conference that he has faith that the leaders will not forget about East Palestine, and trusts they will continue to help for as long as they need. At this time, there have been no concerning air or water quality test results for Pennsylvania. Air and water testing will continue for the foreseeable future.

FILE – President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a campaign rally at the Knapp Center on the campus of Drake University, Jan. 30, 2020, in Des Moines, Iowa. Republican presidential prospects are streaming into Iowa, the leadoff presidential caucus state. Notably absent from the lineup, at least for now, is former President Donald Trump who carried the state twice, by healthy margins, as the Republican presidential nominee in the 2016 and 2020 elections. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci, File)

URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) — After a slow start, Republican presidential prospects are streaming into Iowa, the leadoff presidential caucus state. Notably absent from the lineup, at least for now, is former President Donald Trump. Few of the White House hopefuls face the lofty expectations in Iowa that Trump does. He finished a competitive second to devout social conservative Ted Cruz in 2016. Trump went on to carry the state twice, by healthy margins, as the Republican presidential nominee in the 2016 and 2020 elections. Though the caucuses are nearly a year off, they remain the first event on the nomination calendar, and some Iowa GOP activists have taken notice of Trump’s absence.

FILE – California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks in Sacramento, Calif., Jan. 10, 2023. Democratic governors in 20 states are launching a network intended to strengthen abortion access in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court nixing a woman’s constitutional right to end a pregnancy. (AP Photo/José Luis Villegas, File)

Democratic governors in 20 states are launching a network intended to strengthen abortion access in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court nixing a woman’s constitutional right to end a pregnancy. The ruling shifted regulatory powers over the procedure to state governments. Organizers, led by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, described the Reproductive Freedom Alliance as a way for governors and their staffs to share best practices and affirm abortion rights for the approximately 170 million Americans who live in the consortium’s footprint. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said in an interview that the court’s Dobbs decision that ended a national right to abortion put pressure on governors to act.

FILE – A black plume rises over East Palestine, Ohio, as a result of a controlled detonation of a portion of the derailed Norfolk Southern trains, Feb. 6, 2023. West Virginia’s water utility says it’s taking precautionary steps following the derailment of a train hauling chemicals that later sent up a toxic plume in Ohio. The utility said in a statement on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2023 that it has enhanced its treatment processes even though there hasn’t been a change in raw water at its Ohio River intake. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, file)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg wants the nation’s freight railroads to immediately act to improve safety while regulators try to strengthen safety rules in the wake of a fiery derailment in Ohio that forced evacuations when toxic chemicals were released and burned. Buttigieg announced the reforms Tuesday — two days after he warned Norfolk Southern to fulfill its promises to clean up the mess just outside East Palestine, Ohio, and help the town recover. The railroad reiterated its commitment to safety and aiding East Palestine but didn’t directly respond to Buttigieg’s criticism. The head of the EPA plans to return to the town Tuesday to talk about the next steps in the cleanup and efforts to keep people safe.