(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

The Beaver County Commissioners heard it all at Wednesday’s work session, regarding budgets, walkways, memorials, taxes, the election–all within the span of just over 30 minutes.

Walkways were the first item brought to attention as Public Works director Dan Colville spoke about a new problem regarding the area near the walkway bridge between the Ice Arena parking lot and the newly renovated outdoor courts. The problem arose from the DPW working on drainage in the area “which used to be all grass,” Colville said. “It’s a muddy mess now,” he added, “and I know this isn’t the time of year for lots of activity there. But if there’s a nice day or two, you’ll probably get some activity there.” Colville suggested to the Commissioners that they could replace the muddy area with a stable concrete surface, with stone gravel as a possible alternative on short notice.

Solicitor Garen Fedeles spoke about the election process the prior week, with a positive message: “For the most part, I’d say everything last Tuesday ran according to plan. There’s always minor hiccups that you’re going to get no matter what…working through 15,000 mail-in ballots and trying to get all those all those open and counted ran us until three in the morning, and we had to come back again the next morning in order to finish those up. But I thank everyone who helped to do that process.”

Fedeles then presented the Commissioners with the 57 resolutions for Thursday’s public meeting: “a vast majority of them are tax exonerations; there’s also a lot of amendments and extensions of current contracts,” he stated. The biggest one on the agenda, though, was Resolution No. 112722-46–which introduces the proposed County budget for the 2023 fiscal year. Financial advisor Corey Troutman was in attendance for the work session, stating that most of the parts to maintain balance for the 2023 budget will be similar to the current budget and that those moves will not affect the County’s ARPA fund allocation (for the time being). The Commissioners will vote on the proposed budget and the other 56 resolutions Thursday morning at 10:00 AM.

The meeting closed with Center Township Police Captain John Hall requesting that the Commissioners approve, on behalf of the Beaver Valley Chiefs of Police, to expand the Police Officer Memorial that was constructed back in 2002 and displayed outside the Beaver County Courthouse. “What we’re asking for from the Commissioners is permission to make some adjustments to the memorial,” Capt. Hall spoke, “so that we can add–we call it a ‘scroll’–what it is is a bronze plaque that puts the names on it. There’s currently one there; ideally we will need to put two more in at some point in the future for a total of three.” Capt. Hall also suggested that there be additional wings for officers who have fallen in the line of duty as well as K-9 officers who have served in Beaver County, once the BVCP has attained enough funding to purchase those additional wings/scrolls. All three Commissioners gave their approval for the additions to the current Police Officer Memorial.

The next Beaver County Commissioners’ work session is scheduled for November 23 at 10:00 AM.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., gestures after being reelected as Republican leader, quashing a challenge from Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., in the Senate Republican leadership elections on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
By LISA MASCARO, BRIAN SLODYSKO and MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has been reelected as Republican leader, quashing a challenge from Sen. Rick Scott of Florida. Scott was the Senate GOP campaign chief, and he has been criticized over his party’s midterm election failures. Republican senators reelected McConnell on Wednesday by a vote of 37-10, with one other senator voting present. After the vote, McConnell said he’s “proud” to be reelected. He’s poised to become the longest-serving leader when the new Congress convenes in the new year. Scott’s challenge came amid fallout from the midterms, when Republicans failed to take the Senate majority.

Ten members of the Beaver Valley Choral Society are leaving for a November 28 performance at New York’s famed Carnegie Hall with Distinguished Concerts International New York. From left to right: Row 1 – – Pam George and Judi Contino;
Row 2 – Marjorie Eggenberger, Tess Begley, Judy O’Data and Penny
Chevront; and Row 3 – Christy Kendra, Diane Brosius and Susan
Hayden. Not pictured – Betsy Cole Hemer.

(Beaver County, Pa.) Ten members of the Beaver Valley Choral Society will be performing in the  Isaac Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall in New York City, on Monday, November 28, 2022. The Choral society made the announcement Wednesday morning via release.

The release stated that Distinguished Concerts International New York City has  announced that the Beaver Valley Choral Society auditioned and is now invited to participate in a performance of Pepper Choplin’s “The Seven Noels” as part of the DCINY Concert Series in New York City.
The performance takes place under the direction of the composer, Pepper Choplin. Ten Choral Society singers are joining with other choristers to form the Distinguished Concerts Singers International, a choir of distinction.
Maestro Choplin serves as composer in-residence and conductor of the performance,
as well as clinician for the residency.
The BVCS members and five of their guests are travelling to New York City on
November 25 to begin an intense three-day preparation for a once in a lifetime
opportunity.

The singers will participate in two days of practice and musical clinics while at
Carnegie Hall, with an exciting concert performance on November 28. A reception and
dinner for the performers is scheduled immediately after the concert.
The Choral Society is very proud and honored to participate in this special cultural
event conducted by Choplin at such a prestigious venue as Carnegie Hall. Not only is
this an exciting opportunity for those fortunate to attend, but it also further
recognizes the Beaver Valley Choral Society as an outstanding and distinguished
musical organization.
The BVCS members who are travelling to New York include Tessa Begley, Diane
Brosius, Penny Chevront, Betsy Cole Hemer, Judi Contino, Marjorie Eggenberger, Pam
George, Susan Hayden, Christy Kendra and Judy O’Data.
Invited guests include Larry Bosius, Judy Yester. Sam Contino, Fred Persi, and Jon
O’Data.
Visit www.dciny.org for detailed information about the Distinguished Concerts
International New York City (DCINY) organization.

(File Photo)

(Harrisburg, Pa.) In recognition of his exemplary contributions to rural health in Pennsylvania, Sen. Elder Vogel (R-47) has been named the 2022 Rural Health Legislator of the Year by the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health.
“I am honored and humbled to receive this award,” said Vogel, who serves as the majority chairman of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee. “Health care concerns and the need for greater access to care are issues that are important regardless of your zip code, but often rural areas aren’t given as high a priority in
policymaking because of the sparseness in populations. I continue to be focused on ensuring the voices of our rural areas are heard and understood.”
The Rural Health Legislator of the Year Award recognizes a Pennsylvania legislator for outstanding work and support of rural health initiatives that address an identified need in their district or across the state.
Vogel was nominated for the award by Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding, who recognized the senator’s work recognizing and addressing the mental health needs of the agricultural community, as well as his advocacy for telemedicine for agricultural and rural communities.
“Telemedicine is vital for patients who suffer from chronic illness and families who live in rural areas where they would have to travel very far to receive medical care,” noted Vogel, who has long been a proponent of telemedicine to help overcome barriers to quality patient care created by distance and reduce the cost of those
services.
Vogel added: “As a fourth-generation farmer and chairman of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, I can attest to the fact that farming, by its nature, can be extremely stressful, even during the best of times. Mental health, for farmers as well as all those who live in Pennsylvania’s rural areas, remains an issue in need of more attention from both policymakers and health care providers.”
The Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health (PORH) is one of the 50 state offices of rural health and is a partnership between the United States federal government, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania State University. PORH is charged with being a source of coordination, technical assistance and networking; partnership development; and assisting in the recruitment and retention of health care providers.

In this Friday, May 14, 2021 photo, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner speaks during a news conference where the Guardian Civic League and Club Valiants, the fraternal organizations that represent Black and Latino police and firefighters, endorsed him for the upcoming Democratic primary, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Claudia Lauer)
By MARK SCOLFORO Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania House Republicans are teeing up a vote to impeach Democratic Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner. Republican leaders said after a committee vote Tuesday that a full floor vote to send it to the Senate for trial is expected Wednesday. The Judiciary Committee voted on party lines to advance two impeachment articles against Krasner. GOP lawmakers are blaming him for crime problems in the state’s most populous city. Krasner’s office put out a statement defending his record and saying House Republicans are showing they don’t want to govern responsibly.

(File Photo of Kim Ward’s official photo)

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania Republican state Sen. Kim Ward will become the first woman to serve as the chamber’s highest-ranking member. Republicans said Tuesday that they selected Ward to become president pro tempore when the new two-year legislative session starts in January. The 66-year-old Ward, of Westmoreland County, became the first female majority leader in the chamber last year. Republicans will have a 28-22 majority in the chamber. She’ll succeed Sen. Jake Corman of Centre County. He’s finishing a 24-year Senate career after a failed run for governor. Freshman Sen. Joe Pittman of Indiana County was picked by Republicans to succeed Ward as the GOP’s majority leader.

FILE – Former President Donald Trump arrives to speak at Mar-a-lago on Election Day, Nov. 8, 2022, in Palm Beach, Fla. Trump is preparing to launch his third campaign for the White House with an announcement Tuesday night, Nov. 15. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)
By JILL COLVIN Associated Press
PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump has launched another run for the presidency, promising supporters he will “make America great and glorious again.” Trump made his plans official Tuesday night after teasing the potential of a comeback since before he even left the White House in 2021. He had hoped to piggyback off expected Republican gains in last week’s midterm elections and stave off potential challengers. Instead, Trump is facing blame for the party’s underwhelming performance, with many seeing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as a rising alternative. If Trump is ultimately successful, he would be just the second president in U.S. history to serve two nonconsecutive terms.

NASA’s new moon rocket lifts off from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-B Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
By MARCIA DUNN AP Aerospace Writer
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA’s new moon rocket has blasted off on its debut flight with three test dummies aboard. Wednesday’s Florida launch brings the U.S. a big step closer to putting astronauts back on the lunar surface for the first time since the end of the Apollo program 50 years ago. If all goes well with the three-week flight, the crew capsule will be propelled into a wide orbit around the moon, before returning to Earth with a Pacific splashdown in December. NASA hopes to send four astronauts around the moon on the next flight, in 2024, and land humans there as early as 2025.