CCBC Foundation Announces The Beaver Valley Fraternal Order of Police Scholarship for Criminal Justice Studies

(Photo provided with release(left to right) CCBC’s Foundation Executive Director Kolton Hodner and Beaver Valley Lodge #4 Fraternal Order of Police President and Chief of Police for Monaca, David Piuri. )

(Monaca, Pa.)  The CCBC Foundation announced a new scholarship endowed by the Beaver Valley Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) for the 2022 fall semester. The scholarship will support students pursuing a career in the criminal justice field with the goal of increasing diversity in the workforce. 

The Beaver Valley Fraternal Order of Police is the largest organization of law enforcement officers in Beaver County, consisting of members from over 30 law enforcement agencies. It is the fourth oldest lodge in the United States following the founding of the FOP by two Pittsburgh police officers in 1915. Today, over 100 years after the first meeting, the FOP consists of more than 2,100 lodges. The organization supports law enforcement officers through education, legislation, community involvement, and employee representation. 

The endowment of $10,000 will offer financial support to minority and underrepresented students who are studying criminal justice. CCBC offers multiple criminal justice and public safety degree and training programs, including Criminal Justice, Police Technology, and the Police Academy.

Scholarships are awarded according to the following criteria:

  • Applicants must be a full-time student enrolled in for-credit courses at CCBC.
  • Applicants must have applied for financial aid.
  • Applicants must submit a completed scholarship application by the stated deadline to the Executive Director of the CCBC Foundation.

Established in 1974, the Police Training Academy at CCBC offers Act 120 training required to become a certified police officer in Pennsylvania as well as Act 180 Mandatory In-Service training for active-duty police officers. The Academy operates with the assistance of the Municipal Police Officers Education and Training Commission to provide physical and defensive tactics, firearms, and emergency vehicle operation training to cadets and current officers. Cadets who receive their Act 120 can also go on to receive an associate degree in Police Technology.

The Criminal Justice program prepares students for careers in a wide variety of fields including corrections, probations and parole, juvenile justice, substance abuse counseling, and paralegal studies. Coursework includes investigative techniques such as crime lab analysis, forensics, interrogation, and criminal law. An optional internship provides real-world experience while students continue earning credits toward their degree. CCBC awards two-year associate degrees in Criminal Justice – Applied Science. The major is also Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Center (TAOC) approved, meaning that graduates are prepared to transfer to a four-year college or university that offers a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. 

The criminal justice field includes a wide variety of careers at local, state, and federal levels. These important jobs require a diverse workforce that accurately represent the communities they serve to build trust, understand, and respond to their needs, and encourage faith in law enforcement and the government. The Beaver Valley Fraternal Order of Police Scholarship is a valuable addition to the opportunities available to CCBC students through the CCBC Foundation.

To learn more about other scholarship opportunities, apply or donate: https://www.ccbcfoundation.org/scholarships

B.C. Chamber Announces New President

(Beaver, Pa.) The Beaver County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors  via press release announced the hiring of Donna Lee Siple as the new President of the Beaver County Chamber of Commerce effective Wednesday, June 1, 2022.
Donna Lee joins the Chamber staff as a former Chief Executive Officer of the Japan-America Society of Tennessee and the Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania. She currently resides in Beaver, PA with her husband, Sam. She is looking forward to furthering the Chamber’s mission of leading and advocating for economic growth and community vitality, through collaboration, networking and education, in order to foster the best, most diverse and inclusive environment for our members.
Lee Replaces current President Helen Kissick who announced her resignation on February 21, 2022 after three years as President.
Kissick and Lee will work together to transition Lee into the position. Kissick is expected to leave her post by early summer.

Oz, McCormick Tied in Pa. with Thousands of Ballots to Count

By MARC LEVY Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Vote counting in Pennsylvania’s Republican primary for U.S. Senate has dragged into a third day as Dr. Mehmet Oz and former hedge fund CEO David McCormick remain essentially tied with tens of thousands of ballots left to tally. Oz led McCormick by 1,122 votes as of Thursday evening. The race remains close enough to trigger Pennsylvania’s automatic recount law, and Oz’s margin has narrowed. Pennsylvania’s Department of State, which oversees elections, says there are about 38,000 mail-in and absentee ballots — 8,700 in the Republican primary — left to be counted. Oz and McCormick each have said they believe victory is near.

Friday’s AMBC: Baptists & Books

On Friday’s show, Matt Drzik talks to Reverend Cordell Fountain of the First Baptist Church in Midland at 8:10, followed by Carnegie Free Library of Beaver Falls director Rachel Crisci at 8:35 on A.M. Beaver County.

Frank Sparks gets the show rolling with the latest local news at 6:30 on Beaver County Radio.

Bob Barrickman Breaks Down WPIAL Baseball & Softball Playoffs

(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

“I’m confident that we’re going to have a number of teams that make a serious run.”

Those words were spoken by Beaver County Radio sports director Bob Barrickman on the May 19 edition of A.M. Beaver County, as he spoke with Matt Drzik about the 2022 WPIAL Baseball and Softball Playoffs that started earlier this week.

Several area teams are in the postseason conversation; the top two might be the Beaver softball team–currently on a 37-game winning streak dating back to the beginning of the 2021 season–and the Hopewell baseball team, who entered the playoffs as the #1 seed in Class 3A. Both the Viking boys and Bobcat ladies are looking to repeat as WPIAL champions following titles in 2021.

It’s not just those two, however–as of the interview, there were still 12 teams in the coverage area remaining between the two brackets. Blackhawk, Beaver, Quaker Valley, Hopewell, New Brighton, Riverside, OLSH, and Rochester remain in the WPIAL Baseball playoffs, while Beaver, Ellwood City, OLSH, and South Side Beaver are still active in the WPIAL Playoffs. “I would be surprised if we don’t get at least a couple of teams to the championships,” Barrickman said, “the way that these early-round playoffs are going thus far.”

To hear the full conversation with Bob Barrickman, click on the player below!

Spirit Airlines Tells Shareholders to Reject Hostile Bid from JetBlue

(AP Photo/Chris O’Meara, File)
By MICHELLE CHAPMAN AP Business Writer
Spirit Airlines is advising shareholders to reject a tender offer for shares from JetBlue three days after it went hostile in its bid to create what would be the nation’s fifth largest airline. Spirit repeated Thursday that any attempt to merge with JetBlue would face substantial regulatory hurdles, largely because of JetBlue’s alliance with American Airlines in the Northeast. The Justice Department is suing to block that deal. JetBlue offered to buy Spirit Airlines after a proposed acquisition of that carrier by Frontier Airlines, a deal that Spirit is backing despite a lower offering price.

EXPLAINER: How Mailed Ballots Slow Results in Pennsylvania

(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
By MARK SCOLFORO and CHRISTINA A. CASSIDY Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Counting of mailed ballots in Pennsylvania is drawing renewed scrutiny amid a too-close-to-call U.S. Senate primary between Republicans David McCormick and Dr. Mehmet Oz. Former President Donald Trump blasted the state’s elections procedures on social media, even though there are no indications of any wrongdoing with those ballots other than a printing error that was slowing the tally in one county. Numerous safeguards are in place to ensure that people casting mailed ballots are who they say they are and only vote once. Voter fraud in Pennsylvania and elsewhere does happen, but it is exceedingly rare.

Wampum Women Charged After Threatening Pair Attempting to Repo a Vehicle with a Handgun

(File Photo)

(Wayne Twp., Lawrence County, Pa.) Pa State Police in New Castle reported yesterday that they were called to a location on Morgan Lane in Wayne Township, Lawrence County, on May 8, 2022 at 11:24 AM for reports of Terroristic threats against a pair of victims who were attempting to repo a vehicle.
Upon arriving on the scene and investigating it was learned that 32-year-old Holly Poloka of Wampum came outside the residence on Morgan Lane as 35-year-old Jonathan McGirr of Greenville, Pa. and 55-year-old Pamela Crouser of Transfer, Pa. were attempting to repo a 2013 Ram truck that was in default on payments and threatened the victims with a Springfield 9 MM Pistol.
Troopers said in the release that Poloka was taken into custody without incident. The firearm was retrieved by troopers and entered into evidence. Charges are currently pending against

State Police Looking for Person or Persons Who Fired a Gun into a Wooded Area Near Homes in Wayne Twp.

(File Photo)

(Wayne Township, Lawrence County, Pa.) Pa State Police in New Castle are looking for the publics help with an incident that occurred on April 23, 2022 around 2:14 AM on Chewton Wurtemburg Road in Wayne Township, Lawrence County.
Troopers said via release that they responded to a report of disorderly conduct at the above location in which an unknown individual or individuals in an unkown vehicle, possibly an older pick-up truck with a loud exhaust, drove through the area and fired several 9 mm rounds from an unknown firearm into a woodland area near residences.
Troopers are asking anyone with information or video surveillance concerning the incident to please contact them at the New Castle Barracks, 724-598-2211 and refer to incident number PA22-505326

New Business Opening in New Brighton this Weekend

(File Photo)

(New Brighton, Pa.) Another new business will be opening in New Brighton this weekend the Mila Jai Boutique will have their grand opening this Saturday, May 21, 2022. They will be selling unique handmade designs of gemstone jewelry, aromatherapy candles, fashion accessories, and clothing. The new store is located at 1211 Fifth Street will be open on Saturday from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM.