PITTSBURGH (AP) — A western Pennsylvania man accused of helping to set fire to a Pittsburgh police car during last year’s protests in Pittsburgh over the death of George Floyd has pleaded guilty to federal charges. Twenty-six-year-old Christopher West pleaded guilty Monday to conspiring to set fire to property of an organization that receives federal funding and unlawful interference with a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder in the May 30 events. He objected Monday to a reference to an alleged assault on a television station camera operator for which he faces charges in county court.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania will resume work search requirements in July for hundreds of thousands of people receiving unemployment compensation. Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration said Monday that the requirement will resume July 18. That means that people claiming jobless benefits will have to search for work during the previous week. A work registration requirement will resume in September. The requirements have been waived by Wolf under his emergency disaster authority invoked during COVID-19 pandemic. Some 750,000 people in Pennsylvania have been receiving jobless benefits either through a state or federal program were also receiving the extra $300 a week.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Republicans in Pennsylvania’s state Senate are advancing legislation to prohibit governments and school districts from requiring a COVID-19 vaccination. The Republican-penned bill passed the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on Monday along party lines, 6-4, with Democrats opposing it. The prohibition on so-called vaccine passports applies to state agencies, counties, municipalities and school districts, and bars them from requiring a proof of vaccination to use services, enter buildings or engage in activities. The bill doesn’t apply to private businesses or organizations. Democratic Sen. Art Haywood of Montgomery County says school districts already require vaccines, and may need the authority to require a COVID-19 vaccine for community safety.

(Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Curtis Walsh)

A weather alert for areas of patchy fog is in effect until 7:30 this morning for all of Beaver County.  From the Pittsburgh National Weather Service: Patchy dense fog will reduce visibility to a quarter mile or less at times early this morning. Use caution if traveling. Visibility should gradually improve after sunrise as the fog begins to dissipate.

This photo shows the fog currently in our area, completely masking the visibility of the WBVP tower:

(Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano)

Beaver County Radio spoke to the Darlington Borough secretary and she said the early morning fire that erupted at the Mt. Pleasant Presbyterian Church was a very bad one, the fire marshal was called. The structure on Market Street is attended by many elderly, she said. Beaver County 9-1-1 reported that crews assisting, along with Darlington, cleared the scene.

Brian Snitger from the Beaver Heritage Foundation joins Matt Drzik on A.M. Beaver County following the 8:30 news to talk about Beaver’s Memorial Day parade and festivities.

Also, the latest in news and weather with Curtis Walsh, and talking a little about Game 5 of the Pens/Islanders series–assuming it’s over when the show starts.

6:30 to 9:00, it’s A.M. Beaver County with Matt Drzik on 1230, 1460, 99.3, and beavercountyradio.com

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration’s ambassador to the European Union and a pivotal witness in 2019 impeachment proceedings has sued former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in an effort to recoup $1.8 million in legal fees. Gordon Sondland alleges in the lawsuit that Pompeo had committed to reimburse his legal expenses after he was subpoenaed by House Democrats to testify in an impeachment case that accused then-President Donald Trump of withholding military aid from Ukraine while demanding an investigation into political rival Joe Biden and his son Hunter. He says Pompeo reneged on the promise. A Pompeo spokesperson calls the lawsuit “ludicrous.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading to the Middle East to press the Israelis, Palestinians and regional players to build on and strengthen last week’s Gaza cease-fire, start an immediate flow of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and lay the groundwork for a resumption in peace talks. President Joe Biden says Blinken departs Monday for Israel, the West Bank, Jordan and Egypt. It will be the Biden administration’s highest-level in-person meetings on this month’s crisis. Blinken will not meet anyone from the Hamas militant group that runs Gaza and was responsible for most of the recent rocket attacks on Israel.

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City voters will be casting their last ballots next month in an election that’s sure to have consequences for former President Donald Trump. Democrats will be voting in party primary for Manhattan’s next district attorney. The winner could end up taking over an ongoing investigation of Trump’s business dealings. Current District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. is leaving office at the end of the year. The eight candidates have made clear they’re not afraid of taking on the former president, but most have been cautious to stay away from overtly anti-Trump rhetoric. Trump has called the investigation a political “witch hunt.”