(HARRISBURG) – Attorney General Josh Shapiro today, in conjunction with recommendations from the 48th Statewide Investigating Grand Jury, announced charges against three individuals as part of an investigation into drug trafficking in Allegheny County. The investigation began in May 2021 into the ringleader of the organization, William Ely, 41, of Wilkinsburg, Pa., and two mid-level dealers, Jaylon Brock and Tony Burnsworth, for possession of and intent to traffic mass amounts of fentanyl into the community.

         “14 Pennsylvanians die from opioids every day, and we will not sit idly by when dealers peddle poisons and try to profit from devastating our communities,” said Attorney General Shapiro. “With two guns recovered from these searches, including an automatic assault rifle, this is a firm reminder that drug trafficking is a violent enterprise. My office, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to hold those accountable who profit from drug trafficking.”

         During the investigation, agents learned Ely was supplying roughly 150 bricks of heroin/fentanyl, or up to 7,500 doses, a week to Brock and Burnworth who then sold them on the streets. Brock allegedly sold the drugs supplied by Ely in Pittsburgh while Burnsworth, of Friedens, Pa., would transport the majority of these drugs to sell in Somerset County.

        On July 30, 2021, agents from the Office of Attorney General Bureau of Narcotics Investigations executed a search warrant on Ely’s Wilkinsburg residence and Hill District stash house where they recovered 80 grams of fentanyl/heroin, 769 grams of cocaine, a kilo press for bulk packaging, $134,815.00 in cash, and two firearms, including an AR-style rifle. Ely is a convicted felon who is not legally able to possess a firearm.

        The investigation led agents to two additional locations in the Hill District affiliated with Brock where, during the search, they seized a total of 291.2 grams of fentanyl, 19.1 grams of cocaine, and $10,600.00 in cash. The total street value of all of the drugs seized during this investigation is more than $217,000.00.

        The Office of Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigation was assisted in their investigation by the City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Monroeville Police Department, Penn Hills Police Department, Wilkinsburg Police Department, along with the detectives from the Somerset County District Attorney’s Office.

William Ely, Jaylon Brock and Tony Burnsworth have been charged with possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, corrupt organization, and related charges. Ely was also charged for illegally possessing a firearm. These cases are being prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Tomm Mutschler. All charges are accusations. The defendants are innocent unless and until proven guilty.

(Pittsburgh, PA) – PennDOT District 11 is announcing roadway improvement work on Route 4016 (Seibert Road) in Ross Township, Allegheny County will begin Wednesday, August 17 weather permitting.

Single lane restrictions will occur on Seibert Road between Babcock Boulevard and Thompson Run Road daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. through mid-November. During the paving operations, time restrictions will be extended.  Additional details will be provided in advance of the start of the work.

Improvement work includes milling and paving, drainage upgrades, base and shoulder repairs, guide rail updates, pavement markings, and other various construction related activities.

The prime contractor on this $5.24 million group paving project is A. Folino Construction.

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.

(Harrisburg, PA) – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced today that select drivers facing a suspension due to accumulation of points on their driving records or for a conviction of excessive speeding now have a chance at redemption through successfully completing the newly-instituted Driver Improvement School (DIS) offered by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
“This new training program offers people whose driving privileges are in jeopardy a chance to avoid losing their license,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “For many, losing the ability to legally operate a motor vehicle means not just a loss of mobility, but a loss of income and independence as well.”
As drivers are convicted of certain moving violations, points are assigned to their driving record. Once a driver’s record has been reduced below six points and for the second time, shows as many as six points or has a conviction for excessive speeding, that driver is required to attend a departmental hearing. At the departmental hearing, a driver meets with a Driver Safety Examiner (DSE) to review their driving record and discuss the driving habits that resulted in the hearing. At the conclusion of the hearing, a determination will be made whether serving a 15-day suspension or attending PennDOT’s DIS would be most beneficial for the driver to assist in making better decisions while behind the wheel.
An individual who attends and successfully completes the DIS due to their record showing for the second time as many as six points, will have two points removed from their record and avoid a 15-day suspension. An individual who attends and successfully completes the DIS due to a conviction on excessive speeding will avoid having to serve a 15-day suspension. If an individual does not successfully complete the course or fails to attend, they will be required to serve a 60-day driver’s license suspension.
The DIS curriculum focuses on safety and addresses poor driver behaviors and judgment exhibited in “high risk” drivers. This six-hour course focuses on educating and assisting problematic drivers to identify why they engage in risky driving behavior and how to utilize strategies for behavior modification to assist in improving their driving habits to prevent future violations and crashes.

(PITTSBURGH, PA) – A resident of Mercer, Pennsylvania has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of interstate threats and influencing or retaliating against a federal officer by threat, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
The fourteen-count Indictment named Adam Bies, 46, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, Bies made threats to murder, injure, and assault agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the days following the FBI’s search of former President Donald Trump’s home in Florida on August 8, 2022, pursuant to a federal search warrant.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 10 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 defendants. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey R. Bengel is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven

(Monaca, PA) – Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) is among several elite education partners teaming with the Early Childhood Education Professional Development Organization (ECEPDO) at the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) to provide a free training opportunity, which allows Pennsylvania’s early childhood educators who work at least 25 hours per week providing care to infants and pre‐school aged children in a licensed facility advance their careers through education and professional development. Through a grant funded by the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) of
Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services (DHS), early childhood educators throughout the region can now earn a no-cost Child Development Associate (CDA) micro-credential at CCBC.                                                                                                                                        CCBC’s award comes on the heels of Governor Tom Wolf reaching another milestone that expands early education to more than 3,200 additional young children, including a $30 million increase in state funding so more children can attend a quality pre-k program and the $655 million in federal funding available to help childcare providers stabilize during the pandemic, allowing more parents to return to work.
“Receiving this grant and offering high-quality training programs to early childhood educators, is an investment in our community now and in the future,” said Dr. Katie Thomas, Dean of the School of Business, Arts, Sciences, and Technology. “We are strengthening and building the pipeline of teachers and ensuring that high-quality early learning programs are available to set our children up for success.”
The grant also provides participants with individualized virtual assistance and tuition, fees, and books free of charge.
Instruction is offered in a variety of flexible formats, including face-to-face, online live, and fully online. Courses include Introduction to Early Childhood, Child Development, Health and Safety, Observation and Guidance, and Caring for Infants and Toddlers with all credits transferable towards associate degrees in Education PreK-4 or Early Learning and Development.
This fall, CCBC will also launch its sixth and newest High School Academy for students in grades 11 and
12 interested in careers as educators. The Education Academy provides students at participating schools
the opportunity to gain firsthand experience in diverse educational settings while learning how to prepare developmentally appropriate lessons and learning environments. CCBC’s Education Academy students can earn up to 28 college credits while still working towards a high school diploma.
CCBC is one of 43 institutions nationwide able to offer high school students access to Pell Grant funding
and the High School Academy program is the recipient of the Carnegie Science Award for Leadership in
STEM Education.
For more information, visit dhs.pa.gov and education.pa.gov.
To enroll, contact Jacqueline Black, Professor of Education, at jacqueline.black@ccbc.edu or
724‐480‐3477.

 

Center Township Municipal Center file photo 
Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published August 16, 2022 11:44 A.M.

(Center Township, PA)  Center Township Engineer Ned Mitrovich reported to the supervisors that the Beaver Valley Mall Boulevard paving is underway and is a priority project. Cost of the project is close to $1 million dollars. The paving at the township park is expected to be complete in a few days.  Mitrovich reported that the Golfview Road paving for the intersection’s cost is $100,000.00
Resident Christine Ventresca told the supervisors that there have been 3 wrecks in front of her home located at 1236 Chapel Road . The speed limit is 35 miles per hour there. She thanked Police Chief Barry Kramer and the department for slowing the traffic down in that area. Resident Bob Williams reported that there is speeding from PSU to the top of the hill. Supervisor Lesa Mastrofrancesco advised the residents since the roads are state to contact State Representative Josh Kail. Police Chief Kramer said he’d address the issues also.
A public hearing preceded the regular meeting to amend the zoning ordinance to have storage units eliminated from the C-2 district in the township.  The supervisors reported that the township and county planning commissions didn’t respond to the proposed action.

Center Township Municipal Center file photo 
Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published August 16, 2022 11:44 A.M.

(Center Township, PA) Center Supervisors conducted a conditional use hearing for the MTR MARTIAL ARTS STUDIO that would be located at 108 Grandview Avenue.  The supervisors, Solicitor Vince Tucceri and Police Chief Barry Kramer asked questions of the person who would be operating the studio, the number of students, their ages.  Solicitor Vince Tucceri reported that the township has 45 days to render a decision on whether the studio would be approved.

HARRISBURG – After the recent tragedy in Uvalde, Texas, where children and educators were killed at an elementary school, Rep. Aaron Bernstine (R-Beaver/Butler, Lawrence) has introduced legislation to enhance the safety of children and staff while on school property.
“Mass murderers are often attracted to “soft targets” where they know victims are not armed,” said Bernstine. “According to the Crime Prevention Resource Center, there has not been a single mass shooting in a school where staff were clearly allowed to carry a firearm.”
House Bill 2771 would allow school employees who possess a valid Pennsylvania concealed carry permit to be armed while on school property. An employee who wishes to carry a firearm on school property would also be required to complete a rigorous firearms course from a certified instructor with a signed certificate showing completion of a training and proficiency course for the firearm the employee intends to carry on school grounds.
At the present time, 28 states make it clear in statute that teachers or school staff can be armed while on school property. Pennsylvania is not one of them.
“Unfortunately, we live in a time when every day that we send our kids to school, their lives are at risk,” said Bernstine. “Allowing school employees to be armed may help protect our children, and it would increase the amount of security around school campuses.”
Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-Cumberland/Franklin/York) has introduced Senate Bill 1288, legislation which is the same as Bernstine’s bill that would end Pennsylvania’s “gun-free school zones.”
“Sen. Mastriano and I are committed to securing our schools and ensuring that every child is safe. I’m proud to partner with him on this legislation,” Bernstine added.
House Bill 2771 will most likely be referred to the House Education Committee for consideration.

Kraft Heinz is recalling thousands of pouches of Capri Sun after some cleaning solution accidentally mixed with the juice on a production line. The company says it’s recalling about 5,760 cases of Capri Sun Wild Cherry flavored juice blend. The “Best When Used By” date on the packages is June 25, 2023. Kraft Heinz says the diluted cleaning solution is used on its food processing equipment. The company says it discovered the problem after getting consumer complaints about the juice’s taste. Consumers who bought the affected drinks should return them to the store where they were purchased to receive a refund.