(File Photo taken by Frank Sparks in 2021)
Story by Sandy Giordano, Beaver County Radio News Correspondent
(Pittsburgh, Pa.) Duquesne Light announced last week that they will be clearing  potentially hazardous vegetation along 1,300 miles of power lines in 2022, according to  a press release . the release stated that  work has begun to clear overgrown trees, shrubs and brush  around the company’s transmission  distribution lines  in Beaver and Allegheny counties, that includes 50,000 trees , because dense vegetation is a leading cause of power outages. The yearly efforts enable the company to continue safe and reliable service to its  customers, according to  Ashley Macik, Associate Manager of External Communications.

(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

The city of Beaver Falls has gone through several changes to its political personnel and the system in which they operate during the start of 2022, but the goal remains the same–get citizens involved to help the city continue to move forward.

Two ladies at the heart of this whirlwind of change–Kenya Johns and Bethany Williams–joined Matt Drzik on the March 11 edition of A.M. Beaver County to provide updates on the city’s progress.

Johns became mayor of Beaver Falls in 2022, the same year that the city adopted a home-rule charter for its government. Williams, who had previously been the Director for Community Development, announced her departure earlier this week at Beaver Falls’ city council meeting, creating another personnel change. Despite the changes though, both showcased optimism in the direction that Beaver Falls was heading.

“What we’ve really invested here in Beaver Falls is making sure there’s a place for everyone at the table,” Williams said during the conversation; a conversation that revealed that the city will soon have a new and updated website to post events and reach out to its citizens. “Our website is going to be instrumental for the future of the city,” Mayor Johns added, “and the biggest thing is that if people want to get involved, just come have a conversation. Talk to me, talk to city manager Charles “Mick” Jones…I want all of the community to be a part of this.”

To watch the FULL interview with Matt, Kenya, and Bethany, click on the Facebook feed below!

(Beaver , Pa.) The SATs that were scheduled at Beaver Area School District for this Saturday, March 12, 2022 are cancelled and rescheduled for Saturday March 26, 2022.

(File Photo)
Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano
(Hopewell Twp., Pa.) The Beaver County Highway Safety Task Force has begun conducting sobriety checkpoints , and or roving patrols and mobile awareness checkpoints  throughout Beaver County  this weekend and throughout the St.  Patrick’s Day celebrations. The  enforcement is in support of the state’s Impaired Driving  Enforcement Initiative. Checkpoints and/ or roving patrols will be conducted at undisclosed locations throughout the county to keep roads safe, save lives and reduce DUI crashes.
Hopewell Township Police Detective Greg Durkos  is the county’s Impaired Driving. Enforcement Initiative. He reminds drivers  to drink responsibly , assign designated drivers or make alternate arrangements to get home safely.

(File Photo)

(PITTSBURGH, PA) Daylight saving time begins this Sunday, March 13, and the American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania reminds everyone to TURN your clocks forward one hour and TEST your smoke alarms.

Did you know working smoke alarms can cut the risk of dying in a home fire by half? That’s why it’s critical to “Turn and Test” and take these lifesaving steps to stay safe from home fires — the nation’s most frequent disaster:

• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including inside and outside bedrooms and sleeping areas. Test alarms monthly and replace the batteries at least once a year if your model requires it.
• Replace smoke alarms that are 10 years or older. That’s because the sensor becomes less sensitive over time. Check the date of your smoke alarms and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Practice your two-minute escape plan. Make sure everyone in your household can get out in less than two minutes — the amount of time you may have to get out of a burning home before it’s too late. Include at least two ways to get out from every room and select a meeting spot at a safe distance away from your home, such as your neighbor’s home or landmark like a specific tree in your front yard, where everyone knows where to meet.
• Teach children what a smoke alarm sounds like. Talk about fire safety and what to do in an emergency.

“As many as seven people die in this country every day from a home fire, but smoke alarms cut your risk in half,” said Patricia Waldinger, CEO of the Red Cross of Southwestern Pennsylvania. “Protect your household this weekend. Turn your clocks forward and test your smoke alarms.”

Visit redcross.org/fire for more information, including an escape plan to practice with your family. You can also download our free Emergency app by searching for “American Red Cross” in app stores.

The Red Cross responds to more than 60,000 disasters every year and most of them are home fires. To help prevent fire-related deaths and injuries, the Red Cross launched the Home Fire Campaign with community partners in 2014 to reduce fire-related deaths and injuries.

So far, the Home Fire Campaign has reached more than 2.5 million people and is credited with saving more than 1,200 lives across the country. Visit redcross.org/HomeFireStories to learn more.

(File Photo)

(Harrisburg, Pa.) With gas prices hitting record highs across the country, some governors and state lawmakers are calling for a gas tax holiday.
Pennsylvania has the highest gas tax in the United States at 40 cents more per gallon than the national average and Republican State Senator Jake Corman is trying to push the Pa. legislation to reduce that tax by one-third for the rest of this year.
People who oppose Corman say that If a gas tax holiday does happen, money that goes to road and bridge repairs would be impacted and it wouldn’t make enough of a difference at the pump.
Supporters say that missing revenue can be offset with other money.

The featured image above shows the sign of the Big Beaver Falls Area High School
Story By Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio. Published March 10, 2022 8:23 P.M.

(Beaver Falls, PA) The Big Beaver Falls School Board met Thursday evening for a discussion meeting.  The board announced that they have been approved for a DCED grant for the high school swimming pool with the help of State Representative Jim Marshall.  The grant will be used to make repairs and improvements to the pool.  Also stated was that the district health and safety plan was amended to turn masking optional.  In addition, the board announced building requests, one for the Beaver Valley Community Concert association to continue holding concerts in the Middle School Auditorium and for the Greater Pittsburgh Area Food Bank to hold a public food distribution site one Saturday per month.