(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)
By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The older you are, the less you fret about aging in place. That’s a key insight from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll, which found that people 65 or older feel much better prepared to age in their own homes than those 50-64. Among those 65 or older, nearly 8 in 10 said they’re extremely or very prepared to stay in their current home as long as possible. But among those 50-64, it’s noticeably smaller: about 6 in 10. The poll also found greater insecurity around aging in place among Black and Latino Americans, likely tied to a deep-rooted wealth gap that favors white people.

(AP Photo/John Raoux)
By MARCIA DUNN AP Aerospace Writer
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — SpaceX has launched four astronauts to the International Space Station for NASA, less than two days after completing a flight chartered by millionaires. The Falcon rocket blasted off before dawn Wednesday from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center. The crew includes the first Black woman making a long-term spaceflight, NASA’s Jessica Watkins. Also on board: the European Space Agency’s lone female astronaut, Samantha Cristoforetti of Italy. It’s the first time NASA has sent up a crew comprised equally of men and women. They should reach the space station Wednesday night.

(AP File Photo)
By ZEKE MILLER Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris has tested positive for COVID-19, the White House says. It’s a sharp new reminder of the persistence of the highly contagious virus even as the U.S. eases restrictions in a bid to revert to pre-pandemic normalcy. Neither President Joe Biden nor first lady Jill Biden was considered a “close contact” of Harris in recent days. The White House says Harris “has exhibited no symptoms.” After consulting with her physicians, Harris is taking Paxlovid, the Pfizer antiviral pill. Harris will isolate at her residence but continue to work remotely, and will only return to the White House once she tests negative for the virus.

(File Photo/Official Photo of Josh Kail) 

Story by Frank Sparks, Beaver County Radio News
(Harrisburg, Pa.) The Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed major economic ignition legislation to lower the Corporate Net Income Tax and provide additional tax relief to job creators as House Republicans continue their work to make Pennsylvania the economic Envy of the East.

House Bill 1960, penned by 15th District Rep. Josh Kail, would lower the Corporate Net Income Tax by one percentage point to 8.99 percent starting Jan. 1, 2023, with additional triggers to further lower the tax rate in future years.
The legislation would also provide additional tax simplification and fairness for Pennsylvania’s job creators by increasing the cap for net operating loss carry forwards.
The bill passed the House by a vote of 195 to 8 and now moves onto the Senate for approval.

(Photo taken by New Castle Police)

(New Castle, Pa.) Three people are facing drug charges after they were arrested and taken to jail following the execution of a search warrant at a home along Hamilton Street in New Castle yesterday .
Upon entering the home officers found suspected heroin/fentanyl, crack cocaine, marijuana, a handgun
The search warrant execution was a joint effort between New Castle Police, the Lawrence County Special Operations Unit, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.
The names of the suspects have not yet been released.

The featured image above shows the Beaver Falls City Building
Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio. Published April 26, 2022 9:22 P.M.

(Beaver Falls, PA)  The Beaver Falls City Council met Tuesday evening for a meeting.  Council approved a second reading of Ordinance 4069, which would repeal Ordinance 4065 establishing a tax collector to be appointed as well as rules and regulations for the collection of Big Beaver Falls Area School District taxes. Due to the new Home Rule Charter regulations within the city, Solicitor Shannon Steele and City Clerk Paula Durish were both appointed to their respective positions within the Home Rule.  They will each serve indefinite terms.  Council also approved the hiring of a new Community Development Director following the departure of Bethany Williams.  Rochelle Burks was awarded the position and she will start in the coming weeks.

(Photos of surveillance footage from the Sunoco Gas Station on Pleasant Drive in Center Twp. Courtesy of Center Twp. Police Department Facebook Page)

Story by Sandy Giordano, Beaver County Radio News

(Center Twp., Beaver County, Pa.) Center Township Police Chief Barry  Kramer  in a post on the Township Police’s Facebook Page is asking for the public’s help  to identify a suspect that stole a vehicle  last Saturday, April 23, 2022, from the Sunoco gas station on Pleasant Drive. The suspect is a white male, tall, long hair, wearing  dark clothes, and carrying a red back pack.

The victim told police , while he was outside  the store the suspect asked the victim and another witness for money and advised them he  just “got out of rehab,” The victim and another witness didn’t provide the suspect with any money. The suspect left the store, entered and drove off in the victim’s vehicle. The suspect should be considered armed and dangerous. Chief Kramer advises if you encounter the suspect, call the  police .

(Photos of items and cash seized by police used with permission of Rochester Twp. Police Department)

(Rochester Twp., Beaver County, Pa.) Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano is reporting that Rochester Township Police Chief George Yaccich reported yesterday morning that his department, assisted by neighboring departments , served a narcotics search warrant at 646 Pennsylvania Avenue last Friday morning. During the course of the investigation, amounts of heroin and marijuana, along with over $3,200.00 was seized. The male resident was taken into custody without any issues and placed in the Beaver County Jail pending arraignment.
Chief Yaccich said the bust was conducted at 6 AM.

AAA: Gas Prices Down in PA; National Average Rising Again
Gas prices are two cents lower in Western Pennsylvania this week at $4.186 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average                $4.186
Average price during the week of April 18, 2022                                     $4.204
Average price during the week of April 26, 2021                                     $3.035

The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline in various areas:      

$4.100      Altoona
$4.232      Beaver
$4.199      Bradford
$4.199      Brookville
$4.173      Butler
$4.186      Clarion
$4.200      DuBois
$4.175      Erie
$4.179      Greensburg
$4.181      Indiana
$4.123      Jeannette
$4.194      Kittanning
$4.176      Latrobe
$4.195      Meadville
$4.226      Mercer
$4.191      New Castle
$4.178      New Kensington
$4.199      Oil City
$4.179      Pittsburgh
$4.199      Sharon
$4.203      Uniontown
$4.199      Warren
$4.182      Washington

Trend Analysis:

Despite several weeks of declining prices, the national average for a gallon of regular gas has risen four cents over the past week to $4.12. Concerns that less Russian oil will enter the global market combined with fears of a COVID-induced economic slowdown in China are causing oil prices to hover around $100 a barrel. As long as the price of oil stays elevated, pump prices could continue to trend upward. This week’s national average is still 12 cents less than a month ago but $1.24 more than a year ago.

According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), total domestic gasoline stocks decreased by nearly 1 million barrels to 232.3 million barrels last week. Gasoline demand increased slightly from 8.73 million barrels per day to 8.86 million barrels per day. Although supply and demand factors would have typically supported elevated pump prices, the fluctuating oil price continues to be the main factor influencing prices at the pump.

At the close of Friday’s formal trading session, West Texas Intermediate decreased by $1.72 to settle at $102.07. Crude prices declined despite EIA reporting that total domestic oil inventories decreased by 8.1 million barrels to 413.7 million barrels.

Motorists can find current gas prices nationwide, statewide, and countywide at GasPrices.AAA.com.

AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 72 local offices in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia serving 2.7 million members.  News releases are available at news.eastcentral.aaa.com.  Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.