The killer of an off-duty Pittsburgh police officer has been sentenced to life with no chance for parole. That was the order Monday for Christian Bey who was convicted back in April on murder charges in the April 2019 killing of Officer Calvin Hall. Bey shot Hall multiple times in the back as Hall was attempting to break up an argument.
A Washington County man is the latest traveler to be stopped trying to get through a security checkpoint at Pittsburgh International with a loaded firearm in his carry-on. The stop happened yesterday when TSA officers noticed a nine-millimeter handgun inside the man’s bag. The traveler faces the possibility of civil penalties of as much as 15-thousand dollars.
Members of communities in Beaver County are mourning the losses of two young lives following deadly weekend shootings. Investigators say 15-year-old Dahvea Sparrow was killed in Aliquippa late Saturday night. Authorities have not officially identified the 14-year-old who was shot to death in Ambridge on Sunday, but family members say he was Asaun Moreland. Sue Otto with Center for Hope, an Ambridge nonprofit that supports youth programs, says losing teens so close to home has been devastating. Officials say one of two suspects in the Ambridge shooting has been taken into custody. Crime Solvers of Beaver County is offering a five-thousand-dollar reward for information on those responsible for killing Sparrow.
Governor Josh Shapiro and Senate Republicans are blaming each other for failing to successfully convince House Democrats to fully embrace a spending plan that would have included school vouchers. The infighting must be overcome to pass the remaining bills needed to complete the state’s overdue 2023-24 budget. At a press conference Thursday, Governor Shapiro said that he warned leaders in both chambers that with divided government, compromise would be needed. Republican leaders balked at Shapiro’s characterization of events and said he was to blame – asserting they’d believed it was the Democratic governor’s responsibility to get the support of members of his own party who hold a 102-101 majority in the state House.
A Butler County man was taken to the hospital following an accident yesterday afternoon in Conno quenessing Township. State Police report 74 year old Harry Houston of Mars was traveling south on route 68 when he apparently fell asleep at the wheel traveling across the roadway and struck a trailer that was parked along the side of the road. Houston was taken to Butler Memorial Hospital for treatment. No other injuries were reported.
A Pennsylvania House measure that would have provided funding for four state-related universities has failed. The funding bill didn’t get the two-thirds super-majority support needed for non-preferred appropriations bills. The measure would have provided more funds for Penn State, Pitt, Temple and Lincoln Universities.
According to this week’s Triple-A East Central Gas price report the average price of gasoline in Western Pennsylvania are a penny lower this week to 3.62 a gallon. In New Castle the average price is at 3.45 a gallon and in Sharon the price is at 3.42. The national average is at 3.54 a gallon which is four cents lower than a month ago and $1.14 less than a year ago.
— A man is in custody following a child sex sting conducted by the FBI and Cranberry Township police. Authorities say 28-year-old Julio Torres Arriaga was arrested on Sunday after attempting to meet a 13-year-old girl. Arriaga allegedly carried on inappropriate online conversations with FBI agents posing as a minor for a couple of weeks prior to the attempted meeting. Officials say he is in the U.S. illegally and was living in McKees Rocks.
First Lady Jill Biden is coming to Pittsburgh next week. The First Lady will be meeting with local officials on July 18th to discuss investing in America’s workforce hubs. This will be one of many stops on what the administration is calling their “Investing in America Tour.” Specific details on where the meetings will take place have not yet been released.
Sexual assault charges involving a minor victim are being held for trial in the case of former Butler Area Schools board member Bill Halle. Halle, who has been accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a teenager, appeared in court yesterday on charges including sexual assault by a volunteer or employee of a nonprofit and corruption of minors. Police say that they’ve uncovered over six-hundred text messages between Halle and the teen victim and that some of those messages are sexually graphic.