Officials from Beaver County, Pennsylvania, disputed several portions of acting U.S. Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe Jr.’s testimony before a Senate panel Tuesday. Rowe was quick to deflect blame to local law enforcement for allowing a man to attempt to assassinate former President Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13.
Rowe and FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate appeared for a joint hearing with the Senate Judiciary and Homeland Security committees. It was the first time a member of the Secret Service appeared before Congress since the resignation of former chief Kimberly Cheatle earlier this month.
Rowe testified that agents were unaware there was a man on the roof of the AGR building at the rally until it was too late. He also admitted the responsibility for the security breakdown at the former president’s rally ultimately rests with the Secret Service.
But when he was asked why Trump was allowed to take the stage at 6:02 p.m. despite security knowing there was a suspicious person spotted with a rangefinder, Rowe said he never received communication that there was a suspicious person with a weapon or with bad intentions.
Advertisement
TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT: NEW TEXTS SHOW LOCAL POLICE SCRAMBLE TO ASSIST WITH COVERING RALLY
Drone footage shows lawmakers climbing on top of the AGR building Thomas Crooks fired from July 13.(Fox News Digital)
Rowe also used exhibits of the site and pointed to the roof that would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks fired from, adding, “I will not, and I cannot understand why there was no better coverage or at least someone looking at that roofline when that’s where they were posted.”
The statement appeared to place blame on local snipers positioned inside the AGR building during the rally.
The commander of the Beaver County Emergency Services Unit, Patrick Young, and the Beaver County District Attorney, Nathan Bible, spoke to Fox News Tuesday, disputing accusations against the local officers.
Advertisement
TRUMP SAYS HE WAS ‘SHOT WITH A BULLET’ IN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AT PENNSYLVANIA RALLY
The area surrounding the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pa., July 22, 2024. A bipartisan group of lawmakers visited the site of the attempted assassination of former President Trump that left one person dead and two injured at a campaign rally.(Derek Shook for Fox News Digital )
Young said there were two snipers inside the AGR building. One was from the Butler County Emergency Services Unit, the other from the Beaver County Emergency Services Unit.
At some point during the evening, one of the snipers saw Crooks and took pictures of him “solely off the fact that he looked suspicious,” Young said, adding there was no indication he was a threat.
Young also said his unit was told where to go by Butler County ESU, which he assumed had approval from the Secret Service.
Advertisement
POLICE UNION HEAD SAYS SECRET SERVICE TRYING TO POINT FINGERS FOR TRUMP SHOOTING; NO TROUBLE ‘ASSIGNING BLAME’
Former President Trump reacts as multiple shots rang out during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pa., July 13. (Reuters/Brendan McDermid)
“They were in place by Butler County ESU, which I assume was with the approval of Secret Service. Their assignments that day (were) to be clearly defined and in no uncertain terms,” Young said. “Their areas included the entry control point, the area before and after the magneton monitor and then the area in front of the stage. Those are all within the interior and secure perimeter as defined by the Secret Service. That was their locations … and their priority.”
At about 5:34 p.m. that day, Young said, one of his officers saw Crooks with a rangefinder then checked into the “sniper text group” to get a picture out. He also said it was previously discussed by the Secret Service not to communicate through text, but he could not figure out any other way to share a picture via the radio.
Eventually, the Beaver County sniper saw Crooks pick up a backpack and disappear behind the edge of the building. The sniper then set out to the first floor to search for Crooks, interacted with the patrol and said the suspicious person was around back before returning to his post. At the same time, Young said, the Butler sniper remained at the window.
Advertisement
DISCORD REVEALS DETAILS OF WOULD-BE TRUMP SHOOTER’S ACCOUNT ON PLATFORM
Acting U.S. Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe Jr. testifies before a joint hearing of the Senate Judiciary and Homeland Security and Government Affairs committees in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill Tuesday.(Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Shortly after returning, shots were fired, and the Butler sniper heard the shots, Young explained.
But the window the two snipers were keeping watch from did not have a clear view of the roof Crooks was on without having to lean outside.
Bible defended the snipers, saying their job was to be on the outside of the perimeter looking into the crowd, not looking outside the area, which is where the roof was.
Advertisement
TRUMP SHOOTING: TIMELINE OF ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW GUNMAN EVADED SECURITY
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, questions U.S. Secret Service Acting Director Ronald Rowe and FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate during a Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Senate Judiciary hearing Tuesday examining the security failures leading to the assassination attempt on former President Trump, the Republican presidential candidate.(AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)
“Our guys were in a covert sniper position, you know. They’re set back a couple feet from the window,” the DA said. “So, you know, in order to see on that roof, they would have had to hang out, hang outside, and in doing so, give up their position.”
Bible added that if the Secret Service told local officials to station snipers on the roof, they would have, “absolutely.”
Bible said the team of law enforcement from Beaver County that helped out was not happy with how federal officials portrayed things, but he and Young could not be prouder of the team.
Advertisement
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“It’s less about them getting credit … for the amazing job they did that day,” Bible said. “But they’re certainly not going to take unnecessary blame. So, I do feel like … they are a little bit upset about the way that some of the information has been disseminated. But certainly … they have a job to do, and you know if they’re asked to do it again, I’m sure that they will.”
Fox News’ CB Cotton contributed to this report.
Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.
Advertisement
Story tips and can be sent to Greg.Wehner@Fox.com and on Twitter @GregWehner.
A stunning four-bedroom work of art designed by late Italian architect and loft pioneer Giuseppe “Beppe” Zambonini has just hit the market in Pennsylvania for $625,000—listing for the first time in more than two decades.
The upside-down 1987 trapezoid-style dwelling in Dingmans Ferry boasts a barrel vaulted ceiling supported by eight interior columns and is surrounded by expansive windows and decks to soak in the tranquil views of nature.
Each of the rooms was designed, not as a traditional rectangle, but as a trapezoid, a technique that was meant to maximize the amount of natural light inside the home, ensuring that each window has ample opportunity to let the sun shine through.
Advertisement
It was a design method that Beppe came up with while working in New York City, where he was renowned for his work creating stunning loft spaces with “theater set” walls. He then brought that technique to Pennsylvania, where he sought to design his own weekend retreat, using the hallmarks that had turned him into a legend of Big Apple architecture.
The result is a home that appears, from the outside, almost like a stack of unevenly placed shipping containers—but on the inside is a stunning, light-filled dwelling, with enormous windows that offer beautiful views of the surrounding area from every room.
A stunning four-bedroom work of art designed by late Italian architect and loft pioneer Giuseppe “Beppe” Zambonini has just hit the market in Pennsylvania for $625,000—listing for the first time in more than two decades.HomeTourVision
The upside-down 1987 trapezoid-style dwelling in Dingmans Ferry, PA, boasts a barrel vaulted ceiling supported by eight interior columns and is surrounded by expansive windows and decks to soak in the tranquil views of nature.HomeTourVision
The result is a home with enormous windows that offer beautiful views of the surrounding area from every room.HomeTourVision
“There are numerous instances in the construction where hallways, rooms, and decks are not perfectly rectangular but rather are all trapezoid in shape,” says listing agent Shaun Burger of Keller Williams Real Estate Milford.
Beppe purchased the 2.44-acre land on which the home now sits in the 1980s, before crafting a home that would be used full time by his wife and their daughter—but was close enough to New York City that he could join them on weekends.
The idyllic parcel is perched above Nyce Lake in a development that would later become known as Traces of Lattimore.
Advertisement
“It is only 90 minutes away from Manhattan but is a world away in terms of peacefulness and nature,” Burger noted. “There are a lot of properties here being used as second homes, but it could also be used as a primary residence.”
The unique home—which was constructed by Beppe and a team of his best students from his design school, Open Atelier of Design—drew immediate attention from design aficionados, even featuring in a play entitled “The Upside Down House” in New York and a feature film called “A Picture of You.”
In a nod to this heritage, the garage door features a design by one of Beppe’s students resembling a theater curtain that a local artist created using shades of Chinese red, gray, and white.
Burger says that with so much cultural and architectural history, the property feels as much like a piece of art as it does a residential dwelling, one that the current owner has taken great care to preserve and maintain.
“The seller is very much into the arts and feels more of a custodian of the home,” Burger shares. “He is looking to pass it along to the next steward.”
Advertisement
What makes the dwelling so unique is that only one column is exposed on each floor, which is highlighted by a different color in each room. In the home office, the column is red while the primary bedroom features a blue support, and a yellow column can be found in the dining room.
In the 40 years since the property was built, it has changed hands on only one occasion, in 2005—when it was sold by Beppe’s wife, Claudia, to the man who owns it now for $396,000.HomeTourVision
The property is located just 90 minutes from Manhattan.HomeTourVision
“There are a lot of windows and sitting areas, so when you are inside, you feel like you are outside,” the listing agent says.HomeTourVision
A third-floor loft boasts Zambonini’s signature theater set walls.
“The home itself is so unique, which is what originally attracted the seller,” he added. “There are so many Colonials, ranches, and cookie-cutter homes in the area, so it is infrequent to find a home like this where there has been so much thought put into it.”
In the 40 years since the property was built, it has changed hands on only one occasion, in 2005—when it was sold by Beppe’s wife, Claudia, to the man who owns it now for $396,000.
“I scrupulously maintained the original colors of the house, inside and out, and kept the kitchen and bathrooms as I found them,” the seller writes in the listing. “After 21 years, it is time for a new custodian to live in this significant work of art.”
Advertisement
According to Burger, the property would be the perfect retreat for someone who likes their privacy but also enjoys entertaining guests, offering ample room across its 2,850-square-foot design.
“It has four bedrooms and four bathrooms so it would be a nice home for someone who loves to entertain,” Burger adds. “There is plenty of space for guests.”
What’s more, the property offers the best of both worlds—surrounded by nature, but with all the convenience of proximity to nearby cities and towns.
“There are a lot of windows and sitting areas, so when you are inside, you feel like you are outside,” the listing agent says. “Dingmans Ferry is very quaint and has lots of lakes, waterfalls, hiking trails, and skiing. It’s a naturally beautiful area.
“I envision the next buyer to be an artist who will totally appreciate this work of art. The area has highly rated public schools for someone who has children. I think it will be someone who will want a getaway where they can reconnect and recharge with nature and will not want to change or renovate the home.”
CENTER VALLEY, Pa. (WFMZ) — 59 creameries across the Commonwealth are serving up a sweet summer connecting dairy lovers with Pennsylvania farms.
June 4 kicked off the Ninth Annual Scooped Ice Cream Trail.
Ice cream lovers can register online and fill out a digital passport as they visit participating creameries. Each visit earns points towards various prizes.
Advertisement
The owners of Batch Microcreamery in Center Valley tell 69 News they’re excited to be part of the trail for the third year in a row, attracting visitors locally and out-of-state.
“This is the third location of the ice cream trail that I’ve been on,” said Kamden Acevedo.
Acevedo is originally from Staten Island and said he’s motivated to try other locations on the trail throughout the state.
“I love ice cream. I’m going to try, I’m going to try my hardest honestly,” Acevedo stated.
Dana Reibman and her daughter are just happy for the sweet treat.
Advertisement
“We’re all up for ice cream all the time. We come here probably about once a month because we like trying the different flavors. As you can see, she really enjoys the cookie monster flavor,” Reibman explained.
Here’s what we know now about school cellphone bans
More states are implementing or considering phone bans in schools following guidance from the U.S. Surgeon General on children and social media.
Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives passed a bill requiring schools to create policies restricting student cellphone use.
Pittsburgh Public Schools already has a policy banning student cellphone use during the school day, which was approved in late 2025.
Under Pittsburgh’s policy, students must turn in their phones to school personnel for the duration of the school day.
If Pennsylvania sees statewide restrictions on cellphones in schools, would anything change in Pittsburgh?
It’s too early to say for sure.
Advertisement
On June 1, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed legislation that would require school districts to adopt phone restrictions, leaving the details of the exact policy’s implementation up to individual districts, according to USA TODAY. Now, if cleared by the Senate — which already passed another version of the proposal with almost unanimous support — it will go to Gov. Josh Shapiro, who has repeatedly said he supports getting cellphones out of classrooms with a bell-to-bell ban.
“Here in Pennsylvania, Democrats and Republicans agree: We need to let our kids be kids again,” Shapiro said in a June 4 post to his X account.
But Pittsburgh’s already ahead of the curve when it comes to banning cellphones during school hours because of a school board policy approved in late 2025.
Here’s what to know.
Are cell phones banned in Pittsburgh schools?
Yes, cellphones are banned during the school day at Pittsburgh Public Schools.
Advertisement
In December 2025, Pittsburgh Public Schools Board voted to ban the use of phones by students during the school day, Pittsburgh’s Action News 4.
Under the policy, the possession of phones by students is prohibited. While they may bring cellphones to school, the devices must be turned in to school personnel during the school day.
There are exceptions to the policy in cases where a student may need a phone for instructional activities, an Individualized Education Plan, a Section 504 Plan or for other reasons approved by a school administrator.
Why are schools banning cellphones?
Numerous states have already banned cellphones in schools, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and others, according to ABC News.
Advertisement
This year, Indiana and Kansas banned phones during the day, implementing policies that require students to keep their phones in inaccessible locations through the entire school day, USA TODAY reported.
Recently, Delaware, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming passed or updated less restrictive legislation on phones in schools, according to an analysis by the Becca Schmill Foundation, the Institute for Families and Technology, Smartphone-Free Childhood US and Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation.
Illinois, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania may follow suit.
Advertisement
Do cellphone bans work?
Yes and no.
Cellphone bans keep kids off their devices, but they don’t appear to impact test scores, attendance, self-reported classroom attention or perceived online bullying, according to a study published in April by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Additionally, researchers found that during the first year of a cellphone ban, disciplinary incidents rose and students’ reported well-being fell, though the effects subsided as the years passed.
Still, there’s a push for bans nationally, with the U.S. surgeon general’s office warning on May 20 that “compulsive” screen use is linked to poor sleep, substance abuse, developmental disruptions and social, mental and behavioral issues. The office suggested that cellphone bans in schools are a way to help put excessive screen time in check.
Finch Walker is the Pittsburgh Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Contact Walker at FWalker@usatodayco.com. Instagram: @finchwalker_. X: @_finchwalker.