(Ambridge, PA) Beaver County Career and Technology Center (BCCTC) will receive $68,700 in state funding to support its greenhouse and landscaping program, State Representative Rob Matzie announced today.
The funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Education will be used to purchase a truck and utility trailer to provide students with hands-on training in the school’s horticulture and landscaping program.
The grant was awarded through the department’s Competitive Equipment Grants program.
Matzie said the equipment will help students gain experience in fields such as agribusiness, farming and horticulture and BCCTC will use the funds to purchase a Ford F-250 Regular Cab truck and a 2026 Quality Trailer 77×14 Economy Tandem Axle Utility Trailer.
(Jefferson Hills, PA) Allegheny Health Network’s Center for Inclusion Health has received an $80,000 grant from The Heinz Endowments to expand access to its Healthy Food Center at AHN Jefferson Hospital, the organizations announced today.
The funding will allow the program to accept referrals from non-AHN medical providers, including several independent physician practices and a federally qualified health center serving communities near Jefferson Hospital.
The Healthy Food Center provides free nutritious food and nutrition counseling to patients experiencing food insecurity and managing chronic health conditions. The Jefferson Hospital location has served more than 120,000 meals since opening in 2020.
Previously, participation in the program required a referral from an AHN physician.
Nearly 16% of households in the Jefferson Hospital service area receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, compared to about 13% countywide. In some nearby communities including Clairton, Duquesne, Elizabeth borough, Homestead, McKeesport and West Elizabeth, more than one-quarter of households rely on SNAP, according to data provided by the organizations.
(Credit for Photo: Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of Caryn Acs)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(Conway, PA) A small business pop-up event will be held Saturday, June 6th at The Hive in Conway, offering local vendors and shopping opportunities ahead of the Baden Town-Wide Yard Sales.
The event will take place from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the former St. Stephen’s Hall and will be held rain or shine.
Several vendors are expected to participate, including Compass Point Coffee, Sugar in the Air, SerendipiDee Blooms and Golden Vines Permanent Jewelry.
Organizers said the event will feature coffee, baked goods, floral arrangements and walk-in permanent jewelry appointments.
The pop-up is free and open to the public.
You follow the participating businesses on social media for updates and specials for more information.
(Harrisburg, PA) The Pennsylvania Department of Aging announced today that it is awarding $3 million to 422 senior community centers across the state.
The funding includes $2 million in competitive grants and $1 million in non-competitive grants that will be distributed among centers that did not apply for competitive funding.
According to the department, the competitive grants can be used for projects such as facility improvements, technology upgrades, nutrition services and new health and recreation programs.
State officials said the non-competitive grants were added during Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration and continue to be distributed annually to eligible senior community centers.
The funding was appropriated by the General Assembly and is supported through proceeds from the Pennsylvania Lottery.
The Center at the Mall was given $71,880 to support its programs and services.
(Harrisburg, PA) State Rep. Craig Williams, (R-Delaware/Chester) joined House Republican Leader Jesse Topper, (R-Bedford/Fulton) at a press conference in Harrisburg today to promote the Pennsylvania Electricity Ratepayer Protection Act, legislation they say would help address rising electricity costs.
According to the lawmakers, the proposal would prevent certain data center infrastructure costs from being passed on to ratepayers and encourage additional electricity generation in Pennsylvania.
The event came after the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission announced new electricity price increases that took effect June 1st.
Williams and Topper argued that growing demand for electricity, particularly from large data centers connected to the PJM regional power grid, is contributing to higher costs for consumers. They contend that requiring data centers to bear more of their own infrastructure costs would help protect residential ratepayers.
The legislation has not yet advanced through the General Assembly and it currently awaits consideration in the House Energy Committee.
(File Photo of a Center Township Police Department Car)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(Center Township, PA) The Center Township Police Department is warning residents about reports of children operating e-bikes recklessly at the township park.
According to police, the department has recently received multiple complaints involving unsafe e-bike riding. Officials said the activity has created safety concerns for pedestrians and has resulted in damage to park property in several incidents.
Police are encouraging parents and guardians to discuss safe and responsible riding practices with their children.
Officials also reminded residents that bicycles, including e-bikes, are prohibited on tennis courts, basketball courts and other sports courts within the park. Police said riding on those surfaces can damage the facilities and create hazards for other users.
The department said it hopes increased awareness will help keep township parks safe and well maintained.
(File Photo of the U.S. Department of Justice Logo)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(Washington, D.C.) The U.S. Department of Justice announced a new initiative today that will provide nearly $300 million in federal funding to help selected cities implement crime-reduction and public safety programs.
Under the Model Cities Initiative, two to four cities will be chosen to receive funding for projects aimed at reducing crime, improving public safety and strengthening community services. Applications are due Sept. 1.
The Justice Department said the funding can be used for a variety of public safety and behavioral health programs, as well as staffing, equipment and other services intended to help communities reduce crime and improve outcomes for residents.
Cities with populations of at least 100,000 are eligible to apply.
The initiative requires a collaborative application process involving local leaders, including mayors, sheriffs, prosecutors and other officials. Applicants must submit a plan outlining how funding would be distributed across areas such as law enforcement, victim services, detention and reentry programs, and crime-prevention efforts.
Federal officials said the goal is to create models that can be replicated in communities across the country.
The MCI initiative will support a range of allowable activities. According to a release from the U.S. Department of Justice, these activities include:
Hiring and retention of sworn and non-sworn personnel directly engaged in or supporting violent crime reduction efforts.
Purchase or lease of equipment, tools, or technology that reduce crime and restore law and order including but not limited to real-time crime centers; forensic and DNA tools; body-worn cameras; license plate readers; artificial intelligence systems; small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and counter-UAS; ballistic identification systems; and information technology upgrades.
Training and professional development that support intelligence-led policing, violent crime investigations, crisis response, correctional practices that strengthen reentry outcomes, and coordination with state and federal law enforcement partners.
Facility Costs including lease, rental, or renovation expenses for space directly used in program operations, such as service delivery sites, training facilities, real-time crime centers, or intelligence analysis centers.
Mental health and substance use services that directly support prevention, crisis response, screening and early intervention, treatment, case management, and related services addressing issues linked to public safety outcomes, including services provided in correctional facilities and in the community.
Reentry, transitional support, and recidivism reduction programs and services designed to reduce repeat offending, support transitions from custody, and promote successful reintegration into communities, including operational costs for county jails and state prisons that support reentry preparation.
Victim services for American victims of crime, including, emergency assistance, case management, shelter and temporary housing, medical and dental care, advocacy, transportation, childcare, legal services, and employment assistance.
Youth crime prevention and intervention services that address risk factors for juvenile delinquency and violence, including gang intervention and suppression programs.
(Credit for Photo: Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of the Senate Republican Communications Office: Caption for Photo: Sen. Elder Vogel, Jr. and Sen. Judy Schwank were joined by colleagues and dairy princesses for a milk toast in celebration of National Dairy Month.)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(Harrisburg, PA) As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, state Senators Elder Vogel Jr., (R-47), and Judy Schwank, (D-11) joined fellow lawmakers and dairy industry leaders in Harrisburg today to recognize Pennsylvania’s dairy industry during National Dairy Month.
The event was held in the East Wing Rotunda of the Pennsylvania Capitol and highlighted the dairy industry’s contributions to the state’s economy and agricultural sector.
Vogel and Schwank serve as chair and minority chair, respectively, of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee.
During the event, the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association distributed milkshakes to attendees to promote the commonwealth’s top-performing industry.
The lawmakers also recognized Dave Smith, executive director of the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association, for his advocacy on behalf of Pennsylvania dairy farmers ahead of his retirement.
PITTSBURGH — Long before she strolled through the Heinz Hall audience kissing heads, looking for a lap to sit on, and appearing tempted to crowd surf, St. Vincent delivered a one-of-a-kind concert Tuesday.
The night perfectly paired a truly alternative, artful rocker with the world class talents of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, which wasn’t just relegated to backup music, but given space to exceptionally shine.
Every song brought the delicious bombast of a Bond theme.
St. Vincent (the well-known stage name for singer-songwriter-guitar ace Annie Clark) accentuated the intensity; sometimes stopping her singing abruptly to allow the Pittsburgh Symphony percussionists to tack on a rousing beat. Other times, songs softly drifted into each other, tethered elegantly by stringed instruments.
Even diehard St. Vincent fans occasionally clapped prematurely, or waited an extra few seconds before recognizing a song’s conclusion, as deconstructed arrangements breathed fresh air.
St. Vincent with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra at Heinz Hall.
Sporting a buttoned blue-green jacket atop a similarly hued shorts with tights, St. Vincent used dramatic arm gestures, long strides and stage glides in her red-strapped heels to add visual effect.
Though she captivated equally in the other moments when she simply planted herself at the mic stand and unleashed her full and near flawless voice — never too showy but always clear and emotionally resonant.
Once ranked by Rolling Stone as the 26th greatest all-time guitarist, the 43-year-old Dallas native built the suspense, waiting four or so songs until her guitar tech, resembling a Las Vegas showgirl, finally brought out the first of several electric guitars St. Vincent stroked and shredded to great ambient effect.
Again, her bursts of rocking guitar complemented, rather than overpowered, the compelling force of the orchestra.
I’ve seen a half-dozen other musical stars — from Nelly to Marie Osmond; and Trisha Yearwood to TLC — mesh entertainingly with the PSO, but none of them sounded as well-sequenced and seamless as St. Vincent together with Pittsburgh’s Grammy Award winning orchestra.
Judging by cheers and attire, the crowd was predominantly St. Vincent fans, not so much symphony subscribers. They cheered like rock audiences do for emotionally raw and punchy songs like “Reckless” and “The Party.”
St. Vincent sang adult alternative radio faves like “Digital Witness” (a jab at selfie society) and “Loss Ageless” (a satire on superficiality.)
Amid “New York,” St. Vincent shared a hug with an enthused front-row fan, then hopped off the stage and walked deep into the audience, plopping down on a occupied seat. She looked for a moment she might recreate that show-stopping moment in 2012, when she crowd-surfed while playing guitar at a raucous Altar Bar in Pittsburgh’s Strip District. Smiling and making eye contact with fans, St. Vincent instead sashayed back to the stage, smooching a bald man’s head en route.
The intensity returned for “Paris Is Burning,” with her stage gaze shot like a laser beam outward and into the souls of audience members on the edge of their seats wondering what would come next.
After warmly and sincerely praising the PSO, St. Vincent ventured offstage then returned for an encore of the mellow and pretty “Slow Disco.”
Sylvia A. Testa, 90, of Economy, peacefully passed away on June 2nd, 2026, the same date she and her beloved husband, Eugene, exchanged wedding vows seventy years earlier on June 2nd, 1956. She was born on March 13th, 1936, a cherished daughter of the late John and Helen Serak. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her devoted husband, Eugene P. Testa and her siblings, Albert Serak and Margaret Pajak.
She is survived by her children, Eugene H. (Darlene Pinchot) Testa and Linda (John) Germ, her grandchildren: Bryan (Abby) Testa, Tara (Mike) Rittelmann, Ally Germ, Ryan (Lily) Hudacsek, and Kelsey Hudacsek; as well as her great-grandchildren: Hudson, Maddox, Lucas, Brenna, Leo, and Iris; along with a sister-in-law, Doris (Ted) Gerhardt. She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and her extended family at Villa St. Joseph in Baden.
Sylvia graduated from Ambridge High School and continued her education at Pittsburgh Secretarial School before beginning her career as a secretary with Karnavas Vending Company. She was a devoted Catholic and a faithful member of the former Christ the King Church in Ambridge, now St. Luke the Evangelist Parish. She was known for her warm and welcoming spirit. At Villa St. Joseph (Baden), she made it her mission to greet new residents, helping them feel at home by inviting them to Bingo and other activities. She was a talented baker whose homemade cookies became a family favorite and was a dedicated fan of Pittsburgh sports teams. Above all, Sylvia treasured time spent with her family and found her greatest joy in her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Family and friends will be received on Thursday, June 4th, from 2-4 P.M. and 5-7 P..M at Alvarez-Hahn Funeral Services and Cremation, LLC, 547 8th Street, Ambridge, who was in charge of her arrangements, and where feparting prayers will be offered on Friday, June 5th at 10 A.M., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 A.M. at Good Samaritan Catholic Church, St. Luke the Evangelist Parish, 725 Glenwood Avenue, Ambridge. Interment will follow at Economy Cemetery, 1691 Ridge Rd Ext #1601, Ambridge.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Villa St. Joseph Activities Department, 1030 State Street, Baden, PA 15005, in Sylvia’s memory. Sylvia especially enjoyed playing Bingo and shopping in the resident store, and her family feels this would be a meaningful way to honor the activities that brought her so much joy.
The family would also like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the staff of Villa St. Joseph for the compassionate and loving care they provided to Sylvia throughout the past six years. Their kindness, dedication, and friendship brought comfort not only to Sylvia, but to her entire family.
