The featured image above shows the entrance sign to the New Brighton Area School District
Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio. Published May 9, 2022 8:36 P.M.

(New Brighton, PA)The New Brighton Area School Board met Monday evening for a committee meeting.  Motions to be voted on include a five year affiliation agreement with Slippery Rock University to provide student teachers and interns to the district effective July 1st through June 30th of 2027.  Also on the agenda was the renewal of a contract with Medic Rescue for the 2022-2023 school year at a cost of $3,400.  The board also discussed the Act 39 Energy Savings Project, which will create more efficient and cleaner HVAC and water related utilities. The district will have a Guaranteed Energy Savings Agreement with Constellation Energy Solutions, LLC and the project is estimated to cost around 6.2 million dollars, with about 4.5 million being payed with district stimulus funds. Superintendent Dr. Joseph Gaurino relayed that work for the project will not take place until Summer 2023.

(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
By AAMER MADHANI and WILL WEISSERT Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden says 20 internet companies have agreed to provide discounted service to people with low incomes. The program announced Monday at a Rose Garden event at the White House could effectively make tens of millions of households eligible for free service. The $1 trillion infrastructure package passed by Congress last year included funding that provided $30 monthly subsidies on internet service for millions of lower-income households — $75 in tribal areas. Some 48 million households will be eligible for $30 monthly plans for service at least 100 megabits per second. Biden says high-speed internet access is a necessity, not a luxury.

(File Photo of Federal Court in Pittsburgh)

(PITTSBURGH, PA) 43-year-old Rebecca Lynn Boyce, of Imperial pleaded guilty to one count of failing to account for and pay payroll taxes to the Internal Revenue Service before United States District Judge  Nicholas Ranjan on Monday, May 9, 2022. The plea was announced by  United States  Attorney Cindy K. Chung. 

In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that from at least 2006 through at  least 2019, Boyce owned and operated Cutie Patootie Daycare, a childcare center in Imperial,  Pennsylvania. During that period, Cutie Patootie employed staff and withheld payroll taxes from the  paychecks of its employees. Cutie Patootie was required to pay over payroll taxes to the IRS on a  periodic basis and was required to account for payroll taxes by filing with the IRS on a quarterly  basis Form 941, an Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return. Boyce failed to pay over payroll taxes  to the IRS and failed to file any Forms 941 from the quarter ending March 31, 2015, through the  quarter ending December 31, 2018. Boyce was informed of her obligation to file Forms 941 and  make payroll tax payments during IRS audit and collections activities that preceded the periods  charged in the Indictment. Boyce agreed to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $299,830.20,  plus interest. 

Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for September 20, 2022. The law provides for a  maximum sentence of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing  Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior  criminal history, if any, of the defendant. 

Assistant United States Attorney David Lew is prosecuting this case on behalf of the  government. 

The Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation leading to  the Indictment in this case. 

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing drilling operations on I-376 (Beaver Valley Expressway) and Route 68 in Vanport Township, Beaver County will occur Tuesday, May 10 weather permitting.

(File Photo)

(New Castle, Pa.) Pa State Police in New Castle are reporting that they received a call from a 21-year-old Edinburg, Pa. woman about money being stolen form her online bank account via fake Customer service personnel.
Troopers reported via release that they were notified on May 7, 2022 at 1:29 AM by the woman that she had authorized remote access to her cell phone via an app to a false customer support person who then gained access to her financial institution and made several electronic money withdrawals from her account without her consent. The total amount stolen was $182.87.
State Police in New Castle are reminding everyone to use sound judgement when divulging personal or financial information , keep your accounts secure and use two factor authentication to further protect your accounts when it is available, also monitor information and/or statements to look for consistencies or suspicious activity.

Keystone State News Connection

May 9, 2022

Emily Scott

It’s no secret that the last two years of the pandemic have taken a toll on young people’s mental health. During this Mental Health Awareness Month, educators, parents and health officials say it’s critical to consider the impact of their prolonged exposure to screens as well.

In an online forum, Dalia Hashad – online safety director for the advocacy group ParentsTogether – said social media has done a great job of connecting people.

But at the same time, it has harmed young people’s mental health with exposure to content that promotes eating disorders, bullying and sexual exploitation.

“The longer a child spends online, the higher their level of anxiety, the higher the level of mood swings, aggressive behavior, feelings of worthlessness,” said Hashad. “It bears out in the statistics. Hospitalizations for eating disorders doubled last year.”

The conversation was hosted by the American Federation of Teachers.

Preliminary data from the 2021 Pennsylvania Youth Survey show an increase in mental-health concerns, including depression, self-harm and thoughts of suicide.

Dr. Warren Ng, president of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, said the pandemic created an “avalanche” for youth who were already struggling with mental-health challenges.

For adults who have a close relationship with a young person, Ng added it’s important to take the time to ask them how they’re doing – and listen.

“We don’t see what the young people are seeing,” said Ng. “And so, I think it’s so important to really understand what their perspective is in order to best help them. Because maybe they have a very distorted sense of their appearance, who they are – and some of that has been shaped by their experience on social media, and not necessarily in the real world.”

Over 200,000 children in the U.S. have lost a parent or caregiver in the pandemic, with youth of color bearing a disproportionate impact.

On its website, AFT has an archive of webinars and educational resources for parents and teachers looking to provide emotional and psychological support for students.

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(Butler, Pa.) Pa State Police in Butler are reporting that they were called to the Rural King Store in the Clearview Mall for a report of retail theft from the store on May 7, 2022.
Troopers reported via release that upon arriving and investigating it was found that at approximately 1:30 PM an unidentified white male stole several Milwaukee brand batteries from the store.
The man is described as being white, non-Hispanic, approximately 5’11” tall. He looks to be in his mid 30’s with a thin build and several tattoos on his face and hands. He specifically has a Nordic Cross tattooed on the right side of his face. he was last seen driving a gray/silver Jeep Cherokee with a dent in the back hatch to the right of the license plate.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Pa State Police in Butler at 724-284-8100.

(Pittsburgh, PA) PennDOT District 11 is announcing overnight lane restrictions on southbound Interstate 279 (Parkway North) in Franklin Park Borough, Allegheny County will occur Monday through Friday nights, May 9-14 weather permitting.