(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

Two years into the pandemic, the citizens of Beaver County have another tool to find out how much is being spent and reimbursed on certain projects.

Controller Maria Longo spoke about the new ARPA Tracker to the Beaver County Commissioners at the weekly Wednesday work session on May 4; announcing that the tracker was live at the Controller’s page at the county’s website. Longo mentioned that the tracker keeps count and displays the amount of money allocated by the Commissioners in conjunction with how much is spent (and then reimbursed) by the local municipalities.

That difference is a key in unclouding the confusion that some municipalities have had in regard to the ARPA money, as both Longo and the Commissioners pointed out on Wednesday. “We’re still getting a lot of municipalities asking about how to get reimbursed,” Chairman Dan Camp said at the work session. “A lot of municipalities thought we would just send them a check.”

“We’re not cutting checks to municipalities,” Commissioner Jack Manning added, implying that the municipalities will have to spend the money first and then be reimbursed through the allocated funding allotted by the Commissioners.

The next work session is scheduled for May 11 at 10:00 AM at the Beaver County Courthouse.

(Pittsburgh, Pa.) Duquesne Light Company (DLC) today announced the reopening of its Community Impact Grants (CIG) program, which awards diverse, grassroot community organizations in Allegheny and Beaver counties with microgrants of up to $10,000 to support projects and programs that benefit the Pittsburgh region. This year, the company is conducting one application cycle with an increased total of $250,000 in available grants. To align with and advance DLC’s mission to create a clean energy future for all, this year’s program will fund efforts in environmental justice, education and social equity, specifically:

• Environmental justice: Community gardens; park upgrades and restorations; climate resilience projects
• Education: Programs supporting K-12 education in the areas of science, technology, engineering, arts and math; access or increased access to technology; purchasing equipment for educational programming or increased capacity
• Social equity: Programs benefiting housing, racial equality, refugee assistance and access to food for historically disenfranchised communities

“We are thrilled to launch another round of Community Impact Grants following last year’s enthusiastic response to the program,” said Sam Hartzman, community relations manager at DLC. “We know there are many projects and organizations throughout the Pittsburgh region that align with our company’s values and are doing incredible things in the areas of environmental justice, education and social equity. We can’t wait to see what new partnerships we will forge through this new round of funding.”

The company launched the CIG program in April 2021 and has awarded more than $200,000 to dozens of local nonprofits to date, 80% of which are diverse led. The increased funding in this year’s CIG cycle follows DLC’s recent expanded contribution to the Dollar Energy Fund to benefit customers who need support with paying their energy bills.

“Our desire to partner with customers and communities takes many different forms,” said Christine Waller, vice president of communications, ESG and corporate giving at DLC. “From ensuring access to the essential products and services we provide, to supporting the overall health and well-being of our communities through philanthropy and volunteerism, DLC is committed to seeing our region thrive.”

To be considered for a grant through the CIG program, organizations must:

• Be a 501(c)3 nonprofit or state equivalent, or an organization receiving fiscal sponsorship from a registered 501(c)3 or state equivalent.
• Meet DLC’s Charitable Giving program guidelines listed in the program’s FAQs.
• Serve residents in Allegheny and/or Beaver counties.
• Have an annual operating budget equal to or less than $500,000 and/or a specific targeted project.
  • Organizations with larger budgets that are not applying on behalf of a smaller nonprofit or community group will not be considered.

Funding should not be used for capital campaigns or overhead expenses.

Interested organizations can apply online starting today, May 3, through Friday, June 3, 2022. All applications will be reviewed by a committee of DLC employees, with final decisions being communicated to applicants within six weeks of the submission deadline.

To learn more about the program and application process, visit DuquesneLight.com/CIG.

About Duquesne Light Company

Duquesne Light Company (DLC) is committed to more than keeping the lights on; we power the moments in our customers’ lives. As a next-generation energy company based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, DLC’s 1,700-plus employees are dedicated to providing safe, reliable, resilient and affordable power to more than 600,000 customers across southwestern Pennsylvania, including the city of Pittsburgh. To learn more, visit DuquesneLight.com.

(File Photo of the Beaver Falls Post Office)

(Beaver Falls, Pa.) The Beaver Falls Post Office is holding a hiring fair this Friday May 6, 2022 from 10 AM to 2 PM.
The Post office currently has openings for a city mail carrier assistant paying $18.92/Hr, Rural Carrier Associate paying $19.06/Hr., Mail Handler Assistant paying $17.32/Hr, and a PSE Clerk paying $18.69/Hr.
They also offer a variety of benefits including competitive pay, medical & dental, and opportunity for growth.
If you would like more information go to usps.com/careers

(File Photo)

(Pittsburgh, Pa.) The Pittsburgh Penguins announced Tuesday that the outdoor F.N.B. Big Screen will return for all home games in round one of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The F.N.B. Big Screen will be located at the corner of Centre Avenue and Logan Street directly across from PPG Paints Arena.
The Penguins said Logan Street will be closed to vehicular traffic between Centre Avenue and Wylie Avenue for home games.
The Penguins will be enforcing the following rules at the big screen:
All Patrons Subject to Search
No Alcohol
No Glass
No Grills
No Pets
No Solicitation
No Tents
No Weapons or Hazardous Materials
The Penguins’ scheduled home games against the New York Rangers will be on Saturday, May 7, and Monday, May 9. Fans may enter the arena beginning from 5:30 p.m. on Saturday and 6:00 p.m. on Monday.me games.

The featured image above shows Carla Sands and Jeff Bartos debating at the Fez in Hopewell Township
Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio. Published May 3, 2022 11:10 P.M.

(Hopewell Township, PA)  The Republican Committee of Beaver County hosted a primary debate Tuesday evening at the Fez in Hopewell.  The first candidates to take the stage were Jeff Bartos and Carla Sands, running for senate.  When asked what steps would be taken to expand school choice in Pennsylvania, Bartos said that we shouldn’t have a federal department of education adding that on day one if elected, he would push for some federal tax dollars to be used as a tax credit to give parents and students the decision of choosing a school of their choice. Sands believes the money should follow the child, and parents decide where their child will thrive best.  When asked to summarize her energy policy, Sands replied “I’m in love with your cracker plant”.  She added energy is key to Pennsylvania’s future and she will harvest our energy to supply the rest of the country.  Bartos rebutted that he agreed with Sands and would add that we also need to work to save our states family farms and agriculture through royalties of energy.

Candidates for Governor included Jake Corman, Charlie Gerow, and Dr. Nche Zama.  The candidates were asked about the impact the cracker plant tax credit legislation will have on Beaver County. Corman said the tax code can punish or enhace, adding that Tom Wolf chose to punish and said we need to create more jobs and rebuild small towns.  Gerow said that Pennsylvania can support more facilities, and we need to build before Ohio and West Virginia do.  Zama added that since he is a chemist, he recognizes the energy giant that PA is, and he will be a nightmare to those that pushback.

Candidates for the 17th Congressional District that participated were Jeremy Shaffer, Jason Killmeyer and Kathleen Coder.  When asked about legal immigration, Killmeyer said he would significantly limit legal immigration until around 2030, adding that immigrants should not be used to fill open jobs.  Coder stated that the amount of guns and fentanyl crossing the border makes it apparent that we need to get more laws in place.  Shaffer said the current administration is failing us, and we need to empower border guards, shoot down drones, and fix the broken immigration system.  In closing, Coder, a Beaver County native of Conway, said that if elected she will bring much needed representation of Beaver County to Washington.

Guest speakers and attendees at the event included County Commissioner Dan Camp, Sheriff Tony Guy, Treasurer Sandie Egley, District Attorney David Lozier and House of Representatives primary candidate Rico Elmore.

View photos of the event below: