(Photo provided with release) 

Keystone State News Connection

May 5, 2022

Emily Scott

Advocates from Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania and state officials gathered in Philadelphia Wednesday to stand firm on protecting abortion access, after a leaked draft indicated the U.S. Supreme Court could overturn its 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade.

Pennsylvania has no laws protecting abortion access on the books and Gov. Tom Wolf has said he would veto any bill restricting it.

Dayle Steinberg, president of Planned Parenthood Southeastern Pennsylvania, said it is important to remind people abortions are still safe and legal right now.

“We are fighting to ensure that everyone has the power to control their own bodies,” Steinberg asserted. “We deserve elected officials at all levels of government who believe that as well. No judge and no politician should ever block your personal medical decisions or set the course for your life.”

The Supreme Court decision will not be finalized until it is officially published, most likely in the next two months. A report found if Roe v. Wade is overturned by the high court, the number of people who may drive to Pennsylvania for an abortion would skyrocket by 1,000%.

Some state lawmakers have introduced anti-abortion legislation including Senate Bill 956, which proposes a constitutional amendment to deny the right to abortion care.

Sen. Amanda Cappelletti, D-Montgomery/Delaware, co-chair of the Women’s Health Caucus, said the draft decision is dangerous.

“States that have restrictive abortion legislation have the highest rates of maternal mortality and morbidity,” Cappelletti pointed out. “Here in Pennsylvania, we have high rates of maternal mortality and morbidity. If the Legislature ever gets through more legislation that would restrict access, those numbers would go up.”

Among Pennsylvania counties, 86% do not have an abortion provider. Wolf joined 16 other governors calling for immediate passage of the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would protect access to abortion across the country. The bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives in September and awaits a vote in the Senate.

(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

(Grove City, Pa.) What could be the final primary debate between Republicans running for Pennsylvania’s open U.S. Senate seat devolved into a string of attacks. The candidates stretched for any perceived advantage in a wide-open race. In many cases, candidates blew off questions during Wednesday night’s hour-long debate. Abortion made one question, despite it dominating headlines after a leaked draft of a Supreme Court opinion suggesting the court’s conservative majority is poised to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion nationwide. The candidates applauded the overturning of Roe v. Wade, but didn’t respond directly to whether they support any exceptions for abortion. In a release sent out by McCormick’s Campaign after the debate they feel they he undoubtedly won the debate. In the statement McCormick said that “Tonight it was made clear to Pennsylvanians that I am the true conservative candidate who will stand up for them and take on Joe Biden, Chuck Schumer and the extreme left, while Mehmet Oz once again showed he’s a Hollywood liberal phony who will read whatever script is put in front of him.” The primary is May 17.

Story by Mark Peterson. Featured Photo of Dr. Joseph Maroon and Jeff Bost PAC courtesy of Frank Sparks. Published 6:15 A.M. May 5, 2022.

(Beaver County, PA)  Living Well begins by turning on your radio!  Renown neurosurgeon, Dr. Joseph Maroon along with Physician Assistant, Jeff Bost PAC, will have a special messages for the Beaver County Radio audience that’s as close as the car radio, the phone, the computer, or even smart speakers. That’s because beginning this Friday, May 6, 2022, people all over Beaver County will have unprecedented weekly visits from two of the areas most respected names in the medical field. The weekly forum, entitled “Living Well”, will air on Beaver County Radio every Friday from 12:30 P.M. to 1:00 P.M. Listeners will be able to get access to health experts simply by tuning in to “Living Well” on 1230 WBVP, 1460 WMBA, 99.3 F.M., 95.7 F.M. and the St. Barnabas Radio Network online stream.

From answers to simple health and wellness questions to how to take steps toward building resilience and many other topics, Dr. Joseph Maroon and Jeff Bost PAC will provide unequaled access to information that can change lives during their weekly half hour radio segment.

Dr. Joseph Maroon and Jeff Bost PAC, are no strangers to talking about medical and wellness issues in front of an audience. They have appeared on many radio and television programs and at area public events throughout the years. So much so, that they have garnered almost “celebrity” status. Dr. Maroon is considered an expert on the recognition and treatment of concussion and other nervous system injuries and disorders. This has landed him in very prominent roles, included serving on National Football League’s mild Traumatic Brain Injury Committee and being a neurosurgical consultant to the Pittsburgh Steeler’s Football Club and Medical Director of World Wrestling Entertainment.  For his part, Jeff Bost PAC is also a researcher and author of over 40 articles published in medical journals.  Both Maroon and Bost have co-authored on numerous books, including in 2006, a book entitled  “Fish Oil: The Natural Anti-Inflammatory.” Both men currently serve as advisory consultants for St. Barnabas Health System.

“Living Well” is a special outreach program presented by St. Barnabas.

(Upper St. Clair, Pa.) In a story we first told you about on the air yesterday in Upper St. Clair where a tree fell on a man’s vehicle during Tuesday’s storm while he and his wife were sitting at a red light has died.
The man who was driving the white SUV Stephen Stasenko Jr died around midnight Tuesday just hours after the incident.
The accident occurred at the intersection of McMurray Road and Bethel Church Road. Stasenko and his wife who was a passenger in his vehicle were waiting at the light in the left lane and another vehicle with a family of six Whose vehicle was also struck by the tree was right behind Stasenko’s in.
The 64-year-old father of two was the only person injured in the accident was a long term Pittsburgh Post Gazette employee who was preparing to retire.

(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.