Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Aliquippa, Pa.) Troy Geanopulos, CEO of GESA  discussed facility modernization at  Wednesday night’s Aliquippa School Board meeting, Geanopulos told  board members his firm is a  sister of Duquesne Light Holdings.  He said that projects are funded primarily by significant  energy savings. Dr. Phillip K. Woods told the board that ESSR  funds  can be used  for the projects. The company is the largest energy saving company in western PA. Dr. Woods told the board that State Rep. Rob Matzie introduced him to Geanopulos following a discussion the 2 men had  concerning how he could help the Aliquippa School District.

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Aliquippa, Pa.) Aliquippa School Board approved the purchase of   iPads for elementary students  at a cost of $29,400, to be paid from ESR funds and 100 chrome books, at a cost of $23,700  and the district will be reimbursed with a grant.

• Forgery
• Tampering with records or identification

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities (DoBS) and Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) are warning consumers of a surge in student loan forgiveness scams.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused financial struggles for many borrowers who are seeking relief. If a student or borrower receives an email, letter, or call about student loan debt forgiveness, they should pause before sending or confirming any personal information.

“With the continuing pandemic, many consumers have been in search of financial relief,” said Secretary of Banking and Securities Richard Vague. “Like other scams, these perpetrators prey upon the hope and vulnerability of people, creating an ideal scenario to take advantage of them.”

The recent pandemic-related pause in student loan payments, the public calls for broad-based student loan forgiveness, and various executive actions and benefits and concerning loan balances are causing an uptick in scams from individuals and companies who are taking advantage of the confusion surrounding the changing landscape.

“Many students and families across Pennsylvania borrow funds to help finance postsecondary education, resulting in debt that may take years to pay off,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Noe Ortega. “It’s important for borrowers who are seeking student loan debt relief to be aware of the associated scams and avoid them at all costs.”

The department warns borrowers to take the following actions to help safeguard against these types of scams:

• Be skeptical. Scammers often obtain student loan information illegally. Just because someone has information about your loans, doesn’t mean they are to be trusted.
• Research the company. Check the validity of the company contacting you as many “companies” run by scammers do not actually exist.
• Do your due diligence. Check what program is being offered to you. Some scams offer to enroll you in programs like the “CARES Act loan forgiveness” or the “Biden forgiveness program,” neither of which exist.
• Verify that email address. Ensure that emails being sent to you about your student loans are from a dot-gov (.gov) email address.
• Be aware of what legitimate programs will and won’t ask you for. Proceed with caution before sharing any of your sensitive or financial information like a Social Security Number or credit and bank information. If in doubt, hang up and call your servicer directly.
• Pause before taking action. Confirm any correspondence or calls with your servicer before taking any action.

What should you do if you suspect you’ve already been scammed?:

• Close Accounts/Stop Payment: If you shared your bank account or credit card information with a scammer, contact your bank or credit card company immediately to close your accounts or stop payments.
• Alert your servicer. If you suspect you’ve been the victim of a student loan forgiveness scam, call your servicer so that they can monitor your account.
• Monitor your credit report. Check for suspicious activity. Scammers don’t always use your information right away. It can be weeks, months, or even years before your information is used for fraudulent activity. You might also consider freezing your credit in an abundance of caution.
• Report the scam. You can report a student loan forgiveness scam to:
  • Federal Trade Commission
  • Pennsylvania Attorney General

Student loan forgiveness is not the only financial COVID-19 related scam. Consumers should be cautious and never share financial or other sensitive information with anyone contacting them unsolicited.

Anyone can contact DoBS at 1-800-PA-BANKS or 1-800-722-2657 to ask questions or file complaints about financial transactions, companies, or products.

For more information on the Pennsylvania Department of Education, please visit the website or follow PDE on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or Pinterest.

(Big Beaver, Pa.) Pa State Police in Gibsonia are reporting that they were dispatched to the scene of a one vehicle accident at the Beaver Valley Interchange at 8:55 AM on Tuesday, September 14, 2021.
Upon arriving on the scene and investigating Troopers stated via release that 63-year-old James Johnson from Salem Ohio lost control of the 2006 International Harvester Truck that he was driving on the on ramp when he was not able to properly negotiate the curve at a safe speed causing the truck to roll over on the driver’s side of the vehicle.
Troopers stated that Johnson was not transported to the hospital but did suffer suspected minor injuries.
He was issued a written warning for not driving properly on roadways laned for traffic.

(North Sewickley, Pa.) Pa State Police in Gibsonia are reporting that they were dispatched to the scene of a one vehicle accident on the Pa Turnpike Eastbound at mile marker 17.8 yesterday at 6:17 AM.

Troopers report via release that upon arriving on the scene and investigating it was learned that 25-year- old Vance Shuler of Koppel was operating a 2007 Chevy Trailblazer Eastbound when he lost control of the vehicle while rounding a sharp bend on the wet roadway. Shuler attempted to correct the vehicle and regain control and then his truck struck the concrete barrier on the shoulder of the road with the front end and then spun causing the rear end to also contact the barrier.

Shuler’s vehicle sustained disabling damage and had to be towed from the scene.

Shuler was not injured in the accident but was issued a written warning by Troopers for not driving a vehicle at a safe speed.

LAMB INTRODUCES BIPARTISAN BILL TO PROVIDE TAX DEDUCTION FOR PRE-K TEACHER EXPENSES

(WASHINGTON, DC) – Today, Representative Conor Lamb (PA-17) was joined by Representatives Tom Reed (NY-23), Jimmy Panetta (CA-20) and Jackie Walorski (IN-02) to introduce the bipartisan Supporting Early-Childhood Educators through Deductions (SEED) Act to allow early childhood educators to claim the existing above-the-line $250 tax deduction for K-12 teachers.  The deduction would help pre-K teachers defray the cost of providing supplies for their classrooms, whether they itemize or take the standard deduction.

“The work that pre-K teachers do is critical to starting kids off on the right foot and Congress needs to ensure that all teachers have the tools they need to support their students,” said Lamb.  “Pre-K teachers should be focused on their work in the classroom, they shouldn’t have to worry about out-of-pocket costs for materials and supplies.”

“We are proud to support our pre-K teachers and all they do to provide high-quality education for our children.  We backed this bipartisan plan to ensure that these valued members of our education system are reimbursed for the supplies they need to better help our children grow and learn,” said Reed.

“Many educators across our nation, especially those teaching at the pre-K level, give so much to their students through their service, including the purchasing of supplies with their own money,” said Panetta.  “This legislation would make those teachers eligible for the $250 teacher tax deduction, reducing their tax liability when they provide school supplies for their students.  Those in our communities that care for and teach our youngest deserve the same benefits that are provided to primary and secondary school teachers across our country.”

“In Indiana and across the country, early-childhood educators are vital to the growth and success of our kids,” said Walorski.  “The bipartisan SEED Act will help to eliminate burdens and provide these hardworking educators with the tools that they need to equip the next generation, which will pave the way for more successful communities and a stronger nation.  I’m proud to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to serve our kids and educators.”

Studies have shown that teachers spent an average of $530 of their own money in the classroom.  In 2002, Congress created an above-the-line educator expense deduction to allow qualifying K-12 teachers and other eligible educators such as counselors and principals to deduct up to $250 of expenses incurred for books, supplies, and other supplementary materials.  Pre-K teachers are not covered by the educator expense deduction currently, although they earn significantly less than their peers who teach in the K-12 system.

Additionally, teachers in high-poverty schools spent nearly 40 percent more than their peers elsewhere, with one in 10 spending $1,000 or more.  In some cases, educators in low-income districts buy clothing and personal hygiene products, in addition to school supplies, for kids who are especially in need.

The SEED Act is endorsed by the Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children (PennAEYC), Pennsylvania Head Start Association (PHSA), Allegheny County Department of Children Initiatives, Trying Together, A Plus Schools, Boys & Girls Club of Western PA, Asset Inc. and the Latino Community Center Pittsburgh

Visit Lamb’s website for more information on the SEED Act.

Keystone State News Connection

Emily Scott

HARRISBURG, Pa. — More than 200 high earners have written a letter urging Congress to raise taxes to help support social safety-net programs that would have a major impact on Pennsylvania.

The $3.5 trillion budget plan unveiled by House Democrats would increase taxes on the country’s wealthiest to help fund the Biden administration’s Build Back Better agenda, which would lower costs on child care and health care, and also create jobs to tackle climate change.

Ashley McBride, state director of For Our Future Pennsylvania, said the plan is ambitious but necessary to move the state and nation forward.

“This idea of folks paying their fair share, it doesn’t seem like rocket science,” McBride contended. “It is something that we should want to do in communities in which we live because we know when our neighbors thrive, it also means that we thrive. We still know that there are millions upon millions of Americans and folks across the Commonwealth who could still benefit greatly from their prescription-drug costs being lower.”

Nine Pennsylvanians were among those who signed the letter addressed to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. A recent poll showed Americans overwhelmingly support raising taxes on the wealthy instead of borrowing and increasing debt.

Sandra Fluke, president of Voices for Progress, the lead organizer behind the letter, said investments in the Build Back Better plan are key to rebuilding the economy and dealing with the climate crisis.

“And we only have to look out of our window to see what is happening in terms of the severe weather being caused by climate change,” Fluke observed. “So we gotta make those investments and not be giving away tax cuts to corporations that are actually lower than they even asked for.”

House Democrats’ new proposal calls for a corporate tax rate of 26.5% and an individual tax rate of 39.6%. The Biden administration has pledged to not increase taxes for anyone making under $400,000 annually.

(Story & photos by Matt Drzik, additional photos courtesy of Tenaris)

The steel industry has been through a history of ups and downs that parallel the up-and-down trajectories of Beaver County and the United States. An announcement Wednesday is pushing that trajectory upwards.

Tenaris, who locally own and operate steel plants in Koppel and Ambridge, announced that their plans would be opening back up to its employees after time off during the pandemic. The announcement came via a press conference led by Tenaris US Division President Luca Zanotti, and US Congressman Conor Lamb.

“This is a product we really need, it makes a lot of sense to make in the United States, and it makes the most sense of all to make it here in Western Pennsylvania,” Lamb said. “I really believe there is no place in the United States that blends the old-world economy with the new-world economy better than Western Pennsylvania.”

Lamb spoke at the Koppel plant on Wednesday, and was joined by fellow constituents in Senator Elder Vogel, State Representative Aaron Bernstine, State Representative Jim Marshall, and County Commissioner Dan Camp among others. Preceding Lamb in the press conference was Zanotti, who spoke highly of the employment that Tenaris will retain and continue adding to.

“This means that we added to our staff almost 300 employees,” spoke Zanotti. “I’m very proud to say that, if we consider the entire industrial footprint that we have in the United States, we will be adding more than 1100 employees. Out of the 1100, 850-900 are already with the company, and the rest will join us by the end of the year.”

To check out photos from the press conference, scroll down below: