PNC to raise base wages to $18 an hour, latest bank to do so
By KEN SWEET AP Business Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — PNC Bank is the latest large U.S. financial services company to increase wages in a bid to keep and attract employees. It is raising its minimum wage to $18 an hour while also giving higher-paid workers a bump in pay. The bank said Monday that the wage increase will apply to both PNC employees as well as those working for BBVA USA, which PNC acquired last year. Base-level PNC employees will see their wages increase from $15 an hour to $18, a 20% pay raise. The increase is more substantial at BBVA, which had an $11 minimum wage before PNC bought the bank.

Federal aid ending for hundreds of thousands in Pennsylvania
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians will lose federal unemployment benefits after this week, including an extra $300 per week, an extra 13 weeks of benefits and benefits for the self-employed. Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration said Monday that there are sources of help for people who need it once those benefits run out, including federal rental assistance through counties, Medicaid, food stamps and temporary cash-assistance for low-income families. The state’s regular 26-week unemployment compensation benefits will continue, without the extra $300 federal benefit on top. The American Rescue Plan Act, signed by President Joe Biden in March, extended those federal benefits and set them to expire after this week.

(Pittsburgh, PA) Highmark’s Fifth Avenue Place headquarters in Downtown Pittsburgh will glow purple on August 31 to commemorate International Overdose Awareness Day. International Overdose Awareness Day is an annual, global event to end overdoses, remember without stigma those who have died, and acknowledge the grief of families and friends left behind.

The commemorative light-up of Fifth Avenue Place is one component of Highmark’s broader recognition of International Overdose Awareness Day, and its comprehensive approach to combat substance use disorder that focuses on primary prevention, safe prescribing, high-quality treatment, community supports and combating stigma.

Through these efforts, Highmark has reduced opioid-related overdoses among its commercial risk, Medicare Advantage and Affordable Care Act members in Pennsylvania by about 20 percent over the past three years.

“The COVID-19 pandemic’s financial, social and healthcare access challenges have hit families across the communities that we serve and across the nation—which is reflected in the record number of overdose-related deaths recorded in the U.S. in 2020,” says Dr. Caesar DeLeo, vice president and executive medical director of strategic initiatives for Highmark. “We remain highly committed to preventing the harms caused by substance abuse and promoting recovery along with our many partners in health care, government, education, business, and social services.”

Harnessing the power of its own team members, Highmark has established a grass-roots organization known as LEARN. LEARN is comprised of more than 600 Highmark, Allegheny Health Network (AHN) and other Highmark companies’ team members who come together to Learn more about substance use disorders; Educate others; Advocate for reforms and effective treatment, and support Recovery and Network amongst themselves, within their communities and organizations to dispel stigma and promote harm reduction.

In addition to driving the Fifth Avenue Place light-up commemoration for International Overdose Awareness Day, LEARN hosted a webinar for Highmark and AHN team members

about substance use disorders and coping with grief and loss, and created a video to pay tribute to loved ones and friends that they have lost.

“In 2021, LEARN has also created a more recovery-friendly workplace, spotlighted the dangers of synthetic opioids, explored the science of addiction, combated stigma, and celebrated professionals in recovery,” says Ashley Potts, a co-founder of LEARN and substance use disorder program manager for Highmark. “We have so many team members who want to be a positive force at work, at home and in the community, and LEARN provides those opportunities through education and advocacy.”

Highmark has also reduced by 23 percent the number of Pennsylvania members who are newly prescribed opioids over the past three years, and increased by 20 percent the number of members who receive medication-assisted treatment (MAT) after being diagnosed with opioid use disorder or after being brought into treatment for opioid use disorder. MAT is high-quality, evidenced-based treatment that supports patients with a multi-disciplinary care team and medications that allow individuals to stop abusing opioids without experiencing powerful drug cravings or severe withdrawal symptoms.

Highmark supports community organizations and programs fighting the opioid epidemic in its core markets. Highmark’s Financial Investigations and Provider Review (FIPR) Team has also engaged more than 10,000 students, parents and educators in western Pennsylvania through its Opioid Epidemic Education Program. The program empowers people with knowledge and resources to respond to opioid dependence in their communities.

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Hopewell Twp., Pa.) Hopewell Township Fire Chief  Mike Wasik reported Sunday night that two fires were caused by lightning Sunday afternoon. The homes were on Sweet Briar Drive and Ivy Court. No other fires were reported in the area according to Beaver County 9-1-1. No one was injured in either fire, the chief reported.

He thanked the mutual aid departments that assisted at  the fire scenes. They were:, Aliquippa, , Monaca, Crescent and Raccoon Townships

(Big Beaver Boro, Pa.) Pa State Police in Gibsonia are reporting that they were called to the scene of a two vehicle accident along the Pa Turnpike east at exit 13 in Big Beaver Boro last Thursday evening around 6:55 PM
Troopers report via release that a 2019 Ford Focus that was being driven by 26-year-old Emily Shafer of Wampum was attempting to merge onto the turnpike when she failed to yield to a 2019 Peterbuilt truck being driven by 21-year-old Lloyd Shipman of Wabash Indiana.

As Shafer merged the truck being driven by Shipman struck the left rear of her vehicle with the right front of the truck.
No one was injured in the accident and Shafer was issued a written warning for not yielding properly when merging into traffic from an entrance ramp.

(Cranberry Twp., Pa.) No one was injured following a large fire that left a house damaged on Jefferson Lane in Cranberry Township Sunday evening

The fire was reported to 911 from an automatic fire alarm within the house security system. While crews were enroute to the home, neighbors called 911 to report the house was on fire.
Six or Seven fire companies assisted at the scene.
New Brighton Fire Department reported via their Facebook page that they were dispatched to Cranberry to assist in fire service for the remainder of Cranberry while crews batted the fire.

No injuries were reported and the family and their pets were not home at the time of the fire.