The featured image above shows the exterior of the New Brighton Borough Building
Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio. Published February 17, 2022 8:15 P.M.

(New Brighton, PA) The New Brighton Borough Council appointed a new member at their meeting Thursday evening.  Borough Manager Tom Albanese swore in Carrie Lofaso to take the vacant fifth ward seat created by the resignation of Richard Haddox.  Council also adopted Resolution 2022.02-01 which will allow for an application to be placed for a local share account grant program to make improvements to the Grove Avenue playground.  In addition, council gave the okay to Fischer’s Beverage for a facade renovation on the former Foodland building, where the business will move to.  The Borough also extended their contract with Valley Waste to run through June 30, 2023 at a fee increase of 4.7%.

(South view rendering of the Vanport building soon to be renovated to serve as the TCBC Men’s Emergency Shelter. Rendering by architectural partner, WTW Architects. Photo provided by TCBC)

(Beaver Falls, Pa.)  The Cornerstone of Beaver County (TCBC) has secured funding to begin construction of Beaver County’s long-awaited 24-hour men’s emergency shelter. The shelter will fill a critical gap in the county’s housing-related crisis solutions.

Early in 2021, TCBC purchased the building at 697 State Street in Vanport and worked with WTW Architects on the renovation design.

Through a bidding process completed last December, Graham Construction was selected by the Community Development Program (CDP) of Beaver County and approved by Beaver County to serve as construction partner for the project. To move forward, however, additional funding was needed.

In a recent resolution of the Beaver County Board of Commissioners, $1 million of the county’s American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding was allocated for shelter construction. Funding from the Community Development Grant (CDBG) CV funds, Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) CV funds, and Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund (PHARE) funds were also approved.

Beaver County Commissioners said in a joint statement, “The men’s emergency shelter is a priority. The lack of an in-county, 24-hour shelter that accepts men has created hardship and vulnerability that was significantly exacerbated by the pandemic. We are excited and honored to commit our support to The Cornerstone of Beaver County to ensure their successful completion and operation of this vital project. The men’s emergency shelter and all of its supportive services will strengthen and uplift our community.”

Community donations also play an important role in the men’s shelter build-out and ongoing operations. In December, TCBC received a major gift of $10,000 from PennEnergy Resources to assist with initial shelter construction costs.

“We are pleased to support construction of the new emergency men’s shelter in Beaver County. This is a critical need that has been lacking in our community and we are honored to partner with the dedicated staff at TCBC to help make it happen,” said PennEnergy Resources Chairman and CEO, Richard D. Weber.

With funding secured, plans are underway for a wall-breaking ceremony to celebrate the construction commencement of this highly-anticipated project.

It is estimated that the shelter will open in the summer of 2022.

“We are deeply grateful for the county’s unwavering commitment to this project, and we are inspired by the increasing support coming from the community,” said TCBC Executive Director Marie Timpano.

Timpano continued, “Since the beginning of winter, we have expressed our hope that this will be the last winter our community has to endure without a men’s emergency shelter. I’m thrilled to say that it looks like that hope is going to become a reality.”

Shelter build-out plans include accommodations for 24/7 emergency shelter and safety, case management and basic needs provisions, and a variety of supportive services to help shelter participants transition successfully to permanent housing, stability, and long-term independence.

A TCBC Men’s Emergency Shelter FAQ can be found at TCBC’s website, CornerstoneBeaver.org. Shelter updates can be found on the TCBC website and Facebook page @cornerstonebeaver.

For more information about TCBC’s emergency and permanent housing programs as well as utilities and basic needs assistance, visit CornerstoneBeaver.org or call 724-846-6400.

(AP Photo)
By JOHN FLESHER AP Environmental Writer
President Joe Biden’s administration says the bipartisan infrastructure law will pump $1 billion into a Great Lakes restoration program. Biden travels to Lorain, Ohio, on Thursday to highlight the measure’s benefits for the lakes. Much of that extra money will help finish cleanup of harbors and rivers polluted with industrial wastes in the last century. Thirty-one U.S. toxic hot spots were designated around the Great Lakes in 1987. Officials say by 2030 work should be finished at all but three. Support for the cleanup is one issue on which the region’s congressional Democrats and Republicans routinely agree.

(Shipping Port, Pa.) The Beaver County coroner was called to the scene of a head on crash on Shippingport Road in Shippingport last night around 9 PM. At least one person was killed and another was airlifted to a local hospital.
The person’s name who was killed has not been released nor has the condition of the the person who was air-lifted as police continue to investigate

(AP Photo)
By CARLA K. JOHNSON AP Medical Writer
The omicron wave that assaulted the United States this winter also bolstered its defenses, leaving enough protection against the coronavirus that future spikes will likely require much less disruption to society. Millions of individual Americans’ immune systems now recognize the virus and are primed to fight it off if they encounter omicron, or even another variant. One influential model looks at vaccinations, recent infections and other factors to estimate that 73% of Americans are, for now, immune to omicron, and that could rise to 80% by mid-March. Still, while the population is better protected, tens of millions of individuals are not because they are unvaccinated or have never been infected.

Keystone State News Connection

February 17, 2022

Emily Scott

A new partnership is bringing support services to incarcerated pregnant women in Pennsylvania as they prepare for childbirth and reentering communities once they’re released.

The pilot program at State Correctional Institution (SCI) Muncy provides seven incarcerated women with doula services. Doulas support pregnant women by providing emotional and physical support and resources before and after childbirth.

Gerria Coffee, founder of Genesis Birth Services, which is providing doula care at SCI Muncy, said it is about reducing the trauma of incarceration to ensure a positive birthing experience for both the mom and baby.

“It separates the circumstance and really focuses on the person and gives that holistic support,” Coffee explained. “And in turn, that’s going to benefit birth outcomes, that’s going to benefit mental-health outcomes, and it’s going to benefit the child.”

The program is a partnership between the state Department of Human Services, Department of Corrections and the Tuttleman Foundation. The pilot also connects the family caring for the child while the mother is incarcerated to services such as home visiting, assistance paying for child care and cash assistance.

Part of the aim of the program is to address Pennsylvania’s maternal mortality crisis. Research shows doulas can reduce the likelihood of birth complications and increase breastfeeding rates.

Rep. Morgan Cephas, D-Philadelphia, said the investment can help reverse some troubling trends in the state.

“Doula care helps to cut down on maternal mortality and morbidity,” Cephas pointed out. “We know women are the fastest growing population in our prison system. So why not use that as an opportunity when you see two problems, bring those two issues together to make a shift in these abysmal numbers.”

Keystone State News Connection

February 17, 2022

Emily Scott

Gov. Tom Wolf is calling for sweeping investments to make higher education more affordable with a focus on programs with workforce needs. The average student debt for Pennsylvanians now stands at $39,000, one of the highest in the country.

As part of his final budget proposal, the governor is requesting $200 million for the Nellie Bly Scholarship Program to support students who attend a community college or one of the 14 state universities.

Wolf said it is about providing people with more opportunities to get a college education without overwhelming debt.

“All we’re asking is that students simply stay in Pennsylvania,” Wolf emphasized. “This is a huge investment in our students, but it’s more than that. It’s really an investment in the future of Pennsylvania. We make college more affordable, we’re going to help Pennsylvania. We’re going to help our economy. We’re going to help everybody.”

The scholarship would be funded by both the American Rescue Plan and the Race Horse Development Trust Fund, the latter coming from taxes on slot machines at racetracks. Wolf previously has attempted to fund the scholarship program with the Trust Fund but has received pushback from the horse-racing industry, which said it would hurt it financially.

Kellen Johnson, a student at Harrisburg Area Community College’s paralegal studies program, said as a father of two young kids, his furthest concern should be worrying about paying tuition and books. He contended scholarships such as Nellie Bly can ease the burden on students.

“A lot of our students come to Zoom classes with cellphones,” Johnson pointed out. “Just extra funding for some of our students really goes a long way. A lot of this can help us focus on other things that actually truly matter, like homework assignments and studying for exams.”

The Nellie Bly scholarship is needs-based and can cover tuition, along with other expenses such as housing and books. It will prioritize students pursuing degrees in fields facing worker shortages, such as health care and education. Scholarship recipients must also agree to stay in the state for the same amount of time they received the benefit.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.

(File Photo)

Story by Frank Sparks, News/Program Director

(New Sewickley Twp., Pa.) Pa State Police have released an update about the man that was hit and killed early yesterday morning while walking in a westbound lane of the Pennsylvania Turnpike in New Sewickley Township

Troopers said via release that 30 year-old Devin Glace, of Pittsburgh was struck by at least two tractor-trailers just before 3 am while walking in the right lane of traffic in the area of milepost 20 on the turnpike. Glace was pronounced dead by the Beaver County Coroner at the scene due to his injuries.
The first two trucks stopped but there was a third truck involved that is being described as a “green Peterbilt long wood trailer with grain on top.” Anyone with information about that truck is asked to call Pennsylvania State Police in Gibsonia at 724-443-5907.
A car that was towed from the scene is believed to be Glace’s according to Troopers.

More virus rules fall as CDC hints at better times ahead
By SARA BURNETT Associated Press
The nation’s top federal health official says the U.S. is moving closer to the point that COVID-19 is no longer a “constant crisis” as more cities, businesses and sports venues began lifting pandemic restrictions around the country. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said at White House briefing Wednesday that the government is contemplating a change to its mask guidance in the coming weeks. Walensky noted recent declines in COVID-19 cases, hospital admissions and deaths and acknowledged “people are so eager” for health officials to ease masking rules and other measures. With the omicron variant waning and Americans eager to move beyond the virus, government and business leaders have been out ahead of the CDC in ending virus measures.