(File Photo Courtesy  of Pa Media Services)

(HARRISBURG, Pa.) Attorney General Josh Shapiro is warning Pennsylvanians to be on the lookout for bogus fundraising calls that purport to benefit the families of Martin F. Mack and Branden T. Sisca, the two fallen Pennsylvania State Police troopers tragically killed in the line of duty on I-95 South in Philadelphia.

“As Pennsylvanians look to support the families of the fallen Pennsylvania State Troopers who were tragically killed on Monday morning, scammers may be taking advantage of your generosity,” said AG Shapiro. “This kind of scam is not only despicable – it’s against the law. These scams are not only to get your hard earned dollars meant to go to a good cause, but a way to steal your personal information. Report these scams to my office by calling (717) 783-2853 or on our website.”

The Pennsylvania State Trooper Association is the only official organization that represents and serves Pennsylvania state troopers, and this organization does not use telephone solicitation for fundraising.

Regrettably, there is no limit to the unscrupulous depths that fraudsters will go to profit on the misfortune of others. If you receive a call purporting to benefit the families of the fallen troopers:

• Do not give on impulse simply because you have been solicited.
• Do not provide any of your personal information.
• Get as much information as you can from the caller, ask who they are; where they are calling from; if they are being paid to make the call; and whether they have been authorized by the families and the Pennsylvania State Police Troopers Association to ask for donations.
• Ask if they are registered with the Department of State to solicit donations.
• End the call by explaining you will be confirming the information before deciding on whether to  make a donation.
• Report the call and whatever information you were given to the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General by calling (717) 783-2853 or submitting a complaint on our website: https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/submit-a-complaint/charitable-trusts-and-organizations-complaint-form/ or via email: charities@attorneygeneral.gov.

Those wanting to make donations should consider giving directly to the Pennsylvania State Troopers Association at https://www.troopershelpingtroopers.org/ to be sure their gifts are used appropriately.

(File Photo)

(North Beaver Twp., Pa.) Pa State Police in Gibsonia are reporting that they were called to the scene of a one vehicle accident on the Pa turnpike Westbound at mile marker 1.3 in North Beaver Twp. at 5:54 PM Wednesday Evening.
Troopers via release said that upon arriving and investigating that the crash occurred as 35-year-old Timothy McCormick of Beaver Falls was operating a 2020 Nissan Ultima and he lost control of the vehicle while traveling in the right lane. His vehicle traveled off of the north side of the roadway and struck a light pole and fence before coming to a final rest in the grass off of the northbound shoulder facing west.
Neither McCormick or his passenger, 42-year-old Larry Sano of Ellwood City were injured but McCormick’s sufferred disabling damage and had to be towed from the scene.

(Washington, D.C.) Jordan Bonenberger from Cranberry and Melanie Archer a mother of three from Sharpsburg have both been charged in connection with the January 6 insurrection. They both appeared in court yesterday and waived their cases to trial in their preliminary hearing
Photos from the FBI affidavit showed the two together in the rotunda, the west corridor of the Capitol, and on the Capitol steps, next to police in riot gear.
Bonenberger is facing charges of illegally entering the Capitol and engaging in disorderly and disruptive behavior. If convicted he could be facing five years in prison.
Archer is charged with entering or remaining in a restricted building and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and other related charges.

Keystone State News Connection

Emily Scott

With COVID cases waning, more employers are asking workers to return to the office for the first time since the pandemic began, and mental health professionals said there are ways to manage the stress and anxiety from this big change.

Rates of anxiety and depression among U.S. adults were four times higher between April 2020 and August 2021 than they were in 2019, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Dr. Hillary Ammon, assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania, said a change in routine, like where you work, can be a stressor, but there are ways to manage those feelings.

“What I would recommend is for people to start to try to get into some of those routines that might look similar to the workplace,” Ammon advised. “So if that really is, you know, you have a very structured day at your work, and you had more flexibility working from home, can you try to structure your day so that it looks more similar to that work environment?”

Ammon suggested practicing driving or taking public transportation to help ease back into your commute, along with meal planning and preparation.

Dr. Nicole Brady, chief medical officer for UnitedHealthcare’s employer and individual business in Wisconsin and Michigan, said fears around catching COVID at the office can also be a trigger for stress. She urged having an open line of communication with your employer about what protocols are in place to prevent spreading the virus.

“We all know that masks are effective and certainly are reasonable at any time, despite what the levels may be in your community at that time,” Brady pointed out. “We know that vaccines are highly effective at preventing infection.”

Other tips include suggesting staggered work hours or days to your manager, to limit the number of people in the office at one time. The CDC recommends employees experiencing COVID symptoms notify their supervisors, get tested, and stay home until they feel better.

(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

On March 24, 2022, the push to “close the digital divide” in Beaver County was made official.

The Beaver County Office of Planning and Redevelopment launched “Connect Beaver County” on Thursday at a press conference at the Western Beaver School District in Industry. BCOPR President Lance Grable was joined by several fellow county leaders and state representatives at the conference; all of whom were firmly enthusiastic about the launch of this program.

“What Beaver County is doing is amazing,” remarked State Representative Pam Snyder of Greene County. “I have never felt so good about an issue as I do with what we have done here and what we are gonna be able to do for every Pennsylvanian.” Snyder co-sponsored House Bill 2071 to develop the PA Broadband Development Authority. The bill was advanced to become Act 96 with the help of Beaver County State Representatives Jim Marshall and Rob Matzie, who were in attendance.

The Connect Beaver County program will focus on five key issues regarding broadband:

1. Creating new broadband service
2. A new digital navigator program
3. Connecting towers owned by the county
4. Establishing a broadband utility connection fund
5. Continued analysis and data collection towards digital equity

The immediate actions of Connect Beaver County are the launch of their website–connectbeavercounty.com–and the start of two broadband service installations in northern Beaver County. One will be in Hanover Township covering Hanover Kendall Road, Airline Drive, and Hanny Beaver Road–the other will be along Route 551 (along with Stitt Road) covering Big Beaver, South Beaver, and Darlington Townships.

“This is exciting to us,” said Lew Vilotti of the Beaver County Corporation for Economic Development, “because not only can we say that Beaver County is on the forefront, but it will also provide an essential service that allows us to grow our companies, start new ones, to keep them here, and to attract them.”

Also in attendance were Commissioner Chairman Dan Camp, State Representative Josh Kail, EMS director Eric Brewer, Jeremy Jurick of Michael Baker International, and  Dr. Eric Rosendale of the Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit.

Along with the new website, Connect Beaver County can be reached through email or by calling (724) 495-4300.