Author: Beaver County Radio

States Play Major Role as U.S. Convenes Global Climate Summit

Keystone State News Connection

April 19, 2021 Available files: mp3 wav jpg

States Play Major Role as U.S. Convenes Global Climate Summit

Andrea Sears

HARRISBURG, Pa. — President Joe Biden convenes a virtual Leaders Summit on Climate this week, putting the U.S. back into a leadership role after four years when states were leading the way.

Forty world leaders are invited to participate in the summit, which starts Thursday.

Biden also wants to reestablish the federal partnership with state and local leaders to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build out clean-energy infrastructure.

Jesse Barlow, president of the State College Borough Council, noted Gov. Tom Wolf is pushing to have Pennsylvania join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a multi-state effort to cut carbon emissions from the power sector.

“It’s extremely important, because Pennsylvania is basically a polluter state,” Barlow explained. “And so, joining it would be a big deal and would help Pennsylvania on the road to reducing its carbon footprint.”

The Leaders Summit on Climate will focus on the urgency of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and the economic benefits of transitioning to clean energy, including job creation.

According to a fact sheet released by the White House, in 2019 almost 94,000 Pennsylvanians had jobs in the clean-energy sector.

Barlow thinks transitioning to a clean-energy economy is critical for the Commonwealth’s economic future.

“I see new solar industries popping up all over the place, wind industries,” Barlow observed. “So, the transition for Pennsylvania is, if anything, necessary. The fossil fuel industries are not going to support us in the long term.”

The Biden administration’s American Jobs Plan invests in creating more clean-energy jobs in Pennsylvania, through tax credits for clean-energy generation and manufacturing.

The effects of climate change are already being felt in Pennsylvania and worldwide, but combatting it has become a partisan issue, making progress difficult.

Barlow believes the new federal commitment can help build new momentum.

“I hope Pennsylvania joins in and becomes a partner with the federal government on this issue,” Barlow stated. “And if that happens, then we have a brighter future to look forward to.”

Geneva takes the win over Grove City 24-17!

Geneva arrived at Reeves Field ready play tonight against Grove City.  The last time the Golden Tornadoes were able to conquer the Wolverines was in 2016. Geneva got points on the board early in the first with a 75 yard drive, which set their momentum for the rest of the game.  The Golden Tornadoes were able to tack on another touchdown and a field goal in the second, although the Wolverines responded with their first touchdown in the game, as well as a field goal.  The first half ended with a score of Geneva 17 Grove City 10. In the second half, Geneva managed to score early to increase their lead.  Grove City put up a fight and made some big plays, although they ultimately only gained one more touchdown.  The final score was Geneva 24 Grove City 17.  Hear the post game from Beaver County Radio announcers Bob Barrickman and Bruce Frey below.

Listen to the post game here:

 

Pennsylvania sounds alarm on vaccine hesitancy

Pennsylvania sounds alarm on vaccine hesitancy
By MICHAEL RUBINKAM Associated Press
A growing number of unfilled appointments and low uptake among nursing home workers are early signs that vaccine hesitancy is becoming an issue in Pennsylvania. That prompted state officials to sound the alarm Friday and urge residents to get their COVID-19 shots as quickly as possible. After months of demand outstripping supply, vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna are more readily available. The administration of Gov. Tom Wolf says the challenge now is to assuage the concerns of people who are reluctant to get it.

Monday on Teleforum

Teleforum holds forth every weekday morning with host Eddy Crow; on Monday he will be talking about the latest news in Beaver county, as well as whatever other lunacy the world serves up over the weekend. These days planning on lunacy is a safe bet, and plan on Teleforum every weekday on am1230WBVP, am1460WMBA, and 99.3fm presented by St. Barnabas.

Pennsylvania jobless rate fell in March, as payrolls grew

Harrisburg, PA – Today, the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) released its employment situation report for March 2021.
Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate was down one-tenth of a percentage point over the month to 7.3 percent in March. The U.S. rate declined two-tenths of a percentage point from February to 6.0 percent. The commonwealth’s unemployment rate was 2.2 percentage points above its March 2020 level while the national rate was up 1.6 points over the year.
Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force – the estimated number of residents working or looking for work – increased 1,000 over the month as employment rose slightly more than unemployment declined.
Pennsylvania’s total nonfarm jobs were up 24,000 over the month to 5,678,500 in March, the 10th gain in the past 11 months. Jobs increased in 10 of the 11 industry supersectors with the largest volume gain in education & health services (+8,500). Over the year, total nonfarm jobs were down 369,200 with declines in all supersectors.

Shoulder Patching Work on Eastbound I-376 in Robinson, Moon, and North Fayette Townships This Weekend

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing concrete shoulder patching work on eastbound I-376 in Robinson, Moon, and North Fayette townships, Allegheny County, will occur Friday night through Sunday morning, April 16-18 weather permitting.

Shoulder patching requiring lane closures on eastbound I-376 will occur from 8 p.m. Friday night continuously through 10 a.m. Sunday morning between the Business Loop 376 (Exit 57) and Montour Run Road (Exit 58) interchanges.

Additionally, the following ramp will close to traffic the entire weekend:

  • Eastbound I-376 off-ramp to Montour Run Road

Posted Detour

Eastbound I-376 Off-ramp to Montour Run Road

  • Continue eastbound on I-376 past the closed ramp
  • Take the ramp to Robinson Town Centre Boulevard (Exit 59)
  • Turn left onto Summit Park Drive
  • Turn left onto Park Manor Boulevard
  • Follow Park Manor Boulevard to Montour Run Road
  • End detour

This $7.93 million improvement project includes milling and paving, concrete patching, drainage improvements, guiderail updates, median barrier replacement, sign improvements, pavement marking installation, and other miscellaneous construction activities. Additionally, overnight and weekend work will occur on 13 ramps through the corridor.  Overnight and weekend closures with detours will occur on the ramps.

Lindy Paving, Inc. is the prime contractor.

Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

US REP. LAMB (17th) INTRODUCES BIPARTISAN BILL TO ENABLE VETERANS TO ADVANCE COVID-19 VACCINATION EFFORTS 

LAMB INTRODUCES BIPARTISAN BILL TO ENABLE VETERANS TO ADVANCE COVID-19 VACCINATION EFFORTS 

 

(WASHINGTON, DC) – Today, Representative Conor Lamb (PA-17) was joined by Representative Jenniffer González-Colón (PR-At Large), to introduce the bipartisan Supporting Education Recognition for Veterans during Emergencies (SERVE) Act.  The legislation will ensure that veterans’ service-connected medical qualifications and expertise are utilized by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and civilian health care facilities to meet the challenges of the coronavirus public health emergency.  Lamb is reintroducing the bill in the 117th Congress to advance COVID-19 vaccination efforts.

“The race to vaccinate Americans against COVID-19 has been a stark reminder of how unprepared we were for this global pandemic.  There is no better group than our veterans to help us fight to the finish,” said Lamb.  “Veterans have received the best training available and are eager to contribute when they return to civilian life.  This bill removes the obstacles to help veterans better serve our communities, especially as we ramp up the vaccination efforts nationwide to finally defeat COVID-19.”

“The SERVE Act seeks to capitalize on the skills and knowledge acquired by our veterans and use it to assist our country in times of national emergencies.  As it has become evident with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we need to maximize every opportunity and asset at our disposal to combat this life-threatening virus.  Like my constituents, I am hopeful for the future and longing for a return to normalcy.  Still, pandemics and similar emergencies are always a looming threat and we must always be prepared.  I am confident this bill places us in a better position to respond to emergencies moving forward.  I am proud to be an original cosponsor, alongside my colleague Representative Conor Lamb, and look forward to working in a bipartisan manner to get it across the finish line,” said González-Colón.

The SERVE Act is supported by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the Union Veterans Council (UVC) AFL-CIO and Team Rubicon.  These veterans service organizations (VSOs) cite veterans’ willingness to serve their communities again and have called upon Congress to provide improvements to the existing credentialing system to better recognize the medical skills of veterans.  To answer this call, the SERVE Act:

  • Directs the VA to identify veterans with former military medical occupation specialties and provide documentation of medical training and experience through a web portal, allowing veterans to provide contact information on a voluntary basis;
  • Allows the VA to share volunteered information from veterans with medical backgrounds with state veterans’ homes, state Departments of Veterans Affairs and Labor, VSOs, and state-credentialing bodies, to facilitate the credentialing process at the state-level for qualified veterans;
  • Permanently authorizes the Intermediate Care Technician (ICT) program, which is designed to hire former military corpsmen and medics into positions at VA Medical Centers; and
  • Requires a study on whether the existing ICT program can be replicated for other military medical specialties to expand pathways for transitioning service members and veterans.

“I applaud the bipartisan efforts of Reps. Lamb and González-Colón in introducing this important legislation,” said Jeremy Butler, CEO, IAVA.  “The SERVE Act introduction is timely given the need for health professionals during this pandemic.  There are hundreds of thousands of veterans with critical medical knowledge and experience.  They are an untapped resource and should not be kept on the sidelines.”

“Medical professionals have been on the frontlines of the pandemic for over 14 months now and they need support.  We have the ability to unlock a whole new workforce that is eager to serve.  There are hundreds of thousands of military veterans with extensive training and experience in emergency medicine who have no way to leverage their skills in a time of crisis,” said Jake Wood, CEO, Team Rubicon.   “The SERVE Act creates a pathway to allow these men and women to continue their service in times of need and get into the fight against COVID-19.”

“As veterans, we are wired to serve and are always ready to step up to the plate when our country needs us.  This bill not only helps to provide trained individuals to help administer and support the COVID-19 vaccination mission, but it will also provide a sense of service and purpose to so many of our nation heroes,” said Will Attig, Executive Director, Union Veterans Council, AFL-CIO.

Click here to learn more about the SERVE Act.