CCBC Among Great Colleges to Work For in the U.S.

Monaca, PA – Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) has been identified as a “2020 Great College to Work For.” CCBC is one of only 79 colleges across the country to be recognized with this honor in 2020. Conducted by a third-party assessment, the results rely heavily on solicited employee feedback. Specifically, CCBC was honored in the Compensation & Benefits category. CCBC was recognized for its:

• Impressive health benefits including prescription coverage and free or low-cost dental and vision benefits. 
• Extensive wellness programs.
• Free life insurance, short-term and long-term benefits.
• Tuition benefits for professional development.
• Generous vacation and sick leave.
• Summer 4-day work weeks to enhance quality of life.
• Shared governance.
• Notable employee communications including Monday Messages, President-hosted townhall meetings with, anonymous “Ask Us” blog, and more.

“We are proud to be recognized as an employer of choice, especially within the higher education community,” said Dr. Roger W. Davis, CCBC president. “When our faculty and staff are happy to come to work – whether on site or remotely, they’re more likely to provide the best possible college experience for our students.”  

CCBC has a history of being identified as a top college in the United States. For example, CCBC was named one of 10 Best Community Colleges in Pennsylvania by schools.com, a Top 100 Organization in Pennsylvania by PA Business Central, and provides over 600 transfer agreements with colleges and universities nationwide. In addition, CCBC has been identified as a Military Friendly® School, a list aims to set the standard for higher education institutions to provide the best opportunities for military, veterans and their spouses.

The survey results are based on a two-part assessment process: an institution questionnaire that captured employment data and workplace policies from each institution, and a survey administered to faculty, administrators, and professional support staff. Results are reported for small, medium, and large institutions, with CCBC included among small universities with 500 to 2,999 students. 

The Great Colleges to Work For® program is one of the largest and most respected workplace- recognition programs in the country. For more information and to view all current and previous recognized institutions, visit the Great Colleges program website at http://www.greatcollegesprogram.com. ModernThink, a strategic human capital consulting firm, administered the survey and analyzed the results. 

(Aliquippa, Pa.) A shooting occurred this morning a little after 9 a.m. at the intersection of Woodlawn Road and Franklin Avenue in Aliquippa.  Police are investigating. The victim was reportedly flown by medical helicopter to a local hospital for treatment. The victim’s condition is not known at this time. There has not been any information released on what prompted the shooting. Stay tuned to Beaver County radio and beavercountyradio.com as this story continues to develop.

Yuengling, America’s oldest brewer, invades the West Coast
By DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Business Writer
West Coast beer lovers, it’s pronounced YING-ling. Yuengling and Son, America’s oldest operating brewer, is partnering with Molson Coors to send its beer to western states for the first time since it began brewing in 1829. The brewery, about two hours northwest of Philadelphia, is breaking out beyond its traditional 22-state distribution area in the East. The family-owned brewery known for its cheap German-style lager will remain independent. Yuengling expects its beer will be available out west in the second half of next year.

(Pittsburgh, Pa.) Three protesters are facing charges stemming from an incident with diners along Penn Avenue earlier this month. Monique Craft, Kenneth McDowell, and Shawn Green are facing various charges. The Charges stem from an incident on September 5, 2020 after the three harassed people who were eating peacefully at a restaurant on Penn Ave. in Downtown Pittsburgh during a protest known as Civil Saturday.

At one point in the video one of the accused grabbed a customers drink and drank it along with yelling at the people dining outside the establishment. The three face charges including harassment, conspiracy, and disorderly conduct.

Mailed ballots can’t be discarded over signature, state says
By MARC LEVY Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — With concerns rising in Pennsylvania that thousands of mail-in ballots will be discarded in the presidential election over technicalities, state officials told counties that they cannot reject a ballot solely because an election official believes a signature doesn’t match the signature in the voter’s file. The new guidance from Pennsylvania’s Department of State also prompted the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania and the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh to drop a lawsuit in federal court Monday. The groups had sought to ensure that voters have the chance to fix ballots that are either missing signatures or flagged for a perceived signature mismatch.

Hurricane Sally slows, gathering a deluge for the Gulf Coast
By STACEY PLAISANCE and JEFF MARTIN Associated Press
WAVELAND, Miss. (AP) — Hurricane Sally is crawling toward the northern Gulf Coast at just 2 mph, a pace that’s enabling the storm to gather huge amounts of water to eventually dump on land. Forecasters now expect landfall late Tuesday or early Wednesday near the Alabama-Mississippi state line. Rain from the storm’s outer bands is already pummeling parts of the Florida Panhandle, where Gov. Ron DeSantis declared an emergency. President Donald Trump has declared an emergency for parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Sally has sustained winds of 85 mph, which forecasters expect it to maintain until it hits land.

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Hopewell Twp. , Pa.) Last night Hopewell School Board met via ZOOM  and Superintendent t. Dr. Michelle Miller gave credit to all , and it has taken every pair of hands to reopen for the health and safety of all.. She announced that a free federal food program for all  students will be available through December 31, 2020.  Dr. Miller said due to the increase in    traffic with students being picked up and dropped off she credits the police department and its officers for their help

DEP releases 2019 Oil and Gas Annual Report 

Harrisburg, PA – Natural gas production in Pennsylvania increased while new well drilling decreased in 2019, according to the 2019 Oil and Gas Annual Report released today by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The report also notes improved permit review efficiency. DEP is also exploring new partnerships to address orphan wells, identifying better restoration practices, and developing better ways to manage stormwater on well sites.

Production from natural gas wells continues to increase. More than 6 billion Mcf of natural gas was produced, continuing an upward trend from previous years.

Other details from the annual report:

• 1,705 drilling permits were issued; 1,475 unconventional and 230 conventional
• There were 787 wells drilled; 615 unconventional and 172 conventional
• DEP conducted 35,324 inspections and found 5,496 violations
• DEP collected $4.1 million in fines and penalties in 2019

“DEP will continue to improve environmental protections for oil and gas development while providing certainty for operators and the people that live, work, and play near Pennsylvania’s oil and gas communities,” said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell. “We are remaining vigilant in our oversight of the industry and bringing enforcement actions against companies that violate the laws and regulations of Pennsylvania.”

DEP continues to identify and plug orphan and abandoned wells in Pennsylvania, many of which predate regulatory oversight – a result of Pennsylvania’s 160-year history of oil and gas development. DEP estimates that there may be as many 200,000 abandoned oil and gas wells in the state, which can leak methane into the air and possibly contaminate groundwater or surface water. DEP and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) have begun a field study in the Cornplanter State Forest to measure methane leakage from identified orphan wells. This research will help DEP better estimate methane emissions from the thousands of orphaned and abandoned wells in Pennsylvania.

“We know there are thousands of old, abandoned wells in Pennsylvania, but we don’t know how to quantify the threat these wells pose to our environment, especially from a climate change angle,” said McDonnell. “This research will help us put that into perspective and help guide how to prioritize well-plugging in the future.”

To see the full 2019 Annual Report please click here.

Judge: Pennsylvania’s pandemic restrictions unconstitutional
By MICHAEL RUBINKAM Associated Press
Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration says it will appeal a federal judge’s ruling that pandemic restrictions that required people to stay at home, placed limits on gatherings and ordered “non-life-sustaining” businesses to close are unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge William Stickman IV, an appointee of President Donald Trump, sided with plaintiffs that included hair salons, drive-in movie theaters, a farmer’s market vendor, a horse trainer and several Republican officeholders. Courts had consistently rejected challenges to Wolf’s power to order businesses to close during the pandemic. Wolf’s spokesperson said Monday the administration will seek delayed enforcement of the ruling while it appeals.