AMBRIDGE, Nov. 1 – New funding of $49,000 will allow an Aliquippa-based nonprofit group to move forward with the planning and design of a community food hub, state Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver, announced today.

Matzie said the funding to the RiverWise group will help Beaver County make inroads against a persistent community issue.

“Connecting folks who are struggling to an easily accessible network of fresh food helps us make inroads against food insecurity,” Matzie said. “Securing this new funding will help RiverWise expand that network through the planning and design of a community food hub. Broader outreach to all parts of the community helps ensure that more families have the fresh food they need.”

The funding is part of a statewide grant package administered by the state Department of Agriculture through the Pennsylvania Farm Bill’s Urban Agriculture Infrastructure Grant Program to expand the supply of fresh food in underserved neighborhoods.

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Anaheim Ducks gather at center ice, before an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Monday, Oct. 30, 2023, to honor former Penguin player Adam Johnson, shown on scoreboard, who died in while playing in an English hockey league game. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The death of American hockey player Adam Johnson from a skate blade to the neck has led officials in the NHL and other leagues to continue discussions about cut-resistant protection. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Players’ Association executive director Marty Walsh have already touched base. More talks are planned between the league and union on the topic of skate blade safety. The American Hockey League and ECHL last summer mandated cut-resistant wrist and foot and ankle protection. At least one minor league team is mandating neck guards immediately in response to Johnson’s death.

This aerial photo provided by WTAE shows a multi-vehicle crash on I-80 in Mercer County, Pa. The wreck involved between eight to 10 vehicles, which included tractor trailers and passenger cars, said Pennsylvania State Trooper Bertha Cazy (WTAE via AP)

MERCER, Pa. (AP) — A multi-vehicle crash on a snowy stretch of interstate in western Pennsylvania has killed one person. Officials say the crash occurred around 5:45 a.m. Wednesday at mile marker 14 on Interstate 80 near Mercer. About 11 miles of the road remain closed. Officials say they don’t know when it will reopen. The wreck involved at least eight vehicles including tractor-trailers and passenger cars. A Mercer County coroner says the man who died was the passenger of a car that was involved in the crash. He was pronounced dead at the scene. A state police spokesperson says at least six others sustained minor injuries.

FILE – In this file photo from June 10, 2021, a flume of emissions flow from a stack at the Cheswick Generating Station, a coal-fired power plant, in Springdale, Pa. Pennsylvania cannot enforce a regulation to make power plant owners pay for their planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, a state court ruled Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, dealing another setback to the centerpiece of former Gov. Tom Wolf’s plan to fight global warming. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File)

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A court says Pennsylvania can’t enforce a regulation to make power plant owners pay for their planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions. The ruling Wednesday by the Commonwealth Court is another setback for the centerpiece of former Gov. Tom Wolf’s plan to fight global warming. The court temporarily blocked it last year, and the new ruling makes that decision permanent. The plan would’ve made Pennsylvania the first major fossil fuel-producing state to adopt a carbon-pricing program. The court agreed with Republican lawmakers and coal-related interests that the plan amounted to a tax that would require legislative approval. It would be up to Wolf’s successor, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, to decide whether to appeal.

FILE – Cooking spray oils by Pam, a Conagra brand, rest on a supermarket shelf, June 25, 2019, in Cincinnati. On Monday, Oct. 30, 2023, a jury in Illinois ordered Chicago-based Conagra Brands to pay $7.1 million to a Pennsylvania woman who was badly injured in 2017 when a can of commercial brand cooking spray ignited in a kitchen at her workplace and set her aflame. The verdict is the first of numerous other cases from burn victims across the country with similar stories citing accidents that occurred with Conagra-made cooking spray brands, including its popular grocery store brand Pam. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

CHICAGO (AP) — A jury in Illinois has ordered Chicago-based Conagra Brands to pay $7.1 million to a Pennsylvania woman who was badly injured in 2017 when a can of cooking spray ignited in a commercial kitchen at her workplace and set her aflame. Conagra Brands is the parent company of Pam and many other high-profile food brands. A Cook County Circuit Court jury ruled Monday that the company must pay compensatory and punitive damages to Tammy Reese of Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. According to a lawsuit, Reese suffered deep second-degree burns on her head, face, arms and hands when “suddenly and without warning” a can of cooking spray “exploded into a fireball.”

Harrisburg – The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) today announced the return of more than $2.3 million in licensing fees to 1,351 municipalities in which licensees are located.

 

Twice a year, as required by law, the PLCB returns liquor license fees paid by PLCB-approved licensees to the municipalities that are home to those licenses. Municipalities have flexibility in allocating and spending the returned license fees to meet local needs.

 

The PLCB oversees the regulation of more than 15,000 retail liquor licenses statewide, including restaurants, clubs and hotels. Licensees pay liquor license fees ranging from $125 to $700, depending on the type of license and the population of the municipality in which the license is located, as part of the annual license renewal or validation process, as well as in conjunction with approval of certain new applications.

 

The current dispersal period represents fees paid from Feb. 1 to July 31, 2023. In all, 55 cities, 536 boroughs, and 760 townships will receive payments ranging from $25 to $375,475.

 

The complete list of license fee distributions by municipality is available on the PLCB website.

 

Over the last five fiscal years, the PLCB returned just over $17.5 million in licensing fees to local municipalities.

 

The PLCB regulates the distribution of beverage alcohol in Pennsylvania, operates about 600 retail and wholesale sales locations statewide, and licenses 20,000 alcohol producers, retailers, and handlers. The PLCB also works to reduce and prevent dangerous and underage drinking through partnerships with schools, community groups, and licensees. Taxes and store profits – totaling nearly $20.3 billion since the agency’s inception – are returned to Pennsylvania’s General Fund, which finances Pennsylvania’s schools, health and human services programs, law enforcement, and public safety initiatives, among other important public services. The PLCB also provides financial support for the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, other state agencies, and local municipalities across the state. For more information about the PLCB, visit lcb.pa.gov.

Pittsburgh, PA – As temperatures are forecasted to be close to freezing, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) reminds drivers of fall driving hazards and advises motorists to slow down and always pay attention when behind the wheel.

Wet leaves, fog, and frost are some of the driving hazards motorists may encounter this fall. Taking the proper steps can help make a driver’s commute safer.

As leaves begin to fall, wet leaves on the roadway can be as slippery as ice, especially in low temperatures. They also can obscure traffic lines and other pavement markings, making driving in unfamiliar areas particularly difficult. Drivers should slow down and use extra caution on leaf-covered roadways.

Another fall hazard for motorists can be fog. When driving in fog, motorists should use low beam headlights since the high beam setting creates glare and reduces visibility. Not only will headlights enhance visibility of your vehicle, but Pennsylvania law also requires headlights be on when wipers are in use.

Additionally, morning frost and icy spots on the road can also cause problems as overnight temperatures drop toward freezing. Motorists should pay particular attention to bridges, overpasses, and shaded areas on roadways where icy spots can form on the pavement. In addition to exercising caution while driving, motorists should clear their vehicle’s windows of frost before travel.

PennDOT offers the following fall driving tips:

• Increase your following distance in severe weather, at dusk and dawn, and when in an area with wet leaves. If you are being tailgated, let the other driver pass.
• Check your vehicle’s headlights, taillights, and turn signals to ensure they are working properly since darkness will be a part of many driver’s morning and/or evening commutes. Make sure you turn on your headlights as the sunlight fades.
• Have your vehicle’s heating and wiper systems checked to ensure they are working properly.
• Be sure you have tires with sufficient tread depth in case of an early season snow.

  PennDOT reminds motorists to stay aware of road and weather conditions. When driving during the fall season, extra caution should be used for the safety of everyone on the road.

For more information, visit www.PennDOT.pa.gov/safety.

Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio news Director. Published October 31, 2023 2:28 P.M.

(Beaver Falls, Pa) The City of Beaver Falls Police Chief, David Johnson, issued a statement that Bridge Street in Beaver Falls, which leads to Ross Hill Road, will be closed indefinitely. The press release states that this action has been taken with the “interest of public safety due to multiple recent vehicle crashes”. The release also states the city will “evaluate and assess options” to determine if the roadway can be re-opened in the future.
Affected residents and municipalities are to be notified of the closure.
Beaver County Radio watched as numerous drivers were forced to turn around at the closure on Bridge Street Tuesday afternoon. There was no additional signage in place warning of the closure on other roads as of Tuesday, October 31st.
Motorists are being encouraged to use roads such as 11th Street and Steffen Hill Road to access Darlington Road.

PITTSBURGH, PA [October 30, 2023] – Kennywood – Pittsburgh’s Home for the Holidays – is decking the halls even earlier this year with the biggest and brightest Holiday Lights ever during the park’s 125^th season. The magically merry event will now kick off Saturday, November 18 – one weekend earlier than planned.  Featuring more than two million twinkling lights and the tallest Christmas Tree in Pennsylvania, this year’s event will be highlighted by an all-new Santa experience in Thomas Town™.  

 

There are many other firsts this year for this family tradition event, including the first time to ever ride Spinvasion, the first multi-action spin ride of its kind in the United States, under the holiday lights. Plus, an all-new Christmas-themed Scavenger Hunt, new seasonal photo opportunities and a create-your-own Christmas Bear activity will all be introduced for the 2023 Holiday Lights season.  

 

“Holiday Lights at Kennywood offers the most unique and exciting holiday experience in the region – with the millions of lights and thrilling and classic attractions that Pittsburgh residents cannot experience anywhere else,” says Kennywood Assistant General Manager Rick Spicuzza. “This year the park will showcase enhanced special entertainment, an all-new festive food lineup, plus Santa in Thomas Town™, adding even more reasons to visit during this beloved event.” 

 

To celebrate the culmination of this momentous year, the park has expanded its calendar for the 2023 season of Holiday Lights, with more days and hours for more time with the family-favorite festivities.  The park will welcome guests two hours earlier on most days of Holiday Lights, with 3 p.m. openings in addition to opening the event one weekend earlier than previous seasons.   

 

In 2023, guests and Season Passholders will enjoy special live nightly entertainment including magic shows, local celebrity readings of “The Night Before Christmas,” a massive model train display, kids’ dance parties and more. A Holiday Lights Kennywood evening isn’t complete without rides. Dash through the midways to ride classics like the Jack Rabbit, Merry Go Round, Kangaroo, plus many more.  

 

Guests can eat, drink and be merry with an all-new holiday menu from Kennywood-made sweet treats to an all-you-can-eat, magical and immersive experience, Dinner with Santa buffet. The festive food offerings at Holiday Lights will tantalize taste buds and make spirits bright with hot cobbler, freshly made donuts, seasonal beer and much more.