HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — After nearly 30 years, Pennsylvania’s new governor plans to end a contract with an organization that distributes funds to anti-abortion counseling centers. Similar centers are gaining attention since the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The nonprofit Real Alternatives was the first to secure taxpayer dollars for its services, and it inspired other states to start their own programs. Such centers are under renewed scrutiny from abortion rights advocates for counseling against abortions and facing allegations of perpetuating misinformation. Republican states have turned more attention to funding them, while Democratic states have sought to thwart them.
Author: Beaver County Radio
Rule allowing rail shipments of LNG will be put on hold to allow more study of safety concerns
File – A CSX freight train passes through Homestead, Pa., Monday, Feb. 12, 2018. A Trump-era rule allowing railroads to haul highly flammable liquefied natural gas will now be formally put on hold to allow more time to study the safety concerns related to transporting that fuel and other substances like hydrogen that must be kept at extremely low temperatures when they are shipped, regulators announced Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A Trump-era rule allowing railroads to haul highly flammable liquefied natural gas will now be formally put on hold to allow more time to study the safety concerns related to transporting that fuel and other substances like hydrogen that must be kept at extremely low temperatures when they are shipped. The rule was challenged in court right after it was announced in the summer of 2020. The Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration says the uncertainty about the rule on transporting the fuel known as LNG kept railroads and gas companies from investing in it. So railroads never hauled any LNG.
Route 3160 Business Loop 376 Lane Restrictions Next Week in Moon
Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing a single-lane restrictions on Business Loop 376 (Route 3160) in Moon Township, Allegheny County will begin Tuesday, September 5 weather permitting.
Single-lane restrictions in both directions will occur weekdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. between I-376 and University Boulevard to allow crews to conduct seal coat operations on the shoulders. The work will continue through Thursday, September 7.
Students with disabilities in Pennsylvania will get more time in school under settlement
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Students with disabilities in Pennsylvania will now receive free support through the public education system for an additional year than current policy dictates. A settlement with the state’s Department of Education was announced Thursday. Under the new policy that goes into effect Sept. 5, students will be eligible to receive free services until they turn 22, rather than aging out of the program the summer after they turn 21. Students who aged out during the last school year under the old policy will be able to re-enroll in the upcoming academic year. The new policy will continue offering students support services to help them transition into adulthood, as well as speech therapy and occupational therapy.
Links to watch Freedom vs. Ambridge Friday night on Beaver County Radio!
High School Football is back for a 76th year on Beaver County Radio!
99.3 and 95.7 FM along with 1230 WBVP, 1460 WMBA and beavercountyradio.com‘s Robert Mangino and Bruce Frey will have the call from Ambridge High School with sideline reports by Mike Azadian in this 2023 WPIAL Week 1 game as the Freedom Bulldogs and the Ambridge Bridgers battle.
You can watch our live stream video broadcast on Facebook Live, Youtube, and Twitch, or listen on-air or on our streaming apps! Coverage kicks off with pregame at 6:30pm and and kickoff is set for 7:00pm. Don’t miss the action, tune in!
To watch the live stream:
Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/beavercountyradio
Youtube (Try it on your smart TV!): https://www.youtube.com/@beavercountyradio
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/beavercountyradio
Listen on-line via beavercountyradio.com:
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Shotgun-wielding man reported outside a Black church in Ambridge arrested, police say
AMBRIDGE, Pa. (AP) — A man is in custody on assault charges after a witness told police he pointed a shotgun at two women and attempted to enter a predominantly Black church in a town outside Pittsburgh. Jeffrey Harris was being held on $975,000 bail Thursday, awaiting a hearing after his arrest in Ambridge. Police said in court papers that they found crystal methamphetamine on Harris and that his apartment had been set up for what looked like a possible standoff. A prosecutor says investigators have no evidence Harris intended to enter the church or that he was motivated by racial hate. U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio is asking the Justice Department to investigate.
Members Of Pagan Biker Gang Arrested Following Assault In Big Beaver
Five members of the Pagan Biker Gang have been arrested following an assault at the Ramada Inn in Big Beaver Borough this past Sunday.
In a press release from District Attorney David Lozier, the Pagan Biker Gang beat an individual using boots, fists, and brass knuckles before stealing a firearm from the victim. Four members were arrested by Beaver Falls Police for multiple charges, including robbery, aggravated assault, and theft. A fifth was arrested on stolen property charges. Four of the arrested men are residents of West Virginia, and the fifth resides in Maryland.
Those arrested:
- John Evans of Beckley, WV (stolen property)
- Lucas Stone of Summit Point, WV (robbery/assault)
- Matthew Richards of Fayetteville, WV (robbery/assault)
- Robert Poffenberger of Fairplay, MD (robbery/assault)
- Adam Lowe of Mt. Hope, WV (robbery/assault)
The name of the victim was not released.
The Beaver Falls Police were assisted by the Beaver County ESU and the Washington County SWAT team. The preliminary hearings for the arrested individuals have a set date for September 8.
Aliquippa Approaching Terminating Distressed Status For The City
(Sandy Giordano/Beaver County Radio)
At Wednesday night’s Council meeting, Act 47 Coordinator Debbie Grass’s recommendation to Rescind the Distress Determination Order was filed with the city of Aliquippa. The order will be filed with PA DCED on Friday, September 1. An overview of all the steps that the city has to take, and has taken to reach this goal was presented by Ms. Grass.
If termination is recommended in the final report, a DCED public hearing notice will be published. A notice will be sent to City Manager Samuel L. Gill, mayor Dwan B. Walker, Solicitor Myron R. Sainovich, and all members of council. The final report will be sent to PA DCED.
Pennsylvania is Considering an Earlier 2024 Presidential Primary, Partly to Avoid Voting on Passover
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania is considering changing the state’s 2024 presidential primary to an earlier day, although the proposed move may do little to give the state’s voters more say in deciding presidential nominees.
State lawmakers advanced legislation Wednesday through a Senate committee to change Pennsylvania’s primary from April 23 to March 19, but lawmakers warned that they are not done deciding on a new date or considering the views of county election clerks and the national parties.
The state is a premier battleground in presidential elections, but it hasn’t hosted a competitive presidential primary since 2008, when Hillary Clinton pulled off a win to stay alive against Barack Obama, the leader in delegates and eventual winner of that year’s Democratic nomination.
For now, President Joe Biden faces a couple of Democratic challengers, but is expected to secure his party’s nomination, while former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis have dominated the early Republican race in a field that is about a dozen deep.
Under current law, Pennsylvania’s presidential primary date is the fourth Tuesday in April, which lands on April 23 next year.
Many states want to hold presidential primaries earlier, to give residents more influence on the trajectory of presidential campaigns. But Pennsylvania lawmakers have long resisted a change because it would push the beginning of the state’s customary 13-week primary season into the winter holidays.
The Senate bill’s sponsor has long pushed to hold Pennsylvania’s primary earlier, before presidential candidates have all but locked down the delegates they need to win the nomination.
By March 19, a candidate could lock up the delegates necessary to win the nomination, or at least put the contest out of reach.
In an interview, Sen. David Argall, R-Schuylkill, acknowledged that moving the primary to March 19, or any date after that, still leaves many states with large numbers of delegates before Pennsylvania, including Super Tuesday primary states on March 5.
This year, more lawmakers are motivated to support a change because April 23 is the first day of Passover, a Jewish holiday when observant Jews typically avoid the same activities they avoid on the Sabbath, such as driving, working or using electricity.
Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is Jewish, has said he supports changing the date, as well.
The state’s Democratic Party chairman, Sharif Street, said both national parties are encouraging Pennsylvania to choose April 2 to create a regional primary election with nearby states, and their structure of awarding delegates carries incentives to pick that date.
“That is the date that is more consistent with where the national parties would like us to be, both parties, in order to create a regional primary,” Street said.
A regional primary structure, Street said, eases travel by candidates and creates more opportunities for retail campaigning by candidates for president.
However, county election personnel organizations have told lawmakers that Holy Week — the week between Palm Sunday and Easter, the most sacred time of the year for millions of Christians — will complicate a primary date on April 2 or in late March, said state Sen. Amanda Cappelletti, D-Montgomery.
April 2 is the first Tuesday after Easter.
Many polling places are located in churches and Holy Week could pose a problem for getting election machines into churches and materials to polling place personnel, Cappelletti said.
Those organizations prefer moving the primary to April 9 or April 16, Cappelletti said.
March 19 is the same primary date as in Ohio, Florida, Illinois, Kansas and Arizona. Still, that date comes after primaries in other major states, including California, Texas, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Virginia, Massachusetts and Tennessee.
Many state lawmakers oppose moving Pennsylvania’s primary date to March 19, because that would force them and other candidates to start gathering signatures on their re-election petitions the week before Christmas, Argall said.
Moving it to March 26 is also under discussion.
Under those scenarios, Pennsylvania would leap over Delaware, Rhode Island and Wisconsin, whose primaries are scheduled for April 2. Lawmakers in New York passed legislation in June setting that state’s primary on April 2, although it has yet to be signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Separately, a House bill expected to get consideration would move Pennsylvania’s primary date to April 2.
That would allow lawmakers and other candidates to start gathering signatures on their re-election petitions the day after New Year’s Day, the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Philadelphia, said.