Aliquippa Diversity Council president Catherine Colalella said yesterday “Spring is Finlly here”.  Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano reports that volunteers are needed to plant flowers at Kennedy Boulevard and Franklin Avenue, Jessie Bell Walker Park, The Plan 12 war memorial and a plot on Monaca Rd. where tha bus v stop is located. Donations of lowers, garden tools, and mulch are appreciated. For more information call Ms. Colalella 724-622-3891.

County treasurer Connie Javens, who declined to do a recorded interview, says her office is about a month behind processing tax bills because she only has five people to do the work. Javens tells Beaver County Radio’s Greg Benedetti that  taxpayers will not be charged a penalty because her office goes by the postmark on the envelope. Javens says her office has 96-thousand tax bills to process, 26-thousand dog licenses, hunting and fishing licenses, small games of chance and bingo licenses plus other work. Javens has nine people working in the office and not all are full-time. One administrator died and another is on maternity leave. Javens said she used to have part-timers just for the tax season, but that was eliminated from the budget.

Aliquippa City Council   approved submission  for a $200,000.00 Beaver Community Development Block Grant  for 2017 at last night’s work session.  Three buildings, the P.M. Moore Building on Station St., the Joseph Building located at the Wye, and  Union Grill on Franklin Avenue are  in need of demolition  because they are structurally unsafe. Funds for the project will be allocated starting October 1, 2017.  Mayor Dwan Walker and City administrator Sam Gill  met with  the county about the need for the funds for the demolition. The city also applied for a $150,000 grant for  the Fifth Avenue  storm drain  project.  Repair and maintenance will be done at the site.   Mr. Gill said more funds are needed for the project  down the road. Council meets on Wednesday in regular session at 7 p.m.

Today is a special day for the sixth grade students in the Aliquippa School District. Over the past several months, the students have been participating in the All-Stars program, and they are coming close to the end of the program. Dr. Pete Carbone, Superintendent of Schools in Aliquippa, tells Beaver County Radio newsman Pat Septak that today students will share their commitments with the class. He says that over the course of the program, the students have identified their ideal futures, thought deeply about how they can achieve those futures and made strong commitments to themselves. Students will be sharing those commitments during the 9:00, 10:05, 11:10 and 1:30 classes. A total of 80 students participated in the program.

The Beaver County Commissioners will have a public work session at 10:00 this morning at the courthouse. Last week’s firing of Beaver County Chief Solicitor Andrea Cantelmi and the search for her replacement will be the topic at hand. Beaver County Radio’s Greg Benedetti will be there and will have a detailed report on Teleforum later this morning.

Community College of Beaver County  hosted the Beaver County Energy and Advanced. Manufacturing Partnership 2017 Spring Parent & Student Forum last night at the college’s dome, according to Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano. Special guest at the event was Tyraine Ragsdale a.k.a. “Grand Hank” Productions, Inc. and a multimedia company in 1989., he’s Master Scientist and television personality who is a former research chemist for Johnson  & Johnson. Ragsdale  has a profound impact on STEM  education and has impacted more than 10 million students, parents, and teachers across the world. His accomplishments are many, currently, his project is renovating and constructing as new Grand Hank STEM  Center for  Inner City youth adjacent to LaSalle University  in Philadelphia . Grsand Hsnk hopes to cultivate  more scientifically literate students and return the United States as #! in STEM. Over 30 exhibitors from manufacturing  and trade unions were on hand., over 300 students and parents attended. A panel discussion with Laura DelVecchio, BCC&TC assistant director as l moderator was held.  Panelists were Tinisi Cooper, NOVA  Chemical, Nick Kappas, Steamfitters Local #449, Kelly Macie, Rolls Royce Engineering Services, Jacklyn Wise, BASF . The partnership is planning a similar event in November 2017 for middle school students in November 2017

Beaver County juvenile public defender and lawyer George Patterson was appointed to a vacancy on the Hopewell  School Board last night, according to Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano.  Patterson is replacing Lesia Dobo who resigned recently Solicitor John Salopek said  Patterson will be sworn in  a day or so. Students from Independence Elementary School came to the board and talked about their recent  STEM  event ,  Dr. Jacie Maslyk, assistant superintendent  ssid the PTA put together the event earlier this month.  Second grade teacher Mrs. Ronnie Albanese applauded them for their efforts.  The students, within the program extracted DNA from a strawberry.