Carbon monoxide poisoning suspected in deaths of couple
NORTH HUNTINGDON, Pa. (AP) — Authorities say carbon monoxide poisoning is suspected in the deaths of an elderly couple in western Pennsylvania. The Westmoreland County coroner’s office said the bodies of 88-year-old Joseph Polinski and 88-year-old Freda Polinski were found late Thursday night after a relative unable to contact them went to their North Huntingdon Township home. Authorities said emergency responders confirmed carbon monoxide levels within the residence. Toxicology tests are being done to confirm the cause of death, but that will take several weeks.

(HARRISBURG,Pa) State Senator Katie Muth (D-Chester/Montgomery/Berks) and state Rep. Carol Hill-Evans (D-York) today introduced legislation to establish a property tax and rent relief rebate program for Pennsylvania’s recent veterans.

The Recent Veteran Property Tax and Rent Rebate Program would provide much-needed relief to Pennsylvania veterans ending active service and entering civilian life within the past three years. The program is modeled after the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program available to senior citizens through the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue.

“I am grateful to have the opportunity to work with Rep. Hill-Evans on this important proposal to provide property tax and rent relief to our recent veteran population – regardless of age,” Muth said. “Veteran homelessness and veterans living in poverty are real, pressing issues in our Commonwealth and this program would help ease some of their financial burden as they transition back into civilian life. We can and we must do more to support the brave men and women that serve and protect our country.”

The Recent Veteran Property Tax and Rent Rebate Program would provide standard rebates of up to $650 on property taxes and rent paid for recent veterans who have a household income of less than $35,000. Veterans who have ended active service or have been honorably discharged within the past three years would be eligible to apply for financial relief.

“I’m very excited to introduce companion legislation with Senator Katie Muth for the Veterans Property Tax and Rent Rebate Program,” Hill-Evans added. “This is an opportunity to give back to our Veterans who have given so much for our freedom. The bill will provide a rebate, increased housing stability, and peace of mind for recently separated Veterans.”

Sen. Muth and Rep. Hill-Evans introduced companion versions of the legislation in the Senate and House, respectively. Both legislators agree that supporting Pennsylvania veterans must be a priority of the legislature and hope for swift action on their legislation.

Dogs intended as dinner now have loving Pennsylvania homes
By MIKE ARGENTO, York Daily Record undefined
YORK, Pa. (AP) — When Meghan Kahler and Steven Halstead adopted the Japanese mastiff, he came with the name Daniel. He is a big, old goofy dog, emphasis on big. Daniel didn’t seem to be a good name, so they changed it. They named him Ham “like Christmas ham,” Meghan said. It made sense. They adopted Ham around Christmas 2020. And just a few months before that, Ham was destined to become ham, having been rescued from a South Korean farm where dogs were bred and raised to be food.  “We think we’re funny,” Steven said. “For a meat market dog, it’s a great name.”

(Aliquippa, Pa.) PA State Police  reported that at 12:30 a.m. Friday morning, August 20, 2021,  Aliquippa Police responded to call for shots fired around the Valley Terrace Housing Complex.  Upon arrival, officers found a male suffering from a gunshot wound. inside an apartment. He was identified at Gamal Rodgers age 27.  He was transported to  to Heritage Valley Sewickley where he was pronounced dead.

Keystone State News Connection

Emily Scott

HARRISBURG, Pa. – Pennsylvania is behind on its goal to reduce pollution into Chesapeake Bay, and clean-water proponents say legislation in Harrisburg focused on sustainable agriculture could help the state get on track.

One step PA could take would be establishing an Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program, which would fund projects for farmers to plant trees or bushes next to streams or waterways near their land.

Half of the fresh water that flows into the bay comes from Pennsylvania, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Pennsylvania Executive Director Shannon Gority said these so-called riparian buffers could help filter out nitrogen and phosphorous from the farms before they reach the local water and, ultimately, the bay.

“But having the funding to train the people,” said Gority, “to implement and then be able to reimburse the farmers for some of their expenses in operating it, is pretty much the only thing that’s going to get us to where we need to be with respect to reduce nitrogen and phosphorous in our local waters and in the bay.”

The Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program, or A-CAP, was introduced by State Sen. Gene Yaw – R-Williamsport. It was re-referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee in June.

Gority said other pieces of legislation that could help the state reach the necessary blueprint milestones, include U.S. Senator Bob Casey’s REVIVE the CCC Act, which would bring back the 1930s work relief program to address the climate crisis.

Yaw has also proposed a Clean Streams Fund, which would use a portion of the state’s American Rescue Plan funds for the A-CAP program.

“It’s really important that all of the watershed work together to protect the waters in the bay,” said Gority. “Because not only is it saving the bay, but when we save all the local waters that go into the bay, we’re impacting our own water quality, our own environment, our local environment.”

According to the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint, which was signed by the six states that are part of the watershed, Pennsylvania is required to have a pollution reduction plan in place by 2025.

(Chippewa Twp., Pa.) Pa State Police in Beaver are reported via release yesterday that they were called to the scene of a one vehicle accident on Interstate 376 in Chippewa Twp.  at 1:13 PM August 18, 2021.

Troopers stated in the release that a 2015 Nissan Sentra that was being operated by 21-year-old Alyssa Rhodes of Beaver Falls lost control on the wet roadway and struck the cable guide wire located in the median. After striking the guide wire the car flipped around and tangled into the guide wire coming to a final rest. Rhodes was not injured in the accident but was charged with not driving properly on roadways laned for traffic.

(New Castle, Pa.) Two Ohio men were arrested after being accused of stealing equipment from Ellwood Quality Steels on Moravia Street in New Castle.

New Castle police charged 55-year-old John Mehle of Youngstown, and 47-year-old Chad Williams of Austintown, who were working as sub-contractors with the reported theft an analyzer gun, valued at $35,000, from a closet in one of the industry’s truck bays
The pair were employees of Base Environmental Service which was contracted to clean up the vacuum trucks at the facility.
Police reviewed a surveillance video of Aug. 8, 2021 that shows one of the men taking a piece of vacuum hose into the closet while the other man stood as a lookout.
A separate camera shows the worker then placing the hose in the bed of a vehicle and covering it and then driving out of the warehouse and unloading the hose into one of their personal vehicles.
Mehle and Williams are each charged with theft and receiving stolen property.

They were arraigned by District Judge Melissa A. Amodie, who committed them to the Lawrence County jail on $10,000 bond each.

They waived their rights to preliminary hearings and have since been released on bail.