(Ambridge, PA) New grants totaling $2.86 million will fund roof replacement projects for three schools in the 16th Legislative District, state Rep. Rob Matzie announced Tuesday.

Matzie said the grants, awarded through the Commonwealth Financing Authority’s Public School Facility Improvement Grant Program, will address drainage issues and leaks creating potential hazards.

“Several of our school districts have identified serious roof issues that have caused deterioration, drainage problems, leaks, and the buildup of mold and mildew,” Matzie said. “The new funding will ensure that repair and replacement projects move forward so that students, teachers and school staff have the safe surroundings and healthy environments they deserve.”

Matzie said the funding includes:

• $1.15 million to Hopewell Area School District for Phase I of a project to replace more than half the roof area on the Hopewell Area Senior High School to resolve leaks, remediate mold and mildew and improve energy efficiency.

• $1 million to Aliquippa School District for a roof repair project at Aliquippa Junior/Senior High School that will include removing the existing roof system down to the decking; addressing drainage issues and leaks that pose a threat to the infrastructure; and performance of restoration/replacement work. 

• $713,777 to Rochester Area School District for improvements to the K-12 facility, including replacement of two air handling units and part of the roof in the high school wing and replacement of roof areas that have deteriorated and are causing leaks and moisture and mold problems in the high school wing. 

The Public School Facility Improvement Grant Program – administered by the PA Department of Community and Economic Development under the direction of the Commonwealth Financing Authority – provides funding to public school districts and career and technical schools for eligible facility improvement projects. Grants are available for eligible improvement projects with a total project cost of $500,000 or more and may not exceed $5 million for any project. 

(Ambridge, PA) New grant funding of $2.73 million will support projects to bring smoother travel, stronger wastewater infrastructure and expanded recreational spaces to District 16 residents, state Rep. Rob Matzie announced Tuesday.

Matzie said the grants, awarded through the Commonwealth Financing Authority’s Statewide Local Share Account funding, will support projects ranging from repairs to new construction. 

Matzie said the funding includes:

• $750,000 to Harmony Township for road resurfacing projects to rehabilitate four deteriorated roads. 

• $500,000 to the Aliquippa Municipal Water Authority to replace two clarifiers at the city’s wastewater plant, with the goal of reducing maintenance costs and improving reliability.

• $500,000 to Center Township to support construction of a four seasons lodge in a township municipal park. 

• $423,382 to Hopewell Township to acquire and clear three brownfield parcels next to an existing sports facility for future development of the Todd Road Recreational Complex. 

• $300,000 to the Rochester Borough Sewer and Maintenance Authority for sanitary sewer improvements, including line replacement and manhole connections, on six roads. 

• $257,250 to the Baden Borough Municipal Authority to retrofit a bar screen at the wastewater treatment plant to improve removal of solids and reduce maintenance costs. 

Matzie said the Harmony Township road repair funding would be especially helpful for the township. 

“Harmony Township has been handcuffed by the cost of repairing a landslide after severe storms this past spring on Woodland Road,” Matzie said. “The road is a township road and there is no state funding program for emergency repairs. Securing this funding can go toward any shortfall for this issue and also support other road improvement projects.” 

Statewide Local Share Account funding comes from the PA Race Horse Development and Gaming Act, which provides for the distribution of gaming revenues through CFA to support projects in the public interest in Pennsylvania. 

(Beaver County, PA) The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association is being investigated after trying to move the Aliquippa Quips Football Program from 4A to 5A. According to a release from Rep. Rob Matzie’s office, House Resolution 318, which directs the Legislative Budget and Finance committee to evaluate the PIAA’s management, policies and finances passed by a vote of 152-50. The PIAA stressed in January that after Aliquippa won the state title in November in the 4A class, the Quips needed to move to 5A, and Aliquippa lost the appeal after that decision. However, a May court ruling prevented this move because the Aliquippa school district attorney advocated for both the health and safety of the players for their football team. 

(Reported by Beaver County Radio News Correspondant Sandy Giordano, Published on October 23, 2024 at 6:50 A.M.)

(Rochester, PA) After possessing both a firearm and ammunition, a Rochester felon has pleaded guilty. According to a release from the Pennsylvania Department of Justice written by U.S. Attorney Eric Olshan, 35-year-old James Gilmore has pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon to one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Attorney Olshan also noted that the Court was advised that, on June 9, 2021, law enforcement identified Gilmore operating a vehicle in New Brighton, and attempted to conduct a traffic stop of Gilmore due to an active arrest warrant related to a parole violation. After Gilmore escaped, a loaded firearm was thrown from the same vehicle. Attorney Olshan also asserted that Gilmore has been convicted of both a firearm and drug trafficking crime in the Court of Common Pleas in Beaver County. The sentencing date for Gilmore, according to Judge Bissoon, is February 11, 2025. 

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) and Commonwealth University today announced an agreement that allows PSP Troopers to receive college credits for their successful completion of cadet basic training at the Pennsylvania State Police Academy. Upon successful completion of their PSP training, Commonwealth University will grant academic credit towards an Associate or Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice.

 

“This agreement, coupled with the department’s suspension of the college credit requirement to become a Pennsylvania state trooper, expands opportunities for a rewarding career in law enforcement and public service,” said Colonel Christoper Paris, Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police. “The cost of a higher education is often a barrier to earning a degree, and we hope to reduce that barrier by assisting women and men who take the alternate route of completing college after starting their career.”

 

“As more working learners look for programs that will help them realize their career ambitions, we have an opportunity to steward that attainment,” said Hope Lineman, Executive Director of Workforce Development at Commonwealth University. “Commonwealth University is focused on improving equitable access, removing financial barriers and meeting learners where they are at, allowing them to step in and out of education as they need to. We are excited to enter into this agreement to allow for recognition of the State Police Academy training that places state troopers that much closer to degree attainment and upward career mobility.”

 

“The PSP Academy is one of the top law enforcement training programs in the nation,” noted Secretary of Administration Neil Weaver. “The opportunity to receive college credits recognizes the exceptional quality of this program and the caliber of individuals who graduate to become state troopers.”

 

At the direction of Governor Shapiro, PSP suspended its educational requirement of 60 college credits in August 2023.

 

The 2024-25 Commonwealth budget provides $16 million for four cadet classes during the current fiscal year.

 

Applicants must possess a high school diploma or GED certificate, a valid driver’s license from any state, and be at least 20 years old at the time of application. They must be at least 21 years old and cannot have reached age 40 upon entry into the training academy. At the time of graduation, cadets must be a Pennsylvania resident and possess a valid Pennsylvania driver’s license. No prior law enforcement experience is required. PSP announces cadet application periods on its website.

 

Academy training is approximately 28 weeks of rigorous physical activities and educational coursework in Pennsylvania’s crimes and vehicle codes, law enforcement principles and practices, firearms, and special equipment training. Upon graduation, cadets are promoted to trooper and receive an increase in salary, currently set at $66,911 annually.

 

For more information on becoming a Pennsylvania State Police trooper or to apply, visit patrooper.com.

For more information on the Pennsylvania State Police, visit psp.pa.gov.

Jaqueline Benitez pushes her cart down an aisle as she shops for groceries at a supermarket in Bellflower, Calif., on Monday, Feb. 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Allison Dinner)

Harrisburg, PA –Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh today announced increases to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) income and benefit limits in Pennsylvania, following a yearly adjustment from the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). Secretary Arkoosh also announced that the replacement of stolen SNAP benefits – which DHS began offering in 2023 – has been extended to benefits stolen through December 20, 2024.

“Being able to feed yourself and your family is not just a health issue; it also instills a sense of self-reliance, safety, and dignity when you know you can access fresh, nutritious foods without making the difficult choice between paying for groceries and paying for other necessities,” said Secretary Arkoosh. “SNAP helps more than two million Pennsylvanians, many of whom are our friends and neighbors, keep food on their tables. I strongly encourage anyone who may need food assistance to apply for SNAP.”

 

In September 2024, SNAP served 2,021,263 individuals by providing $367,985,636 in federally-funded food assistance.

Because of federal SNAP rules, the benefit levels and income limits for SNAP are updated every year. These changes will benefit all SNAP recipients with an average increase of just over $5 per month. No one will experience a decrease in benefits.

 

Below are the SNAP income limits beginning October 1, 2024:

 

Household Size	Maximum Gross Monthly Income
1	$2,510
2	$3,408
3	$4,304
4	$5,200
5	$6,098
6	$6,994
7	$7,890
8	$8,788
9	$9,686
10	$10,584
Each additional member	+$898

 

Factors that could contribute to a household’s higher SNAP allowances and income limits in Pennsylvania include household size, monthly income, and if a member of your household is 60 years of age or older or has a disability.

 

Additionally, below are the changes to the Maximum Thrifty Food Plan effective October 1, 2024. The Maximum Thrifty Food Plan is the maximum amount of SNAP benefits a household can receive.

 

Household Size	Maximum Thrifty Food Plan
1	$292
2	$536
3	$768
4	$975
5	$1,158
6	$1,390
7	$1,536
8	$1,756
9	$1,976
10	$2,196
Each Additional Member	$220

 

There is no change to the minimum monthly benefit this year; the minimum benefit remains $23.

 

The best way to determine if your household will qualify for SNAP and the amount of your monthly benefit is to apply. Current recipients should continue to report income and address changes to DHS and submit any semi-annual reviews or renewals they receive during this period so that they do not risk an interruption of their benefits.

 

Under federal guidelines, SNAP benefits do not expire as long as the recipient’s EBT card remains active, which means that the household’s EBT card must be used at least once every nine months. SNAP recipients can check their current EBT balance, make transaction inquiries, and request card replacements from DHS’ EBT contractor, Conduent, at 888-328-7366. Recipients may also check their EBT balance, transaction history, and change their PIN at any time using the free myCOMPASS PA mobile app on both Apple and Android devices. The myCOMPASS PA app is the official safe and secure app for Pennsylvanians to access and manage their benefits.

 

In addition to the benefit changes, DHS has been made aware of multiple reports of EBT card skimming in recent months. Skimming is the act of applying a device to a point-of-sale (POS) machine or an ATM to read a card’s magnetic strip, gather its data, and create a cloned card. SNAP recipients are encouraged to protect their EBT cards and personal information, such as a PIN.

 

SNAP recipients who have their benefits electronically stolen through December 20, 2024, can make a request to have their benefits reimbursed. To request a reimbursement, SNAP recipients should fill out a Benefit Theft Claim via a PDF form or web form within 60 calendar days of the incident. DHS will then validate within 30 calendar days of the request being submitted for evaluation, and if a replacement is to be issued, it can be done within 10 calendar days of the evaluation.

Pennsylvanians are encouraged to report any potential EBT skimming activity by calling the DHS fraud tip line at 1-844-DHS-TIPS (1-844-347-8477) or making a report through the Office of State Inspector General (OSIG) website. Pennsylvanians can learn more about current scams and phishing attempts on DHS’ Scam page. Additionally, Pennsylvanians who have questions about whether a call, text, letter, or other communication is legitimate should contact DHS’ Office of Income Maintenance.

For more information on SNAP, including how to apply, visit dhs.pa.gov.