2 planes collide above Denver, land with no one injured
By PATTY NIEBERG Associated Press
DENVER (AP) — Federal officials say two airplanes collided in the air near Denver and were able to land without injuries. Authorities say the collision between a twin-engine Fairchild Metroliner and a single-engine Cirrus SR22 happened Wednesday as both planes were preparing to land at a small regional airport in a Denver suburb. Key Lime Air says its Metroliner’s tail section was substantially damaged, but the pilot was able to land safely at Centennial Airport. Authorities say a pilot and one passenger were on the other plane, a single-engine Cirrus SR22, which unleashed a red and white parachute and drifted safely down to a field.

DENVER (AP) — Two small airplanes collided in the air near Denver, leaving one aircraft nearly ripped in half and forcing the other’s pilot to deploy a parachute. Remarkably, both planes landed safely and no one was injured, officials said.
Both planes were getting ready to land at a small regional airport in a Denver suburb on Wednesday when they collided, according to the National Transportation Safety Board and South Metro Fire Rescue.
“Every one of these pilots needs to go buy a lottery ticket right now,” Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Deputy John Bartmann said. “I don’t remember anything like this — especially everybody walking away. I mean that’s the amazing part of this.”
June Cvelbar told the KUSA TV station that she witnessed the collision while walking in Cherry Creek State Park.
“I saw two planes in the sky. I saw a larger green plane, which I thought was a tow plane, along with what I thought was a glider being towed by it. I heard a noise but didn’t realize that the two planes had collided,’ she told KUSA in an email.
Cvelbar said she saw the green plane fly off and shortly after saw the smaller plane deploy its parachute. She said she initially thought it was a training exercise.
“When I realized that the small plane was going down I ran toward it. The pilot and his passenger were up and about,” Cvelbar said.
The pilot was the only person aboard a twin-engine Fairchild Metroliner that landed at Centennial Airport despite suffering major damage to its tail section. The plane is owned by a Colorado-based company, Key Lime Air, that operates cargo aircraft.
A pilot and one passenger were on the other plane, a single-engine Cirrus SR22, which unleashed a red and white parachute and drifted down to a safe landing in a field near homes in Cherry Creek State Park, Bartmann said.
It was not immediately known who owned the Cirrus, he said.
The National Transportation Safety Board tweeted that it was sending staff to investigate. Key Lime Air will cooperate with the investigation, the company said in a statement.

(Aliquippa, Pa.) Today, Thursday May 13, 2021,  marks the three year anniversary of the death of Rachael DelTondo. The 33-year-old teacher was shot and killed in her parents Aliquippa driveway after returning from Hank’s to get ice cream with a friend on Mothers Day in 2018.  Police have questioned many people who had a relationship with DelTondo but no arrest have been made the her murder still remains unsolved. The DelTondo case has was featured on the show 48 hours. There’s no word on if and when someone could be charged in her homicide

Prosecutors probe Pennsylvania contact tracing data breach
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Pennsylvania attorney general’s office is looking into a breach of COVID-19 contact tracing data that may have compromised private information of some 72,000 people. Attorney General Josh Shapiro said Wednesday that investigations have begun “on multiple fronts,” but he declined to elaborate. The state Health Department disclosed two weeks ago that employees of contact tracing vendor Insight Global ignored security rules and created unauthorized documents outside the state’s secure computer systems. Insight Global has acknowledged mishandling sensitive information and apologized. The state has paid Insight Global about $28.7 million since March 2020.

Lawmakers want kids to have option for extra year in school
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Legislation that would give parents in Pennsylvania the option to have their children repeat a grade in school because of disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic is on its way to the state House of Representatives. The bill passed the state Senate unanimously on Wednesday. Under the bill, parents could have their child repeat, event if the student met the grade-level requirements to move up a grade. Currently, schools and teachers make the decision on whether to hold a student back. The bill also provides similar enrollment exceptions for children in programs for special education or for deaf and blind students.

Keystone State News Connection

Andrea Sears

PHILADELPHIA — A report to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission recommends banning exclusionary discipline for nonviolent offenses in Pennsylvania public schools.

Monday will be the 67th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s landmark Brown v. Board of Education ruling found racial segregation in schools is unconstitutional.

Deborah Gordon Klehr, executive director of the Education Law Center who served on the Commission’s Pennsylvania Advisory Committee, said students of color, students with disabilities and LGBTQ students in the state are more likely to face suspension, expulsion or transfer despite evidence they do not misbehave at higher rates.

“We have to acknowledge how much work we still have to do to achieve the goals of Brown v. Board and that in our schools we still discriminate,” Klehr asserted.

The report recommended using positive behavior supports and restorative practices for nonviolent behavior rather than punishment.

Klehr pointed out so-called “zero tolerance” policies that impose harsh punishments for even minor infractions have negative consequences that affect the entire school.

“Exclusionary discipline practices are harmful not only to the students who are expelled or suspended but to all of the students who remain in that classroom,” Klehr contended.

She emphasized actions need to be taken on the local, state and federal levels to help create a positive climate in schools.

The report cited inequities in school funding as a factor contributing to discriminatory disciplinary practices.

Klehr noted underfunded districts are more likely to resort to punishment rather than providing more costly and more effective social supports.

“We need to address the systemic inequities affecting the educational outcomes of Black and brown students and other marginalized students whose identities intersect with those groups highlighted in this report,” Klehr urged.

The report noted in 2013, when Texas implemented alternatives to exclusionary discipline, serious disciplinary actions, expulsions and violence in schools declined sharply.

(Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Curtis Walsh, Photos by Matt Drzik and Curtis Walsh)

(Center Township, PA) Nearly 300 cars showed up at the Beaver County Office on Aging senior day drive-thru event that took place this morning.  This event enabled senior citizens to drive up and receive bags containing a lunch and other gifts.  Before the event even started, over at least 20 cars were lined up through the Beaver Valley Mall parking lot in anticipation of the bags being given out.  In addition to the BCOA, State representative Josh Kail volunteered his time at the event.  Overall, the event was a great success and all of the senior citizens in Beaver County that participated left the event with lunch, goodies, and a smiling face.  Check out photos from the event below!

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Center Twp., Pa.) Center Township  Water Authority Operational Supervisor Bill DiCioccio, Jr. and township engineer Ned Mitrovich  from Lennon, Smith and Souleret  met with Beaver County Radio yesterday to talk about the  water filtration plant to be built  behind Columbia Gas next to its existing plant. Shell Chemical did  the most  safe alternative and moved the wells  during the  construction  of  their plant, according to  Mitrovich . DicCioccio said the existing plant is 5 years old and it is just a temporary one.

(Beaver County, Pa.) Today at 5 p.m. is the deadline to apply for a mail ballot for the May 18 primary. More than 743,700 registered Pennsylvania voters already have applied for a mail-in ballot and more than 63,200 voters have applied for an absentee ballot.

Pennsylvanians voting by mail-in or absentee ballot should return their voted ballot as soon as possible, delivering it in person to their county election board. Check votespa.com/county to find ballot drop-off locations and hours for your county. The deadline for county election boards to receive voted mail ballots is 8 p.m. on May 18, Election Day. Postmarks do not count.

Today also is the last day to vote early in person by mail ballot. Voters can visit their county election office before 5 p.m. and apply for a mail-in or absentee ballot. County election officials will check their eligibility while they wait and, once verified, will provide them with the ballot. Voters can then complete their ballot and cast it all in one visit.

Before making the trip to vote in person by mail ballot, voters should check the hours of their county’s election office.

Voters who have not voted by mail ballot can vote in person at their polling place on Election Day. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on May 18.