(Photos by Frank Sparks, Dawn Sparks, Daniel Campbell, and Matt Drzik)

Story by Frank Sparks, Beaver County Radio

(Rochester, Pa.) The 2023 Rochester Carol Sing and Light up Night was held on Saturday, December 2, 2023. The event started at 2:30 PM with the Town Crier announcing the beginning and Charity Demus from the Beaver Valley Choral Society introducing the Beaver Area Junior ROTC who presented the colors before the playing of the National Anthem. Beaver County Radio’s Frank Sparks and Matt Drzik did a live broadcast of the event.

There were activities for all of the children including craft making, face painting and writing letters to Santa Claus. Attendees could also write letters to deployed soldiers as well.

The day featured the arrival of the big guy from up north, Santa Clause. There was also a concert performed by the Beaver Valley Choral Society along with students from the Rochester School District.

Check out all of the photos of the fun below:

AAA Urges Drivers to Safely Secure Holiday Trees
Research from AAA shows loose trees present dangers to motorists, expense to owners

As Americans head to farms, retail stores and local tree lots this weekend, AAA East Central urges motorists to safely secure their trees during transport to keep them from becoming dangerous projectiles. As with any large object, properly securing a tree will help prevent it from becoming a hazard to other drivers and prevent potential vehicle damage.

“A live tree can complete your home’s holiday décor in a memorable way, but motorists need to use caution when transporting it,” said Terri Rae Anthony,  safety advisor, AAA East Central. “Negligence could mean possibly putting other lives at risk and setting yourself up for costly repairs to your own vehicle.”

Risks Associated with an Improperly Secured Holiday Tree:
According to previous AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety research, more than 200,000 crashes involved debris on U.S. roads over a four-year period, resulting in 39,000 injuries and 500 deaths.

Drivers can also face hefty fines and penalties as well as jail time if an unsecured tree falls off their vehicle. Currently, every state has laws that make it illegal for items to fall from a vehicle while on the road. Most states’ penalties result in fines ranging from $10 to $5,000, with at least 16 states listing jail as a possible punishment for offenders.

Additionally, an improperly secured tree can cost motorists as much as $1,500 in repairs. Twine that is wrapped around trees and looped through door jambs or open windows can cause permanent wearing and warping, and branches can scratch a vehicle’s paint.

AAA Tips for Safely Securing a Holiday Tree:

• Use the right vehicle. It’s best to transport a holiday tree on top of a vehicle equipped with a roof rack. However, if there is no roof rack, use the bed of a pickup truck, or an SUV, van or minivan that can fit the tree inside with all doors closed.
• Use quality tie downs. Bring strong rope or nylon ratchet straps to secure the tree to vehicle’s roof rack. Avoid the lightweight twine offered by many tree lots.
• Protect the tree. Have the tree wrapped in netting before loading it. If netting is unavailable, secure loose branches with rope or twine.
• Protect your vehicle. Use an old blanket to prevent paint scratches and protect the vehicle’s finish.
• Point the trunk towards the front. Always place the tree on a roof rack or in a pickup bed with the bottom of the trunk facing the front of the vehicle.
• Clear the tree. Make sure to brush off any snow or ice off of the tree so that it doesn’t cause a visual obstruction for anyone.
• Tie it down. Secure the tree at its bottom, center and top. At the bottom, use fixed vehicle tie-down points and loop around the trunk above a lower branch, to prevent any side-to-side or front-to-rear movement. The center and top tie downs should be installed in a similar manner.
• Give it the tug test. Before leaving the lot, give the tree several strong tugs from various directions to make sure it is secured in place and will not blow away.
• Drive slowly and easily. Take the back roads, if possible. Higher speeds create significant airflow that can damage a Holiday tree and challenge even the best tie-down methods.

AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 69 local offices in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia serving 2.7 million members.  News releases are available at news.eastcentral.aaa.com.  Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Calls move the beginning of new economic future

ALIQUIPPA, Dec. 1 – State Rep. Rob Matzie joined state and local officials in Aliquippa today as the Department of Community and Economic Development announced city’s official exit from Act 47 financially distressed status after nearly 36 years.

Matzie, D-Beaver, called the move the result of a strong partnership driven by faith in the city and confidence in its ability to return to a position of strength and independence.

“Today is the culmination of decades of hard work that brought together local, state and federal officials to partner with Aliquippa’s schools, businesses and – most importantly – people,” Matzie said. “The most important thing to remember is that this isn’t an ending – this is the beginning of a brighter economic future for the people of Aliquippa and proof that when we stand together, we can learn from our past and build a better tomorrow for our entire region with smart investments and state support.”

Aliquippa was first designated as a distressed municipality in September 1987. Under the Municipalities Financial Recovery Act, DCED assists municipalities that are experiencing severe financial difficulties to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their citizens.

According to DCED, Aliquippa is the 27^th Pennsylvania municipality to emerge from Act 47 status.

PITTSBURGH (Nov. 29, 2023) — This December, while many turn their attention to seasonal celebrations, nonprofit blood services provider Vitalant asks eligible donors to spare an hour and give blood to support patients in need throughout the holidays. Vitalant is thanking donors who give through Dec. 17 with a $10 gift card in the donor rewards store. Those who donate Dec. 18-Jan. 5 will receive a long-sleeved T-shirt redeemable by email plus a $15 gift card in the donor rewards store.

Blood donations typically drop to their lowest of the year during the holiday weeks, but patient needs for blood don’t let up. Donors of all types are needed all month long to maintain an adequate supply. Type O blood and platelets are most critically needed. Type O-positive can help anyone with a positive blood type. O-negative can help any patient and is vital in emergencies when there’s no time to test a patient’s blood type. Platelets are always in demand because they need to be used within seven days. They help stop bleeding for cancer patients, those living with blood disorders or undergoing surgery.  

Kim, a teacher in the Bethel Park school district, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia 

(AML). During treatment, she needed multiple blood and platelet transfusions, and will need more in the future. “It surprised me how much blood I needed, which made me realize how many other patients depend on blood transfusions to keep healing their bodies and souls.” Kim says.

When a loved one gets sick, family and friends often feel helpless. Giving blood is a meaningful way to truly make a difference in patients’ lives.  

Donors can be as young as 16 with parental consent and there is no upper age limit. There’s no waiting period to donate after getting a flu or COVID shot if you feel well and meet all other eligibility requirements. Make an appointment to give at vitalant.org, use the Vitalant app or call 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825).

Harrisburg, PA — Older adults and people with disabilities have until Sunday, December 31, 2023 to apply for rebates on property taxes and rent paid in 2022. The departments of Revenue and Aging are reminding Pennsylvanians that the rebates are available through the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program, which benefits eligible Pennsylvanians age 65 and older; widows and widowers age 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older.

Eligible applicants are encouraged to visit mypath.pa.gov to electronically file their rebate applications. This is the best way to ensure that an application is filed prior to the deadline.

“We encourage all Pennsylvanians who are eligible for this program to apply — and to do so by filing online through myPATH. We have already seen more than 80,000 applicants take advantage of this online filing option this year,” said Secretary of Revenue Pat Browne. “This program is a lifeline every year for hundreds of thousands of people and helps many of them to stay in the comfort of their homes. We want to do everything that we can to ensure that everyone who is eligible receives this vital assistance.”

“The Department of Aging has heard from many older adults and our aging network partners across the Commonwealth that affordable housing for older adults is one of our greatest challenges. We want to see older adults remain in their homes and communities for as long as they are able. Programs like the popular Property Tax/Rent Rebate can help ease the burden of paying mortgage or rent along with the high costs of just about everything while putting money back into older adults’ pockets,” said Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich. “I urge any older adult who may not have applied yet or who thinks they may not be qualified to reach out to their local Area Agency on Aging, senior center, or local state official to learn if they are eligible to receive a rebate before the end of the year.”

How to Apply

Submitting your application through myPATH is easy and does not require you to sign up for an account. Filing online gives you instant confirmation that your claim has been successfully filed. Applicants also will have access to automatic calculators and other helpful features that are not available when filing a paper application. For those who wish to file via paper, they can download an application.

2022 Property Tax/Rent Rebate applications must be postmarked by December 31, 2023 to be considered. Qualified applicants should keep in mind that they will need to include the required documentation for property taxes or rent paid in 2022 when filing their applications. This information will be needed whether you’re filing online or on the paper application.

If you have already submitted an application for a rebate on property taxes or rent paid in 2022, you do not need to take any further action. You can use the Where’s My Rebate? tool to check on the status of your rebate. To do this, you will need your Social Security number, claim year, and date of birth.

Visit the Property/Tax Rent Rebate page on the Department of Revenue’s website for further information on the program and its income limits.

As a reminder, applicants must reapply for rebates every year because rebates are based on annual income and property taxes or rent paid in each year. It’s free to apply for a rebate, and applicants are reminded that free assistance is available at hundreds of locations across the state, including Department of Revenue district offices, local Area Agencies on Aging, senior centers, and state legislators’ offices.

About the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program

Since its inception in 1971, the PTRR program has delivered more than $8 billion in property tax and rent relief to some of Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable residents. The PTRR program is supported by the Pennsylvania Lottery and receives funding from gaming.

Starting next year, the Property Tax/Rent Rebate program will be expanded to nearly 175,000 additional Pennsylvanians and the maximum standard rebate will be increased to $1,000 (up from $650). Governor Josh Shapiro recently signed into law a historic expansion of the program, making good on the commitment he made to Pennsylvania seniors, widows and widowers, and people with disabilities during his campaign and in his budget address to ease the burden of rising costs.

In January, the Department of Revenue will release additional information on how eligible Pennsylvanians can take advantage of the expanded program.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17) and United States Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) recently sent a letter to United States Attorney General Merrick Garland calling for the Department of Justice to fully investigate the recent cyberattack on the Municipal Water Authority of Aliquippa. An Iranian-backed hacker group claimed responsibility for the cybercrime, stating they were able to hack into the Israeli-made components in the water system that serves thousands of households in Western Pennsylvania.

In the letter sent on Tuesday November 28th, the lawmakers also urged aggressive prosecution of the attackers, emphasizing their concern that this cybercrime poses a threat not only to Western Pennsylvania, but also the entire nation.

“Any attack on our nation’s critical infrastructure is unacceptable,” write the Pennsylvania lawmakers in the letter. “If a hack like this can happen here in Western Pennsylvania, it can happen elsewhere in the United States. Folks in Pennsylvania and across the country deserve peace of mind that basic infrastructure such as their drinking water is safe from nation-state adversaries and terrorist organizations. We know that nation-state adversaries are targeting the weakest link in America’s critical infrastructure. We must ensure that our state and local governments, along with private companies, have cyber-defenses strong enough to fend off attacks from sophisticated actors. In Congress, we are committed to pushing our federal government to help shore up our defenses across our critical infrastructure.”

(Monaca, Pa) Shell Polymers Monaca made an announcement on Facebook that over the next few days, they will be reintroducing ethane to the site. As a result, a brighter light may be emitted from their enclosed ground flares for a few days. They want to note that this brightness could be further intensified by low cloud cover or other weather conditions and add that they sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

(PITTSBURGH, PA) – A resident of Pittsburgh, PA has been sentenced in federal court to a total of 25 years of imprisonment followed by 5 years of supervised release for robbery, attempted robbery, and firearms violations, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Eric Jones, age 34.
According to information presented to the court, Jones committed four armed robberies of several Pittsburgh-area businesses in a nine-day period in March 2022. Jones robbed a Fox’s Pizza, Sunoco gas station and convenience store, A family Dollar, and the Edgewood Express using a firearms.

Jones is a convicted felon and was not permitted to possess a firearm or ammunition.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Wiegand emphasized the seriousness of the defendant’s conduct, and the impact it had on the victims and their families.