AAA: Western PA Gas Prices Increase; National Average Highest of the Year
Gas prices in Western Pennsylvania are three cents higher this week at $3.334 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average                 $3.334
Average price during the week of August 2, 2021                                    $3.305
Average price during the week of August 10, 2020                                  $2.464

The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline in various areas:      

$3.262      Altoona
$3.318      Beaver
$3.357      Bradford
$3.378      Brookville
$3.337      Butler
$3.356      Clarion
$3.327      DuBois
$3.348      Erie
$3.305      Greensburg
$3.318      Indiana
$3.354      Jeannette
$3.301      Kittanning
$3.356      Latrobe
$3.349      Meadville
$3.363      Mercer
$3.303      New Castle
$3.324      New Kensington
$3.359      Oil City
$3.330      Pittsburgh
$3.329      Sharon
$3.350      Uniontown
$3.359      Warren
$3.297      Washington

Trend Analysis:

Crude oil prices dropped below $70 per barrel at the end of last week in reaction to concerns about the delta variant, growing COVID case numbers and the possibility of potential lockdowns. While crude is a little cheaper, gas prices are still positioned to remain high in August.

Today’s national average is $3.19, the most expensive gas price average of the year. Gas is $1.02 more than a year ago, a nickel more than a month ago and two cents more than a week ago. Pump prices fluctuated across the country last week with states seeing as much as a nine-cent jump to a seven-cent decrease. The variation in prices is partly attributed to the U.S. seeing an increase in demand and decrease in stocks, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). The latest demand rate was 2% higher than the same time period in 2019, while gasoline stocks are about 1% below.

August can be a busy month at the pump with school starting and others taking last minute summer trips. AAA offers these daily driving tips to help save on gas:

• Slow down and drive the speed limit. On the highway, aerodynamic drag causes fuel economy to drop off significantly as speeds increase above 50 mph.
• Avoid extended idling to warm up the engine. It is unnecessary and wastes fuel.
• When approaching a red light or stop sign, take your foot off the gas early and allow your car to coast down to a slower speed until it is time to brake.
• Accelerate smoothly with light to moderate throttle. This allows the automatic transmission to upshift into higher gears sooner, reducing engine rpm and saving fuel.

Motorists can find current gas prices nationwide, statewide, and countywide at GasPrices.AAA.com.

AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 72 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.

(Photos Courtesy of Eddy Crow)

(Beaver Falls, Pa.) Fire Crews from the City of Beaver Falls were called to the scene of cooler fire at the Beaver County Fruit Market  on Seventh Ave in Beaver Falls early Tuesday morning.

Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano reported that Beaver County Emergency Services said that crews were dispatched shortly after 6:30 AM

Beaver County Radio’s Eddy Crow was on the scene of the fire and an employee told him that a cooler had caught on fire in the warehouse and the retail store was not affected. Crews were able to extinguish the cooler quickly and remained on scene for a short period after the fire was extinguished.

Photos of from the scene courtesy of Eddy Crow:

(File Photo)

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Aliquippa, Pa.) Jarrone Ricco Peake, 46  was arrested by Aliquippa Police on June 10,  2021 in connection with him starting fires at 2 adjoining duplexes, 134 and 136 First Avenue  in the city’s Plan 11 neighborhood.

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Hopewell Twp., Pa.) During a meeting of the Hopewell School Board last night it was decided that all staff members and students in the Hopewell School District must wear masks  while Beaver County is  in the substantial or high  transmission of COVID-19. Superintendent Dr, Michelle Miller told the board  it eliminates  quarantining staff and students.

(Pittsburgh, Pa.) Senator Lindsey M. Williams introduced legislation on Monday  that would require that all legislative expenses be published online in an easily searchable format. This legislation is part of Senator Williams’ continued push for greater transparency within the Senate specifically and the state government as a whole.

Recent news has made no secret of the fact that legislative spending is opaque on its best days and downright impossible to navigate on its worst. “In March 2020, I became the first and only Pennsylvania Senator to publish all of the expenses that I has approval over in a searchable format on my website. This list is updated monthly,” said Senator Williams. “But it shouldn’t be up to individual Senators or House Members to make this decision. Legislative expenses are taxpayer dollars and the public has a right to know how that money is being spent.”

To address this issue, Senator Williams introduced legislation requiring that the Chief Clerk of the Senate, the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives, and the comptroller of the House of Representatives post a quarterly list of all per diems and other expenses on a publicly accessible website. Senator Williams also introduced a resolution that would amend Rule 12 of the Financial Operating Rules of the Senate, requiring the same posting of expenses, but only for the Chief Clerk of the Senate. This resolution could be passed with a simple majority vote in the Senate chamber. “Senate leadership has pledged to make financial transparency a priority since the beginning of this Session,” said Senator Williams. “This Legislation ensures that taxpayer dollars are accounted for in a way that makes sense and is easily accessible to our constituents.”

In addition to her efforts around expense transparency, Senator Williams, along with Senator Katie Muth and other members of the Senate Democratic Caucus, has pushed for a significant overhaul of the Senate Operating Rules. This Rules Reform legislation focuses on advancing policy, ensuring government transparency, encouraging public participation in the legislative process, and holding Senators accountable to the public.

(File Photo)

Man pleads to leaving backpack with explosives in Pittsburgh
PITTSBURGH (AP) — A Pittsburgh man has pleaded guilty to leaving a backpack containing homemade explosive devices in a bush outside of a complex in the city’s downtown area during last year’s protests over the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. Matthew Michanowicz, 53, pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to possession of an unregistered destructive device. Authorities said he was seen on surveillance video placing the military-style backpack near a bike rack under some trees at PNC Plaza on May 31, 2020. Officials said the backpack contained three improvised explosive devices filled with gasoline.

US to review 9/11 records with eye toward making more public
By ERIC TUCKER Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department says it will work toward providing families of 9/11 victims with more information about the run-up to the attacks as part of a federal lawsuit that aims to hold the Saudi government accountable. The disclosure in a two-page letter filed in federal court in Manhattan follows longstanding criticism from relatives of those killed that the U.S. government was withholding crucial details from them in the name of national security. Nearly 1,800 families, victims and first responders objected in a letter last week to President Joe Biden’s attendance at memorial events as long as key documents remained declassified. The move failed to placate at least some victims’ survivors, who said the FBI and Justice Department have already had years to review the documents.

Keystone State News Connection

Emily Scott

HARRISBURG, Pa. — With less than a month until a Pennsylvania public school funding lawsuit is set to begin, a Commonwealth Court judge recently ruled some evidence pertaining to racial disparities in the state education system will be allowed.

Attorneys representing school districts, parents and education organizations argued the way schools are funded in Pennsylvania violates its own constitution, which requires the Commonwealth to ensure there is a “thorough and efficient” system of education for all students.

Claudia De Palma, staff attorney at the Public Interest Law Center, which is representing plaintiffs in the case, said the evidence is important because it shows student outcome disparities between lower-income and higher-income districts.

“I think that looking at subgroups in the Commonwealth, including subgroups of students of color, and looking at the really significant achievement gaps that the funding disparities have caused is a very important indicator of how the system is falling,” De Palma asserted.

Black and Latino students in Pennsylvania predominantly live in the most underfunded districts, according to research submitted for the trial.

The lawsuit is calling for the court to order the governor and state Legislature to create a system where every student can receive a quality education, regardless of whether they live in a community that can raise education funds with local taxes.

Statewide Coalition PA Schools Work released data fact sheets in June, which help put the district-by-district disparities in perspective. For example, Philadelphia currently spends more than $15,000 per student, whereas neighboring Lower Merion, a higher-wealth district, spends more than $25,000 per student.

Pennsylvania has set a goal of 90% for its four-year graduation rate.

Sharon Ward, senior policy advisor at the Education Law Center, said to meet that target, the state must address funding inequities.

“We have a goal, we have an expectation for students, and the missing element is ensuring that all students have the resources to be able to accomplish those goals,” Ward contended. “And that is what the adequacy gap is; it’s an estimation of what will it take to ensure that students across the state are going to be able to meet those goals.”

The school funding lawsuit is expected to start Sep. 9 and will last six to 10 weeks.

(Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Curtis Walsh)

(New Brighton, PA) – The New Brighton Area school board met tonight for a special voting session as well as their committee meeting.  Superintendent Dr. Joseph Guarino started off by stating that the district will start the year with masking being a choice, although they are strongly recommending it.  Students will however, be required to wear face coverings while on buses and transportation due to TSA mandates.   The district intends to work in and out of distancing scenarios, meaning that they will engage students in group activities and projects with their desks in groups when appropriate and at other times their desks will be 3 feet apart.  Gym classes and recess will also resume as well as extracurricular activities such as band and sports being allowed indoors and outdoors.  The school will continue to participate in contact tracing efforts as well as encouraging families to monitor their child’s health.  Dr. Guarino noted that the school nurses keep exceptional data to aid in decision making for things such as potential mask requirements.  Furthermore, he stated that data from last year showed that masks caused a decrease in common infections such as strep throat, particularly within the elementary school.  Students will also be given guidance on proper mask care.  The board went on to answer questions from the public. When asked about the risk of school closures, Dr. Guarino stated that the Dept. of Health will make any decisions regarding the need to close the school.  Another question asked was if Critical Race Theory was being taught, and the superintendent relayed that it is not part of curriculum or integrated in the district in any way.  The board also approved the hiring of a librarian and four instructional assistants.