Category: News

U.S. Congressman Lamb (17th) Announces 2021 Surface Transportation Member Designed Spending Requests

 (PITTSBURGH, PA) –Representative Conor Lamb (PA-17) announced the Member Designated Projects that he submitted to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) for consideration in the 2021 surface transportation reauthorization bill.  State Departments of Transportation (DOT), Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO), transit agencies, or local governments were eligible to submit these requests to their member of Congress.

“The projects I submitted today will make our communities safer, strengthen our transportation systems and create jobs in western Pennsylvania,” said Lamb.  “Now I will work to get them fully funded.”

The T&I Committee process for considering Member Designated Projects is distinct from the House Committee on Appropriations’ process for considering FY22 Community Project Funding (CPF) requests, which will be announced separately in the near future.  The T&I Committee, of which Lamb is a member, plans to advance surface transportation authorization legislation later this year.

According to T&I Committee guidance, Member Designated Projects are intended to be “projects that will help advance the goals of the surface transportation authorization legislation, which include building a safer transportation network, increasing access, strengthening our multi-modal transportation systems, reducing carbon pollution, enhancing environmental justice, supporting underserved communities, and improving state of good repair of our Nation’s infrastructure.”

In compliance with House Rules and Committee requirements, Lamb has certified that he, his spouse, and his immediate family have no financial interest in any of the projects he has requested.

Visit Lamb’s website for a full list of the projects submitted for consideration to T&I for PA-17.

VIDEO: Bags & Blessings Plants Trees And Plans 5K

Several trees honoring loved ones are being placed at Brady’s Run Park in Fallston. (Photo courtesy Robin Redfern)

Two years ago, Bags & Blessings began their mission to uplift and provide support for those struggling against the battle of dealing with cancer. Now in 2021, they continue to grow…in more ways than one.

Robin Redfern and Brandee Cercone from Bags & Blessings joined Matt Drzik on A.M. Beaver County on April 23 to discuss the recent planting of trees at Brady’s Run Park in conjunction with several Beaver County departments including the board of commissioners. The trees serve as a forever memoriam in honor of loved ones who have struggled with any battle. Redfern herself, who kicked off Bags & Blessings as a personal project around 2010, says that she was driven by her heart to create this avenue of acknowledgement for the citizens of Beaver County, and plans to continue developing more trees in more spaces as time and space allows.

(From L-R) Matt Drzik, Robin Redfern, Brandee Cercone

The non-profit faith-based organization has donated hundreds of bags over the course of the last few years as Bags & Blessings has grown into a committee of roughly 50 members, and both Cercone and Redfern are seeking more to join up. The group will be hosting their second 5K in Bridgewater on September 11 (first since 2019), and they are also adding support groups to their repertoire of uplifting citizens in Beaver County. The pair recognized that their missions could not be completed without the help of local businesses and offices that have joined them in battling not just the disease of cancer, but the depressions and frustrations that take the toll on the heart and soul during the battle.

To find out more about Bags & Blessings, you can visit them at www.bagsandblessings.org or contact them through their Facebook page.

To watch the full interview, click on the Facebook feed below!

Helicopter crashed in northeastern Pennsylvania

FAA: Helicopter crashed in northeastern Pennsylvania
WYOMING, Pa. (AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration says authorities are investigating a helicopter crash in northeastern Pennsylvania. The FAA says the wreckage of a Robinson R44 copter was found in a remote area of Wyoming on Thursday night after the agency had issued an alert about a missing aircraft. There is no word on the number of people on board or their conditions. The flight had departed Allentown Queen Municipal Airport in Allentown and was headed to Bradford County Airport in Towanda. The Robinson R44 is a four-seat light helicopter that has been in production since 1992. The National Transportation Safety Board will be in charge of the investigation.

Town Renames Park After Pro Wrestler Bruno Sammartino

PITTSBURGH (AP) — A Pittsburgh suburb is honoring pro wrestler Bruno Sammartino by renaming a park in the longtime resident’s honor. Relatives and friends on Friday will be on hand as Sangree Park in Ross Township becomes Sammartino Park. Sammartino lived in the community for more than 50 years. Sammartino appeared in the ring between 1963 and 1987. He was the longest reigning champion in World Wrestling Entertainment history and was a member of its Hall of Fame. Sammartino was born in Italy and his family joined his father in Pittsburgh in 1950. Sammartino died in 2018 at age 82.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — A Pittsburgh suburb on Friday honored pro wrestler Bruno Sammartino by renaming a park in the longtime resident’s honor.
Sangree Park in Ross Township will be known as Sammartino Park, after the man who lived in the community for more than 50 years.
Sammartino appeared in the ring between 1963 and 1987. He was the longest reigning champion in World Wrestling Entertainment history and was a member of its Hall of Fame. He was known as “The Living Legend.”
Sammartino was born in Italy and survived World War II before his family joined his father in Pittsburgh in 1950.
“Bruno is an internationally known figure and a lot of people knew that he was from Pittsburgh but didn’t know that he lived in this community, in Ross Township” said Dan DeMarco, president of the Ross Township Board of Commissioners.
Sammartino died in 2018 at age 82. He was survived by his wife and three sons.

Neville Island-Grand Avenue On-ramp to Northbound I-79 Long-term Closure Begins Monday in Allegheny County

Grand Avenue On-ramp to Northbound I-79 Long-term Closure Begins Monday in Allegheny County

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Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing the long-term closure of the ramp from Grand Avenue to northbound I-79 at the Neville Island Bridge in Neville Township, Allegheny County, will begin Monday, April 26 weather permitting.

Beginning at 9 a.m. on Monday, the ramp that carries traffic from Grand Avenue to northbound I-79 will close to traffic continuously through mid-November as crews conduct concrete deck and barrier repairs, latex overlay, and bridge painting operations. All ramp traffic will be detoured.  Additionally, the right acceleration lane from the ramp to northbound I-79 on the Neville Island Bridge will close to traffic.

Posted Detour

  • From eastbound Grand Avenue, bear right onto Neville Road
  • Cross the Ohio River via the Fleming Park Bridge
  • Turn right onto northbound Route 51 (Robinson Boulevard) toward Coraopolis
  • Continue northbound on Route 51 (Robinson Boulevard becomes Coraopolis Road)
  • Turn left onto the ramp to northbound I-79
  • End detour

Alternate Detour

  • From westbound Grand Avenue, cross the Ohio River via the Coraopolis Bridge
  • Turn right onto northbound Route 51 (4th Avenue)
  • Turn left onto Montour Street Extension
  • Turn left onto southbound Route 51 (5th Avenue)
  • Continue southbound on Route 51 (5th Avenue becomes State Avenue)
  • Turn right onto the ramp to northbound I-79 toward Erie
  • End detour

The $43 million I-79 Neville Island Bridge Rehabilitation Project includes structural steel repairs, full structure painting, bearing and deck joint replacements, deck repairs and overlays, bridge barrier repair, substructure concrete work and drainage improvements.  The project also includes concrete roadway reconstruction, guide rail replacement and preservation work on four sign structures. Additionally, preservation work will occur on the I-79 bridge over Deer Run Road, north of the Neville Island Bridge.  Motorists will see ramp closures and single-lane and shoulder closures in each direction on I-79 during daylight off-peak and overnight hours. Other traffic impacts include four northbound weekend closures in 2021 and four southbound weekend closures in 2022. The overall project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2023.

The Trumbull Corporation is the prime contractor.

To help keep motorists informed as work progresses, PennDOT has created an email distribution list for the I-79 Neville Island Bridge rehabilitation including traffic advisories and construction updates. Enroll by sending email addresses to stcowan@pa.gov. Please write “Subscribe – I-79” in the subject line.

Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

Gov. Wolf Signs Bill to Align State Tax Deadline with May 17 Federal Deadline for Corporate Taxes, Other Provisions 

Gov. Wolf Signs Bill to Align State Tax Deadline with May 17 Federal Deadline for Corporate Taxes, Other Provisions

Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf today signed House Bill 766 into law, aligning the annual state corporate tax deadline with the federal tax deadline of May 17, 2021, and giving the Pennsylvania departments of Revenue and Community and Economic Development the ability to deal with state taxation while the COVID-19 disaster declaration is in effect. The state personal income tax deadline already automatically aligns the federal deadline of May 17.

“This bill helps Pennsylvania businesses organize and simplify filing their federal and state taxes and empowers the departments of Revenue and Community and Economic Development to eliminate fines and penalties that may have accrued between differing deadlines for filing federal and state taxes.”

Specifically, the bill amends the Tax Reform Code of 1971 by adding a new section entitled “COVID-19 Emergency Finance and Tax provision” that provides temporary authority to the departments of Revenue (DOR) and Community and Economic Development (DCED) to disregard the period after April 14, 2021 and before May 17, 2021 in the calculation of interest, penalties, or an addition to tax for failure to meet an extended filing deadline.

The bill also provides temporary authority to the DCED to deal with location taxation while the COVID-19 disaster declaration is in effect. This includes requiring DCED to coordinate with the governing bodies and local agencies of political subdivisions to extend filing and payment deadlines for local taxes so that local deadlines coincide with the filing deadline for a state tax return.

Under the bill, the corporate net income tax return filing deadline is changed from 30 days after the due date of the federal return to the 15th day of the month following the due date of the federal return for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020.

The bill took effect immediately upon signing.

PA State Police Officer At Beaver Barracks Charged With Crimes Related To Tampering With Evidence

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Beaver, Pa.) PA State Trooper  Trask Alexander, assigned to Troop D Beaver patrol section was charged with tampering  evidence. Charges were filed on Thursday, April 22, 2021 by the PSP Bureau of Integrity and Professional Standards, Internal Affairs Division.

According to the report, he is accused  of attempting to withdraw a traffic citation  that had been  issued by another trooper to an acquaintance of  Alexander’s in November 2020 after his friend was pulled over  in Rochester.
According to the complaint against Alexander the court had noticed some inconsistencies in the withdrawal paper work and called the Barracks. the Officer who made the traffic stop stated he didn’t withdrawal the citation and an investigation was then launch.
The following  misdemeanor charges were filed in District Court 36-2-02 tampering with records or identification, tampering with public records or information, obstructing administration of law or other governmental function.
According to the release he enlisted with PSP  in November 2014. He is suspended without pay pay pending resolution of the criminal charges against him and an internal investigation

Cohill Fashions Celebrates 30 Years!

In 1991 College Hill resident, Carleen McKee, made a life changing decision that has ended up having a positive change on many area women. That was when McKee bought  Cohill Fashions, a women’s clothier that had already been in business at that stage of the game for around twenty years.

 

On April 30th and May 1st, Carleen McKee is planning a big Sale and Celebration event to mark the thirtieth anniversary of owning the popular shop.

Customers can expect to save 30% on select merchandise during the event, plus enjoy giveaway and special promotions.  To promote the 30th Anniversary Sale and Celebration, Carleen McKee will be a special guest on “A.M. Beaver County” with host, Matt Drzik this Tuesday, April 27, 2021 from 8:40 to 9 A.M. Tune in to 1230 WBVP, 1460 WMBA  or 99.3 F.M. to listen to the program. The segment will also be video streamed live on the Beaver County Radio Facebook page.

 

For more information, call Cohill Fashions at 724-846-9817, or check out the event listing page on Facebook.

 

 

Fire Fighter Injured While Setting Up Flares At I-80 Vehicle Crash Scene

(Emlenton, Pa.) A Clintonville fire fighter was injured on Interstate 80 Thursday morning when he was hit by a vehicle while tending to a crash along I-80 on Thursday morning.

the firefighter was setting up flares for a crash near the Emlenton exit when he was hit when a vehicle lost control on the snow-covered road.

This crash, and another multi-vehicle crash, closed both sides of I-80 in the area for several hours yesterday morning.