By ELLEN KNICKMEYER and AAMER MADHANI Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — China and Russia have joined the United States in pledging big emissions cuts at a global climate summit convened by President Joe Biden. The U.S. opened Thursday’s summit, which is being held virtually by livestream because of the pandemic, with an ambitious pledge to cut by at least one-half the climate-wrecking coal and petroleum fumes that America is pumping out. He is hoping the commitment, along with similar ones from allies, will spur China and others to move faster on their own climate efforts. The summit marks the U.S. return to international emissions-cutting efforts after four years of withdrawal under President Donald Trump. Biden calls it “a moment of peril but a moment of opportunity.”

By KATHY GANNON Associated Press
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — A U.S. defense department official says the U.S. military has begun shipping equipment and winding down contracts with local service providers ahead of the May 1 start of the final phase of its military pullout from Afghanistan. The pullout marks the end of America’s longest war, after a 20-year military engagement. Currently, some 2,500 U.S. soldiers and about 7,000 allied forces are still in Afghanistan. In February, the U.S. military began closing its smaller bases. Packing accelerated after the mid-April announcement by the Biden administration that the final phase would begin May 1 and be completed before Sept. 11.

By ASHRAF KHALIL Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Proponents of statehood for Washington, D.C., face a milestone moment in their decades-long movement to reshape the American political map. The House will vote Thursday on legislation that would create the new state of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, with one representative and two senators. A tiny sliver of land including the White House, the U.S. Capitol and the National Mall would remain as a federal district. The measure is expected to pass easily in the House and be sent to the Senate, where the real fight awaits in the evenly divided chamber.

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment aid fell last week to 547,000, a new low since the pandemic struck and a further encouraging sign that layoffs are slowing on the strength of an improving job market. The Labor Department said Thursday that applications declined 39,000 from a revised 586,000 a week earlier.  Weekly jobless claims are down sharply from a peak of 900,000 in early January. But they’re still far above the roughly 250,000 level that prevailed before the viral outbreak ripped through the economy in March of last year.

Bill to prevent retail shutdowns in disasters passes HouseHARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Pennsylvania state House is giving its approval to a Republican-sponsored bill to let many retail stores remain open during a declared state of disaster emergency. Backers say it would safely prevent smaller businesses from going broke. The chamber voted 117-84 Wednesday to allow retailers to be open if they restrict operations to a single employee and a single customer, or can fulfill drive-up sales that limit contact. Six Democrats joined the unanimous Republican caucus in voting for the legislation. The proposal was sent to the state Senate, where a similar bill died last year.

By JESSICA GRESKO Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — After more than a decade in which the Supreme Court moved gradually toward more leniency for minors convicted of murder, the justices have moved the other way. The high court ruled 6-3 Thursday along ideological lines against a Mississippi inmate sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for fatally stabbing his grandfather when the defendant was 15 years old. The case is important because it marks a break with the court’s previous rulings and is evidence of the impact of a newly more conservative court.

(file photo)

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Aliquippa, PA) – ALIQUIPPA SCHOOL BOARD AT ITS REGULAR MEETING WEDNESDAY NIGHT APPROVED THE RETURN OF STUDENTS BACK TO THE CLASSROOM. STUDENTS WILL RETURN ON MONDAY,  APRIL 26, 2021.

Today, Representative Conor Lamb (PA-17) was joined by Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1) to introduce the Get Rewarding Outdoor Work (GROW) for our Veterans Act.  This bipartisan legislation directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a two-year pilot program to employ veterans for projects of the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture.  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the veteran unemployment rate across the country has risen sharply — from 3.1 percent in 2019 to 11.7 percent in 2020.  This bill will help foster employment opportunities for veterans.

“We owe veterans a debt for their sacrifice and service.  We also know that outdoor activity experiences can improve the psychological wellbeing of military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.  This bill is the perfect way to increase job opportunities for veterans in an outdoor setting that is good for their mental and physical health,” said Lamb.

“Our veterans put their lives on the line for our country, and they deserve all the support we can provide them,” said Fitzpatrick.  “I am proud to partner with Rep Lamb on the Get Rewarding Outdoor Work for our Veterans (GROW) Act, and remain fully dedicated to supporting our veterans, their families, and their career opportunities each and every day in Congress.”

In 2019, national park visitation generated $41.7 billion, and supported 340,500 jobs.  In 2020, despite early closures due to the pandemic, 237 million people visited our national parks.  However, due to strained resources caused by increased visitation, aging facilities, and inconsistent funding, the National Parks Service (NPS) has been unable to keep pace with park maintenance needs.  Repairs to roads, bridges, water systems, visitor centers, trails, campgrounds, and historic structures have gone unaddressed and NPS estimates it would cost nearly $11.92 billion if it were to fix all the items on its deferred maintenance list.  In Pennsylvania alone, the national parks currently have a maintenance backlog of $299 million.

Work to address the backlog began earlier this year with the rollout of the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), which provided up to $6.65 billion in non-taxpayer funds over five years to address long-overdue priority maintenance issues.  The GROW for our Veterans Act will complement GAOA by providing a trained workforce to address these long-deferred maintenance needs.

This bipartisan legislation will:

• Direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a two-year pilot program to employ veterans for projects for conservation projects at national parks and public lands;
• Direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish guidelines containing best practices for departments and agencies of the Federal Government that carry out programs to employ veterans who are transitioning from service in the Armed Forces.  Such guidelines would include lessons learned under the Warrior Training Advancement Course (WARTAC) of the VA, and methods to realize cost savings based on what they have learned from the program;
• Direct the VA and Department of the Interior (DOI) to consider partnering with the Department of Defense (DoD) to apply the program under the existing work they do with the Skillbridge program on bases for transitioning out members;
• Direct the VA to, within 30 days of the enactment of the bill, commission a study on how the pilot program could affect unemployed veterans; and
• Require the VA, DOI and Department of Agriculture (DOA) to, within one year, jointly submit to Congress a report on the pilot program.

The GROW for our Veterans Act is supported by the Union Veterans Council (UVC).

“Veterans have a long history with our nation’s federally managed public lands — both as spaces for healing and reunion and as pathways to meaningful careers in the federal workforce,” said Will Attig, Executive Director of the Union Veterans Council.  “As of 2018, only 17% of all Department of the Interior employees were veterans.  We applaud the introduction of the bipartisan Get Rewarding Outdoor Work (GROW) for our Veterans Act for striving to safeguard the economic, mental, and physical well-being of our veterans as well as the lands and waterways we cherish.”

Visit Lamb’s website for more information on the GROW for our Veterans Act.

(Wayne Twp., Lawrence County, Pa.) Pa State Police in New Castle are reporting that they were dispatched to a residence on Hollow Road in Wayne Twp. Lawrence County around 1:30 AM Thursday Morning, April 22, 2021,  for an active domestic dispute.

Troopers reported via release upon arriving on the scene and investigating it was determined that 35-year-old Steven Ambroziak of New Castle engaged in a dispute with the 31-year-old female victim and the dispute escalated into physical violence.

Ambroziak was charged with terroristic threats, harassment, and disorderly conduct and subsequently incarcerated at the Lawrence County Jail.

State Troopers did not identify the victim or the full location of the incident due to it being a domestic violence case.

(File Photo: taken by Frank Sparks in Spring of 2020)

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Beaver Falls, Pa.) Beaver Falls Fire Chief Mark Stowe  said  signs  shall not be placed more than 30 days before an election be placed  on public property or trees, telephone or electric poles or right of ways. They shall be removed.  Signs can’t be more than 5 square feet. No signs are to be placed at the entrance to the city on the walls along Seventh Avenue or right of ways. They can be placed on private property with the owner’s permission.