(Photo Courtesy of Pa Media Services)

(Harrisburg, PA) Older and disabled Pennsylvanians can now apply for rebates on property taxes or rent paid in 2021, the Department of Revenue announced today. This assistance is available through the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program, which has delivered more than $7.1 billion to eligible Pennsylvanians since the program’s inception in 1971.
Eligible applicants are encouraged to visit mypath.pa.gov to electronically submit their applications. The Department of Revenue launched this online option last year to make it easier for the nearly 500,000 Pennsylvanians who annually benefit from the program to submit their applications.
“Last year, we saw thousands of eligible residents take advantage of the easy-to-use myPATH filing option to submit their rebate applications,” Revenue Secretary Dan Hassell said. “Filing online saves you a trip to the mailbox and the costs of mailing in a paper application. If you know anyone who might be eligible, please encourage them to visit mypath.pa.gov to fill out an application. We want to do everything that we can to ensure that everyone who is eligible receives this vital assistance.”
How to Apply:
After checking eligibility requirements, you can file your rebate application online by visiting mypath.pa.gov. Submitting your application through myPATH is easy and does not require you to sign up for an account.
Applicants will be asked to provide specific information on their income and rent/property taxes.
Applicants should check the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program instruction booklet to learn which information they will need to input/upload to complete the process.
Using the electronic option available through mypath.pa.gov offers many benefits, including:
• Fast processing and direct deposit options
• The Where’s My Rebate? tool to track the status of a claim online
• Error-reducing automatic calculators
• Instant confirmation that your application has been filed
• Security features to ensure your sensitive information is safe
Applicants must reapply for rebates every year because rebates are based on annual income and property taxes or rent paid in each year. Spouses, personal representatives or estates may file rebate claims on behalf of claimants who lived at least one day in 2021 and meet all other eligibility criteria.
Applicants who still wish to file a paper application form may obtain Property Tax/Rent Rebate claim forms (PA-1000) and related information on the Department of Revenue’s website or by calling 1-888-222-9190.
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.
Visit the Property/Tax Rent Rebate page on the Department of Revenue’s website for further information on the program and how to apply for a rebate.
When Can You Expect Your Rebate?
Rebates will be distributed beginning July 1, as required by law. Here is additional information to keep in mind:
• If you provide your phone number on your Property Tax/Rent Rebate application form or in the myPATH electronic application, you will receive an automated call from the Department of Revenue when your claim posts to the department’s processing system. You will also receive another automated call when your claim is approved.
• The easiest way to check the status of your rebate is to use the Where’s My
Rebate? tool. To check on the status of your claim, you will need your:
• Social Security number
• Claim year
• Date of birth
About the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program
The rebate program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians age 65 and older; widows and widowers age 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older. The income limit is $35,000 a year for homeowners and $15,000 annually for renters, and half of Social Security income is excluded.
The maximum standard rebate is $650, but supplemental rebates for certain qualifying homeowners can boost rebates to $975. The Department of Revenue automatically calculates supplemental rebates for qualifying homeowners.
Since its inception in 1971, the program has delivered more than $7.1 billion to eligible Pennsylvanians. The Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program is funded by the Pennsylvania Lottery and revenue from slots gaming

(File Photo)
Story by Sandy Giordano, Beaver county Radio News Correspondent
Thursday, January 20, 2022 at 6:59 AM
(Aliquippa, Pa.) The Aliquippa School Board met Wednesday night, January 19, 2022, and announced that they received a $25,000 grant towards the renovation of the districts football field known as the ‘PIT”. The Board also announced that  a scholarship fund has been established and they   will present a $2,000.00 scholarship annually for 5 years.

(File Photo)
Thursday, January 20, 2022 at 6:56 AM
(Pittsburgh, Pa.) Pa State Police at the Rivers Casino announced via release that they have filed charges against 60-year-old James Martinetti of Aliquippa for Harassment and acts to Annoy.
Troopers said in the release that on Tuesday, January 11, 2022, around 3:00 PM, Martinetti harassed, annoyed, and alarmed Floyd Mills at the Casino by engaging in a course of conduct that he repeatedly committed acts, namely making racial and derogatory remarks directed at Mills which did alarm or seriously annoy such other person and served no legitimate purpose. He was charged accordingly by State Police.

(Pittsburgh, Pa.) One person was injured when a car was involved in a rollover crash around 1:15 AM this morning on the Parkway North near the East Street exit along Interstate 279.
One person was transported from the scene by emergency personnel.
The cause of the crash and the condition of the injured person are unknown at this time.

(Bellevue, Pa.) Police are investigating after a 28-year-old woman was fatally shot last night waiting for a bus in the 400 block of Lincoln Ave. in Bellevue .
First responders found the victim, who was shot multiple times. She was taken to a local hospital, where she died.
The woman was standing at the bus stop when two men approached her and started shooting. The shooting happened near the Dollar General store and Pizza Hut.
The woman’s name has not been released and there is no word on any arrests or suspects.

(Pittsburgh, Pa.) Authorities say a 15-year-old Marquis Campbell died at a Pittsburgh hospital after two people fired into a van that he was sitting in at Oliver Citywide Academy . Pittsburgh Public Schools said the male student was shot in the school van at dismissal time yesterday afternoon. No arrests have been made and witnesses say tht two masked men approached the van and ran off after the shooting. Police say they are reviewing surveillance videos and seeking witnesses. School officials say all other students were safe inside the building. The school was locked down for a time. Students will learn remotley for the remainder of the week.

Senate passes bills aimed at ransomware, data breaches
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania’s state Senate is advancing a package of legislation aimed at preventing data security breaches and requiring victims and law enforcement officials to be notified when they do happen. The bills’ passage Wednesday comes barely two weeks after the state’s unemployment compensation system acknowledged that hackers got into some recipients’ accounts. Both bills go to the House of Representatives. One bill would bar state and local governments from using public money to pay for an extortion attempt from a ransomware attack. The other bill would require any state agency, school district or local government agency to notify victims within seven days of determining a breach of personal information.

(Congressman Conor Lamb (PA-17) joins the Pittsburgh District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to inspect the Montgomery Lock in 2019. Photo Courtesy of  Rep. Lamb) 

(WASHINGTON, DC) – Representative Conor Lamb (PA-17) announced today that the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) will receive $857.7 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to complete all construction work to rebuild the Montgomery Lock and Dam on the Ohio River. This critical funding will provide long overdue reconstruction to the Upper Ohio Navigation lock and dam system, which has exceeded its anticipated useful life, and ensure the region’s waterways continue to strengthen the region’s economy.

“River traffic is something few people think about unless it is shut down. The Montgomery Lock and Dam is nearly 100 years old and if it collapses, we could lose thousands of jobs and add thousands of trucks to our roads, meaning more pollution and traffic. This funding is essential and the result of years of advocacy and old-fashioned, hard legislative work,” said Lamb.

Today’s announcement builds on years of bipartisan work and progress to secure funding for this system. Congressman Lamb secured $22 million for a Construction New Start award in early 2021, which allowed the Army Corps to finish its pre-construction engineering and design. Today’s announcement would not be possible without this work. In 2020, Lamb announced that the Upper Ohio project received $7.7M for the initial funding for the engineering and design. He also led a bipartisan letter in 2019 with colleagues from the region and testified at the Energy and Water Appropriations subcommittee highlighting the importance of the project.

“We are so grateful to Senator Bob Casey, Congressman Conor Lamb and Congressman Mike Doyle for their work securing this critical funding,” said Darrin Kelly, President, Allegheny-Fayette Central Labor Council. “Completing construction on the Montgomery Lock and Dam will create thousands of good jobs for our members & help our economy continue to grow. We thank our entire team of federal, state and local officials who have worked together so long to put western Pennsylvania at the top of the list and finally get this done. We know this is only the first of many victories they will achieve for our workers, businesses and residents in western Pennsylvania in the years to come.”

“We are grateful for Congressman Lamb’s leadership in securing this investment,” said Matt Smith, President, Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce. “Investment in our waterways is uniquely critical for both the Pittsburgh region’s economy and quality of life. This funding will help us build a stronger economy for all and attract business investment to our region, as well as attract and retain talent.”

Congressman Lamb will continue work to rebuild the entire Upper Ohio Navigation system, including funding to repair the Emsworth and Dashields dams, critical components of the Upper Ohio Navigation system. According to the Army Corps, more than 15 million tons of commodities pass through the Upper Ohio River system annually, supporting thousands of jobs and companies.