(File Photo from 2016 Run For McGuire)

Harrisburg, PA – As both temperatures and motorcycle traffic on commonwealth roadways are on the rise, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) join agencies throughout the nation in recognizing May as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.

“As more and more people enjoy the fun and excitement of motorcycling, we want to remind both motorcyclists and motorists to share the road safely,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “Staying aware while driving or riding, obeying speed limits and being responsible will help keep fatalities and injuries as low as possible.”

There were more than 3,400 crashes involving motorcycles on Pennsylvania roadways in 2020, resulting in 217 fatalities. Crashes rose by more than 300 from the 2019 number of 2,977, while fatalities also rose from 174 in 2019.

“Remember to slow down, don’t drink and ride, and keep yourself upright and ready for the next riding adventure,” said Colonel Robert Evanchick, commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police. “All levels of motorcycle riders are encouraged to enroll in a free safety training class and refresh their skills or even learn a new technique.”

PennDOT has contracted with several third-party motorcycle training providers to offer free motorcycle safety training classes to Pennsylvania class M permit and motorcycle license holders. Class sizes may be limited, as safety guidelines are in effect to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and classes can be scheduled at multiple training sites throughout Pennsylvania. Class schedules are coordinated by each third-party training provider for their individual locations and additional information can be found at www.penndot.gov/PAMSP. Additional classes and locations will continue to be added.

Successful completion of a basic or intermediate course waives the requirement to take a skills test at a PennDOT Driver License Center and automatically earns the permit holder their motorcycle license. Motorcycle permit holders who complete a 3-wheel basic course will earn a motorcycle license with restriction prohibiting the operation a of 2-wheel motorcycle.

Additionally, PennDOT offers a virtual motorcycle training course for individuals under 18 who are required by law to complete a department-approved motorcycle safety course before they can take the skills test and obtain their motorcycle license. To schedule or for more information on this course, visit www.penndot.gov/PAMSP.

As part of efforts to promote the safe operation of motorcycles in Pennsylvania, PennDOT and PSP invite motorcycle advocates, safety partners and riders to submit videos to PennDOT on a safety topic of their choosing – from avoiding distractions while riding to tips on motorcycle maintenance to ensure a safe ride. More information on this public appeal can be found at www.penndot.gov/PAMSP and clicking on “Motorcycle Safety Video Project.”

Some safety tips motorists should remember when sharing the road with motorcycles include:

• Watch for motorcycles: motorcycles are small and may be difficult to see.  Check mirrors and blind spots before changing lanes and at intersections.
• Allow more following distance: leave at least four seconds when following a motorcycle.
• Always signal your intentions before changing lanes or merging with traffic.
• Respect a motorcycle as a full-size vehicle with the same rights and privileges as any vehicle on the roadway. Allow a motorcyclist a full lane width as the motorcyclist needs the room to maneuver safely in all types of road conditions.
• Never drive impaired.

Motorcyclists can do their part to help avoid crashes by following some simple safety tips:

• Be seen by wearing reflective clothing and put reflective tape on your protective clothing and motorcycle. Also wear face or eye protection and a DOT-approved helmet.
• Use common sense by riding sober, obeying all speed limits and allowing enough time to react to potentially dangerous situations.
• Know your motorcycle and conduct a pre-ride check.
• Practice safe riding techniques and know how to handle your motorcycle in adverse road and weather conditions.

For more information on motorcycle safety and training, please visit www.penndot.gov/PAMSP.

Woman from Mali gives birth to 9 babies in Morocco
By BABA AHMED and TARIK EL BARAKAH Associated Press
BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Mali’s Ministry of Health says a Malian woman has given birth to nine babies after only expecting seven. It appeared to be the first time on record that a woman gave birth to nine surviving babies at once. The 25-year-old mother gave birth by cesarean section on Tuesday in Morocco. Mali’s health minister confirmed that the five girls, four boys and the mother are all doing well. Associated Press reporters saw the babies in incubators in the neonatal ward, some wiggling their hands and feet. The Guinness Book of World Records said in an email to The AP that its current record for most living births at once is eight, and that it is verifying the Morocco birth.

GOP wants to restore work-search rule for jobless benefits
By MARC LEVY Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Republicans in Pennsylvania’s GOP-controlled Legislature are advancing legislation to reinstate work-search requirements for people claiming unemployment benefits. The bill cleared the House Labor and Industry Committee on a party-line vote Tuesday. The sponsor, Rep. Jim Cox of Berks County, said many employers are having trouble finding workers. Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, has waived the requirement for now. Still, Wolf’s office said certain industries may have difficulty hiring workers because, for instance, some parents have children learning at home or some people are waiting for a second vaccine dose. Others may have chosen to change careers during the pandemic. Wolf’s office also suggested that employers need to pay more.

(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

2020 proved that anything and everything could change, and 2021 is trying to shift that change in a positive direction–at least in the eyes of the Beaver County Office of Planning & Redevelopment.

The BCOPR, in conjunction with Michael Baker International, will begin a public survey of fixed and mobile broadband availability throughout Beaver County on May 10. Their goal is to provide access and effective use of technology for residents and businesses alike, and to bridge any gaps between high-speed and low-speed usage.

One of the biggest pushers of the new survey is County Commissioner Jack Manning, who spoke to Beaver County Radio about the importance on improving the amount of technology throughout the county in lieu of last year’s chaos.

“We certainly saw during COVID,” said Manning, “the impact it had on education and the impact it had on working from home. Broadband is an eligible infrastructure expenditure, and that’s what we hope to do–to find out what the need is, what the different solutions are, and be able to apply that money to make this thing much better for Beaver County.”

Michael Baker International will perform tasks including (but not limited to): taking photographs of utility poles and associated infrastructure, performing mobile internet tests for upload and download speed, placing door hangers at the entry ways of businesses being surveyed, and communicating with the owners of those businesses and residents.

The online survey can also be done by the general public on their internet-use devices (laptop, phone, tablet, etc.) by going to the link on the Beaver County home page, or by going to connectbeavercounty.com to find the speed of their internet. “We ask people to do it as many times as they can,” Manning suggested, “so that we get better data points—cause sometimes the signal is a lot stronger at some points in the day as opposed to others of peak demand.”

For questions and more info, contact BCOPR director Lance Grable at 724-770-4422 or email at lgrable@beavercountypa.gov.

ALLEGHENY – Reps. Carrie Lewis DelRosso (R-Allegheny/Westmoreland) and Josh Kail (R-Beaver/Washington) – in collaboration with Sen. Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland), who released a statement on Friday – issued the following statement regarding U.S. Steel’s cancellation of its $1 billion investment project:

“As U.S. Steel President and Chief Executive Officer David Burritt noted, Pennsylvania is not competitive with other states. Permitting takes way too long, which delays projects to the point that we lose opportunities. That’s exactly what happened with U.S. Steel. And with the loss of the $1 billion investment project, we also lose infrastructure money because there’s no revenue streams because the jobs were pulled.

“There’s nothing western PA needs more than jobs and money to invest in infrastructure. Yet, we let the false narrative of environmental concerns steal family-sustaining jobs from Commonwealth families. Having goods manufactured in Pennsylvania benefits the environment because we know how to do things right – unlike foreign countries, where these jobs are being driven, that have little to no environmental or labor standards. Somehow, certain people are convinced that we must choose between saving the planet and saving families in the area from financial distress. That’s simply not the case, and now, we have to brace ourselves for higher rates of crime and blight because the jobs are gone.

“But unlike others, we’re not willing to accept that. No, we’re going to fight back against the job loss, against the blight, against the crime. The revitalization of western Pennsylvania can happen through a job infusion and infrastructure investments, and that’s why we support a package of bills called the Commonwealth’s COVID Comeback. The pro-jobs, pro-families and pro-growth initiative is all about incentivizing manufacturers and providing protections to small businesses, as well as offering tax and regulatory reform.

“U.S. Steel’s announcement is all the more reason to push for real reform in Harrisburg, and we will work to make this awful news the last of its kind that Western Pennsylvanians will have to hear.”

Facebook board upholds Trump suspension
By MATT O’BRIEN and BARBARA ORTUTAY AP Technology Writer
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Former President Donald Trump won’t return to Facebook — for now. The social network’s quasi-independent Oversight Board voted to uphold his ban from the platform after his account was suspended four months ago for inciting violence that led to the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol riot. While upholding the suspension, the board faulted Facebook for the way it made the decision, calling it “not appropriate” to suspend him indefinitely. The board says Facebook has six months to reexamine its “arbitrary” penalty.