NEW YORK (AP) — A fossil from Ethiopia is giving scientists their best look yet at a presumed ancestor of the famed ancient skeleton nicknamed Lucy. It’s 3.8 million years old, and it contains much of the face and skull. The find was reported Wednesday in the journal Nature.
NUEVO LAREDO, Mexico (AP) — A Trump administration program forcing asylum seekers to wait in Mexico has evolved into a sweeping rejection of all forms of migrants. Both countries are working to keep people out of the U.S. despite threats to their safety. The results serve the goals of both governments, which have targeted illegal immigration at the behest of President Donald Trump. He threatened Mexico with tariffs to force action. Some people sent to wait in Mexican border cities say they never requested asylum.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson of Georgia says he’ll retire at the end of 2019, citing what he calls “health challenges.” The three-term senator was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2013 and suffered a fall in July, according to his office. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp will appoint someone to fill the seat when Isakson steps down in December. That’ll set up a rare situation in November 2020 when both of Georgia’s Senate seats will be on the ballot.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Puerto Rico is facing its first major test of emergency preparedness since the 2017 devastation of Hurricane Maria as Tropical Storm Dorian nears the U.S. territory at near-hurricane force. And forecasters say it could grow to Category 3 status as it nears the U.S. mainland as early as the weekend. The U.S. and British Virgin Islands are also in its path, with landslides, widespread flooding and power outages possible in Puerto Rico.
Chamber Community Message: Meet ALICE!
Did you know that there is an ALICE in 2 out of 5 households in Beaver County?
Even though ALICE is a traditional name and is making a comeback with newborn babies, the ALICE mentioned above might not be known by many of us.
ALICE is an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed – households that earn more than the Federal Poverty Level, but less than the basic cost of living for Beaver County. Combined, the number of ALICE and poverty-level households equals the total population struggling to afford basic needs. You might say they are the working poor.
We always hear the phrase “Living paycheck to paycheck”. The ALICE study truly identifies those people. They are the 24% that are one major car repair or major illness away from either keep them an ALICE statistic or maybe even worse, force them to fall into the 12% in Beaver County that live below the poverty level. This same group is frustrated because they just cannot seem to save for retirement, higher education or even a down payment on a new house.
The Pennsylvania network of United Ways has come together to raise awareness of the challenges faced by ALICE and to assist in the mobilization of organizations and individuals to support strategies and policies that move ALICE to a level of financial stability.
The Beaver County United Way has been raising funds for almost sixty years to support non-profits groups who work directly with clients who almost entirely are part of the ALICE group. We all know ALICE, they welcome our children at daycare each morning or take care of our elderly parents. They serve us when we stop for a meal or run the checkout at our favorite supermarket. These are the people that work hard every day but just need a little help to get above that survival level to the stable level of life.
The Beaver County ALICE statistics through 2017 have just been released and present many challenges for all of us. Every borough and municipality is broken down and have a range of 15% – 58% of ALICE households. Overall 36% of Beaver County households live at or below the ALICE survival threshold; which for a single person is $20,448/year or $62,940 for a family of four.
There are 71,005 households in Beaver County. 32,300 are single of cohabiting, 16,418 are families with children and 22,287 are 65 and over. The family group has the highest poverty level and the plus 65 group have the highest ALICE number.
The above data is real and very important to have and should be a guiding light to the leadership of Beaver County to assist in creating programs and providing assets in areas that have the greatest impact.
What can we do as individuals with this information?
The answer to that question is in your heart! However, knowing that ALICE is someone you meet every day and often more than once a day, we may be motivated to smile when we say hello, share our talents and treasures, knowing that a little kindness can make a big difference to so many.
Beaver County has always been a great place to live. Every person who spends time here comments on the friendliness of the people. The renaissance of Beaver County has begun. It will be so important to realize that those who work so hard but still struggle, may need a hand-up to join the journey to better days.
The Beaver County Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Beaver County Partnership, believe that strong communities enable strong and vibrant business development. We are working to grow the population and raise the prosperity of every portion of Beaver County society. Understanding the challenges and opportunities we face, backed by data, is very important.
That is why we are so grateful to the Beaver County United Way and the United Way of PA for providing this important data and for all the work their agencies do throughout the region. Soon, you will be able to access more details of the United Way of PA ALICE study on the Beaver County United Way website; www.UnitedWayBeaver.org
This important community update is brought to you by Beaver Falls Municipal Authority, 1st Consultants, Strassburger, McKenna, Gutnick & Gefsky, Ambridge Regional Chamber of Commerce, Skerlec Contracting, and NovaCare!
Billionaire Tom Steyer, a former hedge fund manager, would appear to be an unlikely messenger for a Democratic Party debating racial and gender diversity, generational change, and inequalities in society, but his status as a one-man “super PAC” is setting him up to be a deeply disruptive figure in the primaries, The New York Times reported on Tuesday. Steyer has spent $12 million on digital and television ads in only six weeks — more than any other Democrat has spent all year, which has made him a familiar face to many.
A LOCAL FOOD WORKSHOP IS COMING TO ALIQUIPPA THIS WEEK. AS BEAVER COUNTY RADIO NEWS CORRESPONDENT SANDY GIORDANO REPORTS, THERE’S A FULL AGENDA ON TAP BEGINNING TONIGHT. Click on ‘play’ to hear Sandy’s report…
THE HOPEWELL FARMERS MARKET HAS CLOSED. BEAVER COUNTY RADIO NEWS CORRESPONDENT SANDY GIORDANO HAS MORE. Click on ‘play’ to hear Sandy’s report…
A local couple is suing Nemacolin Woodlands Resort. They claim the resort lied when it advertised itself as a top-rated luxury resort. The couple paid a
$30,000 deposit to have their wedding reception at the Fayette County resort last month. They did that based on pictures on the resort’s website. But the lawsuit says they canceled after their visit did not line up to the images they saw. Nemacolin has released a statement saying their website clearly conveys an accurate picture of the resort.
Drivers in Cranberry Township are being reminded to slow down. The township’s Fall Slow Down Campaign is in effect until Sept. 10. Seneca Valley and Karns City Area School District both started classes Monday. The campaign serves as a reminder for drivers to slow down, stop for buses and be aware of students waiting along the road.
