Industry trade groups representing producers in several countries have signed on to a letter complaining the PA Wine & Liquor Board is charging what they call “stealth taxes.”

Originally, the board had levied a flat, 30 percent markup on all the products it sold. But the new system adopted in 2016 gave the state Liquor Control Board power to negotiate directly with wholesalers, and then set prices based on those agreements.

The change was pitched as a way to save consumers money, but also pump more money into the state.

But a group of spirits producers from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, the United Kingdom, and the European Union say they’re concerned it has made the markups unfair.

The PLCB maintains it has been transparent and open about its pricing, and says it’s having “collaborative” discussions about markups with suppliers.

Add the Sewickley Bridge to PennDOT’s list for work. The Sewickley Bridge will get resurfacing work done and will force PennDOT to shut down the span for a 10-day stretch next year.

Though a 10 day closure for a busy bridge is not a happy proposition, PennDOT district executive Cheryl Moon-Sirianni says it’s better than closing the bridge 15 consecutive weekends, which was the alternative.

PennDOT says 18,000 vehicles use the Sewickley Bridge daily.

The Ambridge/Aliquippa Bridge to the west and Interstate 79 to the ease will become the detour routes during the closure.

A public information meeting about the bridge project is scheduled for 5 p.m. Thursday at the Sewickley Library.

President Trump arriving in Beaver County this afternoon as he plans to spotlight the Shell cracker plant as a welcome example of economic progress and job creation.

According to senior administration officials the president plans to tour the site of the Shell complex, then deliver a short speech focused on the economy and how to grow and sustain the nation’s competitive edge.

Trump will be joined by U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry and EPA chief Andrew Wheeler.

Air Force One is scheduled to touch down shortly after 1 p.m. at Pittsburgh International Airport. Trump’s motorcade will then head to the Shell complex to go on a tour, meet with Shell project officials and state and local dignitaries, and deliver brief remarks, officials said.

Travelers on Interstate 376 and nearby routes may see heavier-than-usual traffic for most of the afternoon while officials accommodate the presidential motorcade, according to local department heads. For security reasons, it’s unclear which route the motorcade will travel.

Trump was initially slated to visit the Shell plant Aug. 8. He postponed the trip following the back-to-back mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio.

TODAY:
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS THIS MORNING BECOMING MORE WIDESPREAD THIS AFTERNOON – HIGH 78

TONIGHT:
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE THIS EVENING, PARTLY CLOUDY OVERNIGHT – LOW 66

TOMORROW:
PARTLY CLOUDY, SLIGHT CHANCE OF A SHOWER LATE IN THE DAY – HIGH 84

Aliquippa police officers recently received a Silver Star award for bravery. Our Sandy Giordano has the story…

Beaver County Emergency Services have confirmed an incident occurred shortly after 1pm today at the Beaver County Airport. Officials state that a small 4-Twin aircraft landed at the airport early this afternoon. Soon after touching down the plane’s landing gear failed and collapsed. No injuries were reported and the runway has since been re-opened.

Tune in to Beaver County Radio, 1230 WBVP and 1460 WMBA, on Tuesday, August 20, 2019 at 9 A.M. for financial insight from special guest expert, Tom Young, from 1st Consultants Inc. in Beaver.  Tom will be making his monthly appearance, and will continue the series of multi media forums that center around  “The Prosperity Pathway”.  The Prosperity Pathway is a process that is designed to expand your personal economy.  Tune in, or watch the live video presentation on line to find out more about several unique truths to be discussed this week, including:

Find out how you can be the CFO at Home.

Discover how you can become a prosperity thinking person.

Why changing  the way you think, and not the way others think is important.

 

You can participate in the show by calling 724-843-1888 or 724-774-1888. You can also ask your questions on Facebook Live Tuesday August 20, 2019.

Click Tom’s picture below at showtime of 9:10 a.m. to be directed to the WBVP and WMBA Facebook page where the special multi media simulcast will be streamed on Facebook Live.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click on the logo below to find out more about 1st Consultants Inc.

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — People who gathered at the scene of the Dayton mass shooting observed a moment of silence Sunday in tribute to the victims.

Nine people were killed in the Aug. 4 attack that injured more than 30 people in the city’s historic Oregon District. Investigators say Connor Betts, 24, opened fire with an AR-15 style gun outside the district’s businesses. He was killed by police within less than 30 minutes.

The moment of silence in tribute to the victims was observed at 1:05 a.m. Sunday at Ned Peppers Bar in the popular entertainment district, the Dayton Daily News reported . The song “We Are Family” then played over loudspeakers.

Many people from out of town visited the district over the weekend, with testaments to the tragedy visible throughout the area, the newspaper reported. Women on the sidewalk were dispensing free hugs, and signs calling for solidarity and strength could be seen on nearly every business.

One sign read: “We don’t heal in isolation, but in community.” The phrase was accompanied by the date of the shooting.

Ty Sullivan came from Columbus with her family. She said she “felt a need to be in this area.”

Jamie Rippey said she was with friends in the Oregon District a couple hours before the shooting, and came out this weekend “because I was so afraid after this happened.”

“When that happened I thought, ‘Oh my God, will I be able to come back down here?’ I just didn’t want to be so afraid of doing something I’ve always done, just to live,” she said.

The police presence was noticeably heavier than usual. Dayton police Maj. Wendy Stiver had said the department was expecting larger crowds, and police would be there to “make them safe.”

AKRON, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio-based energy company says it’s closing its last coal-fired power plant in Pennsylvania nearly two years earlier than expected.

FirstEnergy Solutions said Friday that its plant in Shippingport will be idled Nov. 7. The company had previously said the Bruce Mansfield plant would be shut down in June 2021.

FirstEnergy, which is going through bankruptcy reorganization, blamed “a lack of economic viability in current market conditions.”

The company has said it can’t compete in regional wholesale markets as coal and nuclear lose out to cheaper energy sources such as natural gas and renewables. FirstEnergy announced last year that it would shut down the Pennsylvania plant and its last three coal-fired plants in Ohio.

President Donald Trump has vowed to take steps to prevent struggling coal-fired and nuclear power plants from closing.

The Ellwood City Area School Board rejected a funding request for the district’s boys and girls soccer club last week in a divided 4-4 vote Thursday. The request made is to provide a total of no more than $4,300 to the soccer club to help cover transportation and referee costs.

Danielle Woodhead, who heads the Athletics, Facilities and Community Committee, said the club signed an agreement on how it would be funded when it formed and any changes have to be approved by district Athletic Director Curt Agostinelli.

Board member Barb Wilson responded that she has been trying to get the issue settled for six months, but it kept getting delayed. She said the club starts playing games this week.

With Thursday’s motion not passing, a special meeting is being scheduled with Agostinelli to determine what funding he believes should be released to the club, and then the matter can return to the board, possibly next month.