Second gentleman Douglas Emhoff and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro were among the dignitaries marking the groundbreaking Sunday of a new structure replacing the Tree of Life synagogue, where 11 worshippers were murdered in 2018 in the deadliest act of antisemitism in U.S. history.

Plans for the new complex include a cultural center, sanctuary, educational center and museum along with a memorial to the worshipers from three congregations who were murdered on the Sabbath morning of Oct. 27, 2018. The new design is by renowned architect Daniel Libeskind, whose previous works include Jewish museums, Holocaust memorials and the master plan for the redevelopment of the World Trade Center after 9/11.

Emhoff, the first Jewish spouse of an American president or vice president, said his purpose on Sunday was to “send a message to the Jewish community of Pittsburgh, to the country, and to the world, that we must never forget what the poison of antisemitism can do.”

“We are turning what was once a tragic crime scene into a place of hope and inspiration – a place that is full of light,” said Emhoff, who has met previously with Tree of Life family members and survivors of the attack.

Survivors were among the speakers at the groundbreaking, including Tree of Life’s rabbi, Jeffrey Meyers.

“Today we announce, loudly and clearly, to the entire world that evil did not win — that it did not chase us from our home, and it never, ever will,” Myers said.

Shapiro, who is Jewish, reminded the audience that when he was sworn in as governor 18 months ago, one of the bibles on which he swore his oath was from the Tree of Life. To this day, that bible sits on his desk in the Capitol, he said.

“Far too many people in today’s world either ignore or failed to learn from the atrocities of the past,” Shapiro said. “The task of remembering requires us to stand up, speak out, and ensure that everyone in this country knows the stories of the 11 people who were murdered here – and the dangers of antisemitism.”

Much of the original synagogue complex, which had been unused since the shootings, was demolished earlier this year. The reconstruction is being overseen by a new non-profit organization, named Tree of Life. The building will include worship space for the historic congregation of the same name along with space for other activities.

The attack claimed the lives of 11 worshippers from Dor Hadash, New Light and Tree of Life congregations, which shared space in the synagogue in Squirrel Hill, the heart of Pittsburgh’s Jewish community. Two worshippers and five responding police officers were also injured in the attack.

The attacker was sentenced to death in 2023 after being convicted on 63 counts, including hate crimes resulting in death.

“The end of our story is not victimhood, it’s about how we as Jewish people define ourselves and, out of the worst moments, our capacity to be resilient, to get up and to rebuild,” said Carole Zawatsky, chief executive officer of the Tree of Life non-profit organization overseeing the project in tandem with the congregation of the same name.

Organizers aim to have the project completed by the end of 2026, she said in an interview,

She said the project aims to honor the memories of the 11 who were killed and to combat the hatred behind such attacks.

“What we’re truly doing is looking at the root of all identity-based hate,” she said. “In a society where antisemitism is allowed to flourish, all forms of hate are allowed to flourish. It is an American problem.”

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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

East Palestine Train Derailment (Curtis Walsh)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new federal rule finalized Monday aims to ensure first responders can find out what hazardous chemicals are on a train almost immediately after a derailment so they can respond appropriately.

Too often in past disasters like last year’s fiery Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, firefighters risked their lives trying to extinguish a blaze without knowing the right way to respond. The local fire chief in charge of the response said it took him 45 minutes to learn exactly what was in the 11 burning tank cars on the train, but some firefighters from neighboring departments that came to help said they didn’t know what they were dealing with until two hours after the Feb. 3, 2023, crash.

First responders need to know exactly which hazardous materials are on a train so they can look it up in the government’s official guidebook and make sure they have the right protective gear and firefighting tools, said Tristan Brown, deputy administrator of the Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration agency that proposed the rule.

Knowing what chemical is involved and how much of it is aboard also affects how big of an evacuation zone might be required to protect the public.

“There are so many different types of hazardous materials being transported across the country on any given day — one in 10 goods that move across the United States — and each one, poses unique risks and hazards, certainly to the folks who are running towards a fire,” Brown said. “But certainly as well for anybody who may be living or working in that vicinity.”

The rule was published just one day ahead of the National Transportation Safety Board’s final hearing on the East Palestine derailment, where they will discuss exactly what caused that crash and recommend steps to prevent similar disasters.

Train crews have long carried lists of their cargo in the cabs of their locomotives, but in the middle of the chaos after a derailment those engineers and conductors, who might have moved their locomotives miles down the track, can’t always be found right away.

That’s part of why the largest freight railroads developed an app called AskRail roughly a decade ago that enables firefighters to quickly look up the details of what each train carries. But not every firefighter had the app, and cell phones don’t always have a signal strong enough to work in a disaster.

Regulators want the railroads to continue expanding access to that app, including to 911 centers, so information reaches first responders sooner. The railroads have been expanding access over the past year. The Association of American Railroads trade group estimates some 2.3 million first responders now have access to that information as a result of the effort to expand into dispatch centers.

The six biggest railroads also make train cargo information immediately available through the chemical industry’s hazardous materials hotlines in the U.S. and Canada known as the CHEMTREC and CANUTEC, emergency call centers.

But the new federal rule also applies to the hundreds of smaller railroads that aren’t involved in AskRail. Even railroads that only have one or two employees now must have a plan to get the crucial details of their cargo to the local fire department quickly, even if its as simple as having the fire chief’s cell phone number at the ready. Railroads also must test their plan at least once a year.

“In a hazmat incident, firefighters and first responders arriving on scene need to know what kind of hazardous materials are present so they can protect themselves and their communities,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said.

It’s not clear how this rule might have changed the outcome in East Palestine, but more information could have helped responding firefighters.

The derailment prompted a nationwide reckoning over railroad safety and prompted Congress to propose changes and regulators like Buttigieg to urge railroads to do more to prevent derailments.

The Federal Railroad Administration has issued various advisories about different aspects of railroad operations, but the reforms in Congress have stalled because Republicans wanted to wait for the final NTSB report and regulators have had only limited success making changes.

Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published June 24, 2024 12:33 P.M.

(Aliquippa, Pa) A Sewickley man was arrested by PA State Police in Aliquippa. On June 4, 2024, Francis Smith, 48 of Sewickley was stopped for a traffic violation in the 600 block of Maratta Road. He was arrested for possible DUI and was in possession of cocaine. Charges are pending according to the state police report.

Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published June 24, 2024 12:30 P.M.

(Aliquippa, Pa) Aliquippa Police responded to a disturbance in the 300 block of Linmar Terrace Saturday around 9pm. Police identified a suspect as Damar Freeman, a black male with brown eyes, black hair with frosted dreads. He’s 6 foot 1 inch tall, and weighs approximately 150 pounds. He had an active warrant for his arrest for felony aggravated assault, and fled on foot from police.

Police are filing additional charges, according to the report for escape, for flight to avoid apprehension, resisting arrest, theft and other charges.

He is considered armed and dangerous and police say don’t attempt to apprehend him. Anyone with information is told to call 724-775-0880, or 9-1-1.

Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published June 24, 2024 12:25 P.M.

(Aliquippa, Pa) Aliquippa Police arrested a male for providing alcohol to juveniles, and other charges. Brian Colbert, 23, is lodged in the Beaver County Jail in connection with an incident on Third Street in West Aliquippa Saturday night where an 11 year old girl was provided alcohol. He also provided alcohol to a 16 year old who was also intoxicated.

Colbert was arrested and lodged in the Beaver County Jail, awaiting arraignment on charges simple assault, harassment, furnishing alcohol to minors, and public drunkenness. The 16 year old female will be charged with underage drinking and public drunkenness.

Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published June 24, 2024 12:24 P.M.

(Greene Township, Pa) PA State police seeking info on driver who fled in Greene Township. On Friday evening June 21, 2024 PA State Police responded to the scene Georgetown Road at the intersection of Ford Reed Road where a vehicle , exited the roadway struck a culvert, struck a speed limit sign, coming to its final rest in the middle of the road. The vehicle was towed from the scene. Anyone with information is asked to call PA State Police 724-773-7400.

Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published June 24, 2024 12:22 P.M.

(Aliquippa, Pa) Additional info has been released in an Aliquippa Food mart burglary. Aliquippa Police say 2 white 17 years old males broke into the store at 3 a.m. on June 14th by breaking the glass door. They were said to have stole items before leaving the scene. They returned the next morning, casing the business wearing different clothing, and were caught on the video surveillance cameras. The public is thanked by police for their help identifying them.

(Center Township, Pa) Center Twp. Police Department report that they received reports for two stolen vehicles over the weekend. One vehicle was stolen from the area of Center Grange Road and Temple Road and the second from the area of East Schaffer Road. Police say both vehicles were left unlocked with the keys inside. The Police want to remind residents to remove your keys and secure your vehicles. Anyone with information is asked to contact the department at 724-774-3329.

 AMBRIDGE, June 21 – State Rep. Rob Matzie is encouraging local municipalities, nonprofit groups, libraries and other community organizations statewide to apply to the newly opened Digital Connectivity Technology Program. 

Matzie – who is chairman of the PA House Consumer Protection, Technology and Utilities Committee and a board member of the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority – said the PBDA will be purchasing and distributing $20 million in laptops so communities can make that technology available for residents.

“Everything we’re doing on the broadband authority is focused on one main goal: ensuring folks have quick, reliable, affordable access to the wealth of opportunities available online – from job openings and state programs to telemedicine and shopping,” Matzie said. “We’ve made great progress getting the infrastructure and funding in place for areas that have lacked those high-speed connections, but affording hardware like laptops and computers is still a barrier for some households.

“This program will allow community organizations to obtain laptops and make them available for residents. I’m urging municipalities, libraries, nonprofits – every group eligible – to apply as soon as possible.”

Matzie said eligible applicants include community organizations such as libraries, municipalities, workforce training organizations, nonprofit groups and other anchor institutions located in areas where affordability has been identified as a barrier to broadband adoption.

Applications are being accepted now through August 19. More information about the program is available here: https://www.broadband.pa.gov/pennsylvania-broadband-development-authority-to-open-application-period-for-new-20-million-program-to-provide-laptops-for-libraries-non-profits-community-institutions-across-pennsylvania/.