HARRISBURG – Sen. Elder Vogel, Jr. (R-47) announced $1.3 million will be awarded to several Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) applicants in Beaver and Lawrence County.

“These organizations dedicate their time and resources toward helping those who have fallen on hard times and struggle to find a place to call home,” said Vogel. “I am pleased to see that they will benefit from this funding which will further their ability to help our neighbors in need.”

Beaver County

The Cornerstone of Beaver County (TCBC) received $200,000 for the TCBC Men’s Shelter Operations.

Jubilee Housing received $260,000 for their Impact: 2^nd Street Project.

The Salvation Army received $75,000 for the Beaver County Housing Assistance Project which aims to assist Beaver County households in obtaining and maintaining permanent housing including those currently involved in ESG, RRH, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing programs. Funding will also be used to assist with engaging landlords in the effort to address the lack of affordable housing options.

The Invision Foundation received $50,000 for their See Beyond Disabilities Beaver County Home Rehabilitations Project which will go towards home remediation support for two people in their Residential Program.

The County received $50,000 for their Home Modification Program which assists households with mobility and/or safety challenges.

Lawrence County

Lawrence County Department of Planning and Community Development received $400,000 for the Lawrence County Blight Removal Program.

Redevelopment Authority of Lawrence County received $200,000 for their Blight Removal Program.

Beaver/Lawrence County

Housing Opportunities of Beaver County received $80,000 for their Enhancing Housing Opportunities for All proposal which would aims to bolster sustainable homeownership and housing stability for individuals of all backgrounds.

The funding for this round of PHARE applications came from the Marcellus Shale Impact Fees and Realty Transfer Taxes.

​Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing overnight joint sealing operations on I-376 (Beaver Valley Expressway) in Chippewa, Brighton, Vanport, Potter, Center, and Hopewell townships, Beaver County, will begin Monday, June 17 weather permitting.

Starting Monday, rolling single-lane closures on I-376 will occur in each direction between the Chippewa (Exit 31) and Hopewell (Exit 48) interchanges nightly from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. through late November. Crews will conduct joint sealing operations.

Monaca, PA – The Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) hosted its commencement on May 2, adding 173 graduates to the area’s workforce. It joined the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges (PACCC) today in celebrating its graduates as part of the 7,530 students who graduated from one of the state’s 15 community colleges.

“Now we watch with enormous amounts of Titan Pride to see who [our students] will become, what they will do, and how they will choose to go for the gold,” said CCBC president, Roger W. Daivs during the 55^th annual commencement ceremony.

Based on current census and population data, it is estimated Pennsylvania’s projected skilled worker shortage could reach 820,000 in the coming years. To meet the state’s workforce needs and support continued economic growth, more workers will be required with appropriate credentials and training tailored to regional employer needs – an area in which community colleges excel.

Community college graduates continue to fill workforce needs in their communities with the vast majority receiving degrees in high priority occupation areas including the health sciences, early childhood education, teacher training, the trades, manufacturing, and information technology/computer science. At CCBC, those top five areas included nursing, radiologic technology, health sciences, business management, and air traffic control.

“At CCBC, we are committed to helping students achieve success on career pathways that enable our graduates to finish stronger than they started, find support along the way, and ultimately bolster the region’s workforce post-graduation,” stated CCBC provost Shelly Moore.

The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania conducted a survey of 70 of its hospitals in November of 2023 and found that one-third of registered nurse positions were vacant. The need is in sharp contrast to levels before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Health sciences led the list of degrees granted this May at community colleges statewide. CCBC was a vital part of that effort with 59 nursing graduates, 18 radiologic technology graduates, and 12 students earning an associate degree in health sciences. The list of graduates included husband and wife nurses.

Pennsylvania’s 15 community colleges have over 245,000 students enrolled on their 80 campuses, providing real savings to students and families as they pursue additional credentials. On average, students save $30,000 on their education by starting at, or selecting, a community college for their degree or certificate. Those same 15 colleges partner with 2,170 employers for workforce training ensuring that students have the most up-to-date knowledge, and providing pathways to careers for them as well.

At CCBC, that included graduate Carter Denelle who earned his associate’s degree in professional pilot who had the unique honor of graduating from college before he graduated from high school. He combined college in high school with the aviation academy and additional dual enrollment courses to soar to success. He graduated from Beaver High School this month.

Community colleges are the state’s largest provider of public postsecondary education and workforce training and offer the lowest public postsecondary tuition in Pennsylvania. Additionally, 75 percent (75%) of the community colleges’ programs align with High Priority Occupations in fields such as healthcare, manufacturing and public safety. They award over 4,000 healthcare credentials annually on average, including 75 percent of all associate degrees in nursing in the state. It is estimated that about 55 percent of undergraduate students who are enrolled in a Pennsylvania college are enrolled at one of the 15 community colleges in the state.

AMBRIDGE, June 14 – New funding of $205,000 from the Pennsylvania Housing and Finance Agency will bring safer, more stable housing for residents in the 16^th Legislative District, state Rep. Rob Matzie announced today.

Matzie said the funding includes three separate grants awarded under the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement fund.

“Safe, affordable housing means a more secure life, greater access to community services and a better chance at finding a good job,” Matzie said. “Today’s funding is going to help ensure more folks in our district have those opportunities to put down roots and stay rooted in our community.

“The funds are also going to help residents with mobility issues get home modifications and repairs they need to stay safe.”

Matzie said the funding includes:

• $80,000 to Housing Opportunities of Beaver County for grants, workshops and counseling tools that promote housing stability and sustainable homeownership. (For Beaver and Lawrence counties.)
• $75,000 to The Salvation Army to help more residents obtain and maintain permanent housing and to address the lack of affordable housing options.
• $50,000 to Beaver County for a program to provide home modifications for households with mobility and/or safety challenges.

• Ensure that cell phones and other necessary electronics are fully charged.
• Drink plenty of water and have ice handy to use for cooling packs.
• Keep supplies in an emergency preparedness kit, including water bottles, non-perishable food, first-aid supplies, flashlights and a battery-powered radio.
• Avoid opening refrigerator and freezer doors. Food will stay frozen in a fully loaded freezer for 36-48 hours if the door remains closed.
• Seek a location with air conditioning when possible. Starting Monday, June 17, the city of Pittsburgh will activate cooling centers throughout the area. Reach out to your local municipality for up-to-date information on these centers.

Story by Sandy Giordano – Published June 14, 2024 2:10 P.M.

(Aliquippa, Pa) On Thursday night, Dr. Phillip K. Woods  announced that the clubhouse will  open at the high school for the 2024-25 school year. Dr. Woods reported to Beaver County Radio that this exciting development is a collaborative effort  with the Greater Aliquippa Advisory Committee and aims to provide a safe, supportive, and enriching environment for the youth of the Aliquippa community.

Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published June 14, 2024 2:09 P.M.

(Monaca, Pa) Borough Manager Dave Kramer issued a press release concerning a boil water advisory for the entire borough until further notice. The notice was sent out because there was an outage at one of the water authority’s pump stations. The borough is continually monitoring water quality  to ensure they continue  to meet the safe drinking water standards.

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing daylight bridge washing activities in Beaver County will occur Monday through Thursday, June 17-20 weather permitting.

Bridge washing operations requiring single-lane restrictions will occur in the following locations:

• The Koppel Bridge which carries Route 351 over the Beaver River in Koppel Borough and North Sewickley Township. Restrictions will occur from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
• The Eastvale Bridge which carries Route 588 over the Beaver River in the City of Beaver Falls and Eastvale Borough. Restrictions will occur from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day.
• The 7th Avenue Bridge which carries Route 18 over the Beaver River in the City of Beaver Falls and New Brighton Borough. Restrictions will occur form 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.

Motorists should allow extra time if using the bridges.

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., is seen at the Senate Subway on Capitol Hill Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Police say Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman was seen driving at a “high rate of speed” just before he rear-ended another car on Interstate 70 in Maryland. A state police report said Fetterman was at fault in Sunday morning’s crash. Police say both cars were towed and Fetterman, his wife Gisele and the motorist he hit were all hospitalized for minor injuries. Fetterman’s office has acknowledged the accident, saying he was treated for a bruised shoulder and discharged within hours. Court records show that Fetterman pleaded guilty earlier this year in Pennsylvania to a citation for exceeding the speed limit by 34 mph.

Danielle Smith – Keystone State News Service 

A proposed waiver would eliminate Medicaid issues by ensuring uninterrupted coverage for qualified children until they turn 6.

If approved by the federal government, the Section 1115 waiver would leverage Medicaid funding for various social programs, helping to insure about 145,000 Pennsylvania children without health insurance.

Patrick Keenan, policy director for the Pennsylvania Health Access Network, said the waiver is a request from Pennsylvania to change specific rules and includes four main options.

“One is ensure that kids have eligibility that doesn’t get interrupted because of paperwork, errors or other kinds of things,” Keenan outlined. “Second is increased kind of access to healthy foods for folks that have certain medical conditions where food can really be the best medicine.”

Keenan noted option three helps people find and keep stable housing that fits their health needs, and the last step helps people coming out of incarceration get connected to Medicaid immediately. The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services applied for the waiver in January, and it is expected to be approved in the fall.

Keenan pointed out paperwork errors or missed documents have resulted in children being disconnected from coverage during the pandemic. He argued it is essential for children to have continuous coverage to avoid issues when needing to see a doctor.

“Kids receiving Medicaid, that can often mean that they lose their Medicaid coverage, and they don’t get the immunizations, they don’t get the well visits that they need,” Keenan explained. “Then the worst instances they break an arm or have some kind of other accident that requires emergency attention and don’t have health coverage when they need it the most.”

Keenan added his statewide organization assists about 10,000 Pennsylvanians annually with health insurance questions, medical bills, finding doctors and enrollment in Medicaid, CHIP and Pennie, the state insurance marketplace.