Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful are inviting 10^th -12^th grade students to help keep Pennsylvania clean and beautiful through the Young Ambassadors of Pennsylvania program.

The program, now in its third year, builds community stewards and civic leaders by empowering young Pennsylvanians to become ambassadors in their community for a shared vision of a clean and beautiful Pennsylvania. Applicants should be passionate about the environment and committed to restoring and protecting Pennsylvania’s ecological landscape through volunteerism and leadership.

Ambassadors will train and network with industry leaders, state agencies, local media and the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful network to prepare them to be be dfference-makers in their communities by builiding their leadership and problem-solving skills.

“Pennsylvania needs leaders. Like many other crises that require long-term change, we’re looking to the youngest of us to help lead environmental sustainability into the future,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “I’m heartened to see the attention and diligence of the next generation of Pennsylvania’s environmental caretakers”

“It has been enlightening to work with students from diverse backgrounds and cultures through our Young Ambassador program. They each bring their own experiences and aspirations that have helped shape the program. We know the students of today hold the key to a sustainable future and we’re excited to work with and guide this new group of Young Ambassadors to implement change in their communities and the Commonwealth. We’re grateful to continue to partner with PennDOT to provide even more opportuntites for students to develop necessary skills for them to succeed,” said Shannon Reiter, President of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful.

Chosen candidates will commit to serve as an Ambassador from September 2024 through May 2025 and represent and uphold the mission and values of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful.

Other responsibilities include:

• attending 6 mandatory virtual education sessions;
• conducting a community assessment and creating a summary presentation;
• organizing and participating in at least one community cleanup event through pick up Pennsylvania and conducting one community education event or activity.

There will also be non-mandatory education sessions from a variety of topics.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful will provide education and training to program participants on such topics related to the impact of litter on roadways, litter prevention, waste management and recycling, civic engagement and related public policy, volunteer management, and social media marketing. The program will provide networking opportunities to not only build a sense of community within the program but also to promote professional development of the individual students. In addition, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful has partnered with Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania funded by the NiSource Charitable Foundation to provide Job Shadow Days to select Ambassadors.

The Young Ambassadors program was recommended in the commonwealth’s Litter Action Plan announced by the Governor’s Office in November 2021 and is funded by PennDOT.

Applications are being accepted April 1 through June 10. Students will be chosen through a competitive application process. Students interested in applying should visit keeppabeautiful.org and choose Programs, Education then Young Ambassadors of Pennsylvania or contact Kylie McCutcheon at 724-836-4121 x114 or kmccutcheon@keeppabeautiful.org.

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing waterline installation work on Beaver Grade Road (Route 3077) in Moon Township, Allegheny County was set to begin overnight.

Single-lane alternating traffic will occur on Beaver Grade Road between Carnot Road and Tiger Trail weeknights from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. through late April. Crews from the Moon Township Municipal Authority will conduct waterline installation work.

Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published April 2, 2024 10:37 A.M.

(Hopewell Township, Pa) Due to maintenance work going on, the Hopewell Township dog park is closed. The closure will remain until the work is complete, according to a road department spokesman. Work includes the removal of tree stumps.

Photo obtained from connectbeavercounty.com

(Beaver County, Pennsylvania) The Connect Beaver County Broadband Program announced that its two Early Action Projects (EAP) are complete, and new broadband service is now available to more than 250 Beaver County homes previously without reliable service.

Municipalities with locations in the new service areas include Hanover Township, now receiving connection through Armstrong, and Darlington Township, South Beaver Township, and Big Beaver Borough, now receiving connection through Kinetic by Windstream.

Keystone State News Service – Danielle Smith

A proposed pumped-storage hydroelectric facility for Cuffs Run near the Susquehanna River in York County has been challenged by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

The foundation filed a motion to intervene in the proceedings with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which is considering granting a preliminary permit to build a 1.8-mile-long dam for the project.

Harry Campbell, science policy and advocacy director for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, said they are working to stop the project in order to protect the unique Cuffs Run area and its ecological benefits for future generations.

“If approved, this project would destroy it about 580 acres of prime farmland, fields and forests, some of which have not been disturbed in about 100 years,” Campbell pointed out. “Those farms, fields and forests exist harmoniously with and in support of a plethora of plant and animal life.”

The foundation is circulating an online petition and encouraged Pennsylvanians to provide comments before Sunday.

The stream is home to naturally reproducing brook trout. Advocates worry the $2.5 billion project would also be harmful to the Susquehanna River. Campbell noted about 40 families would be displaced.

“For those who call Cuffs Run home, it’s more than just a place to live. It’s their heritage and they want it to be part of their legacy,” Campbell asserted. “This project just simply is the wrong idea in the wrong place. In order to honor that heritage and that legacy, we need to preserve this area.”

Campbell emphasized the Cuffs Run project is about 993 acres of land draining into a 2.5-mile unnamed tributary. He added in terms of stream habitat, the rocks, pebbles and woody material have been identified as among the best in the region for supporting critters living in the water.

Harrisburg, PA – As part of its ongoing commitment to safety, the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) conducted its Easter holiday enforcement over the weekend and today released the results of the annual initiative.

From Friday, March 29 to Sunday, March 31, PSP investigated 407 crashes resulting in six fatalities and 90 injuries. Intoxicated driving was a factor in 46 of those crashes, two of which were fatal.

Troopers arrested 358 motorists for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and issued 17,168 traffic citations, including:

• 5,285 for speeding
• 557 for failing to wear a seatbelt
• 90 for not securing children in safety seats

Table 1: Easter 2024 Weekend Crash Data

Source: Pennsylvania State Police, 2024

Table 2: Easter 2024 Weekend Enforcement Data

Source: Pennsylvania State Police, 2024

(New Brighton, Pa) Artist Gadi Leshem will demonstrate his earthenware clay sculpture techniques on April 11, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. at the Merrick Art Gallery, 1100 5th Avenue, New Brighton, Pa.  

Gadi is a sculptor based in Mars, PA, with a deep passion for classical figurative sculpture and portraiture. His work explores the capture of expression, character and emotions through a combination of life studies and imaginative creations. His primary medium of choice is earthenware clay. Gadi is an active member of several local and national artists organizations. His sculptures are on display at different venues in the area.

Along with the demonstration, Members of Beaver Valley Artists are asked to bring their entries for the Annual Members show which will be juried the weekend of April 13.  The show will begin April 23 with a public reception on April 28 at the gallery.  The show will remain on exhibit till May 9 at 7:00 p.m. When the juror, William Kofmehl, will conduct a critique of the works in the show. Kofmehl teaches art at the college level. He has a BFA from Carnegie Mellon University and an MFA from Yale University. He is based in Pittsburgh with a focus on sculpture, and has exhibited his work nationally and internationally.

• Use Pennsylvania 811 by calling 811 or 1-800-242-1776 (for out of state callers) at least three (3) business days before the planned start of digging;
• Peoples and other utility companies serving your home will be notified, and send locators out to mark the location of any underground lines;
• During the project, respect the markings and excavate with due care; and
• In the event of any damage to pipelines, line markers, locator wires or warning tape, promptly notify the appropriate utility.

Distracted driving continues to be a danger to everyone on U.S. roads. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that more than 30,000 motorists died in distracted-driving crashes between 2012 and 2021. In 2021 alone, more than 360,000 people were injured in distracted driving crashes. AAA East Central reminds motorists that no life is worth losing to distraction and encourages everyone to remain focused on the road ahead to save lives.

“Distracted driving has become one of the most dangerous risks on the nation’s roads, endangering not only the distracted motorist, but also passengers, pedestrians and other motorists,” said Theresa Podguski, director of legislative affairs, AAA East Central. “Any distraction, whether it’s texting or talking to a passenger, takes a motorist’s attention away from the road and can have deadly consequences.”

Don’t Drive Intoxicated. Don’t Drive Intexticated. is AAA East Central’s ongoing initiative to end distracted driving. The campaign reminds motorists that the consequences of alcohol-impaired driving and distracted driving can be equally as devastating. While many may think distractions are limited to cell phones, they also include eating, changing music, adjusting the navigation, talking to other passengers and other distractions that take attention away from driving.

Many motorists are guilty of a “double standard” when it comes to distracted driving. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety’s 2022 Traffic Safety Culture Index found that while 93% of motorists believed it was very or extremely dangerous to text or email while driving, nearly four out of 10 drivers admitted to doing so within the previous 30 days.

To avoid distractions while driving, AAA East Central recommends that motorists:

• Put aside electronic devices. Put smartphones away, turn them to airplane mode or activate “do not disturb” call/text blocking features.
• Prepare for the drive. Set vehicle systems like GPS, seats, mirrors, climate controls and sound systems before hitting the road.
• Groom before leaving the house. Don’t use time behind the wheel to fix hair or makeup. This can be a deadly decision.
• Stay focused. Be sure to actively scan the road, use mirrors and watch for pedestrians and cyclists.
• Secure items. Properly secure items, children and pets that can move around the vehicle and become a distraction.
• Be mindful of passengers. If there are passengers in the vehicle, enlist their help as a “designated texter.” Ask them to answer calls, respond to texts and program the navigation.
• Be a good passenger. Offer to assist the driver, and don’t distract them.

Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published April 1, 2024 11:25 A.M.

(Hopewell Township, Pa) A Hopewell township Road closure has been announced. Beginning, Monday, April 15, 2024 Laird Drive will be closed from the park entrance to Kane Road. Culvert repairs and much needed improvements on the roadway will take place, according to a press release issued by the road department. The closure is to be in effect until the beginning of June.
The township park will remain open and is accessible from Brodhead Road.