Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published June 26, 2024 11:12 A.M.
(Aliquippa, Pa) Firefighters responded to a fire at an abandoned building on Erie Avenue in West Aliquippa at 4 a.m. The building is owned by the city, according to the report and was destroyed by the blaze. Firefighters remained on scene for 45 minutes and were assisted by Ambridge, Center Township, and Crescent Township.
Danyelle Blackwell, Councilwoman, Upper Darby Township, District 4 PA goes for a test drive in an EV during EOPA’s United for Health and Energy Security Tour, (Lauren Urbiztondo)
Danielle Smith – Keystone State News Service
Pittsburgh is one stop on a nationwide summer tour to raise awareness about electric vehicles and clean energy.
The group Elected Officials to Protect America said in 2022, electric vehicle registrations increased by about 82% from the previous year.
Jake Pawlak, deputy mayor and director of the Office of Management and Budget for the City of Pittsburgh, said the city will invest $15 million in EVs for its fleet this year with federal help. He added Pittsburgh is working with organizations on a new program to help low-income residents cut energy costs with more electric appliances, weatherization and solar installation.
“Our goal is to have significantly reduced the energy burden for 100 City of Pittsburgh residents by the end of this year,” Pawlak explained. “And in the next six years, do so for 10,000 residents across the southwestern Pennsylvania region.”
Pittsburgh’s goal of reducing emissions by 50% by 2030 is the same target President Joe Biden set for the country. Pawlak notes Pittsburgh is leveraging its designation as a federal workforce hub, working with businesses, unions and government to create training programs for clean energy jobs.
Khari Mosley, a Pittsburgh city council member, said Pennsylvania’s transition to clean energy is an opportunity to revitalize the city and become a leader in a new, sustainable economy. He added it includes improving infrastructure to withstand extreme weather and affect the economy and environment.
“Pittsburgh can truly be a leader for the country,” Mosley contended. “As we invest in these new technologies that not only are going to create economic prosperity, but again, make our cities more resilient as we fight climate change and ensure that this next generation of Americans will truly be the environmental stewards that set our country on the right path.”
Brittany Prischak, deputy director of sustainability for Allegheny County, said the county has invested in electric vehicles since 2020. She added Pennsylvania is also deploying infrastructure for charging stations, which is now standard on all new construction projects and renovations.
“We’ve had great partnerships — Duquesne Light Company and West Penn Power — that operate within Allegheny County,” Prischak emphasized. “They’ve assisted us in infrastructure or electric upgrades to our facilities so that we can put in charging stations, make sure our vehicles can make it to their destinations.”
Pennsylvania has seen a significant increase in EV purchases. As of December, there were more than 47,000 electric vehicles registered in the state.
[June 24, 2024] — As the busy Fourth of July holiday week gets closer, the American Red Cross asks donors to be a powerful force for good by giving blood or platelets now and in the weeks to come. You can be the difference between someone’s storm and their sunshine. Donors are critically needed right now after a sharp decrease in donations since late spring. All blood types are needed, especially donors giving type O blood and those giving platelets.
Full summer calendars and holiday plans may prevent regular donors from being able to give. Additionally, significant summer weather threats such as hurricanes, flooding and tornadoes can result in travel hazards and blood drive cancellations that could impact the blood supply. Help keep lifesaving blood products stocked on hospital shelves and book a time to give blood or platelets by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App.
The Red Cross has teamed up with Universal Pictures for the theatrical release of TWISTERS to help avoid a summer blood shortage. All who come to give blood or platelets July 1-31 will get a Fandango Movie Ticket* by email. Plus, those who come to give July 1-14 will also receive a one-of-a-kind TWISTERS and Red Cross umbrella, while supplies last. BONUS: Those who come to give blood in July will also automatically be entered for a chance to win a 2025 Ram 1500 Big Horn®. See RedCrossBlood.org/Twisters for full details.
Swarms of tornadoes and extreme flooding in recent months have tragically taken lives and destroyed entire communities. Most recently, millions of people have endured one of the longest lasting and strongest heat waves in years, including large portions of the Midwest. Unfortunately, in states like Arkansas, Ohio and Nebraska, many communities are still picking up the pieces and recovering from the second most active tornado season on record, according to the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center.
“The Red Cross is grateful to have partners like Universal Pictures who are not only lending this support to encourage blood donations during this critical time of year but have also generously donated to help support disaster relief,” said Jennifer Pipa, vice president of Disaster Programs for the Red Cross. “Because of the climate crisis, the Red Cross is now launching twice as many relief operations for major disasters than we did a decade ago. And disasters are not only straining our relief operations but also our ability to collect lifesaving blood donations. So far this year we have collected 20,000 fewer blood donations due to severe weather.”
In just the first five months of the year, the Red Cross has responded to 20 tornado related disasters across 13 states. Unfortunately, meteorologists expect more powerful and destructive storms to continue in the months to come as the effects of the climate crisis continue. This year’s outlook is part of a years-long trend of more frequent and intense climate disasters, such as hurricanes, wildfires, severe storms and floods.
Dare to be a force of nature this summer. Give blood or make a financial donation to the Red Cross by visiting RedCross.org.
How to donate blood
Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.
Monaca, PA – Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) welcomes new Women’s Head Volleyball Coach George Bellinger to the campus community, reinvigorating the Titans volleyball program.
“We are extremely excited to have George lead our volleyball program. His extensive experience and local connections will be pivotal to our volleyball team taking the next steps forward,” said Tyler Care, director of student life and athletic administration.
Coach Bellinger is excited to start the next season of CCBC volleyball. He has over 30 years of coaching experience at the high school level for both boys and girls including tenures at West Allegheny, Hopewell, Blackhawk, Monaca, Ambridge, Western Beaver, and Freedom. He has also served as a USA Volleyball club director and coach for 25 years and is the current director of Club Hollywood Pennsylvania. George is also a certified USA Volleyball official. When not on the volleyball court, he works full-time as a high school counselor at Aliquippa Jr./Sr. High School.
“George’s experience and involvement in the community will be invaluable when recruiting and retaining athletes,” said Brittney Golden, dean of students. “He makes a difference in students’ lives both on and off the court.”
The Titans volleyball team is expected to start practice in August with the first home tri-match of the 2024-25 season scheduled for Saturday, September 21 at the Dome.
FILE – Surgeon General Vivek Murthy speaks during an Archewell Foundation panel discussion in New York City, Oct. 10, 2023. On Tuesday, June 25, 2024, Murthy, the nation’s top doctor, declared gun violence a public health crisis, driven by a growing number of injuries and deaths involving firearms in the country. The advisory came as the U.S. grappled with another weekend marked by mass shootings that left dozens of people dead or wounded. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. surgeon general on Tuesday declared gun violence a public health crisis, driven by the fast-growing number of injuries and deaths involving firearms in the country.
The advisory issued by Dr. Vivek Murthy, the nation’s top doctor, came as the U.S. grappled with another summer weekend marked by mass shootings that left dozens of people dead or wounded.
“People want to be able to walk through their neighborhoods and be safe,” Murthy told The Associated Press in a phone interview. “America should be a place where all of us can go to school, go to work, go to the supermarket, go to our house of worship, without having to worry that that’s going to put our life at risk.”
To drive down gun deaths, Murthy calls on the U.S. to ban automatic rifles, introduce universal background checks for purchasing guns, regulate the industry, pass laws that would restrict their use in public spaces and penalize people who fail to safely store their weapons.
None of those suggestions can be implemented nationwide without legislation passed by Congress, which typically recoils at gun control measures. Some state legislatures, however, have enacted or may consider some of the surgeon general’s proposals.
Separately on Tuesday, the White House reported that more than 500 people, including some linked to transnational cartels and organized crime rings, have been charged with gun trafficking and other crimes under the landmark gun safety legislation President Joe Biden signed two years ago.
The report obtained by The Associated Press on the implementation of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act also said that enhanced background checks under the new law have stopped roughly 800 sales of firearms to people under age 21 who would be prohibited from buying them.
The bill was a signature achievement for the Democratic president, and the particulars on how it has been implemented come as he seeks reelection in November. But Biden is also quick to say the law didn’t go far enough, as he continues to push for stricter background checks and has called for a ban on assault rifles.
Surgeon General Murthy said there is “broad agreement” that gun violence is a problem, citing a poll last year that found most Americans worry at least sometimes that a loved one might be injured by a firearm. More than 48,000 Americans died from gun injuries in 2022.
However, his advisory promises to be controversial and will certainly incense Republican lawmakers, most of whom opposed Murthy’s confirmation — twice — to the job over his statements on gun violence.
Murthy has published warnings about troubling health trends in American life, including loneliness and social media use. In an opinion piece in The New York Times earlier this month, he said social media has contributed to the mental health crisis among the country’s young people and asked Congress to require warning labels on social media platforms similar to those on cigarette boxes.
He’s stayed away from issuing a similar advisory about gun violence since his 2014 confirmation as surgeon general was stalled and nearly derailed by the firearm lobby and Republicans who opposed his past statements about firearms.
Murthy ended up promising the Senate that he did “not intend to use my office as surgeon general as a bully pulpit on gun control.”
Then-President Donald Trump dismissed Murthy in 2017, but Biden nominated him again to the position in 2021. At his second confirmation hearing, he told senators that declaring guns a public health crisis would not be his focus during a new term.
But he has faced mounting pressure from some doctors and Democratic advocacy groups to speak out more. A group of four former surgeon generals asked the Biden administration to produce a report on the problem in 2022.
“It is now time for us to take this issue out of the realm of politics and put it in the realm of public health, the way we did with smoking more than a half century ago,” Murthy told the AP.
A 1964 report from the surgeon general that raised awareness about the dangers of smoking is largely credited with snubbing out tobacco use and precipitating regulations on the industry.
Children and younger Americans, in particular, are suffering from gun violence, Murthy notes in his advisory called “Firearm Violence: A Public Health Crisis in America.” Suicide by gun rates have increased significantly in recent years for Americans under the age of 35. Children in the U.S. are far more likely to die from gun wounds than children in other countries, the research he gathered shows.
In addition to new regulations, Murthy calls for an increase on gun violence research and for the health system — which is likely to be more amenable to his advisory — to promote gun safety education during doctor visits.
FILE – A black plume rises over East Palestine, Ohio, as a result of a controlled detonation of a portion of the derailed Norfolk Southern trains, Feb. 6, 2023. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (AP) — Norfolk Southern and its contractors botched the decision to blow open five vinyl chloride tank cars after last year’s disastrous derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, and trackside detectors that might have prevented the crash failed to accurately detect the temperature of a burning wheel bearing 20 miles (32.19 kilometers) beforehand, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
Area residents, rail industry representatives and local and state officials packed East Palestine High School’s auditorium Tuesday to hear the NTSB’s investigation findings and recommendations to prevent similar disasters.
“On behalf of the entire agency I want to recognize the significant impact this derailment has had,” NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said at the beginning of the hearing. She added that while some have tried to minimize the wide-reaching effects of the crash because there were no deaths, “the absence of fatality or injury doesn’t mean the presence of safety.”
Dozens of freight cars derailed Feb. 3, 2023, on the outskirts of East Palestine near the Pennsylvania border, including 11 carrying hazardous materials. Some residents were evacuated that night but then days later more had to leave their homes amid fears of an imminent explosion. Despite potential health effects, officials intentionally released and burned toxic vinyl chloride from five railcars three days after the crash, sending flames and smoke into the air.
The NTSB had said early on that an overheated bearing on one of the railcars that was not caught in time by trackside sensors had likely caused the crash. Investigative hearings since then also highlighted other possible contributors including widespread rail job cuts and rushed inspections. Investigators also delved into why officials chose to deliberately blow open the vinyl chloride cars and burn what is a key ingredient for making PVC pipes.
After confirming on Tuesday the trackside detector failure, NTSB investigators also said that Norfolk Southern and its contractors compromised the integrity of the vent-and-burn decision by withholding accurate information from OxyVinyls, the company that made the vinyl chloride. They added that Norfolk Southern contractors repeatedly recommended blowing open the tank cars and burning the contents despite available evidence that the tank cars were cooling after the crash.
“Norfolk Southern and its contractors continued to assert the necessity of a vent-and-burn, even though available evidence should have led them to re-evaluate their initial conclusion,” investigator Paul Stancil said.
The railroad defended the decision again Tuesday and said it was based on more than just temperature readings. Officials also had concerns about the way the pressure relief devices malfunctioned on the tank cars. Plus, Norfolk Southern said nothing kept OxyVinyls from joining the discussion in the command center and sharing its opinion that the tank cars wouldn’t explode.
Earlier this year, Homendy told Congress that the agency’s investigation had determined that the controversial operation that prompted evacuations wasn’t necessary. OxyVinyls experts testified at earlier NTSB hearings they were certain a feared chemical reaction that could have caused those tank cars to explode wasn’t happening.
But Ohio’s governor, first responders and the hazardous materials experts who made that decision have said the information they had that day made them believe an explosion was likely imminent, making the burn the best option despite the risks of unleashing cancer-causing dioxins in the area.
OxyVinyls has declined to comment publicly beyond what its experts testified to last spring, and the company didn’t immediately respond Tuesday.
NTSB staff said Tuesday that no federal standards currently exist for how railroads should respond to bearing failure alarms and they recommended that the Federal Railroad Administration establish rules governing railroad responses to such alarms. They also recommended that new guidance be developed for deciding when first responders use the vent-and-burn tactic that was deployed last year and that federal standards should be developed for trackside detectors.
At the time of the East Palestine derailment, only one person in Atlanta was monitoring alerts from all the detectors across Norfolk Southern and doing so from home. That person didn’t see the Salem alert about the elevated temperature of the bearing, but under the railroad’s rules, no action would have been taken because there was only one elevated reading.
Homendy said the analyst that night said he did not get formal lunch or bathroom breaks, but numerous times would run to get his lunch and quickly return to monitoring. She said that’s “certainly not a way to run a railroad.”
Norfolk Southern has since put two people on duty and is trying for three, NTSB investigators said.
The company also announced last week that it will lead an industrywide examination of how to improve the way vent-and-burn decisions are made in future derailments. That was part of its settlement with the federal government.
Though NTSB recommendations aren’t binding, Congress may be willing to enforce some of them because of the crash’s spotlight on rail safety.
More than a year ago, a bipartisan group of lawmakers led by Ohio’s two senators proposed a package of reforms including requiring two-person crews and setting standards for the inspections and detectors that help prevent derailments. The bill ultimately stalled in the U.S. Senate under resistance from Republicans and the railroads. GOP House leaders have said they didn’t want to consider new rail safety regulations until after the final NTSB report was released.
With limited success, federal regulators also pushed for the railroads to make changes like signing onto an anonymous government hotline to report safety concerns. The industry responded to the crash by promising to install more trackside detectors, review the way they are used and help first responders improve their handling of derailments with more training and better access to information about the cargo.
Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw pledged to “make things right” in East Palestine with more than $100 million in aid to residents and the community. Shaw also hired a consultant from the nuclear power industry to recommend changes and tried to work with labor. Still, critics said Norfolk Southern was too often satisfied in the past with doing only the minimum required for safety and workers reported no big changes in day-to-day operations.
After the derailment, all the major freight railroads pledged work to improve safety by adding hundreds more trackside sensors to help spot problems like overheating bearings and by re-evaluating how they analyze the data from those detectors. The Association of American Railroads trade group said the industry will review the NTSB report and look for additional ways to improve safety. But so far the industry’s efforts haven’t resulted in a significant boost in its safety record in the FRA statistics.
The NTSB has also looked at the struggles of first responders who didn’t immediately know exactly what was on the train after 38 cars jumped off the tracks, many spilling their contents and catching fire. Investigators said Tuesday that firefighters didn’t learn what was on the train for roughly an hour and didn’t order an evacuation or tell their firefighters to pull back to a safe distance until about two hours after the derailment.
Federal officials finalized a new rule Monday that will require railroads to inform first responders about what is on a train immediately after a derailment. The industry says more than two million first responders now have immediate access to that information via an AskRail app that allows them to look up any train’s cargo.
____
Funk contributed to this story from Omaha, Nebraska, and Krisher from Detroit.
Gas prices are two cents lower in Western Pennsylvania this week at $3.778 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.
This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average $3.778
Average price during the week of June 17, 2024 $3.796
Average price during the week of June 26, 2023 $3.642
The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline in various areas:
$3.645 Altoona
$3.877 Beaver
$3.893 Bradford
$3.699 Brookville
$3.722 Butler
$3.719 Clarion
$3.726 DuBois
$3.752 Erie
$3.683 Greensburg
$3.698 Indiana
$3.811 Jeannette
$3.830 Kittanning
$3.867 Latrobe
$3.791 Meadville
$3.926 Mercer
$3.703 New Castle
$3.663 New Kensington
$3.866 Oil City
$3.779 Pittsburgh
$3.704 Sharon
$3.844 Uniontown
$3.899 Warren
$3.791 Washington
Trend Analysis:
The national average for a gallon of gasoline has remained steady over the past week at $3.44. Demand has been slowly building but is still behind 2023 levels. This, coupled with increasing supplies, has helped to stabilize pump prices. Today’s national average is 16 cents lower than a month ago and 13 cents less than a year ago.
At the close of Thursday’s formal trading session, West Texas Intermediate rose by 60 cents to settle at $82.17 a barrel. The EIA reports that crude oil inventories decreased by 2.5 million barrels from the previous week. Lower crude inventories and geopolitical tensions around the globe are contributing to higher crude prices.
Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing bridge washing activities on the Shippingport Bridge (Route 168) in Shippingport and Industry boroughs, Beaver County, will begin Wednesday, June 26 weather permitting.
Single-lane alternating traffic will occur on the Shippingport Bridge which carries Route 168 over the Ohio River, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Tuesday, July 2. Crews from Green Acres Contracting will conduct the washing operation.
Motorists should be prepared for changing traffic patterns. Please use caution when driving through the area. Work zone safety is everyone’s responsibility.
Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published June 25, 2024 1:57 P.M.
(Hopewell Township, Pa) The township commissioners approved the hiring of Logan Cantwell and Payne Nairn at Monday night’s regular meeting. The new full time officers were sworn in by District Justice Felicia Santillan. They will earn entry level pay and benefits in accordance with the police department’s collective bargaining agreement contingent upon them completing pre-employment requirements. Cantwell said he is honored to work in the Hopewell Police Department. Payne stated he appreciates the opportunity to work for you, “We won’t let you down.”
Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing daylight bridge washing activities on I-376 and Route 18 in Beaver County will occur Monday through Thursday, June 24-27 weather permitting.
Bridge washing operations requiring traffic shifts and lane restrictions will occur from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day in the following locations:
Crews from Green Acres Contracting will conduct the bridge washing.
Motorists should allow extra time if traveling in the area.