Dr. Stephanie Laggini Fiore, Associate Vice Provost and Sr. Director of the Center for the Advancement of Teaching, hosts a faculty teaching circle on artificial intelligence on Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023, at Temple University in Philadelphia. Educators say they want to embrace the technology’s potential to teach and learn in new ways, but when it comes to assessing students, they see a need to “ChatGPT-proof” test questions and assignments. (AP Photo/Joe Lamberti)

ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence chatbots have become the go-to source for cheating in college. Now, educators are rethinking how they’ll teach courses this fall from Writing 101 to computer science. Educators say they want to embrace the technology’s potential to teach and learn in new ways, but when it comes to assessing students, they see a need to “ChatGPT-proof” test questions and assignments. For some instructors that means a return to paper exams, after years of digital-only tests. Some professors will be requiring students to show editing history and drafts to prove their thought process.

Cumberland County, PA – Today, Governor Josh Shapiro visited the West Shore Senior Center in New Cumberland to ceremonially sign HB1100, which expands the Property Tax/Rent Rebate (PTRR) program to nearly 175,000 more Pennsylvania seniors and doubles rebates for many of the 400,000 Pennsylvanians who already qualify. Last week, Governor Shapiro signed the expansion into law, delivering the largest targeted tax break in nearly two decades for Pennsylvania seniors.

 

Governor Shapiro proposed the expansion of the PTRR program during his campaign and in his first budget address to provide support for Pennsylvania renters and homeowners who need it most – and he visited the West Shore Senior Center in May to share the details of his proposal. Today’s return to the West Shore Senior Center highlighted that more than 2,300 Cumberland County residents will be eligible for the PTRR program as a result of the expansion.

 

“While I was campaigning, I heard from seniors all across the Commonwealth that they needed more support to keep up rising costs of living. I made a promise to them during my campaign and in my budget address that my Administration would be there for them – and we delivered with the largest targeted tax cut for our seniors in two decades,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “Starting next year, for applications filed beginning January 1^st, we will put more money in older adults’ pockets. This expansion provides a much-needed update to PTRR and 173,000 more Pennsylvanians will qualify – including more than 2,000 seniors in Cumberland County alone.”

 

Providing a lifeline for Pennsylvania renters and homeowners who need it most and helping seniors across the Commonwealth stay in their homes is a priority of the Shapiro-Davis Administration – and the PTRR expansion passed the House and Senate with near-unanimous bipartisan support to increase income limits, provide larger rebates for those who qualify, and include a cost-of-living adjustment so the program keeps up with rising prices.

 

“Pennsylvania seniors deserve relief from the rising costs of inflation as grocery and heating bills continue to go up. They deserve to live in dignity, and they deserve a government that delivers real results for them and their families. That’s exactly what we’ve done with the Property Tax/Rent Rebate expansion,” said Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis. “This bill passed with bipartisan support in the House and the Senate. It’s truly an example of what happens when leaders come together to get things done here in the Commonwealth – and there’s more to come. We’ve got our first budget done, and we’re continuing to work on commonsense solutions to the most pressing problems that our Commonwealth faces.”

 

An estimated additional 2,300 Cumberland County residents are now eligible for under the expanded Property Tax/Rent Rebate program. In 2021, 5,972 residents in the county received rebates.

 

“I’m hopeful in the fact that we are seeing bipartisan legislation – and I see it in the House, I see it in the Senate, and, of course, in the Governor’s office. This is a man who understands politics is the art of compromise, and he has a way of communicating with people,” said West Shore Senior Center member Diane Salerno. “He doesn’t simply hear you – he listens. It’s been a long time since I’ve been this inspired and hopeful for Pennsylvania.”

 

East Palestine Train Derailment (Curtis Walsh)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Regulators say Norfolk Southern has made improvements since a fiery Ohio derailment but still falls well short of being the “gold standard for safety” it is striving to be. Instead, the railroad is too often only willing to meet minimum safety requirements. The Federal Railroad Administration released a report on the railroad’s safety culture Wednesday. The agency has been working on the report for months in the wake of the Ohio derailment. The report also says poor communication and mistrust between employees and managers are hindering efforts to improve safety. The railroad’s CEO says the report will help Norfolk Southern make more progress.

NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A single lottery ticket sold in Florida has won a $1.58 billion Mega Millions jackpot. The Florida Lottery says a Publix grocery store in Neptune Beach sold the ticket. No one had won the Mega Millions jackpot since April 18, enabling the prize to grow to the third-largest in U.S. history. The $1.58 billion payout is for a sole winner who opts for an annuity doled out over 30 years, although most winners usually prefer a lump sum option. For Tuesday’s jackpot, the lump sum was an estimated $783.3 million. The prize is nearly identical in size to the second-largest jackpot of $1.586 billion in 2016.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania state police say five people died when a recreational vehicle blew a tire on an interstate highway, crossed the median and collided head-on with a tractor-trailer. The crash occurred Wednesday on northbound Interstate 81 near Chambersburg. The RV was heading south and towing a trailer. It crossed a grassy median after the tire blew and struck the truck. Four people in the RV and the truck driver were all pronounced dead at the scene. The victims in the RV were from Middletown, Pennsylvania. The truck driver was from Martinsburg, West Virginia. No other injuries were reported.

Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio. Published August 10, 2023 8:30 am. The photo above shows Nick Ziegler (left) with his band, The Forty Nineteens.

(Beaver County, PA) The Beaver Valley Musicians Hall of Fame has announced an induction banquet that will honor inductees for 2020 through 2023. The ceremony is set to take place October 6th at Center Stage. The list of inductees for 2020 consists of Pamela Cooney Coladonato, Randall Estelle, Sandy Reigel and Paul Thiessen. The 2021 class is Fred Campbell, Mickey Cherico and Raymond DeLisio. For 2022 the list is Michael Dingfelder, Billy Evanochko, Todd Goodman and Elbie Yaworsky. The class of 2023 includes just one inductee, Nick Zeigler.

Beaver County Radio had the opportunity to speak with a couple of the new hall of fame members about what it means to them.

Michael “Mickey” Cherico, of the pop rocking funk and soul infused Cosonova & the Divas has proven to be a guitarist and vocalist that doesn’t lock himself in a single genre. Whether Cherico is riffing out a soaring guitar lead for Prince’s “Purple Rain”, encouraging crowd participation during “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson, it’s no surprise he has landed his way into being a Hall of Fame entertainer.

Cherico says “It’s such a great honor to be inducted into the Beaver Valley Musicians Hall of Fame, and to join some of my local musical idols that I’ve admired growing up as a young musician in the area! I just hope I can pass on that love of music to the next generation of talented musicians in the same way I was Inspired.”

Nick Zeigler, who is a Monaca native, spends his time these days living in California as the drummer of The Forty Nineteens. The Forty Nineteens, who stay busy performing and releasing new music, produce a sound that incorporates everything you know and love about rock n’ roll. Big guitars, powerful vocals, soulful bass, and tight dynamic drumming by Zeigler creates a multi generational California sound that resonates all the way back to Pennsylvania.

“When I moved to California to pursue a career in music, I didn’t know a soul out here.”, says Zeigler. “The thing that kept me going was the encouragement from mom and dad, and teachers like Jim Blanarik, Mars Scarazzo, David Fath, and Pat Mancini. I carried those memories with me, and always pushed forward. Dad always would tell me “Make things happen” To be acknowledged by the BVM HOF and included with so many musicians that influenced me and countless others is something I will forever be proud of. I am looking forward to seeing everyone. Rock on.”

No tickets will be sold at the event. Reservations must be made in advance by visiting bvmusicianunion.org.

Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio. Published August 10, 2023 7:57 A.M.

(Beaver County, PA) Power outages are affecting a large amount of Duquesne Light customers in the county this morning. As of 7:57 am, Duquesne light had reported that approximately 2,120 customers in Beaver County were without power, mainly in the areas of New Brighton and Beaver Falls. Use caution when driving, as traffic lights are out in many areas. There is no timeline as to when power will be restored in your area.