• Community gardens; park upgrades and restorations; and climate resilience.
• K-12 education in the areas of STEAM; access or increased access to technology and equipment for educational programming or capacity building.
• Housing, racial equality, refugee assistance and access to food for historically disenfranchised communities.

• Be a 501(c)3 nonprofit or state equivalent, or an organization receiving fiscal sponsorship from a registered 501(c)3 or state equivalent.
• Meet DLC’s Charitable Giving program guidelines listed in the program’s FAQs.
• Serve residents in Allegheny and/or Beaver counties.
• Have an annual operating budget equal to or less than $500,000 and/or a specific targeted project. Organizations with larger budgets that are not applying on behalf of a smaller nonprofit or community group will not be considered for a microgrant.

This July, the American Red Cross continues to stress that blood and platelet donors are critically needed right now to support lifesaving transfusions this summer. Donors of all blood types are in demand, especially those with type O blood and donors giving platelets.

Every donation counts in the mission to keep blood products stocked for patients, including those facing life-threatening situations. More than a quarter of all blood products each year are used in critical care and emergency room cases, highlighting the importance of generous blood and platelet donors. Be a force for good. 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 by July 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. 

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.

(Brighton Twp., Pa.) The Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver announced late last week that in an effort to decrease the incidence of injuries and deaths caused by impaired drivers, they will be conducting DUI Sobriety Checkpoints at undisclosed locations throughout Beaver County in the month of July.

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing gas line installation work on Route 68 (Virginia Avenue) in Rochester Township, Beaver County will start Monday, July 8 weather permitting.

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing roadway improvement work on Tuscarawas Road (Route 4028) in Brighton Township and Ohioville Borough, Beaver County will begin Monday, July 8 weather permitting.

PITTSBURGH, PA (July 5, 2024)…McDonald’s will offer the Special Grade Garlic Sauce exclusively on the McDonald’s App beginning July 9. Inspired by the Black Garlic Sauce featured at McDonald’s restaurants in Japan, the sauce features notes of garlic and soy sauce, balanced with a slight tangy sweetness.

McDonald’s collaborated with the hit anime series “Jujutsu Kaisen” to launch the Special Grade Garlic Sauce:

-The new sauce packaging features eight unique lid designs starring fan-favorite characters from the series. Fans can collect them all to reach their peak strength in the anime world.

-Each purchase of the sauce also unlocks a 30-day free trial of Crunchyroll, where fans can watch full episodes of their favorite anime content.

Customers and fans can order the sauce on the McDonald’s App for free with a purchase of Chicken McNuggets or they can pair on the side with their to-go orders, but only for a limited time, while supplies last.

Former President Trump will be in the Pittsburgh area for a rally next weekend.

The Trump campaign announced that a rally will be taking place on Saturday, July 13 at the Butler Farm Show.

Doors are set to open at 1:00 p.m.

The rally will begin at 5:00 p.m.

You can register for tickets to the rally online.

Two tickets can be registered to each phone number and are on a first come, first serve basis.

President Joe Biden listens during a visit to the D.C. Emergency Operations Center, Tuesday, July 2, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden defiantly vowed on Wednesday to keep running for reelection, rejecting growing pressure from within his Democratic Party to withdraw after a disastrous debate performance raised questions about his readiness. He said he would not be forced from the race.

“I am running. I am the leader of the Democratic Party. No one is pushing me out,” Biden said, according to a top aide who posted his comment on the X social media platform.

Biden and Harris made a surprise appearance on a Democratic National Committee call, according to three people familiar with the matter who were given anonymity to discuss the private conversation. The people said it was a pep talk, stressing the stakes of the election and returning to Biden’s previous post-debate comments that he would get back up after being knocked down.

It was one of several efforts by the president and his top aides to try to calm increasing anxiety among his allies on Capitol Hill and at top levels of his party.

Democrats are unsatisfied with the explanations of Biden’s debate performance, from both White House staff and Biden himself. And there is a deeper frustration among some Democrats who feel Biden should have handled questions about his stumbling debate performance much sooner and that he has put them in a difficult position by staying in the race.

White House chief of staff Jeff Zients urged people during an earlier all-staff meeting Wednesday to tune out the “noise” and focus on the task of governing.

Even as Zients acknowledged that the days since the Atlanta matchup between Biden and Republican Donald Trump have been challenging, the chief of staff stressed to more than 500 White House aides on the call the accomplishments and the track record of the Democratic administration and said governing will only become more crucial once the campaign season heats up, particularly after the Fourth of July holiday, according to a White House official.

Biden himself began making personal outreach on his own, speaking privately with senior Democratic lawmakers such as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, Delaware Sen. Chris Coons and South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn, according to a second White House official and others with knowledge of the conversations. Zients also spoke personally with Schumer and Clyburn earlier Wednesday.

On Capitol Hill, there is increasing anxiety with each day as Biden had been slow to reach out to top Democrats and rank-and-file members, according to people familiar with ongoing conversations.

Zients tried to rally the staff’s confidence in Biden’s reelection apparatus, noting that the president has a “strong campaign team” in place and that the White House’s job was to focus on continuing to implement Biden’s agenda. He also told staff that Biden has always made it through tough times, despite being counted out over his decades in public office.

The chief of staff also encouraged aides to “continue being a team” and, while acknowledging the increasing political chatter, to “tune it out” and stay disciplined, according to the official, who was granted anonymity to relay Zients’ private remarks. Zients also urged White House staff to ask questions and offer feedback.

Staff-wide White House calls aren’t unusual, but Wednesdays’ 15-minute check-in came as Biden and senior White House officials were working to assuage rattled lawmakers, donors and other allies within the party amid sharpening questions about whether the 81-year-old president had the competency to run for a second term in office.

A memo sent Wednesday by campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon and campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez insists the election between Biden and Trump will still be close, seeking to downplay the lasting effects of the debate.

Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were also scheduled to hold one of their sporadic lunches on Wednesday, and the president was planning on hosting an assortment of Democratic governors at the White House in the evening.

Among the Democratic governors who were planning to attend in person were Tim Walz of Minnesota, who leads the Democratic Governors Association, J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, Maura Healey of Massachusetts, Daniel McKee of Rhode Island, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Andy Beshear of Kentucky and Gavin Newsom of California, according to their aides. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy were planning on attending virtually.

FILE – A General Motors logo is seen on a building, April 24, 2024, in Detroit. GM will pay nearly $146 million in penalties to the federal government because 5.9 million of its older vehicles don’t comply with emissions and fuel economy standards. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — General Motors will pay nearly $146 million in penalties to the federal government because 5.9 million of its older vehicles do not comply with emissions and fuel economy standards.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a statement Wednesday that certain GM vehicles from the 2012 through 2018 model years did not comply with federal fuel economy requirements.

The fine comes after the Environmental Protection Agency said its testing showed the GM pickup trucks and SUVs emit 10% more carbon dioxide on average than GM’s initial compliance testing claimed.

The EPA says the vehicles will remain on the road and cannot be repaired.

GM said in a statement that it complied with all regulations in pollution and mileage certification of its vehicles. The company said it is not admitting to any wrongdoing or that it did not comply with the Clean Air Act.

The enforcement action involves about 4.6 million full-size pickups and SUVs and about 1.3 million midsize SUVs, the EPA said. The affected models include the Chevy Tahoe, Cadillac Escalade and Chevy Silverado. About 40 variations of GM vehicles are covered.

GM will be forced to give up credits used to ensure that manufacturers’ greenhouse gas emissions are below the fleet standard for emissions that applies for that model year, the EPA said.

An EPA spokesman said the violations were unintentional.

But David Cooke, senior vehicles analyst for the Union of Concerned Scientists, questioned how GM could not know that pollution exceeded initial test by more than 10% because the problem was so widespread on so many different vehicles. “You don’t just make a more than 10% rounding error,” he said.

He also was surprised that the government is not making GM take action to correct the excess pollution or reduce the gas mileage estimates on the cars’ window stickers.

Dan Becker, director of the Safe Climate Transport Campaign for the environmental group Center for Biological Diversity, said the violations by GM “show why automakers can’t be trusted to protect our air and health, and why we need strong pollution rules. Supreme Court, take notice!”

The Supreme Court last week rejected a 40-year-old legal doctrine known as Chevron, effectively reducing the power of the EPA and other executive branch agencies and shifting it to the courts. The doctrine has been the basis for upholding thousands of federal regulations but has long been a target of conservatives and business groups, who argue it grants too much power to the executive branch, or what some critics call the administrative state.

In similar pollution cases in the past, automakers have been fined under the Clean Air Act for such violations, and the Justice Department normally gets involved, Cooke said. Hyundai and Kia, for instance, faced Justice Department action in a similar case.

A Justice Department spokesman did not have an immediate comment Wednesday.

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Krisher reported from Detroit.