FILE – Chester County, Pa. election workers process mail-in and absentee ballots at West Chester University in West Chester on Nov. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)

Danielle Smith – Keystone State News Connection

With Pennsylvania’s primary election less than 60 days away, a nonpartisan group is stepping up the pace to educate people on voting by mail and by absentee ballot.

The redesigned mail-in ballot will debut statewide in April for more than eight-million registered voters. The ballot materials have a barcode, so no individual voter can be identified, said Jessica Myers, who co-chairs the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania’s voter services. The new ballot has graphics and updated instructions to help voters understand the mail-in process.

“The secrecy envelope has a yellow background with sort of a blue-gray colored watermark that says ‘Official Secrecy Ballot.’ There are some additional color coding and instructions on the outside of the envelope, including where the voters declaration is,” Myers said. “It’s prefilled with a ‘2-0’ so that we have fewer people writing in their birthdates.”

Myers added that voters are encouraged to write the date that they voted on the ballot before putting it in the mail or a dropbox. Pennsylvanians must be registered voters to request a mail-in ballot. The deadline to register to vote is April 8, and requests for mail-in ballots have to be received by April 16. After it’s filled out and mailed by the voter, the ballot must be received by 8 p.m. EDT on Election Day.

Amy Widestrom, the league’s Pennsylvania executive director, said voting integrity is a top priority, and contended that the election process in Pennsylvania is secure. In previous elections, she added, analyses of more than 31 million ballots cast found no significant incidence of voter fraud.

“So, only I think 21 were found,” Widestrom said. “The bulk of those were errors. People just thought they were voting in the right place, but weren’t. There were only five incidences of actual attempted voter fraud out of 31 million cast ballots. So, voter fraud is typically not an issue.”

Widestrom added that voters are not permanently on mail-in or absentee ballot lists – but to stay on that list for the year, residents must return the application form. If they don’t, then a voter has to request a mail-in or absentee ballot for each specific election. The League also has a website at Vote 411.org here people can look at a sample ballot before they head to the polls or mail in their ballot.

Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio. Published March 4, 2024 8:58 A.M.

(Beaver Falls, Pa) The City of Beaver Falls Police Department have released details regarding an investigation that took place on Saturday. In a press release issued by Police Chief David Johnson, the department says they received reports of an individual who was known by police threating to commit “suicide by cop” around 1:43pm. Officers responded to the residence of the individual but did not locate them.

Beaver County ESU was brought in due the risk of the individual being a danger to themselves and responding officers. Investigators were able to determine the subject was at CC’s Catch 22 Bar on 4th Avenue and took the suspect into custody without further incident.

During the investigation, information was revealed that there were possibly explosives located in a residence connected to the suspect. A search warrant was obtained and the Alegheny County Bomb Squad was called in to assist. Ultimately, no explosives were found.

Residents in the area were notified via Swift 911 alerts to warn of police activity in the area.

The release states no further information is available on this incident.

This photo provided by Nancy Run Fire Company shows a train derailment along a riverbank in Saucon Township, Pa., on Saturday, March 2, 2024. Authorities said it was unclear how many cars were involved but no injuries or hazardous materials were reported. (Nancy Run Fire Company via AP)

BETHLEHEM, Pa. (AP) — Authorities say three trains were involved in a derailment in eastern Pennsylvania that left some railroad cars along a riverbank and at least one partially in the river, but caused no reported injuries or hazardous materials concerns. Dispatchers in Northampton County say the derailment was reported at about 7:15 a.m. Saturday in Lower Saucon Township. The National Transportation Safety Board says preliminary information indicates an eastbound Norfolk Southern train struck a stopped train on the same track, derailing some cars, and wreckage from the striking train spilled onto an adjacent track and was struck by a westbound Norfolk Southern train.

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, Oh) The EPA and Ohio EPA say that the East Palestine clean up efforts are reaching an important milestone, which is returning the natural flow of water back into Sulphur Run. To prepare for rainwater and water from the upstream wetlands to flow naturally on-site, the north and south ditches alongside the tracks will be evaluated in areas, starting at the western-most end of the derailment site. Robust testing under EPA and Ohio EPA guidance, oversight, and approval will ensure the soils around and within the ditches have no remaining contamination.

Once testing in one area of the ditch shows naturally flowing water is safe to enter Sulphur Run, flow will be restored for that area. The testing process will repeat area-by area until the full natural flow of water is restored. Surface water testing in Sulphur and Leslie Runs will continue through the process. None of the water flow will come from water currently contained on site.

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is inviting the public to attend a career fair on Wednesday, March 6 to learn about available maintenance positions the department offers in Beaver County.

The event will be held at PennDOT’s Rochester Maintenance Building located at 155 Stewart Avenue Rochester, PA 15074 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 6.

Available positions in Beaver County include full-time, permanent Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Operators, seasonal CDL Operators, and full-time and seasonal Diesel Mechanics. Commercial drivers must have a valid Pennsylvania CDL Class A or B with the Air Brake Restriction (L) removed and a current medical examiner certificate.

PennDOT representatives will be on-hand to discuss openings in Beaver County. Onsite application completion, on the spot interviews, driving skills testing, and conditional job offers for select positions will occur. Applicants are asked to bring two forms of identification.

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced $20 million from the Capitol Projects Fund, established under the American Rescue Plan, to expand high-speed internet access by providing laptops, tablets, desktop computers, and wi-fi devices for roughly 12,000 Pennsylvanians each year.

“As our world becomes more digital, closing the digital divide in our communities is more important than ever. Pennsylvania’s economic future depends on reliable high-speed internet access for every community—rural, urban, and everything in between,” said Senator Casey. “This funding won’t just provide more laptops and wi-fi devices to people who need them, it will help break down the barrier that’s keeping a young mother from a higher education, a small business from reaching a new market, and a grandparent from staying in touch with their grandkids.”

Senator Casey has consistently fought to close the digital divide and make sure that every single Pennsylvanian has high-speed internet access in their home. Casey has delivered $2,036,121,823 to Pennsylvania for high-speed internet in the last two years. That includes $1.16 billion from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to bring high-speed internet to high-cost, unserved and underserved communities, as well $20 million specifically for the Southern Alleghenies region. In addition to the funding announced today, Casey has also secured $200 million from the Capitol Projects Fund to expand high-speed internet access for more than 44,000 homes and business throughout Pennsylvania, particularly in rural communities.

The American Rescue Plan provided $279 million to Pennsylvania for critical projects to provide high-quality modern infrastructure, including reliable, affordable broadband infrastructure. Together with the funding in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, these programs are helping to deploy high-speed internet to those without access, lower costs for those who cannot afford it, and ensure that businesses stay competitive in a changing economy.

Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published March 1, 2024 12:40 P.M.

(Aliquippa, Pa) David Askew, 43, of Aliquippa who was wanted on a warrant issued by Aliquippa Police turned himself in at the Beaver County Jail this morning, according to Aliquippa Police Chief John Lane.