Keystone State News Connection – Danielle Smith

(Harrisburg, Pa) Pennsylvanians will soon see some financial relief with their property taxes and rent.

Gov. Josh Shapiro recently signed House Bill 1100 into law, expanding the state’s existing property tax and rent rebate program.

Bill Johnston-Walsh, state director for AARP Pennsylvania, said the expansion of the program will significantly boost property tax rebates for older adults, alleviating the financial burden for homeowners and renters. He said the yearly maximum standard will increase from $650 to $1,000 for individuals.

“This program, and this expansion of this program, which is the first in almost two decades,” Johnston-Walsh pointed out. “Both property taxes across the state, and rents have been increasing year after year. And that’s why AARP Pennsylvania fought so hard to expand the property tax rebate program.”

Johnston-Walsh pointed out the program will be adjusted for cost of living as it moves forward. The Keystone State is home to almost 3.5 million people age 60 and older.

Johnston-Walsh explained the program provides financial relief to those who need it most but also demonstrates a proactive approach to addressing the needs of an aging population.

“The Pennsylvania Legislature and Gov. Shapiro, what they’re looking for is how do we keep people in their homes longer?” Johnston-Walsh emphasized. “How do we put more money in their pockets so that, you know, they’re able to put food on their table, pay for their medications, and also pay for their property tax and their rents?”

Shapiro and Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich recently participated in a tele-townhall with AARP to answer questions from older Pennsylvanians about the expansion of the Property Tax/Rent Rebate program.

Johnston-Walsh stressed they want to reach as many Pennsylvanians as possible to advise them of the program.

“To educate people letting them know that this expansion goes from $35,000 a year for homeowners to $45,000 starting in 2024,” Johnston-Walsh outlined. “And getting as many people to apply for it as possible, we know that there’s going to be nearly 175,000 additional Pennsylvanians that will be eligible for the program next year.”

Johnston-Walsh added 400,000 people are already qualified and will get the increase. Pennsylvanian have until Dec. 31 to apply for the program. Area Agencies on Aging, local senior centers and state legislators’ offices can also assist.

CANONSBURG, Pa. – Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania customers looking for solutions to improve their home’s energy efficiency and to reduce their overall energy costs can take advantage of two new energy-saving programs offered by the company. These initiatives are designed to work in tandem with the existing WarmWise energy efficiency programs for our income-eligible customers.

“Using energy more efficiently isn’t just the right thing to do—it can also save our customers money while keeping them warm and safe at home,” said Christine Rausch, Columbia Gas Energy Efficiency Services Manager. “Our new programs will help ensure all Columbia Gas customers have access to affordable energy year-round.”

The Online Energy Audit & Kit Program offers residential customers an opportunity to learn more about how their home uses energy. Customers receive personalized recommendations for saving money and reducing their energy usage. Once customers complete the audit, qualifying customers have the opportunity to receive a free energy efficiency kit which will help them start their savings journey.

The Energy Efficiency Rebates Program offers Columbia Gas residential customers the opportunity to apply for rebates to help offset the cost of higher efficiency ENERGY STAR® certified equipment, which helps customers save money and energy when replacing older, less efficient equipment. Rebate amounts include up to $100 off an ENERGY STAR certified smart thermostat, $400 off an ENERGY STAR certified natural gas tankless water heater, up to $1200 off an ENERGY STAR certified natural gas boiler, and $400 off an ENERGY STAR certified natural gas furnace.

Customers are encouraged to visit www.columbiagaspa.com/warmwise to learn more about these programs and access energy saving tips.

Columbia Gas also offers additional WarmWise programs including the Low-Income Usage Reduction Program (LIURP) and the Audits & Rebates program, which are available to customers who meet certain income-eligibility guidelines. Customers can find out what programs they may qualify for by using our eligibility calculator at www.columbiagaspa.com/calculator or by calling 1-800-537-7431 to speak with a Columbia Gas representative.

Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published September 13, 2023 10:08 A.M.

(Ambridge, Pa) Council accepted the resignation of part-time police officer Nathan Sciaretta effective August 31, 2023. School crossing guard Marianne Chambers resigned effective August 8, 2023.

PITTSBURGH, PA (Sept. 13, 2023) – As PPG Paints Arena is in the midst of a big September filled with many of the nation’s top concert touring acts, Oak View Group, operators of PPG Paints Arena, today named Kevin Grove as Vice President, Programming, at the 18,000-seat multi-purpose arena that is home to the Pittsburgh Penguins and live entertainment in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Grove joined Oak View Group in 2017 as Director of Booking where he led national booking efforts for OVG’s Arena Alliance, Stadium Alliance and OVG360 venues. Prior to joining OVG Grove was Vice President of Event Programming at the South Florida-based Sunrise Sports & Entertainment, parent company of FLA Live Arena and the NHL’s Florida Panthers.

His live event booking experience also includes time as Vice President and Assistant GM for Hicks Cedar Park where he oversaw booking for H-E-B Center in Cedar Park, TX, home to the AHL’s Texas Stars, and Comerica Center in Frisco, TX, which is home to the NHL’s Dallas Stars corporate offices and training facility.

Grove also has a background in advertising where he directed integrated marketing campaigns, with a focus on entertainment partnerships and influencer marketing, on behalf of major clients including General Motors and Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep.

Grove got his start in the live entertainment business as Director of Events at Michigan based Brass Ring Productions which promoted concerts throughout the U.S.

The Penguins, together with their ownership team at Fenway Sports Group, selected OVG360, the full-service venue management division of Oak View Group, to manage, book, and operate PPG Paints Arena in 2022.

September is a big month for live concerts at PPG Paints Arena, featuring Aerosmith’s Peace Out tour (Sept. 6), Eric Clapton with special guest Jimmie Vaughan (Sept. 8), Duran Duran with special guests Nile Rodgers & Chic with Bastille (Sept. 9), Old Dominion (Sept. 15), $uicideboy$ (Sept. 16), Peter Gabriel (Sept. 23), Jonas Brothers (Sept. 25), Stevie Nicks (Sept. 27), and Farruko (Sept. 30). This is the most concerts PPG Paints Arena has hosted in one month in the venue’s history.

“September is a big month for us and we want to continue to build on this momentum,” said Hank Abate, Senior Vice President at OVG overseeing facilities in the Northeast. “With Kevin’s expertise, knowledge and resources, combined with our OVG network, and our promotional partners, we look forward to bringing additional live entertainment to Pittsburgh and creating ever-lasting memories for our guests across Southwestern Pennsylvania.”

About OVG360

OVG360, a division of Oak View Group, is a full-service venue management and hospitality company that helps client-partners reimagine the sports, live entertainment, and convention industries for the betterment of the venue, employees, artists, athletes, and surrounding communities. With a portfolio of more than 200 client-partners spanning arenas, stadiums, convention centers, performing arts centers, cultural institutions, and state fairs around the globe, OVG360 provides a set of services, resources and expertise designed to elevate every aspect of business that matters to venue operators. Service-oriented and driven by social responsibility, OVG360 helps facilities drive value through excellence and innovation in food services, booking and content development, sustainable operations, public health and public safety and more.

Harrisburg, PA– The Shapiro Administration has secured $100 million through a consent agreement with the Monsanto Company, Solutia INC., and Pharmacia LLC to resolve claims related to their production of products containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which damaged waterways and other natural resources across Pennsylvania.

PCBs, which Congress banned in 1979, are a group of man-made organic chemicals consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and chlorine atoms. PCBs have no known taste or smell, and range in consistency from an oil to a waxy solid. PCBs can accumulate in the leaves and above-ground parts of plants and food crops. They are also taken up into the bodies of small organisms and fish. As a result, people who ingest fish may be exposed to PCBs that have bioaccumulated in the fish they are ingesting.

“The Department has spent years protecting Pennsylvanians from PCBs,” said DEP Secretary Rich Negrin. “By securing this settlement, DEP is holding Monsanto accountable for what it did to Pennsylvania’s water and making sure that Monsanto is paying for the work the Commonwealth has done to keep its water clean. This agreement demonstrates our commitment to protecting the rights and resources of all Pennsylvanians.”

The $100 million settlement recovers costs that the Commonwealth has incurred because of PCB contamination and will be used for further remediation efforts. Under the agreement, $8 million will be used specifically for the communities impacted by the spread of PCBs. That fund will be invested consistent with the Administration’s commitment to promoting environmental justice across the Commonwealth. The remaining funds will be allocated amongst the agencies that have been responsible for helping to combat PCB pollution in Pennsylvania, including the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, and Pennsylvania Game Commission (PFBC).

“For decades, PCB pollution has contaminated fish in our waterways, disrupted recreational opportunities, and impaired a valuable food source for millions of Pennsylvanians,” said Tim Schaeffer, PFBC Executive Director. “On behalf of the anglers of Pennsylvania, we are proud to join our partner agencies in securing this settlement as we work to protect our cherished aquatic resources.”

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, introduced the Surviving Widow(er) Income Fair Treatment (SWIFT) Act, which would fix outdated and arbitrary restrictions on Social Security benefits for widows, widowers, and surviving divorced spouses. Currently, despite facing disproportionately high rates of poverty, widow(er)s and surviving divorced spouses often must overcome unnecessary and burdensome hurdles to access Social Security benefits and are prevented from maximizing their benefits. The SWIFT Act would fix this problem by eliminating or providing more flexibility around these barriers, which often harm women. The bill would ultimately increase Social Security benefits for more than one million Americans. 

“Social Security is a lifeline for many older adults and people with disabilities,” said Chairman Casey. “Yet because of outdated rules that disproportionately affect women, many of those who rely on Social Security the most are not receiving all the benefits they need and deserve. The SWIFT Act will modernize Social Security and help the program keep its promise of a financially secure retirement for all Americans.” 

Official poverty rates of widow(er)s receiving Social Security benefits are nearly twice as high as those of retired workers and spouses, and widow(er)s caring for children and widow(er)s with disabilities have among the highest poverty rates of all Social Security recipients. Despite this, under current law, widow(er)s who develop a disability after their spouse dies are not allowed to claim survivor benefits until they reach age 50, and the value of these benefits is severely reduced if they claim them before reaching full retirement age. Additionally, more than one-third of widow(er)s also have their benefits limited by an obscure provision known as the “widow(er)’s limit,” which prevents beneficiaries from maximizing their benefits by permanently reducing widow(er)s’ survivor benefits if their deceased spouse claimed retirement benefits before reaching full retirement age. 

The SWIFT Act would remove these barriers and modernize Social Security by:  

·        Allowing widow(er)s and surviving divorced spouses with disabilities to receive 100% of the survivor benefit they are entitled to regardless of their age.

·        Giving widow(er)s and surviving divorced spouses the ability to increase the value of their survivor benefits beyond current arbitrary cap.

·        Enabling widow(er)s and surviving divorced spouses caring for children to receive child-in-care benefits until their children are age 18 or 19 if still in school.

·        Requiring the federal government to proactively provide information to widow(er)s and surviving divorced spouses about benefits they are eligible for, claiming options and important deadlines. 

The SWIFT Act is cosponsored by Senators Blumenthal (D-CT), Klobuchar (D-MN), Stabenow (D-MI), Murray (D-WA), and Sanders (I-VT). It has been endorsed by the National Committee To Preserve Social Security and Medicare, Social Security Works, Strengthen Social Security Coalition, the National Association of Disability Representatives, the Alliance for Retired Americans, Justice in Aging, the Arc of the United States, the Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement, AFSCME, the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Reps, AFL-CIO, and AFGE.

Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published September 13, 2023 9:52 A.M.

(Aliquippa, Pa) A brief ceremony was held at the Aliquippa War Memorial. A Gulf War plaque honoring the veterans of that war and all those who participated in any part of the war on terrorism, according to Cindy Gormley. A new plaque designating the city as a PURPLE HEART CITY was presented the city it is proud of the designation. Air Force SSMGT Charles E. Browder and LCpl. Gilliam, a deceased Marine with 2 purple hearts honored at the event. The new street banners are in place honoring the 2 men. were especially

Law enforcement officers ride by a roadblock as the search for escaped convict Danelo Cavalcante continues in Pottstown, Pa., Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

POTTSTOWN, Pa. (AP) — Authorities have reiterated that escaped murderer Danelo Souza Cavalcante is believed to be within a perimeter in a rural stretch of southeastern Pennsylvania after he stole a rifle from a garage and fled a homeowner’s gunfire. Pennsylvania State Police said again Tuesday evening that Cavalcante is believed to be in South Coventry Township and that residents should secure buildings, property and vehicles. Police closed roads Tuesday and set up the new search area, saying about 500 law enforcement personnel are searching or guarding an 8- to 10-square mile area roughly 30 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Cavalcante escaped from the Chester County jail Aug. 31 after being sentenced to life for killing an ex-girlfriend in 2021.