(File Photo)

Go to 511PA.com or the 511PA smartphone app for the most up-to-date information on weather impacts and vehicle restrictions

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), and the PA Turnpike Commission (PA Turnpike) are updating planned vehicle restrictions in response to updated weather forecasts. Motorists should avoid unnecessary travel during the storm and to exercise caution when driving.

Vehicle restrictions will be communicated via variable message boards, the 511PA traveler information website and smartphone apps. Motorists can also sign up for personalized alerts on the website. Restrictions will be lifted as quickly as possible when conditions are safe. Restrictions can be changed based on conditions on the roadways, and reports from first responders, law enforcement and PennDOT and PA Turnpike personnel.

The following vehicle restrictions are planned to go into effect at 9:00 PM on Wednesday, February 5, in accordance with Tier 2 of the commonwealth’s weather event vehicle restriction plan.

• PA Turnpike I-70/76 from the Breezewood exit to the Harrisburg East exit.

The following vehicle restrictions are planned to go into effect at 9:00 PM on Wednesday, February 5, in accordance with Tier 4 of the commonwealth’s weather event vehicle restriction plan.

• PA Turnpike I-70/76 from the New Stanton exit to the Breezewood exit.

The following vehicle restrictions are planned to go into effect at 12:01 AM on Thursday, February 6, in accordance with Tier 2 of the commonwealth’s weather event vehicle restriction plan.

• PA Turnpike Northeast Extension I-476 from the Lehigh Valley exit to the Clarks Summit exit.

The following vehicle restrictions are planned to go into effect at 12:01 AM on Thursday, February 6, in accordance with Tier 4 of the commonwealth’s weather event vehicle restriction plan.

• I-70 from PA Turnpike I-76 to the Maryland border.
• I-79 from PA Turnpike I-76 to the end of I-79 North.
• I-80 from Exit 4 to Exit 173.
• I-81 from the Maryland border to I-80.
• I-83, entire length.
• I-99, entire length.
• I-376 from Toll 376 to I-80.
• Route 22 from Route 119 to I-99.

The following vehicle restrictions are planned to go into effect at 4:00 AM on Thursday, February 6, in accordance with Tier 4 of the commonwealth’s weather event vehicle restriction plan.

• I-78, entire length.
• I-80 from Exit 173 to I-81.
• I-81 from I-83 to I-80
• I-180, entire length.
• I-283, entire length.
• Route 22/322 from I-81 to I-99.
• Route 22 from I-78 and Route 33.

The following vehicle restrictions are planned to go into effect at 7:00 AM on Thursday, February 6, in accordance with Tier 4 of the commonwealth’s weather event vehicle restriction plan.

• I-80 from I-81 to the New Jersey border.
• Route 33, full length.

Under Tier 2 restrictions, the following vehicles are not permitted on affected roadways:

• Tractors without trailers.
• Tractors towing unloaded or lightly loaded enclosed trailers, open trailers or tank trailers.
• Tractors towing unloaded or lightly loaded tandem trailers.
• Tractors towing loaded tandem trailers without chains or Alternate Traction Devices (ATDs).
• Enclosed unloaded or lightly loaded cargo delivery trucks/box trucks that meet the definition of a CMV.
• Passenger vehicles (cars, SUV’s, pickup trucks, etc.) towing trailers.
• Recreational vehicles/motorhomes.
• School buses, commercial buses and motor coaches, regardless of the availability of trains or ATDs.
• Motorcycles.

On roadways with Tier 4 restrictions in place, no commercial vehicles are permitted. Additionally, all school buses, commercial buses, motor coaches, motorcycles, RVs/motorhomes and passenger vehicles (cars, SUVs, pickup trucks, etc.) towing trailers are not permitted on affected roadways while restrictions are in place.

For more information on safe winter travel, an emergency kit checklist and information on PennDOT’s winter operations including a video, visit www.PennDOT.pa.gov/winter. Additional winter driving and other highway safety information is available at www.PennDOT.pa.gov/safety.

Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a free smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following local alerts on X.

To report an incident or emergency on the PA Turnpike, dial *11 on your mobile phone. The PA Turnpike will provide updates on their social channels, on their roadway and at all service plazas.

Subscribe to statewide PennDOT news and traffic alerts or subscribe to news in a specific county or region. Find PennDOT news on X, Facebook, and Instagram. The PA Turnpike will provide updates on their social channels, on their roadway and at all service plazas.

(Photo Courtesy of Rick Orienza, Director of Marketing and Relations at Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Midland, PA) Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center will present the musical, “Tom Sawyer: A Ballet,” from February 20th-23rd at the Main Stage Theater. This compelling story retells the Mark Twain tale with folk dancing, comedy, and ballet with a live orchestra. Tickets are $18 at LincolnParkArts.org or you can call 724-576-4644 for the Lincoln Park Box Office. The shows start at 7:30 p.m. on February 20th, 21st, and 22nd, as well as at 2 p.m. on February 22nd and February 23rd. You can see Lincoln Park’s upcoming shows and events in the link below:

https://www.lincolnparkarts.org/events

Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio. Published February 5, 2025 11:50 A.M.

(Beaver, Pa) The county commissioners met for thier weekly work session Wednesday morning.

It was announced that the county is preparing to take bids for sealing projects in a few county parking lots including the Courthouse and the ice arena.

The purpose of the project is to to protect the previous investment made on the lots. The project is expected to start in April.

Also discussed once again was the plan for moving county document storage out of the Wampum mines.

It was announced that discussions between the county and St. Barnabas are taking place to lease space in the former Michael Baker Building.

The county says this would be a short term lease to move the documents out of the mines and have time to determine what the best storage solution moving foward would be.

 

Source for Photo: One of the biggest challenges for Pennsylvania’s indigent defense community is attracting and hiring qualified public defenders. (Thanksforbuying/Adobe Stock) Danielle Smith – Keystone State News Service

(Reported by Danielle Smith of Keystone News Service)

(Pittsburgh, PA) More than 60 counties in Pennsylvania have a shortage of public defenders for low-income residents who need these services. This Friday in Pittsburgh, a recruitment event takes place to help fill jobs for public defenders’ offices statewide. The University of Pittsburgh School of Law cohosts the statewide Career Day event with the Public Defender Association of Pennsylvania, to help connect law students from any law school with potential jobs. Megan Lovett with the University of Pittsburgh says so far, they have 50 or more applications, both for internships and attorney positions. She says she hopes that, like last year, counties across the state will see applicants from this event. Each year, public defenders’ offices handle cases that would normally require more than 12-hundred full-time attorneys – but only about 850 are working statewide.

(File Photo of Police Lights)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Hopewell Township, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver report that an Aliquippa woman was charged after causing a single-vehicle crash on the off ramp of the Aliquippa exit on I-376 West on January 3rd, 2025. At 8:35 p.m., thirty-one-year-old Jacquelyn Harris of Aliquippa did not have control of her vehicle and it rolled over after hitting a guide rail. Harris was charged by police after the incident.

(File Photo of Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Badge)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Bridgewater Borough, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver report that a two-vehicle crash occurred on Market Street in Bridgewater Borough on January 25th, 2025. According to police, at around 11:15 p.m., an unidentified driver hit his car into another car that was parked legally and then proceeded north on Market Street. No charges were filed by police after the incident.

(File Photo of State Representative Roman Kozak)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) According to a release from State Representative Roman Kozak’s office, Kozak made a statement after Governor Josh Shapiro unveiled his budget priorities for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. According to Kozak, the taxes on energy the governor suggested will stretch the budget of working families. Kozak also suggested an idea that outlined limiting spending and the cutting of both taxes and corporate welfare.

(File Photo of Police Lights)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Hopewell Township, PA) Pennsylvania State Police in Beaver report that a man from Midland was charged after a two-vehicle crash on I-376 East on January 20th, 2025. At 4:54 a.m., thirty-one-year-old Johnathan Shepler of Midland did not have control of his car near Bryson Road. Twenty-five-year-old Ryan Hottenfeller of Rochester hit Shepler’s car after Shepler went in front of Hottenfeller trying to pass him. Shepler was charged by police after the incident.

(File Photo of State Representative Rob Matzie)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) According to a release from State Representative Rob Matzie’s office, the Pennsylvania House adopted a resolution from Matzie to increase public awareness about the dangers of rheumatoid arthritis. The bill known as House Resolution 16 made a designation that February 2nd, 2025 was “Rheumatoid Arthritis Day” in Pennsylvania. According to Matzie, people with rheumatoid arthritis have an estimated chance of a fifty to seventy percent higher risk to have cardiovascular disease than the general population.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro delivers his budget address for the 2025-26 fiscal year to a joint session of the state House and Senate at the Capitol, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, in Harrisburg, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro will seek more money for underfunded public schools and public transit in his budget proposal unveiled Tuesday, while he hopes to win support for legalizing marijuana and introducing taxes on skill games viewed as competitors to casinos and lottery contests.

The Democrat — a rising star in the party who is seen as a potential 2028 White House contender — is also seeking more money for universities, offering hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks to encourage new power plant construction and relying on billions in surplus cash to balance spending.

To help unveil it, Shapiro delivered a budget speech to a joint session of the General Assembly in the state House of Representatives’ chamber in which he touted his efforts to help Pennsylvania’s economy compete with other states. He urged lawmakers to be willing to invest the state’s surplus cash.

“Pennsylvania is on the rise and we are not gonna stop,” Shapiro said during a 90-minute speech to lawmakers. “You see, we have the resources we need to make smart investments now and to maintain a responsible balance in reserve.”

Anything that passes will have to get through a divided Legislature, with the House controlled by Democrats and the Senate by Republicans. The plan drew applause from Democrats — House Speaker Joanna McClinton, D-Philadelphia, called it a “bold plan from a visionary” — but the scale of the spending increase faces strong resistance from Republicans who say it’ll drive Pennsylvania into a fiscal ditch that will eventually require tax increases.

Shapiro’s spending plan breaks $50 billion for the first time

Shapiro’s proposal tops $50 billion for a state budget in Pennsylvania for the first time, requesting $51.5 billion for the 2025-2026 fiscal year beginning July 1 as Shapiro gears up for his re-election campaign.

Shapiro’s hands are tied to a great extent, bound by a huge increase in costs for the medical and long-term care for the poor, as well as a slow-growing economy and a shrinking workforce that is delivering relatively meager gains in tax collections.

All told, Shapiro’s spending request would increase total authorized spending by 9% through the state’s main bank account, or about $3.8 billion, including a $230 million supplemental request for the current year’s spending.

Of that, more than $2 billion would go to toward human services, primarily to meet the rising cost of medical care for the poor, and an extra $800 million would go toward K-12 schools and higher education institutions, including Penn State, Temple, Pitt and state-owned system schools.

Most of the new education money — $526 million — is viewed as part of a multiyear, multibillion-dollar response to a court decision that found that Pennsylvania’s system of public school funding violates the constitutional rights of students in the poorest districts.

The plan needs surplus cash and new sources of money to balance

The budget proposal holds the line on personal income and sales tax rates, the state’s two largest sources of income. But it instead uses about $4.5 billion in reserve cash to balance — the second straight year of multibillion-dollar deficits.

Tax collections are projected to increase by $2.3 billion to $48.3 billion, or 5%, but a large portion of that rests on whether lawmakers will go along with several proposals by Shapiro.

That includes raising almost $1.2 billion from legalizing adult-use marijuana, expanding how the corporate net income tax is applied and introducing taxes on the skill games that are increasingly cropping up in bars, pizzerias, convenience stores and standalone parlors.

Still, lawyers for the schools that sued the state were asking for much more than Shapiro is proposing, while nursing home operators, home-care providers and counties that maintain mental health networks were also hoping for substantial increases in aid that they didn’t get.

Elsewhere in the plan, Shapiro is proposing to send nearly $300 million more, or about 20% more, to public transit agencies as he works to stave off cutbacks by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, the Philadelphia region’s public transit agency struggling to regain ridership lost during the pandemic.

Shapiro wants lawmakers to approve the tax credits to fast-track the construction of big power plants in Pennsylvania amid an energy crunch that threatens to raise electricity bills across Pennsylvania, the nation’s second-biggest natural gas-producing state.

The plan also seeks to shave reimbursements to cyber charter schools, saving nearly $400 million in payments by public schools, and close two state prisons, with the state’s 24 prisons at about 82% capacity.

The union that represents prison staff, the Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association, swiftly said that it will fight the closures, saying closing two prisons will endanger officers and inmates.

Shapiro does have a cushion of about $10.5 billion in reserve, thanks to federal COVID-19 relief and inflation-juiced tax collections over the past few years. Shapiro’s proposal would leave about $6.4 billion of that unspent.

This year’s $47.6 billion spending plan required about $3 billion of surplus cash to balance, eliciting warnings from Republicans that the state must slow the pace of spending or risk depleting its surplus within several years. Republicans suggested that Shapiro’s plan ignored the reality of fast-widening deficits and lacked good ideas to improve the state’s sluggish economy.

“When you have to govern, you have to make hard decisions,” Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman, R-Indiana, said in a news conference.

House Appropriations Chairman Jordan Harris, D-Philadelphia, said that if Republicans don’t want to use the state’s surplus then they should explain what they’ll cut.

“Ask them who they’re willing to turn away, ask them who they’re willing to turn down, ask them which of the most vulnerable Pennsylvanians don’t deserve this medicine,” Harris told reporters.