AMBRIDGE, March 16 – Multiple grants totaling more than $4.2 million from the Commonwealth Financing Authority will fund infrastructure and transportation projects throughout 16th Legislative District, state Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver, announced today.

“These dollars are funding projects that keep our water clean, our sanitary sewer systems functioning and our buildings safe,” Matzie said. “These are largescale investments that will make a difference for residents and small business owners and save taxpayer dollars.”

Matzie said more than $3.5 million in funding secured under the Statewide Local Share Account grant program includes:

• $519,900 to Harmony Township to renovate the township municipal building.
• $500,000 to Aliquippa for infrastructure improvements to various city buildings.
• $500,000 to Aliquippa Municipal Water Authority to replace the Sheffield Terrace water storage tank.
• $500,000 to Hopewell Township for improvements to the Wickham Village wastewater pollution control facility.
• $284,500 to Monaca Borough for civic center site preparation and outdoor improvements.
• $250,000 to Aliquippa Municipal Water Authority for construction of a new collector well.
• $250,000 to Hopewell Township for construction of a UV disinfection system and related tank and electrical systems at the Raccoon Creek Water Pollution Control Facility.
• $250,000 to Rochester Borough Sewer and Maintenance Authority for a sanitary and combined sewer improvements project.
• $149,888 to Hopewell Township for the purchase of a Vactor Truck.
• $93,240 to Hopewell Township for Hopewell Community Park playground equipment.
• $82,544 to Center Township Sanitary Authority for purchase of a utility dump truck for use in Monaca Borough and Center, Hopewell and Potter townships.
• $68,984 to Hopewell Township for Woodlawn Park playground improvements.
• $57,137 to Hopewell Township for new play equipment at Sharon Grange Park.

In addition to the funding under the LSA, Matzie said nearly $750,000 was secured under the Multimodal Transportation Fund, including:

• $400,000 to Ambridge Borough to fund new streetscape improvements along Merchant Street.
• $336,384 to the West View Water Authority to pave Tevebaugh Hollow Road in Baden and Economy boroughs.

The funds distributed through the Statewide Local Share Account grant program come from gaming revenues. The Multimodal Transportation Fund provides grants to encourage economic development and ensure residents enjoy a safe and reliable system of transportation.

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing emergency railroad track repairs on Arthur Street (Route 351) in Koppel Borough, Beaver County, will occur today, Thursday, March 16 weather permitting.

Crews from Hard Surfaces LLC will conduct railroad track repairs for Norfolk Southern today through approximately 4 p.m. on Arthur Street. To allow the emergency work to occur, Arthur Street will close to traffic between 3rd Avenue and 4th Avenue.  Traffic will be detoured.

Posted Detours

West of the Closure

• Take Route 351 to Route 18 (Big Beaver Boulevard)
• Take Route 18 southbound
• Turn left onto Route 588 (Eastvale/4th Street Bridge)
• Turn left onto 2nd Avenue (Route 588)
• Turn left onto Route 65 (Mercer Road)
• Follow Route 65/288 to Fountain Avenue in Ellwood City
• Turn left onto Fountain Avenue
• Turn left onto 5th Street
• Turn right onto Spring Avenue
• Turn left onto 6th Street
• Turn right onto Beaver Avenue
• Turn left onto 8th Street
• Turn right onto Route 351 (Lawrence Avenue)
• Follow Route 351 back across the Koppel Bridge
• End detour

East of the Closure

• Take Route 351 eastbound into Ellwood City
• Turn left onto 5th Street
• Turn right onto Fountain Avenue (Route 65/288)
• Turn right onto Second Street (Route 65/288)
• Continue southbound on Route 65
• Turn right onto Route 588 (Bennetts Run Road)
• Cross the Eastvale/4th Street Bridge
• Turn right onto northbound Route 18 (7th Avenue)
• Turn right onto eastbound Route 351 (Arthur Street)
• End detour

PennDOT is not involved in this work and is providing this information as a public service announcement only. For additional information contact Chris Staschiak at 330-519-1371.

Motorists are advised to use caution, allow extra time, and expect changing traffic patterns when traveling through the area. Visit 511pa.comor call 511 from any phone to check traffic conditions on major roadways before traveling.

Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published March 16, 2023 12:30 P.M.

(Aliquippa, PA) Morrell Field is 50 years  old and it hasn’t had any upgrades and is located on Maratta Road in Aliquippa. He said lighting upgrades were done last fall, according to the district’s buildings and grounds supervisor Pat Collins. He reported  that the deadline for a grant is March 28, 2023, and grants were applied for last fall. He said the field needs reseeded and the bleachers need replaced for the upcoming baseball season, and he’s waiting for estimates and the deadline is this Friday, March 17, 2023.

Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published March 16, 2023 12:07 P.M.  

(Aliquippa, PA) Aliquippa School Board approved the resignation of business manager Scott Korba that will become effective on June 12, 2023 provided all of his contract obligations are met, or he will remain  in his position until complete. The district accepted the resignation of the junior/senior high school art teacher, and the  district will advertise the opening. Chancel Carl resigned from her position as an elementary school paraprofessional, Renee Stala was hired to replace her effective on March 13, 2023. She will be paid $14 an hour. Tre Jeter was hired as an emotional support paraprofessional at the elementary school, he will be paid $14 an hour.

Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published March 16, 2023 10:48 A.M.

(Ambridge, PA) At Tuesday night’s meeting council approved a $136,000.00 bid for  the Laughlin memorial Library roof to Ramp Construction for $136,000. The funding  will come from  the Keystone Grant on the advice of the solicitor. The bid for stone restoration was awarded to Wilson Restoration, Inc. using the Keystone Grant funds totaling $73.975.00 based on the solicitor’s recommendation.

(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

The March 15 work session of the Beaver County Commissioners acknowledged that the way of Beaver County life is changing, both in ways that hope to be known and ways that still seem unclear.

One major push for many municipalities in the coming months is the regionalization of several local departments (police and fire) to create a single, larger department that would cover the areas of Conway, Baden, and Freedom. District Attorney David Lozier spoke about how the regionalization transition is going well, but that a roadblock has emerged due to the DCED’s time allotment for grant funding not happening yet.

Lozier, along with new regional safety chairperson Mike Stuban, approached the Commissioners for a $69,000 grant to pay for services to help along the process of the new department’s establishment. “We’re not going to drain the County Commissioners or ask for anything we don’t need,” Stuban said. “We wouldn’t be here, except we want to push this and get it started, and to look into the expansions.”

While the future for the regionalized department has set plans, the future for those in Beaver County within several miles of East Palestine seems less concrete. The day before the work session, the Commissioners attended a public hearing at the Darlington Township Fire Department, where many members of the State House showed up with questions and concerns on how to deal with the potential disaster of a train derailment in their area.

For Commissioner Tony Amadio, one of the biggest issues for Beaver County moving forward is the negative perception that many citizens have towards the state of water, air, or food in the area over the next several months. “People have to be able to understand that their water is clean, and that the meat that’s eating the grain off the land is clean until we find out otherwise,” Amadio pleaded. “And we have to make sure [of that] so that our Farmers’ Markets and local produce sell!”

“If everything is good, and people have the perception that it’s not good–or they don’t trust what they’re hearing–then people aren’t going to buy those foods,” he added. “And we’ve got to make sure to put the understanding out that everything’s good.”

The next work session is scheduled for March 22 at 10:00 AM.

President Joe Biden speaks to the House Democratic Caucus Issues Conference, Wednesday, March 1, 2023, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

MONTEREY PARK, Calif. (AP) — President Joe Biden has announced fresh measures meant to curb gun violence, detailing the changes from the scene of a mass shooting in California that left 11 dead. Tuesday’s action does not change U.S. government policy. Rather, it directs federal agencies to ensure compliance with existing laws and procedures — a typical feature of executive orders issued by presidents when they confront the limits of their own power to act without cooperation from Congress. The president said he’d signed the executive order aimed at increasing background checks to buy guns, promoting more secure firearms storage and ensuring U.S. law enforcement agencies get more out of a bipartisan gun control law enacted last summer.

A pedestrian carries an umbrella while walking past a Silicon Valley Bank Private branch in San Francisco, Tuesday, March 14, 2023. After a frenetic weekend of round-the-clock briefings, U.S. policymakers took the audacious step guaranteeing all the deposits of the failed Silicon Valley Banks, even those exceeding the FDIC’s $250,000 limit. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

WASHINGTON (AP) — After a frenetic weekend of round-the-clock briefings, U.S. policymakers took the audacious step of guaranteeing all the deposits of the failed Silicon Valley Bank — even those exceeding the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s $250,000 limit. The hope is that it will restore confidence in the financial system after the second-biggest bank failure in U.S. history. The plan came together as the government was unable to sell off the defunct institution on time. But the FDIC may try to auction it off again. Meanwhile, policymakers and lawmakers are starting to look ahead for ways to prevent the next crisis.

FILE- This Feb. 14, 2019 file photo shows a Honda logo at the 2019 Pittsburgh International Auto Show in Pittsburgh. Honda is recalling a half-million vehicles in the U.S. and Canada, Wednesday, March 15, 2023, because the front seat belts may not latch properly. The recall covers some of the the automaker’s top-selling models including the 2017 through 2020 CR-V, the 2018 and 2019 Accord, the 2018 through 2020 Odyssey and the 2019 Insight. Also included is the Acura RDX from the 2019 and 2020 model years. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

DETROIT (AP) — Honda is recalling a half-million vehicles in the U.S. and Canada because the front seat belts may not latch properly. The recall covers some of the the automaker’s top-selling models including the 2017 through 2020 CR-V, the 2018 and 2019 Accord, the 2018 through 2020 Odyssey and the 2019 Insight. Also included is the Acura RDX from the 2019 and 2020 model years. Honda says in documents posted Wednesday by U.S. safety regulators that a manufacturing issue can cause the seat belt buckle channel to interfere with the release button, stopping the buckle from latching. Dealers will replace the release buttons or assemblies if needed. Owners will be notified by letter starting April 17.