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(Pittsburgh, Pa.)  Allegheny Health Network (AHN) announced it has received charitable sponsorships from PNC Bank to improve health equity in the greater Pittsburgh region. The funding will support AHN’s Healthy Food Center at West Penn Hospital, as well as the health system’s ‘First Steps and Beyond’ program to improve Black infant health outcomes.

“AHN and Highmark Health have been fortunate to frequently work with PNC Bank over the years to promote health and wellness for all residents in Pittsburgh communities and beyond,” said Allie Quick, chief philanthropy officer at AHN. “We are so grateful for their involvement once again to help address the impact of racial disparities on birth outcomes in our region, as well as transform the lives of families with insufficient access to nutritious food choices.”

According to the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank, one in five Pittsburgh residents experience food insecurity – meaning they lack consistent access to nutritious foods, which are critical to an active, healthy lifestyle. Funding from PNC Bank will help to sustain the AHN Healthy Food Center at West Penn Hospital and its efforts to link food and medicine for improved patient health outcomes. In recognition of PNC’s generous support, this Healthy Food Center location has been designated the ‘PNC Pantry.’

The AHN Healthy Food Center, part of the network’s Center for Inclusion Health, serves as a food pharmacy where patients can obtain healthful food items, as well as education on disease-specific diets and resources to address other social challenges. The first center debuted in 2018 at West Penn Hospital, followed by locations at Allegheny General Hospital, Jefferson Hospital, Saint Vincent Hospital and Forbes Hospital. To date, more than 125,000 meals have been provided to patients and their families in the Pittsburgh region through the Healthy Food Centers.

Another sponsorship from PNC will support the ‘First Steps and Beyond’ program at AHN, which is designed to decrease Black infant mortality rates, reduce preterm birth rates and increase knowledge about safe sleep. Originally announced last December, the program seeks to expand prenatal, perinatal, birth doula and fatherhood services, as well as develop interventions for families experiencing oppression and hardship, especially due to racial inequality.

“PNC is committed to promoting economic empowerment for all across our footprint,” said Lou Cestello, PNC regional president for Pittsburgh. “Allegheny Health Network is working to eliminate health disparities that can serve as significant barriers to overall equity, and we are proud to team up with them to improve health outcomes for underserved communities in our region.”

 

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Thursday march 3, 2022 at 6:54 AM
(Westmoreland County, Pa.) Pa State Trooper Corporal Sean McKenzie, of Perryopolis is accused of having child pornography and putting a camera in his bathroom to record a young girl.
He, is facing a list of child pornography and sexual abuse counts. He was arrested Tuesday in Westmoreland County.
According to the criminal complaint, a Dropbox first alerted investigators to the alleged pornographic material. State troopers connected the account to McKenzie.
Investigators also found videos and photos on McKenzie’s iPhone and on a USB drive, that was found in his front pocket when he was arrested. McKenzie eventually admitted to having and looking at the pornography, police said.
He is in the Westmoreland County Prison on a $500,000 bond. He is suspended without pay pending the resolution of the criminal charges against him. His preliminary hearing is on March 9.

(Photo of Speedway Gas Price in New Brighton taken by Frank Sparks)

Thursday, March 3, 2022 at 6:50 AM

(Beaver County, Pa.) As Gas prices hit an all-time high The leaders of OPEC and its oil-producing allies are sticking with their plan to gradually increase oil production while Russia’s invasion of Ukraine rattles markets, reshapes alliances, kills civilians and sends the price of crude skyrocketing. The OPEC+ coalition of oil producers chose to increase oil production by 400,000 barrels per day in April. But that isn’t helping consumers at the pump.

Here locally we are feeling the pinch at the pump as gas prices at some local stations jumped 30 cents overnight to $4.19 a gallon.
Speedway in New Brighton and Baden are at $4.19 a gallon, Get Go in Rochester and Chippewa is listed on their website at $3.90 a gallon, Sweet Peas in Beaver Falls is $3.89, The Sunoco in Beaver was listed at $3.99 a gallon on Tuesday and Sheetz locations in the county are also $3.90 a gallon according to their website.
According to Gasprices AAA.com the average cost for a gallon of gasoline locally is $3.82. the all-time record is an average price of $4.05 a gallon back in June of 2008.

(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

At the Commissioners’ work session for March 2, the board was given a copy of the 2021 Year-End Treasurer’s Report, showcasing the financial intricacies of Beaver County. Treasurer Sandie Egley delivered the report and spoke about it at the work session.

One of the more positive findings of the report was the twelve-year high in the percentage of taxes collected: 95.0% of taxes were collected in 2021, an over-6% increase from 2020, and at least 3.5% higher than the next highest year in that period of time (91.25% in 2016). “I think that goes to show that my office is very focused on efficiency,” Egley stated.

Conversely, the Treasurers’ Report showcased that the bank interest numbers for 2021 saw the County gain over $850,000 in interest, nearly $600,000 higher than in 2020. As for 2022, the County reported that $38,872,450 had already been collected.

(Brendan Smialowski/Pool via AP, File)
By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell made clear that the Fed will begin raising interest rates this month in a high-stakes effort to restrain surging inflation. In prepared testimony to a congressional committee, Powell cautioned that the economic consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are “highly uncertain.” He said the Fed will “need to be nimble” in responding to unexpected changes resulting from the war or the far-reaching sanctions that the United States and Europe have imposed in response. The Fed is widely expected to raise its benchmark short-term interest rate several times this year beginning with its March 15-16 meeting.

(AP Photo)
By STAN CHOE AP Business Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Oil prices kept surging Wednesday and topped $110 per barrel as Russia’s war continues against Ukraine, but stocks and other markets were showing less fear than a day earlier. The S&P 500 was 1% higher in morning trading, while Treasury yields jumped to recover a sliver of their steep losses from the past week. Fed Chair Jerome Powell told Congress he would support raising interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point this month. That would be the first increase since 2018, but it would also be more modest than some investors along Wall Street had been fearing.

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Story by Frank Sparks, Program/News Director Beaver County Radio

(Hookstown, Pa.) Pa State Police in Beaver are reporting that 36-year-old Victoria Lewis of Hookstown was the victim of terroristic threats that were received via her son’s social media.

The release stated that the unnamed suspect was charged with terroristic threats in regards to the incident that occurred on February 22, 2022 at 10:00 PM.

No other information was released about the incident.

Beaver County Radio previously reported Lewis as the suspect when indeed she is the victim. We apologize for any inconvenience that this may have caused.

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(Wampum, Pa.) Pa State Police in New Castle are that they were called to the scene of a hit and run of a parked car on Beaver Street in Wampum Boro on Feb. 12, 2022 at 5:19 PM.
Troopers said via release that an unidentified vehicle traveling in an undetermined direction in the 400 block of Beaver Street struck a 2016 Volkswagen Jetta that was parked along the street.
Troopers said the entire side of the vehicle was scratched and the impact caused the vehicle to get a flat left front tire.
Troopers investigated the area and were not able to identify a suspect vehicle.
Anyone with information can call Pa State Police in New Castle at 724-598-2211

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(Koppel Boro, Pa.) Pa State Police in Beaver are looking to locate a vehicle that was in the process of executing  a right hand turn off of Big Beaver Blvd. onto Mount Street in Koppel Boro when it struck a utility pole and fled the scene yesterday afternoon around 5:40 PM.
Troopers said via release that a witness observed the undescribed vehicle hit the pole and stop in the middle of Mount Street but then fled the scene. The witness was not able to provide any identifying information that would assist Troopers in the investigation.
Troopers said in the release that the unidentified vehicle has possible minor damage.
Anyone who has any information is asked to call Pa State Police on Beaver at 724- 773-7400