(Harrisburg, Pa.) Today, Sen. Judy Schwank (D- 11^th district) and Sen. Elder Vogel (R-47^th district) unveiled Senate Bill 1032, which would protect farmers from grain handlers that become insolvent.

Pennsylvania currently has no regulations providing indemnification coverage to farmers if a grain buyer goes out of business. The inspiration for the legislation came from two Berks County farmers who lost thousands of dollars when the dealer they’d been working with to sell their grain went out of business.

“The lack of protection afforded to Pennsylvania’s grain farmers puts them at significant risk and makes other farmers think twice before doing business here,” Schwank said. “This legislation will make sure other farmers don’t have to endure this economic hardship and blow to their livelihood when they’ve lived up to their end of the bargain. Other states protect their farmers. It’s time for Pennsylvania to do the same.”

The legislation would create a fund called the Agricultural Commodity Indemnity Fund (ACIF) to be used to reimburse farmers if their grain handler goes out of business. The ACIF will be funded by a half cent per bushel fee paid by farmers selling or storing grain with licensed grain handlers, and annual grain handler license fees. The per-bushel assessment will be discontinued once the fund reaches $10 million, and the assessment will not be reinstated unless the fund drops to $8 million.

“The establishment of ACIF will provide security for Pennsylvania farmers who do business with grain dealers, by preventing potentially devastating impacts should the company with which they have engaged in business become insolvent,” Vogel said. “Further, it will promote local licensed grain handlers in areas of the Commonwealth that border states with such a fund already in place.”

Several other states offer similar protections. The legislation proposed by Schwank and Vogel is based on laws adopted in other states and has the support of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau.

(Photo of locomotive fire provide by Baden Fire Department)
Story by Sandy Giordano, Beaver County Radio News Correspondent
(Baden, Pa.) Social media was a buzz early Monday afternoon as videos on Facebook showed a Norfolk Southern train with one of its locomotives on fire traveling along the tracks beside the Ohio River in Rochester and Freedom . Connnor A. Spielmaker, Media Relations Manager for Norfolk Southern Railroad said via release that one of it’s locomotive’s caught fire Monday while traveling south bound. Baden Fire Chief, Dennis Baker said the incident occurred   somewhere on the tracks in Rochester. The train finally stopped in Baden , about one quarter of a mile from the Pinney Street Bridge. Mr. Spielmaker  said the crew brought the train to a stop and exited the lead locomotive, and added there was no one in the trailing locomotive that caught fire. he said the locomotive was swapped out  and the train was sent back on its way. Many fire departments assisted Baden. The locomotive and two freight cars  were covered in oil and they were moved to the Conway rail  yard and taken off line.

(File Photo)
Story by Sandy Giordano, Beaver County Radio News Correspondent
Tuesday, January 25, 2022 at 10:51 AM
(Hopewell Twp., Pa.)  Hopewell Township Commissioners met in regular session Monday night, January 25, 2022,  and approved  a consolidation lot subdivision  owned by Deanna and Christopher Colonna.  Lot A is located on Royal and  Eldorado Drives  in the township’s R-2 zoning district, according to the commissioners.

(File Photo)
Story by Sandy Giordano, Beaver County Radio News Correspondent
Tuesday, January 25, 2022 at 10:48 AM
(Hopewell Twp., Pa.) Just after 3 p.m. Monday Hopewell Police Chief Don Sedlacek said his department received calls about vehicles being stopped on Brodhead Road in the area of Bucktail Hill by flaggers as a firm was retrieving branches from the southbound lane of the road as the snow fell.

(File Photo)
Tuesday, January 25, 2022 at 10:44 AM
(North Sewickley, Pa.) Pa State Police in Gibsonia are reporting that they were called to the scene of a one vehicle accident eastbound on the Pa. Turnpike in North Sewickley Township just after midnight on Sunday morning.
Troopers said via release that 56-year-old Lisa Iafe of Cranberry lost control of the 2018 Subaru Forester she was driving on the snowy road. Her vehicle left the road and hit a snow bank then went airborne over a guiderail and rolled over twice.
She was taken to UPMC Passavant in Cranberry for unknown injuries. Her vehicle needed to be towed from the scene and she has been cited by police for a driving violation.

(Photo of 2021 Beaver Falls Car Cruise taken from the rood of Beaver County Radio by Mark Peterson on September 11, 2021)
Story by Frank Sparks, News/Program Director of Beaver County Radio
Tuesday, January 25, 2022 at 9:50 AM
(Beaver Falls, Pa.) Steve Peterson, Co-chairman, from the Beaver Falls Car Cruise Committee joined Eddy Crow on Teleforum Tuesday morning, January 25, 2022 to make a special announcement about this years car cruise.

Peterson informed the Beaver County Radio listeners that the 31st Annual Beaver Falls Car Cruise will be held on June 11, 2022 this year. Last year the cruise was moved to September 11, 2021 due to COVID. This year’s cruise is returning to the traditional 2nd Saturday in June.

You can watch Steve’s interview below that also talked about the car market today and why Ron Lewis Ford in Beaver Falls has been successful at having cars on the lot unlike other dealers. Peterson who is the Vice-President of Ron Lewis Beaver Falls wouldn’t quite share his secret but did go into detail as to why the market is the way it is.

Press the play button below to see the interview as it streamed live on Beaver County Radio’s Facebook Page:

(File Photo)

Tuesday, January 25, 2022 at 7:18 AM

HARRISBURG – Rep. Aaron Bernstine (R-Beaver/Butler/Lawrence) today introduced legislation that will expand the number of nursing education programs in Pennsylvania and help improve the quality of life for current nurses.

“Our nurses do more than care for individuals,” said Bernstine. “They are at the forefront of change in health care and public health. During the COVID-19 pandemic our nurses have been providing the best care for patients. We must consider what we can do to ensure they have adequate support in the future. This will have a direct impact on our health care professionals and the quality of patient care.”

 The House Bill 2278 would clarify that applicants for licensure as a registered nurse (RN) or advanced practice nurse must have received education from an institution accredited by an agency approved by the U.S. Department of Education. This would include both national and regional accreditation agencies.

 Due to a discrepancy in Pennsylvania state licensure law, only regionally accredited education institutions can offer RN education programs.

Research indicates that nursing shortages are linked to higher infection rates, higher readmission, higher mortality rates and poorer patient outcomes. In addition, nurses can experience a better quality of life at more adequately staffed facilities.

“Opening the Pennsylvania RN education market to nationally accredited institutions may help increase nursing employment, which, in turn, could lead to reduced stress levels and improved job satisfaction for our nurses and health care professionals,” said Bernstine.

(Washington, D.C.) The rollout of free N95 masks from the federal government is underway, and people should be able to get them in some stores by the end of the week.
Locally while no specific locations have been announced yet, masks will eventually be found at businesses including CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Walmart and other pharmacies and health centers. There is no word when exactly the masks will arrive.
More than 400 million masks will be given out across the United States.
There is a limit of Three masks per person.