Pastor David Grove of the Church of the Redeemed of Beaver Valley provides a message on bringing unity to the world this Saturday on “Wake Up Beaver Valley”.

“Wake Up Beaver Valley” airs every Saturday morning from 9 AM to 10 AM on Beaver County Radio and is presented by the Church of The Redeemed of Beaver Valley. Archived editions of “Wake Up Beaver Valley” can be heard at the Beaver County Radio Podcast Library.

Jeff Bost and Dr. Maroon talk about traumatic brain injuries this week on “Living Well”.

Dr. Joseph Maroon is a world renown neurosurgeon with extensive experience in neurosurgery. He specializes in minimally invasive surgery to speed recovery for his patients. He is a sports medicine expert and innovator in concussion management, personal fitness and nutrition. Dr. Maroon is also the Pittsburgh Steelers team doctor.

Jeff Bost is a consultant to the St. Barnabas Health System. Bost is also a Clinical Instructor in the Department of Neurosurgery at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, a consultant to the WWE, and Clinical Assistant Professor at Chatham University. He has a special interest in minimally invasive spine and brain surgery and have collaborated on scores of scientific medical papers and books in these areas. Over the last 15 years he has researched, lectured and written on the use of alternative treatment for pain control.

Bost, along with Dr. Joseph Maroon have authored two books on the use of omega-3 fish oil, including: Fish Oil: The Natural Anti-Inflammatory, currently in its forth printing with over 75,000 copies sold and recently, Why You Need Fish Oil. He has given over 100 invited lectures, 24 national posters and oral presentations, 29 coordinated research projects, five workshops presentations, 35 scientific articles and 10 book chapters.

You can rune into “Living Well” every Saturday morning at 8:30 on 95.7 and 99.3 FM, 1230 WBVP, 1460 WMBA, and beavercountyradio.com.

You can also listen to all previous episodes of “Living Well” by going to beavercountyradio.com clicking on the Listen Live Button, Then chose Beaver County Radio and click on Podcasts in the upper right hand corner.

You can also download our free apps by clicking on the proper store icon for your platform of a device:

In this weeks episode of Highmark Heroes, Jim Roddey speaks to Dr. Manreet Kanwar, Director for the Mechanical Circulatory Support and Cardiac Transplantation programs at AHN. Later in the show Roddey is joined by Eric Zahren, the President of the Andrew Carnegie Hero Fund.

“Heroes” is presented by Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield and the Allegheny Health Network, airing Saturdays at 10:00 AM and Sundays at 12:30 PM on Beaver County Radio. Archived editions of “Heroes” can be heard at the Beaver County Radio Podcast Library.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, speaks during a briefing with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. Mark Milley at the Pentagon in Washington, Wednesday, March 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

BEIRUT (AP) — The Pentagon says a strike Thursday by a suspected Iranian-made drone killed a U.S. contractor and wounded five American troops and another contractor in northeast Syria. American forces said they retaliated soon after with “precision airstrikes” in Syria targeting facilities used by groups affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, with activist groups saying the hits killed at least four. The exchange threatens to upend recent efforts to deescalate tensions across the Middle East, whose rival powers have made steps toward détente in recent days after years of turmoil. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that the American intelligence community had determined the drone was of Iranian origin, but offered no other immediate evidence to support the claim.

This booking photo provided by the Dauphin County, Pa., Prison, shows Riley June Williams. (Dauphin County Prison via AP)

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Pennsylvania woman linked to a far-right extremist movement has been sentenced to three years in prison for storming the U.S. Capitol and invading then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office with other rioters. The judge who sentenced Riley June Williams on Thursday also presided over her trial last year. Williams was charged but not convicted of helping steal a laptop from Pelosi’s office suite during the riot on Jan. 6, 2021. A jury convicted Williams in November of six charges, including a felony count of civil disorder. But it deadlocked on two other counts, including “aiding and abetting” the laptop’s theft.

Students from Philadelphia hold photos of gun violence victims at a rally at the Pennsylvania Capitol pressing for stronger gun-control laws, Thursday, March 23, 2023, in Harrisburg, Pa. (AP Photo/Marc Levy)

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Anti-gun violence advocates rallied and packed a legislative hearing in Pennsylvania, where a politically divided government has fought firearms policy to a virtual standstill for decades and rising gun violence has gripped Philadelphia. Thursday’s March For Our Lives rally marks its fifth anniversary since its inception after a 2018 mass shooting at a Florida high school. Hundreds are expected at Thursday’s rally in Harrisburg, which coincides with rallies this week in Florida, Michigan, California and Texas. Pennsylvania’s Legislature hasn’t seriously entertained any new gun restrictions since 2018. But this year a one-seat Democratic majority has taken over the House and is kicking off this session’s debate over gun violence.

East Palestine Train Derailment (Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio)

EAST PALESTINE, Ohio – This evening, U.S. EPA hosted a community open house at East Palestine High School. Staff from EPA, Ohio EPA, Columbiana County Health District, and other supporting agencies provided residents with information about soil sampling, air monitoring, and other aspects of the response.

This week, EPA published the East Palestine Train Derailment Response Newsletter, 03-21-2023 (pdf) (710.17 KB) for communities in Ohio and Pennsylvania on EPA’s website. The newsletter will also be mailed to area residents.

EPA has reviewed preliminary data from some of the soil sampling related to the controlled burn that occurred during response actions to the train derailment in East Palestine. While final results will be available in the coming weeks, EPA’s review of the preliminary data indicates levels of semi-volatile organic chemicals and dioxins in the samples are similar to typical background levels.

At the derailment site:

• Increased truck traffic along designated trucking routes
• Taggart Street is still closed to the public
• Continued excavation and construction work at the site
• Trucks continue to take soil off site
• Two street sweepers will continue around truck traffic, and crews continue to clean trucks before

leaving the site

In the greater community:

• Air monitoring continues at 23 locations around the community
• EPA’s Trace Atmospheric Gas Analyzer (TAGA) mobile laboratory will continue to sample
• Soil sampling crews in right of ways:
• Crews made up of 4-5 people wearing high visibility safety vests and scooping soil into jars
• If your property is nearby the sampling area and the sampling crew sees signs of soot or ash, a member of the sampling team may ask to sample your property
• River agitation and aeration will continue

Response By the Numbers

• 8,442 tons est. of contaminated soil shipped (+49 tons from yesterday)
• 7.8 million est. gallons of liquid wastewater shipped (+181,347 million gallons from yesterday)
• 621 indoor air screenings
• The Welcome Center has received 377 visitors Soil Removal at the Derailment Site

Soil removal continues at the derailment site and approximately 8,442 tons of contaminated soil has shipped to disposal facilities. Work at the site includes removing tracks in sections, and removing soil and placing it in a staging area for disposal. Soil removal continues on the south track rail area; planning for the north track rail removal is underway. During the soil removal process, Norfolk Southern, with EPA oversight, will conduct soil sampling beneath the excavated rail track.

Liquid Waste Removal

 

Wastewater is collected to ensure water does not leave the derailment site or staging piles of contaminated soil. Wastewater is generated after rain falls on contaminated soil and is collected and from cleaning and washing trucks before they leave site. An estimated 7.8 million gallons of wastewater has been shipped offsite to appropriate disposal facilities.

Soil Sampling

 

EPA and Norfolk Southern contractors continue to take soil samples at agricultural, commercial, recreational and residential properties in both Ohio and Pennsylvania. To date, 102 properties have been sampled. This soil sampling effort will help identify if contaminants, including SVOCs and dioxins, are present and may have been caused by the train derailment.

EPA has reviewed preliminary data from some of the soil sampling related to the controlled burn that occurred during response actions to the train derailment in East Palestine. While final results will be available in the coming weeks, EPA’s review of the preliminary data indicates levels of semi-volatile organic chemicals and dioxins in the samples are similar to typical background levels.

Air Quality

 

To date, 621 indoor air screenings have been conducted. Air monitoring continues 24/7 at 23 stations throughout the community. No detections of vinyl chloride or hydrogen chloride have been identified.

During the soil removal at the derailment site, EPA and independent contractors are conducting air monitoring within the work zone and throughout the surrounding community. This includes continuous air monitoring and sampling at the site and throughout the community as well as the use of EPA’s Trace Atmospheric Gas Analyzer (TAGA) mobile laboratory which is conducting an air monitoring route near the soil excavation area. EPA does not anticipate exceedances of levels of health concern as a result of the soil removal work.

See operational updates from other agencies supporting this incident response below.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

• FEMA has been working closely with the state since the beginning of this incident and has been in constant contact regarding emergency operations since February 4—less than 12 hours after the train derailment.
• In total, FEMA deployed 70 personnel to help coordinate this multiagency effort and get the people of East Palestine connected to critical information and resources.
• Specifically, FEMA recently supported Interagency Community Outreach teams with door-to-door outreach in the affected area, sharing valuable information with residents and businesses.
• These teams engaged with affected residents in the community and more than 2,200 flyers were distributed to individuals or dropped off at their homes and businesses.

Department of Transportation (DOT) & National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

• DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) announced that over $25M is available for projects that will train first responders, strengthen safety programs, improve safety, reduce environmental impacts, and educate the public on local safety initiatives. This includes projects that provide support to state inspectors for hazardous materials shipments and pipelines inspections, important safety training and educational programs for emergency response, and advance innovative safety technologies.
• PHMSA recently urged all railroad operators to create and maintain emergency response plans for the transport of hazardous materials, strengthen the accessibility of the AskRail system, and inform PHMSA when they identify responders who are not able to access PHMSA’s grant-funded training. Read the PHMSA Safety Advisory Notice: Railroad  Emergency Preparedness.
• NTSB, an independent federal agency, is leading the investigation into the cause of the derailment. Read NTSBs recently issued an Investigative Update with factual findings on their investigation on the ground.
• Within hours of the derailment, staff from the Federal Railroad Administration and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration staff were on the scene to support the NTSB investigation.
• Upon completion of the investigation, DOT will use all relevant authorities to ensure accountability and improve safety.
• DOT is demanding immediate actions from the Class I railroads, announcing continued and expanded action from DOT, and calling on Congress to take actions that will hold the industry accountable.

Norfolk Southern Corporation

• For daily updates community members can view the Norfolk Southern website https://nsmakingitright.com/.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17) joined the bipartisan Fentanyl Prevention Caucus. Consisting of equal number of Representatives from both parties, this bipartisan group comes together to combat the nationwide spike in fentanyl-related overdoses and drug poisonings. Led by Congressmembers Joe Neguse, Madeleine Dean, Darrell Issa, and Ken Calvert, the Caucus meets with prevention and awareness groups, as well federal and local law enforcement, to continually monitor, research, and work to address the threat of fentanyl.

“Fatal overdoses from fentanyl have destroyed the lives, dreams, and loved ones of so many in Western Pennsylvania,” said Congressman Deluzio. “And unfortunately, in our community and across the country, the death toll keeps rising. Congress must tackle fentanyl abuse like the public health crisis that it is—fighting from all angles to keep this deadly drug out of our communities, address root issues, support addiction services and recovery, and save lives.”

Deaths from opioids are not limited to specific geographic, demographic, and socioeconomic boundaries. They require coordinated efforts like those this caucus is spearheading and at the state and local level to comprehensively take on this crisis.

In Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District, the morbidity rate from opioid overdoses consistently exceeds the national average. Statewide, Allegheny and Beaver counties rank among the highest areas in Pennsylvania for fatal overdoses and drug poisonings. In both counties, fentanyl has exponentially become the most frequently reported drug category in drug related overdose decedents. According to the most recent year’s data from the University of Pittsburgh’s Overdose Free PA, fentanyl was present in 70% of overdose deaths.

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) today released its preliminary employment situation report for February 2023.

 

Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate rose one-tenth of a percentage point over the month to 4.4% in February. The U.S. unemployment rate was up two-tenths of a percentage point from January to 3.6 The commonwealth’s unemployment rate matched its February 2022 level, and the national rate was down 0.2 percentage points over the year.

 

As of January 2023, Pennsylvania has recovered more than 100% of the 1.1 million jobs lost in the first two months of the pandemic. Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force – the estimated number of residents working or looking for work – was up 8,000 over the month due to increases in both employment and unemployment.

 

Pennsylvania’s total nonfarm jobs were up 5,600 over the month to a new record high of 6,094,400 in February. Jobs increased from January in six of the 11 industry supersectors with the largest gain in leisure & hospitality (+3,000). Trade, transportation & utilities jobs remained at a record high level.

 

Over the year, total nonfarm jobs were up 164,800 with gains in all 11 supersectors. Education & health services (+53,600) had the largest volume over-the-year gain among supersectors with three other supersectors adding over 19,000 each.