Category: News

Aliquippa City Council Observes Moment of Silence For Former Mayor

(File Photo)

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Aliquippa, Pa.) Wednesday night Aliquippa City Council  observed a moment of silence   to remember Former Aliquippa Mayor the late Mayor Danny Britza who died Sunday at the age of 82. He served in many capacities, councilman, mayor, state auditor, and city treasurer.  He started his career  in the city of Aliquippa in 1963., retiring  from his treasurer’s position in 1992.

Ben Foringer, son of Fire Chief Dave  and Brenda Foringer was  diagnosed with colon cancer recently and prayers went out to him from city council. He assists with the city’s  Santa on the Fire Truck.

Residents of Admiral and 21st. Streets in Aliquippa Discuss Their Petition with Council

(File Photo)

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Aliquippa, Pa.) Vehicles are speeding, and trying to beat the red lights on Brodhead Rd. and Kennedy Boulevard passing school buses  and is a cause for concern by residents in the area of Admiral and 21st Street in Aliquippa . The residents expressed their concerns and a petition was presented to  Aliquippa City Council at Wednesday night’s meeting.  The city is looking into the situation to see what can be done in the area where there are small children and elderly residents. The residents were thanked for their input and concerns that they presented. One resident said, “We are fed up with the situation .”

US Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District Declares Flood Emergency on Monongahela River

(Photo Courtesy of US Army Corps of Engineers)

PITTSBURGH – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District declared a state of emergency due to flooding conditions impacting the Monongahela River and its tributaries, Sept. 1, 2021.

This emergency declaration authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to undertake support emergency response activities caused by the natural disaster.

The Pittsburgh District may provide support to local communities in need, and repair or rehabilitate flood control projects damaged during the state of emergency.

“If communities request support, we can provide assistance under this declaration,” said Al Coglio, the chief of emergency management for the Pittsburgh District.

The act also authorizes the Pittsburgh District to provide resources if requested, which can include technical assistance, sandbags, sandbag machines, water pumps and other flood-fighting supplies or equipment. The act does not include provisions for labor, transportation or fill materials.

All authorized costs associated with the emergency response are funded by the federal government.

The Pittsburgh District’s Emergency Operations Center remains active. To request support, please contact the Pittsburgh District emergency operation center: (412) 395-7150 or celrp-eoc@usace.army.mil.

Parnell gets Trump Endorsement in Pennsylvania Senate Race

Parnell gets Trump endorsement in Pennsylvania Senate race
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump is endorsing in Pennsylvania’s crowded U.S. Senate field, backing Republican Sean Parnell in what is expected to be one of the nation’s most competitive Senate contests in next year’s election. Parnell, a former Army Ranger who penned a memoir of his service in Afghanistan, was already getting enthusiastic support from Trump’s oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., before Trump’s Wednesday endorsement. Parnell became politically active in recent years, running unsuccessfully for Congress last year and landing a coveted speaking slot at the 2020 Republican National Convention. The Democratic field includes Lt. Gov. John Fetterman and U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb, who narrowly beat Parnell last year.

Pennsylvania’s Carbon Plan Clears Last Regulatory Hurdle

Pennsylvania’s carbon plan clears last regulatory hurdle
By MARC LEVY Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The centerpiece of Gov. Tom Wolf’s plan to fight climate change has passed its last regulatory hurdle in a fight pitting Democrats, nuclear power plant owners and the renewable energy sector against Republicans, fossil fuel-plant owners, blue-collar labor unions and heavy industry. The plan to impose a price on carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants in Pennsylvania won a 3-2 vote from the Independent Regulatory Review Commission on Wednesday. The jury is out on whether it would significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A key feature is that it would generate hundreds of millions of dollars for clean energy and energy efficiency programs.

High court divides 5-4 to leave Texas abortion law in place

A deeply divided Supreme Court is allowing a Texas law that bans most abortions to remain in force. The court’s action for now strips most women of the right to an abortion in the nation’s second-largest state. In an unsigned order just before midnight the court voted 5-4 to deny an emergency appeal from abortion providers and others that sought to block enforcement of the law that went into effect Wednesday. The Texas law, signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in May, prohibits abortions once medical professionals can detect cardiac activity, usually around six weeks and before most women know they’re pregnant.

VIDEO: The 25th Annual Good Samaritan Parish Festival Runs September 2-5

A variety of cultures, a variety of homemade food, and a variety of entertainment–all in one place for one weekend.

After a year off, the Good Samaritan Parish Festival returns to Ambridge from Thursday, September 2 to Sunday, September 5. The four-day event features live music every night, a homemade dinner every night, a big-money raffle, bingo, and much more.

Rose Filipponi & Leah Lesak joined Matt Drzik to talk about the festival and all of its different parts, from the team of cooks who prepare the hundreds of meals every night, to the diverse mass celebrations taking place over the weekend (one is the traditional polka mass, another a Latin mass featuring a mariachi band), and the litany of local flair being presented through song, food, and faith over the festival’s history.

For more information on the Good Samaritan Parish Festival, visit greatgrouping.org or visit Good Samaritan on Facebook.

And speaking of Facebook, click on the Live video below to see the full interview with Matt, Rose, and Leah:

Pennsylvania’s Carbon-pricing Plan at Last Regulatory Hurdle

Pennsylvania’s carbon-pricing plan at last regulatory hurdle
By MARC LEVY Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The centerpiece of Gov. Tom Wolf’s plan to fight climate change will confront its last regulatory hurdle in a fight pitting Democrats, nuclear power plant owners and the renewable energy sector against Republicans, fossil fuel-plant owners, blue-collar labor unions and heavy industry. The plan to impose a price on carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants in Pennsylvania is going before the Independent Regulatory Review Commission on Wednesday. The jury is out on whether it would significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A key feature is that it would generate hundreds of millions of dollars for the state, possibly to flush into clean-energy subsidies and energy efficiency programs.

PennDOT Enhances 511PA for Labor Day, Encourages Motorists to Plan Ahead for Safe Holiday Travel

 

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is encouraging motorists to visit the “Historic Holiday Traffic” page at www.511PA.com to plan optimal travel times on major roadways across the state this Labor Day weekend.

“Our goal is to not just minimize congestion, but to also focus on safe travel by providing motorists with as much as information as possible,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “We encourage the public to use 511PA ahead of their trip to plan optimal drive times and to also slow down, drive sober, and always buckle up.

The Labor Day travel tool allows the public to see how traffic speeds on the Friday before and on Labor Day in 2018 and 2019 compare to traffic conditions during a typical, non-holiday week. Users can choose their region and view an hour-by-hour, color-coded representation of traffic speeds to help determine the best times to travel during the holiday. 511PA also offers real-time, traffic speed information for thousands of roadway miles throughout Pennsylvania.

While PennDOT will remove lane restrictions and suspend construction projects wherever possible, the “Historic Holiday Traffic” page also allows the public to view interstate restrictions that will be in place during the holiday travel period.

The public can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles in Pennsylvania by visiting www.511PA.com. The service, 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 smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

Beaver Chamber President Helen Kissick’s August 2021 Message

Below is Beaver County Chamber President Helen Kissick’s August Message.

(Beaver County, Pa.) The Chamber’s Board met in August to set the course for the organization for the next 3 to 5 years.  As an outcome of that session, we are pleased to offer the evolved mission of the Chamber:  

​To lead and advocate for economic growth and community vitality, through collaboration, networking and education, in order to foster the best, most diverse and inclusive environment for our members.  

Stay tuned to a further evolution of the Chamber’s vision statement.  For now, we landed on:  ​To positively impact Beaver County to be the chosen place to live and work.  ​We say ‘for now’ in that we plan to work with other entities such as Beaver County’s Corporation for Economic Development, Beaver County Tourism, The Beaver County Regional Council of Governments, the Beaver County Commissioners Office and others to jointly develop a common vision (or brand) statement for the county.  Speaking with voice will more readily facilitate our county to become ALL that it can be.

Shifting gears, you’ve likely heard about the large infrastructure bills that are being moved through various government bodies at the federal level.  But what does that really mean for Pennsylvania?  The infographic summarizes it well: 

Our Chamber, and in particular the Government Affairs Committee has been steadfast in its commitment to advocate for the infrastructure needs of this county, with traditional emphasis on, for example, locks & dams, roadways and bridges. More recently our advocacy efforts have put a spotlight on the need for a more expansive and reliable internet connectivity in all parts of our county.  (Re)location decisions for businesses commonly now include as a key decision factor the level of internet connectivity, and we must invest in broadband / 5 G in order to attract and retain business.  We are grateful for all of the support legislative delegates are providing this region at the local, state and national levels.  

 

An August 18th, our Chamber teamed up with the Beaver County Regional Council of Governments in hosting a Legislative Welcome picnic at Monaca’s Antoline Park.  Many thanks to PA House of Representatives Rob Matzie, Aaron Bernstine, Josh Kail and Jim Marshall as well as Beaver County Commission Jack Manning for an engaging discussion.  The roughly 60 Chamber members and guests in attendance took full advantage of this great networking opportunity.  Here are a few photos from the event:

Lastly, we’re excited to announce that the 4th cohort of our Beaver County Leadership program will start in September.  With a diverse group of 20 participants, we anticipate being able to connect deeply with multiple communities and projects around the county, teaming up once again with Paramount Pursuits and its Main Streets programs.  We received tremendous sponsorship support also for program, for which we are very thankful.  Look for a feature article on this key program in next month’s issue of our digital newsletter, helping us celebrate much of the good that is our very own Beaver County!