Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Hopewell Twp., Pa.) Hopewell School Board listened to  parents who objected to t their children wearing masks or face covering during the high transmission rate of COVID-19 here in Beaver County The public section of the meeting lasted almost one hour.  Some residents  even interrupted the meeting with loud comments and were told the  public comments section had ended.

AAA: Western PA Gas Prices Decrease as Crude Prices Drop Substantially
Gas prices in Western Pennsylvania are one cent lower this week at $3.326 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average                 $3.326
Average price during the week of August 16, 2021                                  $3.335
Average price during the week of August 24, 2020                                  $2.471

The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline in various areas:      

$3.292      Altoona
$3.333      Beaver
$3.359      Bradford
$3.352      Brookville
$3.345      Butler
$3.357      Clarion
$3.331      DuBois
$3.340      Erie
$3.305      Greensburg
$3.299      Indiana
$3.280      Jeannette
$3.307      Kittanning
$3.355      Latrobe
$3.344      Meadville
$3.367      Mercer
$3.298      New Castle
$3.283      New Kensington
$3.359      Oil City
$3.335      Pittsburgh
$3.326      Sharon
$3.289      Uniontown
$3.359      Warren
$3.286      Washington

Trend Analysis:

Crude oil prices saw a significant decline of $5 per barrel on the week, down to $62.32 per barrel at Friday’s close. Prices are declining as market concerns grow that crude demand will decline as coronavirus infections increase across the globe. The downward crude price trend could spell good news for motorists.

Crude oil prices saw not only a dramatic drop on the week, but the price per barrel is at the cheapest in three months. If this downward trend continues and less expensive prices are sustained, Americans can expect to see relief at the pump in the near future.

At $3.16, today’s national average is two cents cheaper than last week, but 98 cents more than a year ago and 56 cents more than two years ago. All eyes are now on gasoline demand, which has declined for three straight weeks. The Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) latest reading puts demand at 9.3 million barrels per day. That is a healthy pandemic demand reading, but still about 6% below the same week in August 2019. The softer demand readings have pushed gasoline stock levels over 228 million barrels.

Motorists can find current gas prices nationwide, statewide, and countywide at GasPrices.AAA.com.

(File Photo)

(Harrisburg, Pa.) Riverside School District was awarded $500,00 from the Commonwealth for redevelopment of the school’s natatorium. Riverside is one of the schools in Beaver County with a swimming pool that not only offers recreation to the students within the district, but to the public as well.

Installed in 1976, the pool is in need of multiple repairs and redevelopment. Between inadequate regulation slope depth for diving, lane line anchors, cracks in the aluminum, and a need for a new air filtration system, the pool, while still functional, needs these repairs.

Senator Elder Vogel said via statement that “We are very pleased that the Department has awarded Riverside with the money for these upgrades. It is a good school that has a commitment to the many swimming programs it offers. After seeing their report on the air filtration system, age of the pool and the cracks in the aluminum lining, it was clear the pool needed some help, and I am happy that our Commonwealth could provide them with that assistance. The pool plays an important role in that community and I would hate to see it go into disrepair because we were not able to help out. With all the people that use the pool for instructional, recreational, and athletic uses, it is an exciting time for Riverside and the area.”

(Harrisburg, Pa.) Brighton Township was awarded $250,000 from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Recreation and Conservation Grant Program. The awarded funds will be used for Brighton Township Fireman’s Social Hall.

The Brighton Twp. Grange Renovation Project became necessary as membership and volunteers for the Brighton Township VFD made operating in the existing building impossible. The project proposes the renovation of the existing building for ADA compliance, energy efficiency and needed upgrades to form and function. Additionally, the parking area will be renovated to improve access and traffic circulation, along with storm water management and landscaping improvements.

State Senator Elder Vogel said in a release that “Brighton Township has taken a great step in addressing the needs of the existing building. By updating its ADA compliance and switching some products over to more energy efficient designs, they are making sure the building is more up-to-date and accessible for its community. I am in full support of Brighton Township and was delighted to get the news that they had received funds.”

Pa State Rep Josh Kail said via text message that “I support fully Brighton Twp. receiving this grant. They well deserve this resources . Brighton Township has a long history of using state resources wisely and to benefit the community . This Project is consistent with that history.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has
issued a code ORANGE air quality alert for Wednesday, including
the greater Pittsburgh region
A code ORANGE air quality alert means that air pollution
concentrations within the region may become unhealthy for
sensitive groups. Sensitive groups include children, the elderly,
and people suffering from asthma, heart disease, or other lung
diseases. The effects of air pollution can be minimized by
avoiding outdoor exercise or strenuous activity.

Today: A slight chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms High 92

Tonight: A chance of showers and thunderstorms Low 69

Tomorrow: A chance of showers and thunderstorms High 89

Friday: A chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms High 88

Saturday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms High 87

Sunday: A chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms High 89

(File Photo of Skip Homan during a recent appearance about the partnership on Beaver County Radio)

(Harrisburg, Pa.) The Beaver County Partnership was awarded $125,000 from the Commonwealth for Phase 3 & 4 of its Quality Education and Work Force Development study. Formed in 2016, the Beaver County Partnership is a public/private partnership of more than 300 volunteer Beaver County Leaders from local businesses, government, and public service organizations.

The study focuses three main questions, the first of which is with the changing population, fiscal and demographic trends, how can Beaver County address equity of opportunity and access as we maintain community identities? Second, how do we address the cost of aging infrastructure and remain cost-effective for the Beaver County taxpayers? Lastly, With the cost of education continuing to rise, what will Beaver County education look like by 2030?

Pa State Senator Elder Vogel said via release that “The Beaver County Partnership has done a great job interacting with the local stockholders during every step of the on-going study. The questions they are asking, are not easy ones for any county to answer and it is why we are thankful they have taken it upon themselves to gather the necessary information to form a plan that will benefit the students and communities within Beaver County. We want a cost-effective system that maximizes all of our children’s limitless potential and I am excited for what this study will find in our area.”

The Quality Education Council is part of the Beaver County Partnership and is comprised of educational leaders from schools across the county. The council is divided into three committees, namely the K-12 Education, Bridges and Pathways College Partnership and the post-Secondary Workforce Development committees.

Assembly map-drawing panel to count inmates in home towns
By MARK SCOLFORO Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Inmates in Pennsylvania’s state prisons will be counted in their home districts and not where their prisons are located after a divided vote by the five-member panel redrawing legislative district maps this year. The Pennsylvania Legislative Reapportionment Commission voted 3-to-2 on Tuesday for the policy shift that had been introduced by House Minority Leader Joanna McClinton, a Philadelphia Democrat. The House and Senate Republican leaders voted no, while McClinton was joined by the Senate Democratic floor leader and by the commission’s chair, former University of Pittsburgh Chancellor Mark Nordenberg.

Pennsylvania ends jobless-claims system lawsuit against IBM
By MARC LEVY Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration is ending a lawsuit against IBM after suing the company four years ago and accusing it of failing to deliver on a contract to produce an updated system for processing unemployment compensation claims. The Department of Labor and Industry refused to reveal any terms Tuesday other than saying that IBM “acknowledged no liability or wrongdoing.” The department only filed a one-sentence discontinuance in court. The lawsuit said the technology giant was paid $170 million on a 2006 contract but had delivered a failed project by the time the state let the contract expire in 2013. IBM had said the state’s claims had no merit.

Keystone State News Connection

Emily Scott

HARRISBURG, Pa. – This week marks the 25th anniversary of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, the cash-assistance program commonly known as TANF, and a new report in Pennsylvania says changes are needed to improve its accessibility.

The Meet The Need Coalition report surveyed current and former TANF recipients about the program and changes they’d like to see. Louise Hayes, supervising attorney at Community Legal Services, part of the coalition, said the people surveyed see the program as a crucial safety net, but added that current benefits aren’t helping families rise out of poverty.

“The number one thing that people mentioned is that the grant amount has not increased since 1990,” she said. “A family of three has received, in most counties in Pennsylvania, $403 a month to live on. Since 1990, there’s been no change for the cost of living.”

TANF is the only form of cash assistance for low-income families and pregnant people that allows them to buy diapers, personal hygiene products and other basic necessities.

Rochelle Jackson, founder and director of coalition-member Black Women’s Policy Agenda, said it’s critical to see the changes needed for TANF from a racial-justice perspective as well. In the Commonwealth, 53% of TANF recipients are Black. Jackson said she believes it’s part of a history of systemic racism that’s led to Black women, in particular, dealing with discriminatory hurdles that have made it harder to gain employment.

“Black women who wanted to work, and still want to work today, often are not able to work because people will not hire them because of the color of their skin, and their sex,” she said. “So, if we are not dealing with all these different aspects of it, do we really want Black women to succeed, right? Are we really creating a program, and a process, that helps them build a pathway to self-sufficiency?”

The report also recommended increasing the asset limit that now disqualifies anyone in Pennsylvania from receiving TANF benefits if they have more than $1,000 in savings. Currently, 65,000 Pennsylvanians are TANF recipients.

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Beaver, Pa.) A hearing was held in Beaver County Central Court on  Monday  morning  for Jarrone Roscoe Peake, 46 , of Aliquippa  who was arrested, charged, arraigned, and jailed  on June 10, 2021  for starting fires at 134 and 136 First Avenue in the city..