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(AMBRIDGE, Pa.) New funding of $25,000 will allow The Franklin Center of Beaver County to bolster security, state Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver, announced today.

Matzie said the funding to the Aliquippa facility was administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency through the Nonprofit Security Grant Fund.

“The Franklin Center is a place of hope for our community, where folks in need can find essential resources and opportunities,” Matzie said. “It’s essential that staff who work there and the residents they serve feel secure. This new funding will provide the additional resources to make that happen.”

Matzie said grants under the program may be used for a wide range of resources, including safety planning, training, and threat assessments; equipment and technology such as metal detectors, theft-control devices, protective lighting, surveillance equipment, emergency communications equipment, and other facility upgrades; and specially trained canines.

The Nonprofit Security Grant Fund provides funding to nonprofits that principally serve people, groups or institutions that are included within a bias motivation category for single bias hate crime incidents as identified by the FBI’s Hate Crime Statistics publication. The categories include race/ethnicity/ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender and gender identity.

More about the funding is available here: https://www.governor.pa.gov/newsroom/gov-wolf-announces-3-9-million-in-nonprofit-security-grant-fund-program-awards/.

The security grant is in addition to more than $3 million in PCCD funding announced Wednesday to strengthen Beaver County law enforcement, records management and victim services.

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Story by Sandy Giordano

( Ambridge, Pa.)  The Ambridge Council  met on Tuesday night and approved its 2023 no-tax increase budget.  Millage remains at 34.5 mills.

The police contract was approved beginning January 1,2023, and ending  December 31, 2026..  The approval recommended by the police, chief solicitor, and boro manager. Hunter Hagy was hired as a part time firefighter/code enforcement officer. He will begin his duties January 2, 2023.

(Photos courtesy of Midland Superintendent Sean Tanner)

Story by Sandy Giordano, Beaver County Radio News
(Midland, Pa.) Midland School District Superintendent Sean Tanner reported last week that students will get crocheted warm winter hats from a student’s grandma  for Christmas this year.   An Aliquippa woman, whose  grandchild attends the school, has crocheted the hats for the last 3 years,  This year, Minions, the Grinch  and Sesame Street characters  are  crocheted on the hats, Mr Tanner said.

BEAVER FALLS, PA (DECEMBER 16, 2022) – The Cornerstone of Beaver County (TCBC) – a nonprofit organization working to prevent and end homelessness in Beaver County – has coordinated with community partners to provide warming centers this winter for those experiencing homelessness or housing-related crisis in Beaver County. Warming centers provide relief from inclement and potentially dangerous winter weather, including extreme cold and wind chill. Those who turn to TCBC for warming center service can also access basic needs and housing resources that are part of the organization’s regular, year-round programming.

Local Warming Center Locations and Hours of Operation:

The Cornerstone of Beaver County 

Monday-Friday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

600 6th Street, Beaver Falls

New Brighton Municipal Building

Monday-Thursday 8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.

610 3rd Avenue, New Brighton

Rochester Free Methodist Church

Call ahead 724-774-5304

480 Jefferson Street, Rochester

TRAILS Ministries

Monday-Friday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

1217 7th Avenue, Beaver Falls

Uncommon Grounds

Tuesday-Thursday 7 a.m.-3 p.m.

724-375-6141

380 Franklin Ave, Aliquippa, PA

TCBC’s website — CornerstoneBeaver.org — contains a resources page that provides the warming center information and a list of community organizations offering meals, groceries, clothing, and other assistance.

“There’s never a safe time to be homeless, but winter poses additional risk for sickness, injury, or even death for those living outside in the elements, in cars, in tents, or in abandoned buildings,” said TCBC Executive Director Marie Timpano.

Timpano continued, “We’re grateful for the chance to collaborate with community partners to offer warming centers that will help keep those who are homeless out of harm’s way this winter. And with our 24-hour men’s emergency shelter opening in the spring, we are thrilled to confidently say that this will be the last winter without a men’s shelter in Beaver County.”

TCBC works to prevent and end homelessness in Beaver County by providing and coordinating emergency shelter, permanent housing, basic needs, and resources.

In early 2021, TCBC was selected by The Community Development Program (CDP) of Beaver County to receive funding to acquire, rehabilitate, and operate a 24-hour men’s emergency shelter on behalf of the County. Funding has since been secured to complete the rehabilitation and construction is in the final phase. The shelter doors are expected to officially open in the spring of 2023.

For more information about TCBC’s emergency and permanent housing programs as well as utilities and basic needs assistance, visit CornerstoneBeaver.org or call 724-846-6400.

(Photos courtesy of Mike Romigh)
Story by Beaver County Radio Staff
(Koppel, Pa.) Santa Claus took a break from getting ready for Christmas at the North Pole and stopped by Al’s Corner in Koppel on Thursday night. Beaver County Radio’s Mike Romigh just happened to be lucky enough to be there to see Santa. Mike talked with Rachel McGreal from Al’s about their annual Christmas party and asked Rachel why she does this every year and McGreal said that it is her way of giving back to the community and supporting the people who support Al’s Corner. She told Mike that this is the third year that Al’s has had a Christmas Party and 150 kids signed up to participate which Rachel said was the most ever. Each child received a gift with their name on it and there was pizza, cookies and hot chocolate and the kids could register for prizes.  You can see a couple photos of the fun below.

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Story by Sandy Giordano, Beaver County Radio n
(Pittsburgh, Pa.) On Thursday afternoon DLC and IBEW Local 29  the first-of-its kind apprenticeship. The flagship program will give the DLC  overhead line workers  an opportunity  to become accredited “journey-level workers” a  ,according to Ashley Mycik, external communications representative. This indicates that an individual  has completed  a registered apprenticeship that provides  extensive hands-on and classroom training. The program is the first to be offered in the electric utility industry  to encourage new, diverse workers to enter the field.

(File Photo)

Story by Beaver County Radio Staff
(Brighton Twp., Pa,) Pa State Police in Beaver are reporting that they were dispatched to the scene of a one vehicle accident on Interstate 376 in Brighton Twp. around 9:25 PM on Monday night.
Troopers reported via release that 22-year-old Dylan Brown of Beaver Falls was driving a 2014 Toyota Corolla west bound on I-376 when he became sick and lost control of the vehicle. Brown’s car drifted from the left lane and struck guardrail then ricocheted off of the guardrail across both lanes of traffic and came to a final rest entangled in the guard wire. Brown was not injured it the accident and his vehicle had to be towed from the scene.

FILE – Pennsylvania House Democratic Leader Joanna McClinton, D-Philadelphia, speaks in Philadelphia, Monday, Nov. 7, 2022. Democrats in the Pennsylvania House are moving to control the chamber after they barely won back enough seats in November but one of their incumbents died and two others won higher office. Shortly after McClinton was sworn in on the House floor on Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022 she scheduled special elections for Feb. 7 for all three seats. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)
By MARK SCOLFORO Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Pennsylvania House’s Republican leader is seeking to wait until the May primary before holding special elections in two vacant districts. The filing of election paperwork Thursday by Republican Leader Bryan Cutler of Lancaster County is the latest move in a power struggle over control of the nearly evenly divided chamber. Democrats won barely enough seats in November to reclaim the majority. But one of their successful candidates died of cancer in October and two others have just resigned after being elected to Congress and as lieutenant governor. Cutler has sued over Democratic Leader Joanna McClinton’s decision to file separate paperwork seeking to hold all three contests on Feb. 7.

(Photo provided with release)

Keystone State News Connection

Danielle Smith

New rules proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency would require regular inspections of all methane-emitting oil and gas production sites throughout the country. In Pennsylvania, groups that support the rules say they’ll open the door for more jobs in the natural-gas industry.

Isaac Brown, executive director of the Center for Methane Emission Solutions, noted there is a market now for technologies and companies to help energy producers address emissions, which means they’ll need more workers.

“Jobs can be created to help companies comply with these rules,” he said, “but because these rules will result in more product being saved that can be brought to market, producers can also actually see their profits increase.”

The new rules are meant to supplement the comprehensive rules to capture more methane from leaks and flaring at well sites that the Biden administration released last year.

John Walliser, senior vice president of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, explained that methane has more than 80 times the global-warming power of carbon dioxide in the first 20 years after it reaches the atmosphere – so curbing emissions is a way to slow climate change. He said that’s important for Pennsylvania in several ways, because of the high number of wells in the state.

“The first is that the rule ensures that consistent leak detection and repair standards are applied at well sites,” he said, “particularly for those that have equipment known to malfunction and cause fugitive emissions.”

He said the rule will also require that operators monitor and report on low-producing or abandoned well sites until they are properly plugged and closed.

Walliser added that the EPA rules will mean other harmful pollutants are curbed as well as methane because of the more sophisticated technologies that will be used. He said that will also ensure methane can be captured and sold instead of escaping into the air.

“When you prevent fugitive emissions, you’re preventing the waste of these resources, and that leads to cost savings, both for the oil and gas operators themselves as well as energy consumers,” he said. “The other benefit we see for Pennsylvania is that it’s going to help drive new technologies and the growth of businesses here in the state, in the methane-mitigation space.”

He said several service and manufacturing firms already are located in Pennsylvania, and many are small businesses that can take advantage of these new opportunities.

(Photo Provided with release)

Keystone State News Connection

Danielle Smith

A Pennsylvania policy analysis group is adding its voice to the calls for Congress to bring back the expanded child tax credit for families in place during the pandemic. The Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center said it could be included in the end-of-year spending package.

When the expanded Child Tax Credit was in effect, it helped boost millions of families above the federal poverty level, with a few hundred dollars a month per child.

Marc Stier, director of the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, said the Child Tax Credit reduced poverty for 5.3 million people. He argued policymakers have the power to help address childhood poverty again and thinks Congress should not pass corporate tax breaks unless it also expands tax credits for families.

“We’re telling Congress people that they ought to make a deal,” Stier stated. “We’re not crazy about some of those corporate tax cuts. Well, if we’re going to give tax cuts to billionaires, we ought to be giving help to the poorest kids in our country, and that’s a deal we can live with. And it’s a deal they should include in the budget negotiations this month.”

When it was in effect, the expanded Child Tax Credit provided monthly payments of $250 to $300 per child to families, depending on the child’s age. Without the expanded program, an estimated 627,000 kids in Pennsylvania missed out on the full credit. Opponents in Congress argued the credit contributes to inflation.

Stier noted since Congress allowed the child tax credit expansion to lapse, child poverty in the Keystone State has risen by 40% and the number of people who do not always have enough to eat increased by 25%. He said families are struggling to pay their bills without the expansion of the credit.

“We’re hearing from parents who are having trouble heating their homes, having trouble paying for food, having trouble paying for child care, so they can actually go out into the workforce,” Stier observed. “A little extra money a month, which we give to upper middle-class families making $400,000 a year, we certainly can give that to low-income families as well.”

Congress has until Friday to enact the final spending measure and pass another continuing resolution to keep the federal government funded, or risk a partial government shutdown.