(Photo provided by The Office of the Governor)

Harrisburg, PA – Today, Governor Josh Shapiro signed the first bill of his Administration – Act 1 of 2023, a first-of-its-kind law in the nation that will require insurers to cover preventive breast and ovarian cancer screenings for high-risk women at no cost.

This landmark legislation, introduced by Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward, passed both the House and the Senate unanimously. It removes out-of-pocket costs associated with genetic testing for hereditary breast, ovarian, prostate and other cancer syndromes – as well as supplemental breast screenings for women with a high lifetime risk of breast cancer. Act 1 ensures this critical healthcare will be accessible and affordable for more Pennsylvanians and save countless lives.

After signing this historic, landmark legislation, Governor Josh Shapiro released the following statement:

“I am proud that the first bill I have signed as Governor is a bill that passed both chambers unanimously – with Democrats and Republicans coming together to improve access to critically important healthcare and save countless lives in Pennsylvania. This bill is the first of its kind in our country, requiring insurance companies to cover the costs of preventive cancer screenings for women at high risk of breast cancer.

“This historic legislation is going to help women fight breast cancer and live healthier lives – and it would not have been possible without the courage, tenacity, and bipartisan cooperation of Senate Pro Tempore Kim Ward and Speaker Joanna McClinton. I believe government can and should be a productive force for good – and this is a real example of the big things we can accomplish in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania when we work together.”

“Pennsylvania is leading the nation in the fight against breast cancer by eliminating out-of-pocket costs associated with BRCA-related genetic testing and counseling for high-risk individuals, as well as supplemental screenings such as breast MRI and ultrasound for women,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward. “My personal experience with breast cancer presented me the opportunity to see where some of the gaps were in the system. With approximately 14,000 new cases of breast cancer per year in Pennsylvania, what this legislature did by getting the Bill to Governor Shapiro for his signature, will have a huge positive affect on women’s health and lives.”

“Breast cancer is a terrible disease with roughly 264,000 cases of breast cancer diagnosed in women and 2,400 cases in men every year.  For Black women, the statistics are even more alarming, as it is the number one cause of cancer death for Black women at an alarming rate of 31 percent,” said Speaker Joanna McClinton. “But there is hope, now as a result of this new law more Pennsylvanians will have access to the screening and genetic counseling that can lead to an early diagnosis and save lives. This is a testament to the good work we can do for our neighbors across the Commonwealth.”

Governor Josh Shapiro was joined by legislative leaders from both parties and breast cancer survivors and advocates from all across the Commonwealth for the signing of this historic legislation. Since taking office, Governor Shapiro has remained focused on bringing people together to deliver solutions on the pressing issues Pennsylvanians face. This landmark legislation exemplifies the progress that can be achieved in Harrisburg – and the Shapiro Administration looks forward to continuing this bipartisan cooperation in order to deliver real results for all Pennsylvanians.

(New Brighton, PA) The Beaver County Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association has announced that the New Brighton Farmers’ Market will open for the season tomorrow, Tuesday, May 2, 2023.  The open air market be located next to Diamond Milling at 313 Fifth Avenue, like it has in recent years.  Hours for the market will be 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM on Tuesdays through November 7.

They say the market will feature fresh vegetables, fruits, and plants for your home garden or landscaping needs. Everything is grown and sold by local Beaver County growers who appreciate your support to buy local.

NEW YORK (AP) — Regulators seized troubled First Republic Bank early Monday, making it the second-largest bank failure in U.S. history, and promptly sold all of its deposits and most of its assets to JPMorgan Chase in a bid to stop further banking turmoil that has dominated the first half of this year. It’s the third midsize bank to fail in less than two months. The only larger bank failure in U.S. history was Washington Mutual, which collapsed at the height of the 2008 financial crisis and was also taken over by JPMorgan in a similar government-orchestrated deal.

FILE – Tom Hamilton, from left, Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, John Douglas and Brad Whitford of Aerosmith, perform on Sept. 8, 2022, at Fenway Park in Boston. Aerosmith will be touring a city near you for the last time to celebrate their 50-plus years of being together. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band announced Monday, May 1, 2023 the dates for their farewell tour called “Peace Out” starting Sept. 2 in Philadelphia. (Photo by Winslow Townson/Invision/AP, file)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Aerosmith will be touring a city near you for the last time to celebrate their 50-plus years together. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band announced Monday the dates for their “Peace Out” farewell tour starting Sept. 2 in Philadelphia. The initial 40-date run of shows, which includes a stop in the band’s hometown of Boston on New Year’s Eve, will end in January in Montreal. Guitarist Joe Perry tells The Associated Press he believes the time is now for a final tour with every founding band member over the age of 70. The group is looking forward to digging into their lengthy catalog of the group’s rock classics.

Country music legend Willie Nelson finishes his set at the Outlaws & Legends Music Fest in Abilene, Texas, on Saturday, April 1, 2023. Nelson, who will turn 90 this month, was the headlining act for the two-day festival, fulfilling a promise to come after having to forego an appearance at the 2020 festival due to the pandemic. (Ronald W. Erdrich/The Abilene Reporter-News via AP)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Willie Nelson celebrated his 90th birthday by doing the same thing he’s done for most of those years: making music with his friends. Artists including Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton and the Chicks took the stage and sang Nelson’s songs at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on Saturday for the first of a two-night tribute concert for the country legend. Nelson emerged late in the evening and showed off his musical range, singing duets with Neil Young, George Strait and Snoop Dogg. Actor Owen Wilson, one of the show’s emcees, told the crowd the evening made it feel like there’s nothing bigger than Willie Nelson.

The image above shows firefighters on scene at the fire in Ambridge. (Photos courtesy of David Novak)  
Photos Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published May 1, 2023 1:10 P.M.

(Ambridge, PA) On Sunday night at 8:38 p.m. Ambridge fire department was dispatched to 816 11th Street for a fully involved structure fire. Fire Chief Dennie Larrick, Jr. said a short time ago that  the fire was brought under control with a quick knock down at 9:13 pm.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The first week of jury selection has wrapped up in the federal trial of the man charged with killing 11 worshipers at a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018. There are 27 people still eligible to serve on the jury in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh. Questioning of more potential jurors will resume next week. It was the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history. The director of a program helping survivors says the court proceedings are reminding community members of both the trauma of the attack and the solidarity that followed: “People are looking for some way to say, ‘I stand with you, I stand against hate.’”

(Photo of Staff Sergeant Dylan J. Elchin, of Hookstown, Beaver County, who was killed in the line of duty when an improvised explosive device detonated near Ghazni province, Afghanistan, Nov. 27,2018. Two U.S. Army Special Operations Forces members were also killed in the explosion.) 

(Beaver Falls, Pa.) Beaver County Radio along with numerous sponsors are partnering to honor Beaver County’s Fallen and Past Veterans for Memorial Day on Monday, May 29, 2023.

We are asking anyone who would like to pay tribute to a veteran that died in the line of duty or any veteran that has passed away to email your loved ones photo, date of birth, date of death and when they served to fsparks@beavercountyradio.com.

We will be honoring these veterans on a special page on our website at beavercountyradio.com throughout the memorial day weekend. Mike Romigh and Eddy Crow will also read the Veteran’s names throughout Memorial Day during “Live Mic” and “Teleforum” from 6:30 AM to Noon.

Beaver County Radio’s Memorial Day Tribute to Veterans is being brought to you by: Al’s Corner in Koppel, Towne Square Restaurant in Beaver, Slurp N Burst Boba Tea in New Brighton, CJ Rombold Engine Builders in Big Beaver, Vintage Torque in Beaver Falls, Spratt’s Funeral Home in Beaver Falls, Firehouse Subs in Cranberry and Robinson Twp.’s, The Henderson Agency, Friendly Federal Credit Union, Rochester Smoke House, The Alvarez-Hahn Funeral Home, J. Young Refuse, Hallowed Grounds, and Beaver County Radio.

Pittsburgh, PA – Today, Governor Josh Shapiro joined leadership from Re:Build Manufacturing (Re:Build), the Regional Industrial Development Corporation (RIDC), and Pennsylvania leaders to announce an $81 million investment to create a major, innovation-focused manufacturing operation in the New Kensington Advanced Manufacturing Park that will create 300 high-quality jobs in Westmoreland County.

A leader in bringing high-tech manufacturing jobs back to the U.S., Re:Build’s operations at the new regional headquarters in New Kensington will focus on state-of-the-art fabrication, manufacturing, and integration and assembly projects in high-growth, innovation-driven industries including: energy, life sciences, robotics, electric mobility, satellite communications, and aerospace. The project will create Re:Build’s first ground-up manufacturing facility in the U.S. here in Pennsylvania.

“I’m proud that Re:Build chose Western Pennsylvania for this project – sending a strong signal to other companies that Pennsylvania is open for business and we want you here,” said Governor Shapiro. “Making our Commonwealth a leader in innovation, job creation, and economic development is a top priority for my Administration, and we stand ready to continue making projects like this one possible. The funding increases in my budget will help us attract more companies like Re:Build that want to come to Pennsylvania and help retain the growing businesses that are already here – and we will continue to drive innovation on a global scale.”

As part of the project, RIDC and the Westmoreland County Industrial Development Corporation (WCIDC) have entered into a purchase agreement with the park’s current owner, the Redevelopment Authority of the City of New Kensington, to acquire and redevelop the entire site. Beyond creating high-tech manufacturing jobs, Re:Build’s mission is to also provide the training needed to do this skilled work. The New Kensington site will work  with Westmoreland County Community College and other local vocational training institutions to help students develop the skills required to qualify for employment at the facility.

“From large global manufacturers with R&D facilities to small mom and pop shops, Westmoreland County is a competitive place to grow your business,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward. “More importantly, we are willing to work with you as Westmoreland’s transportation network, our ready skilled workforce, and cooperative working relationship between state and local officials makes Westmoreland County a great location for businesses to locate and expand.”

“This project is a perfect example of public and private partnership, as well as political partnership between elected officials,” said Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman. “The investment will be a huge anchor of redevelopment in the cities of New Kensington, Arnold and the entire Kiski Valley. A focus on innovative and collaborative initiatives to support economic development benefits not only our region, but the entire commonwealth.”

“Growing up in the heartland, I experienced firsthand the impacts of the rise and fall of American manufacturing on the well-being of our country,” said Jeff Wilke, Chairman and Co-Founder of Re:Build Manufacturing. “We created Re:Build to help our nation secure a more resilient future by investing in high tech manufacturing. The new facility in New Kensington is a major milestone in this journey, helping to revitalize an area once central to American industry and bringing back much needed, sustainable jobs. A big thank you to Governor Shapiro and community leaders like Thomas Tull for helping make this project a reality.”

“Bringing manufacturing back to the U.S. is critical to our economy, and a matter of national security,” said Thomas Tull, board member and lead investor in Re:Build Manufacturing. “America reclaiming the manufacturing mantle will take time and requires Re:Build’s holistic mission of combining precision manufacturing with cutting-edge technology. While this is no easy feat, the right team – led by Jeff and Miles – is in place to work on this important initiative, and Pittsburgh is the perfect city to help further Re:Build’s mission.”

“Re:Build is committed to reindustrializing America and doing so in communities that have been abandoned by companies chasing cheap labor around the world, including in China,” said Miles Arnone, CEO of Re:Build Manufacturing. “We understand that for the U.S. to thrive, more Americans need to work in the high-paying, long-term jobs that manufacturing can provide. We also know that we can’t reverse decades of deindustrialization by ourselves; it requires a true private-public partnership. That’s why we are so happy to be establishing this operation in New Kensington, where we have been impressed by the commitment of local and state government, educational institutions, RIDC, and local philanthropies, including the Richard King Mellon Foundation, to invest alongside us to build a better future for the local community and our country.”

The company’s facility will be comprised of portions of five existing buildings and total 175,000 square feet once complete. Currently in serious disrepair, the facility will require $31 million in renovations, which will be funded by grants or loans from the Commonwealth, Westmoreland County, and the Richard King Mellon Foundation, as well as equity investments from the RIDC and WCIDC.

“Re:Build’s decision to locate in the New Kensington Advanced Manufacturing Park is a tremendous catalytic opportunity,” said Donald F. Smith, Jr., RIDC’s President. “The presence of this high-quality, innovative force in the manufacturing sector, bringing hundreds of jobs to this community, will be a spark for investment in the entire region. And it builds on the positive moves the cities of New Kensington and Arnold have made in recent years to revitalize their downtowns. The project wouldn’t be possible without the support of many community leaders and partners, and especially Governor Shapiro and Secretary Siger, who are setting a new tone for economic development in Harrisburg.”

Re:Build and RIDC received a funding proposal from the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) for a $1.5 million Pennsylvania First grant, a $7 million grant through the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, and are encouraged to apply for loans through the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority — all of which is focused on rejuvenating the New Kensington Advanced Manufacturing Park. As part of the project, Re:Build will be investing $50 million in the project and creating approximately 300 new, full-time jobs within the next three years. More than 100 construction jobs will also be created to help renovate the new facility.

“Today’s announcement is possible thanks to the shared vision of public, private and non-profit organizations working together with a shared vision for what this underutilized, legacy property can become,” said Acting Secretary of DCED Rick Siger. “To close this deal, the Shapiro Administration was able to tap into one of the very best incentives tools we have – the Pennsylvania First Program. Governor Shapiro wants to make Pennsylvania a global leader in economic development, which is why he proposed a $12 million funding increase for the program to bring even more exciting projects like this one to the Commonwealth.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Re:Build to the Pittsburgh region,” said Matt Smith, Chief Growth Officer of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development. “Re:Build is bringing to Westmoreland County and our entire region the vision and capacity that can accomplish something truly transformational for manufacturing and a new generation of manufacturers – not only here, but across the country. Manufacturing has deep roots in southwestern Pennsylvania.  The products we made here were pivotal to the building of the modern world. This investment honors that legacy but puts a focus on building manufacturing’s future, which is happening now in the Pittsburgh region.  We look forward to the opportunities Re: Build will spark – leveraging innovative technologies and new techniques – for the industry and the significant and exciting employment it will create for people here.”

Governor Shapiro’s budget proposal increases funding to attract and retain businesses in Pennsylvania, including:

• A 50 percent increase in the Manufacturing PA Innovation Program, which connects Pennsylvania’s universities with businesses to spur innovation and job creation here in the Commonwealth.
• A 25 percent increase in the PA Smart Program so students who are looking to continue on to higher education in a computer science or STEM program can do that.
• A $12 million increase for the Pennsylvania First Program to fund more expansion projects and bring future business investments and high paying jobs to the Commonwealth.

The project was coordinated by the Governor’s Action Team (GAT), an experienced group of economic development professionals who report directly to the Governor and work with businesses that are considering locating or expanding in Pennsylvania.

Visit Governor Shapiro’s budget website to learn more about his commonsense solutions to the most pressing issues Pennsylvanians face.