(Wayne Twp., Pa.) Pa. State Police in New Castle are reporting that they were dispatched to an address on Fox Street in Wayne Twp. (Lawrence County) around 8 pm on Wednesday May 5, 2021 for a report of a domestic incident.
Upon investigation Troopers verified the domestic incident and cited 24-year-old Zachary Pounds of Ellwood City with the harassment of a 30-year-old male also from Ellwood City.
Story By Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano
(Hopewell Twp., Pa.) Hopewell School Board met last night via ZOOM and in person and announced 9 teachers opted to take the Voluntary Early Retirement Incentive . The retirements are effective on June 10.2021. The board thanked and congratulated the teachers.
(Chippewa Twp., Pa.) A Fire broke out yesterday evening around 6 PM at the Beaver Falls Cemetery on Darlington Road. Chippewa Twp. Volunteer Fire Department stated on their Facebook Page that the First units on scene reported smoke coming from the maintenance building and crews had to use forcible entry techniques to gain access through the metal doors.
The fire had apparently started in the garage area, spread up the back wall of the office and breached the ceiling area.
Chippewa was assisted by Patterson Twp., Patterson Heights, City of Beaver Falls, and Big Beaver Borough fire departments.
There were no reports of injuries or a cause.
HARRISBURG – The Senate Education Committee approved a proposal today that would give charter school students the opportunity to participate in dual enrollment programs, according to the bill’s sponsor, Senator Camera Bartolotta (R-46).
Dual enrollment programs allow high school students to enroll in concurrent college courses through an institution of higher education, offering an opportunity for students to get a head start toward earning a college degree.
Although dual enrollment programs are available to students who attend traditional public schools, that option is not available to charter school students under current law.
Senate Bill 237 would allow charter schools, regional charter schools, and cyber charter schools to offer similar programs to the students they serve.
“Dual enrollment programs have a proven track record of success in helping prepare students for the rigors of college coursework,” Bartolotta said. “Studies have shown that having access to dual enrollment programs increases the likelihood of students continuing their education after high school, prepares them for academic success in college, and can decrease the cost of college if they have fewer required courses to complete.”
The bill was sent to the full Senate for consideration.
AAA: Western PA Gas Prices Increase; Could Climb Higher with Major Pipeline Shutdown
Gas prices in Western Pennsylvania are six cents higher this week at $3.095 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.
This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average $3.095
Average price during the week of May 3, 2021 $3.034
Average price during the week of May 11, 2020 $2.106
The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline in various areas:
$3.092 Altoona
$3.101 Beaver
$3.099 Bradford
$3.111 Brookville
$3.103 Butler
$3.115 Clarion
$3.089 DuBois
$3.088 Erie
$3.089 Greensburg
$3.099 Indiana
$3.102 Jeannette
$3.075 Kittanning
$3.089 Latrobe
$3.090 Meadville
$3.119 Mercer
$3.067 New Castle
$3.093 New Kensington
$3.096 Oil City
$3.091 Pittsburgh
$3.088 Sharon
$3.097 Uniontown
$3.099 Warren
$3.088 Washington
Trend Analysis:
On the week, the national gas price average jumped six cents to $2.96. If the trend continues, an increase of three more cents would make the national average the most expensive since November 2014 –the last time we saw average prices at $2.99 and higher.
AAA forecasts gas prices to climb this week in reaction to the shutdown of the Colonial Pipeline, which delivers approximately 45% of all fuel to the East Coast. Over the weekend, the Colonial Pipeline announced they were the victim of a cybersecurity attack and, as a precaution, shut down the pipeline, which runs from Texas to New York Harbor. At this time, some lateral lines have reopened, but there is no word of when the mainline, including the gasoline line, will be operational.
This shutdown will have implications on both gasoline supply and prices, but the impact will vary regionally. Areas including Mississippi, Tennessee and the east coast from Georgia into Delaware are most likely to experience limited fuel availability and price increases, as early as this week. These states may see prices increase three to seven cents this week.
The longer the pipeline is offline, the larger the impact on the east coast. However, foreign gasoline imports and other pipelines can supplement Northeastern supply. Other areas of the country will see little impact.
At the close of Friday’s formal trading session, WTI increased by 19 cents to settle at $64.90. Market optimism that crude demand will recover, despite an uptick in coronavirus infection rates, helped to lift prices last week. Prices could continue to climb this week if the market remains optimistic as vaccines continue to rollout. Additionally, prices increased after the Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) latest weekly report revealed that total domestic crude oil inventory dropped by 8 million barrels to 485.1 million barrels. If EIA’s next report shows another decrease in total domestic crude supply, crude prices could climb further this week.
Motorists can find current gas prices nationwide, statewide, and countywide at GasPrices.AAA.com.
AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 73 local offices in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia serving 2.7 million members. News releases are available at news.eastcentral.aaa.com. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
Vatican warns US bishops over get-tough Communion proposals
By DAVID CRARY AP National Writer
The head of the Vatican’s doctrine office is warning U.S. bishops to deliberate carefully and minimize divisions before proceeding with a possible plan to rebuke Roman Catholic politicians for receiving Communion even though they support abortion rights. The strong words of caution come in a letter from Cardinal Luis Ladaria addressed to the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. In it he advises the bishops to seek unanimous support for any national policy to avoid a potential “source of discord rather than unity.” The USCCB convenes for a national meeting June 16, with plans to vote on drafting a document on the sensitive issue.
Pfizer COVID-19 shot expanded to US children as young as 12
By LAURAN NEERGAARD and CANDICE CHOI Associated Press
The U.S. is expanding use of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to children as young as 12. The Food and Drug Administration announced Monday that the shot is safe and offers strong protection for younger teens based on testing of more than 2,000 U.S. volunteers. Shots could begin soon once a federal vaccine panel issues recommendations for using the vaccine in 12- to 15-year-olds. Most vaccines rolling out worldwide have been authorized for adults. The latest news is welcome for U.S. families struggling to decide what activities are safe to resume when the youngest family members remain unvaccinated.
On the Teleforum program on Tuesday host Eddy Crow will have the latest responses to the Feedback That Gets You Fed contest, as well as his ranting about the stories of the day. Remember when Eddy warned people about playing fast and loose with the PPP loan applications? Well, the chickens are coming home to roost and you’ll hear about it on Teleforum-every weekday on AM1230WBVP, AM1460WMBA, AND 99.3FM presented by St. Barnabas.
(File Photo)
(Baden, Pa.) Baden Police received a call at 1:35 a.m. Friday for a 2 car accident on Route 65 southbound in front of Anderson’s Candies , one vehicle, travelling at a high rate of speed rolled over , crashed into another car, and crossed into the northbound lanes. All four lanes of Route 65 were closed for almost 6 hours police reported.
Harrisburg, PA — With the deadline to file 2020 Pennsylvania personal income tax returns and make final 2020 income tax payments approaching on May 17, 2021, the Department of Revenue is reminding Pennsylvanians that there is a free online option available for filing state returns and making payments.
myPATH, available at mypath.pa.gov, is user friendly and allows most taxpayers to seamlessly file the Pennsylvania Income Tax Return (PA-40) and make income tax payments. myPATH also gives taxpayers access to error-reducing automatic calculators and provides instant confirmation that your return has been filed successfully.
“myPATH offers Pennsylvania taxpayers a free option to quickly file their returns and to ensure they receive their refunds as soon as possible if they are expecting one,” Revenue Secretary Dan Hassell said. “If you’re looking to save some money this tax season and avoid paying a fee for filing your Pennsylvania return, myPATH is a great option.”
As a reminder, the income tax filing deadline was extended to May 17, 2021 — about a month later than usual. Under Pennsylvania law, the filing deadline for state income tax returns is tied to the deadline set at the federal level. The IRS also extended the federal income tax filing deadline to May 17, 2021.
Important Features in myPATH
Taxpayers do not need to create a username or password to perform many functions in myPATH. That includes filing a PA-40 or making a payment, responding to department requests for information, and checking the status of a refund.
In order to file the PA-40, taxpayers will need to provide their Social Security number and either: (1) the tax liability for a previous tax year; or (2) their birth date, Pennsylvania driver’s license/photo ID number and the expiration date for the license/photo ID.
If you choose to create a username and password in myPATH, you’ll have the ability to update/view detailed account information and notices. You can also manage third-party access to your account, meaning you can give a tax professional or another person access to file your return and make payments on your behalf.
A detailed list of instructions is available in the myPATH User Guide. myPATH replaced the department’s previous personal income tax filing system, PA Direct File.
Electronic Filing for Free
Other free electronic filing options are available to file state and federal returns using software from a reputable vendor. More vendor information is available on the Department of Revenue’s website.
Electronic Filing for a Fee
Paid tax preparers and commercial tax preparation software providers offer electronic filing, or e-filing, for a fee. Check a list of vendors on the department’s website for further information.
Taxpayer Assistance and Checking the Status of Your Refund
Personal income tax assistance is available through the department’s Online Customer Service Center and by calling 717-787-8201 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Online Customer Service Center contains answers to hundreds of common income tax questions and allows taxpayers to securely submit a question to the department through a process that is similar to sending an email.
The Department of Revenue’s district offices are also open in a limited capacity with social distancing guidelines in place. Appointments are required to receive in-person assistance.
Taxpayers can check the status of their refunds online by selecting the Where’s My Income Tax Refund? link on the department’s homepage; or by calling 1-888-PATAXES. Taxpayers will be prompted to provide their Social Security number and requested refund amount to obtain the current status.
Free tax forms and instructions are available at www.revenue.pa.gov