(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

With the recent collapse of the Forbes Avenue bridge at Frick Park in Pittsburgh, thousands of citizens in southwestern Pennsylvania are wondering if the bridges in their neck of the woods are safe enough to keep driving on. Beaver County–home to dozens of state and local bridges–is no exception to that concern.

Commissioner Jack Manning spoke in depth about these concerns at the Commissioners’ work session on February 2, noting that the majority of the major bridges are in fair to good condition based on PennDOT’s standards (the interactive map displaying the bridge conditions throughout Pennsylvania can be seen here).

“I know we’ve had a lot of questions about the safety of the [Ambridge-Aliquippa] bridge and bridges in general,” Manning stated, “but if we have any concerns at all, public safety is our number one concern.”

However, Commissioner Manning also mused at the future reality regarding the Ambridge-Aliquippa bridge, noting that the bridge is approaching 100 years since its creation. The bridge underwent emergency repairs in November 2021, and Manning brought up the possibility of replacing the bridge in the future.

“I don’t know what it would cost to build a bridge next to the Ambridge-Aliquippa bridge,” Manning said, “but I think that it’s probably going to happen or have to happen at some point in time. It’s probably the most expedient thing, but it’s going to take a lot of money from someone else–not the county–to come up with.”

Manning cited recent bridge upgrades and replacements in Beaver County, including the Veteran’s Bridge in Fallston ($25 million) and the Koppel Bridge ($28 million), to give an idea of what the cost of the Ambridge-Aliquippa bridge would be to replace.

AAA: How to Go on Ice and Snow
AAA advises motorists to prepare for inclement weather to avoid deadly situations

Wintry weather is predicted to impact our area in the coming days, and AAA East Central advises motorists to take precautions to avoid deadly crashes in the coming days. According to research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, about 46 percent of all crashes involving bad weather take place during the winter. Winter storms, bad weather, and sloppy road conditions are a factor in nearly half a million crashes and more than 2,000 road deaths every year.

“Preventative steps today can go a long way tomorrow,” says Terri Rae Anthony, safety advisor for AAA East Central. “Weather conditions that lead to black ice, heavy snow, and other rough driving conditions are particularly dangerous this time of year.”

AAA East Central offers the following tips for driving in winter weather:

• Stay Home. This is the number one way to avoid a crash in the winter.
• Leave Early. If you’re running late to work, that’s going to lead to anxiety which will cloud your judgment, possibly leading to risky driving behaviors.
• Slow down. Accelerate, turn, and brake as gradually and smoothly as you can. This will help you maintain control in rough conditions.
• Don’t tailgate. Normal following distances of three to four seconds on dry pavement should be extended to a minimum of five to six seconds when driving on slippery surfaces. The extra time will provide additional braking room should a sudden stop become necessary.
• Never use cruise control on slippery roads. If your vehicle hydroplanes or skids, you will lose the ability to regain some traction simply by lifting off the accelerator. It will be harder to recover from the loss of traction if cruise control is active.
• Turn against the skid. If your car begins to skid, continue to steer in the direction you want the car to go

To prepare a vehicle for the winter ahead, AAA recommends the following tips:

• Have your battery tested. Last winter, AAA East Central contractors responded to more than 250,000 battery calls, the number one call received by the Club.
• Replace worn windshield-wiper blades. Purchase one-piece, beam-type or rubber-clad “winter” blades to fight snow and ice buildup. Use cold-weather windshield washer solvent and carry an ice scraper.
• Inspect your tires. Make sure tires have adequate tread depth – at least 4/32” – as worn tires can affect a driver’s ability to stop in slick conditions. An easy way to check for wear is by inserting a quarter into your tread groove. If the top of Washington’s head is exposed, the tread depth is less than 4/32″ and it’s time to replace your tires. Also, check that your car has a spare tire and keep it properly inflated in case you need it. In harsh winter climates, a set of snow tires may be a wise investment.
• Carry an emergency kit equipped for winter weather. The kit should include sand or cat litter, a small shovel, flashlight, an ice scraper or snow brush, booster cables, a blanket, gloves or mittens and flares or reflective triangles.

More AAA winter car care tips can be found here.

AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 72 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.

(Photo of Dr. Thompson provided with release)

(Midland, Pa.)  The Board of Trustees of the Midland Innovation + Technology Charter School has  appointed veteran educator Dr. Chester D. Thompson as the school’s first Chief Executive Officer. He  assumes his duties on February 10, 2022.

Dr. Thompson, who resides in Rochester, Pennsylvania, was the Associate Dean of the School of Business,  Arts, Sciences, and Technology at the Community College of Beaver County for the past two-and-a-half years.  Prior to that, he spent six years at Robert Morris University as the Assistant Vice President – Underrepresented  Student Achievement, Executive Vice President – Executive Education and Partnerships, Advisor – Academic  Affairs, Director – Student Support and Outreach Programs, and as an adjunct professor. While at RMU, Chet  was the Director of the Black Male Leadership Development Institute. He has held positions with Bristol Myers  Squibb, Verizon, Pfizer, Oracle, and the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission and is a  United States Marine Corps veteran.  

“Midland Innovation & Technology Charter School is groundbreaking in its approach to preparing students for  meaningful work post-graduation and we could not be more pleased to have Dr. Thompson at our helm”, said  Jerry Hodge, President of the MITCS Board of Trustees. “His background in education and business makes  him uniquely qualified to not only interact with students and parents, but also work with local corporate  partners, all of whom will ensure our school’s success.”  

Midland Innovation + Technology Charter School, a project of Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center, is a new  Pennsylvania public high school for boys and girls in grades 9 through 12 that will open in September in the  ultramodern Charles J. Betters Innovation Center in Midland. It will offer the most modern career technical  education available and will adhere to an axiom of Diversity By Design in that it will welcome students from all  backgrounds from across southwestern Pennsylvania. MITCS will be organized through four inter-connected  and collaborative academies that include: The PGT Transportation + Logistics Academy, The Cyril H. Wecht  Forensic Science + Justice Academy, The MITCS Community Development + Sustainability Academy, and  The MITCS Skilled Trades + Technical Careers Academy. Disciplines will include: Petrochemical Studies,  Gaming and Simulations, Safety Engineering, Transportation and Logistics, American Enterprise and Global  Studies, Aviation Technology, Sustainable Water, and Healthcare Innovations.  

Prominent developer Charles J. Betters donated the land on which MITCS is located and has guided the  construction. Pat Gallagher, the founder, owner, and CEO of PGT Trucking donated $500 thousand to  establish the PGT Transportation + Logistics Academy, and famed forensic pathologist Dr. Cyril H. Wecht  gifted and developed curriculum for the Cyril H. Wecht Forensic Science + Justice Academy. The school also  won a $1.5 million start-up grant from the Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools.  

Families interested in pre-enrollment and information about MITCS may visit the school’s official website  www.mitcharterschool.org. Enrollment seminars will be scheduled at regional hotel ballrooms and conference  centers soon. Watch the MITCS website as enrollment seminars are added. 

(File Photo)
By MARC LEVY Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Democratic Party’s endorsed candidate for governor of Pennsylvania, state Attorney General Josh Shapiro, headed into 2021 with $13.4 million in his campaign account, a state record for a candidate heading into an election year. Shapiro, whose campaign report was posted online by the state after Monday night’s deadline, is not expected to face opposition in the primary. He reported raising $13.4 million in 2021. Labor unions gave Shapiro more than $3 million in 2021, while donors who gave at least $50,000 kicked in more than $5.4 million. The double-digits deep field of Republican candidates vying for the party’s nomination turned in relatively paltry results for fundraising through Dec. 31,

(AP Photo)
By PAUL J. WEBER Associated Press
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A major winter storm with millions of Americans in its path brought a mix of rain, freezing rain and snow to the middle section of the United States as airlines canceled hundreds of flights, governors urged residents to stay off roads and schools closed campuses. The blast of frigid weather, which began arriving Tuesday night, put a long stretch of states from New Mexico and Colorado to Maine under winter storm warnings and watches. Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan saw freezing rain, sleet and snow on Wednesday morning. The heaviest snow is expected in Missouri, Indiana and Illinois, while significant ice accumulation is expected in an area from Louisville, Kentucky, to Memphis, Tennessee.

(Hanover Twp, Pa.) Pa State Police in Beaver said via release that they were called to an address on Pa State Route 18 in Hanover Twp. Beaver County on January 2, 2022 for a complaint from 68-year-old George Roberts of Hookstown that an unnamed known person had dumped a load of trash at the location on route 18. Through investigation the unnamed person admitted to Troopers that he dumped the load of trash at the location. The Robert’s decided not to proceed with charges because the person paid restitution for the offense.

Beaver County previously reported erroneously that Robert’s was the suspect when he is fact the victim who reported to Troopers the person dumping the garbage.

(AP Photo)
PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) — There will be six more weeks of winter. That’s the prediction made Wednesday by Punxsutawney Phil after he emerged from his burrow in Pennsylvania to perform his Groundhog Day duties. Thousands of people gathered at Gobbler’s Knob as members of Punxsutawney Phil’s “inner circle” summoned him from his tree stump at dawn to learn if he’d seen his shadow. After Phil’s prediction was announced, the crowd repeatedly chanted “six more weeks!” According to folklore, spring would come early if he didn’t see it.

(File Photo)

Monaca, PA – Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) today announced the launch of its newest High School Academy for students in grades 11 and 12 interested in careers as educators. The Education Academy, CCBC’s sixth of its kind, provides students at participating schools the opportunity to gain firsthand experience in diverse educational settings while learning how to prepare developmentally appropriate lessons and learning environments. CCBC’s Education Academy students can earn up to 28 college credits while still working towards a high school diploma.

“We are pleased to launch the CCBC Education Academy for Western Pennsylvania’s up and coming students interested in early learning and development,” said Joyce Cirelli, dean of high school academies and dual enrollment at CCBC. “At CCBC, we are committed to providing opportunities to students that fill the pipeline of quality education professionals in the region and nationwide. We look forward to seeing this new Academy grow and become a significant part of the pathway here at CCBC.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there was a net loss of 65,000 public education workers between September 2021 and October. The shortage of teachers includes full-time and substitutes in K-12. 

“School superintendents have expressed the need for teachers across all grade levels,” said Lia Hazelwood, CCBC’s dual enrollment assistant and champion of the Education Academy. “Due to these shortages, schools are desperate to fill voids with educators that are qualified and eager to make a difference in their classrooms and school districts. These demands can be filled by young entry-level professionals with increased knowledge and skills developed through our Education Academy.” 

Education Academy classes will commence in Fall 2022. Enrollment is currently open.

 CCBC High School Academies launched in 2015 with the Aviation Academy followed annually by Health, STEM, Criminal Justice, and Mascaro Construction. Regionally, these five academies educate more than 200 students from 60 school districts allowing them to explore careers in areas of workforce priority while receiving direct instruction from college faculty in labs and classroom environments that stimulate critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Often seniors will graduate high school with up to half of their associate degree completed.

CCBC is one of 43 institutions nationwide able to offer high school students access to Pell Grant funding and the High School Academy program is the recipient of the Carnegie Science Award for Leadership in STEM Education.

Learn more about CCBC’s High School Academies here, or contact the High School Academies and Enrollment Office:

Dean, Joyce Cirelli

724-480-3474

joyce.cirelli@ccbc.edu

Assistant Dean, Lauren Susan

724-480-3418

lauren.susan@ccbc.edu 

Keystone State News Connection

February 2, 2022

Emily Scott

Pennsylvania schools have faced an uphill battle in the omicron variant surge, which led to temporary virtual learning after the winter break. But a new poll finds parents feel overwhelming support for teachers, and for schools’ handling of COVID-19.

In the national survey of 1,300 parents of kids in public schools, 72% said their child’s school provides them with an “excellent or good-quality” education.

Despite the pandemic challenges of the last two years, said Dan Alderson, a teacher at Chartiers-Houston School District in Washington County, he’s never been more proud to be an educator.

“Students in our classrooms, they’re getting to see firsthand what it is to be a lifelong learner just by looking at their teachers,” he said, “and they’ve stepped out of their comfort zones, some of the teachers that weren’t familiar with technology, and they’ve really taken it upon themselves to learn as much as they can.”

In the poll, a big concern among parents is the nationwide teacher shortage, with 65% saying they were “fairly or very concerned” about it. Gov. Tom Wolf signed a bill into law in December that allows the state to expand its pool of eligible substitutes.

Alderson said one of many things made more clear about teaching during the pandemic has been the importance of communicating with parents. With lots of contact amid last-minute switches to remote learning, he said he thinks it’s given parents a better appreciation for the job of being a teacher.

“You have to be able to turn on a dime and you have to be able to be flexible,” he said. “I think if anything, this thing has strengthened the bonds between that teacher-and-home connection with students and parents. I really think that it’s allowed me to reach my students and get to know my students better.”

Other pressing issues for parents that surfaced in the polling include concern over a lack of support staff, such as counselors and nurses, and worries about their children falling behind academically.

(AP Photo)
PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) — It’s Groundhog Day and people are waiting to learn whether a furry critter in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, predicts an early spring or six more weeks of winter. People will gather Wednesday at Gobbler’s Knob as members of Punxsutawney Phil’s “inner circle” summon him from his tree stump at dawn to learn if he has seen his shadow. According to folklore, there will be six more weeks of winter if he sees his shadow. If he doesn’t, spring comes early. Records dating to the late 1800s show Phil has predicted longer winters more than 100 times. The 2020 forecast called for an early spring. The event took place virtually last year because of the coronavirus pandemic.