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December 11, 2015

Panel Approves Regulation Ending “Summer” Gasoline Mandate

Following up on a process started with the enactment last year of a law introduced by Senator Elder Vogel, a state panel approved regulations Thursday aimed at eliminating the “summer gas” requirement for western Pennsylvania. The Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee approved regulations drafted by the Department of Environmental Resources to eliminate the statutory requirements for low Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) gasoline in Western Pennsylvania. Act 50 of 2014, sponsored by Senator Vogel and signed into law on May 14, 2014, eliminates the requirements for RVP gasoline in Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland Counties during the summer…

December 11, 2015

Senate Approves Horse Racing Industry Measure

The Senate on Thursday, Dec. 10 approved an amended bill that makes substantial regulatory changes necessary to protect and bolster Pennsylvania’s horse racing industry, according to Senator Elder Vogel. House Bill 941 now includes an amendment by Senator Vogel that includes a mechanism to shift essential funds into the State Racing Fund and protect the horse racing industry in Pennsylvania. The bill returns to the House of Representative for concurrence on the amendment. The State Racing Fund is depleted and without new money horse racing at Pennsylvania’s six tracks could be suspended. Senator Vogel’s amendment makes a number of substantial…

December 10, 2015

Three Local Child Abuse Victim Support Programs Receive Grants

The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) today awarded grants to three local agencies to support their efforts to assist victims of child sexual abuse, according to Senator Elder Vogel. The Children’s Advocacy Center of Lawrence County was awarded $100,000 for Intervention Services; the Crisis Shelter of Lawrence County was awarded $100,000 for its Evidence-Based Therapy Program for Survivors; and the Women’s Center of Beaver County was awarded $62,218 for Children’s Therapy and Services. The local awards were part of $3.4 million in grant funding presented to 44 entities throughout the Commonwealth that assist victims of child sexual abuse….

December 8, 2015

2016 Calendar for Ellwood City School Board Meetings

The Ellwood City School Board approved the suggested dates for meetings at its final 2015 meeting on Dec. 3. Meetings will follow the general guideline of the second Thursday of the month with an agenda meeting the preceding Monday. All meetings begin at 7 p.m. In June, the regular meeting will be held Monday, June 13 because the meeting must be held 30 days after the budget approval and Thursday, June 9 would not be 30 days after. Due to Labor Day and Columbus Day, the agenda and regular meetings will be combined in September and October. The Lawrence County…

December 7, 2015

December Ellwood City School Board December Meeting Brief

The following is a brief summary of the Ellwood City School Board meeting held on Thursday, Dec. 3: The meeting was the last meeting of 2015 and the last meeting with board members George Garda, Bob Stevenson and Jennifer Grossman, although Stevenson and Grossman were absent. Superintendent Joe Mancini thanked the three leaving members for their service and thanked Garda for his many years of service to the Ellwood School District as both an administrator and board member. At the conclusion of the meeting, new members Erica Gray, Jennifer Tomon and Danielle Woodhead were sworn in. Renee Pitrelli was voted…

December 4, 2015

Morella Allies with New Members to Elect Pitrelli School Board President

With the support of three new members, Renee Pitrelli was elected President of the Ellwood City Area School Board at Thursday’s reorganization meeting. It was a contested vote. At the start of yesterday’s meeting, Mike Nuepauer sat in the president’s chair and LeRoy Cortez served as vice-president. Both favored keeping things as is and were supported by Anthony Buzzelli and Kathy Pansera. Each of the four has served at least two terms. However, board members Renee Pitrelli and Matt Morella had different plans. Backed by the three new members, Erica Gray, Jennifer Tomon and Danielle Woodhead, Pitrelli ended the meeting…

December 3, 2015

Senator Vogel Petitions Horse Racing Commission Regarding Lawrence County Downs Deadlines

In a letter to the state Harness Racing Commission, state Sen. Elder Vogel called for an adjustment to the deadlines for the Lawrence County Downs Racetrack. The letter, co-signed by Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman and President Pro Temore Joe Scarnati, addressed several concerns Vogel feels will impede the successful completion of the Racino Project currently being undertaken by Endeka Entertainment. The deadlines call for construction to begin by October 2016 and for the first live-betting race by October 2017. If the deadlines aren’t met, the state could revoke Endeka’s license. The letter, dated Nov. 9, is included below: We…

November 30, 2015

November Crime Watch and Mayor’s Advisory Meeting Briefs

Mayor’s Advisory Meeting The Mayor’s Advisory met on Nov. 19 with the committee discussing vandalism, drugs and concerns about the robbery at B&B (North Sewickley). Also discussed was the possible drop in crime in and around the Loop Street area. The committee as a whole believes that the cameras placed in this area played a major role in the decreased crime rate, although statistics show crime has dropped throughout the borough, regardless of cameras. Members were also concerned about the recent fire at Inmetco and the air quality in the borough. Residents approached Mayor Anthony J. Court to see if…

November 19, 2015

The Numbers Behind the Ratified Teacher Contract

The Ellwood City Area School Board ratified a contract with the Ellwood Area Education Association for the 2016-20 school years on Thursday, Nov. 12. The new five-year contract, retroactively  beginning July 1, is nearly identical to the previous one, which ran from July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2012. The changes are primarily slight increases in salaries. In the previous contract, while teachers had a pay increase for experience, there was no base pay increase. Hence, a new teacher with a master’s degree hired in 2012 would make $40,223, the same money as a new teacher with a master’s degree…

November 19, 2015

Council Wishes to Enforce Uniform Policy on Body Armor

At Monday’s borough council meeting, council unanimously voted to re-affirm the borough’s position on the Uniform Policy on Body Armor. The policy requires police officers to wear bulletproof vests as part of their uniform and was originally adopted by council in a unanimous vote on Nov. 18, 2013. According to council, two police officers do not always wear their vests, and council intends on enforcing the policy. Council member John Todorich said the policy should be amended to say punishment is up to and including termination. “Taxpayers pay for those vests, and they cost $1000 each,” Todorich said. “They should…