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Coronavirus

July 20, 2020

Riverside School District Announces Return To School Plan

In an open letter published Friday, July 17th on the Riverside Beaver County School District website, the district Administrative Team published the district’s return to school plan, including information on transportation, face coverings and the district’s cyber program.  The statement reads as follows: The 2020-2021 school year is rapidly approaching, and our Pandemic Response Team is actively developing plans to accommodate a high level of rigor and curriculum delivery while also ensuring that all staff and students are safe to return to the buildings. It is imperative to note that Riverside families and students have been, and will continue to…

June 23, 2020

Ellwood City Playground Program To Resume

Despite a temporary setback last week with a temporary suspension, the Ellwood City Playground Program is resuming. According to information made available by borough, the Playground Program at Ewing Park will resume Tuesday June 23rd at the regularly scheduled times. The program was temporarily suspended after it was notified an individual that participates in the program on a daily basis was exposed to an individual who has tested positive for Covid-19. However, the awaited Covid-19 test has come back negative this week. The program safety procedures will remain in place; instructors will continue to wear masks, participants will be divided…

June 10, 2020

Gov. Wolf Provides Guidance to Resume High School and Other Summer Sports

The Wolf Administration today issued preliminary guidance for high school and recreational sports teams to resume voluntary workouts and other in-person activities in the state’s yellow and green phases. The guidance includes college and professional sports. “Pennsylvania has some of the best athletes and teams in the country and they can now begin to safely return to organized sports,” said Gov. Wolf. This guidance balances keeping student athletes safe from COVID-19 while allowing them to participate in an important part of their lives. “This is another step toward reopening our state and getting things back on track. As students and teammates get…

June 9, 2020

Gov. Wolf Announces $225 Million Grant Program for Small Businesses Impacted by COVID-19

Governor Tom Wolf announced a $225 million statewide grant program to support small businesses that were impacted by the COVID-19 public health crisis and subsequent business closure order. “As we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and shift our focus toward reopening our commonwealth, we need to help all Pennsylvanians recover. We need to provide assistance for those who were hurt by the pandemic and the resulting economic downturn,” Gov. Wolf said. “This new program will provide direct support to impacted businesses to cover operating expenses during the shutdown and the transition to reopening.” The funding was developed in partnership…

June 5, 2020

2020 Lawrence County Fair Canceled

The Coronavirus pandemic that swept our planet these past few months might have seemed to cease, but the aftermath is far from over. Many local festivals and fairs, including the annual Ellwood City Arts, Crafts, and Foods Festival, have been cancelled and most recently, the Lawrence County Fair has been cancelled. In a letter released on Facebook the directors explain their plans for the upcoming, post pandemic summer. “It is with shattered hearts that we (the Board of Directors) have made the painful decision to cancel the Fair for 2020,” the letter reads. The letter further includes the explanation that…

May 29, 2020

Senate Approves Budget/Comprehensive COVID-19 Funding Package

Facing an uncertain economic future and working to address the devastating impact of COVID-19, the Senate today (May 28) set a course for recovery by approving a $25.8 billion interim budget for Fiscal Year 2020-21 as well as a plan to direct $2.6 billion in federal CARES funding to organizations that were most severely impacted by the virus, including $40 million to help farmers and address food insecurity issues, according to Senator Elder Vogel, (R-47). The measures now go to the Governor for enactment into law. House Bill 2387is an interim spending plan that provides five months of funding for…

May 19, 2020

Council Extends Tax Deadlines, Declaration of Disaster Emergency

Ellwood City Borough Council voted to extend tax deadlines and a Declaration of Disaster Emergency during the May 18 meeting. The first resolution passed by council extends real estate tax deadlines due to Covid-19. The discount period would end July 15 with no penalty charged if taxes are paid by December 31, 2020. The second resolution passed by council extends Resolution 2020-2, adopted on March 27, 2020, the Declaration of Disaster Emergency for the full 90 days, which would expire on June 27, 2020. Mayor Anthony Court and Borough Manager David Allen gave updates regarding Covid-19. Court said he is…

May 11, 2020

Lincoln High School Planning Commencement For Class of 2020

Despite the pandemic, the Ellwood City Area School District is working to give its class of 2020 graduates plenty of “pomp and circumstance.” Administrators, including High School Principal Kirk Lape, have been brainstorming and coordinating a ceremony that will be as close to the real thing as possible in a way to honor each graduating senior. “Our goal is to make commencement as close to normal as possible,” Lape said. With that goal in mind, administrators plan to coordinate 10-minute time slots for each graduate to have the opportunity to take that coveted walk across the stage to receive their…

May 7, 2020

Bernstine Bill to Address PA Nurse Shortage, Provide Support for Health Care Professionals

HARRISBURG – Marking National Nurses Day, Rep. Aaron Bernstine (R-Beaver/Butler/Lawrence) today introduced legislation that could expand the number of nursing education programs in Pennsylvania and help improve the quality of life for current nurses. Due to a discrepancy in Pennsylvania state licensure law, only regionally accredited education institutions can offer RN education programs. House Bill 2112 would clarify that applicants for licensure as a registered nurse (RN) or advanced practice nurse must have received education from an institution accredited by an agency approved by the U.S. Department of Education. This would include both national and regional accreditation agencies. “During the COVID-19 pandemic,…

May 7, 2020

Gov. Wolf Outlines Plans to Create Commonwealth Civilian Coronavirus Corps

As Pennsylvania plans to safely reopen the economy and recover from COVID-19, Governor Tom Wolf announced the creation of the Commonwealth Civilian Coronavirus Corps, a public service initiative that will support efforts this fall to increase testing and contact tracing and provide critical new job opportunities in the public health sector. “Our highest priority remains protecting public health and safety, but we must also look ahead to see how we can address future needs. To reopen our economy to its maximum potential, we will need to boost our ability to contain this highly transmissible virus,” Governor Wolf said. “The Commonwealth…