AMBRIDGE, Aug. 20 – Grant funding of $124,872 to eight area school districts and schools will help ensure Beaver County students with special needs do not fall behind because of the pandemic, announced state Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver/Allegheny. “Suspended classroom learning during the pandemic has been difficult for all students, but students with special needs – who benefit greatly from in-person learning – are particularly vulnerable to losing skills,” Matzie said. “This funding is going to help level the playing field by giving teachers resources to provide real-time learning and other supports to keep these students learning and thriving.” Matzie said the districts will receive the following funding: Aliquippa School District – $14,211 Ambridge Area School District – $36,011 Baden Academy Charter School – $5,000 Central Valley School District – $14,139 Freedom Area School District – $14,146 Hopewell Area School District – $17,087 Quaker Valley School District – $19,278 Rochester Area School District – $5,000 The funding is part of a package of $20 million to 678 local school districts and other local education agencies. The sources include $15 million in Governor’s Emergency Education Relief funding and $5 million from the Department of Read more
AMBRIDGE, Aug. 17 -- Six grants totaling $1.1 million from the state Commonwealth Financing Authority will fund critical repairs and upgrades to stormwater and sewer systems serving area communities, state Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver/Allegheny, announced today. “Investments in our stormwater and sewer infrastructure are essential for keeping clean water flowing to our communities,” Matzie said. “Many of these structures are aging, and system failures can interrupt service, burden taxpayers and even pose health dangers. Securing this funding will keep this critical infrastructure functioning efficiently and help prevent more costly repairs in the future, saving taxpayer dollars and safeguarding community health.” Matzie said the projects funded by the PA Small Water and Sewer Program include: $300,000 to the Creswell Heights Joint Authority for emergency gas generators at its treatment plant and two booster stations to address water outages caused by power failures. Total project cost is $467,955, with $70,194 committed. $210,000 to the Economy Borough Municipal Authority for trenchless rehabilitation of the borough’s sanitary sewer system for the Sunset Hills neighborhood. Total project cost is $500,000, with $75,000 committed. $200,000 to Harmony Township for removal and replacement of the deteriorating storm and sewer system along the 8 th Street. Total project cost Read more
AMBRIDGE, Aug. 14 -- Area residents struggling with homelessness, addiction and other obstacles will have some new opportunities for affordable, accessible housing and related services thanks to $1.84 million in funding to several regional organizations, state Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver/Allegheny, announced today. Matzie said the funding – administered by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency through the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund – will serve some of the area’s most vulnerable. “Securing this funding will help restore quality of life to residents who are struggling because of the pandemic, opioid addiction, violence and other hardships,” Matzie said. “This will bring help for single moms who have escaped domestic violence and are working to become self-sufficient; for residents with disabilities needing accessible, affordable housing; and for people who are homeless and struggling with opioid addiction. “This is the kind of investment that sends a message to the most vulnerable in our community that there is hope on the horizon and that we will not forget them.” Matzie said the projects funded include: Allegheny County Department of Human Services: Home 2020 -- $1 million. Allegheny County Department of Human Services: Mobility Counseling Program -- $300,000. United Way of Southern Pennsylvania: Housing Read more
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AMBRIDGE, Aug. 7 – A $46,900 grant to the Freedom Area School District will ensure students have the resources they need to access online learning, state Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver/Allegheny, announced today. Matzie said the funding – administered by the state Department of Education through the Continuity of Education and Equity Grant program – will ensure no student gets left behind when it comes to remote learning. “While online learning can’t replace the benefits of actual classroom experience, it does offer an important way to keep our kids engaged and learning during the pandemic,” Matzie said. “Unfortunately, lack of access to technology or the internet threatens to sideline some students. We can’t let that happen – access to good public education should never depend on a student’s ZIP code. This funding is going to help ensure every student – regardless of financial means – has the tools necessary to participate and thrive. Grants under the CEEG program are designed to help provide access and inclusion for all learners by bridging the gap for students with limited ability to participate in continuity of education. The grants may be used to purchase computer equipment, such as laptops, tablets and internet hot spots, or used toward providing instructional materials, such as paper lessons and coursework. Schools with the highest percentages of Read more
AMBRIDGE, Aug. 7 – The Beaver County Career and Technology Center is on track to receive $119,044 in federal funding to help the center implement safety plans for students and staff, state Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver/Allegheny, announced today. The funding comes from the CARES Act, which authorizes governors to determine the educational use of Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Funds. "Our career and technical students are ready to get on with their lives, but the pandemic and related safety concerns have temporarily derailed education and career planning,” Matzie said. “Now, thanks to this funding, our talented young adults will soon be back on track for learning, and our area employers will be able to count on a continuing supply of well-trained applicants.” The funds may be used for a variety of resources, including protective equipment, hand sanitizer/cleaning products; equipment or technology to take classrooms online; installation of barriers or other protective devices in building structures; and the purchase health apps to assist in contact tracing and monitoring of students. The funding is part of a $10.2 million package allocated to career and technical schools throughout the state. The governor has allocated the money, and schools will be able to access the funds in the next week. Grants were calculated based on the allocation formula for federal Perkins CTC grants, which Read more
AMBRIDGE, Aug. 5 – Grants totaling $21,500 will help Beaver County programs, libraries and cultural attractions impacted by the pandemic, state Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver/Allegheny, announced today. Matzie said the grants – provided by the Pennsylvania Humanities Council under the PHC CARES Program – include the following: Beaver County Historical Research and Landmarks Foundation – $3,000. Laughlin Memorial Library – $4,500. B.F. Jones Memorial Library – $5,000. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Beaver County – $4,500. Harmonie Associates d/b/a Friends of Old Economy Village – $4,500. “Each of these organizations plays such an important role in our community, from supporting youth in need and engaging residents in learning and community programs, to preserving our history for future generations and spurring tourism that boosts our local economy,” Matzie said. “Unfortunately, each has felt the impact of the pandemic, which has closed doors and put a halt to fundraising events. Securing this funding will help these important programs resume operations and ensure that they do so safely.” The grant is part of package of $780,500 in emergency relief grants under the PHC CARES Program – funded by the CARES Act – to 140 Pennsylvania cultural nonprofits that have been impacted by the pandemic. The goal of the Read more
AMBRIDGE, Aug. 5 – Grant funding totaling more than $5.2 million will help ensure students and staff returning to universities and tech schools in Southwest Pennsylvania this fall will benefit from the safest possible learning environments, announced state Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver/Allegheny. Matzie said the funding – which includes nearly $300,000 to the Community College of Beaver County – will allow administrators to move forward with plans to protect students and staff from COVID-19. “Securing this funding means that the Community College of Beaver County and other schools in the Southwest region of the state will have a wide range of safety options at their disposal,” Matzie said. “Schools may use the funding for resources such as cleaning and sanitization supplies, personal protective equipment, barriers and other structural modifications and technology to support online learning.” Matzie said that of more than $5.2 million going to schools in the Southwest region of the state, nearly $2.7 million will go to schools in Allegheny County, while approximately $2.5 million will go to schools in Beaver, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington and Westmoreland counties. Administered by the state Department of Education, the federal funding was based on both the shares of total enrollments by each postsecondary sector and the number of Read more
Bill would remove barriers to outdoor dining, encourage people to patronize struggling restaurants Read more
HARRISBURG, July 15 – COVID-19 resulted in the closing of schools statewide this past spring, a move that at the time had bipartisan support and echoed actions taken across our country, but it was one that also shined a bright line on the inequality embedded in many of our school districts across the state. This gross inequality allowed for more well-funded and financially supported districts to open online weeks if not almost two months ahead of neighboring districts that had less funding and less financial support. State Reps. Dan Miller, D-Allegheny, and Jim Roebuck, D-Phila., on Thursday introduced legislation (H.B. 2705) that would offer a path forward to make sure school districts in the future are not delayed in opening online due to uncertainty of access to technology, and that every child who is from a home living in acute poverty has the necessary technology provided to them to make them ready for online learning from day one. “COVID-19 is an unprecedented emergency that no district, state, or likely, nation was prepared to address,” Miller said. “However, we must learn from our experience this spring and we must make sure that no child or school district will be delayed from accessing or providing online education in the future due to financial hardship. It is unjust that our wealthier school districts can be up and running, while our more economically challenged school districts have to go door-to-door, hat-in-hand for Read more
Majority’s actions akin to ‘bulldozing over’ discussion, debates Read more
AMBRIDGE, July 2 – Beaver County residents struggling with opioid use disorder will benefit from a $146,444 grant to fund employment support services, state Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver/Allegheny, announced . Matzie said the federally funded Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration grant will support services such as vocational assessments, resume writing, interviewing skills, job placement and transportation assistance related to employment. “Opioid use disorder has robbed decent, hardworking people of formerly productive lives,” Matzie said. “So many want simply to get back on their feet and recover their independence. With this funding, we can offer them the skills and resources they need to take that first and most important step – gainful employment.” Life’s Work of Western PA will use the grant – which is part of a package of $2 million in SAMHA funding to 14 organizations statewide – to provide services to residents struggling with opioid use disorder in Beaver, Allegheny, Westmoreland, Washington, Fayette and Greene counties. The grants are administered by the state Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs. Read more
HARRISBURG, June 24 – The House today unanimously passed two bills that would improve policing in the commonwealth by ensuring hiring agencies have full access to a candidate’s background information and by enhancing officer training, state Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver/Allegheny, announced. “These are common-sense bills that set us on the path to real reform,” said Matzie, who said he voted for both bills because they promise to improve law enforcement’s ability to hire and maintain the best-qualified people for the job. Matzie said H.B. 1841 would require employers to disclose employment information to law enforcement agencies conducting background checks and also create a database to track officer disciplinary actions so agencies would be aware of potential red flags before hiring an officer who has separated from another agency. “Most employers conduct background checks,” Matzie said. “In an area as critical as law enforcement, it’s only practical that important information would be included in those checks.” Matzie said a second bill, H.B. 1910 , would require mandatory training for officers on interacting with people of diverse racial, ethnic and economic backgrounds and on the use of force and de-escalation methods. It would also require officers to be evaluated for post-traumatic stress after a lethal use-of-force incident. “Police officers have a Read more
AMBRIDGE, June 24 – Beaver County’s largest community senior center is receiving $35,858 in funding, state Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver/Allegheny, announced today. Matzie said the grant to Center at the Mall will allow the center to enhance operations for the many active seniors it serves. “ Community centers like Center at the Mall are a lifeline to social activity, nutrition, fitness and other programs that keep our senior community healthy and engaged,” Matzie said. “The pandemic has removed so many of these activities for our seniors, but as restrictions lift, we can expect them to return. “This funding is going help the center enhance and improve its operations so when life returns to a closer version of normal, our seniors will return to an even better, more enriching experience.” The grant is part of a package of $2 million in funding -- appropriated by the General Assembly from the Pennsylvania Lottery -- that is going to 60 senior centers statewide. In all, there are more than 500 senior community centers throughout Pennsylvania that provide a variety of offerings, such as nutritious meals, educational opportunities, transportation services, financial and insurance counseling, and exercise programs. Proceeds from the Pennsylvania Lottery help to fund these programs every year. More information on senior community centers is available by visiting this link: Read more
AMBRIDGE, June 23 – Beaver County residents struggling with homelessness will benefit from more than $31,000 in federal funding for critical resources, including affordable housing and emergency shelter, state Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver/Allegheny, announced today. Matzie said that in addition to a grant totaling $31,125, Beaver County will share in more than $1.72 million in funding being distributed to 20 counties throughout the central and western portions of the state. “Job losses and a slowed economy caused by the pandemic have left hardworking families in our community in immediate need of help,” Matzie said. “Securing this funding will help those who need a safe, clean place to call home.” The funding – administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development – is provided through the federal Emergency Solutions Grant program and is part of a package of nearly $5.5 million that will fund rapid rehousing, homelessness prevention, street outreach, and emergency shelter, among other resources. Priority for funding is given to applicants representing areas of the commonwealth that do not already receive a direct allocation of Emergency Solutions Grant funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Read more
Today, members of the LGBTQ Equality Caucus sent a letter requesting a committee vote for H.B 1404 Read more
AMBRIDGE, June 10 – Beaver County will receive $284,994 in federal funding to support the costs of opioid testing and analysis over two years, while county law enforcement will have access to federal funding of up to $109,414 for coronavirus response efforts, state Rep. Rob Matzie announced today. Matzie, D-Beaver/Allegheny, said the grant from the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Program – administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency – will fund a project to allow the county to identify the geographical distribution of drugs and develop protocols leading to improved community detection, response and treatment. “Even as we’re working toward a vaccine for COVID-19, we know there is no simple cure for the opioid addiction epidemic, which threatens to continue claiming lives long after we’ve eliminated the threat from the virus,” Matzie said. “Thankfully, we have strategies to combat the epidemic. “Laboratory drug testing funded by this grant will be key to helping us understand the geographical distribution of drugs being used in our county. That knowledge will help health care providers better treat patients they are likely to encounter and will enhance law enforcement efforts to investigate and identify emerging threats.” In addition to the opioid program funding, Matzie said county law enforcement will have access to nearly $110,000 Read more
AMBRIDGE, June 5 – State Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver/Allegheny, issued the following statement in response to Gov. Tom Wolf’s announcement today that Beaver County will move to the “green” phase of the state’s reopen plan next Friday, June 12. “We were disappointed that we didn’t go into green for this week as our numbers continued to improve and all surrounding counties received the go-ahead. However, with no counties going from yellow to green after at least two weeks, it wasn’t a total surprise. “I believe the public and our businesses are positioned to accelerate our recovery. We will continue to utilize necessary safeguards to protect ourselves and those we may be in contact with under guidelines. We are ready to safely and responsibly move to the green phase.” Read more
HARRISBURG, May 29 – Pennsylvania nursing and personal care homes at the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic would receive more than $630 million in federal CARES Act funding under legislation the House passed unanimously yesterday, state Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver/Allegheny, announced. Matzie, who has led the charge to investigate and address the spiraling infection and death rates in nursing and long-term care facilities statewide, said he is relieved that a large chunk of $2.6 billion in federal CARES Act funding is going where it is needed most – to address the crisis facing seniors in care facilities. “It is beyond frustrating to read the statistics on mounting deaths and see our seniors being held hostage by this virus without being able to go in and do something to address it,” said Matzie, whose legislation recently prompted the state to begin universal testing in facilities. “Now, thanks to this infusion of funding, we will have the test kits, personal protective equipment, additional staffing and other critical resources to start bringing the situation under control.” Beyond the assistance to nursing homes, Matzie said the CARES Act funding will provide $50 million to volunteer fire and EMS companies, which lost key sources of revenue when the pandemic forced a halt to fundraising efforts. “We ask our first responders to combat any form of disaster, Read more
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