PITTSBURGH, Feb. 26 - State Rep. Dan Deasy announced that the Pittsburgh, Sto-Rox and Keystone Oaks school districts were selected to receive a total of $999,578 in safety grants, part of more than $5.5 million awarded to Allegheny County schools and organizations. “Providing our kids and their teachers a safe environment to learn in is fundamental,” Deasy said. “These grants, along with other initiatives outside the classroom, will work together to better avoid a tragedy in our schools. I’ll continue to fight in Harrisburg for school resources like these, and other community investments we desperately need.” The $929,578 grant for Pittsburgh public schools will help fund training programs, security planning and equipment purchases, guidance counselors and social workers and trauma-informed approaches to education. Grants of $35,000 each were awarded to Sto-Rox and the Keystone Oaks school districts for security planning and equipment purchases. Act 44 of 2018 created a School Safety and Security Fund for the purposes of providing funding to school districts for school safety and security concerns and addressing community violence. Today, $60 million was distributed for school safety, including $7.5 million for community anti-violence programs. The grants are awarded by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, which receives hundreds of applications for these awards. Act 44 created the School Safety and Security Committee, Read more
Local grants part of $5.5 million-plus awarded to Allegheny County schools, organizations Read more
ALIQUIPPA, Feb. 26 -- Area schools will benefit from more than $1.3 million in state grants to fund safety equipment, programs, and other security-related resources, state Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver/Allegheny, announced today. Matzie said the grants – administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency – will fund a wide array of resources for multiple school districts in Allegheny and Beaver counties. “Ensuring safe schools is an issue that demands constant vigilance, as safety needs change from year to year,” Matzie said. “Our schools do an excellent job of assessing those needs, which often involve a mix of people-based resources, programs and equipment. Securing this funding is going to give our school districts broad access to these resources so they can provide the safest possible environment.” Matzie said the funding under the School Safety and Security Grant Program includes the following grants: Allegheny County $414,550 to the Education Center at the Watson Institute for security assessments, classroom management, security planning, purchase of security equipment and visitor security systems. $236,450 to Quaker Valley School District for security planning and the purchase of security equipment and staff training programs. Beaver County $140,454 to Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit for security planning, funding of Read more
Legislation would extend protections to additional public spaces, include e-cigarettes Read more
Suit aims to protect Pennsylvania youth from deceptive marketing practices Read more
HARRISBURG, Feb. 4 – State Rep. Robert Matzie, D-Beaver/Allegheny, released the following statement regarding Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposed 2020-21 budget address today. “The governor’s budget proposal is just the starting point. At first glance, there are several areas that I can fully support. More money for schools, a focus on cleaning up lead and asbestos, protecting drinking water and creating more opportunities for workers are priorities that I share and would benefit western Pennsylvania greatly. “Most importantly, it holds the line on taxes. “As always, I’ll work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and ultimately support what best serves Beaver County and the residents of my district.” Read more
Calls on legislature to pick up challenge and act on Pa.’s best interests Read more
HARRISBURG, Feb. 3 – The House today unanimously adopted a resolution to increase public awareness about the dangers of rheumatoid arthritis, according to its sponsor, state Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver/Allegheny. Matzie said he introduced H.R. 655 – designating Feb. 2, 2020, as “Rheumatoid Awareness Day” in Pennsylvania – to shed light on RA’s potentially devastating impacts, which can include damage to joint and organ tissue, heart disease and a reduced lifespan. “Well over a million Americans – including my own father – are currently living with RA,” Matzie said. “In addition to joint pain, fevers and stiffness, this progressive, inflammatory disease can wreak havoc on the body’s immune system and lead to problems with the eyes, heart, lungs, blood, nerves and other body organs and systems. “Although the disease can be hard to diagnose because its symptoms mimic those of other diseases, early detection is critical because starting a patient on medication during an early ‘window of opportunity’ can lessen the disease’s adverse effects and even bring remission in some cases. That’s especially important because RA can affect a patient’s heart.” Matzie said that each year, Rheumatoid Awareness Day is planned to coincide with the start of American Heart Month to emphasize the disorder’s connection to heart Read more
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