As Allegheny County Council contemplates a vote on the proposed increased fees for Title 5 operating permits, some have argued that this would place an unfair burden on U.S. Steel, because of the recommended increase from $8,000 to $53,000 that the company would have to pay. For a company that earned $2.14 Billion in 2023, that is a specious argument. ACHD has been admonished by EPA for the huge backlog in such permitting, and the assessment of the fair cost for the staff work required to resolve this problem is long overdue. Our once largest employer, U.S. Steel, is today a mere shell of itself. More importantly, the company has failed to maintain its ancient Mon Valley Works, at the same time that it has been investing $6 Billion in more modern facilities in Arkansas, a right-to-work state, leaving a vestige of their worst operations here, facilities that emit the toxic air that we are condemned to breathe. Our region’s largest employers, our healthcare establishment and universities, are nonprofit organizations. Our region also boasts a major concentration of other nonprofits. None of them pay taxes. Simultaneously, our economic base is threatened by downtown office building foreclosures, which are driving down real estate assessments in the post-pandemic, work-remotely world.  Consequently, Allegheny County is facing major budget deficits. The economic and demographic future of our region lies in promoting economic growth through the tax-paying tech businesses that are here.  But we cannot grow that sector when more and more of their lifestyle-conscious workforce refuses to come to Allegheny County, one of the 1% worst places in the country for cancer, lung and heart diseases related to air pollution, with up to triple the rate of youth asthma. The time is long overdue to face reality, promoting the changes that can free our region to grow economically and demographically. A first step in this direction should be action taken by Allegheny County Council and its Health & Human Services committee to approve the fee increases that will allow ACHD to begin to increase its capacity to protect the health of all of our residents, while costing taxpayers nothing!

The concept of a ban on fracking in Pennsylvania has been getting a lot of attention in recent weeks. But banning fracking in a place where it has been happening for 20 years is not the same thing as banning it where it has never happened. What must happen here and what will happen is a phase out of fracking. How rapid the phase out is will determine how smoothly the public, workers, and entire communities will be able to make the transition. We're calling on Governor Shapiro and our state legislators to start the rapid phase out now and urging them to take the steps we have listed.

This is a David vs. Goliath story with the City acting as a go between. We need YOUR help. Remember, the City works for US as well as the AutoCenter. There is common ground. But we can't get there when the City appears to be covering up its mistakes by sweeping this under the rug.  If inclined, join because you don't like looking at the sign and don't think it "beautifies" the city. It was a bait and switch to the public and city council (at that time). The design changes made out of public view (post approval process) were deceitful and dishonest. We expect more from our city representatives.  I am the one who "discovered" that the land was not owned by the sign owner. It took us a year to get a clear answer from the City as to who actually owned it (the City) and how much they were being paid to transfer public land into private hands (an application fee is all). IF the city signs it over to the sign owner, it lessens their leverage to initiate change. The change we are asking for. We already have plenty of night sky blocking light coming from the AutoCenter. This sign profits a few. I know I'd be fuming if I bought a $1.3 million house up on the hill and had to look at this! Oh wait, that happened to me in my little Craftsman home. I see this thing from my bedroom window!  As for the sign owner, well... they have their own agenda and are probably happy with the current outcome. Might explain why in the four years we've been asking, the owner NEVER agreed to meet with us! 

Disaster relief and weather forecasting shouldn't be partisan issues. Politicizing disaster response and spreading lies about FEMA's role undermines public trust in a vital federal agency–and this disinformation can be life-threatening during natural disasters.  Republicans like Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene have spread fringe disinformation accusing the government and Democrats of controlling the weather, making it difficult–and even dangerous–for meteorologists to deliver lifesaving information ahead of climate disasters. Meteorologists say that over the last few months, climate conspiracy theories and threatening messages have been flooding their inboxes. Instead of being able to focus solely on delivering lifesaving weather forecasts ahead of natural disasters, meteorologists now also have to debunk GOP-proliferated conspiracy theories about the government controlling the weather, and are even receiving death threats for doing their job. FEMA workers have also been targeted by right-wing harassment and abuse. In Hurricane Helene's aftermath, Donald Trump falsely accused FEMA of stealing donations and diverting disaster aid to migrants. Threats of truckloads of militia members "hunting FEMA" forced FEMA and U.S. Forest Service workers to pause their lifesaving recovery efforts to relocate workers out of fear for their safety. Survivors of natural disasters who urgently need assistance are refusing FEMA's help because of this disinformation.  GOP-led disinformation campaigns against our disaster relief workers and meteorologists are threatening public safety and undermining public trust in our lifesaving institutions. In times of crisis, our elected officials should be working to deliver aid and recovery–not spreading conspiracy theories on social media. Politicizing disaster response efforts for political points at the expense of real people who are suffering after natural disasters is unacceptable. Add your name to the petition to demand the GOP stop their life-threatening disinformation campaign and put people first! Photo credit: Salon / Getty Images Sources: 1. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/14/us/meteorologists-threats-conspiracy-theories-hurricanes.html 2. https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/hurricane-milton-misinformation-meteorlogist-death-threats-1235130352/ 3. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/06/us/hurricane-helene-north-carolina-misinformation.html  4. https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2024/10/13/federal-officials-nc-temporarily-relocated-amid-report-armed-militia-email-shows/

The office of Heat Ready Phx has started a new initiative called, “Sidewalk Shade Project.” While this initiative is well-meaning in that it intends to solve issues of heat in Phoenix, Arizona, it will not realize this solution since it ignores what is more basic to us. And that is this: The best thing we can do to solve shade and heat issues in Phoenix, Arizona is to plant more native trees. These structures they want to put up will only radiate more heat and become a breeding ground for vandalism, abuse, and overall wear and tear. They will make our beautiful city corners and streets look more barren and more tacky. These structures will not solve the issue of heat and shade, but native trees will. Trees naturally cool the environment, provide shade and improve overall quality of life. Essentially, where there is life, you are sure that there are trees nearby. If we want to fix our problem of heat, air quality, and shade, it is most natural to the majority of us, Phoenicians, that we should promote the planting of more trees. Moreover, if our streets were filled with trees that provide more shade, our streets would be cooler and much prettier. 

It is important for the ninth graders to participate in my campaign, as it is unjust that we are excluded from the highschoolers' recreational activities despite being acknowledged as members of the school community. By rallying others to our cause, we can convey to the higher authorities that our desire for inclusion is not isolated but rather a collective sentiment. Together, we can effect change and secure our rightful participation in a broader array of activities at the highschool.

We all play on these fields and our kids are exposed to these chemicals for extended periods of time all year long. Let’s not wait for more studies that show the dangers of turf fields. Let’s get ahead of this!

Congress has the power to make sure that our neighbors in states impacted by category 4 Hurricane Helene and incoming Hurricane Milton get the funding needed for rescue efforts to save lives, basic necessities like water, food, and prescriptions, and rebuilding their communities, homes, roads, businesses, and infrastructure. Congress is currently out of session through November 12, but relief can't wait. So we have to come together to make sure they return and get it done—because hundreds of thousands of impacted people are counting on the lifesaving resources that Congress can deliver. Just last week, Congress passed a bill that would fund the government through December, but despite forecasted hurricanes and wildfires raging, it left out billions of dollars that were requested for supplemental disaster funding—which would’ve been available now to communities impacted by Hurricane Helene. Frustrated by underfunded disaster relief, Representative Kathy Castor of Florida said, “The right-wingers here, the MAGA crowd, even after disasters happen, they have opposed disaster aid for communities in need.” It's completely unacceptable. FEMA’s disaster relief fund is already depleted and is currently at a nearly $2 BILLION deficit, forcing them to hold back billions of dollars in rebuilding projects to support more lifesaving work.6 But this was avoidable. FEMA should have the funding it needs to provide relief to our communities, which are enduring one climate catastrophe after another. Disaster funding should never be a partisan issue. Our communities that have been harmed by Hurricane Helene can’t wait until Congress is back in session in November; they need relief right now. Congress must come back and pass supplemental disaster funding NOW. Will you sign the petition?

Reject Xcel Energy's 20-year extension request for the Monticello nuclear power plant. • The plant is 53 years old, making it one of the three oldest in the US. • The 2022 leak of 829,000 gallons of radioactive tritium and other carcinogens poses a threat to: • The Mississippi River, a drinking water source for 20 million people. • The environment and wildlife. • The food chain through irrigation of crops. • Tritium exposure, especially during pregnancy, is linked to: • Cancers in newborns. • Pregnancy loss. • Birth abnormalities. We say NO! NO to the deadly radioactivity harming our children, environment, drinking water, and food! NO to the extension request! We demand the safe shutdown of the Monticello plant!

New developers are constantly infringing on the natural habitat of the surrounding Belmont, NC, area without addressing roads, utilities, amenities and especially the natural habitat. Residents need to demand they plan better for current residents, future growth and including the natural wildlife.

We need to change the direction of this project before it’s too late to save taxpayer money and keep our children safe. 

Human-Bear Conflict is a Human Problem Not a Bear Problem Trash is the number one reason that bears are in our urban areas.  Residents of Glenwood Springs deserve to have the tools needed to reduce human-bear conflict and to keep both residents and bears safe.