There was a lot to celebrate on Fifth Avenue in McKeesport on Wednesday, as dozens of local children and community members joined the Boys&Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania for the opening of their new teen center.

The event was also a commemoration of 135 years of the organization’s chapter in the Pittsburgh region.

Everyone experienced the effects of climate change in some way this summer, Peter Boger said Monday afternoon.

“Whether that was smoke from the fires, or the flooding or with extreme heat,” said Boger, assistant director for outreach and engagement with Penn State Sustainability. “And we know these are going to be issues that continue to affect us here in Pennsylvania and worldwide, and yet at the same time, and this is an exciting moment of opportunity.

Today, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced additional conditional awards for Round 1 of the federal National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) funding. These awards further the Shapiro Administration’s work to address climate change, grow the Commonwealth’s economy and ensure that the future of Pennsylvania transportation is on track to be cleaner, safer, more affordable, and more reliable than ever before.

PennDOT wants to hear from you on your community and business needs for electric vehicle charging as part of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program.

They have scheduled a series of six regional outreach sessions so communities and businesses can learn more about electric vehicle initiatives and funding opportunities and so participants can provide feedback on EVs and the needs of your community.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission hired Caitlin O’Connor as director of public relations and communication initiatives, and DJ Ryan as director of strategic initiatives and policy.

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The Pittsburgh Robotics Network invites you to step into the heart of the Robotics Capital of the World at Pittsburgh Robotics Discovery Day. Taking place on Thursday, November 16, 2023, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, the event is a must-attend for anyone curious about the robotics, automation, and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies that are revolutionizing our world.

Those driving around New Castle, particularly downtown, may have noticed traffic lights are being installed on power poles.

According to city Administrator Chris Frye, the reason for this is simple — it’s the way of the future, at least according to PennDOT. Penn-DOT and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission are working to gradually replace all traffic lights over the next year with the lights on the poles.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Corporation, a 501(c)(3) corporation, on behalf of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC), is requesting Technical Proposals and Price Proposals (together, Proposal packages) for obtaining consultant services to assist with the development of the “Southwestern Pennsylvania Regional Climate Pollution Reduction Plan.”

The group made up of a dozen-plus nonprofits and institutional partners has been listening to residents’ feedback and making plans to gather more data. Next up: a five-year plan to close the digital divide.

In April 2022, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission reported that residents in Allegheny County have both some of the highest internet speeds in the region and areas with inadequate internet speeds or few service options.

In a surprise to officials, the county now is part of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area just got a little bigger.

Lawrence County, which includes the city of New Castle, recently was added to the MSA, joining Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties.