Penn Hills senior Shane J. Healey received a scholarship sponsored by Sen. Costa as part of the Penn Hills Council of PTAs 2011 Senior Scholarship Night at Linton Middle School. Presenting the award is Sharon Price, assistant to Sen. Costa.
HOMESTEAD — Sen. Costa joined local mayors, Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Josh Gibson Foundation to unveil 18 new bridge signs honoring the Homestead Grays and Pittsburgh Crawford Negro League baseball teams.
The signs are mounted at various locations on the Homestead Grays Bridge and highlight seven players from each team.
“Some of the greatest players in the history of the game played for the Homestead Grays and Pittsburgh Crawfords,” Costa said.
“This is a fitting tribute to what these great men accomplished on the baseball diamond and what they still mean to the communities in this area.”
HARRISBURG – Mt. Oliver Borough will use a $27,159 state loan to upgrade its street lighting with high-efficiency fixtures and bulbs, state Sen. Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) announced today.
The funds were approved through the Commonwealth Financing Agency’s (CFA) Alternative and Clean Energy program. The borough will use the $27,159 loan to purchase and install energy-efficient lighting upgrades that are expected to save the borough $4,128 in energy costs annually.
The project is expected to cost a total of $61,367 and involves replacing 85 street lights with energy efficient LED lighting. The borough also expects to replace 15 existing fixtures and upgrade to LED bulbs at 70 other locations throughout Mt. Oliver.
“Energy costs for streetlights and other lighting in public areas can consume a significant portion of a municipality’s annual budget,” Costa said. “These types of projects to improve energy efficiency can pay for themselves over time, not only in lower energy costs, but also because modern LED bulbs last longer than traditional bulbs, which can reduce replacement expenses.”
The CFA is an independent agency of the Commonwealth that administers Pennsylvania’s economic stimulus packages.
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PITTSBURGH – Reforming the corrections system and finding cost savings were the topics as Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa joined Auditor General Jack Wagner and Senate Judiciary Chairman Stewart Greenleaf (R-Montgomery) at a news conference at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU).
The officials discussed the need for sentencing reform and alternative sentencing programs to curb Pennsylvania’s increasing prison costs. Pennsylvania led the nation in prison population growth in 2009, adding 2,122 inmates.
“The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections annual budget has grown from $94 million in 1980 to nearly $1.9 billion as proposed by the governor for the coming fiscal year,” Costa said. “This kind of growth is unsustainable and represents a very large portion of the overall state budget.”
The lawmakers were also joined by Dr. Alfred Blumstein (bottom photo), professor of urban systems and operations research at CMU, who detailed the costs of the state’s extensive prison system.
Costa and Wagner said they support Greenleaf’s legislation (SB 100), which calls for a renewed focus on alternative sentencing for non-violent offenders and a greater emphasis on programs designed to reduce recidivism.
PITTSBURGH – Sen. Costa was honored to attend the groundbreaking ceremony as United Cerebral Palsy Community Living and Support Services (UCP/CLASS) officially kicked off the renovation of the former Center for Creative Play building on South Braddock Avenue.
UCP/CLASS purchased the property with plans to renovate the 30,000-square-foot office building to accommodate its staff.
This year, UCP/CLASS is also marking its 60th anniversary of providing support to those with disabilities. United Cerebral Palsy Community Living and Support Services has grown over the years from a grass roots organization to the 14th largest Pittsburgh-area social service non-profit. Currently, this organization serves thousands of individuals and families.
January 28, 2011 – The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland – Pittsburgh Branch and Govern for Kids hosted Sen. Costa for a breakfast forum focused on policy affecting children.
Sen. Costa poses for a photo with Michelle Figlar from the Pittsburgh Association for the Education of Young Children and Kristen Burns from the Grable Foundation
Robert Schaub, Vice President & Senior Regional Officer of the Pittsburgh Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank kicked the morning off and spoke about the research the Federal Reserve is doing around children’s issues and its programs to teach children financial literacy.
Sen. Costa then provided an overview of the successes Pennsylvania has had improving the lives of children in the recent past, and the challenges the Commonwealth faces in the coming year.
Topics ranged from early care and education to school choice legislation currently pending in the state Senate.
Sen. Costa then answered a wide array of questions from the audience of child advocates, business owners and students from a local high school.