Commissioners’ meetings for the month of February
On February 18, the Greene County Commissioners met to discuss issues involving COVID-19, various service agreements seeking approval, and staff appointments. The commissioners approved a $550 contribution to the Waynesburg Lions Club for their Sound of Summer concert series. The appointments of Jason Taylor and Talia Teagarden to the Human Services Advisory Board were approved. … Continue reading
Creative Business Fund offers financial assistance
Creative businesses in need of financial assistance in Pennsylvania may be eligible for a loan from the Creative Business Loan Fund through the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. According to the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts’s website, the loan is intended for small, creative businesses. In particular, the loan focuses on businesses owned by Black, … Continue reading
Possible extension for Forgivable Advance for Small Business Assistance
According to the Forgivable Advance for Small Business Assistance’s application form, there were two application windows when businesses could apply: the first ran from Jan. 4 until Jan. 15, and the second ran from Jan. 15 until Feb. 1. In addition, there may be more opportunities to apply in the future, depending on the funding … Continue reading
Greene County vaccinates residents
Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 Vaccination Plan is currently underway with Phase 1A still rolling out. As outlined in the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s Vaccination Plan, Phase 1A includes those most at risk of infection from COVID-19. This includes: health care workers, residents and staff of long-term care facilities and, as of Jan. 19, people aged 65 or … Continue reading
Treating addiction during COVID-19
In her experience, Toni Harris, program supervisor for the Greenbriar Treatment Center’s Washington, Pennsylvania, location, said COVID-19 has affected the opioid epidemic in Southwestern Pennsylvania. For those with a drug offense who were placed on probation during or shortly before COVID-19 restrictions began, Harris said addicts escaped their requirements of attending forced treatment. Jails, at … Continue reading
An epidemic during a pandemic
While Greene County has adjusted to the presence of COVID-19 for the past seven months, the opioid epidemic has evolved, according to officials. By Sept. 25, Gene Rush, Greene County Coroner, said nine people have died due to drug overdose this year. In the past two years, 12 died of an overdose in 2019 and … Continue reading
Blueprints’ lasting impact on Greene County ties community needs
“There are many community action groups, but we’re different,” Anastasia Barr, Communications Manager at Blueprints said. Barr has been working at Blueprints since March of 2019, doing advertising campaigns and promoting services, running social media and working alongside program services to recruit, holding an office in both Greene and Washington counties. Barr started her position … Continue reading
Blueprints’ new independent living program
Blueprints launched a new program in the summer of 2020. According to Communications Manager Anastasia Barr, Blueprints is a unique nonprofit in the area due to its heavy involvement in childcare services, such as foster care and truancy programs. Their newest service, the Independent Living Program which started July 1, services youth ages 14 to … Continue reading