WHAT ’ S NEWS IN WEST JEFFERSON HILLS
PLEASANT HILLS PD WARNS RESIDENTS TO BE WARY OF SCAMS
The Pleasant Hills Police Department has taken several incident reports from borough residents who have had Chase Bank accounts opened in their names without their authorization . The PHPD is working with Chase Bank and other local agencies to investigate these incidents . If you receive unsolicited information regarding a Chase account in your name , contact Chase at 800.935.9935 . Fraudulent phone calls Scammers posing as the IRS call , claiming you owe taxes . They may demand that you settle the bogus tax bill by sending money through a gift card , prepaid debit card , or wire transfer . Alternatively , an imposter may call offering to assist with COVID-related benefit payments and ask you to provide personal or account information in order to receive a payment . What you should know Do not engage in conversation if the caller :
• Demands immediate payment or offers to assist you with receiving a payment
• Uses aggressive tactics , such as threatening arrest , deportation , or license revocation
• Requests credit , debit , or bank account numbers
Even if the caller has the last four digits of your Social Security number or other identifiable information , do not share any additional information .
If you are uncomfortable with a request on a phone call that you did not initiate , do not respond . Instead , hang up immediately and contact the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration ( TIGTA ) at 1.800.366.4484 to confirm the validity of the request . If you think it is a scam , you can also report it by calling TIGTA or online at treasury . gov / tigta .
Know that the IRS will not :
• Ask you to pay your taxes using a gift card , prepaid debit card , or wire transfer .
• Threaten to immediately have you arrested or deported for not paying .
• Initiate contact with you or request sensitive information by email , text , or social media .
If you owe taxes , the IRS will contact you by mail before attempting to call you . You are not required to pay without the opportunity to question or appeal your tax bill .
WEST JEFFERSON HILLS SCHOOL DISTRICT RECEIVES FARM TO SCHOOL PROGRAM GRANT
State Rep . Mike Puskaric announced that the West Jefferson Hills School District has been awarded a $ 9,000 Pennsylvania Farm to School Program grant from the Department of Agriculture .
The school district plans to use the funding for experiential learning with local beekeepers , indoor soil-based and soil-less gardens and a field trip to a local strawberry farm .
“ This is an outstanding program that will improve access to healthy , local foods and increase agricultural awareness opportunities for children Pre-K through fifth grade ,” said Puskaric . “ In addition , it increases agriculture education programming and provides an opportunity for students to apply their learning to their everyday life .”
The Pennsylvania Farm to School grant program aims to bridge the gap between children and the food system by connecting them to the fresh , healthy food available from Pennsylvania agricultural producers in their community and the surrounding areas .
Through changing food purchasing and education practices at schools and early childhood education sites , children will become more aware and engaged with their local food system as well as empowered to leverage their own consumer influence to support Pennsylvania agriculture .
“ It is very important for our kids in the 21st century to know where their food comes from ,” said Puskaric . “ It is an important way to help state , regional and local organizations as they initiate , expand and institutionalize farm to school efforts .” n
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