Grant will help businesses

The Sarah Scaife Foundation has awarded a $125,000 grant to California University of Pennsylvania to support its Government Agency Coordination Office through Sept. 30.

The grant will enable the office to help businesses with federal, state, local, and corporate contracting and subcontracting. It will offer advice, assistance and support to businesses interested in selling their products and services to the government.

The office can provide notifications of federal, state and local government contract and subcontract opportunities, assist with bid preparation, provide specifications and standards data, obtain technical data from Internet sites, supply past procurement information for products, educate companies on eBusiness processes, and provide individual counseling to help companies enter into this market.

The office also provides its clients with government contract training through seminars and workshops and through its annual procurement fair.

The main office is on California University's main campus with satellite offices in Pittsburgh and at Slippery Rock University.

Businesses interested in obtaining additional information about GACO's services can call Deborah Wojcik, 724-938-5881, or visit www.cup.edu/advancement/gaco.

I-79 lane restrictions

Motorists should be alert for lane restrictions in both directions of Interstate 79 in the vicinity of Exit 41, Race Track Road/Meadowlands, while sign foundations are installed.

Southbound motorists will encounter right lane closures and northbound motorists will face shoulder closures between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. tomorrow and Tuesday -- weather permitting. If necessary, work will continue Wednesday.

After the foundations are completed, the signs will be erected late next month.

Cal U appointment

Geraldine M. Jones, dean of the College of Education and Human Services at California University of Pennsylvania, has been promoted to interim provost and vice president for academic affairs.

Ms. Jones earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from then-California State College. She brings 34 years of higher education experience to the provost's office.

She has served as the dean of the College of Education and Human Services since 2001, and also served as both interim dean and interim associate dean of the college between August 1998 and July 2001.

Flash passes are available

Newly designed monthly Flash Passes are on sale for riders on Mid Mon Valley Transit Authority buses.

The passes, which are available on the Web, over the phone or at the transit center in Charleroi, will be more durable and smaller. When purchased from the bus driver, the passes will continue to be the larger, punch versions.

For online purchases, visit www.mmvta.com. For telephone transactions, call 724-489-0880.

Also, the transit agency has launched an electronic benefit transfer program, an electronic system that allows a recipient to authorize transfer of their government benefits from a federal account to a retailer's account to pay for products or services.

EBT transactions can only be made at the transit center.