Two state grants earmarked to combat underage drinking in Oakland

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board has earmarked two state grants that will go toward combating underage drinking and alcohol abuse in Oakland.

According to a statement the PLCB issued earlier this month, the agency will hand out 61 grants totaling $2.14 million this year under its Alcohol Education Grant Program. The Carnegie Mellon University Police Department and the Oakland Planning and Development Corporation will each receive one of these grants.

According to a document from the Oakland Planning and Development Corporation, State Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, plans to make a formal announcement regarding the grants Monday at 10:30 a.m. in the Oakland Career Center, which is located on Semple Street. 

Frankel’s office was unavailable to provide additional details Friday.

CMU spokeswoman Abby Simmons said that the $30,000 will go to the school’s police department and will fund a program to educate incoming freshmen and train the department’s police officers to recognize and deal with underage drinking.

Oakland Planning and Development Corporation spokeswoman Rebekkah Ranallo declined to provide additional information on the grant intended for the corporation. According to the liquor control board statement, of the 61 grants awarded this year, 24 will fund law-enforcement efforts, 16 will go to communities and nonprofits, 20 will go to institutions of higher education and one will go toward a school district for funding programs for K-12 students.

The largest grant will be $40,000 this year. Since 1999, the PLCB has awarded more than $10 million to community organizations, municipalities and institutions of higher learning.