Cutler Elected Speaker of the House

Only third speaker to hail from Lancaster County, first in nearly a century

HARRISBURG – Following a confirmation by the majority of members, Rep. Bryan Cutler (R-Peach Bottom) is the Speaker of Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives.

In remarks from the rostrum upon his confirmation vote, Cutler told his fellow members, “As we each carry the torch for the next generation, let me be the first to pledge to you what I hope you will pledge with me: First, let us treat each other, other elected leaders, and our constituents, with respect. Second, let us not ask someone else to do something that we ourselves would not do. And finally, when our term of service is concluded, let us leave things better than the way we found them. And let us do our work together.”

Cutler was first sworn in to represent the 100^th district in Lancaster County in 2007, making his 13 years of service to the speaker’s chair the shortest tenure since 1967.

Cutler is only the third member from Lancaster County to serve as speaker in the chamber’s history, and the first since Rep. Aaron Hess was speaker in 1929. He replaces the Hon. Mike Turzai of Allegheny County who retired from the House earlier this month.

“My entire mission in public service has been to give back to the community that gave so much to me and my family,” Cutler said. “Carrying the voices of the 100^th district has been the honor of my life, and I will continue to carry the values and lessons my community gave to me in my new role.”

Cutler previously served as House majority leader and the majority whip. A lawyer and former x-ray technologist, he’s made health care reforms a cornerstone of his extensive impacts in Harrisburg. His time in the Capitol is defined by finding bipartisan solutions to some of the state’s most pressing issues, including authoring Pennsylvania’s most comprehensive election reforms in the last 80 years and a statewide overhaul of the Affordable Care Act, both of which were signed into law this session.

“Our chamber, one of the oldest democratically elected bodies in the world, has never shied away from finding solutions to countless issues facing mankind,” Cutler added. “This importance of this moment in history is not lost on me, and I give my word to all Pennsylvanians that the sincerity and fairness with which I serve will never be in question.”

HARRISBURG – Attorney General Josh Shapiro today said consumers who purchased misleading investment publications from the Baltimore-based Money Map Press LLC have the option to get their money back following a $150,000 settlement with the company.

Shapiro said Money Map sold investment publications that exaggerated the profit potential and benefits to consumers in various government programs. One publication, “Big Tobacco MUST Pay. The Complete Handbook for Collecting Thousands of Dollars a Month, Tax-Free, from Master Settlement Payments,” misrepresented the investment opportunities available to consumers through the 1998 Tobacco Settlement with the states.

“This company ripped-off consumers with false claims of profit windfalls and now it must pay,” said Attorney General Shapiro. “With this settlement, people who purchased bogus investment publications will be able chart their way back to the money they lost. My Bureau of Consumer Protection will make sure this happens, starting today.”

The settlement, which marks the conclusion of a joint investigation conducted with Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, alleges Money Map Press engaged in a broad range of misconduct, including misrepresenting offers as free when they were not, using false testimonials and failing to disclose the material terms and conditions relating to its subscription billing practices.

When the Office of Attorney General intervened, Money Map Press stopped selling certain publications and agreed to make comprehensive changes to its business practices to comply with Pennsylvania’s Consumer Protection Law. It also agreed to pay $75,000 as refunds for affected consumers, $50,000 in civil penalties and $25,000 in costs. To be eligible for restitution, consumers have 60 days to file a complaint with the Attorney General.

Senior Deputy Attorney General Amy L. Schulman of the Pittsburgh Regional Office filed the settlement in Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum filed settlement in her state.

DEP Launches Expanded Online Permitting Options to Assist Businesses 

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced a new online permit application tool that will help permit applicants submit their permit applications electronically. The new tool, OnBase-DEP Upload Form, will allow applicants to submit applications for all DEP authorizations.

“Online permit applications will allow for faster processing and more focus on parts of the permit application that relate to the environment and public health,” said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell. “Paper applications will still be accepted, but applicants are strongly encouraged to use this new electronic permit application submission tool to improve the efficiency of the permit application submission and review processes as DEP employees continue to telework to help control the spread of COVID-19.”

DEP had previously developed several online permit applications in its e-Permitting system under the Wolf administration and has reduced the backlog of permits under review by nearly 90 percent. Payment for application fees is not a part of the tool, and applicants will still need to submit payment under separate cover. Applications for permits that are included in DEP’s e-Permitting system should only be submitted in the e-Permitting system.

“As we begin to recover from the impacts that COVID-19 has had on Pennsylvania, improving the permit application process will help businesses get back on their feet and people back to work,” said McDonnell. “Electronic permitting is an important new tool for applications, and will continue to allow DEP staff still under telework orders to efficiently review applications.”

Benefits of the online tool include:

• Lower costs for DEP and applicants – no paper and mailing envelopes
• Better efficiency for DEP staff; applications can more easily be moved between staff to prevent backlog
• Allows DEP staff to continue to process applications without going into an office, ensuring continued operations through pandemic conditions

“These applications will still be scrutinized for impacts to the environment and public health – but we can cut down on needless back and forth letters between DEP and applicants over missing information or incorrectly submitted applications,” said McDonnell.

Guidance for the new permit application tool can be found here.
Instructions for applicants to submit permit fees can be found here.

More information on the online permitting tool can be found here: https://www.dep.pa.gov/DataandTools/Pages/Application-Form-Upload.aspx

2 dead, 7 wounded in shooting at North Carolina block party
By SARAH BLAKE MORGAN Associated Press
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Police say two people were killed and seven others were wounded early Monday when multiple people fired into a crowd at an impromptu celebration in North Carolina. Five others were hit by vehicles. Police say the shooting happened at an impromptu block party in Charlotte that was a continuation of Juneteenth celebrations. About 400 people were gathered when someone in the crowd was struck during a hit-and-run accident, prompting the arrival of an ambulance and first responders. Police heard shots fired when they arrived. No motive was immediately clear, and no one was in custody by late Monday morning.

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Aliquippa, Pa.) On Saturday June 22, 2020 Aliquippa Fire Crews were called to assist Verizon with traffic control at Kiehl Street and Highland Avenue and for a cracked pole that fell  on power lines. The fire department closed the road until Verizon were able to make repairs.

Existing home sale plunge 9.7% in 3rd straight monthly drop
By MARTIN CRUTSINGER AP Economics Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — US existing home sales plunged 9.7% in May. It was the third straight monthly decline and further evidence of the harm the virus pandemic has done to the housing market. The National Association of Realtors said Monday that the  May decline pushed sales down to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of  3.91 million, the slowest pace since a home buyers tax credit expired in October 2010. Sales were down in all parts of the country with the biggest decline coming in the Northeast.

PITTSBURGH, Pa (June 22, 2020) – Physicians from Allegheny General Hospital (AGH) in Pittsburgh, part of Allegheny Health Network (AHN), are among the first in the country to document a potential association between the onset of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) and the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The case study was just published in the June issue of the Journal of Clinical Neuromuscular Disease.

GBS is a disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks the myelin sheath of the peripheral nervous system, which significantly interrupts signal transmission to the brain.  Roughly two thirds of patients with GBS contract the illness shortly after a severe viral, respiratory or bacterial infection.

“Although the number of documented cases internationally is notably small to date, it’s not completely surprising that a COVID-19 diagnosis may lead to a patient developing GBS. In fact, similar connections were made during the 2016 Zika virus outbreak,” said Sandeep Rana, MD, neurologist at AGH and lead author of the case study. “The increase of inflammation and inflammatory cells caused by the infection may trigger an irregular immune response that leads to the hallmark symptoms of this neurological disorder.”

Patients diagnosed with GBS will experience progressive, ascending, symmetrical paralysis of the arms and legs, with or without cranial nerve involvement. For many, the disorder initially presents itself with tingling or numbness in the lower portion of the body and advances upward, with muscles losing complete ability to respond to stimuli.  In extremely severe cases, patients may progress to total paralysis.

According to a case study published in April in the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, COVID-19 stimulates inflammatory cells and produces various inflammatory proteins or “cytokines” and as a result, creates immune-mediated processes. Since GBS is an immune-mediated disorder, the molecular imitation of the body’s response may play a critical factor.

In “Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Associated Guillain-Barré Syndrome: Case Report,” (doi: 10.1097/CND.0000000000000309) a 54-year-old man was transferred to AGH with ascending limb weakness and numbness that followed symptoms of a severe respiratory infection. Upon arrival, clinicians noted areflexia and further diagnostic testing showed he was positive for COVID-19.

He was started on a five-day regimen of intravenous immunoglobulin for a presumed diagnosis of GBS. However, he continued to progress and experienced complications of elevated heart rate at rest, double vision and burning sensation throughout the body.

During his follow-up neurological examination he was noted to have profound weakness in his legs, moderated weakness in his arms and facial muscles as well as minor weakness in his muscles that control eye movement.

“The electrical abnormalities of this patient were consistent with demyelinating form of GBS syndrome. As we continue to observe COVID-19 and its manifestations, we’re anticipating that the rate of GBS incidents may be higher than initially expected,” continued Dr. Rana.

A series of similar observations have been made by clinicians at three hospitals in northern Italy in April. Published in the New England Journal of Medicine (DOI: 10.1056/NEJMc2009191), “Guillain–Barré Syndrome Associated with SARS-CoV-2,” clinicians examined five patients that developed GBS of an estimated 1,200 cases with COVID-19 infections. Introductory reports of a potential connection were also published in The Lancet from researchers in Wuhan, China (doi: 10.1016/S1474-4422(20)30109-5.)

“Since GBS can significantly affect the respiratory system and other vital organs being pushed into overdrive during a COVID-19 immune response, it will be critically important to further investigate and understand this potential connection,” Rana concluded.

For more information on Allegheny General Hospital and the Neuroscience Institute at Allegheny Health Network, visit ahn.org.

WHO reports largest single-day increase in coronavirus cases
By JOSEPH WILSON and JAMEY KEATEN Associated Press
GENEVA (AP) — The World Health Organization has reported the largest single-day increase in coronavirus cases by its count, at more than 183,000 new cases in the latest 24 hours. The UN health agency said on Sunday that Brazil led the way with 54,771 cases tallied and the US next at 36,617. Over 15,400 came in in India. Experts say rising case counts can reflect multiple factors including more widespread testing as well as broader infection. Overall in the pandemic, WHO has reported 8,708,008 cases _ 183,020 in the last 24 hours _ with 461,715 deaths worldwide, with a daily increase of 4,743. More than two-thirds of those new deaths were reported in the Americas.

(Mc Connell’s Mill State Park) A Fourth accident this year and the third in the last few weeks happened at Mc Connells Mill State Park on Saturday. A woman was climbing around 3:30 pm when she fell on the Alpha Pass Trail. She was rescued by first responders and parks rangers and flown to a Pittsburgh hospital. It’s being reported that the hiker injured her head and arm.

In May a man fell into Slippery Rock Creek at McConnell’s Mill and his body still has not been found. A couple weeks later a female hiker fell and hurt her head and had to be life-flighted to a Pittsburgh hospital and then in February a female hiker fell from a cliff and had to be rescued. There has not been any update on the women’s condition.