SENATE BILL 595 REQUIRING INSURANCE COVERAGE OF BREAST MRI, ULTRASOUND PASSES UNANIMOUSLY
Sen. Bob Mensch’s screening legislation for women with dense breasts, high-risk factors goes to Governor

PENNSYLVANIA – The Pennsylvania House unanimously passed Senate Bill 595, legislation requiring PA insurers to cover breast cancer screenings including MRI and ultrasound for women with very dense breasts and other high-risk conditions. Senate Bill 595, sponsored by Senator Bob Mensch (R-24), covers breast cancer screenings for women with the following criteria:

• High-risk factors for breast cancer such as personal history, family history or a genetic predisposition
• Extremely dense breast tissue
• Heterogeneously dense breast tissue with one other high-risk factor for breast cancer

Nearly 40 percent of women have dense breast tissue, which makes it harder to detect breast cancer on a mammogram. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), found that MRI detects 2.5 times more breast cancers than even 3D mammograms in women with dense breasts. For many women, however, screening options like MRIs are not covered. Senate Bill 595 will require insurers to cover those additional screenings for women insured under PA law.

“Every woman deserves the best breast cancer screening that is available and Senate Bill 595 is a significant step toward recognizing breast density as an increased risk factor,” said SB 595 prime sponsor PA Sen. Bob Mensch. I am confident that this legislation will make a difference in the lives of many affected by this terrible disease.”

Now, Senate Bill 595 goes to Governor Tom Wolf for his signature. When it becomes law, Pennsylvania will be one of only a few states to require insurance coverage of supplemental breast cancer screenings like MRI and ultrasound.

“Thank you to our Senate Bill 595 champion, Sen. Bob Mensch and to all of our state senators and representatives for recognizing the urgent need for insurance coverage of MRIs and ultrasounds – potentially life-saving breast cancer screenings,” said PA Breast Cancer Coalition President and Founder Pat Halpin-Murphy. “We are so very grateful to Governor Wolf for making Pennsylvania the first state in the nation to offer FREE 3D screening mammograms at no cost to PA women. Now, we are asking the governor to take the next step by providing affordable access to early detection for breast cancer by signing Senate Bill 595 into law. Early detection saves lives!”

Confirmed new virus cases hit a new high in US
By MICHELLE R. SMITH and FRANCES D’EMILIO Associated Press
The number of confirmed new coronavirus cases per day in the U.S. has hit an all-time high of 40,000, eclipsing the mark set during the deadliest stretch in late April, a resurgence that has led some governors to backtrack or at least pause the reopenings of their states. While the increase is believed to reflect, in part, greatly expanded testing, experts say there is ample evidence the virus is making a comeback, including rising deaths and hospitalizations in parts of the country, especially in the South and West. Arizona, Texas, Florida and Alabama have gotten hit hard.

US consumer spending up 8.2%, partly erasing record plunge
By MARTIN CRUTSINGER AP Economics Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — American consumers increased their spending by a sharp 8.2% in May, partly erasing record plunges the previous two months, against the backdrop of an economy that’s likely shrinking by its steepest pace on record this quarter. Last month’s rebound in consumer spending followed spending drops of 6.6% in March and 12.6% in April, when the viral pandemic shuttered businesses, forced millions of layoffs and sent the economy into a recession. Since then, many businesses have reopened, drawing consumers back into shops and restaurants and restoring some lost jobs. Americans stepped up their spending in May despite a 4.2% decline in personal income, which had soared 10.8% the previous month.

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Aliquippa, Pa.)The Aliquippa Planning Commission met last night and approved a request  from Penn Tex Ventures  for a conditional use  permit to  build a new Dollar General store at Sheffield Road and Davidson Street.   Ethan Brice, represented Penn Tex Ventures who will  oversee the project . The store will replace the one located in the Plaza Shopping Center .Brice said it will be the largest  store in our area , and it will be free standing .   Jim Bologna, city code and zoning officer said there will be 29 parking spaces available . The plaza store will close down, the high cost of rent and repairs needed at the current store prompted a decision to build a new store in the city.

Report slams drilling oversight, tells of fracking’s impact
By MARK SCOLFORO Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A grand jury investigation into Pennsylvania’s large natural gas drilling industry released Thursday by state Attorney General Josh Shapiro has found systematic failures in state departments regulating that industry. The report comes after nearly two years of investigation into the state’s Marcellus Shale exploration industry. It notes that the state’s Department of Environmental Protection and State Department of Health failed to protect Pennsylvanians by not policing or investigating environmental complaints, failed to collect health data and failed to warn the public when they were at risk. The grand jury recommends giving Shapiro’s office the ability to criminally investigate the industry as well as other increased regulations.

(Beaver, Pa.) The preliminary hearing for Sheldon Jeter on a criminal homicide charge was held yesterday in Beaver County Central Court before District Judge John Armour  testimony was heard from  Pennsylvania State Police Criminal investigator Clayton McGeary in the crininal homicide case against Jeter, 22 Aliquippa in the May 15 shooting death of Tyric Pugh, 30 of  Aliquippa.  The hearing lasted almost 2 hours with  McGeary being questioned by Defense Attorney Michael  Santicola. McGeary told the court that inconsistent statements were made by Jeter throughout the investigation.

Route 18 Frankfort Road Bridge Inspection Next Week in Potter Township

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing work to inspect the bridge that carries Route 18 (Frankfort Road) over Raccoon Creek in Potter Township, Beaver County, will occur Monday through Wednesday, June 29-July 1 weather permitting.

Single-lane alternating traffic will occur on the Route 18 bridge between Raccoon Creek Road and Pleasant Road from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day.

Crews from the Larson Design Group will conduct routine inspection activities.

Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 950 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

PennDOT Extends Expiration Dates on Driver Licenses, ID Cards, and Learner’s Permits

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced today that expiration dates for driver licenses, identification cards, and learner’s permits, will be extended for Pennsylvania residents in response to statewide COVID-19 mitigation efforts.

Effective June 23, 2020, expiration dates for driver licenses, photo ID cards and learner’s permits scheduled to expire from March 16, 2020 through July 31, 2020, have been extended until July 31, 2020. These extensions are in addition to those announced on May 27, 2020.

A camera card is considered a driver’s license, so it is covered by the same terms and conditions extending other driver’s license products. Camera cards with expiration dates within this timeframe are also extended through July 31, 2020.

The following products were previously extended until June 30,2020, and will not be extended:

• Vehicle registrations of all classes which includes, but not limited to, mass transit vehicle registrations, apportioned vehicle registrations, fleet vehicle registrations, dealer plate registrations, temporary registrations and biennial farm exemption certificates scheduled to expire from March 16 through June 30, 2020.
• Safety inspections and emissions inspections scheduled to expire from March 16 through June 30, 2020.
• Persons with Disabilities parking placards scheduled to expire from March 16 through June 30, 2020.

Customers may continue to complete various transactions and access multiple resources online at www.dmv.pa.gov. Driver and vehicle online services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and include driver’s license, photo ID and vehicle registration renewals; driver-history services; changes of address; driver license and vehicle registration restoration letters; ability to pay driver license or vehicle insurance restoration fee; and driver license and photo ID duplicates; and driver exam scheduling. There are no additional fees for using online services.

PennDOT will continue to evaluate these processes and will communicate any changes with the public.

More COVID-19 information is available at www.health.pa.gov. For more information, visit www.dmv.pa.gov or www.PennDOT.gov.

US health officials believe 20M Americans have had virus
By ZEKE MILLER and MARILYNN MARCHIONE Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials believe as many as 20 million Americans have contracted the coronavirus since COVID-19 first arrived in the country, suggesting millions had the virus and never knew it. That’s nearly 10 times as many infections as the 2.3 million cases that have been confirmed in the U.S. and comes as the Trump administration works to tamp down nationwide concern about the COVID-19 pandemic at a time when about a dozen states are seeing worrisome increases in cases. But 20 million infections would mean that about 6% of the nation’s 331 million people have been infected, leaving a great majority of the population still susceptible to the virus.