HARRISBURG – Attorney General Michelle Henry is sharing the following information and assurance regarding allegations of fraudulent voter registration forms surfacing in multiple Pennsylvania counties.

Apparent attempts to submit fraudulent voter registration forms in Berks, Lancaster, Monroe, and York counties have been defeated. The Office of Attorney General is working with the respective county officials to investigate those responsible for this conduct. Our office shares jurisdiction with county district attorneys to investigate violations of the state Election Code, and we are taking a collaborative approach to these matters.

While we will not be divulging sensitive information about these investigations, we want to clarify that the investigations regard voter registration forms, not ballots.

These attempts have been thwarted by the safeguards in place in Pennsylvania. We are working every day with our partners to ensure a fair, free, and safe election.

The investigations are ongoing, and offenders who perpetrated acts of fraud will be held accountable under the law.

Pennsylvanians who registered to vote before the deadline should expect to be able to vote on Election Day. Anyone who believes they properly registered to vote and is not on the books on Election Day is entitled to fill out a provisional ballot.

File photo from the PA DHS

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) today announced a Request for Applications (RFA) seeking managed care organizations to administer services for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) program – Pennsylvania’s program to provide health coverage to uninsured children and teens through age 19.

First established in Pennsylvania, CHIP is a national program that allows parents to purchase commercial insurance for their children.

“Pennsylvania’s CHIP program is a resource to make high quality, comprehensive health insurance accessible to families around our Commonwealth. This program was the foundation for what is now a national model for comprehensive health, vision, and dental insurance for children,” said DHS Secretary Arkoosh. “We look forward to this opportunity to build on this program’s successes for children and families.”

CHIP was first established in 1992 when Governor Robert P. Casey signed the Children’s Health Insurance Act into law. The program was designed to help families who do not qualify for Medicaid (also known as Medical Assistance in PA) and could not afford to purchase private insurance for their children. The program expanded to a national model in 1997. Today, CHIP covers more than 195,000 children in Pennsylvania, making regular check-ups, screenings, vaccines, and care when a child is sick or injured affordable and accessible for families. CHIP offers no cost or low cost, and affordable plans depending on a family’s income.

Potential applicants should consult the RFA on the Commonwealth’s eMarketplace for a detailed explanation of the services the Department is attempting to procure for the CHIP program. Responses are due by October 18, 2024.

All information regarding the RFA is available online through eMarketplace.

(Story written by Snady Giordano, Beaver County Radio News Correspondant, Published on September 30, 2024 at 10:09 A.M.)

(Hopewell Township, PA) Hopewell Township is having an annual pumpkin carving contest. The Community Outreach Committee and the township are sponsoring the contest.  Take a photo of your pumpkin and send  it to  communityoutreach@hopewelltwp.com by Thursday, October 24, 2024 at 4:30 p.m.

(Story written by Noah Haswell of Beaver County Radio, Published on September 30, 2024 at 9:47 A.M.)

(Pittsburgh, PA) The race was on for runners at the 47th annual Richard S. Caliguiri City of Pittsburgh Great Race on Sunday. Pittsburgh natives from all over the country came back for this event, according to organizers. The Great Race accepts donations to support medical research, with the funds every year going to the Richard S. Caliguiri Amyloidosis Fund.

Source for Photo: FILE – This April 2, 2021, file photo shows bridges spanning the Allegheny River in downtown Pittsburgh. Republicans in Congress are making the politically brazen bet that it’s more advantageous to oppose President Joe Biden’s ambitious rebuild America agenda than to lend support for the costly $2.3 trillion undertaking for roads, bridges and other infrastructure investments. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

(Story written by Noah Haswell of Beaver County Radio, Published on September 30, 2024 at 9:26 A.M.)

(Pennsylvania) The moon will temporarily have a next-door neighbor called a “mini moon.” This moon is actually an asteroid called 2024 PT5 that started orbiting Earth on Sunday and will do so for about 57 days, even though it will not complete a full orbit. Astronomers at Complutense University of Madrid used a telescope from Sutherland, South Africa to find the asteroid, which is about the size of a school bus, in August. 2020 was the last time one of these “mini moons” was spotted, and will leave Earth to travel through space on November 25, and will not pass by Earth again until 2055. 

Source for Photo: FILE – Impact craters cover the surface of the moon, seen from Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022. The moon is about to get walloped by 3 tons of space junk, a punch that will carve out a crater that could fit several semitractor-trailers. A leftover rocket is expected to smash into the far side of the moon at 5,800 mph (9,300 kph) on Friday, March 4, 2022, away from telescopes’ prying eyes. It may take weeks, even months, to confirm the impact through satellite images. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, File)

(Story written by Noah Haswell of Beaver County Radio, Published on September 30, 2024 at 8:49 A.M.)

(Crescent Township, PA) Authorities have confirmed that a propane tank was the cause of an explosion in a Crescent Township home that killed 89-year-old David Mitchell and 87-year-old Helen Mitchell. A spokesperson for the Allegheny County fire marshal’s office told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the investigation of the explosion that happened on March 12 in Crescent Township had been closed. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission’s safety division said Tuesday it had concluded its probe and found no evidence linking the blast to natural gas service under public utility jurisdiction. The home had no public utility natural gas service, and while Columbia Gas has natural gas mains in the general area, there were no utility gas mains in the immediate vicinity and no utility gas leaks were found, the commission said. 

(Story written by Noah Haswell of Beaver County Radio, Published on September 30, 2024 at 8:03 A.M.)

(West Mifflin, PA) Kennywood partnered with Animal Friends, a full-service companion animal welfare organization in Pittsburgh, to host their third annual Dogtober Fest Halloween Parade & Costume Contest on Sunday. Over one-hundred dogs walked past the Jack Rabbit, Merry Go Round, and more, capping off with a Halloween costume contest. There were also prizes awarded for the best costume in categories such as Cutest, Creepiest, and Most Creative.