(File photo of State Rep. Josh Kail, one of the speakers at the press conference)

(Harrisburg, Pa.) At a press conference at 10:30 AM this morning the discussion will be about the House impeachment investigation. Families and business owners impacted by crime in Philadelphia will discuss how District Attorney Larry Krasner’s failure to prosecute gun crime has impacted their lives.
Speakers will include Nakisha Lewis, the Toomey family, small business owners, and Reps. Josh Kail (R-Beaver/Washington), and Martina White (R-Philadelphia).
It will be held at the Ryan Office Building Rotunda, Capitol Complex, Harrisburg.
Click on the link below if you would like to watch the press conference.

https://www.pahousegop.com/livestreams

(File Photo)

(Ellwood City, Lawrence County, Pa.) State Rep. Aaron Bernstine (R-Butler/Beaver/Lawrence) is offering residents the opportunity to have documents containing personal or sensitive information shredded in order to help protect them against identity theft.

The free Shredding Event will be held on Saturday, June 25, from 10 a.m. to noon at Scott Township Fire Department, 3712 Harlansburg Road, in New Castle.

“I am pleased to be able to provide the community with a secure way to shred large amounts of personal documents and reduce the risk of becoming a victim of identity theft,” said Bernstine. “It is imperative to protect our private information and make sure it doesn’t get into the wrong hands by destroying it properly.

Residents can drop off documents that contain personal information. Common types of unwanted items that should be shredded include credit card statements or applications, bank statements, canceled checks, old income tax information, insurance and medical records, and other materials with identifying personal information like Social Security, credit card or bank account numbers. Phone books, newspapers and bound books cannot be accepted.

“The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received 1.4 million identity theft claims in 2021 – more than double the number of claims from just two years ago,” said Bernstine. “Americans lose billions each year to fraudsters. Identity theft protection promises peace of mind by safeguarding your identity from criminals.”

Residents who have questions about this event may contact Bernstine’s district office at 724-752-2120.

(File Photo)

(Harrisburg, Pa.) State Rep. Rob Matzie (16th) today introduced a package of bills to ensure that more Pennsylvanians benefit from the state’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, including a bill that would require the state to distribute all the annual federal funding it receives for the program and a measure that would implement the program year-round.

As Democratic chairman of the House Consumer Affairs Committee, Matzie said he introduced the legislation to end the state’s harmful practice of withholding some of the annual federal funding it receives – a practice that has kept tens of millions of dollars from getting to families needing it.

“These are federal tax dollars coming back home to Pennsylvania,” Matzie said. “We should use every penny. This program has never not been funded – it’s one of the few policy areas in D.C. that has consistently been supported by both sides of the aisle. People are struggling and the electric bill just went up. Something needs done to help families. This can help.”

Matzie said his legislation would also broaden LIHEAP to provide year-round assistance.

“As the last few years have shown us, cooling in the summer is as important as heat in the winter. People need help year round,” he said.

The five bills in Matzie’s package include:

• H.B. 2691 – would require the state Department of Human Services to expend all of the money it receives from the federal government annually.
• H.B. 2692 – would codify the LIHEAP Advisory Council’s make-up and add legislative appointments.
• H.B. 2693 – would create the Retail Electric and Gas Customer Assistance Program to use $500 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to help electric and gas customers with accounts in arrears during the COVID-19 pandemic pay down their accounts.
• H.B. 2694 – would create a new, year-round LIHEAP program in Pennsylvania to assist with home heating and cooling. The bill would be funded by the current federal funding plus a supplemental state appropriation to make up the difference. Eleven other states have year-round programs.
• H.B. 2695 – would also codify the LIHEAP Advisory Council and require creation of a state plan identifying how the commonwealth can leverage resources to provide more assistance to those in need.

Funding for LIHEAP is distributed via cash and crisis grants. More about the program is available here.

(File Photo)
(New Beaver Borough, Lawrence County, Pa.) A man had to be rescued after a pickup truck crashed into a tree on Route 168 in New Beaver Borough Monday Afternoon.
The driver’s legs were pinned under the dashboard of the truck and firefighters had to cut away parts of the pickup to free him. He was freed from the vehicle after about 45 minutes and taken to a local hospital.
There has been no update on his condition.

(Shaler, Twp., Allegheny County)  At least ten people were taken to the hospital following a two vehicle wrong-way crash that occurred on Rt. 28 near the Millvale Exit in Shaler Township around 11:30 PM last night.
Both lanes of the road were closed for an extended period of time while first responders were on scene.
The road has since reopened. There was no word on what caused the crash.

(File Photo)

(North Franklin Twp., Washington County, Pa.) Columbia Gas has agreed to pay $990,000 in civil penalties for a home explosion that occurred along Park Lane in North Franklin Township, Washington County in 2019.
At least five people were hurt and several neighboring homes were damaged.
The deal was agreed upon as the company acknowledged mistakes in how it went about the process of installing new natural gas pipelines in the area while not properly regulating the flow to the home.
This mistake led to the home filling with gas and then exploding.

(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
By JOHN PERROTTO Associated Press
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Newly promoted Oneil Cruz drove in four runs and Bligh Madris got three hits in his major league debut, sparking the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 12-1 romp over the Chicago Cubs. Both rookies were called up from Triple-A Indianapolis earlier in the day. Cruz, considered Pittsburgh’s top prospect, hit a three-run double to deep center field in the third inning. The 6-foot-7 Cruz also hit an RBI single as the Pirates set a season high for runs. He started the final two games of last season when he became the tallest shortstop in major league history. Madris hit a two-run single in the second inning in his first at-bat the majors. Madris became the first Pirates player to have a three-hit game in his debut since Jason Kendall in 1996.