By RUSS BYNUM and CURT ANDERSON Associated Press
SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Tropical Storm Elsa is carving a destructive and soaking path up the East Coast after killing at least one person in Florida and spinning up a tornado at a Georgia Navy base that flipped recreational vehicles upside-down and blew one of them into a lake. One person was killed in Jacksonville, Florida, when a tree fell onto a car. And a spokesperson for Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base in Georgia says a possible tornado struck a park for recreational vehicles on the base, hospitalizing about 10 people. A tropical storm watch extended up the East Coast to Massachusetts.

Story by Beaver County Radio Correspondent, Sandy Giordano.

(Hopewell Township, PA) – BEAVER COUNTY 9-1-1 reported that power lines were down in the  area of Crestmont Shopping Center and the road was closed earlier this morning. Quick action by Duquesne Light Company allowed the road to be reopened a short time ago, according to  Beaver County 9-1-1.

Story by Beaver County Radio Correspondent, Sandy Giordano.

(Aliquippa, PA) – Alex Scott, and his public works crew will begin street sweeping on August 2 and will continue until the end of the month. He told the council at Wednesday night’s meeting. An effort will be made to sweep the streets twice. He reported that work on Christine Drive should be complete by Friday. He said beginning the week of July 26  the storm water project on 4th Avenue between Jefferson and Madison Street on Plan  11 will take a few weeks to complete. He asked council to  request applicants for part time work and turn them in to City Administrator Sam Gill. A Duquesne Light pole in the area of CVS at Brodhead and Mill  Street was struck by lightning, and he is in contact with them to replace it.

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT is announcing lane restrictions on Route 65 (Ohio River Boulevard) in Sewickley, Glen Osbourne, Haysville, and Glenfield boroughs, Allegheny County today, weather permitting.

Single-lane restrictions will occur on Route 65 in each direction between Walnut Street in Sewickley Borough and the I-79 Neville Island Bridge in Glenfield Borough from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday. Crews from Lindy Paving will conduct field review work.

Please use caution if driving in this area.

Tears, prayer mark end to search for Florida condo survivors
By TERRY SPENCER and ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON Associated Press
SURFSIDE, Fla. (AP) — A somber moment of silence marked the end of the search for survivors of a Florida condominium collapse. Rescue workers stood at solemn attention and clergy members hugged a line of local officials. The ceremony Wednesday night came after authorities said the rescue mission would now shift to an effort to recover remains from the rubble of the Champlain Towers South condo tower in Surfside, just outside Miami. The death toll stood at 54 late Wednesday. Officials said 86 people are unaccounted for, although detectives are still working to verify that each of those listed as missing was actually in the building when it collapsed.

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is suing the Pittsburgh Zoo in federal court over the upcoming Asian Lantern Festival in August.

The Cleveland zoo says that the Pittsburgh Zoo does not have the right to use the phrase “Asian Lantern Festival.” They are claiming that they own the trademark to that particular wording after kicking off an “Asian Lantern Festival” with Tianyu Arts & Culture, Inc. in 2018.

Cleveland Zoo says in the suit that Pittsburgh Zoo officials are using the Asian Lantern Festival name without permission, and potentially confusing visitors of both attractions.

TSA screened over 10.1 million during Fourth of July weekend, advises enrollment in TSAPreCheck®  

WASHINGTON – The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened more than 10.1 million travelers over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, which includes traveler screenings from July 1 to July 5. This milestone represents 83% of travel volume for the same 5-day holiday period in 2019.

Thursday, July 1 was the busiest air travel day of the weekend, with TSA screening 2,147,090 people, which was 103% of the 2,088,760 travelers screened on Thursday of the 2019 Fourth of July weekend.

Also on July 1, TSA screened almost 458,000 TSA PreCheck® travelers, the highest number of TSA PreCheck screenings in one day since the beginning of the pandemic. Over the course of the long weekend, 99.7% of passengers in standard screening lanes waited less than 30 minutes, and 99% of TSA PreCheck passengers waited less than 5 minutes. Travelers interested in PreCheck are encouraged to begin their enrollment online before visiting one of the 440+ conveniently located TSA enrollment centers around the country to complete the application process. TSA PreCheck members are not required to remove their shoes, belts, or light outerwear items at the checkpoint, and can also keep laptops, 3-1-1 compliant liquids, aerosols and gels inside their carry-on bags.

“This holiday weekend, TSA saw over 10 million passengers travel safely through security checkpoints. With some airports already exceeding 2019 travel volumes and many not far behind, we expect the summer to remain busy for travel,” said TSA Administrator David Pekoske. “However, there were 70 firearms intercepted this weekend. We continue to remind passengers to pack mindfully and help us avoid the dangers, delays and consequences that accompany a gun or weapon detected at a security checkpoint.”

As travelers prepare to embark on a trip, they may submit questions about TSA policies and procedures via Twitter at @AskTSA or via Facebook Messenger to a team of TSA employees who provide real-time responses in, on average, under 3 minutes during core travel hours.

A mask mandate remains in place for all passengers traveling on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States, and in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations. For more information about COVID-19 guidance, please visit the CDC website. For the latest airport security screening procedures, please visit tsa.gov/coronavirus. 

(Harrisburg, Pa.) Governor Tom Wolf announced today that 50 municipalities will receive over $15.6 million to support traffic signal upgrades, increasing mobility and efficiency across Pennsylvania’s communities through the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s (PennDOT’s) “Green Light-Go” program.

“The safety improvements supported by the Green Light-Go program not only help municipalities relieve congestion and traffic flow, they help Pennsylvanians move safely and efficiently,” said Gov​. Wolf. “I’m proud to help our communities improve mobility for Pennsylvanians.”

Green Light-Go grants are provided as reimbursement to municipalities for updates to improve the efficiency and operation of existing traffic signals. Grant funding through the Green Light-Go program may be utilized for a range of operational improvements including, but not limited to light-emitting diode (LED) technology installation, traffic signal retiming, developing special event plans and monitoring traffic signals, as well as upgrading traffic signals to the latest technologies. This is the sixth round of funding disbursed through the Green Light-Go program for municipal traffic signals.

Following is a list of approved projects:

Allegheny County

• Edgewood Borough – $230,144 for Race Street at Pennwood Avenue Traffic Signal Modernization Upgrades.
• City of Pittsburgh– $132,000 for the East End Signal Retiming Project.
• City of Pittsburgh – $ 266,736 for expanding the city’s fiber optic network to connect traffic signals to the Traffic Management Center.

Berks County

• Kutztown Borough – $40,054 for replacing four traffic signal controllers, upgrading to LED signal indications through the borough, and traffic signal retiming.
• Shillington Borough – $320,911.68 for replacing ten traffic signal controllers, upgrading to video detection, and optimizing traffic signal timing along the Lancaster Avenue corridor.
• Sinking Springs Borough – $276,664 for replacing the traffic signal as part of the Penn-Columbia-Cacoosing Intersection Improvement Project.
• Spring Township – $518,310.04 for replacing six traffic signal controllers, replacing LED indications, installing pedestrian signals, emergency vehicle pre-emption, and traffic signal retiming along the Penn Avenue corridor.
• Wyomissing Borough – $420,384 for upgrading 21 traffic signal controller assemblies.

Blair County

• City of Altoona – $298,769 for modernization of the traffic signal at 13th Avenue & 13th Street.
• Roaring Spring Borough – $263,200 for upgrading the Five Points Intersection traffic signal.

Bucks County

• Bristol Township – $106,282 for New Rodgers Rd (SR 0413) at Otter St (SR 2002), railroad preemption upgrade.
• Bristol Township – $331,702 for modernization of the New Falls Road (SR 2006) at Newportville Road (SR 2027) traffic signal.
• Bristol Township – $247,544 for upgrading traffic signal detection at eight intersections including timing optimization.
• Newtown Borough – $271,520 for modernization of the Lincoln and Washington traffic signal including new pedestrian accommodations.
• Northampton Township – $100,560 for installing a new controller assembly, vehicle detection, countdown pedestrian signals, and battery back-up equipment at the intersection of Second Street Pike and New Road.
• Warminster Township – $262,692 for detection and controller upgrades, uninterruptible power supplies, and signal timing optimization at five intersections along the Street Road corridor and the intersection of County Line Road and Warminster Road.

Butler County

• Cranberry Township – $56,000 for replace traffic signal controller assemblies at the intersections of Route 19 with Glen Eden Road/North Boundary Road and Dutilh Road
• Cranberry Township – $24,000 for extending the traffic signal communications network to four intersections for remote management from the Cranberry Township Traffic Operations Center.
• Cranberry Township – $28,000 for LED signal indication replacements at six intersections.

Centre County

• Patton Township – $684,138.40 for connect 28 traffic signals along Atherton Street in five municipalities to the Commonwealth network and upgrade detection to support Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures.
• Ferguson Township – $108,000 for detection upgrades at three intersections along the Science Park Road corridor.
• Spring Township – $40,000 for upgrading three signals along Zion Road with Flashing Yellow Arrow indications.
• State College Borough – $1,143,876 for the first phase of communication network upgrades and multimodal detection at 22 intersections along the Atherton Street, Beaver Avenue, College Avenue, and Park Avenue corridors.

Chester County

• Uwchlan Township – $263,335 for upgrading traffic signal controllers along Uwchlan Avenue (SR 0113) and connecting to the Commonwealth network.

Columbia County

• Scott Township – $222,000 for modernization of the SR 11 & Cinema Center Drive traffic signal.

Crawford County

• Conneaut Lake Borough – $220,000 for modernization of two signals along Water Street.

Cumberland County

• Carlisle Borough – $400,200 for upgrading vehicle detection and adaptive system processors at 15 intersections on Hanover Street and High Street.
• Lemoyne Borough – $221,320 for new controller assemblies, upgraded LED signal indications, detection upgrades, emergency preemption system, and signal interconnection along the Third Street corridor.
• Silver Spring Township – $106,000 for adding retroreflective backplates to all intersections on Carlisle Pike and pedestrian signals/detection at Route 11 & Hempt Road.

Dauphin County

• East Hanover Township – $235,500.22 for interconnecting traffic signals along PA 743/Bow Creek Road and connecting to the Commonwealth network for Interstate 81 incident management.

Delaware County

• Concord Township – $141,600 for upgrading detection at traffic signals along Concord Road.
• Ridley Township – $65,532 for upgraded detection at the Stewart Avenue & I-95 interchange.
• Ridley Township – $417,576 for upgraded detection and pedestrian signals at four intersections.

Huntingdon County

• Huntingdon Borough – $214,400 for detection upgrades at four traffic signals along Penn Street Signal.

Indiana County

• White Township – $188,000 for replacing traffic signal supports and adding pedestrian accommodations at the Ben Franklin Road/Warren Street intersection.

Lackawanna County

• City of Scranton – $488,000 for modernization of traffic signals along Cedar Avenue at E. Elm Street and Maple Street including new mast arms, controller cabinets, signal heads and pavement markings.

Lancaster County

• East Hempfield Township – $201,700 for traffic signal upgrades at the Marietta Ave and Good Drive intersection in conjunction with a related project to widen the intersection to add right turn lanes.
• East Lampeter Township – $217,500 for upgrading detection at four intersection​s along Old Philadelphia Pike including connection of the traffic signals to the Commonwealth network for remote monitoring.
• City of Lancaster – $480,080 for to implement left turn phasing at three intersections, including associated signal support upgrades, pavement markings, signal retiming, and upgraded pedestrian amenities.

Lawrence County

• New Castle City – $201,600 for modernization of the Butler/Taylor traffic signal.

Luzerne County

• City of Hazleton – $305,677 for modernization of the Diamond and Vine Street traffic signal.
• City of Wilkes-Barre – $300,000 for development and implementation of new traffic signal timing plans at 13 intersections.

Mifflin County

• Granville Township – $80,112.50 for upgrading the controller assembly, signal cables, signal heads, detection, and preemption systems at the SR 3002 & WalMart traffic signal.

Montgomery County

• Abington Township – $490,320 for modernization of two traffic signals at Meetinghouse Road/Beverly Road/Fairy Hill Road and Jenkintown Road/Forrest Avenue.
  East Greenville Borough – $261,301.60 for modernization of the Fourth & Main Street traffic signal.
• Lansdale Borough – $280,000 for upgrading seven traffic signal controller assemblies.
• Lower Moreland Township – $527,732 for traffic signal upgrades at five intersections to include video detection, dilemma zone radar detection, emergency pre-emption, new controller and battery back-up and pedestrian signals.
• Upper Moreland Township – $147,760 for traffic signal upgrades at four intersections along N. York Rd. Traffic to include video detection, countdown pedestrian signals and ADA compliant pushbuttons with LED confirmation light.

Northampton County

• Bath Borough – $377,441.68 for detector installation, controller upgrades, new radio communications, and pedestrian signals at four intersections.
• Bethlehem Township – $25,600 for LED upgrades at six intersections.
• Forks Township – $58,000 for upgrading detection at the Kesslersville Road/Uhler Road intersection.
• Forks Township – $498,336 for upgrading to an interconnected system at six intersections along Sullivan Trail with additional modernization upgrades such as controllers, battery backup systems and emergency pre-emption.
• Wilson Borough – $306,000 for modernization of the traffic signal at Butler Street and Freemansburg Avenue/South 18^th Street/Palmer Street.

Union County

• Kelly Township – $297,665 for SR 0015 & SR 1005 (Hospital Drive) Signal Modernization to include full signal replacement to include retiming, new controller assembly, signal communication, enhanced detection and mast arms.
• Kelly Township – $248,559 for SR 0015 & SR 1018 (William Penn) Signal Modernization to include signal replacement to include retiming, new controller assembly, signal communication, enhanced detection system and mast arms.

Warren County

• Sheffield Township – $108,416.56 for Electrical Upgrade and ADA Compliance improvements at the Route 6/Route 948/Route 666 intersection.

Westmoreland County

• South Greensburg Borough – $237,270 for traffic signal modernization at the Broad Street/Huff Avenue intersection.

York County

• Fairview Township – $33,296.35 for LED replacement at nine intersections.
• Springettsbury Township – $293,416 for signal retiming, updating pedestrian accommodations to meet ADA standards, controller equipment upgrades, and other equipment upgrades at the Eastern Blvd (T-982) & Kingston Rd (T-946) intersection.
• Springettsbury Township – $313,656 for signal retiming, updating pedestrian accommodations to meet ADA standards, controller equipment upgrades, and equipment upgrades at the Eastern Blvd (T-982) & Northern Way (T-417) intersection.

Keystone State News Connection

Petition Calls for an End to Prison Gerrymandering in PA

Emily Scott

HARRISBURG, Pa. – Pennsylvania should get some 2020 Census data this summer, to be used in the redistricting process. But some groups want the state to put an end to what’s known as prison gerrymandering

It’s the policy of counting people in prison as residents where they’re incarcerated, rather than where they’d otherwise be living.

A petition launched on Tuesday asks the panel in charge of redrawing the districts – the Legislative Reapportionment Commission, or LRC – to count the 37-thousand people behind bars based on where they’re from.

Robert Saleem Holbrook, executive director of the Abolitionist Law Center, said prison gerrymandering is a racial justice issue.

“Because what you have is prisoners who are primarily from Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chester, who are making up the bulk or disproportionate number of the state prison population in Pennsylvania,” said Holbrook. “And these rural, white counties benefit from predominantly Black and Brown areas, from them being counted as residents in these prisons in these rural communities.”

In a May LRC meeting, PA House Minority Leader Rep. Joanna McClinton – D-Philadelphia – who sits on the five-member panel, called on her colleagues to commit to stopping prison gerrymandering.

Carol Kuniholm, chair of the group Fair Districts PA, said prison gerrymandering goes against state election law, which says individuals in “penal institutions” should not be considered a resident of the institution’s election district.

“So, our belief is, if you can’t vote in the place you are incarcerated, you shouldn’t be counted in the place where you’re incarcerated,” said Kuniholm. “That you should be counted at your last known address.”

Kuniholm said she hopes the LRC addresses prison gerrymandering at its next meeting. The commission has pledged to host public hearings this summer ahead of the mapmaking process.

By ALEXANDRA JAFFE Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is turning his focus to pitching his proposed investments in families and education. Biden is using a visit Wednesday to a community college in a key Illinois swing district to highlight how his spending on so-called human infrastructure would boost the economy. The Democratic president will visit McHenry County College in Crystal Lake, Illinois, a community college with a workforce development program and a child care center. Biden will promote his vision to invest in child care, health care, education and other important aspects of everyday life for Americans.