Category: News

Senator Santarsiero to Introduce Legislation to Allow Counties 21 Days to Pre-Canvass Mail-In Ballots

BUCKS COUNTY – State Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) announced today that he will be introducing legislation to guarantee a more timely count of ballots on Election Day by allowing counties additional time to pre-canvass mail-in ballots.  The legislation would permit county boards of election to begin pre-canvassing mail-in ballots beginning 21 days before Election Day.

“We saw more than 2.6 million Pennsylvanians vote by mail in the 2020 general election, yet the final results were not known for five days.  If we want a timely counting of ballots on Election Day, we must allow election officials to begin handling the influx of mail-in ballots sooner,” said Sen. Santarsiero.

In 2019, the General Assembly passed Act 77 updating Pennsylvania’s election code to allow for no-fault absentee voting by mail, beginning 50 days before an election.  The Election Code was then amended in April 2020 to permit counties to begin pre-canvassing ballots, but not tally the results, beginning at 7:00 AM on Election Day.

“The change to the Election Code in 2020 was a good start, but as we saw from how long it took to count all the ballots, it just doesn’t go far enough to provide counties with the time they need to process these ballots,” continued Santarsiero.   “Allowing for a 21 day pre-canvass will ease the burden on our county election administrators, which is something other states with mail-in ballot programs have been doing successfully for many years.”

Sen. Santarsiero was recently appointed to the Senate’s Special Committee on Election Integrity and Reform, which has been hearing testimony from election administrators across the country about how they safely and efficiently oversee elections.  Last week, Sen. Santarsiero announced he would be introducing the Safe Drop Act, which would make it easier to vote by requiring counties have 1 ballot drop box location for every 20,000 voters.

 

Man accused of leaving impeachment manager vulgar voicemails

Man accused of leaving impeachment manager vulgar voicemails
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Authorities have charged a man accused of leaving harassing and vulgar voicemails at the Pennsylvania district office of U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean as she worked as an impeachment manager in the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump. Stephen M. Cilurso, of Aldan, Pennsylvania, was arraigned last week on a misdemeanor and summary charge of harassment. Authorities say Montgomery County detectives traced 19 voicemails to Cilurso’s number. In a transcript of the voicemails, Cilurso used vulgar, graphic and sexually explicit language, repeatedly talks about rape, Dean’s role as an impeachment manager, Dean’s granddaughter and the far-right group the Proud Boys. Court papers didn’t list a lawyer.

New Brighton Varsity Soccer Team looking to co-op with Freedom and more at School Board Meeting

(Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Curtis Walsh)

The New Brighton Area School Board held their first of two monthly meetings tonight where they went over multiple items slated for approval during their next meeting.  One item of discussion was for the approval to lease classroom space to two companies for the 2021-2022 school year.  The companies leasing the space would be the operators of Head Start and Tiny Tots.  Also among the discussion was the approval to exonerate school property taxes for 2019 and 2020 for a property located at 907 10th Street, New Brighton, which was purchased by a Pittsburgh company from the repository of unsold property.  The approximate cost of the exoneration is $2,386.09.  The board then spoke on resolution No. 5, which would approve the Beaver County Career and Technology Center’s general fund budget of $6,234,249.00 for the 2021-2022 school year.  Another item discussed was for a three year agreement with the New Brighton Police Department to provide coverage at athletic and school events until 2024.  The board is also looking to establish a co-op agreement with the Freedom Area School District to allow New Brighton students to participate in their Varsity Boys Soccer Team beginning for the 2021-2022 school year.  This is due to dwindling numbers of players on the current New Brighton team, last years team was said to only be 11 players.  They would like to establish a co-op agreement with Freedom for Varsity Wrestling as well.

What is Teleforum?

What is Teleforum? Teleforum is a radio program heard every weekday morning on Beaver County Radio.  The Teleforum Radio program is hosted by Eddy Crow. What is Eddy Crow? Fair question; statistical and psychological analysis is currently being conducted, with results to be released at completion of said analysis. Especially the psychological part. Every Monday through Friday from 9:10 till noon, Teleforum can be heard exclusively on am1230WBVP, am1460WMBA,  and 99.3fm presented by St. Barnabas.

Gov. Wolf and COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force Announce that All Adults in Pennsylvania are Eligible Tomorrow to Schedule COVID-19 Vaccination Appointments

Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf and the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force announced that effective tomorrow, Tuesday, April 13, all Pennsylvania adults will be eligible to schedule an appointment for the COVID -19 vaccine.

“We need to maintain acceleration of the vaccine rollout, especially as case counts and hospitalization rates have increased,” Gov. Wolf said. “Therefore, just as President Biden has brought forward universal adult access to vaccines from May 1 to April 19, we are moving Pennsylvania’s timeline of universal adult access to April 13.”

The Department of Health noted that there is ongoing appointment availability in many parts of the state even as Phase 1A and B continue and 1C begins today. With the change in eligibility, those in Phase 2 will become eligible, opening up vaccines to all. Our ongoing initiative with the Area Agencies on Aging to provide assistance to vulnerable seniors for accessing vaccine will continue, as will our other equity initiatives.

“Everyone needs and should be afforded the opportunity to access the vaccine as soon as possible,” Acting Sec. of Health Alison Beam said. “And, this change provides earlier access for many, including college students increasing the likelihood of completion of two-dose regimens prior to leaving campus for the summer. It also means simpler, streamlined operations for vaccine providers that no longer need to check eligibility of people making appointments.”

To date, Pennsylvania providers have administered more than 6 million vaccines and the state is ranked among the top 20 states for first-dose vaccinations. More than 2.4 million Pennsylvanians are fully vaccinated.

Pennsylvanians can find providers on the COVID-19 Vaccine Provider Map here.

“Please get vaccinated,” said Sen. Art Haywood.

“It is precisely the bipartisan cooperation of this Joint Task Force coupled with the tremendous work of our provider network that has allowed our Commonwealth to make rapid progress in our vaccine rollout, now expanding eligibility so that every Pennsylvanian who wants to be vaccinated has the opportunity to do so immediately,” said Sen. Ryan Aument. “Because we have maintained our commitment to residents within phases 1A and 1B, we can now further accelerate the rollout and protect our communities, particularly by ensuring that college students can be vaccinated before returning home to their families for the summer.”

“The administration, our task force, and all of our local providers have collaborated together to achieve the goal put forth by President Biden,” said Rep. Bridget Kosierowski. “With the number of COVID-19 positive cases continuing to rise some areas of our state, it is imperative that everyone who wants to schedule an appointment for a vaccine can  have that opportunity to do so.“

“I’m pleased we are able to speed up eligibility so that all Pennsylvanians who want a vaccine can schedule one,” Rep. Tim O’Neal said. “Western Pennsylvania has hosted a number of vaccine clinics in recent days where supply has outstripped demand. We were able to get approval to expand eligibility at one of these clinics, but it only makes sense to open vaccinations to all. The work of the task force has shown when all parties work in a collaborative fashion, we can accomplish a lot in a short timeframe.”

“This further-accelerated plan will move us much closer to the goal of vaccinating Pennsylvanians as quickly and equitably as possible,” Gov. Wolf said.

More Than 600K Pennsylvania Voters Apply for Mail Ballots Ahead of May 18 Municipal Primary

More Than 600K Pennsylvania Voters Apply for Mail Ballots Ahead of May 18 Municipal Primary

tively new to Pennsylvania. The bipartisan Act 77 of 2019, signed into law by Governor Wolf, represented the first major reforms to the Pennsylvania election law in over 80 years.

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of State today announced that more than 587,000 voters already have applied for mail-in ballots for the May 18 municipal primary election, and more than 18,000 voters have applied for absentee ballots.

“These impressive application numbers show that mail-in voting has become a popular option for Pennsylvanians, valued for its convenience, accessibility and security. People like being able to vote from their own homes and on their own schedule,” Acting Secretary of State Veronica W. Degraffenreid said. “If mail ballot applications continue at this pace, we could be on track to set a record for participation in a municipal primary.”

Voting by mail ballot without having to provide an excuse is relaAny eligible voter may apply for a mail-in ballot. Applications may be submitted online via the Department of State’s website. Paper applications in multiple languages are available for download. Once voters return their mail-in ballot application to their county board of elections, the county will send them a mail-in ballot as soon as the county’s ballots have been finalized and printed. When they receive their ballot in the mail, voters simply need to read the instructions and mark their ballot, then seal their ballot in the secrecy envelope that indicates “official election ballot,” seal the secrecy envelope inside the pre-addressed outer return envelope, sign and date the voter’s declaration on the outside of the outer return envelope and put a stamp on the envelope if needed.

Mail-in and absentee ballot applications must be received by a voter’s county board of elections by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 11. Voted mail ballots must be received by the county board of elections by 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, May 18.

For more information about voting in Pennsylvania, visit votesPA.com.

TSA stops Butler County, PA, woman with loaded handgun at Pittsburgh Airport security checkpoint

(Photo Courtesy of TSA)

PITTSBURGH, Pa. –  Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers caught a Butler County, Pennsylvania, woman with a .380 caliber handgun loaded with six bullets at the security checkpoint early this morning, Monday, April 12.

When the TSA officer spotted the gun in the checkpoint X-ray machine, the Allegheny County Police were alerted, came to the checkpoint, questioned the woman and confiscated the gun.

The woman, a resident of Sarver, Pennsylvania, had the gun in her purse. She now faces a federal financial civil penalty for bringing a gun to the checkpoint.

“It is mid-way through the fourth month of the year and already we have caught more than half the number of guns we caught during all 12 months of 2020,” said Karen Keys-Turner, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “Let me say it very simply. Do not bring your gun to an airport security checkpoint. Even if you have a concealed carry permit, you are not permitted to carry it onto an airplane. If you want to travel with it, you must pack it properly so that it can be transported as checked baggage. If you do bring your gun to our checkpoint, you will face a stiff federal civil penalty that could cost you thousands of dollars.”

Travelers are not permitted to carry their guns onto airplanes, however, passengers are permitted to transport their firearms as checked baggage if they are properly packed and declared at their airline ticket counter to be transported in the belly of the plane. Checked firearms must be unloaded, packed in a hard-sided case, locked, and packed separately from ammunition. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website. Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality and travelers should check into firearm laws before they decide to travel with their guns. Travelers should also contact their airline as they may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.

When an individual shows up at a checkpoint with a firearm, the checkpoint lane comes to a standstill until the police resolve the incident. Guns at checkpoints can delay travelers from getting to their gates.

TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers who have guns and gun parts with them at a checkpoint. Civil penalties for bringing a handgun into a checkpoint can stretch into thousands of dollars, depending on mitigating circumstances. This applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits because even though an individual may have a concealed carry permit, it does not allow for a firearm to be carried onto an airplane. The complete list of civil penalties is posted online. If a traveler with a gun is a member of TSA PreCheck®, that individual will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges.

TSA Firearms Caught at the Pittsburgh International Airport checkpoint, 2017 to 2021

Year 2017 2018 2019 2020* 2021*
Guns caught 32 34 35 21 11

*Significantly fewer passengers than previous years due to the pandemic.

Nationwide, TSA officers detected 3,257 firearms on passengers or their carry-on bags at checkpoints last year, although the total number of passengers screened at airport checkpoints across the country fell by 500 million compared to 2019 due to the pandemic. The result was that twice as many firearms per million passengers screened were detected at checkpoints in 2020 compared to 2019. In 2020, TSA caught approximately 10 firearms per million passengers as compared to about five firearms per million passengers in 2019.  Of the guns caught by TSA in 2020, about 83 percent were loaded.

“It is mid-way through the fourth month of the year and already we have caught more than half the number of guns we caught during all 12 months of 2020,” said Karen Keys-Turner, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “Let me say it very simply. Do not bring your gun to an airport security checkpoint. Even if you have a concealed carry permit, you are not permitted to carry it onto an airplane. If you want to travel with it, you must pack it properly so that it can be transported as checked baggage. If you do bring your gun to our checkpoint, you will face a stiff federal civil penalty that could cost you thousands of dollars.”

Travelers are not permitted to carry their guns onto airplanes, however, passengers are permitted to transport their firearms as checked baggage if they are properly packed and declared at their airline ticket counter to be transported in the belly of the plane. Checked firearms must be unloaded, packed in a hard-sided case, locked, and packed separately from ammunition. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website. Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality and travelers should check into firearm laws before they decide to travel with their guns. Travelers should also contact their airline as they may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.

When an individual shows up at a checkpoint with a firearm, the checkpoint lane comes to a standstill until the police resolve the incident. Guns at checkpoints can delay travelers from getting to their gates.

TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers who have guns and gun parts with them at a checkpoint. Civil penalties for bringing a handgun into a checkpoint can stretch into thousands of dollars, depending on mitigating circumstances. This applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits because even though an individual may have a concealed carry permit, it does not allow for a firearm to be carried onto an airplane. The complete list of civil penalties is posted online. If a traveler with a gun is a member of TSA PreCheck®, that individual will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges.

TSA Firearms Caught at the Pittsburgh International Airport checkpoint, 2017 to 2021

Year 2017 2018 2019 2020* 2021*
Guns caught 32 34 35 21 11

*Significantly fewer passengers than previous years due to the pandemic.

Nationwide, TSA officers detected 3,257 firearms on passengers or their carry-on bags at checkpoints last year, although the total number of passengers screened at airport checkpoints across the country fell by 500 million compared to 2019 due to the pandemic. The result was that twice as many firearms per million passengers screened were detected at checkpoints in 2020 compared to 2019. In 2020, TSA caught approximately 10 firearms per million passengers as compared to about five firearms per million passengers in 2019.  Of the guns caught by TSA in 2020, about 83 percent were loaded.

Pennsylvania makes essential workers eligible for vaccine

Pennsylvania makes essential workers eligible for vaccine
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania has expanded eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine to essential workers in a range of industries on Monday. Workers in transportation and logistics, construction, public health, finance, legal services and several other industries became eligible to sign up for the vaccine on Monday. State officials have said the newly eligible population totals between 1.3 million and 1.7 million people. Pennsylvania plans to make the shot available to everyone aged 16 and older on April 19 to meet a deadline set by President Joe Biden. Most states have already made adults universally eligible for the vaccine.