Audit faults Wolf’s business shutdown waiver program

Audit faults Wolf’s business shutdown waiver program
By MICHAEL RUBINKAM Associated Press
Pennsylvania’s chief fiscal watchdog is criticizing a state program under which businesses could seek permission to operate under Gov. Tom Wolf’s pandemic shutdown. Auditor General Eugene DePasquale says waivers were granted inconsistently and with little transparency, comparing the process to a “Keystone Kops routine.”  DePasquale spoke Tuesday at a virtual news conference. The auditor general’s office has been investigating the business shutdown waiver program amid complaints it was managed unfairly. Wolf’s spokesperson referred questions to the Department of Community and Economic Development, which ran the program. The department is planning to issue a response to DePasquale’s criticism later Tuesday.

Pennsylvanians Reminded to Register to Vote Before Oct. 19 Deadline 

Pennsylvanians Reminded to Register to Vote Before Oct. 19 Deadline 

Harrisburg, PA – As the voter registration deadline approaches for the Nov. 3 presidential election, Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar today urged Pennsylvanians to check their voter registration status at votesPA.com.

“Now is the time to make sure you are registered to vote, and your registration information is current before the deadline in less than two weeks,” Secretary Boockvar said. “We want every eligible Pennsylvanian to be able to exercise their right to vote on election day.”

Monday, Oct. 19, is the deadline for eligible Pennsylvanians to apply for a new voter registration or make changes to an existing registration before the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Individuals wishing to register to vote must be:

  • A citizen of the United States for at least one month before the election
  •  A resident of Pennsylvania and the election district in which the individual wants to register and vote for at least 30 days before the election
  • At least 18 years of age on or before the date of the election.

“Pennsylvanians have more convenient, secure and accessible voting options than ever before,” Secretary Boockvar said. “They can vote by mail ballot, in person at their county election office before the election or at the polls on Nov. 3. The deadline to apply for a mail ballot is 5 p.m. on Oct. 27.”

On Nov. 3, Pennsylvania voters will elect:

  • the President and Vice President
  • U.S. Representatives
  • the State Attorney General, Auditor General and Treasurer
  • State Representatives
  • State Senators in odd-numbered districts

The votesPA.com website also offers printable voter registration applicationsearly in-person voting information, a polling place locator, and county boards of elections contact information.  It includes tips for first-time voters and military and overseas voters.

For more information on voting and elections, call the Department of State’s toll-free hotline at 1-877-VOTESPA (1-877-868-3772) or visit votesPA.com.

 

Gov. Wolf, Sec. Levine Amend Guidelines on Safe Gathering Limits: Permit more Fans at Events

Gov. Wolf, Sec. Levine Amend Guidelines on Safe Gathering Limits

Pennsylvanians Must Wear Masks, Social Distance, Follow Established Local Restrictions

Harrisburg, PA – As Pennsylvanians continue to do their part by adopting healthy behaviors to combat the spread of COVID-19, today Governor Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine amended existing COVID-19 orders to allow for adjusted capacity to gathering limits while keeping in place the proven mitigation tools that include wearing masks and maintaining social distancing.

“Pennsylvanians must continue to social distance and wear masks as we prepare to fight the virus through the fall and winter,” Gov. Wolf said. “Regardless of the size of an event or gathering, those things are still imperative to stopping the spread of COVID. We know everyone has sacrificed in many ways and today’s announcement reflects a gradual adjustment to our lives as we learn how we can do things safely until we have a cure, or an effective vaccine is widely available.”

“We will closely monitor cases and outbreaks and if our case investigation and contact tracing efforts determine that events or gatherings are the source of an outbreak, we can and will dial back these new limits,” Dr. Levine said. “Public health and safety are our first concern and will always remain as such.”

Starting on Friday, Oct. 9 amended orders will allow for venue occupancy limits to play a bigger role in determining the number of people permitted both inside and outside of events or gatherings. An event or gathering is defined as a temporary grouping of individuals for defined purposes that takes place over a limited timeframe, such as hours or days, including fairs, festivals, concerts, or shows and groupings that occur within larger, more permanent businesses, such as shows or performances within amusement parks, individual showings of movies, business meetings or conferences, or each party or reception within a multi-room venue.

Conversely, groups of people who share a space within a building in the ordinary course of operations, such as in an office building, classroom, production floor or similar regularly occurring operation of a business or organization, are not events or gatherings.

All businesses are required to conduct their operations remotely through individual teleworking of their employees in the jurisdiction or jurisdictions in which they do business unless that is not possible. In those instances, employees may conduct in-person business operations, provided that the businesses fully comply with the business safety order, the worker safety order, and the masking order.

The orders amend two sections of the July 15 mitigation orders and include a “maximum occupancy calculator” for both indoor and outdoor events. Based on a venue’s established occupancy limit as defined by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Life Safety Code, venues apply the appropriate percent of occupancy to determine how many attendees are permitted to attend an event or gathering.

Here are the calculators:

Maximum Occupancy Calculator for indoor events:

Maximum Occupancy
Allowable Indoor Rate 
0-2,000 people
20% of Maximum Occupancy
2,001 – 10,000 people
15% of Maximum Occupancy
Over 10,000 people
10% of Maximum Occupancy up to 3,750 people

Maximum Occupancy Calculator for outdoor events:

Maximum Occupancy
Allowable Outdoor Rate 
0-2,000 people
25% of Maximum Occupancy
2,001 – 10,000 people
20% of Maximum Occupancy
Over 10,000 people
15% of Maximum Occupancy up to 7,500 people

Venues must require attendees to comply with 6-foot social distancing requirements, to wear masks or face coverings, and to implement best practices such as timed entry, multiple entry and exit points, multiple restrooms and hygiene stations. Venues and event planners can review the CDC Events and Gatherings Readiness and Planning Tool for additional information regarding best practices.

When not hosting events, occupancy restrictions outlined in the green phase of reopening continue to apply to businesses in the commonwealth.

Any gathering restrictions established by local authorities, such as the ones established in Philadelphia and State College, remain in effect.

View the governor’s amended order here.

View the secretary’s amended order here.

View FAQs about the amended orders on safe gatherings.

PennDOT Driver License, Photo Centers Closed for Columbus Day Holiday

Harrisburg, PA The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) today announced that all driver license and photo centers, including its Riverfront Office Center in Harrisburg, will be closed Saturday, October 10, through Monday, October 12, in observance of Columbus Day.

Customers may still obtain a variety of driver and vehicle products and services, including all forms, publications and driver training manuals, online through PennDOT’s Driver and Vehicle Services website, 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, driver license and photo ID duplicates, and driver exam scheduling. There are no additional fees for using online services.

A complete listing of PennDOT driver and photo license center closings in 2020 is available online.

Motorists can check conditions on major roadway 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.

Follow PennDOT on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PennDOTNews and like the department on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PennsylvaniaDepartmentofTransportation and Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/pennsylvaniadot/.

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

10th ANNIVERSARY OF MANNA IN ALIQUIPPA TUESDAY

The 10th anniversary of MANNA  is this evening from 5:30-6:30 p,m., at House of Prayer Lutheran Church. in ALIQUIPPA  Those attending are to drive up  to the Irwin Street site and receive their  meal and a treat. The church pianist will entertain those stopping by Donations of money and  non perishable items are being accepted.  Due to the COVID19 there are no sit down dinners at the site until further notice.  The donations will be used to stock the LITTLE FREE PANTRIES  in the following locations: HOUSE OF PRAYER LUTHERAN CHURCH, ALIQUIPPA FIRE STATION, NEW LIFE PREBYTERIAN CHURCH AT MILL AND SPRING STREETS, AND OHIO UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH ON MARATTA ROAD AND LONGVUE AVENUE in HOPEWELL TWP.  and REDEEMER LUTHERAN CHURCH IN MONACA.  .  Items for the LITTLE FREE PANTRIES  can be dropped off at any of the sites any time., according to a spokesperson.

2 justices slam court’s 2015 decision in gay marriage case

2 justices slam court’s 2015 decision in gay marriage case
By MARK SHERMAN and JESSICA GRESKO Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has opened its new term with a jolt from two conservative justices on the question of same-sex marriage. Justice Clarence Thomas suggested in a statement that the court needs to revisit the issue after having affirmed the right to gay marriage. Justice Samuel Alito joined him in the statement. The matter resurfaces as the court is expected to take a turn to the right if Amy Coney Barrett is confirmed for the vacancy left by the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Reversing the court’s decision in the gay marriage case would seem a tall order. But the statement underscores liberals’ fears that the court could roll back some of their hardest-fought gains.

Hurricane Delta now Category 2, roars at Mexico’s Yucatan

Hurricane Delta now Category 2, roars at Mexico’s Yucatan
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Hurricane Delta is getting bigger fast and speeding up as it takes aim at Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. It’s now a Category 2 hurricane with top winds of 100 mph. Forecasters now expect the Cayman Islands and Cuba to be spared Delta’s most dangerous winds. Not so Mexico’s Yucatan, where remnants of Tropical Storm Gamma are still soaking low-lying resorts that could get an extremely dangerous 9 foot storm surge. Delta is expected to pound the Yucatan on Wednesday make landfall along the U.S. coast around Friday. It should make for a very wet weekend across much of the southeastern United States.

Jury Selection began Monday for former Ambridge Police Chief’ trial

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Ambridge, Pa.) Ambridge’s  former Police Chief  James Mann will soon stand trial  for falsifying time sheets that resulted in $67,000.00 being stolen while he was chief.  He is also charged  with threatening a police officer  before he suspended him  in 2018.  Jury selection began Monday.

Mann’s defense attorney is  Stephen Colafella.

Western PA Gas Prices Stable; National Average at Cheapest Start to October in Four Years

AAA: Western PA Gas Prices Stable; National Average at Cheapest Start to October in Four Years
The average price of gasoline across Western Pennsylvania is steady again this week at $2.539 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average                  $2.539
Average price during the week of September 28, 2020                             $2.537
Average price during the week of October 7, 2019                                    $2.829

The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline in various areas:      

$2.551      Altoona
$2.595      Beaver
$2.582      Bradford
$2.603      Brookville
$2.482      Butler
$2.487      Clarion
$2.565      DuBois
$2.592      Erie
$2.497      Greensburg
$2.574      Indiana
$2.284      Jeannette
$2.578      Kittanning
$2.558      Latrobe
$2.586      Meadville
$2.587      Mercer
$2.414      New Castle
$2.576      New Kensington
$2.599      Oil City
$2.521      Pittsburgh

$2.526      Sharon
$2.606      Uniontown
$2.599      Warren
$2.444      Washington

Trend Analysis:
At $2.18, the national gas price average is at the cheapest start to the month of October since 2016. That average is the same as a week ago, four cents cheaper than the start of this past September, and nearly 50 cents cheaper than last year. The national average held on the week as demand was mostly stable at 8.5 million b/d, despite gasoline stocks increasing by 700,000 barrels.

On the week, 41 state gas price averages fluctuated by no more than two cents. Of those, 38 states only saw a penny increase or decrease. A handful of states saw more substantial gas price increases including Florida (+9 cents), Delaware (+6 cents), New Jersey (+6 cents), Washington, D.C. (+5 cents), West Virginia (+4 cents) and Maryland (+3 cents).

At the close of Friday’s formal trading session, West Texas Intermediate decreased by $1.67 to settle at $37.05. Crude prices dropped due to market concern about increasing coronavirus infections worldwide, which could lower crude demand. For this week, crude prices could decline further if demand concerns continue to worry the market.

Motorists can find current gas prices nationwide, statewide, and countywide at GasPrices.AAA.com.

AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 76 local offices in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia serving 2.7 million members.  News releases are available at news.eastcentral.aaa.com.  Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

4 firefighters injured in apartment fire in Pittsburgh

4 firefighters injured in apartment fire in Pittsburgh
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Authorities say four firefighters were injured battling a blaze in an apartment building in Pittsburgh over the weekend. Fire crews were called to the South Side Slopes building at about 8 p.m. Sunday. Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich said there was one mayday call for a firefighter trapped inside and two other collapses occurred. Four firefighters were taken to hospitals, two with shoulder injuries, one with a laceration and one with a minor burn. Mayor Bill Peduto said in a Twitter message that it “appears all will be OK.” No other injuries were reported. Investigators are trying to determine the cause of the blaze.