LAMB INTRODUCES BIPARTISAN BILL TO COMBAT

OPIOID EPIDEMIC IN RURAL AREAS

(WASHINGTON, DC) – Today, Representative Conor Lamb (PA-17) and Representative Randy Feenstra (IA-04) along with original cosponsors Representatives Abigail Spanberger (VA-7) and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-02), introduced the Rural Area Opioid Prevention Pilot Program Act.  This bipartisan legislation will fully authorize the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) pilot program, the Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic Initiative, providing the agency with the resources it needs to implement community response programs in rural areas with a focus on reducing opioid overdose deaths and providing alternatives to incarceration.

“Like many states, Pennsylvania has seen an increase in opioid deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Lamb.  “While Congress has rightfully been focused on the pandemic, several reports indicate that COVID-19 has exacerbated issues with opioid use.  This smart, commonsense legislation will immediately help the communities that need it the most.”

“I am honored to lead this bipartisan effort with Rep. Lamb.  The promising pilot programs included in this bill are a critical step forward as we work to curb the opioid epidemic, taking a targeted approach and ensuring rural Americans suffering from addiction have the resources they need to recover and get a second chance.  The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened opioid abuse, and it is important that we work to tackle this issue immediately,” said Feenstra.

“Rural America has been hit hard by the opioid epidemic for years, and Iowa is no exception.  The COVID-19 pandemic only made things worse, and we need to be doing more to help those fighting addiction,” said Miller-Meeks.  “The Rural Area Opioid Prevention Pilot Program Act is a step in the right direction to help rural communities combat this crisis.  Helping Americans take on opioid abuse and addiction is a bipartisan issue, and I am proud to partner with my colleagues to find solutions to this problem.”

“During the pandemic, our nation witnessed a record number of overdose deaths — and here in Virginia, experts project that overdose deaths increased by more than 40 percent from the previous year.  Behind these statistics are personal, heartbreaking stories of parents who have lost their children to the agonizing loss of overdose.  As we focus on our recovery from this pandemic, I’m keeping their pleas to help other families avoid this loss in the forefront of my mind,” said Spanberger. “This bipartisan legislation makes sure the Department of Justice has the resources and support it needs to help build a pathway towards healing and recovery, especially throughout rural America, which has been particularly impacted by the substance abuse crisis.  I’m proud to help introduce the Rural Area Opioid Prevention Pilot Program Act, and I am committed to building new ways for communities in Central Virginia and across the country to combat skyrocketing rates of overdose deaths.”

Co-funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the State Justice Institute (SJI), the Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic Initiative is a DOJ pilot program that integrates public safety and public health approaches and blends interagency expertise and funding to address the epidemic.  The Greater Communities Act will authorize and codify this program by providing the federal funding to continue building on its early successes.

Since early 2020, 21 rural American communities that have borne the brunt of the opioid epidemic have received millions in federal funding to develop tailored and innovative responses to gaps in prevention, treatment and/or recovery services for individuals involved in the criminal justice system.  The funds enable rural areas to implement evidence-based solutions and promising practices in a way that utilizes the unique assets of their communities.  The goal of the program is to reduce opioid overdose deaths in high-risk rural communities while supporting and promoting a shared understanding of the patterns and characteristics of local opioid use.

Click here for more information on the Rural Area Opioid Prevention Pilot Program Act.

(Photo Courtesy of The Municipal Water Authority of Aliquippa)

(Aliquippa, Pa.) The Municipal Water Authority of Aliquippa will be conducting routine hydrant flushing for the next two weeks. Customers might notice a slight discoloration and odor along with low water pressure or no water service at that time.  For more information on the routine flushing, you can visit the water authority online by clicking on the logo below.

 

Nearly 200 angry parents and students gathered outside the Pine-Richland School Board meeting last night. The crowd booed school board members who were escorted into the meeting by Pine-Richland Police.

The parents and students continue to be angry over the firing of Pine-Richland’s Football Coach, Eric Kasperowicz. Last month the school board announced that Kasperowicz and his entire staff’s contracts would not be renewed.

The school board gave the reasoning that there was an investigation and it revealed that there were years of hazing and bullying within the program.

Kasperowicz and the student-athletes have said that the allegations are not true.

Kasperowicz won four WPIAL titles, two state championships.

The board has acknowledged the frustration and anger, but they stand by their decision.

AAA: Western PA Gas Prices Stable; National Demand Declines
Gas prices in Western Pennsylvania are steady this week at $3.034 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average                  $3.034
Average price during the week of April 26, 2021                                       $3.035
Average price during the week of May 4, 2020                                          $2.070

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

$2.993      Altoona
$3.074      Beaver
$3.097      Bradford
$3.018      Brookville
$3.027      Butler
$3.021      Clarion
$3.010      DuBois
$3.074      Erie
$2.992      Greensburg
$3.046      Indiana
$3.013      Jeannette
$3.012      Kittanning
$2.998      Latrobe
$3.083      Meadville
$3.099      Mercer
$2.913      New Castle
$3.080      New Kensington
$3.099      Oil City
$3.038      Pittsburgh
$2.991      Sharon
$3.001      Uniontown
$3.099      Warren
$3.003      Washington

Trend Analysis:
At the start of May, the national gas price average is $2.90, which is three cents more than a month ago. Pump prices in April saw minimal movement compared to March, which increased 15 cents from start to finish. Stable crude oil prices amid fluctuating demand helped keep the national average price jumps nominal last month.

 

While April saw slight fluctuations, May is likely to see much larger increases alongside demand spikes, especially closer to Memorial Day weekend. Compared to May 2019, U.S. gasoline demand is down only 4% and gas prices are on average just two cents more.

 

On the week, the national average increased two cents. Ten states saw averages increase between five and eight cents, but the majority of states saw increases of one to three cents. The pump price changes come amid a flux in supply and demand. For the week ending April 23, the Energy Information Administration reported gasoline stocks saw a small 100,000 barrel build to reach the 135 million barrel mark. That is the highest supply rate since the end of February and an 8.3 million barrel surplus compared to the same time two years ago. While supply increased, demand saw a decrease of 3% to 8.87 million barrels per day.

 

At the close of Friday’s formal trading session, WTI decreased by $1.43 to settle at $63.58. Although prices ended the day with a decrease, supported by a strong dollar, the price of crude increased by nearly $1.50 per barrel on the week. Increased market optimism that crude demand will recover, despite surging coronavirus infection rates in Asia, helped to lift prices. Prices could continue to climb this week if the market remains optimistic.

 

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

AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 73 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.

(Washington DC) The Department of Justice, together with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), announced a $20 million settlement resolving alleged violations of the FTC Act and the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), including violations of the Red Flags Rule. The settlement includes $15 million in civil penalties, which represents the largest civil penalty ever paid to resolve FCRA violations under the FTC Act.

Vivint Smart Home Inc. sells “smart” home security and monitoring systems, largely via a sales force that sells door-to-door. The complaint alleges that Vivint failed to implement an Identity Theft Prevention Program, allowing its sales representatives to obtain credit reports of unsuspecting consumers without the consumers’ knowledge or consent, and unfairly sold false debt to buyers or debt collectors. According to the complaint, the defendant’s lack of an Identity Theft Prevention Program violated the FTC’s Red Flags Rule, which requires covered financial institutions and creditors to establish and administer an appropriate, written Identity Theft Prevention Program. The Red Flags Rule plays an important role in the detection, prevention, and mitigation of identity theft.

The complaint further alleges that, due in part to the absence of an appropriate Identity Theft Prevention Program, Vivint’s door-to-door sales force was able to systematically use the names and identities of innocent victims to complete sales to potential Vivint customers who failed the required credit checks. When some of those Vivint customers later defaulted, Vivint allegedly then sold the false debt to third-party debt collectors that attempted to collect from the victims, who had no knowledge of the Vivint accounts created using their identities.

“The Justice Department is committed to protecting consumers against the unlawful use of their credit reports and the unfair sale of false debts,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We are pleased to join with our partners at the Federal Trade Commission on this important matter.”

“Vivint’s sales staff stole people’s personal information to approve others for loans,” said Acting Director Daniel Kaufman of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “For misusing consumer credit reports and other sensitive data, and harming people’s credit, this company will pay $20 million.”

As reflected in the stipulated order entered by the court, Vivint will pay $15 million in civil penalties and $5 million in equitable monetary relief. Additionally, Vivint is required to take a number of steps to prevent a recurrence of its alleged unlawful conduct. Among other things, Vivint must establish a corporate component to verify certain accounts and to investigate reports of identity theft; establish an employee monitoring and Identity Theft Prevention Program; and comply with related recordkeeping, certification, and compliance obligations.

This matter was handled by Assistant Director Lisa K. Hsiao and Trial Attorney Alisha M. Crovetto of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch. Gorana Neskovic and Kevin H. Moriarty represented the FTC.

For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the FTC, visit its website at https://www.FTC.gov.

Bill and Melinda Gates announce they are getting divorced
By SALLY HO Associated Press
SEATTLE (AP) — Bill and Melinda Gates say they’re divorcing. The Microsoft co-founder and his wife said Monday that they would continue to work together at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the world’s largest private charitable foundation. In identical tweets, they said they had made the decision to end their marriage of 27 years. They met after she began working at Microsoft as a product manager in 1987. Bill Gates was formerly the world’s richest person and his fortune is estimated at well over $100 billion. How the couple end up settling their estate and any impact on the foundation will be closely watched.