(Pittsburgh, Pa.) Pittsburgh Police are reaching out to the public via social media to hopefully identify a suspect who is suspected of joining in the destruction of an unmarked police vehicle and burglarizing businesses during the May 30 protests.Pittsburgh Police are asking anyone who recognizes the male in the picture above to either E-mail them at DAAT@Pittsburghpa.gov or call (412) 323-7800.
Changes in military recruiting may endure after pandemic
By LOLITA C. BALDOR Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — COVID-19 has had a dramatic impact on military recruiting, shuttering enlistment stations around the country and forcing thousands of recruiters to woo potential soldiers online. Recruiters have had to abandon their normal visits to high schools and malls. Instead they rely almost exclusively on social media to reach young people. And as that effort builds, Army leaders believe it may evolve into a new system that will allow them to scale back the size and staffing at enlistment storefronts and reduce the number of recruiters. The head of the Army’s recruiting command says recruiters are going to be empowered “to allow for more autonomous recruiting.”
Dems push campaign-season health care bill through House
By ALAN FRAM Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats have pushed an election-year package expanding “Obamacare” coverage through the House. The measure is doomed because it will never see the light of day in the Republican-run Senate, and the White House has threatened that President Donald Trump would veto it anyway. But the bill’s significance is more political than legislative. It comes during a coronavirus pandemic that’s elevated people’s health concerns and has resulted in millions losing employer-provided health insurance. Passage also comes as Trump has asked the Supreme Court to declare the health care law unconstitutional. The battle highlights how health care will be a major 2020 campaign issue.
AP sources: White House aware of Russian bounties in 2019
By JAMES LaPORTA Associated Press
Top officials in the White House were aware in early 2019 of classified intelligence indicating Russia was secretly offering bounties to the Taliban for the deaths of Americans, a full year earlier than has been previously reported. That’s according to U.S. officials with direct knowledge of the intelligence. The officials say the assessment was included in at least one of President Donald Trump’s written daily intelligence briefings at the time. Then-national security adviser John Bolton told colleagues he briefed Trump on the intelligence assessment in March 2019. The White House says Trump still hasn’t been briefed on the intelligence assessments because they haven’t been fully verified. Russia denies offering bounties.
AAA: Pennsylvania Gas Prices Increase; Demand Ramps Up Nationwide
The average price of gasoline across Western Pennsylvania is three cents higher this week at $2.479 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.
Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states saw larger pump price increases compared to recent weeks, ranging from 4 to 9 cents. West Virginia (+9 cents), North Carolina (+8 cents) and Pennsylvania (+7 cents) saw the biggest increases in the region and land on this week’s top 10 largest weekly increases list. All other states saw prices fluctuate between four and eight cents, except for New York (+2 cents).
Most states in the region saw smaller increases at the pump likely due to the large increase in gasoline stocks, which added 1.3 million barrels, according to Energy Information Administartion (EIA) data. Gas prices are likely to increase for most states in the region, but the tri-states – New York, New Jersey and Connecticut – may see smaller jumps due to the requirement that travelers from states with high coronavirus rates quarantine upon arrival.
This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average $2.479
Average price during the week of June 22, 2020 $2.440
Average price during the week of July 1, 2019 $2.948
The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline in various areas:
$2.498 Altoona
$2.454 Beaver
$2.497 Bradford
$2.492 Brookville
$2.468 Butler
$2.448 Clarion
$2.500 Du Bois
$2.487 Erie
$2.461 Greensburg
$2.478 Indiana
$2.477 Jeannette
$2.488 Kittanning
$2.499 Latrobe
$2.494 Meadville
$2.500 Mercer
$2.407 New Castle
$2.492 New Kensington
$2.499 Oil City
$2.470 Pittsburgh
$2.497 Sharon
$2.486 Uniontown
$2.499 Warren
$2.436 Washington
On the National Front
On the week, gasoline demand increased 10% from 7.8 million barrels to 8.6 million barrels. While the demand rate is much lower than a typical summer reading, it’s the highest since late March, showing continued signs that Americans are filling up more.
The increase in gasoline demand contributed towards the national gas price average’s four cent bump to $2.17. While that average will continue to increase ahead of the Independence Day holiday weekend, travelers will find pump prices about 50 cents cheaper than last year’s holiday.
At the end of Friday’s formal trading session, West Texas Intermediate decreased by 23 cents to settle at $38.49 per barrel. Domestic crude prices pushed cheaper last week due to an increase in new coronavirus infections worldwide, which could suppress crude demand if stay at home orders increase. For this week, crude prices could continue to decline if the market continues to worry that efforts to stimulate the global economy will falter because of uncontained outbreaks.
Motorists can find current gas prices nationwide, statewide, and countywide at GasPrices.AAA.com.
AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 78 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.
Extended Benefits (EB) are additional UC benefits payable to qualified workers whenever the state’s unemployment rate reaches a certain level determined by law. The last time the EB program was triggered in Pennsylvania was 2009.
The current EB period began May 3, 2020, but benefits are not payable until an individual has exhausted PEUC benefits. EB payments will begin with the week ending July 4, 2020 and are payable only for weeks of unemployment during an EB period.
Important information about the EB program follows and will be sent by mail to all individuals who potentially qualify for the additional benefits.
Eligibility
You may be eligible for EB if:
Additional eligibility information is available here.
If you collect the maximum amount of PEUC that you are eligible to receive, an EB Notice of Financial Determination will be mailed to you.
EB Weekly Benefit Amount
EB is currently fully federally-funded through the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, Public Law (Pub. L.) 116-127, specifically Division D, the Emergency Unemployment Insurance Stabilization and Access Act of 2020 (EUISAA).
Pennsylvania Unemployment Benefits Payment Information
Since March 15, more than $21.5 billion in benefits has been paid:
Of the eligible claimants that applied for benefits between March 15 and May 30, and who filed for continued claims, 90.2 percent received payment as of June 29.
Important Resources and Links
Additional unemployment benefits information is available on L&I’s website, Facebook or Twitter.
(Beaver Falls, Pa.) The Beaver Falls Home Rule Charter Government Study Commissioners held their first meeting on Wednesday June 17, 2020. The Study Commissioners were elected by the citizens of Beaver Falls in the primary election. After the Commissioners were sworn in by Pa. District Magistrate Dirk Goodwald, they got to know each other and organized the commission and the way the meetings will occur. The Commission also appointed a social media manager and reiterated the importance of community presence and involvement in the whole process.
At the Commission’s next meeting they will create a working plan for the study based on nearby local examples, schedule interviews with city officials, and they will speak with Deborah Grass of Grass Roots Solutions, The next meeting will be held on Thursday, July 2 at 7pm in the council chambers of the City Building. Social distancing guidelines will be followed. The public is encouraged to attend!
State Police, Liquor Control Board Remind Licensed Liquor Establishments to Require Masks, Follow Social Distancing
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement (BLCE) and the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) today called on licensed liquor establishments and their patrons to abide by social distancing and masking requirements to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
On June 17, the Wolf Administration issued updated guidance for businesses in the restaurant and retail food service industry as part of the commonwealth’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 public health crisis. Among other requirements, all businesses and employees in the restaurant and retail food service industry authorized to conduct in-person activities are mandated to:
On June 18, the PLCB issued guidance to licensed liquor establishments choosing to resume on-premises service of alcohol counties in the yellow and green phases of reopening. The guidance incorporated and reinforced the governor’s mandates, including those noted above.
“Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 mitigation efforts have been among the most successful in the country in slowing the spread of this dangerous virus and allowing for the cautious reopening of restaurants and other licensed liquor establishments,” said PLCB Executive Director Charlie Mooney. “Just as the PLCB requires masks for employees and customers at our Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores, licensees must remain vigilant in order to stay on the path to recovery and keep our businesses operating.”
A licensee that fails to comply with requirements mandating the wearing of masks, providing at least six feet between parties at tables, and ensuring that maximum occupancy limits are observed risks citation by the BLCE. Penalties may be assessed for each violation and include a fine of up to $1,000 and possible suspension and/or revocation of the liquor license. Continued operation in violation of the guidance after a warning or citation risks further enforcement action by BLCE and ultimately puts the liquor license at risk, both through the citation process and upon application for renewal to the PLCB. Licensees are reminded that any person who violates the Liquor Code may be charged criminally with a misdemeanor.
“Our enforcement officers have found that the vast majority of licensed liquor establishments statewide are voluntarily complying with mitigation requirements, and we remain focused on education and working with licensees during this challenging time,” said Major Jeffrey Fisher, director of the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement. “However, the commonwealth remains in the midst of a public health emergency, and serious consequences are possible for businesses that fail to take the necessary steps to keep their employees and customers safe.”
Since mid-March BLCE officers have conducted compliance checks at over 15,100 licensed liquor establishments. Officers conduct an average of 1,500 compliance checks each day and have issued 162 warnings and 103 notices of violations to date. Complaints regarding licensees not complying with COVID-19 mitigation mandates may be directed to the BLCE at 1-800-932-0602 or reported through the BLCE’s online complaint form.
Florida site of GOP convention orders wearing of masks
By TAMARA LUSH and EMILY SCHMALL Associated Press
The Florida city where President Trump is scheduled to accept the Republican nomination for his re-election bid voted Monday to require masks in public and indoor spaces. The U.S. is seeing about 40,000 new confirmed cases per day, and states such as Texas and Florida are backtracking, clamping down on bars, restaurants and beaches.
Judge warns of possible move of trial in George Floyd death
By STEVE KARNOWSKI Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minnesota judge is warning that he’s likely to move the trials of four police officers charged in George Floyd’s death out of Minneapolis if public officials and attorneys continue speaking out about the case. Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill asked a prosecutor during a pretrial hearing on Monday to use his influence to get public officials to stop talking about the case. If they don’t, he says he’ll have to move the trial or trials, depending on whether the officers are tried together or separtely. Floyd, a Black man in handcuffs, died May 25 after Officer Derek Chauvin held his knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly 8 minutes. Some public officials were quick to call Floyd’s death “murder.”