Top officials: Nov. 3 election most secure in US history
By ERIC TUCKER and FRANK BAJAK Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — A coalition of federal and state officials say they have no evidence that votes were compromised or altered in last week’s presidential election, rejecting unsubstantiated claims of widespread fraud advanced by President Donald Trump and many of his supporters. The statement from cybersecurity experts, which trumpets the Nov. 3 election as the most secure in American history, amounts to the most direct repudiation to date of Trump’s efforts to undermine the integrity of the contest. It echoes repeated assertions by election experts and state officials that the election unfolded smoothly without broad irregularities.

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Harrisburg, Pa.) The Wolf Administration  is being supported by U.S. Senator Bob Casey and U.S. Rep.  Chrissy Houlihan  to urge the federal government  to reauthorize  Title 32. At a press briefing yesterday morning  it was announced that  if the title is reauthorized it would allow the PA Army National

AAA: Fewer Americans Will Travel This Thanksgiving

Motorists advised to be cautious and prepared if they decide to travel

The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to push down the number of Americans traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday this year by about 10%, according to AAA Travel. That’s the largest one-year decrease since the Great Recession in 2008, which lead to a 26 percent drop in travel for the holiday.

The effects of the pandemic, including health and economic concerns, are causing many Americans to opt for last-minute and vehicular travel. Air travel and other modes of transportation such as cruises, buses, and trains are the most impacted by the pandemic, and 95% of holiday travel is expected to be by car.

“Like everything else this year, Thanksgiving in 2020 will look much different than in years past,” says Bevi Powell, senior vice president, AAA Travel. “Many Americans are weighing their options and considering the advice of health experts before finalizing their holiday travel plans.”

Mid-Atlantic Region Thanksgiving Forecast (Wednesday, Nov. 25 to Sunday, Nov. 29.)
*Region includes New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania

With COVID-19 cases rising in many parts of the country, AAA East Central reminds those who choose to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday to know the risks and minimize them by taking the following steps:

• Plan ahead. Check with state and local authorities where you are, along your route, and at your planned destination to learn about local circumstances and restrictions.
• Pack Smart. Be sure to pack face masks, disinfecting wipes, and hand sanitizers.
• Minimize your risk. Use protective barriers such as plastic baggies or gloves to open doors, fill up the gas tank, or touch any other surfaces in public places. Also, try to minimize your stops, and when visiting family or friends, remember to socially distance, wear masks, and frequently wash your hands.
• Verify before you go. Call your hotels and car rental companies to ensure your reservations and clarify requirements.
• Use these helpful AAA resources. Visit AAA’s COVID-19 Travel Restrictions Map for the latest state and local travel restrictions. Use TripTik.AAA.com to plan your road trip and help determine which rest stops, gas stations, hotels, and restaurants you’ll use along your route.

Before heading out, motorists should ensure their vehicles are road trip-ready to avoid a breakdown along the way. AAA expects to rescue more than 413,000 Americans at the roadside this Thanksgiving. Motorists should take their vehicles to a trusted repair facility to perform any needed maintenance before heading out on a road trip.

INRIX Predicts Wednesday Afternoon to See Peak Traffic

Traffic volume is expected to be less than in years’ past, but travelers in major urban areas will experience increased delays at popular bottlenecks, up to 30% above normal pandemic congestion levels. INRIX expects Wednesday afternoon to see the highest volume of traffic.

About the Travel Forecast: AAA’s projections are based on economic forecasting and research by IHS Markit, a London-based business information provider. In cooperation with AAA, IHS Markit developed a unique methodology to forecast actual domestic travel volumes, using macroeconomic drivers such as employment; output; household net worth; asset prices including stock indices; interest rates; housing market indicators and variables related to travel and tourism, including prices of gasoline, airline travel and hotel stays. For the 2020 Thanksgiving holiday travel forecast, IHS Markit also examined changes in the IHS Markit containment index regarding local COVID-19-related restrictions as well as the national case count and trend.

About INRIX: INRIX is the global leader in connected car services and transportation analytics. Leveraging big data and the cloud, INRIX delivers comprehensive services and solutions to help move people, cities and businesses forward. Our partners are automakers, governments, mobile operators, developers, advertisers, as well as enterprises large and small.

About IHS Markit: IHS Markit (NYSE: INFO) is a world leader in critical information, analytics and solutions for the major industries and markets that drive economies worldwide. The company delivers next-generation information, analytics and solutions to customers in business, finance and government, improving their operational efficiency and providing deep insights that lead to well-informed, confident decisions. IHS Markit has more than 50,000 business and government customers, including 80 percent of the Fortune Global 500 and the world’s leading financial institutions. Headquartered in London, IHS Markit is committed to sustainable, profitable growth.

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.

Shapiro still sees no evidence of Pennsylvania voting fraud
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania’s highest-ranking law enforcement official says that more than a week after Election Day he still hasn’t seen any sign of widespread voter fraud. Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro said Thursday that lawyers for the Republican Party and President Donald Trump also haven’t produced any evidence of widespread fraud in the swirl of litigation they’re pursuing. Shapiro also says lawmakers in the Republican-majority General Assembly lack legal authority to attempt to replace Democrat Joe Biden’s Electoral College voters. The electors are due to convene in Harrisburg in about a month.

Military voters fear they’re part of unsupported fraud claim
By MICHELLE L. PRICE, MICHAEL BALSAMO and ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE Associated Press
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Justice Department has already begun looking into two specific allegations voting irregularities. One is a claim from the Trump campaign that thousands of people may have improperly voted. The other is an allegation from a postal worker in Pennsylvania that a postmaster had instructed workers to backdate ballots mailed after Election Day. Neither case appears to hold much water, according to details about the probes. But the first accusation has U.S. military personnel in Nevada concerned they have been drawn into unsubstantiated fraud claims. There is no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election despite President Donald Trump’s claims.

FirstEnergy Corp sets goal to become carbon free by 2050
By MARK GILLISPIE Associated Press
CLEVELAND (AP) — Ohio’s largest electric utility has established a goal to become carbon free by 2050. The company said this week it will eventually close two coal-fired power plants in West Virginia, replace its truck fleet with electric and hybrid vehicles and build a large solar farm in West Virginia. The announcement comes amid numerous state and local investigations into what authorities say was a $60 million bribery scheme to win a $1 billion legislative bailout for two aging nuclear plants it owned when the bill was approved in July 2019. FirstEnergy Vice President Gary Benz calls the carbon-free initiative a “big step.”

Gov. Wolf Signs 12th Renewal of Opioid Disaster Declaration as Work Continues to Fight Opioid Epidemic and COVID-19 Pandemic

Harrisburg, PA – Today, Governor Tom Wolf signed the 12th renewal of his January 2018 opioid disaster declaration to help the state fight the then-burgeoning opioid and heroin epidemic. The declaration allows the state to loosen regulations and work outside of typical procedures to expedite aid and initiatives to help those suffering from opioid use disorder and those who work to prevent and treat this medical condition.

“We must continue to fight both the COVID-19 pandemic and the opioid epidemic in our commonwealth, and I am grateful to the dedicated team of the Opioid Command Center for its commitment to fighting the opioid epidemic even among challenging circumstances,” Gov. Wolf said. “The work that is enabled by this declaration is vital to saving the lives of so many Pennsylvanians, providing education and treatment, and advancing initiatives across the state to continue to battle this epidemic. This work is no less important during COVID; we can and are fighting both the pandemic and the epidemic.”

The declaration allows for the redirection and reorganization of commonwealth resources to align programs from multiple agencies to work together to mitigate the opioid crisis, its causes and effects.

“As the commonwealth continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic during the winter months, continuing our fight against the opioid epidemic has never been more important,” said DDAP Secretary Jennifer Smith. “While social distancing and mitigation efforts are critical to stop the spread of the deadly virus, for individuals with substance use disorder community support is a critical aspect of seeking treatment and ultimately sustaining recovery. Governor Wolf’s 12th renewal of the disaster declaration shows his unwavering commitment to support individuals suffering from substance use disorder and focusing resources to support the drug and alcohol community.”

“The opioid crisis continues to affect our loved ones, our communities and our state for those with the disease of addiction,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “Renewing the disaster declaration allows us to continue our efforts to ensure that we are helping those in need. Recovery works, and treatment is possible for those with this disease.”

Work to address the opioid crisis focuses on three areas: prevention, rescue and treatment. Efforts over the past several years, working with state agencies, local, regional and federal officials, have resulted in significant action to address the opioid crisis:

• Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine signed an updated naloxone standing order permitting community-based organizations to provide naloxone by mail.
• The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program has reduced opioid prescriptions by 47 percent and has virtually eliminated doctor shopping.
• The number of people receiving high dosages of opioids (defined as greater than 90 morphine milligram equivalents per day) has dropped 57 percent since the PDMP launched in August 2016.
• The Opioid Data Dashboard and Data Dashboard 2.0 has provided public-facing data regarding prevention, rescue and treatment.
• 11 Pennsylvania Coordinated Medication Assisted Treatment (PacMAT) programs are serving as part of a hub-and-spoke model to provide evidence-based treatment to people where they live, with just under $26 million dedicated into the centers.
• More than 45 Centers of Excellence, administered by the Department of Human Services, provide coordinated, evidence-based treatment to people with an opioid use disorder covered by Medicaid. The COEs have treated more than 32,500 people since first launching in 2016.
• The waiver of birth certificate fees for those with opioid use disorder has helped close to 5,300 people, enabling easier entry into recovery programs.
• A standing order signed by Dr. Rachel Levine in 2018 allowed EMS to leave behind more than 2,400 doses of naloxone.
• Education has been provided to more than 7,000 prescribers through either online or face-to-face education.
• 882 drug take-back boxes help Pennsylvanians properly dispose of unwanted drugs, including 178,540 pounds of unwanted drugs in 2019. 2020 data is not yet available because of COVID.
• The Get Help Now Hotline received close to 42,622 calls, with more than half of all callers connected directly to a treatment provider.
• The state prison system has expanded their Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) program, which is viewed as a model program for other states.
• A body scanner pilot project was successful in reducing overdoses and violent crime in a number of facilities. Body scanners are in place in more than 30 locations and are currently being expanded to additional facilities.
• Several agencies have worked together to collaborate on the seizure and destruction of illicit opioids across Pennsylvania.
• Education and training on opioids have been provided to schools. Future plans are in place to make opioid education a standard component of school-based training.
• The coordination with seven major commercial providers has expand access to naloxone and mental health care, while also working to make it more affordable.
• Naloxone has been made available to first responders through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency since November 2017, with more than 72,000 kits made available and more than 16,241 overdose reversals reported through the program. More than 6,600 of those saves occurred in 2019.
• EMS have administered close to 45,900 doses of naloxone and more than 10,000 doses were made available to members of the public during the state’s naloxone distribution last year.

For more information on Pennsylvania’s response to the opioid crisis visit www.pa.gov/opioids.

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is urging motorists to drive safely in work zones after three separate work zone intrusions resulted in motorists hitting a PennDOT crash truck.

“Even though construction season is winding down in many places, we still have road crews out there,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “Please don’t speed, never drive distracted, and always buckle up, especially in work zones.”

According to PennDOT data, in 2019 there were 1,754 work zone crashes, resulting in 16 fatalities. Since 1970, 89 PennDOT employees have died in the line of duty.

In addition to crash data from police reports, PennDOT monitors work-zone safety with internal reports. As of November 10, there have been 72 reported intrusions in PennDOT work zones. Of those work-zone intrusions, seven resulted in injures to PennDOT employees, 25 caused damage to PennDOT fleet or equipment, and 40 did not result in injury or damage but had the potential to do so.

Pennsylvania law states that anyone stopped by law enforcement for violating the posted speed limit by more than 5 mph will face doubled fines. The fine is determined based on the amount the driver is traveling over the speed limit. Governor Tom Wolf signed a law in 2016 that says any driver who causes serious bodily injury within a work zone could face up to $5,000 in fines and a six-month license suspension, and a driver causing a death within a work zone could face up to a $10,000 fine and one-year license suspension. Drivers who don’t turn on their headlights in posted work zones face a $25 fine.

Additionally, in an effort to change unsafe driving behaviors in work zones, Pennsylvania’s Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement began earlier this year. The program uses vehicle-mounted systems to detect and record motorists exceeding posted work zone speed limits by 11 miles per hour or more using electronic speed timing devices. AWZSE systems can be deployed in active work zones, where workers are present, on the turnpike as well as any active work zone on a federal aid highway – this includes higher class roadways like interstates, major arterials, and numbered routes. Registered owners will receive a warning letter for a first offense, a violation notice and $75 fine for a second offense, and a violation notice and $150 fine for third and subsequent offenses. These violations are civil penalties only; no points will be assessed to driver’s licenses.

For more information on work zone safety visit, www.PennDOT.gov/Safety.