Wolf Administration Announces Creation of COVID-19 Vaccine Joint Task Force with Legislature

Harrisburg, PA – While conversations with the entire General Assembly on the state’s vaccine plan will remain ongoing, Governor Tom Wolf’s Administration also sought to provide a mechanism for accurate, timely information sharing via a streamlined set of communicators between these two branches of state government. As such, today the Wolf Administration announced that it is establishing a joint task force with members from each legislative caucus who can share vaccine information and communicate issues and solutions expediently on behalf of and to the broader General Assembly.

“We have a good working relationship with our legislators, and we know they are the eyes, ears, and voices for Pennsylvanians,” Gov. Wolf said. “The feedback they receive from their local communities is extremely important, particularly as the commonwealth continues to improve upon this once-in-a-generation vaccine rollout. Working with leaders from each caucus in the General Assembly, we are creating a task force to ensure collaboration and strengthen communications about the state’s vaccine plan.”

Task force members will represent their caucus’s point-of-view and work to streamline conversations to focus and drive issues of importance. Wolf Administration members will serve as task force members with the subject matter expertise to listen, collaborate and provide information, answers and suggestions to solve problems in a timely manner.

Members of the task force include co-chairs Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam and Director of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency Randy Padfield; for the Senate Democratic Caucus, Sen. Art Haywood; for the House Democratic Caucus, Rep. Bridget Kosierowski; for the Senate Republican Caucus, Sen. Ryan Aument; and for the House Republican Caucus, Rep. Tim O’Neal.

The task force will be meeting as needed and providing updates to the full General Assembly via each of the task force members.

Speed Limits Restored on Roadways in the Region

 

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT has lifted the speed limit restrictions that were in place on several roadways in the region.

Due to the winter storm impacting the region, speed limits were reduced this morning to 45 mph on all interstates and several other routes in the region. All speeds are restored to their usual posted limits.

PennDOT is continuing to treat roadways in the area and will continue until roads are clear.

Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 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 1,000 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.

For more winter driving tips and information on how PennDOT treats winter storms, visit www.PennDOT.gov.

Follow PennDOT on Twitter at www.twitter.com/511PAPittsburgh

Kobe Bryant crash pilot disoriented in clouds, agency says
By STEFANIE DAZIO and BRIAN MELLEY Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Safety investigators say the pilot of Kobe Bryant’s helicopter flew through the clouds in an apparent violation of federal standards, and likely became disoriented. Robert Sumwalt, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, said Tuesday that pilot Ara Zobayan was flying under visual flight rules, which means he needed to be able to see where he was going. Zobayan piloted the aircraft to climb sharply and had nearly broken through the clouds when the Sikorsky S-76 helicopter banked abruptly and plunged into the hills below, killing all aboard. The helicopter did not have the so-called “black box” recording devices, which were not required.

Firefighters battle blaze, partial collapse in Pittsburgh
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Fire and a partial collapse has demolished at least part of a multistory building on Pittsburgh’s South Side built at least 141 years ago. Fire crews fought for hours to contain the blaze reported at about 2:30 p.m. that sent flames and smoke poured from the building. At one point, the side of the building facing 11th street collapsed. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that the first floor of the building houses a barber shop and the South Side Welcome Center, which is home to the South Side Chamber of Commerce. The other floors contain residential units. No injuries were immediately reported. The cause of the blaze wasn’t immediately clear.

Mary Wilson, longest-reigning original Supreme, dies at 76
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Mary Wilson, the longest-reigning original Supreme, has died at 76 years old. Publicist Jay Schwartz says Wilson died Monday night at her home in Las Vegas and that the cause was not immediately clear. Wilson, Diana Ross and Florence Ballard made up the first successful configuration of The Supremes. She stayed with the group until it was officially disbanded by Motown in 1977. The group’s first No. 1, million-selling song, “Where Did Our Love Go,” was released June 17, 1964. Motown founder Berry Gordon says he’s extremely shocked and saddened to hear of her death. He says the Supremes were “always known as the sweethearts of Motown.”

AAA: Pennsylvania Gas Prices Increase with Oil Prices on the Rise
The average price of gasoline across Western Pennsylvania is five cents higher this week at $2.774 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average                  $2.774
Average price during the week of February 1, 2021                                  $2.722
Average price during the week of February 10, 2020                                $2.719

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

$2.848      Altoona
$2.784      Beaver
$2.852      Bradford
$2.838      Brookville
$2.779      Butler
$2.755      Clarion
$2.762      DuBois
$2.834      Erie
$2.652      Greensburg
$2.859      Indiana
$2.665      Jeannette
$2.839      Kittanning
$2.470      Latrobe
$2.843      Meadville
$2.816      Mercer
$2.542      New Castle
$2.844      New Kensington
$2.859      Oil City
$2.790      Pittsburgh
$2.799      Sharon
$2.832      Uniontown
$2.859      Warren
$2.685      Washington

Trend Analysis:
At $2.46, the national gas price average is more expensive on the week (+4 cents), the month (+16 cents) and the year (+2 cents). This past Saturday, February 6, was the first time in 340 days the national average was more expensive than a year ago. Today, nearly two-thirds of all state gas price averages are more expensive year-over-year. Pump prices continue to climb, in part due to expensive crude oil and the market’s growing optimism that demand will increase amid the vaccination roll-out.

Up to $56/barrel, crude oil increased last week following Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ (OPEC) decision to keep their production cuts unchanged—a decision influenced by the ongoing impact of the pandemic on gasoline demand. Crude has not been priced this high since January 2020. Typically, it can take a few weeks before pump prices see the impact of more expensive crude, and with crude accounting for more than 50% of the retail price, increases are very likely to continue.

On the week, 46 state gas price averages are more expensive with 13 states seeing a nickel or more increase. Motorists in Florida (+11 cents), Michigan (+11 cents) and West Virginia (+10 cents) saw the largest weekly increases.

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.

HARRISBURG — Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced that a South Carolina man has been arrested for the murder of Jean Tuggy, 60, who was shot in her Pine Grove Mills home on January 21, 2016.

“Jean died more than five years ago and her family has not had closure since,” said AG Shapiro. “Thanks to the diligent efforts of our lawyers, investigators, and fellow members of law enforcement who never gave up on this case, the arrest of Christopher Kowalski is the first step toward putting her murderer behind bars. The Tuggy family has waited too long for justice, but we hope this news helps them heal.”

Jean Tuggy was found deceased in her home on January 21, 2016, after being shot two times with a 9mm pistol. Over the course of the five-year investigation, agents identified Tuggy’s former Wegman’s coworker, Christopher Kowalski, 35, as a potential suspect.

Investigators learned that Jean Tuggy had developed a friendship with Kowalski and he became romantically interested in her. Investigators also learned that, at the time of the murder, Kowalski owned a 9mm pistol that he later sold. The pistol was tracked to its new owner, who turned over the weapon to police. Examination of the weapon revealed that it had many of the same traits as the identified murder weapon.

Following the murder, Kowalski moved to South Carolina, where he now lives. When he was located and visited by OAG agents, Kowalski admitted to the murder. He has been arrested and will be extradited to Pennsylvania to be prosecuted.
The matter was investigated by OAG Special Agent Chris Weaver, and Detective Caleb Clouse from the Ferguson Township Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Kelly Sekula. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilt