Keystone State News Connection

Andrea Sears

HARRISBURG, Pa. — There has been some improvement in the well-being of Pennsylvania’s children over the past year, but many still lack health insurance and live in poverty, according to a new report.

The 2020 Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation shows the Keystone State has slipped from 17th to 20th among states, across 16 indicators of child well-being. Kari King, president and CEO at the Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, noted that while the state is in the top 10 for education, issues like the percentage of children living in single-parent households and families’ economic well-being continue to be barriers.

“While we have improved slightly in terms of the number of children living in high-poverty areas as compared to last year, overall it’s showing that we’re not making enough progress,” King said.

With 17% of children living in poverty, the state ranks 23rd in the nation for economic well-being and 26th in the category of “family and community.”

The report showed improvement in 3 of the 4 indicators of children’s health. But King pointed out that, across the state, there are still more than 120,000 children without health insurance.

“We’re looking to develop some targeted strategies where we think there might be more impacted communities that aren’t accessing health insurance,” she said, “making sure that their parents are aware that coverage is available, particularly through the Children’s Health Insurance Program.”

According to the report, 4% of Pennsylvania children are uninsured.

King cautioned the data for the report was gathered before the COVID-19 pandemic, which means there could be some significant changes in the future that affect children’s well-being – including access to childcare as parents return to work, and kids’ health.

“A lot of well-child visits weren’t able to occur during the pandemic, so we’re seeing declines in places, like immunization rates,” she said. “So, there’s going to be a lot of work that a follow-up report later this year will highlight for us.”

(File Photo)

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Hopewell Twp., Pa.)  A four lot consolidation  on Beaver and Creston Avenues in Woodlawn Park and a five lot consolidation  on Edgewood Street, also in Woodlawn park were unanimously approved by Hopewell Commissioners  last night.  Both are  zoned R-3 residential . The commissioners said that eventually  homes will be built at the sites..

Man wronged in past by police saves officer from burning car
By CLAUDIA LAUER Associated Press
A Pennsylvania man is being credited with saving a Uniontown Police officer’s life after he helped pull him from a burning car Sunday night. Daylan McLee said he didn’t hesitate to save a human life. The 31-year-old Black man has had several bad interactions with police officers, having filed a wrongful arrest lawsuit against Pennsylvania State Police after he spent a year in jail before being acquitted in a situation where video showed he had disarmed a gunman, not pointed a gun at officers. McLee said Monday he wants more people to look at individuals and not judge all police based on one interaction.

Starbucks adds plant-based meat to US menu
By DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Business Writer
Starbucks is adding plant-based meat to its U.S. menu for the first time. The Seattle-based coffee chain says a breakfast sandwich made with imitation sausage from California-based Impossible Foods is now available at a majority of its U.S. restaurants. The sandwich comes with egg and cheese and is served on a ciabatta bun. Starbucks said earlier this year it would add fake meat to its menus worldwide as part of an effort to reduce its environmental impact. In April, it began selling lasagna, pasta and wraps made with Beyond Meat crumbles in China. It also introduced a Beyond Meat breakfast sandwich in Canada in February.

(Hollywood, CA.) Could Pittsburgh native Michael Keaton return to one of his most popular roles as Batman?  The Hollywood Reporter is saying that is a good possibility as Keaton is reported to be in talks to do just the in the new Warner Bros. DC Movie, “The Flash.”  Keaton could also appear as Bruce Wayne in other DC-oriented films, The Hollywood Reporter says.

Keaton was raised in Coraopolis and Forest Grove and attended Montour High School before studying speech for two years at Kent State University.

Some of Keaton’s famous rolls were in Night Shift (1982), Mr. Mom (1982), Johnny Dangerously (1984) Beetlejuice (1988). Keaton also starred as Hunt Stevenson in the film Gung Ho that was filmed in Beaver County in 1985 and was on the big screen in 1986. Keaton made his debut as Batman in Tim Burton’s 1989 “Batman” and the 1992 sequel “Batman Returns.”

‘Jaws,’ ‘Black Panther’ and more coming back to the drive-in
By LINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer
“Jaws,” “Black Panther” and “Back to the Future” are just a few of the modern popcorn classics coming to the drive-in this summer. Tribeca Enterprises, IMAX and AT&T on Monday announced the initial lineup for its summer series of films, comedy and football offerings running every weekend from July 2 through Aug. 2 in cities like Los Angeles, New York, Dallas, Minneapolis, Atlanta and Seattle. A July 4 celebration will include screenings of “Field of Dreams,” “The Wizard of Oz,” and “Apollo 13.” Other films include “The Dark Knight,” “BeetleJuice,” “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure” and “Do The Right Thing.” Tickets, which are free for essential workers, are currently on sale.

PITTSBURGH, PA (June 23, 2020) – Allegheny Health Network (AHN) today announced the schedule for its mobile testing unit through Friday, June 26. The vehicle will be at the following locations from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. this week:

• Tuesday, June 23 – City Hall Building in Clairton (551 Ravensburg Boulevard)
• Wednesday, June 24 – Hazelwood Family Health Center in Hazelwood (4915 Second Avenue)
• Thursday, June 25 – AHN Canonsburg Hospital in Canonsburg (100 Medical Boulevard)
• Friday, June 26 – Alma Illery Medical Center in Homewood (7227 Hamilton Avenue)

To undergo COVID testing at the AHN mobile clinics, patients should either be experiencing symptoms consistent with the virus – including fever, cough and shortness of breath – or believe they are at risk due to contact with someone with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis.  A physician’s order IS NOT required for an appointment at AHN’s mobile clinic, but an appointment is encouraged to minimize wait times.  Patients can make an appointment by calling AHN’s 24/7 Nurse On Call-line (412-NURSE4U – or 412-687-7348).

What to expect when arriving at the mobile testing site:

• Patients will walk or drive through a secured, marked area.
• No outdoor restrooms will be available at the collection locations.
• The sample is collected via a nasal swab and the process typically takes less than 30 seconds, not including any wait times.
• Testing results for the coronavirus typically take 5-7 days, depending on regional test volume. Individuals will be contacted directly with their results.  As volumes increase, wait times for results may be longer.
• While waiting for their test results, individuals should stay at home. Those who receive positive COVID-19 test results may be issued additional care orders or self-isolation orders.

AHN also continues to make COVID-19 testing available at the following community locations:

• AHN Wexford Health + Wellness Pavilion, 12311 Perry Highway, Wexford PA 15090
• AHN Bethel Park Health + Wellness Pavilion, 990 Higbee Dr., Bethel Park PA 15102
• 4220 William Penn Highway, Monroeville PA , 15146
• AHN West Side Health + Wellness Pavilion, 4247 Ridge Road, Erie PA 16506
• AHN Braddock Urgent Care, 501 Braddock Ave., Braddock PA 15104
• The former Divine Providence/Kindred Hospital, 1004 Arch St., Pittsburgh PA 15212
• Heights Plaza Shopping Center, 1828 Union Ave., Natrona Heights, PA 15065

More information on the testing locations can be found at https://www.ahn.org/coronavirus/where-to-go-for-help/testing.

Pennsylvania Reduced Prison Population by Record-Setting 3,471 since March 1 

Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf announced today that since March 1, the population of those in state correctional facilities has been reduced by 3,471 individuals, the largest multiple-month decrease ever experienced by the Department of Corrections and one that likely helped the department reduce the number of COVID-19 cases in facilities.

“When COVID-19 arrived, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections met the challenge of keeping the general public safe while protecting its inmate population from this easily transmissible disease,” Gov. Wolf said. “The department has been successful at keeping COVID-19 from spreading widely in the congregate settings of correctional facilities.”

In the three-plus months since COVID-19 was first identified in Pennsylvania, less than 1 percent of the state prison population has tested positive. Ultimately, the inmates inside state correctional institutions have proven so far to be more secure from COVID-19 than the general population, where the mortality rate is 90% higher than it is in the state’s correctional facilities as of today.

The population reduction includes furloughing paroled individuals from centers to home plans; working with the parole board to maximize parole releases; reviewing parole detainers for those in county jails and state prisons; expediting the release process for anyone with a pending approved home plan; reviewing and releasing inmates who are beyond their minimum sentences; and implementing the temporary reprieve program that has allowed Gov. Wolf to issue reprieves to 159 inmates during the pandemic.

These releases are in addition to preexisting criminal justice reform efforts that have reduced Pennsylvania’s prison population from 48,881 inmates when Gov. Wolf entered office at the beginning of January 2015 to 41,738 inmates today. That 7,143 decrease in population in under five years has allowed the state to reduce taxpayer costs by closing facilities while enabling more Pennsylvanians to resume their lives – all without an increase in the state’s crime rate.

“The Department of Corrections takes pride in its ability to keep inmates safe and will continue to prioritize health and wellness during the COVID-19 crisis,” DOC Sec. John Wetzel said. “We will continue to seek improvements in our criminal justice system that minimizes the number of incarcerated individuals while providing the highest degree of safety to every Pennsylvanian.”

Pennsylvania has taken a bipartisan approach to criminal justice reform and in recent years has:

• Passed Justice Reinvestment 2 addressing the high cost of incarceration in the state, strengthening support for county probation programs and fixing inadequate sentencing guidelines, and reforming the post-trial criminal justice system.
• Created a Fair-Chance hiring policy for state agencies that removes the criminal conviction question, otherwise known as “banning the box,” from non-civil service employment applications for agencies under the governor’s jurisdiction.
• Signed the “Clean Slate” bill, the first of its kind in the nation, to help those who have committed low-level offenses and have paid their penalty get back on the path to a blemish-free record, removing potential roadblocks to jobs, housing, health care, and education.
• Signed Act 95 of 2018, eliminating driver’s license suspensions for non-driving infractions.
• Signed Act 146 of 2018, extending the time a convicted individual has to file a post-conviction relief action to one year, from what was 60 days under current law.
• Signed Act 147 of 2018, updating Pennsylvania’s DNA testing law to reflect significant advances in technology and the lessons learned by criminal justice professionals since 2002. The legislation removes the supervision requirement that only people serving a sentence can apply for DNA testing.
• Signed Act 148 of 2018, a victim protection bill regarding housing options and emergency transfers.

Find more information on Pennsylvania’s response to COVID-19 here.

Find more information on Gov. Wolf’s Process to Reopen PA here.