Story and photos by Mark Peterson

(Beaver, PA) Concise and clear. That was definitely the case for the talk that PA State representative Joshua Kail (R-15th district) gave during a noon time press conference held Friday in court room 1 at the Beaver County court house.  The fact is, the state rep only used one word, and its meaning was very clear to describe how he felt PA Governor Wolf and the Wolf administration had handled and responded to issues concerning the COVID 19 crisis. That word was “incompetence.”

Kail’s word was used eight times in his four minute and nineteen second address.  His dissertation was one of many segments during Friday’s presentation that also included speeches from Beaver County Commission Chairman Daniel Camp, County Commissioner Tony Amadio,  County Commissioner Jack Manning, State Representative Jim Marshall, State Senator Elder Vogel and Beaver County District Attorney David Lozier.   The reason for the mass eloquence from Beaver County’s chosen leaders was to gather in solidarity to voice their displeasure toward PA Governor Wolf’s decision to single out Beaver County and make it the only county in southwest PA not to have COVID 19 shut down restrictions eased.

Video from Josh Kail’s speech on Friday May 8, 2020.

The focal point of the press conference was to announce that Beaver County officials will move forward anyway and allow certain local businesses to re open, even though state wide restrictions remain in place. That was made possible by getting the affirmation from District Attorney David Lozier that he would not prosecute any business or business owner who had a complaint filed against them.  The guidance suggested by Lozier and the other elected officials for re opening was in effect the same businesses that would have been allowed to open if Beaver County had been given the “Yellow Phase” designation. That phase  mainly allows retail shops, child care centers and gatherings of up to 25 people to open or happen.  Bars, restaurants, hair salons and other enterprises that are regulated by the state would not receive the same special “look the other way” privileges as promised by Lozier for the local establishments.

Officially, Beaver County continues to be listed as a “Red Phase” county with only life sustaining and essential businesses, along with a few added exceptions, allowed to operate until the next proposed deadline of June 4, 2020.

Other video segments from Friday’s press conference are available at the BCR Radio Youtube Channel.