Tonight’s performance is canceled due to the air quality alert of the National Weather Service. Along with dropping temperatures and forecasted rain until late tonight the Town Square Concert will be canceled. The next scheduled date is June 15th. We regret that the environment is not collaborating with our event. Please pass the word. Thank you.
HARRISBURG – House Republican Leader Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) said Wednesday that Pennsylvania’s House Democrats have used their one seat majority this week to push multiple tax increases that will impact every Pennsylvanian.
In House Bill 611, the budget put forward by House Democratic leadership and supported solely by Democrat votes, House Democrats embraced a tax on Pennsylvanians when they heat and cool their homes and turn on the lights.
In House Bill 181, which Democrats pushed through the House Labor and Industry Committee, House Democrats voted for a tax on every working Pennsylvanian to socialize paid leave in an unaccountable bureaucracy primed for potential fraud and abuse in the same agency that mismanaged Pennsylvania’s unemployment compensation system.
“Try as they might with a smoke-and-mirrors approach to legislating, but House Democrats this week worked to make it less affordable to live in Pennsylvania by raising taxes and costs on every Pennsylvanian multiple times,” Cutler said. “From their bloated budget that gives state government a raise to their continued quest to have taxpayers pay people more to not work or work less, it is clear Pennsylvania’s House Democrats have embraced the tax-and-spend policies of their predecessors and the policy ideas of the ultra-progressive left wing of their party both here and in Washington, D.C.”
Cutler noted Pennsylvania’s House Republicans, by contrast, have continued to work within the cornerstones of The Keystone Commitment and have supported and driven policies that create a thriving economy, affordable living, safe communities, and a child-first, family-focused educational experience.
“As Pennsylvanians continue to struggle to make ends meet and grapple with record inflation, House Republicans will stand against Democrat-driven tax increases and work to increase affordability,” Cutler said. “So far this session, we have put forward commonsense proposals supported by the majority of Pennsylvania. It is an example the House Democrats’ ‘humble majority’ should follow.”
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) issued an Air Quality Health Advisory for Wednesday, June 7, 2023.
According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation the Air Quality Index (AQI) for Allegany County is listed at 180, which is considered unhealthy. The contaminant of concern is smoke and particles due to wildfires in Canada.
How does this effect my health?
Exposure to fine particles can cause short-term health effects such as eye, nose, throat, and lung irritation, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, and shortness of breath. Exposure to fine particles can also affect lung function and worsen medical conditions such as asthma and heart disease. Scientific studies suggest that long term exposure to fine particulate matter may be associated with increased rates of chronic bronchitis, reduced lung function, and increased mortality from lung cancer and heart disease. People with breathing and heart problems, children, and the elderly may be particularly sensitive.
People with heart or lung disease, older adults, children, and teens – take any of these steps to reduce your exposure:
Avoid strenuous outdoor activities.
Keep outdoor activities short.
Consider moving physical activities indoors or rescheduling them.
Wearing a well fitted N95 or KN95 mask offers the best protection. Surgical masks may be used as well for use in outdoor activities.
Everyone else – take any of these steps to reduce your exposure:
Choose less strenuous activities (like walking instead of running) so you don’t breathe as hard.
Shorten the amount of time you are active outdoors.
To view the current Air Quality in your Zip Code please visitwww.airnow.govfor an interactive map. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us at: 585-268-9250.
The Administration continues to work to improve customer experience and make Commonwealth services more accessible
Harrisburg, PA – In keeping with Governor Josh Shapiro’s commitment to serve Pennsylvanians more effectively and efficiently, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced today that the requirement for proof of Social Security Number for REAL ID products will expand to include additional documents. Per federal regulations, customers wishing to obtain a REAL ID product must present proof of Social Security Number. PennDOT is now expanding acceptable options beyond a Social Security Card.
PennDOT now accepts the following documents as proofs of Social Security Number:
· A Social Security Card;
· A W-2 form;
· A SSA-1099 form;
· A non-SSA-1099 form; or
· A pay stub with the applicant’s name and full Social Security Number on it.
“Governor Shapiro has made it clear that the Commonwealth should help people succeed, not get in the way. Under his direction, PennDOT is working to make our services more streamlined and effective for the people of Pennsylvania,” PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll said. “Obtaining a REAL ID compliant driver’s license or ID card is optional in Pennsylvania, but we want the process to be as convenient as possible while still following federal regulations. We have confirmed that accepting these additional documents does not compromise the security or integrity of the REAL ID program.”
The Education Council is pleased to partner with UPMC Cole to provide a healthcare exploration experience for students. Healthcare explorers will spend three days at UPMC Cole running through medical simulations and health science career observation. The other two days will be spent at the Education Council’s Coudersport office, being introduced to common medical terminology and the human body through games, hands-on activities, and learning about the opportunities for healthcare career preparation. Transportation and lunch are provided.
This camp, taught by Lana Barth, CTC Health Assistance Instructor, is for students entering grades 7– 9. It is scheduled for Monday, July 17 through Friday, July 21, 2023, from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. The cost is $25 per person. Camp minimum is 6 and camp maximum is 12. The registration deadline is July 5th, so register today! Visit www.pottercountyedcouncil.org or call (814) 545-1333.
National Weather Service State College PA 1052 PM EDT Tue Jun 6 2023 …SMOKE TO AFFECT CENTRAL PA THROUGH WEDNESDAY…
Smoke from wildires over Ontario and Quebec will continue to drift south into Pennsylvania through Wednesday. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, sensitive groups, including those with heart or lung disease, older adults, children, and pregnant people should consider taking steps to reduce exposure. This includes avoiding strenuous outdoor activities, keeping outdoor activities short and consider moving physical activities indoors or rescheduling them. Go indoors if you have symptoms.
Air Quality Alert Message Relayed by National Weather Service State College PA 930 AM EDT Wed Jun 7 2023 …AIR QUALITY ALERT IS IN EFFECT FOR WEDNESDAY JUNE 7…
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has issued a Code RED Air Quality Alert for all of Central Pennsylvania due to widespread smoke impacting the state from forest fires across eastern Canada.
A Code RED Air Quality Alert means that air pollution concentrations within the region are unhealthy, and the general public may experience mild health effects. Members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects. The effects of air pollution can be minimized by avoiding strenuous activity or exercise outdoors.
For more information on ground-level ozone and fine particles, visit www.airnow.gov. RXR/BCL/ART
Wilds are Working project bringing six families to Cameron County during the month of July. Kathleen McGuire works with 2-3 clients at a time as a geologist focusing on subsurface oil and gas development. Her passion is cycling. From mountain biking to gravel and road cycling Kathleen enjoys the view from the bike seat.
She has called home cities across the United States including Los Angeles, Houston, and Oklahoma City. Now she wants to reconnect with her roots and enjoy the abundance of state forest and parks. Working remotely allows her to get to know Cameron County and see if living in a small town is the right fit for her.
A committee operating under the direction of the Cameron County Chamber of Commerce had the task of sifting through 41 applications for the PA Wilds Remote Working project. “The committee focused on those ready to relocate and seeking the opportunity to leave big box stores and strip malls behind,” says chamber director Tina Solak.
OLEAN, N.Y., June 2, 2023 — The second annual Vincent C. Horth Memorial Softball Tournament, held May 28, raised $1,621 for the Vincent C. Horth Memorial Scholarship fund at the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation.
This year’s tournament brought together 72 players at the Cattaraugus Fireman’s Club for a draft-style tournament that celebrated the life of Vincent C. Horth, a Cattaraugus native who passed away in 2022.
Horth, a skilled mechanic and electrician, loved sports and the outdoors, and particularly enjoyed playing softball. The first Horth Memorial tournament was organized in 2022 as a tribute and a way to raise money for a scholarship in Horth’s name that supports students planning to follow in his footsteps in the mechanical/electrical field.
Horth’s family established the Vincent C. Horth Memorial scholarship at CRCF in early 2023. The fund is making its first scholarship award this year.
Donations can be made to the Vincent C. Horth Memorial Scholarship fund at CRCF, 301 North Union St., Suite 203, Olean, NY 14760 or online at cattfoundation.org.
As we get closer to the deadline for the U.S. Fire Administration to transition to the new national fire reporting system, we are actively exploring alternative platforms that meet a variety of expectations — including affordability, ease of use, quality of data capture, and compatibility with current and future federal requirements.
At this time, we have not executed any agreements with vendors providing service related to the new statewide fire reporting system.
Until a final procurement decision is made (and we have no timeline to share at this point), ESO Solutions Inc. has agreed to suspend the end-of-life decision and keep Pennsylvania on the Emergency Reporting Software Platform.
When negotiations have concluded, our office will provide additional direction to our partners in the fire service through our normal channels.
HARRISBURG – With many emergency medical services (EMS) agencies struggling to make ends meet, the General Assembly has approved a bill to boost mileage reimbursements for patient transport, said Rep. Martin Causer (R-Cameron/McKean/Potter).
House Bill 479 would ensure EMS agencies are reimbursed by Medicaid for 100% of the miles they travel with a patient on board receiving care or transport by removing the current exemption for the first 20 miles traveled.
“It really makes no sense to require an ambulance to drive 20 miles before seeing a dime of reimbursement for mileage,” Causer said. “The cost of fuel and the cost of care start as soon as that ambulance pulls away and heads to the hospital. We have a responsibility to properly pay for the services provided.”
Under the bill, EMS agencies would continue to be paid $4 per mile. Causer led the effort last year to increase the mileage reimbursement rate from $2 to $4.
“My proposal also sought to remove the exemption for the first 20 miles, so I’m pleased to see that effort advancing in the House this week,” he said.
A former EMT himself, Causer has long been a leader on EMS issues in the Commonwealth. As part of last year’s budget negotiations, he secured an increase in reimbursement rates for both Advanced Life Support (ALS) and Basic Life Support (BLS) services to $400 and $325 per trip, respectively. The change would represent a reimbursement of approximately 80% of the current base Medicare rate in Pennsylvania, plus a reflection of the change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) since 2018.
It was only the second increase in the last two decades, with the last increase taking place in 2018, again based on legislation Causer introduced.
He has also supported laws to reimburse for treatment, even when transport does not take place, and for direct payment by insurance companies to ambulance service providers.
“If we expect our emergency medical services providers to respond when we call 9-1-1, we need to do our part to support them,” Causer said. “This is another small step forward, but there is more work to do to keep our EMS agencies solvent.”
The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.
URGENT – FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE The National Weather Service in State College has issued a Fire Weather Watch, which is in effect from 11 AM EDT this morning through this evening.
* AFFECTED AREA…Potter and Tioga Counties.
* TIMING…From 11 am until 8 pm on Tuesday.
* WINDS…From the northwest 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph.
* RELATIVE HUMIDITY…25-30 percent.
* TEMPERATURES…Upper 60s to lower 70s.
* LIGHTNING…Dry lightning strikes may cause initial fire starts especially in the driest fuel beds.
* IMPACTS…Rapid wildfire growth and spread expected. Outdoor burning is not recommended.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A Fire Weather Watch means that critical fire weather conditions are forecast to occur due to a combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and dry fuels. A Red Flag Warning may be issued.
For more information about wildfire danger, burn restrictions, and wildfire prevention and education, please visit the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources website at http://dcnr.pa.gov/Communities/Wildfire.