Governor Wolf Vetos Election Refrorm. See story below
Minor theft investigated in Lewis Run….Emporium man arrested for assaulting child….Unemployment continues to improve here….Rep. Causer promises to keep fighting for election reform despite governor’s veto….More than 11.6 million doses given….. https://soundcloud.com/gerri-miller-611294886/1-podcast
An Emporium man has been arrested for physical harassment. State police report they were called to a home in Tannery Heights early last Thursday morning when a 12 year old girl told them an unrelated resident in her grandmother’s house had threatened to punch her in the face and struck her in the upper lip. Jon Wrighter, 24, will face charges in district court.
Troopers at Lewis Run investigated a minor theft Monday at a home on Main Street in Lewis Run. Someone stole a bicycle flower pot valued at$5.
The unemployment picture in the five counties served by Black Forest Broadcasting improved between April and May according to figures just released by the state department of labor and industry. Potter County saw a decrease from 6.4% to 6.2%’ McKean County went down from 7.0 to 6.3%; Cameron County improved from 7.3 to 6.5%; Tioga County dropped from 6.5 to 6.0% and Elk went down from 7.2 to 5.7%. Chester County has the best rate in Pennsylvania at 3.9% which was a decrease from 4.4%. Philadelphia County still has the worst rate at 8.9% but that was down from 10.2%. Pennsylvania’s rate was 6.9 % and the national figure was 5.8% for the period.
Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint) says he will continue fighting for stronger voter ID requirements and other election reforms in the Commonwealth despite Gov. Tom Wolf’s veto Wednesday of the Voting Rights Protection Act.
“There is broad bipartisan support for expanded voter ID laws to boost election security,” Causer said. “We already show ID for most everything we do. It is not too much to ask – and will not ‘disenfranchise’ anyone, as the governor claims – to have people present ID when exercising their right to vote. The law even would have required counties and the Department of State to provide an ID to all registered voters to ensure the voter ID requirement could be met.”
Causer said lawmakers will be looking at other options to implement voter ID, including legislation that would propose to amend the state Constitution to require it and bypass the governor entirely.
In addition to voter ID, House Bill 1300 would have further tightened election security by requiring risk-limiting audits in all elections, as well as audits of the Department of State and the Statewide Uniform Registry of Electors every five years; enhancing certification processes for all machines used in elections; and requiring signature verification using ballot scanning equipment for mail-in and absentee ballots.
It also would have addressed issues raised by local election officials, by allowing earlier counting of mail-in ballots, and moving the last day to register to vote back to 30 days prior to an election to allow sufficient time for processing.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed that as of 12:00 a.m., Wednesday, June 30, there were 202 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 1,212,071.
CAMERON-212
ELK-1582
McKEAN-2905
POTTER-1066
TIOGA-2600
ALLEGANY-3562
CATTARAUGUS -5724
There are 316 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that number, 59 patients are in the intensive care unit with COVID-19. Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older.
The trend in the 14-day moving average number of hospitalized patients continues to drop, after peaking at 2,661 patients which is slightly below what it was at the height of the spring 2020 peak of 2,751 patients on May 3, 2020.
Statewide percent positivity for the week of June 18 – June 24 stood at 1.2% down from the previous week.
As of 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, June 29, there were 8 new deaths identified by the Pennsylvania death registry, reported for a total of 27,678 deaths attributed to COVID-19.
According to the CDC, as of Tuesday, June 29, Pennsylvania has administered first doses of vaccine to 62.7% of its entire population, and the state ranks 8th among all 50 states for first doses administered by percentage of population.
According to the CDC, as of Tuesday, June 29, 60% of Pennsylvanians age 18 and older are fully vaccinated while 75.3% have received their first dose.
According to the CDC, as of Tuesday, June 29 Pennsylvania ranks 5th among all 50 states for total doses administered.
Statewide data representing the 66 counties within the Department of Health’s vaccine jurisdiction:
Vaccine providers have administered 11,661,878 total vaccine doses as of Wednesday, June 30.
5,387,538 people are fully vaccinated; with a seven-day moving average of more than 17,100 people per day receiving vaccinations.
1,329,372 people are partially vaccinated, meaning they have received one dose of a two-dose vaccine.
6,716,910 people have received at least their first dose.
This week, a total of 13,746,000 doses will have been allocated through July 3:
299,960 first/single doses will have been allocated this week.
299,960 second doses will have been allocated this week.
To date, we 11,661,878 total doses have been administered through June 29:
First/single doses: 6,716,910 administered
Second doses: 4,944,968 administered
The department continues to urge Pennsylvanians to follow CDC for wearing a mask where required by law, rule and regulations, including healthcare, local business and workplace guidance. For the protection of themselves and others, individuals who have not yet been vaccinated or are partially
In licensed nursing and personal care homes, there are 72,032 resident cases of COVID-19, and 15,545 cases among employees, for a total of 87,577 at 1,598 distinct facilities in all 67 counties.
Approximately 29,014 of the total cases are among health care workers.
All Pennsylvanians age 12 and older are eligible to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine. Use Vaccine Finder to find a COVID-19 vaccine provider near you.
A commonwealth COVID-19 vaccination guide explains the current process for getting one. Pennsylvanians with questions about the vaccination process can call the Department of Health hotline at 1-877-724-3258.