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Senator John Pippy E-NewsPennsylvania Budget Passes
The General Assembly passed, and Governor Tom Corbett signed, the budget for the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania yesterday, June 30, 2011. This marks the first time
in the past nine years that a budget has been passed on time. For an overview of the budget that was passed, including highlights, line item details, and press releases surrounding the budget, please visit the website of the Governor's Budget Office at: http://www.budget.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/current_and_proposed_commonwealth_budgets/4566. Interested constituents may also find the Governor's Budget Dashboard helpful, which includes charts and graphs outlining state spending in an easy to digest user interface. The Budget Dashboard feature is available at the following link: http://www.portal.state.pa.us/imageserver/budget2011/GBD_2011.html.
For press on the new state budget, please see the following links: News You Can Use Boaters Reminded to Follow Safety Tips Over July 4 Holiday Harrisburg, PA – As the busy July 4 holiday approaches, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) is reminding boaters to follow safety precautions when they are on the water, particularly when engaging boat propellers. "Boating is among the most popular of summer recreational activities and a lot of people like to anchor their boats and go swimming," said Ryan Walt, PFBC boating and watercraft safety manager. "However, a day of fun and sun out on the water could end in serious injury or even death if boaters don't follow appropriate safety precautions. Every year we see accidents in which individuals swimming behind boats are struck by propellers." Last year in Pennsylvania, 72 boating accidents were reported to the PFBC, of which 15 involved individuals being struck by propellers. Since 2000, three people have died as a result of being struck by a propeller. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, more than 6,000 boating accidents occur every year. Walt says propeller strikes are among the most preventable of all boating accidents and advises boaters to practice the following safety tips:
Before starting your boat:
Educate passengers:
Keep a lookout:
Also, Walt suggests boaters consider purchasing propeller safety guards, cage-type devices which surround the propeller and shield people from the blades. The mission of the Fish and Boat Commission is to protect, conserve, and enhance the Commonwealth’s aquatic resources and provide fishing and boating opportunities. For more information about fishing and boating in Pennsylvania, please visit our website at http://www.fishandboat.com. Media Contact: Eric Levis, 717.705.7806, elevis@state.pa.us. Program
Offers Fresh Fruit & Vegetables for Seniors, Women, & Children Pennsylvania is renewing its commitment to increasing the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables by seniors, children, and women who are pregnant and breast-feeding, according to the PA Department of Agriculture. The Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) offer eligible recipients four $5.00 checks redeemable at over 1,000 participating farms and farmers markets across Pennsylvania. FMNP recipients must be in the WIC program to qualify. Seniors 60 or older by December 31st of the program year, who meet income eligibility guidelines, should contact their local Area Agency on Aging for additional information and eligibility requirements to participate in the SFMNP. Come for the Fossil Day Camps, Stay for the Collection of 4.5 Million Objects & Artifacts Come in out of the summer heat for a cool time at the Pennsylvania State Museum. Fossil Day Camps will be held from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on consecutive Wednesdays throughout July. Children ages 9-11 will go inside the museum’s popular "Dino Lab" exhibit and experience how a State Museum technician discovered the skull of a previously unidentified dinosaur. Campers will explore the exciting new paleontology exhibit, "Life through Time" and the Marshalls Creek Mastadon. Museum educators will share their knowledge of fossils and reveal how paleontologists perform their scientific work. Following the half-day camps, visitors are encouraged to view the State Museum’s permanent and temporary exhibits covering 100,000 square feet and featuring Pennsylvania’s social, industrial and economic history, decorative, fine and industrial arts, archaeology, zoology and paleontology. The Commonwealth’s official museum holds 4.5 million objects in its collection. The State Museum of Pennsylvania, located at 300 North Street, Harrisburg, PA is one of 25 historic sites and museums administered by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission as part of the Pennsylvania Trails of History. 2011 Hurricane Season Prediction Prompts Precautions The 2011 hurricane season prediction is prompting a precautionary warning from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA). The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) prediction for above-average tropical storm activity for the next 6 months across the Atlantic Basin includes the following:
Because the NOAA seasonal hurricane outlook does not predict where and when the storms will hit, PEMA is urging all Pennsylvanians to plan accordingly. A series of PEMA Fact Sheets are available to help you and your family prepare for floods, landslides, tornados, and thunderstorms and lightning. READY PA prepares you to spot risks, make emergency plans, and help others, including those with special needs. Get 3 Free Credit Check-ups Annually How much do you owe your creditors? How well do you pay off your debt? Have you ever declared bankruptcy? Do you owe child support? Have you ever been referred to a collections agency? Along with your income and job history, those are some of the primary factors considered in determining your credit rating, according to the Pennsylvania Office of Financial Education (POFE). Ratings also take into consideration any applications for new credit, types of credit used, and new debt. The Fair Isaac Corporation issues FICO scores ranging from 300-850, the higher the number, the better the credit rating. Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, relying on an "A-F" grading system, are each annually required to provide one free credit report. The POFE recommends staggering requests every four months, permitting you to stay on top of any irregularities or incorrect information affecting your ability to secure future credit. For additional information on obtaining the free credit reports, see the federally authorized website www.AnnualCreditReport.com. Passport Application Rules Have Changed New applicants for U.S. passports must meet a new requirement regarding primary evidence of U.S. citizenship, regardless of age. The U.S. Department of State has made it mandatory for the full names of the passport applicant’s parent or parents to be listed on all certified copies of birth certificates, commonly referred to as the long form birth certificate. Certified copies of long form birth certificates must include:
Individuals born in Pennsylvania after 1906 can obtain a copy of their long form birth certificate through the Division of Vital Records, ATTN: Birth Unit, 101 South Mercer Street, Central Building Room 401, P.O. Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103. Pennsylvania birth certificates issued prior to 1906 can be accessed through the courthouse in the county where the person was born. Those born in another state or U.S. territory can locate the appropriate Bureau of Vital Records through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. PennDOT Traffic Alerts PennDOT District 11 Weekend Construction Summary PennDOT District 11 will not be issuing a formal "Weekend Traffic Alert" for the upcoming holiday weekend. Other than long-term restrictions like those on Route 28, Route 65, Parkway East (as mentioned below) most construction activities and traffic restrictions will not occur this weekend to minimize impacts on the traveling public during the holiday. Please be safe and never drink and drive. Thank you, Route 65 Single Lane Closures Begin in Glenfield Borough Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT is announcing single lane closures in both directions on Route 65 (Ohio River Boulevard) in the area of the I-79 Interchange in Glenfield Borough, Allegheny County, will begin on Thursday, June 30 weather permitting. Crews will be cleaning the I-79 bridges over Route 65. Lane closures will occur on Route 65 in the bridge area as needed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays through July 8. (Note: No work will occur on July 4.) All ramps will remain open and I-79 will not be affected. Crews from Michael Facchiano Contracting, Inc. of Pittsburgh, PA, will perform the work. Motorists are advised to use caution, slow down, and expect changing traffic patterns when traveling through the area. Log on to 511pa.com or call 511 from any phone to check traffic conditions on major roadways before traveling. Outbound Parkway East Single Lane Nightly Through Mid-July in
Monroeville Business Route 22 Lane Closures and Stoppages Continue
Pittsburgh – PennDOT District 11 is announcing traffic on the outbound
(eastbound) Parkway East (I-376) in the area of the Pennsylvania Turnpike/Plum
(Exit 84-85) off-ramps in the Municipality of Monroeville, Allegheny County,
will be reduced to single lane nightly through July 15.
Crews will continue work on the bridge that carries the outbound Parkway
East over Business Route 22 (Route 2048). Outbound single lane traffic will
occur according to the following schedule June 29-July 15: Lane closures and traffic stoppages on Business Route 22 in the area under the outbound Parkway East (I-376) will also continue through July 15. Restrictions will occur from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. each night. Westbound traffic on Business Route 22 will be reduced to a single lane alternating use; brief, intermittent traffic stoppages of five minutes or less will occur on eastbound Business Route 22. Motorists are advised to use caution, allow extra time, and be prepared for changing traffic patterns. Please slow down and be safe in the work zone. The $19 million Parkway East (I-376) project, which started in 2010, includes milling and resurfacing the outbound lanes and interchange ramps, drainage, guide rail and end treatments, shoulders, bridge preservation work, acceleration and deceleration ramp lengthening, signing and pavement markings, highway lighting and other improvements on 4.48 miles of I-376 (Penn Lincoln Highway) in Churchill Borough, Wilkins Township, and the municipalities of Penn Hills and Monroeville. The prime contractor for the project is Swank Associated Companies, Inc. of New Kensington. Work will be completed in late 2011. Visit penndot11.com for more info on the project. Motorists can receive construction updates and traffic advisories from PennDOT for the Parkway East by sending their email address to jstruzzi@state.pa.us. Please type “Subscribe-Parkway East” in the subject line. Log on to 511pa.com or call 511 from any phone to check traffic conditions and cameras on major roadways before traveling. Information and Resources For more information, visit the District 11 website, www.dot.state.pa.us , click PennDOT near you, “11” under “roadwork”. PennDOT reminds motorists to call the construction hotline at 412-429-6035 for information and current activities on the Parkway East, Parkway West, Parkway North, I-79 and Route 28. All work is weather permitting. Call 1-800 FIX ROAD to report roadway problems and concerns. Log on to 511pa.com or call 511 from any phone to check traffic conditions and cameras on major roadways before traveling. The 511 system also automatically feeds Twitter accounts with information such as incidents, construction notices and weather alerts. The Pittsburgh/Southwestern-region account, www.twitter.com/511PAPittsburgh, covers Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington and Westmoreland counties. Follow PennDOT to receive real-time updates. District 11 offers specialized information for particular roadways and projects. Potential email subscribers should specify preferences for receiving information for the following categories:
INFORMATION PROVIDED BY: Pennsylvania Department of
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