Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar gets an “I voted” sticker after voting early in person by mail ballot today at the Bucks County Elections Office.

Harrisburg, Pa.  – Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar cast her ballot today in the Nov. 3 election by voting early in person by mail ballot at the Bucks County Election Office.

“I went to the election office today, 25 days before the election, applied for a mail ballot, filled it out and cast it, all in one visit,” said Secretary Boockvar. “It was incredibly easy, and this early voting option is a convenient and secure choice for all Pennsylvanians.”

Bucks County Commissioners Diane Ellis-Marseglia, Gene DiGirolamo and Bob Harvie accompanied Secretary Boockvar on her visit to the county election office.

“I was pleased to join Secretary Boockvar in casting my vote, as well,” Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia said.

As part of the process, a Bucks County election official approved the mail ballot applications of Secretary Boockvar and Commissioner Ellis-Marseglia after verifying their eligibility to vote.

“We couldn’t be more thankful for the job Secretary Boockvar has done guiding the commonwealth through this tumultuous election year,” Commissioner Bob Harvie said. “Even before being named Pennsylvania Secretary of State she was a nationally recognized leader on election security, and she has proven to be a tireless advocate for Pennsylvanians.”

Voters can use the option to vote early in person by mail ballot until 5 p.m. on Oct. 27, the deadline to apply for a mail ballot for the Nov. 3 election.

Before making the trip to vote in person by mail ballot, voters should check the hours of their county’s election office or satellite office. A list of satellite voting locations designated by county election boards will be updated as information is made available.

Voters should make sure that they enclose their ballot first in the white inner secrecy envelope and seal it, then insert the inner envelope into the outer envelope and sign and complete the voter’s declaration on the outer pre-printed return envelope.  Voters must complete these two steps in order for their ballots to be counted.

Pennsylvanians can also choose to vote by mail or to vote in person at their polling place on election day. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 3. They should wear a mask and follow social distancing guidelines. The Department of State is supplying counties with masks, face shields, hand sanitizer, floor marking tape and other supplies for polling places so Pennsylvanians can safely exercise their right to vote during the COVID-19 emergency.

For more information on voting and elections in Pennsylvania, call the Department of State’s toll-free hotline at 1-877-VOTESPA (1-877-868-3772) or visit votesPA.com.

• Require all customers to wear masks while entering, exiting or otherwise traveling throughout the restaurant or retail food service business (face masks may be removed while seated). Further, employees are required to wear masks at all times.
• Provide at least six feet between parties at tables or physical barriers between customers where booths are arranged back to back.
• Ensure maximum occupancy limits for indoor and outdoor areas are posted and enforced.

Harrisburg, PA – Today, Governor Tom Wolf announced that Gentex Corporation, a fourth-generation, family-run, advanced manufacturer of personal protection equipment (PPE) and situational awareness systems for defense, law enforcement/first responder, and industrial safety applications has partnered with the commonwealth to expand its operations at its headquarters in Fell Township, Lackawanna County, creating 60 new jobs and retaining 484 jobs at the facility.

“Gentex develops products that are critical for public health and safety,” said Gov. Wolf. “We are pleased to partner with this company on an expansion project that will help protect our frontline workers as we continue to battle this pandemic.”

Gentex will renovate and optimize its existing 299,000-square-foot headquarters and manufacturing facility, purchase new machinery and equipment, and continue investing in training its skilled workforce. The company is investing over $14 million into a phased multi-year renovation project.

“Gentex is committed to continue growing in Northeast Pennsylvania,” said Gentex CEO L.P. Frieder. “This investment, with the support of the Department of Community and Economic Development, assists us in retaining and developing the talent necessary to design and deliver the innovative products and technologies our global customers demand.” 

The project was coordinated by the Governor’s Action Team, an experienced group of economic development professionals who report directly to the governor and work with businesses that are considering locating or expanding in Pennsylvania.

Gentex was founded in 1894 and is a premium supplier to the U.S. Department of Defense and its allies. They develop helmet systems and capability upgrades/accessories, respiratory protection systems, hearing protection and communications, PPE, performance optics and aluminized fabrics (OEM).

For more information about the Governor’s Action Team or DCED, visit dced.pa.gov, and be sure to stay up-to-date with all of our agency news on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Harrisburg, PA – One year after its first convening following the signing of Executive Order 2019-06, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) reconvened the Special Council on Gun Violence today to discuss state agencies’ progress in implementing recommendations from its Report of Findings, Recommendations, and Action Steps adopted in March 2020, and to hear from communities working to address gun violence.

“The world has changed considerably since I signed an executive order last August to work to aggressively combat gun violence in our state,” Gov. Wolf said. “Civil unrest and a global pandemic have added to the stress and devastation among too many Pennsylvania communities. Now more than ever, we need to address gun violence in all of its forms. Thank you for the work the Special Council has undertaken amid difficult circumstances. Your dedication is noticed and appreciated.”

“Over the last several months, we’ve seen the epidemic of gun violence continue to plague communities amidst a global pandemic,” said Mike Pennington, executive director of PCCD. “Today’s meeting was a reminder that our work to address this public health and public safety crisis remains more vital than ever.”

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), firearm-related injuries are among the leading causes of injury-related deaths for adults and the leading cause of injury-related death among children and teens in Pennsylvania. More than 1,650 people died in Pennsylvania from gunshot wounds in 2018, a rate above the national average.

As shown in data from the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s recently published Violence Data Dashboard, the vast majority of these firearm-related fatalities – 62% – were suicides, and firearms were used in about half of the commonwealth’s more than 2,000 suicide deaths in 2018.

To address the growing rates of suicide – including suicide by firearms – the Wolf Administration released Pennsylvania’s Statewide Suicide Prevention Plan, developed by the state’s Suicide Prevention Task Force.

The Wolf Administration also recently announced the availability of $7.5 million in funding to support the 2021 Community Violence Prevention/Reduction Grant Program. Under this competitive solicitation, priority consideration will go to evidence-based or evidence-informed programs that address gun violence and gang violence in areas of Pennsylvania identified with high-violent crime rates. Eligible applicants (municipalities, counties, institutions of higher education, and community-based organizations) have until Tuesday, November 10, 2020, to submit applications to PCCD, with awards expected to be announced in January 2021.

More information about the Special Council on Gun Violence and related initiatives is available on PCCD’s Gun Violence webpage.

Harrisburg, PA – Today, Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine announced that beginning Tuesday, October 13, an outdoor testing clinic will be held in the Front Street parking lot at FirstEnergy Stadium in Berks County to contain the recent rapid increase in COVID-19 cases.

“Since the beginning of September, we have seen an increase of 1,469 cases in Berks County, which gives us significant cause for concern,” Dr. Levine said. “These testing sites will be open to anyone who feels they need a test. It is important that even people with no symptoms who test positive isolate and quarantine to stop the spread of COVID-19.”

The department has signed a contract with AMI Expeditionary Healthcare (AMI) to provide testing in communities in need across Pennsylvania. Already, AMI deployed to Centre, Columbia and Indiana counties to perform community testing.

The department decides which counties to deploy testing based on the total number of confirmed cases in the last 14 days per 100,000 people as well as where outbreaks are happening, county population, and other metrics.

This week, Berks has the twelfth-highest percent-positivity at 4.7 percent. This is up from a percent-positivity of 3.9 percent the previous week. The department believes that increased testing in the county will assist in determining the prevalence of the virus and assist the county in moving forward. Other concerning counties, identified as those with percent positives above five percent, can be found on the Early Warning Monitoring Dashboard. Each county bears watching as the state continues to monitor all available data.

The schedule for testing is 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM on:

• Tuesday, October 13;
• Wednesday, October 14; and
• Thursday, October 15.

The schedule for testing is 7:00 AM to 5:30 PM on:

• Friday, October 16; and
• Saturday, October 17.

The address for Berks County testing is FirstEnergy Stadium, 1900 Centre Avenue, Reading, PA, 19605.

Up to 440 patients can be tested per day. Testing is on a first-come, first-serve basis and is at no cost to those being tested. Patients are not required to show symptoms of COVID-19 in order to be tested. No appointment is necessary, but patients should bring a photo-ID and insurance card. Registration will also be completed on-site. The turnaround time for testing results is two to seven days after testing.

Individuals who are tested should self-isolate while they await test results. For those individuals who live with other people, they should self-isolate in a private room and use a private bathroom if possible. Whoever else lives in the home with the individual awaiting test results should also stay at home. The department has additional instructions for individuals waiting for a COVID-19 test result.

For the latest information for individuals, families, businesses and schools, visit “Responding to COVID-19” on pa.gov.

The Wolf Administration stresses the role Pennsylvanians play in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19:

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
• Clean surfaces frequently.
• Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.
• If you must go out, you are required to wear a mask when in a business or where it is difficult to maintain proper social distancing.
• Download the COVID Alert PA app and make your phone part of the fight. The free app can be found in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store by searching for “covid alert pa.

Updated Coronavirus Links: Press Releases, State Lab Photos, Graphics

• Daily COVID-19 Report
• Press releases regarding coronavirus
• Latest information on the coronavirus
• Photos of the state’s lab in Exton (for download and use)
• Coronavirus and preparedness graphics (located at the bottom of the page)
• Community preparedness and procedures materials
• Map with the number of COVID-19 cases

Evangelical Community Hospital is holding its annual Cookin’ Men event where local celebrity men turn up the heat on breast cancer awareness by creating culinary delights. Due to the pandemic, this year’s event has gone virtual with the same goal of raising funds to support The Thyra M. Humphreys Center for Breast Health.

Weis Markets is the grand sponsor of this year’s event.

From October 19, 2020 through October 30, 2020, community members are asked to visit www.EvanHospital.com/CookinMen. All funds raised during the virtual event will support the very important cause of providing funds for women of the region to receive breast screenings regardless of their ability to pay.

Monetary donations will determine which one of the chefs receives the honor of TOP CHEF. The chef raising the most dollars during the open period of the event will be given the title. Chefs participating are Alex Bernt of The Special Place; Rob Dacko of Weis Markets; Drew Kelly of The Miller Center; Tom Morgan and Keith Good of Sunbury Broadcasting Corporation and The Soupie Brothers; Dale Moyer of Evangelical Community Hospital; Timm Moyer and Ric Jones of MoJo Active Incorporated; Dr. James Patterson of Family Medicine of Evangelical-Lewisburg; Chris Peifer and Micah Miner of Susquehanna Valley Limousine and National Beef; Chef Marco Romano of the Rusty Rail Brewing Company; Fred Scheller of The Daily Item; Dr. John Turner of The Thyra M. Humphreys Center for Breast Health; and a chef team from Geisinger.

The event includes a special prize for the supporter who makes the largest donation to each chef. The highest donor for each chef will win that chef’s dish, delivered to the winner’s home at a mutually agreed upon day and time.

The Center for Breast Health, located at 210 JPM Road, Lewisburg, has a dedicated team of specialists who provide comprehensive screenings, diagnosis, and treatment for women. The Center includes a navigation program for patients to aid in understanding their path of care and making sure they are following the path for the most optimal outcome. After diagnosis the Center offers survivors support through clinics, programs, and one-on-one attention with professionals trained to understand the psychological, physical, emotional, and social effects of a cancer diagnosis.

October is a special month of breast cancer focus—a time of collaboration when national public service organizations, professional medical associations, and government agencies come together to promote breast cancer awareness, share information on the disease, and provide greater access to services. Most importantly, the month reminds women to take control of their health by scheduling a yearly mammogram starting at the age of 40 to increase the chances of early detection of breast cancers.

Evangelical employs nearly 1,900 individuals and has more than 170 employed and non-employed physicians on staff. The Hospital is licensed to accommodate 132 overnight patients, 12 acute rehab patients, and 18 bassinets. The Hospital serves residents throughout the Central Susquehanna Valley, including those living in Snyder, Union, Northumberland, and Lycoming Counties.

Secretary of Human Services Teresa Miller answers questions from the press.Governor Tom Wolf announced that people with intellectual disabilities and autism and the providers of support services for these vulnerable Pennsylvanians will receive $260 million in CARES Act funding to help continue to provide services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gov. Wolf was joined by Department of Human Services Secretary Teresa Miller, who outlined to details of funding allocations. JUNE 15, 2020 – HARRISBURG, PA

Harrisburg, PA – Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Teresa Miller today discussed the measures Pennsylvania is taking to protect individuals with autism, intellectual and physical disabilities and older Pennsylvanians as the COVID-19 crisis continues. She also urged Pennsylvanians to continue to diligently follow public-health guidance in order to protect vulnerable Pennsylvanians who may be more at risk of complications if they develop COVID-19.

“We know that COVID-19 is an especially serious threat and can jeopardize the health of individuals with disabilities, so protecting our most vulnerable neighbors is a collective effort,” said Secretary Miller. “DHS has been doing everything in our power to ensure that the supports that we provide continue uninterrupted. But as we begin to enter winter and flu season alongside an ever-changing public health crisis, I want to reiterate that our continued success in the fight against COVID-19 relies on each of us doing all we can, such as wearing a mask and practicing social distancing, to protect those we know and those we don’t.”

Samantha Dorm, a York County mother whose 19-year-old son Michael Graff is recovering from COVID-19, echoed Secretary Miller’s call for the public to consider the effect their actions can have on vulnerable individuals. Michael has Down syndrome and autism.

“Protecting vulnerable people like my son is a responsibility that each of us carries. If nothing else, the COVID-19 crisis has made it clear that we are all truly connected and dependent on one another. But when people are unwilling to be flexible and make inconvenient changes to their lives – like wearing a mask at the grocery store or avoiding large gatherings – it can cost lives, though it may not be their own,” Dorm said. “The only way we can mitigate the long-term impact of the virus on people with intellectual and developmental disabilities is to embrace the concept of shared responsibility and coordinated action. We are all in this together.”

DHS administers Pennsylvania’s Medicaid program, which helps more than 3 million Pennsylvanians access health care. About 17 percent – or roughly 480,000 people – are individuals with disabilities. These Pennsylvanians access health care and other assistive services primarily through DHS’ Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) and the Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL).

Office of Developmental Programs

ODP supports more than 56,000 individuals with an intellectual disability, developmental disability, or autism — a population that is particularly high risk for contracting COVID-19. ODP is responsible for regulating more than 7,500 licensed settings across the commonwealth.

ODP has adjusted policies to ensure continuity of services during the health crisis and has received flexibilities from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to allow for:

• Expanding services that relatives can provide,
• Expanding services that can be offered remotely, and
• Expanded settings where services can be provided to ensure adequate quarantine and isolation space when needed.

DHS has also worked with the Pennsylvania Department of Aging to develop and provide extensive guidance and technical assistance to our providers of community participation supports or ‘day programs’ in order to re-open these facilities. This has allowed for thousands of people to return to services during the day and provides them with enriching activities aimed at promoting health and wellness.

Office of Long-Term Living

OLTL supports individuals with physical disabilities and older adults many who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid with their long-term care needs. This includes more than 371,000 Pennsylvanians who receive long-term services and supports through the Community HealthChoices program and more than 65,000 Pennsylvanians who live in more than 1,200 personal care homes and assisted living residences regulated and licensed by OLTL.

OLTL has ensured that no participant is to be disenrolled from Medicaid, even if they have not completed their eligibility redetermination application. OLTL continues to work with managed care organizations (MCOs) to ensure all necessary services are in place.

It has also received flexibilities from CMS to allow for:

• Personal protective equipment to be added to a person’s service plan,
• Services such as counseling or cognitive rehabilitation therapy to be provided virtually, and
• MCOs to assess clients either telephonically or in person.

OLTL has also adhered to the Department of Aging’s reopening guidance for adult day care centers and the LIFE program. As adult day service providers begin to reopen in parts of the state, participants are given the choice to attend these programs or receive services in their homes.

As flu season approaches, DHS is reminding all Pennsylvanians to get flu shots, especially given the additional risk of COVID-19. DHS will continue to follow guidance coming from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Pennsylvania Department of Health to ensure the continuity of care and protections for the communities it serves.

Secretary Miller acknowledged October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), which reinforces the value and talent that people with disabilities add to workplaces and communities and affirms Pennsylvania’s commitment to being an inclusive community. Pennsylvanians with disabilities who are interested in employment should connect with the Department of Labor & Industry’s Office of Vocational Rehabilitation or visit ODP’s www.myodp.org and click “Resources” and select “Employment” for various resources. DHS’ employment services are still available to assist people who are working or seeking work, and many of these services can be provided remotely.

“As the economy recovers, it is absolutely critical to ensure that people with disabilities are able take part in that recovery. Workplaces should examine their policies to see which ones are outdated or intentionally or unintentionally excluding individuals with disabilities. They should also actively develop and promote specific employment opportunities for people with disabilities,” said Secretary Miller.

For more information visit www.dhs.pa.gov.