Harrisburg, Pa. – In honor of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Governor Tom Wolf has ordered all United States and Commonwealth flags on the Capitol Complex and Commonwealth facilities throughout the state lowered to half-staff at sunrise on Saturday, September 19, 2020.

“Justice Ginsburg was a truly remarkable figure in American history, as both a tireless defender of the Constitution, and as a pioneer for gender equality,” said Gov. Wolf. “Justice Ginsburg’s historic opinions from the bench broke down barriers for women and protected the vulnerable. Her contributions to our country cannot be overstated.”

The United States Flag shall be lowered to half-staff and remain lowered until interment by orders from the White House. The Commonwealth flag has flown at half-staff since Wednesday, March 11, 2020, in honor of the victims of the COVID-19 pandemic and should continue to fly at half-staff until further notice.

All Pennsylvanians are invited to participate in this tribute.

HARRISBURG, PA – The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) and the Office of State Fire Commissioner (OSFC) are proud to be joining forces with the first responder community throughout the U.S. and Canada today for “Operation Clear Track” — the single largest rail-safety initiative in North America.

“Far too often, our agency receives information from local responders about another injury or death near railway infrastructure in the Commonwealth,” PEMA Director Randy Padfield said. “This important effort to bring awareness to the dangers posed to the public in close proximity to rail lines will save lives.”

Coordinated by Amtrak, Operation Lifesaver Inc., and Operation Lifesaver Canada, Operation Clear Track aims to reduce the number of railway crossing and trespassing incidents in the U.S. and Canada — incidents which seriously injure or kill more than 2,100 people each year. The event is held during the annual observance of Rail Safety Week September 21-27.  At least 39 incidents involving rail traffic have occurred in the Commonwealth so far this year; 24 of these have occurred at rail crossings.

“Operation Clear Track and Rail Safety Week are promoting a needed and important lesson that we want our citizens to fully understand,” State Fire Commissioner Bruce Trego added. “We know the most common incidents involve rail crossings and are almost always easily avoidable.”

“With more than 5,600 miles of track and the highest number of operating railroads in the country, rail safety is of utmost importance in Pennsylvania,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “It’s everyone’s responsibility to be safe around rail crossings and railroad rights-of-way, and we’re proud to join our partners to commemorate Rail Safety Week.”

These safety tips and other railroad safety information available through Operation Lifesaver can help you stay safe around Pennsylvania’s railroads.

• Never drive around lowered gates — it is illegal and can be deadly.
• Never race a train to the crossing.
• Do not get trapped on the tracks. Only proceed through a highway-rail grade crossing if you are sure you can completely clear the crossing without stopping. Remember, the train is 3 feet wider than the tracks on both sides.
• If your vehicle ever stalls on a track while a train is coming, get out immediately and move quickly away from the tracks in the direction from which the train is coming.
• At a multiple track crossing waiting for a train to pass, watch out for a second train on the other tracks, approaching in either direction.
• Always expect a train! Freight trains do not follow set schedules.
• Be aware that trains cannot stop quickly.
• Do not be fooled — the train you see is closer and moving faster than you think.
• When you need to cross train tracks, go to a designated crossing, look both ways, and cross the tracks quickly, without stopping.
• Cross tracks only at designated pedestrian or roadway crossings.
• Never walk down a train track; this too is illegal and can be deadly.
• Remember: Rails and recreation do not mix!

Because of the ongoing pandemic, first responder agencies will be participating in a virtual Operation Clear Track event this year. These agencies across North America will be promoting rail safety through social media messages, by sharing Operation Lifesaver’s #STOPTrackTragedies public service announcements and other videos, and by posting other rail safety information to their department websites. Participants will also be emphasizing the importance of obeying rail crossing and trespassing laws throughout Rail Safety Week.

For more information about Rail Safety Week, Operation Clear Track, and other rail-safety initiatives and tips, please visit www.oli.org.

Harrisburg, Pa. – Governor Tom Wolf and First Lady Frances Wolf released the following statement following the loss of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg:

“Frances and I offer our sincerest condolences to the family of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Justice Ginsburg was a truly remarkable figure in American history, as both a tireless defender of the Constitution, and as a pioneer for gender equality. Justice Ginsburg’s historic opinions from the bench broke down barriers for women and protected the vulnerable.

“Her contributions to our country cannot be overstated. Justice Ginsburg’s life and career have made America a more fair and equitable place. She was a tireless pioneer and made monumental and lasting contributions on issues such as gender equality, a woman’s right to choose, voting rights, immigration, health care and affirmative action. Justice Ginsburg never shied away from standing out by standing up for civil rights and equal protections.

“We join the country in mourning the passing of Justice Ginsburg.”

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has died at the age of 87.

The letter received bipartisan support from 17 other first spouses across the country

Harrisburg, PA – First Lady Frances Wolf and 17 other First Spouses and Partners sent a letter to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Congressional Leadership, urging both federal entities to continue to work together to further extend and fully fund child nutrition program operations throughout the entire 2020-21 school year. The letter was also signed by:

• First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, California
• First Gentleman Marlon Reis, Colorado
• First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney, Delaware
• First Lady Dawn Amano-Ige, Hawaii
• First Lady MK Pritzker, Illinois
• First Gentleman Dr. Ted Daughety, Kansas
• First Lady Britainy Beshear, Kentucky
• First Lady Lauren Baker, Massachusetts
• First Lady Gwen Walz, Minnesota
• First Lady Lisa Bullock, Montana
• First Lady Tammy Snyder Murphy, New Jersey
• First Lady Kristin Cooper, North Carolina
• First Gentleman Andy Moffit, Rhode Island
• First Lady Pamela Northam, Virginia
• First Lady Trudi Inslee, Washington
• First Lady Kathy Evers, Wisconsin
• First Lady Jennie Gordon, Wyoming

Together, the signatories represent over 30 million children across the country.

“Hunger is not a partisan issue; it is everyone’s issue. When we look at how many other state leaders were willing to put their names on the dotted line, we get a glimpse of how many other children and families are struggling to get food,” stated First Lady Wolf. “We understand that the parties we have written to have taken steps to continue these feeding programs, and we thank them for their effort. However, as we cannot see the end of the pandemic, when families financial situations will be back to normal, or when our education system will stabilize, it is imperative that we plan to assist our residents for as long as we can.”

In late August, the USDA announced the extension of nationwide waivers that allow schools and community partners to continue serving meals to all children at no charge until the available funding runs out, or as late as December 31, 2020.

While the actions of the USDA throughout the pandemic, including this most recent motion, have helped tremendously with feeding children and families across the nation, recent food insecurity statistics remain alarming. According to Feeding America research, more than 54 million people, including 18 million children, may experience food insecurity this year, marking a 46 percent increase in general food insecurity rates and a 64 percent increase in child food insecurity rates compared to pre-COVID-19 statistics.

Without Congressional action, the USDA’s authority to extend school feeding waivers and other crucial feeding programs will sunset on September 30, 2020, leaving families, schools, and community partners without the tools and resources they need to feed kids during this pandemic.

Share Our Strength, an organization that works to end hunger and poverty in  the United States and abroad through campaigns like No Kid Hungry, has also been advocating for the extension of these critical waivers alongside more than 1,300 national and state-based organizations working to feed children and their families.

“Schools and community organizations need child nutrition waivers extended through the end of the academic year so they can plan and prepare their meal programs. And, with anywhere from 14 million to 17 million children not getting the food they need because of the pandemic, kids need the certainty of a nutritious meal,” says Lisa Davis, Senior Vice President of Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign. “Our nation’s First Spouses and Partners, who are fierce champions for children in their states, understand the scope of the hunger crisis this pandemic has caused in their communities. They know that extending child nutrition waivers through the entire 2020-2021 school year is critical to getting our nation back on the path to ending hunger.”

View the full text of the letter to Sec. Perdue and the USDA.

View the full text of the letter to Congressional Leadership.

• 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 – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) today announced recent achievements reflecting leadership in the realm of Highly Automated Vehicles (HAV) in Pennsylvania and the nation.

“As automated and connected vehicle technologies advance, it’s critical that we ensure they develop safely and in partnership with these companies,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “I’m proud of the leadership that we and our partners at the state, in academia and the industry are showing as we move Pennsylvania into the future.”

At the center of the department’s efforts is the development of testing guidance for automated vehicle stakeholders. Following discussions and meetings with the state’s Autonomous Vehicle Policy Task Force and more than a dozen automated vehicle technology companies, PennDOT issued updates to its guidance to enhance safety oversight of HAVs in Pennsylvania. This months-long effort included several rounds of internal and external reviews, and roughly 40 hours of discussions with the testers. The changes reflect advances in the industry and best practices.

PennDOT was tapped by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to join nine companies and seven other states as the first participants in a new web pilot of the U.S. DOT’s initiative to improve the safety and testing transparency of automated driving systems: the Automated Vehicle Transparency and Engagement for Safe Testing (AV TEST) Initiative.  The states included are California, Florida, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Utah. The participating companies are Beep, Cruise, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Local Motors, Navya, Nuro, Toyota, Uber, and Waymo.

In addition to joining the national AV TEST initiative, PennDOT was asked to join the Partners for Automated Vehicle Education’s (PAVE) Public Sector Advisory Council, a group of public sector organizations that will assist with PAVE’s campaign to educate consumers about automated vehicles and their societal impacts.

Pennsylvania’s Highly Automated Vehicle Advisory Committee recently published its first annual report available on PennDOT’s Highly Automated Vehicle Advisory Committee webpage under “Resources.”

The updated guidance and other information on automated and connected vehicles in Pennsylvania is available at www.penndot.gov/AV.

Harrisburg, PA – The Department of Aging today reminded Pennsylvanians of the preventive measures necessary to avoid falls, particularly among older adults.

“As adults get older, they are more vulnerable to falls that could end in life-changing consequences. However, falling is not an inevitable result of aging. Through practical lifestyle adjustments, prevention programs, exercise and community partnerships, falls among older adults can be substantially reduced,” said Secretary of Aging Robert Torres. “The Department of Aging is here to help older adults maintain a good quality of life by increasing awareness of this issue, providing educational programs and encouraging all Pennsylvanians to take steps to protect themselves and their older loved ones who may be at increased risk of suffering from falls.”

The Pennsylvania Department of Aging provides resources for older adults on how to assess their risk for falls and how to prevent them.

Here are tips to prevent falls:

Ask Your Doctor to:

• Evaluate your risk for falling
• Review your prescriptions and over the counter medications
• Evaluate your need for calcium or vitamin D supplements
• Review any issues that are causing you to experience periods of confusion or difficulty remembering

Make Your Home Safer:

• Get rid of things you could trip over in your home
• Add grab bars inside and outside your tub or shower and next to the toilet
• Put railings on both sides of stairs
• Make sure your home – inside and around the exterior – is well lit

Live Healthier:

• Participate in strength and balance exercises
• Eat a healthy balanced diet
• Have your eyes checked
• Have your hearing checked

The Pennsylvania Department of Aging offers a fall risk screening and prevention program to adults 50 years of age and older. Visit Healthy Steps for Older Adults to learn more.

Governor Tom Wolf presented a proclamation designating September 21-25 Falls Prevention Awareness Week in the commonwealth, which coincides with the nationwide commemoration by the National Council on Aging.

Falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries among people 65 and older in the commonwealth, accounting for 67.5% of fatal traumatic brain injuries, and resulting in 1,606 deaths and 57,727 hospitalizations in 2018. Older adults who experience a fall may face depression, loss of mobility and loss of functional independence.

Learn more about the various other programs offered by the department here