Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf today presented his fall legislative agenda for worker and family support and protections, COVID-19 recovery, and government reform. The initiatives were introduced to focus the General Assembly after a spring and summer of Republican efforts to curtail the administration’s efforts to manage the pandemic and keep the public safe.

“House and Senate Democrats have been fighting for progress to protect families and businesses in these spaces since the beginning of the pandemic, but they have been stopped at every turn by the Republican majority focused on ignoring the public health crisis,” Gov. Wolf said. “That must stop now. The legislature must come back and take immediate steps to provide funding to frontline workers and businesses, put in place protections for families and our workforce, and make these commonsense reforms that can provide confidence in our government. Pennsylvanians need relief, they need reform, and they need it now.”

Gov. Wolf called on the legislature to take immediate action on a series of proposals including:

Relief and Protection for Workers and Families
Families and workers throughout Pennsylvania are still struggling from the effects of COVID-19. The legislature must act to help provide hazard pay for frontline workers, more child care options, and safe workplaces for all Pennsylvanians.

Hazard Pay for Frontline Workers
$225 million to increase hazard pay to Pennsylvania workers, using the overall structure of the current PA Hazard Pay Grant Program administered through the Department of Community and Economic Development. This funding would cover a $3.00/hour increase for 208,000 frontline workers across the commonwealth.

Providing PPE to Frontline Workers
The governor is proposing $10 million for a PPE Reimbursement Program for employers to cover the cost of masks, face shields, cleaning supplies, hand sanitizers and soaps, and other industry-specific PPE in accordance with the Department of Health, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations.

Workers must have access to safety equipment and cleaning materials, and workspaces must be sanitized regularly to protect workers and customers. This program would provide grants of up to $5,000 in reimbursements for Pennsylvania-based small businesses with fewer than 150 employees, and for counties who make PPE available to election workers.

Expanding Access to Child Care
The governor is proposing a significant investment in child care, including $250 million for families with school-aged children in need of child care because of blended or remote in-person instruction models. The governor is also proposing $27 million to expand child care options in “deserts,” where few providers currently exist.

The governor’s proposal also includes $50 million in grants to part-day school-age programs serving low-income communities to support necessary health and safety updates and infrastructure to facilitate remote learning for school districts not returning to in-person instruction.

Paid Parental Leave for All Pennsylvanians
The governor announced the commonwealth’s new paid parental leave proposal, which will offer six weeks of paid leave to commonwealth employees who have been employed for a year or more. This leave will be separate and apart from any accrued sick or paid time off that the employee may have earned. The governor also called on the legislature to pass paid family and sick leave.

Helping Schools Deliver the Promise of Education
The governor is proposing $3 million for institutions of higher education to partner with local education agencies (LEA) to support educators during the 2020-21 school year. The goal of these partnerships is to provide targeted professional development and reduce learning gaps.

Providing Housing and Utility Assistance
The Pennsylvania Utility Commission (PUC) recently reported that at least 800,000 utility customers across the state are currently in active termination status and would be at risk of having their electricity, water, or gas shut off had the PUC not implemented a termination moratorium at the start of COVID.

The governor is proposing $100 million in grants to be divided between the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and a new emergency water/wastewater program administered by PENNVEST to assist residential customers who would be subject to termination of service when the current PUC moratorium on terminations is eventually lifted.

The governor is proposing $100 million to be used to expand the PA Housing Finance Agency CARES Rent Relief Program to provide additional financial assistance on behalf of low- to moderate-income renters experiencing difficulty making rent payments as a result of the pandemic. Assistance will continue to be made available in the form of a grant and funds will be paid directly to landlords or property owners.

The governor is also calling on the legislature to increase the current $750 per month cap on assistance to renters, which has limited participation in the program, by instead linking assistance to the federal HUD index.

Providing Recovery for Small Businesses
By providing hundreds of millions of dollars of additional grants and loans for Pennsylvania businesses, the legislature can take immediate action to help Pennsylvania’s economic recovery. The legislature should also provide relief for bars and restaurants by canceling the alcohol tax and allowing businesses to buy at cost. Over time, this funding can be supplemented by legalizing recreational marijuana and dedicating a portion of the funding to historically disadvantaged businesses.

Grants and Loans for Businesses
Gov. Wolf is proposing $225 million in forgivable loans and grants to small businesses in Pennsylvania through the COVID-19 Relief Statewide Small Business Assistance Program. In addition, the governor is proposing $100 million in forgivable loans and grants for the hospitality, leisure, and service industries, including restaurants and bars, salons, and barber shops. This funding will provide critical working capital financing to the commonwealth’s small businesses adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Alcohol Tax Cancelation or Reduction
The governor is calling on the General Assembly to pass legislation to revitalize Pennsylvania’s hospitality, leisure, and service industry by offering alcohol-tax cancelation or reduction for six months, and allowing the hospitality industry to purchase alcohol at or near cost for six months.

Recreational Marijuana Legalization to Fund Ongoing Business Grants and Restorative Justice
The governor is calling on the legislature to legalize recreational marijuana with the proceeds going to existing small business grant funding. Fifty percent of the funding would be earmarked for historically disadvantaged businesses. Along with the call to the General Assembly to pass legislation legalizing the sale and use of recreational marijuana, the governor proposes that a portion of the revenue be used to further restorative justice programs that give priority to repairing the harm done to crime victims and communities as a result of marijuana criminalization.

Also, the governor wants the General Assembly to pursue criminal justice reform policies that restore justice for individuals convicted of marijuana-related offenses.

Reforming Government, Protecting Elections
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the heightened need for government reform. Gov. Wolf knows we need immediate reforms to our election and voting systems so that people can vote safely, and broader government reforms so Pennsylvanians know that their state elected officials are working on behalf of them and not special interests.

Banning Gifts for Public Officials
Gov. Wolf banned members of his administration from accepting gifts and believes that all public officials should be held to the same standard. Pennsylvania is one of 10 states with no specific law limiting gifts to public officials. Outside the executive branch, politicians in Harrisburg can take unlimited gifts from special interests. The governor wants the gift ban he put in place to be made permanent and expanded so all state elected officials are accountable to it.

Curbing Special Interest Influence 
Pennsylvanians need to have confidence that decisions made by their government are made on behalf of constituents, not rewards for the special interests with the deepest pockets.

Campaign Finance Reform – Enacting new campaign finance laws that would place limits on contributions to candidates seeking elected office, implement aggregate limits for races, place sensible restrictions on Political Action Committees (PACs), and strengthen reporting and disclosure requirements across the board to restore confidence in government, and curtail the role of campaign spending in our political process.

Outside Income Transparency – Requiring public officials to disclose sources, type of work, and amount of outside income received.

Ensuring Safe and Secure Elections
The governor is asking the General Assembly for legislation to allow ballots to be counted as long as they are postmarked on election day and received by the Friday after the election.

Also, he is calling on the legislature to allow the pre-canvassing of ballots 21 days before the election, while providing counties flexibility to fill vacant poll worker positions earlier than the five days prior to an election currently allowed.

The funds for these initiatives would come from the $1 billion in CARES Act funding that has been placed in reserves, as well as the revenue generated from the legalization of recreational marijuana, which will take an act of the General Assembly to become law.

“If we want our economy to become strong again, the legislature needs to take action now,” Gov. Wolf said.

(Click to watch video)

Says USPS is following standard procedure to ensure fair and efficient ballot delivery

Washington, D.C. – During Monday’s House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing on “Protecting the Timely Delivery of Mail, Medicine, and Mail-in Ballots,” Congressman Fred Keller (R-PA) explained that the hearing is nothing more than political theater, highlighting that the United States Postal Service (USPS) is well within its bounds to request operational changes to ensure efficient outcomes, especially for delivering ballots.

Congressman Keller also highlighted concerns regarding deadlines for applying for and returning mail-in ballots, as well as the USPS’ ability to ensure that ballots with pre-paid postage, like those that will be mailed to voters in Pennsylvania, receive postmarks.

On July 29, the USPS General Counsel sent a follow-up to a letter he sent in May to 46 states, including Pennsylvania, expressing concern that the states’ deadlines for requesting and casting ballots by mail do not fit with the USPS’ delivery standards.

Postmaster General DeJoy confirmed to Congressman Keller that there is precedent at the USPS for sending these letters to state election offices.

“This has been done in the past,” said Postmaster General DeJoy. “We have intensified the effort to work with the election boards and to communicate with the election boards to help them gain more knowledge on what our processes are.”

Specifically, the USPS’ letter recommends that voters mail their completed ballots no later than Tuesday, October 27. Congressman Keller highlighted that the Pennsylvania election code—particularly the deadlines for requesting ballots—do not comply with USPS delivery standards. In order to comply with USPS’ recommendation, Pennsylvania would need to change current state law, which allows voters to request a ballot as late as Tuesday, October 27.

Congressman Keller asked Postmaster DeJoy if he agrees with the recommendation made by the USPS’ General Counsel to move the application deadline for mail and absentee ballots back—for example, to October 19—to ensure voters can receive their ballots in time to complete and return them no later than October 27.

“It would be best if the state election boards follow the recommendations of our General Counsel,” said Postmaster General DeJoy. “I don’t know why we should take any chance other than have a properly integrated system between the election boards and the Postal Service.”

Moreover, Governor Wolf recently announced that Pennsylvania will cover the cost of postage for every mail-in ballot this year.

Congressman Keller noted that the Governor’s decision to pre-pay postage for ballots creates problems concerning postmarks and the state’s ability to ensure ballots were mailed by the deadline. On the day before Pennsylvania’s Primary Election, the Governor issued an Executive Order allowing six counties to count ballots received by 5:00 p.m. the week after Election Day, if the ballots were postmarked by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.

“If Governor Wolf issues another Executive Order to count ballots returned a week late but are postmarked by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day, it would be impossible for the state to determine whether mail-in ballots were truly sent by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day due to the lack of postmarks for pre-paid postage envelopes,” said Congressman Keller.

Postmaster General DeJoy acknowledged this problem and stated that the USPS is working to address it ahead of the November General Election.

“We are going to work to try and set up a process to postmark as much as much as we can,” said Postmaster General DeJoy. “Currently, prepaid postage does not get postmarked. If we didn’t make a special effort to postmark prepaid mail, we would not be postmarking it.”

WASHINGTON — FEMA Administrator Pete Gaynor approved Pennsylvania for a FEMA grant under the Lost Wages Assistance program. FEMA’s grant funding will allow Pennsylvania to provide $300 per week — on top of their regular unemployment benefit — to those unemployed due to COVID-19. FEMA will work with Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf to implement a system to make this funding available to Pennsylvania residents.

On Aug. 8, President Trump made available up to $44 billion from FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund to provide financial assistance to Americans who have lost wages due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, the state of Pennsylvania agreed to administer a lost wages program for its citizens who are unemployed due to COVID-19.

FEMA looks forward to working with the governors of additional states who agree to administer a lost wages program to bring financial relief to unemployed Americans.

To see a list of states previously approved for lost wages assistance, go to: https://www.fema.gov/fact-sheet/lost-wages-assistance-approved-states.

To learn more about FEMA’s lost wages supplemental payment assistance, visit: https://www.fema.gov/fact-sheet/fema-lost-wages-supplemental-payment-assistance.

Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine today released a weekly status update detailing the state’s mitigation efforts based on the COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring System Dashboard. Updates will be released each Monday beginning today.

The update includes the following:

• Level of community transmission as a basis for the recommendations for Pre-K to 12 schools to determine instructional models.
• Cases that reported visiting a business among potential locations where exposures may have occurred.
• Updated travel recommendations.

The dashboard is designed to provide early warning signs of factors that affect the state’s mitigation efforts. The data available on the early warning monitoring dashboard includes week-over-week case differences, incidence rates, test percent-positivity, and rates of hospitalizations, ventilations and emergency room visits tied to COVID-19. This week’s update compares the period of August 14 – August 20 to the previous seven days, August 7 – August 13.

“Our percent positivity decreased significantly this week, representing the fourth straight week that the percent positivity has decreased,” Gov. Wolf said. “This is a testament that our actions are working, but we still have more work to do. The virus is still circulating, and we must continue to wear masks, practice social distancing and avoid large gatherings to keep our numbers low, stop the spread and allow more freedom.”

As of Thursday, August 20, the state has seen a seven-day case increase of 4,456; the previous seven-day increase was 5,598, indicating a 1,142-case decrease across the state over the past week.

The statewide percent-positivity went down to 3.4% from 4.0% last week. Counties with concerning percent-positivity include Perry (9.1%), Huntingdon (7.8%), Northumberland (7.3%), Indiana (7.1%), Union (5.9%), Susquehanna (5.7%), York (5.5%), Beaver (5.3%), and Blair (5.0%). Each of these counties bears watching as the state continues to monitor all available data.

Community Transmission
As of Friday’s data, Union County was the one county in the substantial level with several known sources of outbreaks fueling community transmission. The departments of Education and Health will speak with school district representatives in Union County to discuss the implications of this level of transmission.

For the week ending August 20, 21 counties were in the low level of transmission, 45 counties in the moderate level, with one with substantial transmission:

• Low – Bedford, Bradford, Cameron, Clarion, Clinton, Elk, Forest, Fulton, Greene, Jefferson, Juniata, McKean, Pike, Potter, Somerset, Sullivan, Tioga, Venango, Warren, Wayne, Wyoming
• Moderate – Adams, Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Berks, Blair, Bucks, Butler, Cambria, Carbon, Centre, Chester, Clearfield, Columbia, Crawford, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Erie, Fayette, Franklin, Huntingdon, Indiana, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mercer, Mifflin, Monroe, Montgomery, Montour, Northampton, Northumberland, Perry, Philadelphia, Schuylkill, Snyder, Susquehanna, Washington, Westmoreland, York
• Substantial – Union

Business Visits
The Department of Health is providing weekly data on the number of individuals who responded to case investigators that they spent time at business establishments (restaurants, bars, gym/fitness centers, salon/barbershops) and at mass gatherings 14 days prior to the onset of COVID-19 symptoms.

Of the 5,649 confirmed cases reported between August 9 and August 15, 45 percent (2,541) provided an answer to the question as to whether they spent time at a business establishment.

Of those who did provide an answer, 13 percent, or 320, answered yes, they visited a business establishment 14 days prior to onset of symptoms:

• 50 percent (159) of those who said yes reported going to a restaurant;
• 23 percent (75) of those who said yes reported going to some other business establishment;
• 17 percent (55) of those who said yes reported going to a bar;
• 8 percent (26) of those who said yes reported going to a gym/fitness center; and
• 12 percent (38) of those who said yes reported going to a salon/barbershop.

Of the 5,649 confirmed cases, 48 percent (2,710) answered the question as to whether they attended a mass gathering or other large event. Of the 48 percent, nearly 12 percent (326) answered yes to whether they attended a mass gathering or other large event 14 days prior to onset of symptoms.

Compared to data reported on August 14, this week’s data saw an increase in people who reported visiting a restaurant (50 percent vs. 47 percent), people who reported going to some other business (23 percent vs. 19 percent), and people going to a salon/barbershop (12 percent vs. 9 percent). Numbers went down for this week’s data for going to a bar (17 percent vs. 24 percent), going to a gym/fitness center (8 percent vs. 10 percent). The number of those who attended a mass gathering or other large event remained the same (nearly 12 percent).

Case investigator notes included frequent mentions of visits to bars and restaurants among positive cases. To better understand this emerging trend, on July 13 contact tracers began asking more specific questions on the types of businesses visited and if individuals attended a mass gathering, defined as more than 250 people in attendance outdoors or more than 25 indoors.

The numbers above highlight business settings and mass gatherings as possible sites for transmission. With less than half of those asked about what types of businesses they visited or if they attended a mass gathering responding to the question, the department is reminding Pennsylvanians that it is essential that people answer the phone when case investigators call and to provide full and complete information to these clinical professionals.

Travel Recommendations
Also today, the Department of Health updated its travel recommendations, originally announced on July 2, to remove Arizona from the list of states recommended for domestic travelers returning from to quarantine for 14 days upon return to Pennsylvania. No new states were added.

It is important that people understand that this recommendation is in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Pennsylvania. A concerning number of recent cases have been linked to travel, and if people are going to travel, we need them to take steps to protect themselves, their loved ones and their community, and that involves quarantining.

Gov. Wolf continues to prioritize the health and safety of all Pennsylvanians through the COVID-19 pandemic. Pennsylvanians should continue to take actions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, regardless of in what county they live. This includes wearing a mask or face covering anytime they are in public. COVID-19 has been shown to spread easily in the air and contagious carriers can be asymptomatic.

Harrisburg, PA – The Department of Health today shared an update on Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 case investigation and contact tracing data.

“In order to successfully mitigate the spread of COVID-19, we need to use proven public health strategies such as case investigations, contact tracing efforts and ongoing monitoring,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “We have a growing team of dedicated professionals equipped to do this work and truly make a difference, but we need our fellow Pennsylvanians to pick up the phone when they call. We are all united in this together, so please make the right choice to answer the call, it will help us mitigate the spread of this virus and further protect a loved one, co-worker or friend.”

The contact tracing process is not possible without a case investigation by a public health professional. Between Sunday, August 9 and Saturday, August 15, there were 5,644 COVID-19 cases statewide and over 80 percent of all cases completed a case investigation within 24 hours of the positive confirmation. Information collected during the case investigation process is not shared publicly unless doing so would further the response.

After the initial case investigation is complete, contact tracing begins. Within that same time period, August 9 to August 15, there were 748 contact tracers across the commonwealth, including the efforts of the local and municipal health departments. These tracers were monitoring 12,220 contacts that were identified during the case investigations.

There are currently 1,068 contact tracing staff working with local and county health entities, partner organizations and the Regional Response Health Collaboration Program within the Department of Human Services in response to COVID-19 cases. The total number of tracers has fluctuated in the last month as the Department shifts to onboarding more staff and capacity, however, should stabilize through a partnership with Insight Global.

Of the first 250 contact tracing staff hired in partnership with Insight Global, those hired were from within the following regional health districts:

• Northcentral: 40 contact tracing staff
• Northeast: 41 contact tracing staff
• Northwest: 41 contact tracing staff
• Southcentral: 40 contact tracing staff
• Southeast: 43 contact tracing staff
• Southwest: 45 contact tracing staff

You can find more information on the state’s contact tracing efforts and all available contact tracing positions at the Department of Health’s website here.

Pennsylvanians are reminded that mask-wearing is required when visiting businesses or in any setting outside the home where social distancing is difficult. Remember: My mask protects you; your mask protects me.

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.

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

All Pennsylvania residents are encouraged to sign up for AlertPA, a text notification system for health, weather, and other important alerts like COVID-19 updates from commonwealth agencies. Residents can sign up online at www.ready.pa.gov/BeInformed/Signup-For-Alerts.

After consulting with government officials and public health experts, we will not host fans at M&T Bank Stadium for at least the initial part of the 2020 season.

In recent weeks, we submitted proposals to the offices of Maryland Governor Larry Hogan and Baltimore City Mayor Bernard “Jack” Young, detailing how our stadium could safely host 7,500 fans.

But even with implementation of advanced safety measures and enhanced COVID-19 protocols, based on the recommendations of public health experts we have determined that, for the time being, it is in the best interest of the general public and our organization that fans not attend games.

Ultimately, the health and safety of our entire community is at the forefront of every decision we make. We will always protect the well-being of our fans, players, coaches and staff.

Our organization will continue to closely monitor and adjust accordingly to all developments surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. We will remain in communication with local and state officials, working carefully to create appropriate measures that might eventually permit a limited number of fans at home games this season.

5 new COVID-19 cases added Monday in Lycoming County now at 484 cases and no new deaths with 20 total deaths, with 10,273 negatives according to DOH report.

OP-ED: Let them drink milk

by Congressman Fred Keller (R-PA)

This article originally appeared in The Hill:

In the last few years, whole milk has gotten an undeservedly bad reputation. The Obama Administration removed reduced fat and whole milk options from school cafeterias in 2012, and subsequent changes prohibited recipients of federal nutrition assistance from purchasing milk with higher fat for their families, absent a doctor’s note.

Since coming to Congress, I have worked to change that. The first bills I supported were measures to expand access to dairy products, provide kids with nutritious options and stand up for our farmers.

But more needs to be done. That is why I recently introduced the GIVE MILK Act, to allow nutrition assistance recipients in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) to access whole and reduced fat milk.

Whole milk is an indispensable source of nutrients that are essential for a healthy child’s diet—including calcium, iodine, and vitamins A and D. These vitamins are fat-soluble, meaning that the body needs fat to absorb them. Simply put, the lower the fat content the lower the benefit.

Drinking milk with fat does not make children obese. In fact, the evidence suggests the opposite. Several studies have concluded that children who regularly drink whole milk are less likely to be obese—and are healthier overall—than children whose diets consist solely of 1% or skim milk.

Additionally, in a report in 2019, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, American Academy of Pediatric Dentists, American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Heart Association found that medical professionals agree that whole milk is good for childhood development.

Given these facts, you might ask why the federal government limited milk options in the first place. The push to limit milk options across federal nutrition assistance programs was the result of politicians trying to play nutritionists, and the consequences have been disastrous—not only for the families who have been deprived access to more nutritious options, but also for the farmers who produce them.

Pennsylvania’s dairy farmers are struggling. The coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated an already difficult situation when it comes to bringing their products to market. The lack of demand due to school closings and restaurant shutdowns means that countless family farms are facing catastrophic losses from which many may never recover.

Pennsylvania’s dairy industry represents a critical segment of the economy and has supported our communities for generations. In Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District alone, the industry supports more than 8,000 jobs.  I understand our farmers’ struggles because I speak with them often—I see them in church and in line at the supermarket. My own stepfather was a farmer in Northumberland County. I recently held a meeting with dairy farmers from across Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District. Every time I talk to farmers in our community, they all tell me the same thing: their livelihoods are being trampled by burdensome, senseless regulations.

We now have an entire generation of children who will grow up thinking they do not like milk because all they have been given in school is fat-free or 1% milk. Children prefer the taste of milk with fat and its nutritional value far exceeds all other varieties.

Whole and reduced fat milk should have never been taken out of schools, but the prohibition on whole and reduced fat milk for women, infants and children in the WIC program is an equal injustice that must be addressed through legislation.

The GIVE MILK Act will make it easier for expectant mothers and mothers of young children to access milk for their families, providing infants, children, and mothers the nutrients they need during key developmental stages.

Without this legislation, millions of American infants and children will be denied key nutrients that they need to grow into healthy and strong adults.

As lawmakers, we ought to expand access to nutritious food and drinks—not deny them to families in need.

Fred Keller is a member of Congress, representing Pennsylvania’s 12^th District.

 Annville, PA – One-hundred-five Pennsylvania National Guard (PNG) soldiers and airmen competed with rifles and pistols in multiple courses of fire to determine the best marksmen during the Governor’s Twenty match at Fort Indiantown Gap recently.

Created in 1968, the Governor’s Twenty is a state-level National Guard award presented annually to the top 20 shooters in a state. Through this fierce competition, participants have the opportunity to test marksmanship skills and weapon systems in a battle-focused environment. The Army and Air Force both recognize the state award and it is reflected on the service members’ official personnel record.

“The Governor’s Twenty brings together Army and Air Force marksmen of various ranks and ages on a level playing field,” said Maj. Gen. Anthony Carrelli, Pennsylvania’s adjutant general and head of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA). “The knowledge, skills, and discipline developed during this competition raises the weapons readiness of all of our formations represented here. These outstanding shooters will go back to their units and coach the next generation of marksmen in Pennsylvania. Congratulations to Sgt. Jason Goodling, our overall first-place finisher, along with every competitor for their display of professionalism and impressive skill during this intense competition.”

The top 20 scorers were awarded the embroidered Governor’s Twenty tab and a certificate to identify them as being outstanding marksmen. Events were varied and included multiple distances and shooting positions. The competition was conducted by the PNG Individual Training Branch, Marksmanship Training Unit.

The 2020 Governor’s Twenty recipients:

1. Sgt. Jason Goodling, York Haven (York County)
2. Capt. Ian Swisher, Rockville (Maryland)
3. Sgt. 1st Class Scott Sheroky, Fredricksburg (Lebanon County)
4. Staff Sgt. Robert Lydic, Pittsburgh (Allegheny County)
5. Staff Sgt. Douglas Costello, Mountain Top (Luzerne County)
6. Senior Airman Nicholas Yackovich, Harrison City (Westmoreland County)
7. Capt. Phillip Wright, Carlisle (Cumberland County)
8. Staff Sgt. John Rebuck, Elizabethtown (Lancaster County)
9. Sgt. 1st Class Luke Heim, Pottstown (Montgomery County)
10. Sgt. 1st Class John Nebzydoski, Wapwallopen (Luzerne County)
11. Chief Warrant Officer 4 Richard Jones Jr., Lebanon (Lebanon County)
12. Chief Warrant Officer 3 Andrew Harrison, Palmyra (Lebanon County)
13. Pfc. Austin Barnhart, Lamar (Clinton County)
14. Chief Master Sgt. Christopher Fusco, Sellersville (Bucks County)
15. Sgt. Justin Hanson, Shoesmakersville (Berks County)
16. 1st Sgt. Troy Conrad, Punxsutawney (Jefferson County)
17. Lt. Col. Adam Grove, York (York County)
18. Staff Sgt. Anthony Sanner, Pittsburgh (Allegheny County)
19. Spc. Brennen Koji, Bellefonte (Centre County)
20. Sgt. William Varee, Springboro (Crawford County)

The PNG is the second largest Guard in the nation and is part of the PA DMVA’s dual mission of supporting nearly 800,000 Pennsylvania veterans and providing safety and security for our commonwealth and nation.

Photos of the event can be found here: Governor’s Twenty Match.

• ESPN to Serve as Exclusive Global Media Rights Holder for More Than 300 Live Games Annually
• More Live Little League Baseball and Softball Events Exclusively on ESPN Platforms Than Ever
• New Agreement Through 2030 Extends Longstanding Relationship Since 1963

ESPN and Little League International today announced an eight-year, multi-platform media rights extension – effective 2023 through 2030 – in which ESPN will produce and televise more live Little League events than ever as the exclusive global media rights holder of Little League Baseball and Little League Softball. The announcement was made today by Stephen D. Keener, Little League President and Chief Executive Officer, and Jimmy Pitaro, ESPN President and Disney Media Networks Co-Chair. The announcement came as ESPN and Little League are celebrating the legacy of the Little League World Series with a full day of related programming across ESPN platforms.

As part of the rights extension, ESPN platforms will exclusively carry more than 300 Little League live events annually, including games from every baseball and softball World Series tournament. ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+, Longhorn Network and ESPN international platforms will combine to carry the events. Additionally, ESPN and ABC will continue to produce and televise the entire Little League Baseball World Series, with more games from Williamsport, Pa. than ever before as part of the previously announced expansion of the event from 16 to 20 teams.

Jimmy Pitaro, ESPN President, Disney Media Networks Co-Chair:

“Little League Baseball and Softball inspire us with their deep sense of community, camaraderie, and competitive spirit. Multiple generations of families have enjoyed playing and watching games on ESPN and ABC, and we’re excited to continue and expand the rewarding relationship we have with Steve Keener and all of our friends at Little League Baseball and Softball.”

Stephen D. Keener, Little League President and CEO:

“There is perhaps no broadcast relationship in all of sports as synonymous as Little League and ESPN and ABC. With this extension, ESPN will be showcasing the amazing plays, inspirational stories, and exemplary sportsmanship of our Little League tournaments spanning eight decades. This relationship has allowed our organization to provide direct financial support to our 6,500 community-based programs, and we’re grateful that we’ll be able to continue in these vital efforts. We are looking forward to a bright future with Jimmy Pitaro and our partners at ESPN.”

ESPN first began televising Little League games in 1983 and has done so each year since 1987. ABC began broadcasting the Little League World Series in 1963, which makes this one of the longest-standing league – media rights holder relationships in all of sports, only behind The Masters on CBS.

Select elements of the rights extension, including additional live game telecasts, will begin to be implemented during the final two years – 2021 and 2022 – of the current ESPN and Little League agreement.

Summary of exclusive events on ESPN platforms:

• Little League Baseball World Series
• Little League Softball World Series
• Little League Baseball U.S. Regionals
• Little League Softball U.S. Regionals
• Annual Little League Baseball World Series Challenger Game
• Intermediate Baseball World Series
• Junior League Baseball World Series
• Junior League Softball World Series
• Senior League Baseball World Series
• Senior League Softball World Series
• Options for International Regional Series

In 2019, ESPN produced the first Little League World Series alternative viewing experience called “Kidscast” featuring an all-kids commentator team. As part of the rights extension, ESPN will have rights to continue to explore – and offer – fan-friendly alternate presentations to air in conjunction with the main game telecasts.

In addition to the Little League events, ESPN will also continue to exclusively televise the annual MLB Little League Classic on Sunday Night Baseball from Williamsport, Pa.