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In this update:
STAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LATEST NEWS ON THE CORONAVIRUS ON MY FACEBOOK AND TWITTER York County to move into the “green” phase on June 12
You did it! While this is not a return to life as we knew it, York County will officially move into the “green” phase of the governor’s color-coded reopening plan. The “green” phase is the least restrictive phase. It allows for restaurants and bars to reopen at 50 percent capacity, salons and barbershops to reopen by appointment, among other improvements to our community and economy. This is because we flattened the curve, mitigated the spread of the virus in our nursing homes and long-term care facilities and did our part to ensure our most vulnerable population remains largely unaffected by this virus. I will continue to advocate for the safe reopening of our economy. This move takes effect on Friday, June 12. Here is what the “green” phase means for our community:
Preliminary guidelines set for students to return to school
The Pennsylvania Department of Education announced new guidelines this week for elementary, secondary and post-secondary schools to reopen in the near future. K-12 schools can begin reopening as early as July, and colleges, trade schools and other post-secondary schools can begin offering classes again as soon as Friday. Schools will be required to develop health and safety plans that reflect the unique needs of local districts, including steps to protect students and staff at higher risk of severe illness, training for staff and faculty, monitoring students and staff for symptoms, developing policies and hygiene practices to protect against infection, and ensuring proper distancing of desks and seating. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control has also offered interim guidance for schools and child care to open safely. While this is a positive step to return to life as we knew it, there are many questions I have about the plan to reopen schools based on feedback I received from local elected school directors. I plan to have conversations with our local education leaders to ensure the safety and continuity of education within our local schools. Emergency declaration extended another 90 daysOn Wednesday, I found out that the governor is extending his state disaster declaration for another 90 days via news release. I continue to hear from businesses that are harassed, cited and fined by the state for violating the governor’s mandates – the same mandates the governor chooses not to follow. Now more than ever, we must vote to end the emergency declaration to restore checks and balances in our commonwealth! I am hopeful the Senate will take up a resolution to end the emergency declaration when it returns next week. Discussing latest state of affairs with Gary SuttonEarlier this week, I joined Gary Sutton on 910 WSBA to discuss several current events and issues I am working on to improve our local community. You can listen to our wide-ranging interview here. Reminder: Be vigilant of fraudulent unemployment checks and payments
The Department of Labor and Industry recently uncovered thousands of cases of fraud in which scammers were filing for unemployment benefits under another person’s name and having payments deposited into their own accounts. State residents who receive an erroneous or fraudulent check should immediately write “void” on the front of the check and email a photo of the complete front and back of the check to officeofinvestigations@patreasury.gov. The paper check should be returned to the Pennsylvania Treasury at the address below, or destroyed if the recipient is unable to mail it back: Pennsylvania Treasury Department If a Pennsylvanian receives a PUA direct deposit payment in error, they should contact their financial institution to request a Refuse Credit of Deposit. If they are unable to complete a Refuse Credit of Deposit, recipients should write a personal check, cashier’s check, certified check or money order payable to the “PA UC Fund” with a brief statement to explain why they are sending the payment to the address below: Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry If you have any questions, please feel free to call our local office at 717-741-4648 Downtown Bloom Grant Program accepting applicationsThe Downtown Bloom Grant Program was created to assist businesses to restart, recover and address the challenges ahead. These funds were made available through dollars raised during Give Local York by Downtown Inc and the York County Economic Alliance. There is a total of $25,000 available to be awarded. These funds are intended to support existing reopening strategies.The application is currently OPEN and will close Monday, June 15 at 5pm. More details, criteria, and the application can be found on the Downtown Inc website. If you need any help applying, please contact the Downtown Inc team at 717-849-2331. York County Economic Alliance will Host bilingual virtual career fair series – “Youth Employment and Training Opportunities”- next FridayThe York County Economic Alliance (YCEA) has hosted a Weekly Virtual Career Fair Series, to help job seekers connect with employers virtual during the current crisis. On Friday, June 12 at 12 p.m., YCEA will focus their virtual career series on youth learning and employment opportunities. The participating organizations and employers are:
Register to attend for free HERE. For more questions on these programs, contact spinos@yceapa.org Guidance available for parents with children returning to child care
As the governor’s COVID-19 restrictions begin to ease and more Pennsylvanians prepare to get back to work, new guidance is available for parents with children who will be returning to child care facilities. All facilities are required to follow guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control specifically for child care centers. Under the guidance, all staff are required to wear masks, but children and youth are not required to do so. Masks are encouraged, but not required, for older youth in indoor or crowded settings. Additional requirements are also included for health screenings, sanitation, and notification if any staff member or child tests positive for COVID-19. If you or someone you know is heading back to work and needs help finding child care options, help is available here. 2020 Census is happening now
Beginning on August 11, census takers will begin visiting all households that have not responded to the 2020 Census. If you have not already completed the 2020 Census, it is not too late to complete the questionnaire and ensure local communities receive our fair share of federal funding and are properly represented at all levels of government. More information about how to complete the 2020 Census online, by phone or by mail is available here. Information is also available online about national, state and county census response rates. Pennsylvania is ahead of the national average, but still approximately 7 percent behind the statewide response rate in 2010. New scam targets WIC recipientsPennsylvanians who receive benefits from the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program have been targeted recently by scammers claiming to need banking information in order to deposit funds. It is important to remember to never disclose personal information over the phone without verifying the identity of the caller. Recipients should contact their local WIC office if they have any questions about whether a request is legitimate. Any state resident who is targeted by similar schemes should also report the fraudulent activity to local law enforcement and file a complaint with the Attorney General online, by email at scams@attorneygeneral.gov or by calling 800-441-2555. Met-Ed inspecting transmission lines via helicopterPlease be advised that Met-Ed will be inspecting transmission lines over the next few weeks in York County using the helicopter in the image below.
The helicopter will be moving very slowly along each of the transmission lines and will often be seen hovering while carrying out these inspections. On deckThe Senate of Pennsylvania reconvenes on Monday, June 8 at 1 p.m.
You can find out more about next week’s Senate session by visiting www.SenatorKristin.com/session. |
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