Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

Former DEP secretary Katie McGinty is headed back to Harrisburg. Governor-elect Tom Wolf has named her his chief of staff. The 51-year-old Philadelphia native was DEP secretary under Governor Ed Rendell. She's also worked for Al Gore in the Senate and in the White House for President Bill Clinton. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The portrait of Pennsylvania’s 31st lieutenant governor will be unveiled Wednesday in the state Capitol. Current Senate President Pro Tem Joe Scarnati became lieutenant governor on November 12, 2008, when Catherine Baker Knoll died of cancer. The Republican lawmaker served through 2011 and made history by being the state's first lieutenant governor to be paired with a governor of another party, Democrat Ed Rendell. Lewisburg artist Tom Wise of Open Door Gallery painted the portrait for free with the understanding that Scarnati wanted to raise money to donate to Geisinger Health System in memory of Wise's wife who received cancer treatment there, according Scarnati's chief of staff Drew Crompton. He said at least $10,000 will be donated in her name. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

HARRISBURG – The state American Legion praised the Pennsylvania Gaming Board’s decision yesterday to “protect the sanctity of the Gettysburg National Military Park” by denying a developer’s bid for a nearby casino. By a 6-1, the Gaming Board decided to award the license to another location, the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, in the southwestern part of the state. “Many Legionnaires, veterans and concerned Americans across the country did not want to see a casino built so close to the final resting place of so many heroes,” said Pennsylvania American Legion Commander Pete Wasco. “While many local residents supported the project, the battlefield has national significance. At the same time, people are understandably concerned about unemployment and other economic issues. The American Legion supports development in Adams County and other areas that need it. We just do not support development that would encroach upon that honored ground. We are not anti-casino. We are pro-veteran.” The projec...

The state House has approved legislation reinforcing a person’s right to defend himself or herself in the face of an intruder, Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint) said today. House Bill 40, also known as the Castle Doctrine, passed by a vote of 164-37. “Under current law, a person under attack has a duty to retreat before taking action in self-defense – that simply does not make sense,” Causer said. “This change in law protects the rights of law-abiding citizens to defend themselves.” The measure creates a presumption in law that an attacker or intruder intends to do great bodily harm and therefore force, including deadly force, may be used to protect oneself, one’s family and others in the face of an attack while at home or in an occupied vehicle. The presumption also applies if a person is trying to unlawfully remove an occupant, against the occupant’s will, from a home or vehicle. The presumption would not apply if the person entering a home was: ~~Another resident of the home. ~~A...

HARRISBURG – Auditor General Jack Wagner today recommended that Gov. Corbett and the General Assembly use incoming tobacco settlement dollars as intended to provide adultBasic health insurance to Pennsylvanians who don’t qualify for Medicaid. He said that $1.34 billion in tobacco settlement funds have already been quietly diverted from the uses originally intended by the Tobacco Settlement Act of 2001. More than 40,000 Pennsylvanians lost the state-subsidized health coverage Feb. 28 when the state shuttered the program for enrollees who couldn’t afford private health insurance but earned too much to qualify for Medicaid. An additional 500,000 Pennsylvanians were on a waiting list for the program when it was shut down. In a special report issued at a press conference today, Wagner noted that the $1.34 billion in diverted funds represents 30 percent of the Tobacco Settlement Fund payments received since 1999. The diversions, which include $432 million to the general fund for unspecified ...

Harrisburg – State Sen. Mary Jo White (R-21), chairman of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, applauds Governor Corbett for repealing the policy of imposing additional restrictions on oil and gas drilling on state park and forest land as part of the state Department of Environmental Protection's standard well-permitting process. "The Governor took the appropriate action in repealing the policy," said White. "As I outlined in my letter to Governor Rendell last November, the policy was irresponsible, and could potentially cost Pennsylvania taxpayers tens of millions of dollars from the impairment of existing contracts." White added that by repealing the policy, Governor Corbett properly upheld a legal precedent set in the case of Belden & Blake Corporation v. DCNR, where the courts prohibited the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources from imposing surface use agreements and drilling conditions on permit applicants who own...

State Senator Joe Scarnati is making news across the state today for accepting a trip to the Super Bowl from Consol Energy. Scarnati and other Senate Republicans leaders were criticized by former Governor Ed Rendell and environmentalists for blocking an extraction tax on Marcellus Shale drilling. The critics say Scarnati and the other blocked legislation on the tax because of their relationships with energy companies. Scarnati talked about that on his last visit to the LiveLine. He said in his position as President Pro Tempore of the Senate one of his jobs is to keep the Republicans in the majority. He raises money for the Republican caucus to help fund campaigns of members who are in races. He raised more than $100,000 through various Marcellus Shale companies across the state, and that is disclosed on finance reports. But he added that he raised close to $1.5 million all together. “To raise $100,000-some from that industry isn’t influencing me,” Scarnati said, “and I’m insulted that ...

Harrisburg – Governor Tom Corbett today delivered his Inaugural Address after being sworn-in as Pennsylvania’s 46th governor: Chief Justice Castille; Governor Rendell, Judge Rendell; members of the judiciary; leaders and members of the General Assembly; members of Congress; my fellow Pennsylvanians: today we celebrate a long, proud, and sustaining tradition of democracy. Over three hundred years ago, a free society took root here in Penn’s woods. The leaders of those times were uneasy with a government more prone to political favor than fairness to the people. They were deeply troubled by government exploitation and excess and through the course of human events, envisioned the potential for a new government – a new ideal – based in unalienable rights and power derived from the consent of the people. That debate conducted by our forefathers, beginning with William Penn and carried through the 13 colonies to Philadelphia’s Independence Hall, was not without moments of rancor or sacrifi...

Harrisburg – In one of his final acts as governor, Governor Edward G. Rendell today wrote to the General Assembly to urge legislators to review the effectiveness of Pennsylvania’s death penalty. Earlier today, the Governor signed six execution warrants, bringing to 119 the number of warrants he has signed during his eight years in office. No executions were carried out during his time as governor. The text of the Governor’s letter follows: Jan. 14, 2011 To Members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly: As of this date, I have signed 119 execution warrants since taking office in January 2003, and not one execution has been carried out during the last eight years. In fact, none are even close to having a final date set. The only executions carried out since the death penalty was reinstated in Pennsylvania in the late 1970s were two in 1995 and one in 1999, and those three men – Keith Zettlemoyer, Leon Moser, and Gary Heidnik – had waived their appeals and asked that their sentence be ca...

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By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director Joe Scarnati says he’s enjoyed serving as lieutenant governor, but now he’s looking forward to spending more time in his senate district. Scarnati has been serving as senator, Senate President as well as Lt. Governor since the death of Catherine Baker Knoll in November of 2008. The current lieutenant governor’s term ends January 18, 2011, at 11:45 a.m. when Jim Cawley is sworn in. “It’s been a very difficult last several years,” Scarnati said of holding all three jobs, as well as dealing with difficult budget issues. “I hope to be back in somewhat of a routine to get around a lot more often (in the district) than I’ve been able to in the last two years.” “It’s been a pleasure serving as lieutenant governor,” he said, then added with a smile, “maybe not as lieutenant governor to Ed Rendell -- but it’s been a pleasure and an honor to serve the Commonwealth in that capacity. But I like being the state senator from the 25th District.” He does plan ...

Harrisburg – Governor Edward G. Rendell today was joined by Chilean Minister of Defense Jaime Ravinet, Chilean Ambassador Arturo Fermandois and representatives of three Pennsylvania companies that played pivotal roles in the Chilean mine rescue to celebrate the lighting of the Capitol Christmas tree. The theme for this year’s ceremony was “Home for the Holidays,” recognizing the efforts of the Pennsylvania companies and Chilean officials who worked together to rescue 33 miners in Chile who were trapped underground in early August. “For many people, Christmas is a time best spent with family, friends and loved ones,” Governor Rendell said. “For the 33 Chilean miners trapped underground during a mine collapse in early August, that didn’t seem possible. It was first feared the miners would not be rescued before Christmas, which would have meant a nearly four-month stay underground. “Thanks to the efforts of today’s special guests, the families of these 33 men received an early Christmas p...

Harrisburg – Governor Edward G. Rendell today announced that Pennsylvania is more than halfway toward its goal to help nearly 30,000 low-income homeowners improve their energy efficiency and reduce costs. Training will help prepare 1,000 more weatherization installers, crew chiefs and auditors across the state in the coming year. “We are making great progress weatherizing low-income homes, work that creates jobs, conserves energy and reduces costs for homeowners,” Governor Rendell said. “Over the past 11 months, 15,027 homes across the state — just over 50 percent of our 29,700 goal — were weatherized as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act-funded initiative in Pennsylvania.” Approximately 1,800 people have jobs and skills that can carry well into the future economy because of the weatherization work on these homes. “Those homeowners are now saving an average of $600 each year on their energy costs. But this effort is about more than simply saving energy and money; this R...

The state Senate has voted to override an education bill Governor Ed Rendell vetoed last month. Senate leaders had said they would not hold any lame duck voting sessions, but changed their minds after the House voted to override the veto earlier this week. Senators were returning to Harrisburg today for leadership elections. The Senate voted 42-7 this afternoon to successfully override the Two-thirds of the members in each chamber must vote in favor of overriding a veto for a bill to become law without the governor’s signature. Rendell says he vetoed the bill because it contains an unconstitutional provision that would violate the state’s uniformity of taxation clause by giving tax breaks to nonprofit charter schools but not to other nonprofits. But Senator Jeff Piccola, chairman of the Education Committee, says the provision in the vetoed legislation only sought to make a technical change to the law to make it clear that all public schools are tax-exempt. "I am deeply gratified t...

American Refining Group and a local railroad are each getting a share of $32.5 million in state grant money awarded today for 38 rail projects in 28 counties. ARG is getting $1.4 million to rebuild track, switches and loading racks. The Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad will get $378,350 to install new crossties, rebuild rail through three grade crossings and realign a curve to facilitate higher track speed. For more information, you can read the news release: – A $32.5 million state investment in 38 rail projects in 28 counties will upgrade and add capacity, stimulate local economies and provide as many as 2,500 jobs, Governor Edward G. Rendell announced today at a York manufacturing and distribution facility. “Transportation investment equals jobs,” Governor Rendell said. “The rail freight projects being funded across the state today will help companies create good-paying jobs and inject billions into local economies. These grants are excellent examples of how public-priva...

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director When Governor Ed Rendell declared the Marcellus Shale natural gas extraction tax “clearly dead” on Thursday, he blamed Republicans and said they were not negotiating in good faith. "It is irresponsible for Senate and House Republicans to refuse to compromise and simply turn their backs on these negotiations after days and weeks and months of work,” Rendell said in a news release. But Senate President Joe Scarnati told WESB and The HERO on Friday that Rendell’s unilateral declaration that the tax issue is dead is “not how you negotiate. … He says we (Republicans) are not negotiating in good faith because we won’t move to his high tax.” “When he’s looking at a tax that’s the highest in the nation, and we’re looking at a rate that promotes the industry, it’s pretty hard to come together,” Scarnati said. Lawmakers had promised to have a tax bill in place by October 1, with the tax collection starting in January. Without the bill, the state is l...

By ANNE HOLLIDAY WESB/WBRR News Director Senate Republican leaders don’t believe a new tax on natural gas extracted from Marcellus Shale will be approved anytime soon. “I don’t believe we’re any closer to a deal,” Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati said in a news conference Tuesday. The prospects of getting the bill finished “diminish by the hour,” he said, adding that the House and Senate are “worlds apart.” Scarnati adds that some of the main sticking points are finding an acceptable tax rate, certain exemptions and safety issues. Scarnati says the bill passed by the House two weeks ago, calling for a levy of 39 cents per thousand cubic feet of gas, is too high and is unacceptable. Also unacceptable, he says, is the fact that small gas producers in the state that drill shallow wells are not exempted from any new tax in the House bill. Governor Ed Rendell’s proposal would “tax shallow gas producers out of the state,” Scarnati said. “These are the Mom and Pop producers that have...

Wellsboro – Communities in the heart of the booming Marcellus Shale drilling region are struggling to protect the environment and groundwater supplies while facing growing social service needs, Governor Edward G. Rendell said today when he visited Tioga County. “The Marcellus Shale gas industry is just getting started in Pennsylvania, so we have the opportunity now to ensure that adequate resources are available for local and state government to meeting growing demand for services and protect the environment,” the Governor said. “To accomplish these goals, the gas companies profiting from this rapidly growing industry should be willing to pay a fair share levy. “I share the view of the eight out of 10 Pennsylvanians who, in a recent poll, said that they favor a tax on gas companies to fund programs that will protect our environment and help local governments handled increased demand on their services,” Governor Rendell said. Pennsylvania is the only major energy-producing state that do...

Harrisburg – Governor Edward G. Rendell today announced a plan to put $212 million into budgetary reserve because Pennsylvania did not receive as much federal funding as it had anticipated when the state budget was finalized in July. The Governor also wrote to legislative leaders, the chief justice of the state Supreme Court and the heads of independent state agencies and row offices, asking them to follow his lead by putting 1.9 percent of their funding into reserve. Governor Rendell said that in spite of the budget cuts, the state’s basic education subsidy to school districts will still increase by $200 million -- $50 million less than originally planned when the budget was enacted. With these cuts –$50 million in education and 1.9 percent across the board– state expenditures will be reduced by $212 million, the Governor added. The Governor said his budget-balancing effort assumes that legislators will live up to their commitment to enact a severance tax on natural gas extraction no ...