WILKES-BARRE — The Pennsylvania Governor’s Office of Homeland Security (GOHS), Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) and Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) this week hosted a school safety conference focused on averting targeted violence at schools through school safety investments, mental health supports and building a culture of belonging.
“Schools are safe spaces for learning, development, and socialization, so it is critical that we provide the resources and supports that our school communities need to keep students and teachers out of harm’s way,” said Acting Secretary of Education Eric Hagarty. “By prioritizing mental health services in conjunction with investments and prevention efforts, we can ensure that students are free to learn, grow, and thrive in a protected and secure environment.”
The conference was open to school administrators and staff, school resource officers, mental and social health experts, law enforcement officers and first responders.
During the event, keynote speaker Eric Garner, head of the Digital Video Production Academy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, shared his experience from the Feb. 14, 2018, mass school shooting, as well as his experience working with Miami-Dade County on its emergency response team.
“Our federal, state and local law enforcement and educators work tirelessly every day to communicate and educate the public on the prevention and protection of our school-aged children,” said Acting Homeland Security Director Kristin Daniels.
The conference brought together experts in their field, such as the FBI on their threat assessment and threat management work throughout Pennsylvania, PSP’s Heritage Affairs Section on hate crimes in the state, PSP’s Risk and Vulnerability Assessment Team on assessing physical security for school facilities, and the U.S. Secret Service’s National Threat Assessment Center on averting targeted violence.
Attendees were also provided with a very timely and poignant presentation from the Capital Area Intermediate Unit on building communities of belonging, care, concern, and commitment.”
More than $41.5 million in Safe Schools Targeted grants have been awarded to local education agencies (LEAs) across the commonwealth since 2015.
This year, $8 million in grants have been awarded to 303 LEAs to increase school safety by purchasing equipment, enacting new programs, and hiring security personnel and school resource officers.
Under the program, the PDE Office for Safe Schools offers four types of targeted safety grants: equipment grants of up to $25,000; program grants of up to $20,000; School Police Officer (SPO) grants of up to $40,000; and School Resource Officer (SRO) grants of up to $60,000.
Meuser joins colleagues in demanding
energy plan from Biden Administration
Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Dallas, joined with Republican colleagues this week in calling on President Joe Biden to issue an offshore energy leasing plan for the United States.
Meuser and his colleagues believe that American energy production is at the heart of solving the inflationary pressure on American families and producers, and this step would create a robust plan to halt the country’s dependence on foreign sources that are unstable.
The letter was led by House Republican Whip Steve Scalise and signed by 129 House Republicans.
“Instead of being at the mercy of other nations and our fate tied to geopolitical unrest, we can use our own resources in the country to lower gasoline prices and unleash production here, creating relief for families and jobs for workers,” Meuser stated. “I join Rep. Scalise in demanding the Biden Administration issue a new plan.”
Rep. Scalise and the lawmakers requested that Biden issue a five-year offshore leasing plan that includes regular annual lease sales in America’s offshore areas, according to their Oct. 17 letter sent to the president.
The offshore leasing program is required under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, which mandates that the U.S. Department of the Interior finalize a five-year plan before any leasing can occur, according to the members’ letter.
Lawmakers wrote that curtailing oil and gas exploration and production will have severe consequences, pointing out that Europe is in an energy crisis, and people who live in California are being told to limit their use of energy, including the charging of electric vehicles. The lawmakers caution that escalating energy prices will rise further unless there is a reversal in course and an increase in leasing, exploration and production of oil and natural gas at home.
The offshore leasing program is required under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), and the Department of the Interior is required to finalize a five-year plan before any leasing occurs. U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland delayed the release of a proposed program that, according to the lawmakers, now ensures that the nation spends the rest of this year without a finalized offshore leasing schedule.
“A predictable leasing schedule will not only help reduce energy costs now for everyday Americans,” wrote Rep. Scalise and the lawmakers, “but it will drive more investment into the energy sector and guarantee a steady flow of American energy into the future.”
Boback receives Lifetime Achievement
Award from Pennsylvania magazine
Nearing the end of her eighth and final term in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Rep. Karen Boback, R-Harveys lake, this week received a Lifetime Achievement Award from City & State Pennsylvania Magazine.
The award was presented during a ceremony in Philadelphia.
In its latest issue, the magazine honored 50 of the “most prominent leaders in Pennsylvania government, advocacy, labor, business, academia and media who are over the age of 50.”
Ten of them, including Boback, were also Lifetime Achievement Award winners, “who have made lasting contributions to Pennsylvania by helping shape their communities through successful business endeavors, civic engagement and service to local and state government.”
“What a surprise to be recognized in this way for a lifetime of accomplishments, including my years in the Legislature,” said Boback. “This is certainly a highlight in my life.”
Boback holds a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and taught in the public school system for 33 years. She served as majority chairman of the House Children and Youth Committee and currently serves as majority chairman of the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee. Boback sponsored and helped to initiate a myriad of legislative measures that make Pennsylvania a better place to live and raise children.
Wolf Administration hosts roundtable
discussion with teens on safe driving
During a forum this week, representatives from the Pennsylvania departments of Transportation (PennDOT) and Education and Pennsylvania State Police, as well as local education and law enforcement representatives shared their collective driver safety knowledge with high school students.
“Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for teens,” said PennDOT Deputy Secretary for Driver and Vehicle Services Kurt Myers. “Parents and teachers have an important role to play in helping new drivers establish safe driving habits.”
The forum was held to call attention to teen driver safety and share important information directly with teen drivers during the nationwide observance of Teen Driver Safety Week Oct. 16-22, and gave students an opportunity to directly ask questions of the panel.
From 2017 to 2021, there were 81,364 crashes involving at least one 16- to 19-year- old driver in Pennsylvania, resulting in 480 fatalities — 66% of those crashes involved a teen driver driving too fast for conditions (25,721 crashes), driver inexperience (8,707), driver distraction (12,411) or improper/careless turning (13,092).
There was a total of 53,673 crashes with one or more of these factors.
The risk of a crash involving any of these factors can be reduced through practice, limiting the number of passengers riding with a new driver, obeying all rules of the road, and using common sense.
“Setting a good example in the driver’s seat is one of the most important things you can do as a parent or caregiver of a teen driver,” said Colonel Robert Evanchick, commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police. “Positive examples include eliminating distractions in the vehicle, obeying the speed limit, never driving while impaired, and remembering to buckle up every time.”
PennDOT suggests that parents consider the following recommendations to help their children become safe and responsible drivers:
Set a good example with your own driving habits.
Have regular conversations with your teen about safe driving skills before they get their learner’s permit.
Establish a parent/teen driving contract.
Ride with your teen occasionally after they receive their license to monitor driving skills.
Enforce observance of speed limits and other rules of the road.
Strongly encourage your teen to avoid distractions behind the wheel, such as talking or texting on their cell phone.