Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania lawmakers question secrecy around how abuse or neglect of older adults is investigated – Metro Philadelphia
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro speaks with members of the media during a news conference in Yardley, Pa., Monday, Dec. 4, 2023.
AP Photo/Matt Rourke
By MARC LEVY Associated Press
Pennsylvania lawmakers want Gov. Josh Shapiro’s Department of Aging to disclose more about the shortcomings it finds when it evaluates whether county-level agencies are properly investigating complaints about the abuse or neglect of older adults.
The effort comes as Republican state lawmakers have pressed Shapiro’s administration to do more to investigate the deaths of older adults who are the subject of an abuse or neglect complaint after Pennsylvania recorded a steep increase in such deaths.
Rep. Louis Schmitt, R-Blair, introduced legislation Wednesday requiring the department to publish the compliance status of each of the 52 county-level agencies that it’s supposed to inspect annually, and to publish a report on the findings.
“The public needs to know. The public deserves to know. The public has a right to know,” Schmitt said in an interview. “You cannot hide if you’re going to conduct public business, especially public business that affects the health and safety and welfare of seniors in Pennsylvania.”
The department told lawmakers earlier this year that it had deemed seven of the agencies to be noncompliant. The year before that, 13 were noncompliant when lawmakers asked.
In a statement, the Department of Aging said it looked forward to working with Schmitt. The department said it expects to introduce a new performance evaluation process beginning in June and will post results on its website.
The department has recently declined requests by The Associated Press for two sets of documents: one in which the department outlines to county-level agencies the shortcomings it found and another in which the county-level agency must explain how it will fix those shortcomings. The department, under Shapiro’s predecessor, former Gov. Tom Wolf, had provided such documents unredacted to the AP.
Those refusals come after a January evaluation of Philadelphia’s agency found that its protective services bureau had improperly handled 16 — or one-third — of 50 closed cases that were picked at random for the review.
The details of complaints, investigations and the identity of the person whose situation is in question are kept secret.
The Philadelphia Corporation For Aging declined to comment. A letter the department sent to the agency didn’t describe the problems or how the agency planned to fix them.
Asked about the fate of the 16 adults, the department said none of their cases “required a referral to law enforcement or a report to the coroner’s office.”
The department also said it is taking steps to help the Philadelphia agency, including by encouraging the agency to seek out a broader pool of applicants for caseworkers and supervisory staff and expanding training.
The department has contracts with 52 county-level “area agencies for aging” — nicknamed triple As — across Pennsylvania to field and investigate abuse and neglect complaints and, ultimately, ensure the older adult is safe and connected to the appropriate social services. Some are county-run and some are privately run.
Sheri McQuown, a protective services specialist who left the Department of Aging last year after almost seven years, said there is no reason the department cannot publish the findings from its evaluations and the local agencies’ corrective action plans.
“The public should know what they’re paying for, what they’re getting for their money, and older adults should know which triple As are effective and which are not,” McQuown said.
How the Philadelphia agency handles complaints has stoked repeated concerns. At one point, the state stepped in to handle investigations.
McQuown questioned whether the Department of Aging has the spine to hold the county-level agencies accountable. High numbers of deficiencies has long been the norm for Philadelphia and some other agencies, she said.
The county-level agencies do not always comply with state requirements that limit caseworkers’ caseloads, set deadlines to resolve cases and set timelines within which caseworkers must promptly see potential victims.
The agencies also decide which complaints to investigate, and state data has long shown disparities between the agencies in how often they deemed a complaint to be worthy of action.
DOYLESTOWN BOROUGH, PA — A major downtown street will be repaved under a resurfacing contract awarded this week by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT).
Borough officials, who have lobbied for years to have East and West State Street resurfaced, announced the news on Wednesday via its Facebook page.
When the project happens later this year, the work will be fully paid for under a major $8.3 million project bid award by PennDOT to repave 16 miles of state highways in Bucks County.
This marks the first time that State Street will be resurfaced since the 1990s, said borough officials, who credited an organized lobbying effort by local leadership and the community for pushing the project forward.
In its Facebook posting, the borough thanked State Sen. Steve Santarsiero, State Rep. Tim Brennan, Borough Council, Mayor Noni West, residents and business owners who brought the street’s condition to PennDOT’s attention.
State Street runs through the heart of the borough and serves as a heavily used business, tourism, and residential corridor for the town. It is home to the County Theater, a popular local and regional tourist attraction, the historic Doylestown Inn, and many other businesses.
More detailed timing and work plans are expected once the state finalizes its construction schedule.
One person is dead, and two others were taken to the hospital after a crash involving multiple vehicles in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, Tuesday afternoon, police said.
The crash happened around 4:45 p.m. at East Bristol Road and Brownsville roads, police said.
Police said a person driving a Toyota RAV4 was involved in a domestic-related incident in Lower Southampton Township before the crash.
The person driving the Toyota RAV4 was traveling eastbound at a high rate of speed, crossed into oncoming traffic and struck another vehicle while attempting to pass a Hyundai Kona, according to police.
The Toyota then became airborne, struck a Honda SUV and a Ford pickup truck and rolled over. The driver of the Toyota died in the crash, police said.
The driver of the Hyundai Kona left the road and came to a rest after striking a fence on Bristol Road, according to police.
It’s unclear if any drugs or alcohol were factors in the crash, police said.
Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact Bensalem police.
Pennsylvania
Digital News Publishers Launch Pennsylvania Independent News Association (PiNA) to Advocate for Local News Organizations – Saucon Source
The publishers of two dozen local news brands across Pennsylvania today announced the official formation of the Pennsylvania Independent News Association (PiNA).
The new Harrisburg-based organization is dedicated to bringing together digital-first local news organizations to strengthen the independent press, modernize laws and policies, and ensure the long-term sustainability of community news.
“The news industry is in a period of profound transformation, and digital news publishers need a seat at the table,” said Tom Sofield, PiNA’s president and publisher of LevittownNow.com.
PiNA’s mission is to provide these publishers with a collective voice, advocating for policies that reflect the modern reality of news consumers, local businesses and civic organizations.
An immediate focus for the new association is the reform of Pennsylvania’s outdated public notice laws, which currently prohibit digital outlets from publishing legal notices. PiNA seeks the right for qualified and established digital outlets to compete against incumbent print outlets and for local municipalities to choose the publication and medium that’s best for their communities. PiNA’s proposed amendment draws from similar legislation in Virginia that was signed into law in 2024.
“PiNA publishers have long been ready to compromise and find policy solutions that work for all Pennsylvanians,” said PiNA secretary and treasurer Davis Shaver, publisher of LebTown. “When lawmakers and local government organizations say they want the ability to self-publish notices, it’s a result of legacy newspapers treating the print monopoly over public notices as a profit center.”
PiNA’s position is that independent outlets can provide the third-party affidavits of publication required to demonstrate compliance with public notice mandates–an essential role of the notice process that would not be possible if agencies were allowed to publish on their own websites.
“We understand why self-publication is desirable, but it’s not the only way to provide urgently needed financial relief for the onerous print newspaper tax on public notices,” said Shaver. “We’re tired of waiting for legacy newspapers to disrupt themselves. Enough is enough, let’s move on.”
PiNA has already engaged with state legislators from across the Commonwealth. PiNA leadership said that the group has been encouraged to learn that its position has widespread support. In particular, PiNA commends Representative Robert Freeman (D-136) for his leadership on this issue.
PiNA represents a group of serious-minded news organizations and leaders. Its membership spans the Commonwealth, from the most rural area to the suburbs and to the neighborhoods of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. PiNA member outlets are read by millions of Pennsylvanians monthly.
“We are coming together to advocate for our staffs, our readers and common-sense policies–like public notice reform–that support a free and modern press,” said Sofield. “By combining our strengths, we can ensure that every community in Pennsylvania has access to reliable local news.”
The association will work to bring collaboration among the locally-owned Pennsylvania small businesses to share ideas and solutions for growth, technology and sustainable revenue models.
“We believe in the power of local news to build stronger communities and improve lives,” said Sofield. “By forming PiNA, we’re creating a base for independent publishers to thrive together.”
PiNA is focused on ensuring that high-quality, trustworthy local news is a permanent fixture in Pennsylvania’s 67 counties. The founding members of PiNA include Burb Media, EYT Media Group, Fideri News Network, Lazerpro, Lebanon Publishing Company, NCPA Media LLC and Street Light Media Group. The first associate members include West Hills Gazette and Saucon Source.
Member Outlets: AroundAmbler.com, CentralBucksNews.com, explore814.com, exploreClarion.com, exploreJeffersonPA.com, exploreVenango.com, GlensideLocal.com, HorshamNow.com, LebTown.com, LevittownNow.com, MediaPANow.com, MoreThanTheCurve.com, NewHopeFreePress.com, NewtownPANow.com, NorthCentralPA.com, NorthPennNow.com, PerkValleyNow.com, PhillyDaily.com, SauconSource.com, StateCollege.com, WestHillsGazette.com, WillowGroveNow.com, and WissNow.com.
About PiNA
The Pennsylvania Independent News Association (PiNA) is a trade association representing digital-first local news publishers. PiNA works to promote the health and sustainability of independent news outlets through advocacy, collaboration and innovation.
-
Los Angeles, Ca11 minutes agoPolice investigate deadly stabbing in Tarzana; suspect in custody
-
Detroit, MI31 minutes agoDetroit Tigers sweep Tampa Bay Rays in win as Dillon Dingler stays hot
-
San Francisco, CA41 minutes agoRetired San Francisco firefighter dies from lung cancer after Blue Shield denies treatment claims
-
Dallas, TX46 minutes agoTrackdown: Dallas 7-Eleven robbery suspect wanted
-
Miami, FL53 minutes agoThis new Italian restaurant in Brickell only has 10 items on the menu
-
Boston, MA56 minutes agoVisiting Boston this summer? Here are 8 navigation tips you need to know.
-
Denver, CO1 hour agoDenver-ish Central Market? RiNo food hall vendors claim they’ve been pushed out
-
Seattle, WA1 hour agoNew Ben & Jerry’s location opening at Seattle waterfront’s Pier 54
