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Pennsylvania State Police introduce autism ID cards

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Pennsylvania State Police introduce autism ID cards


After meeting with advocates, the Pennsylvania State Police has unveiled informational cards for people with autism to present to officers during any interactions like traffic stops to better help with communication.

The PSP has officially started to distribute an informational card that should be carried by people with autism and presented during any encounter with police.

The colorful and distinctive cards say “I Have Autism” and directs officers to be patient, use a calm and direct voice. The card also alerted the officers that they may be non-verbal, hypersensitive to noise and or touch.

Lindsay Dragon, the Executive Director of a local support group Parenting Autism United has a ten year old son who is greatly affected by autism.

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She says that these cards being given out to people with autism will ease the mind of parents with children who have autism.

“As a parent our biggest fears as our boys get older are the risks of being misunderstood and possibly not following direction which could lead to arrests or potential death,” Dragon said.

As of last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 in 36 children in the United States have autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which is about 75 million people.

Dragon says that this is a great step towards the overall acceptance and inclusion of both children and adults with autism.

She believes that these ID cards will be especially beneficial for adults with autism as well who may not be aware of the harm they are or can cause in an interaction with police officers.

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“If first responders are not in the know these types of cards would be extremely helpful in preventing a lot of unnecessary things,” Dragon added.

Individuals may print the card from the website and carry it in a wallet, or they can choose to save it on their phone. Troopers will distribute the cards at public community events.



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Pennsylvania

Fetterman and McCormick cancel joint appearance in Pittsburgh

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Fetterman and McCormick cancel joint appearance in Pittsburgh


A joint appearance featuring U.S. Sens. John Fetterman and Dave McCormick scheduled for Saturday in Pittsburgh — which already had been subject to a location change after activists said they would show up to protest the paid event — was canceled on Friday.

People who paid $32, plus fees, for the event received an update that it was postponed “due to an unforeseen logistical issue,” and that it will be rescheduled.

The update from “Team McCormick” and “Team Fetterman” said the organizers “regret any inconvenience” and offered full refunds.

The event’s location had not been revealed.

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Attendees were supposed to get a notification 24 hours ahead of time of the location, Pennlive.com reported, but got the postponement instead.

Fetterman and his wife, Gisele, were originally set to appear with McCormick and his wife, Dina Powell, at City Winery in Pittsburgh on Saturday to promote a book about mentorship authored by the McCormicks called “Who Believed in You?” People who paid to attend would get a copy of the book.

But then the location was switched to a new, undisclosed venue.

“Our senators appear to have caught wind of the fact that their constituents want to be heard. And instead of HOLDING TOWN HALLS, they have moved their paid book event (the subject of this protest) to an UNDISCLOSED LOCATION,” said organizers of a protest page on Facebook called “Search Party; Have You Seen our Senators?”

The organizers said they would still proceed with a scheduled 12 p.m. Saturday demonstration at Schenley Plaza in Pittsburgh.

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The Democratic Fetterman and Republican McCormick have touted their friendly working relationship.

It’s been more than two months since Fetterman held a public event in Pennsylvania. McCormick on Tuesday held his first town hall, which was online only, since becoming Pennsylvania’s senator. The tele-town hall was advertised 30 minutes before it started via a post on McCormick’s X account.

Fetterman, the only Senate Democrat to visit President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort this year, has steadfastly dismissed angry complaints from many of his Democratic constituents about his vote to approve a Republican bill funding the federal government and averting a shutdown, as well as his staunch support of Israel.

“He’s just a commonsense person, which is beautiful,” Trump said after meeting Fetterman.

Fetterman has been critical of the Trump administration, including on Friday when he denounced a move by Trump to strip unionization rights from federal workers.

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Representatives for Fetterman and McCormick could not be reached for comment Friday.

Staff writer Julia Terruso contributed to this article.



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Pennsylvania Sportswatch Daily Listings

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Pennsylvania Sportswatch Daily Listings


Lafayette at Lehigh — ESPN+, ESPN app

Bucknell at Army — ESPN+, ESPN app

Pittsburgh at Boston College — ACCNX

Penn State at Michigan — Big Ten Plus

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Saint Joseph’s at VCU — ESPN+, ESPN app

Lafayette at Lehigh — ESPN+, ESPN app

Bucknell at Army — ESPN+, ESPN app

Pittsburgh at Boston College — ACCNX

Philadelphia at Washington — MASN, NBCS Philadelphia +, Fubo Sports US

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Pittsburgh at Miami — FDSN Florida, SportsNet Pittsburgh, Fubo Sports US

Miami at Philadelphia — FDSN Sun, NBCS Philadelphia, Fubo Sports US, NBA League Pass

MLS: Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami — MLS Season Pass

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV.



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Pennsylvania Money Match Program Sends First Checks to Residents

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Pennsylvania Money Match Program Sends First Checks to Residents


Treasurer Stacy Garrity, alongside Senator Devlin Robinson (R-37), announced the inaugural disbursement of funds from the Pennsylvania Money Match program, with over $1.7 million in checks being mailed to state residents. This initiative, which received unanimous approval from the General Assembly and was signed into law by the Governor, aims to efficiently return unclaimed property to its rightful owners.

More than 7,000 Pennsylvanians will soon find checks in their mailboxes, representing the first wave of payments under the program. These funds stem from unclaimed property such as dormant accounts and uncashed checks, with individual claims capped at $500.

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The program’s introduction follows a series of “due diligence” notifications sent by the Treasury to potential beneficiaries in January. Following this first batch, the next series of checks is scheduled for May, targeting approximately 40,000 recipients.

Pennsylvania Money Match was established under Senate Bill 24, also known as Act 81 of 2024, sponsored by former Sen. John DiSanto and complemented by House Bill 2092 from Rep. Ryan Bizzarro (D-3). Both pieces of legislation passed with bipartisan support, reflecting a collective effort to streamline the return of unclaimed assets to citizens, thereby boosting local economies and easing individual financial burdens.


Treasurer Garrity highlighted the program’s success in removing bureaucratic hurdles and improving the efficiency of government operations. Since her tenure began, Garrity has returned over $750 million in unclaimed property and has overseen significant enhancements to the treasury’s systems, including a major system upgrade and the introduction of a fast-track claim process.

For more details on the Pennsylvania Money Match program or to check eligibility for unclaimed property, residents are encouraged to visit the Treasury’s official site at patreasury.gov/MoneyMatch.

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