Governor Wolf

As COVID-19 Cases Reach Critical Levels, Wolf Admin Announces New Mitigation Efforts

With new modeling projecting 22,000 new COVID-19 cases per day in Pennsylvania in December, Governor Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine today announced new targeted mitigation measures to help stop the spread during this critical time. These include a robust enforcement plan targeted at chronic violators along with an effort to ensure schools are safe and in compliance with COVID safety plans. The administration is also encouraging Pennsylvanians to limit unnecessary travel and stay at home. “As our hospitals and health care system are facing greater strain, we need to redouble our efforts to keep people safe,” Gov. Wolf…


ECASD Board Votes to Allow 1/4 Capacity at District Events

The Ellwood City School Area School District’s Board of Directors voted to allow spectators at events at ¼ capacity, but those in attendance will be required to wear masks, to social distance, and to sign a waiver excusing the district from liability. In a 6-1 vote the board decided that Ellwood City sports will now be played with the support of the community. Director Gary Rozanski was the lone No vote, and Directors Kathy McCommons and Norman Boots were not in attendance during the vote. The vote came following a September 14 federal court ruling that deemed Governor Wolf’s state…


Governor Wolf Announces Restaurants May Increase Indoor Occupancy Starting September 21

Governor Tom Wolf today announced this week that restaurants may increase indoor occupancy to 50 percent starting September 21. To ensure that these businesses operate safely as Pennsylvania continues to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and to instill customers and employees with confidence knowing that they can dine safely, restaurants will commit to strictly complying to all public health safety guidelines and orders through a self-certification process. “While our aggressive and appropriate mitigation efforts have kept case counts low, we must continue to take important steps to protect public health and safety as we head into the fall. At the…


Gov. Wolf Provides Guidance to Resume High School and Other Summer Sports

The Wolf Administration today issued preliminary guidance for high school and recreational sports teams to resume voluntary workouts and other in-person activities in the state’s yellow and green phases. The guidance includes college and professional sports. “Pennsylvania has some of the best athletes and teams in the country and they can now begin to safely return to organized sports,” said Gov. Wolf. This guidance balances keeping student athletes safe from COVID-19 while allowing them to participate in an important part of their lives. “This is another step toward reopening our state and getting things back on track. As students and teammates get…


Gov. Wolf Announces $225 Million Grant Program for Small Businesses Impacted by COVID-19

Governor Tom Wolf announced a $225 million statewide grant program to support small businesses that were impacted by the COVID-19 public health crisis and subsequent business closure order. “As we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and shift our focus toward reopening our commonwealth, we need to help all Pennsylvanians recover. We need to provide assistance for those who were hurt by the pandemic and the resulting economic downturn,” Gov. Wolf said. “This new program will provide direct support to impacted businesses to cover operating expenses during the shutdown and the transition to reopening.” The funding was developed in partnership…


Governor Moves Beaver County to ‘Yellow’ Phase, Says Bernstine

ELLWOOD CITY, Beaver County – Citing a low caseload and flattening the curve, Rep. Aaron Bernstine (R-Beaver/Butler/Lawrence) issued the following statement regarding Gov. Tom Wolf’s announcement that Beaver County is one of 12 counties set to move into the “yellow” phase starting Friday, May 22, under his reopening plan. “The governor has heard your voices and finally reacted to safely reopen Beaver County. We have a lot of people who want to go back to work and they feel they can do it safely. They can make good judgments and make sure they are safe, and their customers are safe. “Instead of…


Gov. Wolf Outlines Plans to Create Commonwealth Civilian Coronavirus Corps

As Pennsylvania plans to safely reopen the economy and recover from COVID-19, Governor Tom Wolf announced the creation of the Commonwealth Civilian Coronavirus Corps, a public service initiative that will support efforts this fall to increase testing and contact tracing and provide critical new job opportunities in the public health sector. “Our highest priority remains protecting public health and safety, but we must also look ahead to see how we can address future needs. To reopen our economy to its maximum potential, we will need to boost our ability to contain this highly transmissible virus,” Governor Wolf said. “The Commonwealth…


Governor Wolf Extends School Closure for Remainder of Academic Year

Continuing his efforts to protect the health and safety of students and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Tom Wolf today announced that all schools will remain closed for the remainder of the 2019-20 academic year. The governor made the decision in consultation with Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine and Secretary of Education Pedro A. Rivera. Students and families can continue to pick up meals at designated sites. Although schools are closed, teaching and learning may continue: schools are strongly encouraged to provide continuity of education for all students in the most appropriate and accessible ways possible. PDE has…


Bernstine Reacts to Governor Wolf Budget Address

HARRISBURG – Rep. Aaron Bernstine (R-Beaver/Butler/Lawrence) today joined his colleagues in a joint session of the General Assembly as Governor Tom Wolf delivered his budget address. Bernstine released the following statement on the governor’s proposal. “The governor today failed to mention the billions of dollars he wants to borrow from the taxpayers’ credit card. He claims his budget does not include any new taxes, but we know that debt doesn’t magically disappear. He’s mortgaging the paychecks of our children and grandchildren with his excessive overspending and borrowing agenda. “Instead of discussions about all the different ways to spend the taxpayers’…


Governor Wolf Appoints Council President to Advisory Committee

Ellwood City Council President Judith Dici was recently appointed to Governor Wolf’s Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC). The Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC) provides municipalities, legislators and the business community an opportunity to have an open dialogue to discuss the impact legislation is having on local governments as well as creates a forum to communicate and converse about the needs and challenges facing local governments throughout Pennsylvania. Dici will represent Ellwood City and 957 other boroughs until 2023. Out of a handful of borough officials, Dici was chosen by Wolf to serve on the committee. The Local Government Advisory Committee…