Milton se convierte de nuevo en huracán de categoría 5 mientras se aproxima a Florida

Por

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08/10/2024

MIlton se convierte de nuevo en huracán de categoría 5 mientras se aproxima a Florida — Fotografía cedida este martes por el Centro Nacional de Huracanes (NHC) estadounidense donde se muestra el pronóstico de cinco días del paso del huracán Milton en el Golfo de México hacia Florida. (Foto: EFE/NHC)

Milton se intensificó de nuevo este martes en aguas del Golfo de México y volvió a convertirse en un huracán de categoría 5 mientras se aproxima a la costa oeste de Florida, donde se espera que impacte el miércoles por la noche, informó el Centro Nacional de Huracanes (NHC, en inglés) de Estados Unidos.

En su boletín más reciente, el NHC advirtió que «los residentes de Florida deben prepararse» en sus hogares y evacuar, si así lo indican las autoridades locales.

El «extremadamente peligroso» huracán Milton, que aumentó este martes de tamaño mientras se aproxima a la costa oeste de Florida, presenta en estos momentos vientos máximos sostenidos de 270 kilómetros por hora (165 millas).

El sistema se encuentra localizado a 520 kilómetros (320 millas) al oeste-suroeste de Dry Tortugas, en los Cayos de Florida, y a 775 kilómetros (480 millas) al suroeste de Tampa, en la costa oeste central de Florida.

Según la trayectoria pronosticada por el NHC, el centro de Milton se moverá hoy y mañana a través del este del Golfo de México y «tocará tierra a lo largo de la costa centro-oeste de Florida el miércoles por la noche», para luego cruzar la península y salir al Atlántico.

Si bien se esperan fluctuaciones en la intensidad, se pronostica que Milton «seguirá siendo un peligroso huracán mayor cuando desembarque en la costa oeste central» y salga el jueves a aguas del Atlántico, advirtieron.

Preocupa mucho la marejada ciclónica que puede causar Milton en la bahía de Tampa, de entre 10 y 15 pies de altura (de 3 a 4,5 metros). Los vientos con fuerza de tormenta tropical podrían llegar a la zona de la bahía de Tampa tan pronto como el miércoles por la mañana.

Se esperan también «vientos devastadores» a lo largo de partes de la costa oeste de Florida, donde un aviso de huracán está en efecto. La previsión de los meteorólogos del NHC es que Milton «permanezca como huracán a medida que cruza la península de Florida».

Insistieron en destacar la importancia de que «los preparativos para proteger la vida y la propiedad» deben completarse como muy tarde esta noche, además de estar listos para «cortes de energía de larga duración».

Las fuertes lluvias que arrojará Milton a través de la península floridana hasta el jueves conllevarán «el riesgo de inundaciones repentinas y urbanas catastróficas», especialmente en áreas donde las inundaciones costeras y terrestres se combinan.

El presidente de Estados Unidos, Joe Biden, advirtió este martes que el huracán Milton podría ser el «peor» en golpear el estado de Florida en un siglo y pidió a las personas que se encuentran en la trayectoria de la tormenta que evacúen lo antes posible.

Por su parte, el gobernador de Florida, Ron DeSantis, dijo esta tarde en una rueda de prensa que a los residentes les queda un corto espacio de tiempo para ejecutar sus planes de evacuación, antes de que el huracán Milton toque tierra probablemente este miércoles por la noche.

«Deberían estar ejecutando su plan ahora. Si van a salir, salgan ahora», instó DeSantis a la población residente en las zonas más expuestas al embate de Milton.

Florida, que aún intenta recuperarse de los daños de Helene, continúa preparándose para la mayor evacuación desde 2017 ante la amenaza de Milton, que atravesará casi todo el estado de oeste a este.

Overcast

Opinión

Por

Isaac Cohen

-

08/10/2024

For the first time after a year of hostilities in the Middle East, the price of oil climbed this week to almost $80 per barrel, after falling under $70 throughout the year. This ominous fact, given its inflationary potential, clouded a couple of good economic news. First, the settlement reached on the threat of a strike by port workers along the US eastern seaboard, the other was the report of vigorous job creation in September. The strike threatened to disturb supply chains, when retailers are increasing inventories in preparation of the end-of-year festivities. The robust employment report revealed the creation of 254,000 new jobs in September, with a retreat of the jobless rate to 4.1 percent, from 4.2 percent in August. Excluding major surprises, such as an abrupt increase in the price of oil, while inflation declines, the central bank can continue cutting interest rates to achieve the expected soft landing of the US economy.

The next central bank meeting is scheduled to start on November 6, the day after the elections. The expectation this time is for another interest rate rebate of 0.25 per cent, instead of the last rebate of 0.5 percent, which surprised positively. Two relevant reports will be released before the next central bank meeting, one on inflation and the other on employment.

*International analyst and consultant, former Director ECLAC Washington. Commentator on economic and financial issues for CNN en Español TV and radio, UNIVISION, TELEMUNDO and other media.

Nubarrón

Opinión

Por

Isaac Cohen

-

08/10/2024

Por primera vez durante un año de hostilidades en el Medio Oriente, el precio del petróleo trepó a casi $80 por barril, después de caer debajo de $70 a lo largo del año. Este hecho ominoso, por su potencial inflacionario, opacó un par de buenas noticias económicas. Primero, el arreglo alcanzado para evitar la amenaza de huelga de los estibadores de los puertos de la costa atlántica de Estados Unidos, la otra fue el informe sobre la creación vigorosa de empleo en septiembre. La huelga amenazó perturbar las cadenas de suministro, cuando los comerciantes están aumentando inventarios en preparación de las festividades de fin de año. El informe sobre empleo robusto reveló la creación de 254,000 nuevos puestos de trabajo en septiembre, con un retroceso en la tasa de desempleo a 4.1 por ciento, desde 4.2 por ciento en agosto. Excluyendo sorpresas mayores, tal como otro aumento abrupto en el precio del petróleo, mientras que decline la inflación, el banco central puede continuar recortando la tasa de interés hasta lograr el anticipado aterrizaje suave de la economía estadounidense.

La próxima reunión del banco central está programada para comenzar el 6 de noviembre, un día después de las elecciones. Esta vez la expectativa es que habrá otra rebaja en la tasa de interés de 0.25 por ciento, en vez de la última de 0.50 por ciento, la cual sorprendió positivamente. Dos informes relevantes serán divulgados antes de la próxima reunión del banco central, uno sobre inflación y el otro sobre empleo.

*Analista y consultor internacional, ex-director de la Oficina de la CEPAL en Washington. Comentarista de economía y finanzas de CNN en Español TV y radio, UNIVISION, TELEMUNDO y otros medios.

La crisis climática exige un líder verdadero

Por

Antonieta Cádiz

-

08/10/2024

El huracán Helene nos ha dado una clara y devastadora muestra de la realidad de la crisis climática. Más de 160 personas han muerto, más de 1.000 siguen desaparecidas en Carolina del Norte y otros cuatro estados y muchas comunidades continúan sin acceso a agua potable, electricidad o servicio telefónico. La reconstrucción llevará meses y costará miles de millones de dólares.

Para aquellos que todavía no creen que la crisis climática es real, como el negador en jefe Donald Trump, existe una relación directa entre la magnitud del huracán Helene y el cambio climático. Las temperaturas globales han aumentado 2 grados desde 1850, y el aire más cálido que se asocia al cambio climático, retiene más humedad, lo que intensifica las tormentas.

Entonces, no necesitamos tener una bola de cristal para predecir el futuro. Lo hemos visto año tras año. Mientras el calentamiento global siga siendo un problema, tendremos más huracanes, más olas de calor, más sequías y todos somos vulnerables. Pensando en esta realidad es evidente que necesitamos un líder efectivo en la Casa Blanca. Uno que pueda responder a tiempo ante los desastres climáticos y nos ayude a aumentar la resiliencia de nuestras comunidades ante huracanes como Helene.

Y si la historia sirve de precedente, Trump no es ese líder. De hecho, Trump obstaculizó la tan necesaria ayuda a Puerto Rico tras el huracán María en 2017, imponiendo estrictas restricciones a la aprobación y distribución de fondos para catástrofes. A pesar de aprobar fondos de emergencia para cupones de alimentos, en privado se opuso a más ayuda, declarando que no quería que se enviara “ni un solo dólar más” a la isla. El dinero de ayuda para María llegó en 2019 y varios informes indicaron que la lentitud de la respuesta es responsable de miles de muertes en la isla.

Después de que un incendio forestal devastara Maldon y Pine City, Washington, Trump retuvo la ayuda durante más de cuatro meses debido a su animosidad hacia el gobernador Jay Inslee por criticarlo durante las elecciones de 2020.

¿Qué clase de liderazgo es ese?

No lo es. Estamos frente al retrato de una persona que lidera por ambición de poder y no por el bien común.

El clima extremo actualmente cuesta a los estadounidenses al menos 150.000 millones de dólares al año. La población latina lo sabe. El 78% de los latinos están preocupados por el impacto que los fenómenos meteorológicos extremos podrían tener en sus comunidades y sus finanzas, y muchos ven el clima extremo como una fuente de gastos adicionales.

El 65% de los votantes latinos considera prioritario contar con un presidente comprometido con la lucha contra el cambio climático y los fenómenos meteorológicos extremos.

En el debate entre el Gobernador Tim Walz y el Senador JD Vance este mes, el clima ocupó un lugar central. A los 15 minutos de empezar el debate, los candidatos recibieron una pregunta sobre el cambio climático.

Vance pasó dos minutos llamando “extraña” a la ciencia, redoblando el negacionismo climático de Trump y repitiendo las políticas insensatas de las grandes petroleras. Ese es el liderazgo que nos espera con la fórmula Trump-Vance.

El Proyecto 2025 de Trump dejaría a las comunidades con menos recursos para reconstruir después de desastres climáticos extremos. Desmantelaría el Servicio Meteorológico Nacional, por lo que los estadounidenses tendrían que pagar por las alertas meteorológicas que salvan vidas, e incluso eliminaría el Programa de Préstamos para Desastres de la Administración de Pequeñas Empresas, lo que dificultaría a los afectados reconstruir sus vidas después de una tormenta.

Por otro lado, Kamala Harris y Tim Walz saben que la crisis climática está aquí y el alto precio que está teniendo en nuestras comunidades. Como señaló Walz, bajo la administración Biden-Harris hemos sido testigos de la mayor inversión en clima y energía limpia de la historia, que ya ha creado más de 330.000 puestos de trabajo en todo el país.

Harris tiene un plan para construir una economía de energía limpia más sólida, proteger nuestra libertad de contar con agua y aire limpios y tomar medidas para frenar la crisis climática que está impulsando los fenómenos meteorológicos extremos devastadores como el huracán Helene.

La decisión es nuestra. Harris-Walz es nuestra única vía para frenar el empeoramiento de los efectos del cambio climático. No juguemos con fuego, votemos.

Lt. Governor Austin Davis Kicks Off listening tour to inform the work of the office of gun violence prevention

Región

Por

PR/CP

-

08/10/2024

The Office of Gun Violence Prevention was re-established by Governor Shapiro and builds on the Shapiro-Davis 2024-25 bipartisan budget which makes significant investments to make Pennsylvania communities safer.

Harrisburg, PA – Today, Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis and the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) joined the Departments of Health, Human Services, Community and Economic Development, State Police, Military and Veterans Affairs, Office of the Victim Advocate and advocacy organizations CeaseFirePA, Everytown for Gun Safety, GIFFORDS, Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, and others to kick off the first in a series of listening sessions that will inform the work of PCCD’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention.

“I believe every Pennsylvanian deserves to be safe and feel safe in their communities – and my Administration took real action to re-establish Pennsylvania’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention and put real resources behind this effort,” said Governor Shapiro. “Under Lieutenant Governor Davis’ leadership at PCCD, we are listening to Pennsylvanians about their experiences with gun violence and bringing together public safety and public health experts, gun violence survivors and advocates, and leaders from state and local agencies to address and prevent violence across the Commonwealth. We’re going to continue to work together to ensure that every Pennsylvanian has the real freedom that comes when you can walk down the street in your community without worrying about gun violence.”

The purpose of the listening tour is to identify needs and perspectives from across Pennsylvania related to gun violence, violent crime, and behavioral health to inform the Office’s work. Topics of discussion included youth gun involvement and violence; domestic violence and intimate partner violence; community gun violence; and gun suicides.

“As I travel across the Commonwealth, I am reminded daily of the devastating impact that gun violence is having across our communities. That’s why I’m proud of the bipartisan state budget, which includes more resources for community-based programs and a new statewide program to fund afterschool programs that can provide kids with learning and enrichment opportunities in a safe, supportive environment,” said Lt. Gov. Davis, PCCD Chair. “We’re taking a comprehensive approach to make Pennsylvania communities safer and PCCD’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention is one more piece of that puzzle.”

Takeaways from these discussions will drive the work of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention as well as inform Pennsylvania’s federal FY 2024 Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (SCIP) Funding Plan. Community stakeholders are encouraged to complete PCCD’s Stakeholder Feedback Survey to share their thoughts related to ideas about policies, programs, and how funding should be used to help reduce gun violence in Pennsylvania.

«Gun violence is the number one cause of death for our children. It’s a top reason why people feel anxiety in public places and even avoid going out altogether. It’s the cause of the majority of suicides across Pennsylvania. We lost 1,800 Pennsylvanians to this epidemic in 2023, and it’s going to take a whole-of-government approach to save lives,» said Adam Garber, Executive Director of CeaseFirePA. «We applaud the Shapiro-Davis administration for their leadership in re-establishing Pennsylvania’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention and look forward to partnering with the Office in advancing evidence-based policies and programs to move us toward the vision we all share: a life free from gun violence.»

Pennsylvania has made significant investments in public safety across the state in recent years. In 2023, homicides decreased by 16% across Pennsylvania compared to 12% nationally, with 29 out of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties seeing declines in homicides. Additionally, Philadelphia’s homicides decreased 23% in 2023 compared to the prior year and are down 40% so far in 2024.

“Today’s kick-off of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention is a significant step in safeguarding Pennsylvania’s communities by uniting experts, survivors, and advocates under one mission to end gun violence,» said Sean Holihan, GIFFORDS’ State Legislative Director. «Thanks to Governor Shapiro and Lieutenant Governor Davis’ commitment and leadership, we are not just talking about change—we are building a safer future with actionable solutions.”

While progress has been made, too many Pennsylvanians are still impacted by gun violence – firearm-related injuries remain the leading cause of death for children and Pennsylvania’s firearm fatality rate is significantly higher than surrounding states.

«Reestablishing Pennsylvania’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention is a crucial step in addressing the state’s ongoing gun violence crisis,” Jen Pauliukonis, Director of Policy and Programming, Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions. “By focusing on evidence-based strategies and fostering collaboration across communities, Pennsylvania is sending a strong message that public health and the well-being of its residents is a priority. This Office will play an essential role in advancing policies that prevent gun violence and promote public health.»

“Today’s convening is yet another example of the Shapiro-Davis Administration’s commitment to addressing gun violence in Pennsylvania. Not even a month after re-establishing the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, they’re already bringing together some of the most important voices in the fight against gun violence,” said Monisha Henley, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at Everytown for Gun Safety. “It requires all of us to address gun violence as the public health crisis that it is, and we’re grateful the Office of Gun Violence Prevention will continue to serve as a place for community organizations, law enforcement, elected officials and survivors to build on this life-saving progress.”

To address this issue, Governor Shapiro signed Executive Order 2024-02 on September 9, re-establishing the Pennsylvania Office of Gun Violence Prevention within PCCD. Under the Governor’s Executive Order, the Office will:

Convene an advisory group of national, state, and community violence prevention experts, survivors of gun violence, health and behavioral care practitioners, members of law enforcement, and other state agencies;
Develop a gun violence prevention plan for the Commonwealth; including a multi-faceted approach to address youth gun involvement and gun violence and addressing the intersections of gun violence with domestic violence;
Partner with the Pennsylvania Departments of Health (DOH) and Human Services (DHS), Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), and other Commonwealth entities to create and maintain a comprehensive online Gun Violence Data Dashboard and resource hub to track gun violence deaths, nonfatal gun-related injuries, and overall trends in crime and violence and serve as a “one-stop-shop” for data and research on gun violence in Pennsylvania;
Apply for non-state funding to support research, analysis, and implementation of effective gun violence prevention strategies;
Work with PCCD’s Office of Victims’ Services to improve services and support for gun violence victims, building on the agency’s Resources for Victims of Gun Violence Initiative; and
Collaborate with DOH’s Division of Violence Prevention, DHS, and other key stakeholders to increase awareness of firearm safety practices like safer storage.

The Office builds on the Shapiro-Davis 2024-25 bipartisan budget which makes significant investments to make Pennsylvania communities safer though various additional programs at PCCD, including:

$5 million increase— totaling $45 million— for community-based programs to reduce violence through the Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) program which supports a wide range of models focused on reducing community violence and relies on community groups that are most in tune with specific local needs;
$11.5 million to create a the first-ever statewide Building Opportunity through Out of School Time (BOOST) program, which will aim to reduce community violence by providing more afterschool learning opportunities for young people;
$5 million increase for the Nonprofit Security Grant Fund, to provide resources for places of worship, community centers, and other entities to enhance security measures; and
$5 million for PCCD’s Victim’s Compensation Assistance Program, to financially support victims in the aftermath of a crime.

Supreme Court seems open to upholding regulations on ghost guns, hard to trace weapons used in crime

Nación

Por

Associated Press

-

08/10/2024

The Supreme Court seemed likely Tuesday to uphold a Biden administration regulation on ghost guns, the difficult-to-trace weapons found at crime scenes in increasing numbers.

In arguments that ranged to classic cars and Western omelets, key conservative justices seemed open to the government’s argument that kits for quickly making nearly untraceable guns at home can be regulated like other firearms.

Two conservative justices, Chief John Roberts and Amy Coney Barrett, previously joined with the three liberals to allow the rule to go into effect and seemed skeptical of the arguments that the Biden administration overstepped by trying to regulate gun parts.

Justice Samuel Alito compared the components to food, suggesting eggs, peppers and ham aren’t necessarily a Western omelet so shouldn’t be treated like one. Barrett, though, proposed gun kits are more like meal kits ordered online that contain everything needed to make a specific dinner, like turkey chili.

Roberts, for his part, closely questioned the challengers’ position that the kits are mostly popular with hobbyists who enjoy making their own weapons, like auto enthusiasts might rebuild a car on the weekend.

Many ghost gun kits require only the drilling of a few holes and removal of plastic tabs.

“Drilling a hole or two, I would think, doesn’t give the same sort of reward that you get from working on your car on the weekend,” Roberts said. “My understanding is that it’s not terribly difficult for someone to do this.»

A ruling is expected in the coming months.

The regulation came after the number of ghost guns seized by police around the country soared, going from fewer than 4,000 recovered by law enforcement in 2018 to nearly 20,000 in 2021, according to Justice Department data. The number of ghost guns has since flattened out or declined in several major cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Baltimore, according to court documents.

Finalized at the direction of President Joe Biden, the rule requires companies to treat the kits like other firearms by adding serial numbers, running background checks and verifying that buyers are 21 or older.

Challengers to the rule argue that the kits can be challenging to assemble and most people who commit crimes use traditional guns.

“Congress, in the Gun Control Act, did not seek to pursue its purposes of controlling access to firearms to the nth degree,” said attorney Peter Patterson, representing manufacturers, gun rights groups and people who own firearms parts.

U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor in Texas agreed with the challengers and struck down the rule in 2023. The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals largely upheld his decision, and the administration appealed to the Supreme Court, which allowed the rule to go into effect while the litigation played out.

Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar argued that law-abiding hobbyists can still buy kits under the regulation, which is within the authority of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

“Our nation has seen an explosion in crimes committed with ghost guns,” she said. “The evidence shows that these guns were being purchased and used in crime.”

Shapiro administration invests over $460,000 to strengthen child nutrition, hands-on ag education

Región

Por

PR/CP

-

08/10/2024

Grants in 26 counties will create opportunities for healthier children and families across Pennsylvania.

Harrisburg, PA – Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding today announced PA Farm Bill Farm-to-School Grants of $462,607 to 45 schools, school districts, and childhood education centers in 26 counties. Grants of up to $15,000 will fund projects aimed at improving access to healthy, local food and increasing hands-on learning for children in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.

“Farm-to-School grants are an investment not just in feeding hungry minds, but feeding our future, Secretary Redding said. “Introducing children to fresh, local food can change their diets and open their eyes to career possibilities when they learn how food is produced and who produces it. The Shapiro Administration is making critical investments to feed the future of our communities and expand opportunities for children to succeed and Pennsylvania farms to prosper.”

Funded projects connect local farmers to schools to supply fresh, in-season products to be served in cafeterias, expanding market opportunities for farmers. Other projects support school gardens, field trips, and other hands-on agriculture education, enriching early career awareness.

Grant recipients, amounts, and funded projects are listed below by county.

Allegheny

The Environmental Charter School – $15,000

The Edible Schoolyard program creates hands-on experiences that connect students to food, nature, and each other, addressing the crises of climate change, public health, and social inequality.

Highlands School District – $11,002

Digging Deeper project aims to increase awareness of healthy, nutritious food choices, and environmental sustainability, through exposure to local farms and crops. Through classroom instruction, they will plant, care for, and harvest their own crop and see it integrated in a recipe.

School District of Pittsburgh – $14,975

Pittsburgh schools are partnering with Grow Pittsburgh’s network of gardens to provide agriculture lessons to nine schools facing challenges reactivating their garden programs post-pandemic.

Beaver

Beaver County School District – $1,165

Cheeseman Farm field trip – district first-graders will learn about farming, agriculture, planting, growing, and harvesting. The trip will include a hayride on which students get to pick a pumpkin, a hay maze, an informational movie about planting, growing, and harvesting crops, and a story-telling session.

Bedford

Northern Bedford County Elementary – $15,000

Partnership with the PA Beef Council’s PA Beef to PA Schools program, purchasing local beef to serve to their students.

Berks

Kutztown Area School District – $2,392

From Cow to Cone will expose 8th-graders to dairy production. Students will tour a local dairy farm with an on-farm processing plant and store, then use fresh milk and cream from the farm in recipes.

Morrisville Borough School District – $14,700

Community School, Farm and Family Initiative will include monthly lessons on nutrition; plant-based healthy eating basic food prep; healthy snacks choices, agriculture and what farmers do; organic farms; home gardening and more; plus local food purchases, take-home recipes, and field trips.

Tulpehoken Area School District – $15,000

Project aims to increase the amount of local food purchases by the Tulpehocken Food Service Department and served to K-8 students.

Bucks

Lifespan Day Care – $14,975

LifeSpan’s Learning Garden: Project goal is a community children’s garden and program with senior “grand friends” living in an assisted living facility next door.

Centre

State College Area School District – $3,000

Grant will fund a year-long school garden club in an elementary school in the district. Students will travel to the Penn State Student Farm, maintain the school garden, and run a farmers market.

Chester

Great Valley School District – $15,000

The district plans to purchase local, seasonal produce, yogurt, beef, and other products. In partnership with The Common Market, local products from Pequea Valley Farm, Frecon Farms, Happy Valley Meat, and other farms will be served in cafeterias along with information on where food was sourced.

Clarion

North Clarion Elementary – $14,958

Hydroponic School Lunch Project aims to establish a student-led hydroponic farm producing fresh fruit and vegetables to be served in elementary lunches. All 325 pre-K through 6th-graders will plant, maintain, and harvest the garden as part of their weekly STEM curriculum throughout the school year.

Redbank Valley School District – $550

District will purchase local fruit and vegetables at Smicksburg Produce Auction twice monthly in September, October and May.

Columbia

Bloomsburg Area School District – $15,000

Partnership with PA Beef Council in procuring local beef with the goal of serving more beef to the students, with local farmers for PA the Harvest of the Month Program and with local farms for elementary field trips.

Cumberland

St. Patrick’s School (Carlisle) – $11,500

A new partnership with the LEAF Project (Leadership, Education, and Farming) to bring back a Kindergarten Tasting Program and introduce a 6th-grade. Project aims to promote healthy eating habits among students and foster an understanding of the science behind food and farming.

Dauphin

Bright Futures Learning Centers – $15,000

Urban gardening initiative to increase food literacy in young children and families who experience poverty. In addition to installation of raised garden beds, project will fund outdoor learning spaces and will engage with local farmers markets and stands.

Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg – $15,000

The Brenner Family Early Learning Center’s well-established school garden has been used to teach children, teachers, and parents about food, nutrition, the earth, and Jewish values for many years. The grant will help rebuild the garden after relocation to the Alexander Grass Campus for Jewish Life.

Upper Dauphin Area Middle School – $11,208

Project will establish a large greenhouse associated with the Middle School Agriculture Classroom.

Erie

Erie Public Schools – $9,700

Harvest of the Month Engagement program provides nutrition education for staff, so they can be school-wide proponents of the program, creates opportunities for families to sample local foods through out-of-school events and learn about local places to purchase healthy food.

Huntingdon

Southern Huntingdon County School District – $10,642

Shade Gap Elementary Farm Fresh Futures program connects students to agriculture with a focus on sustainability. Through nutrition education, and hands-on activities like edible landscaping and composting, students learn about agriculture from production to consumption.

Lackawanna

Dunmore School District – $4,000

Expansion of the Dunmore Elementary Center School Garden Club’s garden. Project aims to instill a love of gardening at an early age, and promote a healthy lifestyle, encouraging students to try new, freshly grown foods.

Lawrence

Laurel School District – $7,500

Funds will be used to purchase a freezer to store local fresh beef from the PA Beef for PA Schools program.

Lawrence County Social Services – $15,000

Healthy Start Ag and Nutrition Center will use funds to support the upkeep of the center’s grow zones and defray costs of early learning field trips to visit the center, where they will explore the garden, greenhouse, and hydroponic lab, and participate in PA Harvest of the Month activities. Funds will also support Ag and Nutrition activities at family engagement events.

Lehigh

Allentown School District – $9,993

Fancy Farm-Fresh Apples – Students in grades 6-8 will be exposed to a new local apple variety every month throughout the year. Apples will be sourced from Frecon Farms in Boyertown, and the farmer will discuss nutrition at the Afterschool Cooking Club.

Learning Minds Education Center (Allentown) – $12,900

Project includes lesson plans incorporating agriculture, field trip to a local farm, books for classrooms, a nutrition informative meeting for families, and purchase of equipment to prepare and cook local food for students.

Traci’s Learning Center – $14,846

Project will focus enhancing garden features in an outdoor learning space. It will also include field trips to local farms to learn about raising animals and growing produce

Luzerne

Cheder Menachem School (Wilkes-Barre) – $15,000

The Integrating Farming and Jewish Cultural Food at School initiative will engage staff and students through farming education and Jewish foods, festivals, and culture, and share the passion and experience with the local Jewish community.

Mercer

West Middlesex Area School District – $15,000

Stronger Communities, Deeper Roots – Project aims to transform elementary STEM education by installing aquaponic systems in science classrooms. This program engages students with hands-on learning to foster a love of local food while cultivating the next generation of scientists.

Montgomery

Colonial School District – $9,997

Project will expand beyond local produce to include local protein items such as local beef, chicken, and yogurt in school cafeteria menus. Project aims to minimize the district’s carbon footprint, reduce transportation emissions, and support regional agriculture.

Montour

Danville Child Development Center – $5,408

Partnership with PA Beef Council and Davis Grown Farms to receive 75 pounds of fresh ground beef per month through the PA Beef to PA Schools Program. Additionally, field trips to Rohrbach’s Farm Market will foster a deeper connection to agriculture and understanding of food production.

Perry

Newport School District – $3,942

Fourth Grade Seed Cycle Project will continue a collaboration with the LEAF Project teaching ag-science concepts, and exposing students to local farms, and farming as a viable career.

West Perry School District – $11,761

Agri-Science Adventures will continue a 4th-grade collaboration with the LEAF Project and introduce a 7th-grade component, teaching ag-science concepts and exposing students to local farms and farming as a viable career.

Philadelphia

Early Literacy Academy – Fairmount – $10,000

Early Literacy Academy – Oxford – $10,000

Harvest Tasting Program in both locations will teach benefits of healthy eating through farm-fresh produce and balanced diet lessons and integrating local fruit and vegetables into the school menu by including the Harvest of the Month featured product from the Common Market.

Methodist Services – $15,000

Re-energized Farm to School programming for preschool, Head Start, and kindergarten children and their families in nutrition, farming, fresh foods, and maintaining 16 Children’s Garden container beds.

New Foundations Charter School – $9,300

Service-learning courses using the school’s garden to educate and empower students, families and school community. The revitalized garden will equip our community with skills in sustainability and nutrition that are otherwise nearly inaccessible in this area.

Parent Infant Center – $5,646

Grant will fund Pennsylvania-grown, fresh seasonal produce and dairy products as preschool snacks, hands-on opportunities to experience urban agriculture in a new greenhouse, and a weekly gardening club during the summer.

William H. Loesche School – $2,833

Second Grade Class to Kitchen – Through firsthand experience of growing vegetables and herbs in the classroom, maintaining the crops, harvesting, and preparing them in a dish, students will connect with their food, and gain a deeper understanding of plant biology, and nutrition, while developing cooking skills.

Schuylkill

Pottsville Area School District — $15,000

DHH Lengel Middle School is partnering with Pottsville teacher, after-school garden educator and farmer Leah Zerbe and other farms to teach students to create and maintain urban vegetable and native pollinator gardens, while making healthy food choices.

Tioga

Southern Tioga School District – $1,816

F2S Hydroponics, It’s Elementary – Aims to engage 23 fourth-grade students in Liberty Elementary School in an immersive, hands-on learning experience growing herbs and vegetables using hydroponic systems.

Washington

California Academy of Learning – $13,631

The Sunflower Symphony: A Buzzing Collaboration with Bees” – Project will teach K-5 students about sunflowers and apiary agriculture in PA.

California Area School District – $8,590

Buzzing Minds Learn from Farm to School – Partnership with Bedillion Honey Farm, the program immerses elementary students in the world of honeybees, teaching them about their essential role. Middle school students will explore honeybee genetics, gaining advanced knowledge of these vital pollinators.

Fort Cherry School District – $2,679

Fort Cherry Elementary Community Garden aims to foster hands-on learning, community engagement, and environmental stewardship. Key activities include student planting and harvesting, integration of science curriculum, and collaboration with high school students.

Washington School District – $3,200

Prexie Farm Friends Project includes a field trip to a local dairy farm for 139 first-graders. Students will learn about farm work, animals, lifestyle and products. Project will include purchasing local produce to serve in the cafeteria and promote in taste-testing events.

Westmoreland

Queen of Angels Catholic School (North Huntingdon Township) – $13,700

Farm Fresh Future Program aims to integrate local food systems into educational environments, providing students with comprehensive learning experiences around agriculture and nutrition. Goals include serving local foods in the cafeteria, field trips to local farms, expanded variety of food on campus, and combatting food insecurity.

Find a map of previous Farm-to-School and other PA Farm Bill grant recipients in your area as well as details of initiatives to grow and sustain Pennsylvania agriculture at agriculture.pa.gov/pafarmbill.

Governor Josh Shapiro’s bipartisan 2024-25 budget invests in Pennsylvania’s national legacy as a leader in agriculture. The Governor’s new Economic Development Strategy recognizes agriculture as key to Pennsylvania’s future economic success.

Shapiro administration invests $200,000 to train more than 2,000 students in robotics, Boosting PA’s manufacturing industry

Región

Por

PR/CP

-

08/10/2024

The grant to Millersville University’s Robotic WorX program builds on Governor Shapiro’s commitment to helping Pennsylvanians chart their own course to success.

Millersville, PA – Today, Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Director of Workforce Development Initiatives Gwen Ross announced the Shapiro Administration’s new $200,000 investment in the Robotic Worx program at Millersville University, which equips high school and undergraduate students with the opportunity to address genuine manufacturing problems through automation and robotics.

Governor Josh Shapiro and his Administration are committed to developing a strong pipeline of workers through career training to boost the Commonwealth’s manufacturing industry and create more options for Pennsylvanians to succeed.

The new Manufacturing PA Training-to-Career (MTTC) grant will create paid student internships and support training and supplies for the program in Millersville University’s state-of-the-art Solutions Lab. The state’s investment will help ensure that financial barriers do not prevent talented students from participating in the training program.

“Investing in programs like Millersville University’s Robotic WorX is essential to building a skilled workforce and strengthening Pennsylvania’s manufacturing industry,” said Director Gwen Ross. “The Shapiro Administration is proud to invest in advanced technology training programs like this one that inspire students and adults and helps put them on the path to a good paying manufacturing career.”

With help from the MTTC grant, the Robotic WorX program expects to impact more than 2,000 individuals over the next two years through increased high school participations, additional internship, peer mentoring, and engagement events for local organizations. The program provides a link between STEM education and career pathways through internships, job shadow experiences, and tours in which participants engage with cutting-edge automation and robotics technologies.

“We’re very thankful for the grant from the Shapiro Administration,” said John Haughery, Robotic WorX Co-Founder and Program Coordinator of Millersville’s Automation & Robotics Engineering Technology program. “The Robotic WorX program provides so many entry points to Pennsylvania’s automation and robotics pipeline. From first time experience with robotics, to getting your hands on a collaborative robot, to spending a semester long internship developing state-of-the-art automation technologies for real manufacturing problems in PA and beyond, this program offers so much to so many,”

A partnership between Millersville University and Precision Cobotics, the Robotic WorX program connects middle school, high school, undergraduate, and community groups in Lancaster County with real-world STEM career training in manufacturing to meet the growing need of the region’s industry.

“This hands-on experience, using the latest in AI and robotics technologies, creates clear career pathways in this exciting field,” said John Bridgen, Robotic WorX Co-Founder and Director of Customer Satisfaction and Co-Worker Advancement at Precision Cobotics. “I found my passion for the field of automation and manufacturing when I was given a college internship in the packaging department at M&M/Mars in Elizabethtown. This grant from the Shapiro Administration pays that forward by allowing us to connect the real-world problems of manufacturing in Pennsylvania with area high school STEM students.”

The MTTC grant program works collaboratively with local manufacturers to identify and teach missing essential skills for entry level applicants seeking manufacturing employment, engage youth or those with barriers to career opportunities in manufacturing, and/or advance capacity for local or regional manufacturers.

Governor Shapiro and his Administration are committed to investing in classroom to career and apprenticeship programs to provide skill-building opportunities for Pennsylvanians and a strong workforce for businesses. Having robust job training programs across Pennsylvania will provide pathways for workers to earn family-sustaining wages and help build vibrant communities. For more information about his commitment to workers, businesses, and our economy, visit the Governor’s website.

Biden visita Pensilvania y Wisconsin, estados clave en la contienda electoral

Por

Associated Press

-

08/10/2024

El presidente Joe Biden hará una inusual incursión en la contienda política de 2024 desde que dio un paso atrás tras poner fin a su candidatura a la reelección.

El martes hará campaña en Pensilvania por un aliado y visitará Wisconsin para destacar un logro legislativo emblemático.

Pero mientras Biden hace un rápido recorrido por estos estados clave, dos senadores demócratas inmersos en reñidas batallas por la reelección están adoptando enfoques diferentes respecto al presidente saliente, cuyos índices de aprobación en una franja significativa del país siguen estando por los suelos.

Biden será recibido con los brazos abiertos por el senador demócrata Bob Casey cuando participe en un acto privado de recaudación de fondos para la campaña del legislador por Pensilvania en los suburbios de Filadelfia. Pero en Milwaukee, donde Biden está destacando los esfuerzos de su gobierno para sustituir las tuberías de plomo tóxicas del país, la senadora demócrata Tammy Baldwin estará ausente.

“Los demócratas en contiendas muy reñidas, en su mayoría, están calculando que el riesgo de apoyar a Biden supera con creces cualquier recompensa que sus esfuerzos puedan aportar a su campaña”, señaló Christopher Borick, director del Instituto de opinión pública del Muhlenberg College, en Pensilvania. “No hay muchos lugares en los que pueda ser de gran ayuda a los demócratas en contiendas competitivas”.

Biden ha pasado poco tiempo haciendo campaña desde que puso fin a su proceso de reelección en julio. Eso hace que sus escalas en Pensilvania y Wisconsin –dos estados muy disputados que la vicepresidenta Kamala Harris y el expresidente Donald Trump consideran cruciales– sean aún más notables.

Las contiendas de Casey y Baldwin también se consideran imprescindibles para los demócratas, que intentan mantener su estrecho control del Senado.

Tras retirarse, Biden se comprometió a hacer campaña por Harris y los demócratas. Pero a medida que avanza la campaña, Biden se ha mantenido al margen y sigue siendo un sustituto inadecuado de Harris y de otras candidaturas demócratas.

Casey, que se enfrenta al republicano David McCormick en busca de su cuarto periodo en el Senado, mantiene una larga relación con Biden desde hace tiempo.

El senador demócrata creció en la misma calle que Biden en Scranton. Sus familias se conocen desde hace décadas, y Casey ha hecho campaña con Biden en innumerables ocasiones, incluso a principios de este año.

City receives over $1.38 million to construct interim flood barrier in Eastwick

Región

Por

PR/CP

-

08/10/2024

The City’s first barrier project addressing flooding challenges in Eastwick will bring interim flood protection to residents while long-term solutions are in development.

PHILADELPHIA. – The City of Philadelphia’s Office of Sustainability (OOS) will receive $1,383,069 in congressional funding, secured by Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-5), to construct the Eastwick Near-term Flood Barrier Project as an interim measure to protect vulnerable residents from flooding and increase flood resilience in the Eastwick neighborhood.

Located in Southwest Philadelphia, Eastwick is one of the lowest-lying neighborhoods in the city and faces growing flood risks with climate change. The Eastwick Near-term Flood Barrier Project is the City’s first implementation project to address the complex flooding challenges in the neighborhood, following years of studies and calls to action from residents.

The project will build a HESCO® barrier in the most flood-prone part of Eastwick to mitigate moderate flooding events stemming from the Cobbs and Darby Creeks. HESCO® barriers – soil-filled boxes made of fabric mesh and a wire frame – are used in interim flood protection projects nationwide, including in New York City. Compared to a levee, the HESCO® barriers in this location will be shorter in height and quicker to implement. The project’s design process is tentatively scheduled to begin in spring 2025.

“The Eastwick Near-term Flood Barrier Project will protect vulnerable residents and properties from damaging floods. This represents an important step forward in tackling a complex flooding problem and building a more resilient Eastwick,” said Elizabeth Lankenau, Interim Director, Office of Sustainability. “We would like to thank Congresswoman Scanlon and FEMA for making it possible to provide peace of mind to the residents of Eastwick, while we continue working with the community and government partners to explore solutions and develop a long-term flood resilience strategy.”

Through the Eastwick: From Recovery to Resilience initiative, the Office of Sustainability has been partnering with residents, community organizations, and government partners to develop a community-driven, long-term flood resilience strategy for Eastwick. This includes supporting the Philadelphia Water Department and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with an ongoing feasibility study of building a levee to mitigate flooding along Cobbs Creek.

While long-term solutions are being evaluated, and with support from FEMA and PEMA, OOS has been committed to pursuing funding sources to design and build interim flood barriers that bring relief to residents and properties in the nearer term. The City also plans to use funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program as a local match. The CDBG-DR program supports Philadelphia’s recovery and mitigation efforts following the impacts of Hurricane Ida.

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