For the last six weeks, everyone across the United States has experienced the worldwide pandemic and quarantine from the COVID019 coronavirus. Many have also experienced illness, loss of jobs and income, and in some cases, death of loved ones.
But America will eventually come back from this COVID-19 pandemic. We are all looking for a brighter future where we will eventually have family gatherings, concerts, and sporting events again.
When we do, we will need funding to help sustain the infrastructure to help make this happen. Infrastructure like our parks, our ballfields, our roads, our schools, our healthcare facilities, our transportation, and our economy. This infrastructure is overseen and funded by multiple entities, including the federal government.
The 2020 Census helps make this happen. Completion of the Census affects how much funding your community receives, how your community plans for the future, and how you are represented at all levels of government. For each person that completes the Census, the community will receive an estimated $2600/year/person in grants and funding from the federal government.
As of Thursday, May 7, 2020, 58 percent of the US population has completed their Census forms. Pennsylvania is doing a bit better at 61 percent. But we need a COMPLETE count in every community so that we can each receive our fair share of the federal funds and representation in our governmental bodies at the federal and state levels.
You can help out your community when it comes back from the COVID-19 pandemic by filling out your #2020Census form. You can fill out your form online today at http://my2020census.gov, over the phone at 844-330-2020, or by mail.
Let’s make it a brighter future for all. Thank you.
April 1 was Census Day. That’s the day that you are counted as living in the United States. But that doesn’t mean that you missed your chance to be counted.
As of May 3, only about 57 percent of the US population has completed their Census forms.
But we need everyone to be counted. The US Census Bureau is still asking you to fill out your census form. It’s time.
You count. Your children also count. So… remember to include your children, including newborns born on or before April 1, when you fill out your Census form.
As the Census Borough states, not only do your responses help us adults, it also helps the kids:
Census results affect planning and funding for education—including programs such as Head Start, Pell Grants, school lunches, rural education, adult education, and grants for preschool special education.
By each of us completing our forms, both my community and your community can get the federal funds necessary to help keep our schools and community vibrant. FYI, for every person listed, your community will receive an estimated $2,600 per year per person for the next ten years from the US Treasury.
You can complete your census form online at http://my2020Census.gov, by phone at 844-330-2020, or by mail.
Every two years, Bellefonte Borough elects about half of members of the nine-member council and every four years, we elect our Mayor. This year, five people were elected to four-year terms on council and one person was elected to a two-year term to fill a position that was vacated by a former council person. In addition, this was the year we elected our Mayor.
Their terms start on Monday, January 1, 2018. But since January 1st is a national holiday, the county decided to hold the swearing-in ceremonies for the county-wide offices and for Bellefonte Borough on Friday, December 29, 2017. We hold his joint swearing-in ceremony at the same time because the county seat is located in our borough of Bellefonte. All of the other municipalities hold their own ceremony.
I was sworn into office two years ago but decided to attend today’s ceremony in honor of my fellow colleagues. I was able to snag a front-row seat and was, therefore, able to record each of their oaths of office.
The program started at 9 am. As people entered the courtroom, we were each handed this program listing all of the participants and the oath of office.
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There were six people sworn into county-level offices by the four currently seated judges on the Court of Common Pleas.
Retiring Judge Thomas Kistler administered the oath of office to President Judge Pamela Ruest who retained her position for another ten years. She is the first female to have served as a Centre County Judge and is now the first women to hold the position of President Judge. Once she took her oath of office, President Judge Ruest administered the oath to everyone else.
The county-level officials sworn into office include two Court of Common Pleas judges – one new (Brian Marshall) and President Judge Pamela Ruest as well our new District Justice Casey McClain (D), our new District Attorney Bernie Cantorna (D), and one new (Jason Moser (D)) and one re-elected (Hope Miller (R)) Jury Commissioner.
Most of the new public officials brought their immediate family to stand with them when they were sworn in. One person—Bernie Cantona—invited his entire extended family to stand with him. I don’t know how many people that was, but it looked like at least 1/3 of the people in the courtroom joined him up front when he was sworn in as the new District Attorney:
District Attorney Bernie Cantorna (D) and his extended family at the swearing-in ceremony.
Once the County-level officers were sworn in, the judges then swore in Mayor Tom Wilson and five of the six Bellefonte Borough Council Members. Evan Duffy, the individual elected to the two-year term was not present and will be sworn in at a later date.
Newly Sworn-in Members of the Bellefonte Borough Administration. Left to Right: Council Member Jon Eaton, Council Member Michael Prendergast, Mayor Tom Wilson, Council Member Randy Brachbill, Council Member Melissa Hombosky, and Council Member Anne Walker.
Meanwhile, here are videos of the Bellefonte members being sworn into office.
Mayor Wilson (R) was sworn into his second term as Mayor. Prior to being Mayor, he had served as a member of the Council.
The first member of Council to be sworn in was G. Michael Prendergast(D). He will join me in representing Bellefonte’s West Ward. This is his first term in public office.
Following Mike, Anne Walker (D) was sworn in. She too is a first-time member of the Council and will also be joining me in representing the West Ward.
Melissa Hombosky (D) was next to be sworn in. She represents the North Ward and this will be her first full four-year term; she was appointed to a vacated seat by the previous Council in the spring of 2016 and will now serve a full four-year term.
Randy Brachbill (R), representing the South Ward, was next to be sworn in. He has served several terms on Council and most recently has served as Vice-President of Council. New officers will be elected out our first meeting on January 2, 2018.
Following Randy, Jon Eaton (D) was sworn in. Jon is representing the North Ward with Melissa Hombosky. He is another first-time member of Council.
Evan Duffy (R) will be sworn in on Tuesday, January 2, 2018, for a two-year term. He will be representing the South Ward and will be up for reelection in 2020.
The remaining three members of Council who were not sworn in today will stand for re-election in 2020. They are myself (D) representing the West Ward, Doug Johnson (D) representing the North Ward, and Renee Brown (R) representing the South Ward.
With this new makeup, Bellefonte Borough maintains gender parity with four women and five men serving as council members. With this gender parity, civility now reigns on our council. I agree with Renee Brown; we are now held more accountable to the public. I believe that’s the way it should be. (You can read this article on gender parity in the Centre County Gazette to see why the women on Council generally feel this way.)
I’m looking forward to working with all of the members of Council—both male and female. Congratulations everyone!
This morning (October 2, 2017), the local public radio station in Harrisburg, PA aired a program on universal health care, often called single-payer health care or Improved Medicare for All. They presented a debate between insurance industry members, legislators, and advocates for single-payer health care.
Advocating for Medicare for All – a universal, single-payer healthcare program. Photo Courtesy of National Nurses United.
The radio clip that I’m embedding below discusses HB 1688, the Pennsylvania Health Care Plan. This bill was reintroduced in the PA House of Representatives on Friday, September 29. It is a state-based universal health coverage for residents of Pennsylvania via a single-payer health care payment program which redirects Medicare and Medicaid funds into a single state funding program where 9 out of 10 people will have reduced healthcare costs and where you get to select your own doctors, healthcare providers, and hospitals. Decisions about treatment are made between the healthcare provider and the client.
The debate on both the state and federal ideas for universal health care follows Rep. Pam Delissio’s summary of her bill. Here is Part 1 of the debate on SmartTalk:
And here is Part 2 of the debate on universal single-payer healthcare:
Rep. Delissio has been the prime sponsor of HB 1688 for the last three sessions of the PA General Assembly. Here’s a 2016 presentation on the Pennsylvania Healthcare Plan by Representative DeLissio on her bill. FYI, the bill number did not change between the current and last session. So when she talks about HB 1688, she is presenting essentially the same plan (with some minor tweaks).
Representative Glenn “G.T.” Thompson (R-PA05): The Cardboard Substitute
Not at the PA 5th Congressional District Town Hall Meeting in the Forum Building at The Pennsylvania State University today.
Neither Representative Thompson nor any member of his staff showed up for the Town Hall Meeting that he was invited to in the 5th Congressional District in Centre County where he lives. This meeting was held during the February 2017 Congressional Recess when he was in the district. These recesses are designed to give Congressional members time to go home and “tackle constituent concerns” back in the district.
Town halls are often used to help “tackle” these issues in an efficient, open and transparent way. When a Representative fails to set up a face-to-face town hall meeting, his/her constituents set it up for him/her and invite the Representative and/or his staff. This is what happened here in Centre County today.
Since no representative from G.T. Thompson’s office, including Thompson himself, showed up to answer our questions, concerned constituents talked to his cardboard substitute. The meeting was taped and will be sent to him for his response.
About 300 voters in Pennsylvania’s 5th Congressional District showed up at this town hall today to ask Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson questions of concern. These issues included but were not limited to sexual assault, Title IX, education, immigration, gun safety, ethics, healthcare, disability, access to the representative, and open and transparent government.
I spoke about 47 minutes into the meeting about transparency and about the increase in hate crimes and tension here in Centre County, in the state, and across the country over the last several months. This included telling Mr. Thompson about an incident reported to me in my capacity as Chair of the Centre County Advisory Council to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. Two or three days ago, a voter’s tires were slashed in State College by another individual because this voter had a sign inside his car that said, “I support immigrants.”
Here’s the full video of the Town Hall Meeting.
The town hall meeting lasted about 90 minutes. But #WhereWasThompson? Where was he hiding? Was he avoiding his constituents?
Mr. Thompson, or as you like to be called, G.T., you were hired (elected) to represent the entire congressional district. Not just those that you agree with. As your boss, we need you to answer our questions. We are not “paid activists” or “the political opposition” as you seem to think; we are your constituents. We want to hear from you now. We want to know what you think and why you are voting the way you do in Congress.
NOW. Not months down the road. And we want your responses on record. Not behind closed doors.
As Marc Friedenberg told the audience and the Centre Daily Times today at this meeting,
“We’re not protesters, we’re not political opposition, we are constituents and there are a lot of things that we care about,” Friedenberg said. “We care about health care, we care about the environment, we’re very worried about the way a lot of different issues in our country are moving right now, and we’d like a chance to at least know that we’ve been heard.”
And isn’t it more efficient for our concerns to be heard at a town hall meeting? Especially since your offices are “overwhelmed” by the calls, letters, etc.?
The grand opening ceremony of the APRL at the Match Factory in Bellefonte was held this morning here in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania.
About 15 years ago, the American Philatelic Society (APS) and the American Philatelic Research Library (APRL) purchased the Match Factory complex here in Bellefonte . When purchased, the Match Factory was a structure with extremely leaky roofs and walls.
Over the last decade, the APS and the APRL took the time and effort to restore this grand, historic building. This morning, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to open up the newest section. It is a two-story research Library containing the largest set of philately research materials in the world.
This slideshow gives you a quick picture of the speakers that were at the ceremony along with the crowd from around the country who came to help celebrate this great moment.
I believe in democracy.
I believe in every citizens’ right to vote.
Without intimidation or fear.
I believe in justice and opportunity for all.
For our Mothers, Daughters, and Sisters…
For our Fathers, Sons, and Brothers.
… It’s the American Way.
What about you?
Remember in November!
VOTE!
Words are very powerful. Sometimes, however, pictures are worth a 1000 words.
Here’s one such video. Believe in yourself and your power as a voter. Get out and vote!
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, here’s something you can do.
Yesterday, the Washington Post released a 2005 video of Donald Trump. In this video and news article, Trump, using lewd language where he essentially brags about sexually assaulting women.
Video Courtesy of the Washington Post (Trigger Warning: Crude, lewd language)
A few hours after the video was released, Trump released a classic non-apology in a statement, saying “I apologize if anyone was offended.” What he said was that he was sorry for others being offended by his language and behavior condoning sexual assault. Not that he was personally sorry for his offensive behavior.
A few hours after that, he released a short video again “apologizing” saying, “I said it. I was wrong and I apologize.” I put apologizing in quotes because he then immediately segued into blaming the Clinton’s for abuse of women saying that they both abused women but he only used bad language.
Video Courtesy of USA TV.
His “apology,” stated:
“I’ve said some foolish things. But there’s a difference between the words and actions of other people. Bill Clinton has actually abused women and Hillary [no last name mentioned as he consistently does with men] has bullied, attacked, shamed, and intimidated his victim”
Trump saying he hasn’t abused women???!!! His words in the 2005 video speak otherwise:
“I did try and f— her. She was married.”
“I moved on her like a bitch, but I couldn’t get there. And she was married”
“You know I’m automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait.”
Grab them by the p—y. You can do anything.”
All of these statements meet the definition of sexual assault as defined by the FBI:
Sexual assault is any type of sexual contact or behavior that occurs without the explicit consent of the recipient. Falling under the definition of sexual assault are sexual activities as forced sexual intercourse, forcible sodomy, child molestation, incest, fondling, and attempted rape.
In 2013, I wrote a blog about the climate of indifference related to sexual assault on college campuses. This is no different. Trump’s indifference towards women and his misogynistic and possibly criminal behavior is unacceptable and disgusting. As Bridgette Stumpf, co-executive director of Network for Victim Recovery of D.C. told the Washington Post:
“That’s nothing less than someone talking about committing sexual violence — the kissing, the grabbing. He’s talking about women as if they’re objects, as if they don’t have a right to consent to the way someone touches them. This is how sexual violence becomes accepted in our culture.”
Only your first name will be used to protect your privacy. This letter calls upon…
“ALL Republican leaders, candidates, and elected officials to take a stand against sexual assault and abuse–and take a stand against your own nominee for President. You must not only denounce Trump’s words, but clearly and unequivocally denounce his candidacy and do all in your power to make sure that this sexual predator never sets foot in the White House. And we urge you to support strong policies that will end the epidemic of sexual assault in this country and support survivors of abuse.”
I am now an official member of Bellefonte Borough Council. This is a video of the swearing in at the Centre County Courthouse this morning. Judge Kistler performed the oath of office with my husband Joe Vasey standing next to me.
DIY Resource for those wishing to have their Italian citizenship recognized through Italy's "jure sanguinis" birthright citizenship & “Jure matrimonii” by marriage
Progressive commentary from Gainesville, Florida, once called the Berkeley of the South. Potano was the chief of and the only known name of the Native American tribe inhabiting the area around what is now Gainesville at the time the Europeans arrived.
“It takes no compromise to give people their rights…it takes no money to respect the individual. It takes no political deal to give people freedom. It takes no survey to remove repression.” – Harvey Milk
a feminist habit. thinking broadly about life and art. at peak. sometimes broadspoken. not a translation program. crushing the doublespeak. seeking free speech.
The views depicted here are my own, do not represent the views of anyone/anything else, and cannot be reproduced in whole or in part without my express written consent.
Learn more about the state laws being introduced and passed around the U.S. that is limiting Women's rights. Did you know that the Women's Equal Right Amendment from 1983 still needs to be ratified by 3 more states before it goes into effect?
Civil Rights Advocacy 