Fewer Law Enforcement Officer Deaths Reported in 2012

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After a two year spike, there’s been a 23% decline in law enforcement officer deaths in the line of duty this year, but Pennsylvania saw its number increase by one to 5, putting it among the top states.

Firearms related deaths are down 31% according to Craig Floyd, CEO of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.  He says traffic related fatalities are down 14%.

Floyd believes two factors are playing a role in the reductions.  He says the United States Attorney General has made law enforcement safety one of his top priorities.  He says he has also seen the same hold true at the state and local levels, where law enforcement safety has grown in significance.

Floyd also believes increased use of body armor is making a difference.  He says more than 31 hundred officers have been documented to have been saved by bullet resistant vests in the last 25 years.

Preliminary figures show 127 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty in the United States through mid-December of 2012.

The five Pennsylvania officers who died in the line of duty were: Patrolman Avery Freeman of the Chester Police Department, who died from complications of surgery in April for an injury he suffered while on duty.  Officer Brian Lorenzo of the Philadelphia Police Department was struck head-on by a wrong way driver in July.  Officer Moses Walker Junior of the Philadelphia Police Department was shot while trying to stop two men from robbing him shortly after he finished his shift in August.  Officer Bradley Fox of the Plymouth Township Police Department was shot during a foot pursuit of a suspect in September.   State Trooper Blake Coble was killed when his patrol car was hit by a tractor trailer in October.

Report, Gov. Tout Marcellus Shale as Economic Driver

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The shale energy industry is projected to support over 220,000 direct and indirect Pennsylvania jobs by 2020, according to a new study from the US Chamber’s Energy Institute.  The industry is also on pace to generate $2.3-billion dollars a year in state & local taxes by that same time. 

“There are so many possibilities here as we develop this resource responsibly, and move forward with it, that I think it holds great promise for Pennsylvania” says PA Chamber of Business and Industry President & CEO Gene Barr.  He says continued progress will help put a stop to imported oil. 

Responding to a listener question on the “Ask the Governor” program, this month, Governor Tom Corbett reaffirmed his opposition to a severance tax.  He pointed not only to the corporate tax revenue already being generated, but to the $200-million dollars collected in the first year of impact fees. 

The governor is eager to see the natural gas industry reach its full potential in the Keystone State, saying his focus is on increasing demand through the conversion of vehicle fleets and buildings to natural gas power.  “We can’t look at this industry as what’s there today, it’s what’s going to be there 10, 20, 30 years from now, and it’s going to continue to grow,” says Corbett. 

He says there are indications the Marcellus Shale play is bigger than first thought.  While the low cost of natural gas tamped down the number of new wells being drilled in 2012, production is surging in the Marcellus Shale.

Radio PA’s Top 10 Pennsylvania Stories of 2012 – Part 2

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As 2012 draws to a close, Radio PA is looking back at the top 10 Pennsylvania stories of the year as voted on by the news staff and other members of the statewide media. In this installment, we reveal stories 7 through 5, beginning with a groundbreaking election victory.

Click the audio players to hear Radio PA’s recap of each story.

#7 – Kathleen Kane & the Democrats   2012Top10-7FINAL
Pennsylvania had never elected a woman as state Attorney General. Pennsylvania had never elected a Democrat as state Attorney General. In one night, Kathleen Kane shattered both of those barriers. Kane’s victory on November 6th was part of a Democrat Party sweep of Pennsylvania’s row offices, as Treasurer Rob McCord won re-election and State Representative Eugene DePasquale was selected the next Pennsylvania Auditor General. Political analyst Terry Madonna of F&M College in Lancaster says the victories have provided the Democrats with a “deep bench” for future statewide elections. Kane says she hopes her victory can show young women throughout the Keystone State that anything is possible. During her campaign, Kane repeatedly said she plans to investigate Governor Tom Corbett’s role in the prosecution of Jerry Sandusky (Corbett was the Attorney General who launched the Sandusky case and opponents of the governor have been critical about the timing and handling of the probe). The stage is now set for a contentious relationship between Tom Corbett and his former office in 2013 and beyond, and Kathleen Kane’s groundbreaking election win is Radio PA’s #7 Pennsylvania story of 2012.

#6 – “Superstorm” Sandy   2012Top10-6FINAL
The convergence of multiple weather systems in late October brought back memories of 1991’s “Perfect Storm,” but forecasters went with a different term to describe this one as the term “Superstorm” entered the media lexicon. The main component of this dangerous mix was Hurricane Sandy. As it approached the Mid-Atlantic region, emergency declarations were declared and states braced for the worst. In Pennsylvania, there were more than a dozen deaths associated with the storm, but the Commonwealth avoided widespread flooding and other major damage as Superstorm Sandy weakened immediately after coming ashore. New Jersey and New York were not so fortunate, as the storm surge wiped out entire communities. Power was out in parts of Pennsylvania for more than a week, with over 1.2 million customers out at the height of the storm. Parts of New York and New Jersey were out even longer as utilities tried to rebuild the damaged power grid. “Superstorm” Sandy blows in as Radio PA’s # 6 Pennsylvania story of 2012.

#5 – The Death of Arlen Specter   2012Top10-5FINAL
The Warren Commission’s “Single Bullet Theory,” the Clarence Thomas & Robert Bork SCOTUS confirmation hearings, the impeachment of President Bill Clinton…name a major story of the past 50 years and odds are you’ll find Arlen Specter’s name associated with it. The longtime Pennsylvania U.S. Senator died on October 14th of this year after a third round with cancer. Specter was PA’s longest-serving Senator, having served from 1981-2010. His defeat in the 2010 primary election came about one year after his controversial switch to the Democrat party, but the Kansas native was always a political lightning rod, sometimes voting counter to his own Republican party’s interests during his 30-year career in Washington. The moderate used his farewell speech in 2010 to chastise his former GOP brethren, who he claimed were engaging in “sophisticated cannibalism” by targeting fellow Republicans who don’t vote with the party 100% of the time. Specter was 82 years old when he passed away, but he leaves a fiercely independent legacy in a time when political parties are drafting further away from the political center. The death of Arlen Specter checks in as Radio PA’s #5 Pennsylvania story of 2012.

 

Check back soon for stories #4, #3 and #2…

 

State Gov’t Transparency, Accountability Website Goes Live

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A website called “PennWATCH” is marking a new day transparency in state government.  The name is short for the Pennsylvania Web Accountability and Transparency Act, which passed the General Assembly unanimously and was signed into law in June 2011. 

The site was under development for over a year, until Governor Tom Corbett helped to flip-the-switch last week.  “It creates trust between the citizens and the government,” Corbett says.  “It allows people to understand – hopefully – policy, so that they can make informed decisions about how to be useful citizens in a democracy.  And, hopefully, it prevents scandal.” 

The goal, Corbett says, was to make PennWATCH user-friendly.  By logging on, the public can access government records on payments, contracts, budgets & revenues, and even state workers’ pay.   

Coming in early 2013, the employee salary information will be updated to reflect total compensation, which includes the cost of benefits. 

Secretary of Administration Kelly Powell Logan says updates to the PennWATCH site, which will not require additional legislative action, are already being considered. 

State officials have not compiled a cost estimate for the website, but Governor Corbett notes that all the work was done “in-house.”

Radio PA’s Top 10 Pennsylvania Stories of 2012 – Part 1

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As 2012 draws to a close, Radio PA is looking back at the top 10 Pennsylvania stories of the year as voted on by the news staff and other members of the statewide media. In this installment, we reveal stories 10 through 8, beginning with one of many political fights in 2012…one that began with the governor’s budget address on February 7th.

Click the audio players to hear Radio PA’s recap of each story.

#10 – The Battle for Higher Ed Funding   2012Top10-10FINAL
A year after cutting state funding to higher education, Governor Tom Corbett came back for more. In this round of proposed cuts, the governor slated reductions of 20% for the 14 state-owned universities and 30% for Penn State, Temple and PITT. Only Lincoln University, which takes a small amount of state funding by comparison, was left unaffected. The plan drew immediate fire from education advocates and state lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. During state budget hearings, the schools pleaded their cases, saying harsh cuts in state funding would could result in tuition increases and a reduction in curricula. Students themselves rallied in Harrisburg and higher education was a key component of the budget talks in May and June. In the end, state funding for the schools would remain level but Governor Corbett’s message was clear: if we don’t have it, we won’t spend it. The battle for higher education funding is Radio PA’s #10 Pennsylvania story of 2012.

 

#9 – The Redistricting Mess   2012Top10-9FINAL
The state constitution calls for the redrawing of state legislative districts every 10 years, based on numbers from the U.S. Census. the original intent of the law was to consistently reflect population shifts and other changes, but redistricting has instead become a political tool designed to make life as difficult as possible for the political party unfortunate enough to be in the minority the year following the Census. This year, that’s the Democratic party and the Dems cried foul over the Republican-dominated maps drawn up by a five-member reapportionment panel that leaned to the GOP side of the aisle. Questions were raised about the enormous number of municipal and county splits in the state House and Senate district maps. Critics also accused the panel of dragging its feet in an attempt to invent a false sense of urgency when the maps were finally released late in 2011. One Pennsylvania citizen, Amanda Holt of Allentown, drew up her own maps using what she called strict constitutional guidelines. Holt’s map was among the exhibits when the case went to the state Supreme Court and observers say it showed the justices that a better map could be crafted. As such, the high court through out the controversial maps and told the reapportionment panel to try again. Meanwhile, the 2012 elections would be based on maps drawn up in 2001. A new set of district maps were approved but the courts have yet to give final approval. Gerrymandering and the redistricting controversy is Radio PA’s #9 Pennsylvania story of 2012.

 

#8 – The Arrest of Graham Spanier   2012Top10-8FINAL
He avoided charges in the first round of indictments handed down by prosecutors, but the law came knocking on Graham Spanier’s door November 1st of this year, just days shy of the one-year anniversary of the arrest of former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky on charges of molesting young boys. Spanier, the former Penn State President who was fired the same night as Joe Paterno, was charged with failure to report suspected child abuse, endangering the welfare of children, conspiracy, perjury and obstruction…the same charges levied against former Athletic Director Tim Curley and former Vice-President for Administration Gary Schultz. State Attorney General Linda Kelly said that the three men were part of a “conspiracy of silence” that allowed Sandusky to continue preying on young boys. Spanier, Curley and Schultz are expected to go to trial in 2013 and Graham Spanier’s November arrest is Radio PA’s #8 Pennsylvania story of 2012.

 

Coming soon…stories 7 through 5.

 

Good Government Group to Dissolve at Year’s End

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After eight years of fighting for state government reforms, Democracy Rising PA will call it quits at the end of the year.  Co-founder Tim Potts tells Radio PA they simply cannot raise enough money to keep going.  “I’m not sure exactly why that is,” Potts explains.  “I think though that there is some scandal fatigue… and I think a lot of people are tired of having the focus on corruption and mismanagement and all the rest.” 

When it formed in 2004, Democracy Rising was the only group pushing for a constitutional convention.  Pennsylvania hasn’t had one since 1967, but Potts says it’s just a matter of time. 

While Democracy Rising could not ultimately push the state toward a convention, Potts says the group has witnessed numerous good government victories over the years.  He cites first-ever lobbyist disclosure laws, an overhauled open records law and the governor’s elimination of WAMs, among other things. 

In 2013 Potts will focus his efforts on a new endeavor called The Majority Party PA, which seeks to set policy priorities based on the will of the people.  A host of government reform issues have already made it onto the agenda… including the constitutional convention that eluded Democracy Rising PA.

Pennsylvania Lottery

Powerball Produces Two More Million Dollar Tickets in Pennsylvania

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There were two Powerball tickets worth one million dollars each sold in  Pennsylvania for the drawing that was held on Saturday, December 22nd.    Pennsylvania Lottery officials say one of the tickets  was sold at the Giant Eagle in Baden, Beaver County. The other million dollar winner was sold at Stauffer’s One Stop in Ringtown, Schuylkill County.

Each retailer gets a five thousand dollar bonus for selling the tickets. No one had all five numbers plus the Powerball, meaning the jackpot grows to 50 million for Wednesday night’s drawing.

Earlier this month, a Bucks County man won a more than 33 million dollar Powerball jackpot.

Shootings Leave Gunman, Three Dead in Blair County Pennsylvania

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Four people are dead after a multiple shooting Friday morning in Blair County near Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania.   Police got the first call of gunshots fired around 9 am.

Trooper David McGarvey of the Hollidaysburg Barracks says as troopers headed to the scene, a man in a truck opened fire on the marked patrol cars as they passed. He then crashed head on into one of the patrol cars. He got out of his truck and began to fire into the marked police car. The troopers returned fire, striking and killing the man.

Trooper McGarvey says police then discovered there were three people dead at separate locations.  The dead are two men and one woman. The State Police Major Case Team and Blair County District Attorney’s office are investigating the crime scenes.

One State Trooper was hit twice by bullets.  One bullet struck his body armor, but the other hit his wrist.  A second trooper was injured by shattered glass from the gunfire and a third was hurt in the crash with the suspect’s truck.

RadioPA Roundtable

Radio PA Roundtable 12.21.12

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On this week’s Radio PA Roundtable, Brad Christman brings you Governor Tom Corbett’s thoughts on the Connecticut school massacre and the political debates that have resulted. The governor also talks about Christmases past and you’ll hear from an author whose book “Fading Ads of Philadelphia” makes a great last-minute stocking stuffer for the native Philadelphian on your list.

Radio PA Roundtable is a 30-minute program featuring in-depth reporting on the top news stories of the week.

Click the audio player below to hear the full broadcast:

[audio:https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/radiopa/Roundtable12-21-12.mp3]