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Bear Creek Township family displaced after house fire, pet snakes perish

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Jennifer Ann Decker and William Charles Ricci engagement

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Pennsylvania Department of Aging Secretary Teresa Osborne has been leading roundtable discussions around the state on Alzheimer&#8217;s Disease and related disorders.</p><p>The forums bring together stakeholders from local communities throughout the commonwealth to discuss their engagement in, and the progress of, Pennsylvania&#8217;s State Plan for Alzheimer&#8217;s Disease and Related Disorders.</p><p>The forums are also intended to inspire action by fostering a deeper understanding of Alzheimer&#8217;s and the public health crisis it poses.</p><p>&#8220;The challenges for individuals living with Alzheimer&#8217;s disease or a related disorder, and those who selflessly care for them, are often staggering,&#8221; Osborne said in a news release. &#8220;In Pennsylvania, more than 400,000 individuals are afflicted with Alzheimer&#8217;s disease or a related disorder, and that number is expected to increase markedly as the baby boomer generation reaches the age of 65 and beyond.&#8221;</p><p>The regional roundtable discussions being held around the commonwealth are aimed at engaging community leaders and stakeholders in discussions about the different experiences and responses to dementia at the local level.</p><p>As the Wolf Administration pursues a new path forward through the creation of the Pennsylvania Department of Health and Human Services, the Pennsylvania State Plan for Alzheimer&#8217;s Disease and Related Disorders maintains it&#8217;s critical role in the statewide fight against Alzheimer&#8217;s.</p><p>&#8220;One in 12 families in Pennsylvania are impacted by this disease and they are depending on us to ensure that we work together to realize our shared vision of a world without Alzheimer&#8217;s,&#8221; Osborne said.</p><p>She said the Wolf Administration is committed to working with those who have been diagnosed, their families, and all stakeholders to improve awareness, cultivate knowledge, and garner the proper sense of urgency about the medical, social, and financial implications of Alzheimer&#8217;s disease and related disorders in communities across the commonwealth.</p><p>For more information on the Alzheimer&#8217;s Disease and Related Disorders, visit <a href="http://www.aging.pa.gov" target="_blank">www.aging.pa.gov</a> or <a href="http://www.alz.org" target="_blank">www.alz.org</a>.</p><p>&#8226; According to the 2016-2020 state Plan on Aging:</p><p>&#8212; Pennsylvania is home to more than 12.8 million residents &#8212; approximately 2.9 million are adults age 60 and older, and more than 300,000 are aged 85 and older.</p><p>&#8212; By 2020, the population of older Pennsylvanians is projected to increase by 25 percent, and the population of Pennsylvanians aged 80 and over is projected to increase by 20,000 individuals.</p><p>&#8212; The Department of Aging facilitates the provision of important aging services, including caregiver support, employment, health and wellness, help at home, housing, insurance, legal assistance, meals, ombudsman, prescriptions, protective services, and transportation.</p><p><strong>Wolf announces</strong></p><p><strong>workers&#8217; </strong><strong>comp</strong></p><p><strong>insurance rate cut</strong></p><p>The Wolf Administration cabinet secretaries for the Insurance Department and Labor &amp; Industry this week announced Pennsylvania businesses will see another cut in workers&#8217; compensation insurance rates while maintaining benefit levels for injured workers.</p><p>Workers&#8217; comp insurance rates dropped 6.21 percent, effective April 1, reducing a key expense for many companies and saving Pennsylvania businesses an estimated $150 million this year.</p><p>&#8220;This significant rate cut comes on top of reductions during my administration&#8217;s first two years, which improved our state&#8217;s standing across the nation for this cost of doing business,&#8221; said Gov. Tom Wolf. &#8220;The reduction will further help business owners create jobs that pay in Pennsylvania and at the same time, maintain fair benefits for workers injured on the job, something that is vital for families&#8217; financial well-being and peace of mind.&#8221;</p><p>The rate cut announcement comes following a national study released last November, showing Pennsylvania improved its standing among states in workers&#8217; comp insurance costs under the Wolf Administration, dropping from 17th highest to 26th highest from 2014 to 2016. The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services conducted the study comparing workers&#8217; comp insurance rates for 50 selected employment classes based on methods that put states&#8217; workers&#8217; comp rates on a comparable basis with a constant set of state-specific risk classifications.</p><p>The rate reduction follows the Insurance Department&#8217;s approval of the Pennsylvania Compensation Rating Bureau&#8217;s annual loss cost filing. These loss costs are used to determine the premiums businesses pay for workers&#8217; compensation insurance. The premium savings for an individual employer will vary based on the employer&#8217;s risk classification, claims experience and other factors. Not all employers will see a decrease.</p><p>This is the sixth consecutive workers&#8217; compensation insurance cut in as many years, and brings the cumulative savings to $720 million for the past six years. Workers&#8217; compensation insurance covers the cost of medical care and rehabilitation for injured workers, and lost wages and death benefits for the dependents of those killed in work-related accidents.</p><p>More information on Pennsylvania insurance products is available at <a href="http://www.insurance.pa.gov" target="_blank">www.insurance.pa.gov</a>.</p><p><strong>More opportunities</strong></p><p><strong>for pet-friendly travel</strong></p><p><strong>at Pa. state parks</strong></p><p>The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources this week announced increased opportunities for campers to bring their pets to some of Pennsylvania&#8217;s state parks.</p><p>New state park pet camping sites have been established this season at Codorus, York County; Colonel Denning, Cumberland County; Greenwood Furnace, Huntingdon County; Shawnee, Bedford County; and Sizerville, Cameron County.</p><p>Newly designated cabin sites are being offered for pet owners at Codorus State Park, as well as Cook Forest, Clarion County, and Ohiopyle State Park, Fayette County, where walled tents will be utilized.</p><p>DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn said surveys, feedback to park managerial staff, and reservation information all played a key role in the department&#8217;s decision to continue expanding a pets policy that began in 2001 with nine parks.</p><p>The changes affecting pet owners come as the Bureau of State Parks continues to upgrade its online camping reservation system, and provide electrical and water service at more state park campgrounds across the state.</p><p>Dunn said visitors now can search from the comfort of their home or with mobile devices for full hook-up sites or pet-friendly sites. She said pet owners at selected state park sites must comply with many program regulations. They govern leashing; barking and other noise; maximum number of pets allowed (two, when the size of a cat or larger); aggressive behavior; proper cleanup and disposal of feces; valid licensing when required; and needed vaccinations.</p><p>Violations could require campers to remove their animals from park grounds. Park officials are empowered to determine whether animals meet the definitions of &#8220;pet,&#8221; which are commonly kept in household captivity, and &#8220;caged pets,&#8221; which will not be released from their cage while at the park.</p><p>Visit www.dcnr.pa.gov for more information on pets and participating parks. For reservation information, visit <a href="http://www.visitPAparks.com" target="_blank">www.visitPAparks.com</a>.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_dcnrcamp01.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Dunn </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_dcnrcamp01.jpg</photo0><caption0>Dunn </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_Wolf_Tom-cmyk.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wolf </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_Wolf_Tom-cmyk.jpg</photo1><caption1>Wolf </caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_Capitol2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">The Pennsylvania State Capitol Building in Harrisburg.</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_Capitol2.jpg</photo2><caption2>The Pennsylvania State Capitol Building in Harrisburg.</caption2><photoCredit2></photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Bill O&#8217;Boyle</p><p>boboyle@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Bill O&#8217;Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Department of Aging hosts regional Alzheimer’s Disease forum