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This Week in Pennsylvania: Natalie Mihalek & Wendell Young

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(WHTM) —  In This Week in Pennsylvania, Dennis Owens reports the latest in Pa. policy and politics.

In this week’s episode, Owens will talk about how the supreme court upholds the new Redistricting maps and how there is a renewed call to ban smoking from all places except from the 2008 clean indoor air act, such as casinos and private clubs.

He will then talk to Western Pennsylvania State Representative Natalie Mihalek and Wendell Young, the President of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union which represents state store workers.

Exclusive: One on one interview with Josh Shapiro

Then, Analysts Chris Nicholas and Danielle Gross join in on the conversation.

You can watch the show with the player above!

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Tap Water Connections Should Be Taken In Authorised Manner Only: Botsa Satyanarayana

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AMARAVATI: Andhra Pradesh State Municipal Minister Botsa Satyanarayana on Monday, urged the people of the state to take tap water connections in an authorized manner. Addressing the press from the Assembly media point, he said it was the endeavour of the AP Government to provide drinking water tap connections to every household, either through the central or state government schemes or using the Municipal funds and resources,  to ensure that every house has a tap connection.

Speaking further the Minister said that people should go through the regular process of applying for tap connections. He requested people to complain to the local bodies if tap connection rates are high in their places. While talking about fake reports in the media, he stated that the media articles should not be written in a way that confuses people.

Forfeiture has always been the norm if taxes are not paid and this is nothing new, he said. It has never been the intention of the government to harass and confiscate people’s property. Should not the people pay taxes regularly in order for the local bodies to function properly, the Minister asked.

Many such incidents of where properties were seized due to nonpayment of taxes happened even under the previous governments. Then why were such news reports not written at that time by the Eenadu paper, he questioned. He clarified that the government has nowhere ordered the collection of taxes in a forcible manner.

Also Read: New Liquor Brands Approved During TDP’s Regime, Says YSRCP Leader Karmuru Venkatareddy

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Mrs Hinch fans share cheap and surprising hack for washing whites

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A cheap cleaning hack for washing whites has been shared on social media after one woman needed help in her home. The solution was shared in a Facebook group dedicated to sharing cleaning tips and tricks.

Mrs Hinch, whose real name is Sophie Hinchliffe, gained popularity after sharing ingenious cleaning tips and recommendations on social media and TV. The cleaning enthusiast has managed to gain over 4.4 million followers on Instagram and has also authored several books.

Mrs Hinch fan groups on Facebook have hundreds of thousands of members who help each other with cleaning hacks for problems around the home. Mrs Hinch fans were quick to offer solutions to keeping white clothing white, with the most popular hack both cheap and surprising.

Read more: Mrs Hinch fans share ‘incredible’ 1p hack to clean glass shower screens.

One member took to the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips group to ask for tips on cleaning white school polo shirts. She said: “Grandson’s school polos are grey. What’s best to get them white please?”

Fans of Mrs Hinch immediately came to the gran’s rescue by sharing their favourite ways to keep whites white. One method was more popular than any other, with dozens of fans saying the same thing.

Jane Hurst simply said: “Soak in Napisan”. This recommendation was echoed dozens of times in the comments, with novice cleaning gurus swearing by the £3.00 product. Napisan is a disinfecting washing detergent marketed towards parents with babies.

Group member Ange Richmond seconded: “I have used Napisan for over 35 years and it’s the only thing that I’ve not changed. It’s now for whites and colours. My whites I soak overnight.”

A Napisan product description says: “Every day you can come into contact with germs when in crowded environments, in public places or in the presence of pets. A regular detergent cleans but does not disinfect. Napisan works by releasing active oxygen to remove stains. Items washed with Napisan will not only be clean but Napisan also kills the germs you cannot see to leave your garments more hygienic.”

Some group members, however, recommended simply buying new shirts. Clare Carey said: “I’d say by the time you spend money on products to whiten them, you’d be cheaper going into Asda and buying a new pack. Unless you’ve got the products there already.”

Gracie Chezza said: “Cheaper to just replace them they’re pennies. Cleaning products are way more expensive.”

And Emma Hudson said: “I just buy new ones – probably same price as buying a stain remover.”

Read More
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NICE proposal requires nurses to ask patients about housing conditions

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Healthcare staff, including nurses, could be asked to question patients with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions about the quality of the housing they are living in, proposals from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have said.

A consultation on a proposed indoor air quality standard, published by NICE last week, also suggests that healthcare staff could be asked to help patients to obtain a housing assessment from their local authority.

The draft standard recommends that primary care and community care providers give training to healthcare professionals to ensure they are aware of the effects of poor indoor air quality on health, and how housing conditions can increase the risk of exposure to pollutants.

They should also put processes in place so that healthcare staff can help patients request a local authority housing assessment, the standard says.

The NICE draft standard also recommends that nurses and GPs explain to patients they see with worsening respiratory symptoms how their housing conditions may be affecting their health, and ask them about their living conditions.

Questions on housing conditions should cover: location, including external factors such as high levels of outdoor air pollution; physical infrastructure, such as room size and adequacy of ventilation; standard of housing, such as level of physical disrepair, damp and mould; and overcrowding.

As part of the public consultation, healthcare professionals are among the people being asked for their views on measures to improve indoor air quality in residential buildings, including nursing and care homes.

The consultation closes on 11 April 2022.

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Three additional Ohio State Fair Concerts announced

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COLUMBUS—Officials have announced three additional concerts to be a part of the Ohio State Fair Concert Series powered by AEP Ohio’s Smart Grid, revealing that Scotty McCreery, Dru Hill and Raheem DeVaughn, and Foreigner will be performing in the WCOL Celeste Center. The 12-day Ohio State Fair will feature a diverse selection of entertainment that appeals to many Ohioans and out-of-state fairgoers, including Christian, country, R&B, classic rock, and comedy. Tickets for shows announced today go on sale this Friday, March 25 at 10 a.m. Fans who sign up to receive Ohio State Fair enewsletters can get access to a presale starting this Wednesday, March 23 at 10 a.m., ending Thursday, March 24 at 11:59 p.m.

Each concert ticket purchased in advance includes admission to the Fair, giving music lovers and comedy fans the opportunity to enjoy all facets of the Ohio State Fair before attending a show. All concerts take place in the indoor, air-conditioned WCOL Celeste Center. Tickets will be available for purchase at ticketmaster.com/OhioStateFair at the dates listed below.

The Ohio State Fair Concert Series powered by AEP Ohio’s Smart Grid shows announced to date include:

Toby Keith with special guest Alex Miller

Thursday, July 28, 2022, at 7 p.m.

$60, $75

Tickets on sale now

 

JUST ANNOUNCED: Foreigner – The Greatest Hits

Friday, July 29, 2022, at 7:30 p.m.

$40, $50

Tickets go on sale Friday, March 25 at 10 a.m.

 

Nelly with special guest Breland

Saturday, July 30, 2022, 7 p.m.

$35, $45

Tickets on sale now

 

JUST ANNOUNCED: Dru Hill / Raheem DeVaughn

Sunday, July 31, 2022, at 7:30 p.m.

$30

Tickets go on sale Friday, March 25 at 10 a.m.

 

Zach Williams with special guest We the Kingdom

Monday, Aug. 1, 2022, 7 p.m.

$30

Tickets on sale now

 

JUST ANNOUNCED: Scotty McCreery

Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, at 7:30 p.m.

$30

Tickets go on sale Friday, March 25 at 10 a.m.

 

Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias

Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, at 7 p.m.

$45, $55

Tickets on sale now

Additional concerts will be announced on Monday, April 4.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com/OhioStateFair. Concert tickets purchased before arriving at the Fair include Fair admission.

Unless otherwise noted, there is a limit of eight tickets per person, per show on the first day of sale. Please note that Ticketmaster no longer offers retail outlets or phone centers.

The Ohio State Fair plans to follow applicable state and local protocols related to the spread of COVID-19.

The Ohio Expo Center is proud to host the Ohio State Fair. With big-name entertainment, educational activities, hundreds of exhibits and one of the largest junior livestock shows in the nation, the 2022 Ohio State Fair will run July 27 – Aug. 7. For more information, visit ohiostatefair.com, call 1-888-OHO-EXPO or 1-614-644-FAIR.

 

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The ancient enigma that still resonates today

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Taking the symbol into nature is Robert Smithson’s Spiral Jetty, a giant spiral-shaped environmental artwork of 1,500ft by 15ft. Built with 6,000 tons of basalt at the mouth of a terminal basin in Great Salt Lake, Utah, where it will inevitably be eroded, it reflects Smithson’s fascination with entropy. “One could perhaps see it as a culturally collective symbol of the emergence of the feminine,” notes the artist’s website, which points out “the spiral goes counter-clockwise, toward the unconscious”.

The Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Carl Jung, renowned for his work on symbols, archetypes and the collective unconscious, wrote: “The spiral in psychology means that when you make a spiral you always come over the same point where you have been before, but never really the same, it is above or below, inside, outside, so it means growth.” Jung visualised the unconscious process as moving “spiral-wise round a centre, gradually getting closer, while the characteristics of the centre grow more and more distinct”.

“Serpent of energy”

A fascination with consciousness and the psyche in the West no doubt contributed to the growing interest in meditation and yoga from the 1960s, such as the practice of kundalini yoga, in which the spiral plays a fundamental role: “kundal” is a Sanskrit word for spiral or coil, denoting a serpent of energy that coils up through the chakras. In the healing arts, a spiral represents connectivity to the divine. In Vortex healing, it is believed that a divine spiral energy is brought in through the heart to manifest healing and transformation.

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Highest and lowest paying health care jobs in Worcester | State

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Worcester, MA-CT

– Annual mean salary: $40,120

– #6 highest pay among all metros

– Employment: data not available

National

– Annual mean salary: $30,980

– Employment: 98,810

– Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent

– Metros with highest average pay:

— San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($45,950)

— New Haven, CT ($45,360)

— Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($41,210)

– Job description: Feed, water, and examine pets and other nonfarm animals for signs of illness, disease, or injury in laboratories and animal hospitals and clinics. Clean and disinfect cages and work areas, and sterilize laboratory and surgical equipment. May provide routine postoperative care, administer medication orally or topically, or prepare samples for laboratory examination under the supervision of veterinary or laboratory animal technologists or technicians, veterinarians, or scientists.

You may also like: Metros where people in Worcester are getting new jobs

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NZ glassmaker taps IoT to track delivery trolleys

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New Zealand’s Architectural Glass Products (AGP) is tapping internet-of- things (IoT) technology to track its products and delivery trolleys in real-time and minimise asset losses.

The glass manufacturer has fitted tracking devices on over 1,750 purpose-built delivery trolleys, which communicate over a Sigfox-based low-power wide area network operated by Thinxtra.

AGP spokesperson Gene Sanford said the IoT deployment has proved central to the company’s ability to deliver on its four-day order-to-delivery service.

“Rather than resorting to the time-consuming task of counting assets on a map with a basic GPS solution, we have a dashboard and data that inform us which customer has the trolleys and how long they have had them, enabling us to quickly take action to maintain our high service levels,” Sanford said.

“Our customers’ cash flow can be improved significantly knowing their supply will be delivered on time; getting our assets back quickly to fulfil the next set of orders helps mitigate any knock-on effect that might impact them,” he added.

The IoT devices are supplied by Pollin8, a local technology service provider. The devices are fixed to every AGP delivery trolley and record location data at all times, including at places where GPS signals are unavailable.

Pollin8 CEO Nick Pickering said while GPS-based tracking solutions have been available for powered vehicles for decades, IoT technology makes it possible to track non-powered assets at scale, using devices with long battery life.

“That means we can provide AGP with not only around-the-clock tracking, but tailor the solution to its unique business requirements now and as its business expands in the future,” he added.

AGP claimed that the IoT deployment from Pollin8 and Thinxtra was “extremely cost-effective”, making it suited to its plans for continued expansion. The IoT devices connect to Thinxtra’s network easily without the need to build or maintain any communications infrastructure.

Thinxtra CEO Nicholas Lambrou noted that AGP has built a “highly-sophisticated operation underscored by incredible efficiency, which has catapulted the company to the pinnacle of glass supply in New Zealand”.

“By bringing IoT into the mix from a very early stage, AGP gained granular visibility over the assets responsible for safely transporting its glass products to a fast-growing network of customers, avoiding unnecessary losses, and maintaining its stringent customer service level agreements.”

Besides AGP, which runs a four-hectare factory in Hautapu on Te Ika-a-Māui on North Island, New Zealand community housing provider CORT is also harnessing IoT to improve the indoor air quality and ventilation of its premises.

Working with local technology company Tether, it is deploying sensors and analytics software, enabling it to monitor temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide levels, light and noise, among other environmental conditions. The sensors are also connected to Thinxtra’s Sigfox network.

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Having access to water is increasingly a matter of survival in conflict zones – World

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Dakar/Geneva (ICRC) – Access to drinking water is a major problem around the world. The situation has grown worse for hundreds of millions of people living in areas affected by armed conflict or violence.

“With more conflicts and urban warfare around the world, access to water is now one of the main humanitarian issues and is being exacerbated by the impact of climate change. We need to innovate and develop new partnerships to respond,” said Gilles Carbonnier, vice-president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) at the ninth World Water Forum in Dakar.

In addition to struggling with the consequences of armed violence, affected people suffer as essential services deteriorate. For instance, more than ten years of conflict in Syria has seriously damaged the water-supply network, reducing supply by between 30 and 40 per cent. In the Sahel, climate change – which is partly behind the increasing scarcity of water – has made living conditions even tougher for millions of people caught up in conflict.

Water crisis in towns and cities

The trend towards urban warfare is stark, as we see in Ukraine. In Mariupol and other cities, people are trapped by heavy combat and are sheltering in unheated basements. With no running water, some have turned to melting snow or to using the water from radiators.

When war moves into urban areas, the risk that critical civilian infrastructure will be damaged or destroyed increases dramatically, in particular when explosive weapons with a wide impact area are used. Whether such infrastructure is damaged or destroyed intentionally or unintentionally, the ICRC untiringly reminds parties to a conflict to avoid the use of such weapons in populated areas on account of the high probability of causing indiscriminate harm or damage, which is prohibited under international humanitarian law (IHL).

Restricting access to water, threatening civilians

In some countries, parties to a conflict take control of water and agricultural resources. Restricting access to water as a tactic of war – or damaging facilities that supply water, treat wastewater or provide electricity – has a negative impact both immediately and in the long term on the health of already very vulnerable people. The lack of drinking water is one of the major causes of forced displacement.

Must we remind people that IHL prohibits indiscriminate attacks and attacks that target civilian objects, including the natural environment? Whatever the belligerents’ purported motive, attacking, destroying, removing or rendering useless “objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population” is never justified and remains a grave breach of IHL.

The burden of climate change

Of the 25 countries deemed most vulnerable and least ready to adapt to climate change, 14 are embroiled in conflict.

Although in our experience access to water is never the direct cause of an armed conflict, the absence of institutions or mechanisms capable of mediating between conflicting interests and managing water resources fairly can help shape the dynamic of violence and profoundly change the social fabric.

In the Sahel, the deterioration and scarcity of resources, exacerbated by climate change, has sparked tensions between communities over access to water and arable and pastureland. In fact, pastureland is shrinking at an alarming rate as a result of climbing temperatures and weaker rainfall. In addition, the presence of many armed groups has made using transhumance corridors more difficult.

Naturally, the weakness, if not the total absence, of public investment in essential infrastructure helps to maintain the flagrant disparities and dangerous tensions that exist between communities. To calm or even forestall these tensions, how water is treated and distributed in countries heavily affected by both climate change and armed conflict must be regarded as a priority.

Protect the natural environment at all times

The issue of access to water is a central concern of the ICRC’s. The number of people in need and the sense of emergency is palpable: between now and 2050, global demand for water is expected to rise by 30 per cent.
In 2021, we helped meet the urgent water needs of 37 million people by supporting the bodies responsible for water and sanitation in areas affected by protracted conflict and the effects of climate change.

It is clear that only humanitarian organizations have the capacity to meet the needs of the ever-growing numbers of people who require help. Faced with the crucial issue of the water crisis in areas affected by conflict, the ICRC makes three requests of states and the international community:

Respect international humanitarian law. Armed conflicts often harm the natural environment, including the water resources on which populations depend for their survival. IHL protects the natural environment, including water sources, by virtue of its civilian character and protects objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, such as water treatment plants. Respect for IHL may also limit the impact of armed conflicts on the natural environment and reduce the risks to which affected communities are exposed, in particular with regard to access to water.

Prioritize and support effective partnerships between sectors to ensure that water-supply networks remain resilient in the face of conflicts and other challenges, including climate change. Governments, local authorities, international financial institutions, the private sector and the humanitarian and development communities must work together to strengthen the resilience of these essential networks and their service providers in times of crisis.

Strengthen climate action and finance in fragile states and countries affected by conflict. Despite the reduced resilience of and the disproportionate impact on communities in countries affected by conflict, climate action has been weak because of the difficulties of working in fragile environments. States and international actors must ramp up their support for adaptation and anticipatory action in fragile states, which would strengthen the resilience of local populations facing climate change. Climate funds and bilateral donors must accept a certain level of risk to make up for the funding gap between conflict-affected and stable countries, and ensure that their funding reaches the most vulnerable communities in a country and the most isolated states involved in a conflict.
For more information, please contact:

Fiona Barnaby, ICRC Dakar, tel: +221 77 529 71 45
[email protected]
Halimatou Amadou, ICRC Dakar, tel : +211 78 186 46 87
[email protected]

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New Jersey’s energy future must — and will be — electric

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It may seem like a tall order: Make changes to your home to lower your energy bills, remove harmful pollutants from the air you breathe and help in the global fight against climate change.

But it’s not as hard as it might sound.

According to a new report commissioned by New Jersey Conservation Foundation, it’s possible for New Jersey residents to achieve all three. The report, “The Future Is Electric,” finds that consumers could see more than a 50% reduction in their energy bills by installing highly efficient electric heating and cooling systems and weatherizing their houses. That amounts to substantial savings in a household budget.

What’s more, transitioning away from burning fossil fuels inside homes would mean cleaner and healthier indoor air, and fewer outdoor emissions contributing to global warming and over 250 premature deaths annually in New Jersey.

Prepared by the Acadia Center, a New England-based climate research and advocacy nonprofit, the report also highlights the need for New Jersey and its utilities to provide more incentives for consumers to invest in efficient electric heating — similar to the popular rebates offered to consumers who buy electric vehicles.

Coincidentally, “The Future Is Electric” was released one day after the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued a dire warning that our rapidly warming climate is wreaking havoc across the planet, and that time is running out to stabilize it.

Unless greenhouse gas emissions are quickly and drastically reduced, the IPCC report said, climate change impacts — including floods, storms, droughts and other extreme weather events — will overwhelm the ability of nature and humanity to adapt.

New Jersey is making progress on reducing the state’s reliance on fossil fuels to generate electricity. This state we’re in requires that by 2030, 50% of the electricity we consume will come from in-state and regional solar and wind.

The state is also working to reduce the state’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions — vehicles and transportation — with generous rebates to buyers of electric vehicles.

One piece of the clean energy puzzle that has gotten considerably less attention is the building sector. Many New Jersey residents don’t realize that houses and buildings are the state’s second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions.

When you think about it, it makes sense: Our state has hundreds of thousands of homes and buildings. Each building heated with natural gas, heating oil or propane has its own on-site combustion system, which produces both indoor and outdoor emissions. Polluted air can cause or exacerbate many health conditions, including asthma.

What’s the alternative to fossil fuel systems? Many consumers are turning to a newer technology known as air source heat pumps.

“Heat pumps are essentially a super-efficient air conditioner that can work backwards,” explained Amy Boyd, policy director at the Acadia Center. They work by moving heat from outdoor air indoors, and are effective even in cold climates.

Air source heat pumps are far more energy efficient than fossil fuel combustion. By combining heat pump technology with weatherizing “leaky” houses, Boyd said, consumers could see their energy bills cut in half.

Heat pumps create no emissions, either indoors or outdoors, so families can breathe cleaner, healthier air. This is especially important in New Jersey’s urban areas, which have the state’s highest levels of air pollution.

So what’s stopping New Jersey consumers from reaping these benefits? Mostly money.

Heat pump systems have higher up-front costs, and New Jersey is behind other northeastern states in offering financial incentives to motivate homeowners to make the switch.

“One thing that states like Massachusetts are doing is putting their money where their climate policy is,” said Boyd.

In states that offer substantial rebates, Boyd noted, heat pump systems can be comparable in cost or even cheaper than fossil fuel combustion systems.

It’s time for New Jersey to get with the program and support a switch to clean, electrically-heated buildings.

The Murphy administration has already committed to producing more electricity with clean, renewable technology — and getting more drivers in electric vehicles. The next logical step is to make it affordable for residents to upgrade their homes to safe, efficient, non-polluting heating systems.

One advocate for stronger incentives is State Sen. Andrew Zwicker, who spoke at a briefing on the release of “The Future Is Electric” report.

“New Jersey has to be a leader here,” Zwicker said. “If we can provide financial incentives, consumers can have choices” for better health, lower energy bills and fighting climate change.

“This is a key moment, not just in New Jersey’s history or U.S. history, but globally,” Zwicker added. “The IPCC report that just came out makes it clear that global warming is outpacing our ability to cope. The oceans are rising, the forests are burning, and carbon dioxide levels continue their upward march. It’s now a question of, are we willing to take this moment and move forward?” 

New Jersey’s answer needs to be yes.

More resources

To read “The Future Is Electric,” go to https://acadiacenter.org/resource/the-future-is-electric/.

To send a message to the New Jersey Legislature to prioritize building decarbonization, go to https://njconservation.salsalabs.org/rethink-03022022-acadiacenter/index.html?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=988fcffc-7186-41d1-b219-f3277c950e9c.

And to learn more about New Jersey Conservation Foundation, go to www.njconservation.org or contact me at [email protected]. 

Tom Gilbert

Tom Gilbert is co-executive director of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation.

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