New case rates of COVID-19 dropped for the fifth week in a row to 19,343 or a 22% drop compared to the prior week. Pennsylvania’s statewide percent-positivity rate also dropped for the fifth week in a row from 12.7% to…
Reminder: Grants Available for Historic Preservation 
Grant applications are being accepted for construction and project grants for historic resources that are listed or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. Local governments are eligible to apply for these grants through the Keystone Historic…
DCNR Accepting Applications for Grants to Fight Wildfires 
The state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is accepting applications to help Pennsylvania’s rural communities increase protection from wildfires. Funded through federal grants, this money helps fire companies in rural areas or communities with fewer than 10,000 residents with training and…
Reminder: SAM.gov Registration Is Free!
PSATS received several reports about suspicious emails claiming to be SAM.gov registration renewals, often stating that users need to pay a fee to renew their information. The System for Award Management (SAM) is a 100% free government website. The U.S….
New Analysis Proves Need for Broadband in Pennsylvania
The Center for Rural Pennsylvania released a new analysis of broadband speed test data and found that broadband service improvements are needed across the commonwealth, especially in rural counties. “For years, we’ve been well aware that broadband access is lacking…
Another Wolf Cabinet Departure
The Wolf Administration announced yesterday that the Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID) Commissioner Jessica Altman will be resigning from her position on February 25. Governor Wolf stated that the current PID Chief of Staff Mike Humphreys will serve as the Acting…
Reminder: Townships Urged to Complete Critical Lawsuit Survey
Township officials are urged to complete a critical survey that could help provide the data necessary to keep lawsuits and liability insurance from getting even more expensive for all townships. Due to a Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision, the state legislature…
Clarification on Links to Treasury Portal
Some townships have reported issues with the links to the U.S. Treasury Department’s American Rescue Plan Reporting and Compliance Portal that was provided in yesterday’s Morning News. If you have issues, we recommend accessing Treasury’s Login.gov User’s Guide by clicking…
Townships Need to Log into Treasury Portal
The U.S. Treasury Department is asking all local governments to log into the American Rescue Plan Reporting and Compliance Portal, confirm roles, and provide required information if they have not yet done so. You can access Treasury’s portal using your…
Large-Scale Solar Webinar Offered Tomorrow
Penn State Extension is offering a free webinar for local officials to discuss concerns and answer questions related to utility-scale solar energy systems and local ordinances dealing with solar energy. The webinar will be held tomorrow, February 15, at noon….
