WILKES-BARRE — Attorney General Michelle Henry is cautioning consumers in Pennsylvania to be careful of scammers selling glasses for watching the solar eclipse on April 8, as those glasses may not provide sufficient protection.
NASA is advising the millions of people anticipated to observe the eclipse to use solar-viewing glasses because of the strong energy emitted by the sun.
Authentic solar-viewing glasses contain special filters to safeguard your eyes — counterfeit glasses lack these filters.
“This is an enjoyable and thrilling worldwide event, and that widespread enthusiasm has attracted scammers seeking to profit without considering potential harm,” AG Henry stated. “Do your research to ensure the glasses you purchase will adequately shield your eyes and enable you to safely view the solar eclipse.”
Pennsylvanians in Crawford, Erie, Mercer and Warren counties are in the direct path of the solar eclipse and are expected to observe a 100% total solar eclipse. The rest of the Commonwealth will witness a partial eclipse with coverage ranging from 88 to 99% of the sun.
Swindlers have been taking advantage of the increasing consumer demand for purchasing glasses to view the eclipse. As per the American Astronomical Society, counterfeit glasses have inundated the market.
The Office of Attorney General issued these public safety tips for observing the solar eclipse:
• AG Henry cautions about scams targeting individuals intending to watch the solar eclipse on April 8. The only safe way to directly view the sun is through special-purpose solar filters such as “eclipse glasses” or handheld solar viewers.
• Ensure your glasses are labeled with the international safety standard — certification number ISO 12312-2. This number will be present on the glasses’ frame.
• If observing the eclipse through a camera or telescope, ensure your lens has a solar filter.
• Review details about reputable suppliers of safe solar viewers and filters, as well as guidance on how to safely use handheld viewers on the American Astronomical Society’s website.
• Regular sunglasses — even those with dark shades — should not be used as a substitute for eclipse viewing glasses or handheld solar viewers.
If you suspect that someone sold you a counterfeit pair of solar eclipse glasses, contact the AG’s Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-441-2555 or email [email protected].
DEP, PennDOT promote spring litter cleanup
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Department of Transportation (PennDOT) this week encouraged residents, local leaders, businesses and organizations to join in cleaning up their communities as part of the “Pick Up Pennsylvania” spring community improvement campaign, now through May 31.
Pick Up Pennsylvania is a yearlong initiative, however, events scheduled from March 1 through May 31 receive free trash bags, gloves and safety vests provided by support from DEP, PennDOT and Keep America Beautiful, as supplies last.
Events may include litter cleanups, illegal dump cleanups, community greening and beautification, special collections and litter education events. Events must be registered at keeppabeautiful.org to get free cleanup supplies. To help their efforts, DEP and the Pennsylvania Waste Industries Association finance no- or low-cost trash disposal at participating landfills for registered events during April.
“Litter affects our quality of life, the natural environment and economic growth in communities all over Pennsylvania,” said President of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Shannon Reiter. “We all need to take responsibility for clean and beautiful neighborhoods. By working together to pick up a little litter or plant a tree, we can make significant improvements in our quality of life. We’re hoping even more people turn out for this year’s event. It’s remarkable what can be achieved in a few short hours.”
Last year, the Pick Up Pennsylvania initiative welcomed over 71,000 volunteers who disposed of more than 2.9 million pounds of trash, cleaned 8,462 miles of road and waterways and planted over 8,000 trees, flowers and other greens.
“PennDOT spends about $14 million each year cleaning up litter on our roads, funds that we’d much prefer to spend maintaining and enhancing them,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “We’re grateful for the thousands of Adopt-A-Highway volunteers who every year provide critical support to our efforts to keep Pennsylvania’s roads and waterways clean and litter-free.”
Groups in PennDOT’s Adopt-A-Highway program, which involves volunteers cleaning roadsides year-round, are long-term participants. Adopt-A-Highway volunteers collect litter on a two-mile section of state highway at least twice a year. In 2023, the program had over 4,400 participating groups, more than 117,700 registered volunteers, and over 9,000 miles of adopted state-maintained roadways resulting in 32,272 bags of litter collected.
“Pennsylvania is a beautiful state. Everyone should be able to enjoy our scenic roads, streams and waterways and state parks without litter obstructing the view,” said DEP Interim Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley.
Hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians, including Scout troops, businesses, watershed organizations, Trout Unlimited, Rod and Gun Clubs, and others, have participated in Pick Up Pennsylvania events for over 20 years.
Rep. Watro’s ‘National Medal of Honor Day’ resolution passes in House
A resolution acknowledging March 25, 2024, as “National Medal of Honor Day” in Pennsylvania, sponsored by Rep. Dane Watro, R-Hazleton, was unanimously passed in the House of Representatives this week.
“The Medal of Honor is the United States Armed Forces’ highest military decoration,” Watro said. “Of the 40 million Americans who have served in the military since the Civil War, only 3,517 have earned the award and 379 of them are from Pennsylvania. On this special day, we recognize their bravery, valor and achievements. As an Army veteran, I am proud to be the prime sponsor of House Resolution 347.”
Awarded by the president of the United States, only military members who have gone above and beyond the call of duty receive this distinction. There are three different versions of the Medal of Honor, for the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force, though Coast Guard members and Marines are also eligible to earn the Navy version.
The first Medals of Honor were given on March 25, 1863, during the Civil War. A Union raiding party had recently destroyed Confederate railways and important transportation in Tennessee and Georgia. Those six soldiers were the first recipients of the medal.
Rep. Cabell and Sen. Culver will jointly host license plate event
In an effort to make it easier for vehicle owners to replace damaged or unreadable license plates, Rep. Mike Cabell, R-Butler Township, and Sen. Lynda Culver, R-Northumberland, will co-host a no-cost event on Thursday, April 4, in partnership with the Salem Township Police Department.
The event will occur from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Salem Township Municipal Building, 38 Bomboy Lane.
"We are happy to offer this free service to simplify the process of obtaining a new license plate from PennDOT," Cabell said. "Thanks to the Salem Township Police for helping us out."
Vehicle owners interested in participating in the event must register by calling Cabell’s district office in Sugarloaf Township at 570-359-2138 or Culver’s Luzerne County office at 570-387-4267.
According to PennDOT, a plate is considered unreadable when one or more numbers or letters cannot be recognized from 50 feet or if the plate shows any blistering, peeling, discoloration, or loss of reflectivity.
If the plate is deemed unreadable by a police officer, paperwork will be completed at no cost.
A new replacement plate should arrive at the vehicle owner’s home address in a few weeks.
First hearing held on affordable and reliable energy
At a time when consumers in Pennsylvania — and nationwide — are facing escalating energy expenses, Rep. Mike Cabell, R-Butler Township, and the House Republican Policy Committee, led by Chairman Josh Kail, R-Beaver/Washington, this week convened the first hearing in a series to discuss ways to ensure both low-cost and dependable energy for consumers.
The hearing — “Balancing Your Budget and Thermostat: Consumer Focused Energy Policy” — included the following speakers: Michael Butler, Consumer Energy Alliance mid-Atlantic executive director; Jack Monahon, Caithness Energy general manager of operations; and Dr. Frank Polidora, Butler Township supervisor.
Cabell stated that Pennsylvania is a global superpower when it comes to energy. He mentioned that the Commonwealth’s natural gas and oil industry sustains 497,000 jobs, contributes $78.6 billion to the state economy, and provides the state $335.2 million in wildlife conservation funding, according to Energy Citizens. The Energy Information Administration lists Pennsylvania as the second-largest net supplier, after Texas, of total energy to other states.
"We need to focus on continuing to use the great resources we have in Pennsylvania and maintain the strong position of a net energy exporter," said Cabell. "House Republicans stand for the consumer, as shown by our recent package of bills on energy affordability. Let’s cut the red tape, continue to reduce emissions, and protect Pennsylvanians’ wallets."
