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From Senate Republican Policy Development & Research Office November 20, 2009 Improve the Quality of Your Holiday Travels Pennsylvania motorists can improve the quality of holiday travels through a new one-stop shop with real-time traffic alerts, road conditions, transportation alternatives, links to tourism hotspots, and other warnings thanks to the integrated 511 Pennsylvania System. Dial 511 from any phone or log on to www.511PA.com for information relating to traffic incidents, construction activities, and winter road conditions available through the use of live traffic cameras, PennDOT personnel, construction crews, and the Pennsylvania State and local police. Contributions to the system also come from the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, the National Weather Service, and private traffic information services. Transit information is provided directly by local public transportation agencies. When outside of Pennsylvania, call 1877-511-PENN (7366). Motorists with devices that support email or Short Message Service (SMS) may subscribe to receive notices of accidents, incidents, and construction on the state highways and toll roads selected. Alerts are then sent to a subscriber’s cell phone, PDA, or e‐mail account. Consult the 511PA Fact Sheet for directions to subscribe to the system of Personalized Traveler Alerts. Motorists are encouraged to exercise caution by not using a hand-held cell phone while driving. The use of a hands-free accessory will allow a driver to keep both hands on the wheel. PennDOT supplies a list of safety rest areas for added convenience. Make the Most of Your Charitable Donation Decisions Charitable solicitations are arriving daily in our mail boxes as the end of the 2009 tax year is nearly upon us. Holiday and end-of-year solicitations provide for the needy and allow for income tax deductions for donors, according to the Pennsylvania Department of State and the Internal Revenue Service. Prospective donors are protected by the Solicitation of Funds for Charitable Purposes Act originally passed by the Pennsylvania Legislature in December 1990 and later amended to:
Turn to the Searchable Database maintained by the Bureau of Charitable Organizations in the PA Department of State to ensure legitimate organizations will receive precious charitable dollars. If donors are unable to locate a charity’s registration or need to file a complaint regarding a solicitation, contact the Bureau at 1-800-732-0999. Consult a recent Consumer Alert from the PA Office of Attorney General to avoid fraudulent fundraising. The 26th Annual Pennsylvania Christmas and Gift Show Coming to Farm Show Complex The 26th Annual Pennsylvania Christmas and Gift Show is set to light up the PA Farm Show Complex from December 2 – 6, 2009 with over 500 specialty shops and thousands of unique gifts. Exhibitors will offer gifts and crafts ranging from airbrushing techniques to woodworking skills; along with baskets, candles, hats, jewelry, pottery, and much more to delight visitors. Ballet, a brass ensemble, school choirs, and puppet shows are among the scheduled entertainment throughout the five-day event. Enjoy decorated trees and a 100-foot train display then visit with Santa to share your Christmas wish list. Take a break in the second floor 600-seat cafeteria where you can enjoy hot platters and soups or a crisp salad and a cold sandwich. Shoppers will also find eight concession stands conveniently located throughout the show offering burgers, hot dogs, pizza and more for those on the go. The show will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, December 2, 3, and 4. The doors will open at 9 a.m. on Saturday, December 5 until 8 p.m. and on Sunday, December 6 at 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. See related travel and lodging information and make a weekend of it. For additional information call 717-233-5100 or 610-565-0313 or send an email to paxmasshow@comcast.net. State Police Offer Child Safety Seat Inspections Across Pennsylvania Parents are being urged to take advantage of the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) child safety seat inspections after new research indicates more than 80 percent of children continue to be improperly secured. Recent car seat inspections by the PSP indicate on-going concerns with the installation of child passenger safety seats. Of the 1,073 child safety seats inspected across 82 locations, 888, or 82.7 percent were improperly installed. Yet, research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reveals the lives of more than 8,300 children under age five have been saved by the proper use of child restraints during the past 30 years. Key problems in the use of child passenger safety seats cited by the PSP include:
Consult the PSP list of planned child passenger safety seat inspection events or click on the list of Troops in each county for "appointment only" safety seat inspections. New PA License Plates to Honor Military Service They will still be blue, white, and yellow but Pennsylvanians are about to see a new series of military license plates honoring veterans of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). The new plates will feature the applicable branch of service emblem or logo on the left side of the plate. The plate will also bear the word “Pennsylvania” printed across the top of the plate and the name of the applicable branch of service at the bottom. Honorably discharged veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces are eligible to obtain one of the plates by completing and mailing in Form MV-150, the U.S. Military Veteran Registration Plate Application, to PennDOT and include a certified copy of their DD-214, along with a $20 fee to PennDOT, Bureau of Motor Vehicles, 1101 South Front Street, Harrisburg, PA 17104. Wild Gifting Ideas Ready for Outdoor Enthusiasts Make fast work of shopping for that hunter, trapper, or wildlife enthusiast on your holiday list with a little help from the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC), while also supporting the Commission’s wildlife management programs. Among the most popular gifts in the online shop is PGC’s annual full-color calendar selling for $8.95. Find a year’s worth of dramatic wildlife photos along with a listing of approved season dates from January 1 - June 30, and tentative season dates for July 1 - December 31, as well as a reminder about the 2010 National Hunting & Fishing Day in September. Calendar subjects for 2010 are: the short-eared owl; cotton-tailed rabbit; Eastern bluebird; common loon; house wren; male hooded warbler; green heron; a trio of white-tailed bucks; elk; black bear; wild turkey; and running white-tailed buck. Commemorative patches, prints, stamps, calls, knives, and hats are among the items traditionally found in the PGC’s "The Outdoor Shop". Consider a subscription to Pennsylvania Game News, the Game Commission’s official monthly magazine at the low price of just $18 for 12 months of reading pleasure. Satisfy the plush toy collector on your list with a 15-inch bear for just $29.95. The items are available online or by contacting the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Department MS, 2001 Elmerton Ave., Harrisburg, PA 17110-9797; or by calling toll free 1-888-888-3459. Many of the items are available for sale over-the-counter at the Harrisburg office and six regional offices. State sales tax is applied to many of the items.
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