MontNews.com

NORRISTOWN, PA — Montgomery County will delve into its emergency reserve funds to pay the people who provide services to its children, elderly and developmentally disabled residents.

The state budget impasse has blocked payments to the providers of those services since June 30th and several have indicated that they have exhausted their reserves and are close to shutting down, Montgomery County Commissioners Chairman Jim Matthews said.

Based on the threat of a loss of services to the County’s most vulnerable populations, Matthews said he agreed to use the emergency reserve to temporarily cover the state’s obligation.

“We can’t just let our providers go out of business,” he said. “Once that happens, you can’t unscramble the egg.”

The request to release the funds came from the County’s Human Services Director Joseph Roynan and Eric Goldstein, Director of Developmental Disabilities/Behavioral Health.

“Given the delicate nature of our safety net, we can’t let a permanent rip occur. Throwing this life preserver is essential,” Matthews said. “Now we need the Governor and the legislature to step up and resolve this impasse.”

Montgomery County has an emergency reserve of $45.94 million. It will cost between $2.5 million and $3 million a month to cover the state’s obligations to the endangered human services providers.

Montgomery County Jr. boys claim gold medal at Keystone Games

by Phillylacrosse.com

The Montgomery County region defeated Chester County, 7-3, Sunday to claim its first Keystone State Games Jr. boys’ lacrosse gold medal in action at Penn State.

Team Montco – coached by Joe Vitale – won all five of its round-robin games and blanked Lehigh Valley, 13-0, in the semifinals. The Jr. teams were comprised of boys entering grades nine or lower. Nine regions participated.

Midfielder Matt Rambo (rising freshman at Abington) led the Montco team with his offense and work at the face-off X. Also, Steve Palo (rising freshman at Hatboro-Horsham) was strong at the face-off X and Ray Vandegrift (rising freshman at Penn Charter) helped pace the attack.

Montco’s defense enjoyed a standout tournament (17 goals allowed) and was anchored by goalie Kyle Mullen (rising freshman at Hatboro-Horsham) and defenseman Austin Pifani (rising freshman at Abington).

“Everybody contributed from No. 1 to No. 22,” said Vitali. “It was a great group of kids; we fell behind in only one game. The team was very balanced.”

Montgomery County Boys Lacrosse Team

Attorney General Tom Corbett reaches agreement with World Reserve Monetary Exchange over their advertising practices

HARRISBURG – Attorney General Tom Corbett today announced a settlement with two Canton, Ohio, based companies over alleged unclear and deceptive advertisements.

Corbett said that Universal Syndications, Inc., doing business as World Reserve Monetary Exchange and World Reserve Monetary Exchange, Inc. (collectively WRME), ran large, full-page advertisements in local newspapers throughout the state in late 2006 and 2007.

Corbett said that the ads touted millions of dollars of “surplus” cash was “up for grabs” and that consumers had a limited amount of time to claim a portion of the “public windfall.”

“These advertisements led people to believe that they could claim cash that was ‘up for grabs,’ but that was not the case at all,” Corbett said. “These ads were actually for uncut sheets of U.S. currency that the World Reserve Monetary Exchange bought from the United States Bureau of Engraving and Printing and re-sold to the public.”

According to the agreement, the ads did not adequately disclose:

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The amount and denomination of currency that consumers would receive;
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That currency offered as “free” could only be obtained with the purchase of other items;
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That the time-sensitive nature of the ad was not national in scope; or
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That WRME was not affiliated with a government or banking entity.

According to the agreement, WRME will refund the purchase price to consumers who return their merchandise to WRME by Sept. 26, 2009.

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Under the agreement, WRME paid investigative costs of $38,000 and agreed that future advertisements will clearly disclose:
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That it is a private corporation not affiliated with the United States Government and that it is not a bank;
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That its ads are in fact advertisements;
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The denomination and amount of the advertised currency that is being offered for sale;
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The cost of merchandise that is being offered for sale and what must be purchased in order to obtain “free” items; and
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That limited-time offers may be available in other locations at other times.

Corbett said that consumers seeking refunds must notify WRME by returning their originally purchased merchandise to World Reserve Monetary Exchange, Inc., 3939 Everhard Road N.W., Canton, OH, 44709. The merchandise must be returned by Sept. 26, 2009, using a delivery method that requires WRME to acknowledge receipt or otherwise confirm delivery was made.

PENNSYLVANIA IDENTIFIES POTENTIAL HIGH-SPEED RAIL PROJECTS FOR $8 BILLION IN RECOVERY FUNDING

GOVERNOR RENDELL LAUDS RAIL FOCUS ON STATE, NATIONAL LEVELS

HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania has submitted to the federal government a list of projects to be considered as candidates for portions of the $8 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act high-speed rail funding, Governor Edward G. Rendell announced today.

“Investments in high-speed rail help to meet rising consumer demand for expanded transportation options while easing stresses on our highway and bridge infrastructure,” Governor Rendell said. “The candidate rail projects we’re outlining would not only jump-start local economies, but also will help spur our progress toward a more efficient transportation system.”

The initial project list was developed based on the projects’ alignment with federal guidance, provided through the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), which required that projects’ feasibility be supported by rigorous financial and environmental planning. The initiative is part of President Obama’s proposal to invest in efficient, high-speed passenger rail in addressing the nation’s transportation challenges.

The pre-application was discussed today by Pennsylvania’s Stimulus Oversight Commission.

PennDOT submitted the following as candidate projects for potential formal application later:

• Keystone East Corridor Harrisburg to Philadelphia — funding would include track, signal, power and catenary upgrades, grade crossing removal and station improvements or replacements.
• Scranton to New York Rail Passenger Rail Service Program Phase 1 — funding for part of a proposed restored 133-mile passenger rail corridor between Northeastern Pennsylvania and Hoboken, N.J., with connections to Penn Station in Manhattan.
• Pittsburgh High-Speed Magnetic Levitation Project Phase 1 — funding to design and construct the first segment (Pittsburgh International Airport to Downtown Pittsburgh) of a Maglev, or magnetic levitation, line between the airport and Monroeville/Greensburg.
• Keystone West Harrisburg to Pittsburgh High-Speed Rail Feasibility and Business Plan Study — funding for a feasibility study of enhanced intercity passenger rail service between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh. One Amtrak train a day in each direction now serves this corridor.

The candidate project list is part of a pre-application process, which will initiate dialogue between the FRA and the state on the projects’ feasibility and eligibility according to the established criteria. The FRA will offer guidance on criteria under which the final candidate project list should be formally submitted.

Following discussions with the FRA, PennDOT will submit its final candidate projects under their appropriate categories, or tracks. Track 1 addresses recovery through final design or construction of projects with completed environmental clearances and preliminary engineering, and also through completion of project clearances or preliminary engineering. Track 2 aims to substantially upgrade existing services or develop new high-speed rail corridor or intercity passenger rail services. Track 3 candidates would help establish a pipeline of future high-speed/intercity passenger rail projects and early-stage service development planning. The deadline for project applications under Tracks 1 and 3 is Aug. 24, while the Track 2 deadline is Oct. 2.

“We’ve been working to wisely invest the state’s $1.5 billion in transportation-related recovery funding, and I would be pleased to receive additional support to help modernize our passenger rail system,” Governor Rendell said. “A high-speed rail investment would complement the state’s nearly $1.2 billion base transit investment, paying dividends for the public and local economies.”

In addition to the state’s annual transit investment, PennDOT is developing a state Passenger and Freight Rail Plan, which will serve as the basis for Pennsylvania’s strategic investments utilizing federal and state dollars. The plan will contain an inventory of the statewide rail system and how it connects to other transportation modes, as well as analyze and identify future passenger and commodity flow trends. The plan is expected to be completed this fall.

“Our steady investment in public transportation and the planning already completed or under way makes Pennsylvania fertile ground for investment of these recovery funds,” Governor Rendell said. “I commend President Obama for his focus on this important transportation mode and, should we receive the financial backing, these projects will have grassroots and administrative support.”

The FRA is expected to award the first round of grants for selected projects by mid-September. For more information on the candidate projects or submitted application, visit www.recovery.pa.gov.
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The Rendell administration is committed to creating a first-rate public education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing economic investment to support our communities and businesses.

The Chinese culture is often misunderstood by Americans. The phrase “That’s Chinese to me” is a minature version of the greater problem. When people say “That’s Greek to me” or “That’s Chinese to me”, they mean they can not understand it. Well, Americans have misunderstood the Chinese for a long time, and these days the problem persists.

A citizen of Montgomery County, PA is hoping to make a change. Lili Xiao, says:

“I have been working for the corporate business world for over twenty years helping them to succeed in China. Now I want to help our children to learn more about China not only because of China’s economic growth and the opportunities that will be presented to them, but also we know that they will be living and working in a more interdependent, more complex world. They need to learn more to be able to function, to compete in a global culture. Kids are our ultimate hope for the future. The camp I plan to run is to give kids in our area more exposure to Chinese language and culture. We will be learning by working on arts and crafts, computer and other projects instead of lecturing them.”

Learn More About China

HARRISBURG – Attorney General Tom Corbett today announced that agents from the Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation have filed criminal charges against a Huntingdon County woman accused of using her position as a high school secretary to alter grades and test scores in order to enhance her daughter’s class standing.

Corbett identified the defendant as Caroline Maria McNeal, 39, 6237 Tuscarora Drive, Huntingdon.

Corbett said that McNeal is accused of using her position as a secretary for the Huntingdon Area School District to access school computers and improperly alter grades and test scores belonging to her daughter, along with several other students – enhancing her daughter’s class standing and reducing the position of other students who had been ranked higher.

“Tampering with official records for personal or family gain is a serious violation of the public trust,” Corbett said. “Our citizens depend on people in public positions, including school employees, to protect the safety and security of these records and not use confidential information for their own benefit.”

According to the criminal complaint, McNeal used the names and passwords of other school district employees to change grades and test scores on numerous occasions between May 2006 and July 2007. The changes allegedly impacted 24 different high school courses stretching over four school years.

Corbett said that a review of computer records allegedly identified nearly 200 instances where grades were improperly altered, each time resulting in higher grades for McNeal’s daughter. McNeal is also accuses of inflating the score her daughter received on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), a standardized test used for college admission.

Additionally, Corbett said that McNeal allegedly used school computers to reduce the grades for two of her daughter’s classmates, both of whom were ranked higher before the alterations.

Corbett noted that Huntingdon Area School District officials addressed the alleged grade alterations and corrected any unauthorized changes prior to the graduation of the students whose grades were affected.

The allegations were initially reported to the Huntingdon County District Attorney’s office, which referred the matter to the Office of Attorney General for investigation.

McNeal is charged with 29 counts of unlawful use of a computer and 29 counts of tampering with public records, all third-degree felonies which are each punishable by up to seven years in prison and $15,000 fines.

McNeal surrendered to agents from the Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation and was preliminarily arraigned before Huntingdon Magisterial District Judge Richard S. Wilt.

McNeal was released on her own recognizance pending the scheduling of a preliminary hearing.

Corbett thanked the Huntingdon Area School District for their cooperation and assistance with this investigation.

(A person charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty.)

Auditor General Jack Wagner Faults Board of Probation and Parole for Lapses in Oversight of Parolees
Cites Failure to Monitor Missing Parolees and Parolee Treatment Plans

HARRISBURG, June 11, 2009 – Auditor General Jack Wagner faulted the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole for lapses in oversight of parole agents and parolees, which could result in parolees not being adequately supervised by the state, according to a special performance audit released today of the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole.

Auditors found that, from a sample of 24 parolees declared absconded, or missing, 9 had failed to meet with their parole officer for 3 years and 4 had failed for 5 years.

“This inadequate oversight by the Board of Probation and Parole is a serious potential threat to the safety of the public, especially at a time when crime is rising due to current economic conditions. Now more than ever, government must step up and be even more vigilant and do all that it can to protect the public from paroled criminals,” Wagner said. Wagner added, “While we recognize that the challenges faced by criminal justice agencies are numerous, it is our hope that our audit recommendations will heighten the safety of both the residents of Pennsylvania and the various law enforcement officials entrusted with protecting our communities.”

The audit also found that the Board of Probation and Parole failed to adequately monitor rehabilitation treatment that parolees were required to attend. Wagner said the board failed to ensure that parolee treatment information was timely entered into its computer database, failed to establish and implement adequate policies and procedures for documenting treatment received by parolees, and failed to exercise senior-level accountability over monitoring rehabilitation treatment for offenders. Instead, the board designated individual supervisors solely with this responsibility.

“Failing to have an effective system to monitor parolee treatment activity limits the Board of Probation and Parole’s ability to assess the adequacy of parolee treatment programs, and to determine whether adjustments are necessary to improve treatment outcomes,” Wagner said. “Assuring the proper treatment and completion of parolee rehabilitation plans must be a priority of the board, and it should also be monitored at the senior level.”

In addition, Wagner’s auditors found that the Board of Probation and Parole failed to provide evidence that parole supervisors reviewed parolee case file records for nearly 50 percent of the supervision checklists requested.

Furthermore, Wagner said his auditors identified case file deficiencies consisting of incomplete and inadequate supervision plans, incomplete records of interview, and failure to make the required number of face-to-face-contacts with parolees and collateral contacts. Wagner’s auditors also found that the supervisor case review checklist did not address the requirement to ensure that parole agents complete quarterly searches for absconders, nor did the checklist require supervisors to verify agents reacted timely when declaring a parolee an absconder. Parole agents have up to 30 days to conduct a diligent search for an offender before declaring him/her an absconder. Parole agents have 48 hours to file a delinquency request form once the parolee is determined to be unavailable for supervision to request the board declare the parolee an absconder. This request results in an arrest warrant being issued for the absconder.

Based on a sample of 24 absconder case files, auditors determined that parole agents failed to timely react in 13 percent of the cases, or three parolees, who missed appointments or were unaccounted for; one parole agent waited 53 days to file the delinquency request form after the parolee failed to show up for a scheduled appointment.

Wagner also said that his auditors were unable to validate the Board of Probation and Parole’s assertions about the ratio of cases per parole agent due to the board’s failure to provide his auditors with agent and caseload information that was requested during the audit.

“Residents of the commonwealth have a legitimate expectation that their government will make every effort to ensure the safety and well being of the general public,” Wagner said. “Failing to provide agent and caseload related information purports a sense of secrecy as opposed to a sense of openness with regard to citizens’ confidence in government, and that must be changed.”

The audit, which covered the period July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2006, included follow-up procedures performed and concluded as of May 15, 2009, to determine if a study commissioned by Governor Edward G. Rendell impacted any of the audit report’s findings. Wagner’s auditors found that the study did not pertain to the stated audit objectives contained in the audit report, which is available at www.auditorgen.state.pa.us. Wagner’s audit included a total of four findings, and 11 recommendations.

Wagner’s recommendations for improving the Board of Probation and Parole’s oversight included that the board:
Cease destroying documents that evidence proper internal controls, and develop a retention policy for checklist and other monitoring documents
Monitor rehabilitation treatment plans at the senior level, and ensure timely entry of treatment information into the Parole Follow-up System
Improve monitoring procedures for verifying that parole agents attempt to locate absconders and ensure compliance with the 30-day and 48-hour requirements
Take the necessary action to achieve and maintain a sufficient level of case-to-staff ratios.

Wagner’s audit report also contained an observation, encouraging the Board of Probation and Parole to implement the use of global positioning system (GPS) technology to monitor sexually violent offenders. Wagner recommended that the Board of Probation and Parole request that the General Assembly amend current law to require five years of GPS monitoring for all sex offenders released on parole who are caught after failing to register with state or local police as required, and for sexually violent predators whose victims are children.

“GPS Technology has been used effectively in many counties in Pennsylvania. It is time for the Board of Probation and Parole to adopt this technology as a tool in the process of monitoring parolees,” Wagner said.

Auditor General Jack Wagner is responsible for ensuring that all state money is spent legally and properly. He is the commonwealth’s elected independent fiscal watchdog, conducting financial audits, performance audits, and special investigations. The Department of the Auditor General conducts approximately 5,000 audits per year. To learn more about the Department of the Auditor General, taxpayers are encouraged to visit the department’s Web site at www.auditorgen.state.pa.us.