News For Constituents
From Senate Republican Policy Development & Research Office

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June 16, 2011

2011 Hurricane Season Prediction Prompts Precautions

The 2011 hurricane season prediction is prompting a precautionary warning from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA).

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) prediction for above-average tropical storm activity for the next 6 months across the Atlantic Basin includes the following:

• 12 to 18 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which
• 6 to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including
• 3 to 6 major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5 with winds of 111 mph or higher)

Because the NOAA seasonal hurricane outlook does not predict where and when the storms will hit, PEMA is urging all Pennsylvanians to plan accordingly.

A series of PEMA Fact Sheets are available to help you and your family prepare for floods, landslides, tornados, and thunderstorms and lightning. READY PA prepares you to spot risks, make emergency plans, and help others, including those with special needs.

Get 3 Free Credit Check-ups Annually

How much do you owe your creditors? How well do you pay off your debt? Have you ever declared bankruptcy? Do you owe child support? Have you ever been referred to a collections agency?

Along with your income and job history, those are some of the primary factors considered in determining your credit rating, according to the Pennsylvania Office of Financial Education (POFE). Ratings also take into consideration any applications for new credit, types of credit used, and new debt.

The Fair Isaac Corporation issues FICO scores ranging from 300-850, the higher the number, the better the credit rating. Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, relying on an "A-F" grading system, are each annually required to provide one free credit report. The POFE recommends staggering requests every four months, permitting you to stay on top of any irregularities or incorrect information affecting your ability to secure future credit.

For additional information on obtaining the free credit reports, see the federally authorized website www.AnnualCreditReport.com.

Passport Application Rules Have Changed

New applicants for U.S. passports must meet a new requirement regarding primary evidence of U.S. citizenship, regardless of age. 

The U.S. Department of State has made it mandatory for the full names of the passport applicant's parent or parents to be listed on all certified copies of birth certificates, commonly referred to as the long form birth certificate.

Certified copies of long form birth certificates must include:

• Full name of the applicant;
• Date of birth;
• Place of birth;
• Raised, embossed, impressed or multicolored seal of issuing authority;
• Registrar's signature; and
• Date the certificate was filed with the registrar's signature (must be within one year).

Individuals born in Pennsylvania after 1906 can obtain a copy of their long form birth certificate through the Division of Vital Records, ATTN: Birth Unit, 101 South Mercer Street, Central Building Room 401, P.O. Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103. Pennsylvania birth certificates issued prior to 1906 can be accessed through the courthouse in the county where the person was born.

Those born in another state or U.S. territory can locate the appropriate Bureau of Vital Records through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen Offer Summer Workshops

Go it alone or bring along a friend to participate in a wide selection of engaging workshops sponsored by the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen.

Whether you are a craft enthusiast, an emerging artist, or an established craftsman, Guild workshops introduce you to clay tile creation and design, beading, Russian filigree, Windsor chair construction, rag rug making, woodturning, china painting, riveted jewelry, welding, and photography.

Registration for Guild workshops is on a first-come, first-registered basis. Workshop tuition varies and is offered at a 10% discount for Guild members. Register online or by calling 717-431-8706. If you have any questions, email nick@pacrafts.org. Guild membership opens the door to 489 cultural institutions and organizations, including 22 in PA, offering free or discounted benefits to members. Consider membership in one of the 14 local chapters across PA.

Open the door to the Guild Store in downtown Lancaster to find exceptional made-by-hand crafts for home, garden, yourself, and gifting. Visit the store and peruse nearly 1,000 works for the craft lover in all of us, including fine jewelry, furniture, scarves, jackets, home decor, kitchen items and more. The store is located at 252 N. Prince Street and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Come for the Fossil Day Camps, Stay for the Collection of 4.5 Million Objects & Artifacts

Come in out of the summer heat for a cool time at the Pennsylvania State Museum. Fossil Day Camps will be held from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on consecutive Wednesdays throughout July.

Children ages 9-11 will go inside the museum's popular "Dino Lab" exhibit and experience how a State Museum technician discovered the skull of a previously unidentified dinosaur. Campers will explore the exciting new paleontology exhibit, "Life through Time" and the Marshalls Creek Mastadon. Museum educators will share their knowledge of fossils and reveal how paleontologists perform their scientific work.

Following the half-day camps, visitors are encouraged to view the State Museum's permanent and temporary exhibits covering 100,000 square feet and featuring Pennsylvania's social, industrial and economic history, decorative, fine and industrial arts, archaeology, zoology and paleontology. The Commonwealth's official museum holds 4.5 million objects in its collection.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania, located at 300 North Street, Harrisburg, PA is one of 25 historic sites and museums administered by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission as part of the Pennsylvania Trails of History.

Program Offers Fresh Fruits and Vegetables for Seniors, Children and Women

Pennsylvania is renewing its commitment to increasing the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables by seniors, children, and women who are pregnant and breast-feeding, according to the PA Department of Agriculture.

The Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) offer eligible recipients four $5.00 checks redeemable at over 1,000 participating farms and farmers markets across Pennsylvania.

FMNP recipients must be in the WIC program to qualify. Seniors 60 or older by December 31st of the program year, who meet income eligibility guidelines, should contact their local Area Agency on Aging for additional information and eligibility requirements to participate in the SFMNP.

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