PSATS Morning News
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Welcome to the PSATS Morning News, our email digest.
The PSATS Morning News includes the latest news, videos – look for TVN and the Question of the Week every Tuesday and Thursday – along with legislative and policy updates, grant and funding opportunities, and announcements about upcoming PSATS training.
Email comments and suggestions to morningnews@psats.org.
PSATS Morning News Library
Latest News
3G Phones to Fail…check your communications and backups
If you are using cell phones for emergency management or township communications, check your phones this week for reliability. Major mobile carriers will be shutting down 3G networks in 2022 starting with AT&T which will make the change Tuesday (Feb.…
Find Your Money! Townships Owed Unclaimed Property
The Pennsylvania Treasury is currently seeking the owners of more than $4 billion in unclaimed property and your township may be the rightful owner of some of these funds. A search of “Township” returned thousands of results for townships across…
Volunteer Fire Departments Eligible for Free Turnout Gear
MSA, DuPont Personal Protection, and the National Volunteer Fire Council are teaming up to provide 52 volunteer fire departments with four sets of new, state-of-the-art turnout gear and helmets. Departments must be over 50% volunteer, serve a population of 25,000…
Broadband Funding Available
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development is extending the application deadline for funding to expand access to high-speed internet for millions of rural Americans nationwide until March 9. USDA is making the funding available under the ReConnect Program. Grants and…
COVID-19 Cases, Hospitalizations Slow Again- PSATS Final Weekly Summary
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…
