< Previous%Locally SourcedLocally Sourced Coraopolis Community Development Corporation Update CONTENT SUBMITTED Second Saturdays series wraps for 2020: Coraopolis Second Saturdays was delayed in its inaugural year due to COVID-19. With some adjustments and creativity, however, the series kicked off again this past August and September in a safe and socially-distanced manner. The CCDC would like to thank Bob Snyder of 808 Music Haus for serving as production manager for the events along with musical acts Adam Fitz, Hunty Lytes, Habatat, Collin Joseph, and GumBand for their participation. Thanks also goes out to food trucks Tango, Jim’s Smokin’ Que and Baires Grill along with vendors Situ’s Kitchen and Forever Heart Farm. The CCDC could not have succeeded with these events without the help of Coraopolis Borough, the Coraopolis Police Department, Zuko’s Pizza and/or involvement among the borough’s small business community. Thanks goes out to everyone who came out to #ShopCoraopolis! Dates for next year’s Second Saturdays series will be announced in early 2021. Community Thanksgiving Day dinner The CCDC is partnering with Coraopolis United Methodist Church on their 8th Annual Thanksgiving Day Dinner, which will be held Nov. 26 from 1-2 p.m. This year’s dinner will be a grab- n-go format at the church, which is located at 1205 Ridge Avenue in downtown Coraopolis. Menu items include turkey, homemade mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, sweet potatoes, green beans, cranberries, and dessert. Dinners are free and all are welcome from the West Hills community. Meals must be reserved by Nov. 18 and can be reserved by emailing office@coraopolisumc.org or calling (412) 264-3727. Volunteers are also needed. Coraopolis Cookie Walk & Christmas Celebration The 8th annual Coraopolis United Methodist Church Cookie Walk will take place Dec. 5 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at VFW Post 402 at 5th Avenue and Mulberry Street. The CCDC will organize additional holiday festivities during the event time frame. Free grab-n-go children’s activity kits will be provided. Additional activities to be announced. Follow Coraopolis United Methodist Church on Facebook for updates and information. https://www. facebook.com/CoraopolisUMC. Weekend Snack Pack Program The CCDC has been organizing a weekend snack pack program for area youth facing food insecurity. The program once again kicked off at the beginning of this past school year and was sponsored by the Diggins family, who purchased, packed and delivered 100 snack packs. In October, community members donated well over 1,000 individual snacks for the October Food Drive. Snack Pack food drives will continue throughout the school year. However, in-kind donations are always welcome. Some of the kids’ favorite items include (lunch box size): cereal, individually wrapped Goldfish crackers, pretzels, fruit snacks, Go-Gurt yogurt, Slim Jims, Rice Krispy Treats, 7.5 oz Chef Boyardee, Kraft Easy Mac and Cheese, Nutri Grain breakfast bars, fruit cups, pudding, tuna fish in pouches, Cheez-Its, raisins, Pop Tarts, and chips. The next snack pack food drive will take place in December. The CCDC is asking for donations of drinks that are 100% juice, granola bars and peanut butter on-the-go pouches. The CCDC has also received a grant from the Snee-Reinhardt Charitable Foundation to expand the program. Coraopolis Food Pantry The Coraopolis Food Pantry provided food to almost 2,000 people from August through October either by delivery or drive- through service. The pantry will continue to open its doors on the first and third of every Sunday throughout December. Paragon Produce has also extended its free produce boxes through the end of January. Each box provides 35 pounds of fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, cheese, milk and yogurt. Last month, the boxes contained fresh corn, butternut squash, potatoes, peaches and cabbage. Additional organizations that support the pantry each month include the Coraopolis United Methodist Church, St. Phillip’s Church of Moon Township, Emma Jean’s Relics and Tiffany R. Battaglini Insurance Agency. In addition, the Mt. Olive Baptist Church donated 60 buckets of cleaning supplies to pantry guests, the Montour Heights Country Club collected 315 square feet of food donations and over $3,500 in monetary donations, and Glamorous Productions held a September Shampoo Drive. As pantry guest numbers begin to rise again, financial and in- kind contributions are both needed and appreciated. Donations can be made by visiting the CCDC’s website at www.corycdc.org or its Facebook page @CCDC247. Donations can be mailed to: PO Box 40, Coraopolis, PA 15108. Please contact amycavicchia@corycdc. org or call 412-329-8247 with questions or for more information. Coraopolis Train Station Project Update Work on the roof of the Coroapolis Train Station project is moving ahead. Progress to date includes repairs and patching of the existing slate roof using the salvaged tile. Areas around the eyebrow are also being addressed and new slate materials will be used for the remaining area. The reverse gable roof above the former restrooms represent the last of the slate work. The standing seam metal roof systems will also soon begin on site and the roofing systems should be mostly complete by Thanksgiving. With some creativity, Coraopolis Second Saturdays were able to continue throughout the summer in a safe and socially-distanced manner. 10 • Allegheny West Magazine • November/December 2020 During this unprecedented and difficult time, the West Hills Food Pantry is incredibly grateful for the support its has received from the community. Businesses, groups and individuals alike have very generously blessed the pantry with both monetary and material donations in order to help others in their community. With those donations, the pantry has been able to meet the demands of increased clientele and purchase PPE and other safety equipment to keep distributions as safe as possible. An extra special thank you to the DTE Foundation for a sizable grant that helped provide gift cards and a blessing box to further support the community. The WHFP is truly thankful for the support of the community rallying to the aid of those in need during this challenging time. SUBMITTED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WEST HILLS FOOD PANTRY West Hills Food Pantry grateful for support from community Francis Lally, MD, FACC Cardiovascular Medicine Get back in rhythm. Connect with Dr. Lally and his expert cardiovascular care team through AHN’s nationally recognized heart program. Now seeing patients at Allegheny General Hospital, in Moon Township, and soon in Sewickley. (412) DOCTORS doctors.AHN.org/Francis-Lally November/December 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 11CAround Your Town Around Your Town Three Moon Cable Access TV producers took home awards from this year’s Greater Pittsburgh Community Media Awards in October. This was the fourth year that PCA-TV hosted the awards show, which recognizes cable access shows that have aired on PCA-TV, MCA-TV and Bethel Park Cable Access TV. Shows from each cable access station were nominated in nine different categories, including the arts, series, public affairs, sports and others. MCA-TV took home awards in the sports, health and lifestyle, and community categories. Usually, the awards show takes place in person but this year it was streamed virtually due to COVID-19. The show was hosted by WTAE-TV personality Andrew Stockey. “It’s been a nice opportunity for the volunteers from each station and they get to interact at each event,” says Director of Communications for MCA-TV Allison Ford. “It’s a great way to honor our local producers who entertain our local community.” This year, MCA-TV was once again recognized for its sports coverage and its airing of the Robert Morris University men’s hockey game against Mercyhurst earned producer Jim Koepfinger the award. The segment was just one of many Robert Morris and Moon Area sports events that MCA- TV regularly covers throughout the year. Ford says a big part of their success in that category has to do with the station’s production trailer, which allows it to air instant replay. Excellent commentary from Robert Morris University students has also made its live sports coverage both entertaining and informative. In addition, Moon Landings took home an award in the community category. The show, produced by Bobbie Persichetti, features personalities from Moon Township and has at times explored the various unique ethnic backgrounds of township residents. In remarks, Persichetti thanked KDKA Newsradio host Robert Mangino, who hosted the show when it started about a year and a half ago. Persichetti explained how she first got interested in producing the show, which follows an interview format. “The idea came about - I’ve lived in Moon for about a decade now - and I’ve met so many interesting people,” she said. “I was very interested in their stories, in what they had done before, during and after they had lived in Moon. So, that is where the title Moon Landings came in. Plus we are the home for [Pittsburgh International Airport].” Persichetti, who worked as a corporate consultant for the McDonald’s Corporation before retiring, has lived in a number of different neighborhoods around Pittsburgh. She says that after moving to Moon Township, she met many people with unique backgrounds, more so than in any other neighborhood where she’d lived. Her guests have included Earl Edwards, president of the Moon Township Historical Society; Peace Love and Little Donuts founder Ron Razete; and 91-year-old Moon Township resident Joe D’Andrea, to name a few. Pamela Krug, who produces the cooking show “La Mia Cucina,” also took home an award in the health and lifestyle category. She shared the award with BPCA-TV‘s “Healthy, Fit and Strong.” Krug films each episode right in her kitchen and walks viewers through the process of making everything from pies, to soups, to lemoncello. The show also tends to have an Italian slant, with recipes for dishes such as gnocchi and stuffed banana peppers. Ford says their volunteers don’t mind at all heading over to Krug’s house to film. “When you go over there after she’s cooked she has a full meal for you,” she says. Krug said simply while accepting the award, “I like to cook, I like to eat and I love feeding people.” Just like with all of MCA- TV’s shows, the producers of these shows are volunteers. After completing a course at the station, they’re able to either sign out equipment to film segments outside of the station or film shows right at MCA-TV’s studios. Anyone can take the course offered by MCA-TV but show producers must live in Moon Township. For more, visit mca-tv. org. To view the entire 2020 Greater Pittsburgh Community Media Awards show, search for it on YouTube. Three MCA-TV producers take home awards STORY BY DOUG HUGHEY Volunteer Moon Access Television producers Bobbie Persichetti (top) and Pam Krug (middle) give remarks after receiving awards from the Greater Pittsburgh Community Media Awards in October. Jim Koepfinger also took home an award in the sports category. 12 • Allegheny West Magazine • November/December 2020Imagine your website working as hard for your business as you do. 412.205.8998 | DDSWebDesign.com Websites that get results. Designed in Pittsburgh Contact us for a free website analysis. Affordable Custom Designs Responsive Sites | Content Management SEO | E-commerce | Hosting | Maintenance November/December 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 13CAround Your Town Around Your Town Ginger Stage of Moon Township went through a lot of trouble to get her German shepherd Dakota. When she initially went looking for him, she didn’t just want a German shepherd or even a type of German shepherd. Rather, she wanted a particular bloodline with a unique personality trait. Before Dakota, she’d owned three other shepherds and the third, which was a relative of Dakota’s, was by far the most pleasant. The dog’s personality had been so distinctively nice that she went to great lengths to find a relative of his. “When we had to put our third shepherd down we told the breeders we wanted that same mellow personality,” she says. “We went back to the breeder and she tracked down the bloodline. The breeder was in Canada and was using him as a stud because he was famous for that mellow personality.” The stud had since passed away but the breeder was still using that shepherd’s frozen sperm for artificial insemination. Stage jumped at the opportunity to get a new puppy in the bloodline and Dakota ended up being everything she’d wanted. That was almost 13 years ago, however. Now, Dakota is suffering from the ailments of old age. Earlier this year, his hind legs started to give out. Then, around Labor Day, he lost the function in his front legs, but only temporarily. He regained function and Stage staved off having to make some tough decisions about euthanasia. Still, with Dakota unable to use his hind legs, it was an eventuality that Stage had been forced to consider - but she also had reason for hope. By chance, a neighbor who had witnessed Stage on several occasions trying to walk Dakota had approached her with an idea. That neighbor was Arif Sirinterlikci, an engineering professor at Robert Morris University. He suggested having some students build Dakota a mobility device for a class project. Stage said she would be grateful for the help. In September of 2019, students in the university’s biomedical engineering department working under professor Won Joo began working on an exoskeleton for Dakota. They even brought Dakota into the lab a few times to take measurements. As his legs continued to deteriorate, they decided to instead make Dakota a wheeled mobility device that could support his hind legs. They also designed a crane that could lift Dakota out of the back of Stage’s SUV. In March, Joo’s students tried out a prototype of their device on Dakota. Though the harness was a little low, and the wheels a bit small, it showed promise. “Once he started to walk and found he could walk he just wanted to go,” recalls Stage. Shortly after, COVID-19 shut down the country. Joo and his lab personnel were the only ones allowed in the labs, and they were busy printing parts for face shields for medical personnel and nasal test swabs for UPMC. “Before they could finish, COVID shut the labs down,” says Mark Houser, director of news and information for Robert Morris. “As soon as the labs opened back up in the late summer, they got back to work.” Since then, lab manager Gabe Cottrell and work-study students have been trying to finish the project that students who have since graduated started. They tweaked the cart’s design and finished the crane that fits on the back of Stage’s car. On Oct. 30, they invited Stage onto campus so they could install the crane and try out the tweaked device on Dakota. After a little bit of work, the crane was able to easily hoist Dakota out of Stage’s car, but it was evident that the cart still needed some adjustments. Still, it was promising. “We’ll have to make some modifications to it,” says Cottrell. “When you have a design and go to put in a final product, there’s always a change you have to make.” Cottrell and Joo should know. They’ve had plenty of experience building medical devices for people. Lately, they’ve even been working with Pittsburgh-based Union Orthotics and Prosthetics to develop 3D-printed prosthetics. This was the first time either says they’ve worked on a device for a dog, however. Still, many of the same concepts still apply and they’re hopeful that their efforts will give Dakota back his mobility as he lives out his golden years. Stage, who is now a widow and has to move Dakota on her own, says she’s grateful for all the work students and staff have put into the project. “I was thrilled and so impressed,” she says. “And they were so generous with their time. And these contraptions cost a lot of money. It’s a godsend.” Robert Morris lends expertise to local pet owner STORY AND PHOTOS BY DOUG HUGHEY Ginger Stage and her German shepherd Dakota are pictured with engineering lab manager Gabe Cottrell and Won Joo, professor of biomedical engineering, at Robert Morris University. The two men have been overseeing an effort that started out as a student project to give Dakota back his mobility. They are currently finishing a crane (pictured above) and a mobility device (pictured below) for him. 14 • Allegheny West Magazine • November/December 2020November/December 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 15y > Learning Curves Learning Curves If you own a house in the suburbs that was built prior to 1980 and it still has the original sewer line, it could be in trouble. Most residential lines are made from materials that were only meant to last upwards of 30 years. Over time, ground movement, tree roots, construction and other factors tend to wreak havoc on these old lines. Whether comprised of cast iron, steel, terra cotta or even plastic, the lines will eventually fail. This can lead to backups and, in a worst case scenario, raw sewage spilling back into the home. To replace sewer lines such as these, plumbers have traditionally excavated the old line and replaced it. Though costly, the new line lasts a lifetime. Unfortunately for many households, old sewage lines tend to be buried underneath new construction and landscaping. Replacing a line by excavating it can thus involve demolishing and replacing costly items such as driveways, retaining walls and landscaping. In that case, replacing a sewer line can run homeowners thousands of dollars above and beyond just replacing the line. Fortunately, new technology allows for the repair of old sewage lines without excavation. A system known as trenchless pipe repair and lining involves digging a small hole down to the old line and coating the inside in an epoxy. The epoxy cures to a plastic that is just as thick as a modern sewer line. It does not mitigate flow, can be installed any time of the year and lasts a lifetime. The process also costs about the same as a traditional sewer line replacement. Homeowners who would otherwise need to replace a driveway, retaining wall or landscaping could thus save thousands of dollars. Trenchless pipe repair for sewage lines isn’t a commonly offered service in this area, however. That’s why Jim Meyers and Son Plumbing in Oakdale decided to invest in machinery earlier this year that would allow them to offer it to both residential and commercial customers. So far, they’ve fixed old sewer lines that would have otherwise incurred significant added expenses. To clear blocked sewer lines, Jim Meyers and Son Plumbing also uses a pressurized water system prior to installing the epoxy that flushes out buildup. Pressurized to 4,000 psi, the system can even clear roots from a line. A camera system allows them to inspect the pipe for blockages. For more, visit meyersplumbingpittsburgh.com or call (412) 787-7805. How to repair a sewer line without destroying your yard or driveway Rather than excavate and replace this old sewer line, it was flushed and then coated in an epoxy that will keep it operating for a lifetime. Jim Meyers and Son Plumbing in Oakdale is now one of the few plumbing businesses in the area offering trenchless pipe repair for residential and commercial sewer lines. The service allows for the repair of a sewer line without excavation and can potentially save property owners thousand of dollars. CONTENT SUBMITTED 16 • Allegheny West Magazine • November/December 2020y > Learning Curves Learning Curves Michele P. Conti is an estate planning and elder law attorney. Conti attended Allegheny College in Meadville, Oxford University and Duquesne University School of Law. She received her LL.M. in taxation from Villanova University. She can be reached at (724) 784-0239 or michele@contilawpgh.com. BY MICHELE P. CONTI No one wants to believe that it’s a possibility but, over the years, I’ve heard a number of horror stories about kids stealing from their incapacitated parents. Some have “borrowed” money in hopes their siblings wouldn’t find out what they were doing. We advise our clients that having a power of attorney is the foundation of any good estate plan. A power of attorney gives you control by allowing you to name someone you trust to act as your advocate and on your behalf if you are unable to act for yourself. But what if you choose wrong? What if the child you picked turns out to be a bad seed? When naming an agent under a durable power of attorney, he/she has broad rights to control and use your financial assets. A durable power of attorney is one that continues after you have become incapacitated. The advantages to having a durable power of attorney is that you, rather than a judge, appoints the person with control over your assets. As such, you avoid the time and expense of a guardianship proceeding and you have the peace of mind of knowing that if you become incapacitated, you have already implemented a plan. Should you change your mind while you are of sound mind, you can revoke or amend your power of attorney. But what if you are not sound of mind? In that case, the court can remove a fiduciary (your power of attorney agent) if the court believes that the agent has taken actions counter to those in your best interest for breaching their duty. Breaching their duty means that they are acting to achieve their interests rather than your own. A fiduciary’s decisions need be free of conflict and self-dealing. To successfully execute a claim for breach of duty, one must prove that a fiduciary relationship existed; that there was a breach of that relationship; and that the breach caused financial damage that the court can rectify. Clearly, a power of attorney provides a fiduciary relationship but what constitutes a breach is more complex. Improper gifts, commingling of funds and using money for their own expenses are clear illustrations of a breach. But there are also many more gray areas. Interested parties who believe that an agent has abused his/her power have the right to hire an estate litigation attorney to force the agent’s hand and provide a detailed account of their actions. The formal accounting must include information on all assets as well as every transaction that took place during their tenure as agent. If the agent committed a breach of duty, the judge could surcharge the agent, forcing repayment out of the agent’s personal funds. Further, the judge could also remove the agent and appoint a guardian of the person and guardian of the estate to make future decisions for the incapacitated party. To remove the agent, we must have proof. This is one of the areas where our clients tend to waiver. They believe the agent has used mom’s funds for their own benefit but do not have tangible proof. We often find the proof by way of witness testimony, depositions, interviews and/or subpoenaed documents. Judges take the allegation of impropriety seriously and will accept evidence if provided correctly. Keep in mind that the agent is permitted to use estate funds to defend themselves while the plaintiff is not. Some common reasons for removal of an agent are friction between co-agents, failure to comply with terms, non- cooperation, non-compliance with an order of court, asset neglect or mismanagement, misconduct, abuse of discretion, and misappropriation of funds. The agent may also be removed if they have become incapacitated or unfit and they refuse to act. Time is of the essence. If you suspect abuse by an agent, call us today to review your rights. What if your power of attorney agent turns out to be a thief? November/December 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 17lLegislative Update Legislative Update BY STATE REP. VALERIE GAYDOS State Rep. Valerie Gaydos State Rep. Valerie Gaydos represents Pennsylvania’s 44th District. Her office is located at 1009 Beaver Grade Road in Moon Township. Subscribe to her emails at www.repgaydos.com and follow her on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/RepGaydos. Legislation to assist small businesses I have introduced legislation designed to assist small businesses that want to provide health care benefits to their employees during this challenging time. House Bill 2200 would provide a mechanism for employers to join together to offer quality health insurance as a benefit for their employees, some for the first time. When small businesses group together, they are able to spread out the risk across the group and negotiate for discounted health insurance coverage the same way large businesses do. It puts the employer in a competitive position to maintain and attract a talented workforce. The legislation is before the House Insurance Committee for consideration. Prescription drug pricing bill is now law Also, legislation I sponsored to increase transparency and consumer choice in the prescription drug marketplace was recently signed into law. It is Act 67 of 2020. There are many inexpensive, generic medicines for which an insurance co-pay can often be more expensive than if the patient simply pays out-of-pocket, bypassing their insurance company altogether. However, pharmacists were previously prohibited from informing their customers of lower-cost alternatives by a “gag clause” imposed by pharmacy benefit managers. My law removes this gag clause and empowers pharmacists to tell their customers everything they need to know in order to make an informed purchasing decision. The signing of this legislation is a huge win for the consumers of Pennsylvania and the millions of senior citizens - many of whom are on fixed incomes - who rely on prescription medications for their health. Medical payment reform legislation passes House Finally, my legislation to curb improper payments by Pennsylvania’s Medicaid system passed the House and is now before the Senate for consideration. The bill, House Bill 2353, would mirror a federal law to combat fraud and guarantee that every Pennsylvanian in need gets the help they are entitled to without interruption or complication. The current pandemic amplifies what we all know to be true: when our state’s citizens need help, we must act quickly to provide it. Pennsylvania operates the fastest-growing Medicaid system in the U.S. and we owe it to our citizens to ensure the taxpayer money that funds this system is properly safeguarded and distributed to those who need assistance. The coronavirus can best be described as a bully that has been controlling our lives for the past eight months. We have flattened the curve and met our mission of slowing the spread of the virus. This has given hospitals time to prepare for unknown consequences. Our focus now is to try and open the economy, which has been a major concern for many businesses, especially restaurants and bars that are not permitted to operate at full capacity thanks to Gov. Tom Wolf’s extreme restrictions. However, at the end of the day, we are all after the same thing - we want transparency in our government, and we want our citizens to be able to work and earn a living without having to risk their health. I want you to know of other ways that we are trying to help our businesses survive due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Visit my website at www.RepGaydos.com/coronavirus for more information. I have been fighting for you in Harrisburg. I am working to ensure openness, transparency and logic in the process of getting our state back on its feet. I pledge to continue to work with Gov. Wolf and to be a champion for transparency in our government. This pandemic isn’t going to disappear. So, we must collaborate to find solutions. We must find a balanced path to recovery. NOW HIRING! Oces located in Robinson Twp. & Monaca 412.494.2000 ExpressPros.com Full-time and part-time job opportunities in a variety of positions: Administrative, Professional, Industrial, Skilled Labor, Skilled Trades, and Skilled Professional. Call to schedule your interview! No Fees! 18 • Allegheny West Magazine • November/December 2020lLegislative Update Legislative Update BY STATE SEN. PAM IOVINO State Sen. Pam Iovino With the General Assembly back in session and my offices physically re-opened to the public, by appointment only, I stand ready to continue fighting to serve and to represent you. There are major decisions facing our Commonwealth. I am focused on making the prudent decisions and the smart investments to tackle our recovery and to get us moving forward. This edition’s updates focus on policies to do just that. State Sen. Pam Iovino represents Pennsylvania’s 37th Senatorial District. Her Robinson Township district office is located at 5996 Steubenville Pike and can be reached at (412) 788-2967. Visit her online at www.senatoriovino.com. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @senatoriovino. Maintaining school control of sports and extracurricular activities In September, I voted “yes” on House Bill 2787. This legislation would allow school districts to make their own decisions regarding resuming sports and other extracurricular activities, including whether spectators are permitted. I heard from an unprecedented number of constituents who supported this legislation and are confident in their schools’ ability to implement COVID health and safety plans for the protection of all involved. Comprehensive guidance and reporting for nursing homes during COVID-19 Nursing homes, long-term care facilities and congregate care facilities, which house the most vulnerable to COVID-19, have confronted and continue to face significant challenges from the pandemic. We need to develop protocols and structures in anticipation of a surge of cases this fall and winter. That is why I have introduced legislation that would do the following: • Create a protocol for residents and eligible family members to receive notifications about their health, to review their notification agreement, and to update it in the case of an infectious disease outbreak; • Provide guidance and prioritization for testing and personal protective equipment for residents and staff in facilities with confirmed COVID-19 cases; • Mandate aggregate data to be published by each facility outlining the number of confirmed positive and presumed positive COVID-19 cases and deaths due to COVID-19 for residents and staff of the facility; and • Outline inspection, assessment and auditing guidelines to ensure facilities are following safety and reporting protocol. Supporting business interruption insurance claims In September, I held a virtual event with my colleagues and members of Pennsylvania’s small business community to advocate for bipartisan legislation I introduced that would help Pennsylvania businesses file claims on their business interruption insurance policies. This potential source of funds could prevent businesses from being forced to close their doors. Business interruption insurance is coverage that replaces income lost in the event that business is halted due to a disaster. Since the pandemic and resulting shutdown, many Pennsylvania small businesses have sought financial relief by filing claims on their business interruption insurance policies, only to be denied due to ambiguous insurance policy language. To confront the most daunting economic challenge of our time, we need to put in place every available option to provide safety nets and recovery tools to support our businesses and our economy. That includes business interruption insurance. You can watch the full virtual event on my website. Paid family and sick leave - a necessity for PA working families I continue to advocate for the passage of legislation that would provide paid sick and family leave for nearly all of Pennsylvania’s workers. I supported this policy before the pandemic hit, but now, paid family and sick leave has become an absolute necessity for the health of our working families and our economy as a whole. No employee should have to choose between taking care of a sick family member and keeping their job. Likewise, no employer should have to choose between the health of their business and being loyal to their workers. That is why I am proud to co-sponsor the Family Care Act. This bipartisan and bicameral legislation would provide working Pennsylvanians with paid family and medical leave. Importantly, this legislation would do so without adding a new burden to small businesses. November/December 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 19Next >