Pa. Senate confirms Dr. Debra L. Bogen as Department of Health Secretary

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The Pennsylvania State Senate this confirmed Gov. Josh Shapiro’s nomination of Dr. Debra L. Bogen as Secretary of the Department of Health (DOH).

Secretary Bogen was appointed to her post by Gov. Shapiro following more than three decades as a primary care pediatrician and nearly three years at the helm of the Allegheny County Health Department.

“Secretary Bogen has done incredible work leading the Department of Health since the beginning of my Administration,” Shapiro said. “She is working to ensure every Pennsylvanian has access to the care they need as they grow and age, has built strong relationships across the Commonwealth, and has helped keep Pennsylvanians safe in emergencies. I’m grateful for her leadership and proud she was confirmed by the Senate.”

Bogen said she is deeply honored and humbled by Gov. Shapiro’s unwavering confidence and the bipartisan support of the Pennsylvania Senate.

“I look forward to continuing to focus on improving health and wellness of Pennsylvanians and working with the incredible team of public health professionals at the Department of Health and in collaboration with our sister state agencies,” Bogen said.

Since taking office, Secretary Bogen has traveled across the Commonwealth to hear directly from health professionals, stakeholders, and legislators to identify public health priorities and challenges. Under Secretary Bogen’s leadership, among other things, the Department of Health:

• Created the Long-Term Care Transformation Office (LTCTO) to help address the long-term care industry’s challenges and distributed $14.2 million to allow long-term care communities to invest in numerous projects to improve their respective facility’s infrastructure and provide staff access to advanced training.

• Created the Division of Maternal Health Services, after a bipartisan funding in last year’s budget, to focus on improving maternal health across Pennsylvania, especially for Black women who are nearly two times more likely to die or experience unexpected complications during pregnancy or in the first year after pregnancy, or have a serious health condition during delivery.

• Actively engaged with EMS partners across the state to find solutions to challenges they face and launched a $1 million tuition assistance program to help recruit and retain EMS professionals.

• Worked with local physicians and led the public health response to the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, OH, that impacted Pennsylvania residents.

• Took formal action to limit access to xylazine — a powerful sedative approved for veterinary use but increasingly found in Pennsylvania’s illicit drug supply.

• Worked with Special Supplemental Nutrition Program local agencies for Women, Infants, and Children — better known as WIC — to add mobile clinics to expand access to services.

Prior to joining the Commonwealth, Dr. Bogen was the Director of the Allegheny County Health Department, where she and her staff stayed on top of the COVID-19 pandemic and provided consistent, measured, and common-sense information to the public while working closely with many stakeholders in the county.

Dr. Bogen earned her medical degree from the University of Colorado School of Medicine and completed her pediatric residency and general academic pediatrics fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

DCNR, PSU surveying visitors on their experiences in Pinchot, Weiser state forests

Department Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) State Forester Seth Cassell this week announced the department is resuming a partnership with Penn State University to survey visitors about their experiences in two state forests.

Visitors to Pinchot State Forest in Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wyoming counties, and Weiser State Forest in Dauphin, Carbon, Columbia, and Schuylkill counties, may encounter pairs of Penn State students doing on-site surveys and are encouraged to participate if passing a survey point.

“Forest recreation continues to be an important way to connect our forest resources with people, and we want to learn more about these forest users and their recreational experiences,” Cassell said. “These surveys are key in helping Bureau of Forestry staff and DCNR partners in understanding users wants and needs to improve experiences on public lands. We look forward to input from visitors in Pinchot and Weiser state forests.”

Survey questions will include where the visitors are from, activities pursued, length of stay in the area and spending patterns, and satisfaction with the experience. Counting the number of vehicles at certain locations also will be included.

Results will be particularly helpful in more recent state forest acquisitions such as the Miller Mountain Tract in Pinchot State Forest. Forest managers will be better able to understand visitation levels and visitor expectations in these new areas of state forest land.

The Visitor Use Monitoring (VUM) Project began July 1 and will last through June 2025, with a final report to be prepared in the fall of 2025.

DCNR and Penn State University’s Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management have partnered on monitoring projects since 2000. The most recent VUM project report was released in 2023, assessing user needs at Rothrock State Forest in Centre, Huntingdon, and Mifflin counties, and Gallitzin State Forest in Somerset, Bedford, Cambria, and Indiana counties.

Pa. helping to create 214 new jobs in Tioga County

Gov, Josh Shapiro this week announced the Commonwealth is investing $1.5 million to support Victaulic — the originator and world’s leading producer of grooved mechanical pipe joining and flow control systems.

Headquartered in Easton, Victaulic’s $100 million expansion project will create at least 214 new, full-time jobs and retain an additional 1,611 jobs across the Commonwealth.

“With the support of the Commonwealth, Victaulic is investing $100 million in Tioga County to expand its manufacturing capacity and create 214 new jobs,” Shapiro said. “Since day one, my Administration has had a clear plan to double down on our investments in economic development so Pennsylvania companies like Victaulic can compete and win — and I want more companies to grow and succeed here in Pennsylvania. By investing in economic development projects like this one, we are creating good-paying jobs, reigniting our economy, and supporting our communities.”

With this investment, Victaulic will construct a 150,000-square-foot addition to its Lawrenceville foundry to accommodate new molding lines, melt furnaces, core machines, and automated finishing and paint equipment to help produce larger scale products. The expansion will also include a 60,000 square-foot machine shop with state-of-the-art Computer Numerical Control equipment.

The Governor’s 2024-25 budget proposal calls for $600 million in total new and expanded investments directly tied back to this ten-year strategy that will enhance DCED’s ability to implement the plan.

Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission announces plans to repair the U.S. Brig Niagara

The Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC) this week announced its plans for repairs to the Commonwealth’s flagship.

“Niagara has played a vital role in Erie’s history and is an integral part of its identity,” said PHMC’s Director of Historic Sites & Museums Melissa Mann. “She inspires Pennsylvanians and draws visitors to the Erie region. PHMC’s Erie Maritime Museum staff and professional marine consultants have been working tirelessly to prepare for Niagara’s upcoming shipyard experiences. We are looking forward to making the repairs necessary to return Niagara to sailing on the Great Lakes.”.

PHMC is consulting with previous Niagara captains Walter Rybka and Wesley Heerssen as it develops plans for the ship’s repairs and prepares her to transit. Under the guidance of Heerssen and Erie Maritime Museum Site Administrator Jim Hall, a group of museum volunteers and PHMC staff completed the removal of the ship’s cover in June.

Niagara needs repairs to her structure, planking, and systems. During the 2023 sailing season, the ship lost one of her propellers. As part of the first shipyard phase, both propellers will be replaced. At that time, PHMC also anticipates making engine improvements. PHMC has been working with the U.S. Coast Guard, as these repairs and upgrades require their review and approval.

The lead time for fabrication of the custom-built, five-blade, variable-pitch propellers puts the start of the first shipyard work at the end of August 2024. That repair work will be done at a shipyard on the Great Lakes, likely in Cleveland.

While at shipyard for those repairs, PHMC will engage a certified professional marine surveyor to conduct a below-the-waterline survey as part of an ongoing comprehensive survey of Niagara’s current mechanical and maintenance requirements. The survey will allow for a scope of work to be developed for a second larger shipyard phase, which is required to address the ship’s structural issues. The first round of shipyard work is expected to take one to two weeks.

The second shipyard work will be undertaken in 2024–25. While the scope of this work will be informed by the survey from the first shipyard phase, at a minimum it will include:

• Stabilization of the ship’s stem/bow assembly

• Replacement of deteriorated hull planking

• Remediation of wood deterioration above the waterline, including waterway timbers, gun ports, and other planking and framing.

• Replacement of decking as needed and recaulking of the entire deck

• Electrical system upgrades and the installation of new generators

• Plumbing upgrades

• Replacement and upgrade of pumps

All repair work will be completed in time for Niagara to be sailing in Erie as part of the Commonwealth’s Semiquincentennial celebration.