Letters: No excuse for lack of outdoor recreation at jail; Know where to turn for help with  home energy bills

No excuse for lack of outdoor recreation at jail

Bret Pallotto’s article, “Advocates push for outdoor recreation at county jail,” does not keep in mind some of the inmates at the jail are awaiting trial and, based on past statistics, some of them are innocent. To deprive people, even those that have been found guilty, of sufficient outdoor space for exercise and access to sunshine borders on being inhumane. Simply because the Centre County jail is new, but was poorly designed, and it would cost additional money to rectify is not an excuse not to proceed. Both sunshine and activity are necessary for healthy living. There is no excuse for denying inmates these basic necessities.

Know where to turn for help with home energy bills

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, many Americans are likely to spend more on energy this winter compared to past years, and some Pennsylvania households may be facing financial hardships and wondering where to find help if they fall behind on home energy bills.

Local utilities offer numerous programs to help income-eligible customers pay their bills and maintain utility service. Providers like Columbia Gas can connect individuals with federal, state and local resources to help them stay warm and manage costs.

One source of aid is the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, a federally funded program administered through the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.

Nearly $170 million is available this season in Pennsylvania to help more than 308,000 income-eligible households with heating bills. One-time cash grants range from $300 to $1,000 based on household size, income and fuel type.

Crisis grants are available if someone has an emergency and is in jeopardy of losing heat. A household can receive more than one crisis grant, as necessary, during the season until the maximum benefit of $1,000 is reached.

Households can apply online at www.compass.state.pa.us or request an application by calling 1-866-857-7095. LIHEAP enrollment runs through April 23, 2023, or until funding is exhausted.

No one should have to worry about staying safe and warm this winter. If you or someone you know is at risk of being without heat, call your utility company to help navigate through the available energy assistance programs to get back on track.

Penn State can do more to ensure students’ voices are heard

Thursday morning on Penn State’s campus, students hung a banner that read “students decided this election. We shouldn’t need to decide between going to class and voting. Cancel class on Election Day. Un-PAC.org.”

While the 2022 midterms showed an increasingly strong youth turnout, students face barriers to voting, including navigating classes, reregistering with their new address, and insufficient reliable transportation to off campus voting locations. For some students, this means not having their voice heard at all. Penn State can do more to ensure that every students’ voice is included.

Un-PAC is a nonpartisan organization of students and young people mobilizing to get big money out of politics and fix our broken democracy so we can solve urgent problems our generation faces.

Universities leverage their financial and institutional power to influence politics. Our university has a responsibility to safeguard our vote, enhance youth voter participation, and ensure legislators truly represent young people.

Beyond registering and getting hundreds of students out to vote in the 2022 midterms, Un-PAC is urging universities to adopt our Youth Power Reforms — requiring transparency and student input around political lobbying, and protecting our freedom to vote through canceling classes on Election Day, establishing polling places on campus, and expanding voter registration options.