Pennsylvania

Two years ago, Bucktail Medical Center, the only hospital in rural Clinton County, was on the verge of closure.

One of the smallest hospitals in Pennsylvania, Bucktail was beset by increasing operating costs and financial challenges.

A $1 million grant from the state helped stave off the closure. In 2023, the hospital reported $7.09 million in revenue and $9.2 million in expenses, tax records show.

22 years ago (has it really been THAT long?), we got rid of this law.

I think everybody should wear a helmet every time. Not wearing a helmet is extremely stupid and dangerous. I've known lots of people who have riden without a helmet and have been fine, but I also had a cousin that died that way.

That being said, this feels like a "protect me from myself" or "we'll decide for you, since you can't be trusted to make good choices." law. I think I'd rather it stay the way it is, let people make their own poor choices.

I'm curious what others think.

And Weird Al needs to be the mascot.

I need to use-or-lose 30 days of vacation by the end of the year and have no idea what to do. I've never taken a vacation before but want to get out of the city. Can anyone recommend dog-friendly activities or locations within a few hour's drive of Pittsburgh, preferably leaning towards cheap?

We both hate crowds, and I'm scared of hiking trails because irresponsible dog owners tend to leave their dogs off leash. I don't drink alcohol so breweries/wineries are out.

So far the only thing I've come up with is taking a weekend fishing trip to Ohio.

In the early 2000’s, Jerry Trivett was removed from his mothers care - from what I’ve read online and this article, he had serious medical concerns and his family could not afford to support him.

Pennsylvania’s foster care system was overwhelmed, so they ended up sending him to Oklahoma. They sent him to a crowded facility called High Pointe, a dumping ground for behaviorally disturbed boys. In Oklahoma, to this day, tends to view mental health care as a criminal rather than healthcare matter. It was crowded, it was known to be unsafe, even the state of Oklahoma was thinking about shutting it down.

Jerry died. It was either because of a hold or because he was attacked by another child - everything is unclear and everyone lied about everything. They waited to take him to the hospital, they lied about the attack… The state, as it is want to do (please for the love of god get the feds to look into Nex Benedict), slapped a couple of nurses on the wrist. High Pointe closed after, and the higher ups immediately opened a private facility, which runs to this day and is exempt from government oversight.

The state did not investigate what happened to Jerry. The state of Oklahoma took in a child from Pennsylvania and murdered him. There was no investigation, and to this day the state refuses to comply with open records requests for the reports on the conditions at High Pointe before Jerry’s death.

Oklahoma is a rogue state, and I would really love for someone who matters, someone who has a voice - surely your DHS has human beings in it - to try to bring justice for Jerry. The troubled teen industry is fucked - but this was a public institution that took in a child given over to the state of Pennsylvania.