iradiophilly | News - Amtrak Train Casualties Named, PA Pension System Overhaul, School Nurse Privatization

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Amtrak Train Casualties Named, PA Pension System Overhaul, School Nurse Privatization

by: Rebel - Havertown, PA
started: 05/14/15 8:50 am | updated: 05/14/15 8:50 am

Seven people were killed in the Amtrak train derailment Tuesday night in Philadelphia. One was 48-year-old Jim Gaines, an Associated Press video software architect, another was a midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy, 20-year-old Justin Zemser. The third was Abid Gilani, a Wells Fargo executive, the fourth was Rachel Jacobs, CEO of an Philadelphia based education startup ApprenNet. and now the fifth has been identified as a college administrator. Derrick Griffith, dean of student affairs and enrollment management at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, New York. Griffith joined Medgar Evers College in 2011 as assistant provost. It was the first of a number of roles he would fill at the college, where officials said he urged students to pursue education â€œwith vigor.â€ The others killed have not been publicly identified.

UPDATE 1:00 pm: An 8th passenger was found dead at the scene Thursday morning by cadaver dogs. All 243 passengers and crew are now accounted for. He has been identified as Robert Gildersleeve from Baltimore who worked at EcoLab.

UPDATE 5:00 pm: 47-year-old Laura Finamore of NYC has been identified as one of the fatalities. She worked as a senior account director at Cushman & Wakefield.

The state Senate has sent the House a fast-tracked bill to overhaul the pension system for school and state employees in Pennsylvania. The pension reform bill would switch future school and state employees to a 401k-type plan. Current employees would have to choose between increasing contributions or lower future benefits. Current retirees would not be affected. Governor Wolf said Wednesday he doesnâ€™t like what heâ€™s seen so far. Senate Democrats, meanwhile, complained that the pension reform plan is unconstitutional and is being rammed through by the GOP.

The School District of Philadelphia is considering outsourcing its school health services â€” jobs currently held by unionized school nurses. Schools superintendent William Hite says the cash-strapped school district is simply exploring ways to expand student health services without spending more money.
The district has issued a request for proposals (â€œRFPâ€) from providers who want to take over medical services in one, some, or all of Philadelphiaâ€™s public schools. The RFP requires private vendors to offer jobs to current nurses before hiring new staff. The district currently spends about $24 million a year on school medical services.

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