PA Headlines | May 21st | Pa Lags in Renewable Energy

PA Headlines | June 12 | Deep dive: What’s the impact of forever chemicals from Pittsburgh Intl. Airport?

Today we have a deep dive into Pennsylvania’s water quality. The waters of a western Pennsylvania stream are getting tainted by ‘forever chemicals' from Pittsburgh International Airport. Researchers are looking closely at how much these chemicals could be getting into the sediments and wildlife that depend on the stream. Less than three weeks remain until the state budget deadline. Pennsylvania lawmakers are looking for ways to help balance the budget by considering taxes aimed at the tech industry. The Pennsylvania SPCA removed 78 cats and kittens from a Lancaster County home on Tuesday. House lawmakers are calling on their counterparts in the state Senate to pass legislation that would allow Pennsylvania’s high school athletics governing body to split up playoff competition for public and private schools. And now it’s time for our weekly segment called The Bright Spot. Every Friday, I’ll share a positive news story that may have gotten lost amid this week's news cycle.   Today’s bright spot is this: The podcast NPR Music this week came out with a playlist of songs that listeners say help them reset their mood. [https://www.npr.org/2026/06/09/nx-s1-5850296/songs-to-reset-your-mood-listener-picks] For example, one is “Lovely Day” from Bill Withers. One listener said, “I have a dear friend with MS and when I visited him, he played this song every morning. He used it as a daily tribute for the gift of life and it resonated with my soul. The lyrics are spot on for not just living, but living with purpose and gratitude.” If you're already a member of WITF's Sustaining Circle, you know how convenient it is to support programs like this. By increasing your monthly gift, you can help WITF close the budget gap left by the loss of federal funding. Visit us online at witf.org/increase [https://witf.org/increase]or become a new Sustaining Circle member at witf.org/givenow [https://www.witf.org/givenow] to help build a sustainable future for WITF and public media. Thank you.

PA Headlines | June 11 | Area fruit farmers continue to evaluate crop losses and pivot.

A late spring freeze may mean less fruit and higher prices for Pennsylvanians. Some farms are adjusting their business strategies to recoup their losses.  Healthcare company UPMC cut 500 positions Tuesday. A spokesperson said UPMC laid off 200 employees and eliminated another 300 vacant positions as part of a routine reassessment. A new Trump administration grant program is designed to increase the amount of electricity the country gets from coal. The program has the potential to impact Pennsylvania. We’re learning more about U-S Steel’s announcement that it plans to invest more than $2 billion in the Mon Valley Works. The Shapiro Administration is cracking down on AI chatbots which have been posing as doctors. Enrollment in Pennsylvania's Affordable Care Act marketplace for discounted health insurance coverage has dropped by 160,000 Pennsylvanians. Funding for victims’ services in Pennsylvania are facing cuts – after a drop in white-collar prosecutions under the Trump Administration. That translates into a drop in federal funding – since funding for services to crime victims comes primarily from fines and penalties paid by those convicted of white-collar crimes. In uncertain times, our community counts on facts, not noise. Support the journalism and programming that keep you informed. Donate now at www.witf.org/givenow. [https://www.witf.org/givenow] And thank you.

PA Headlines | June 10 | We’re in peak tick season – and there’s a new syndrome to watch for.

Late spring to early summer is considered one of two peaks of Pennsylvania’s year-round tick season, according to East Stroudsburg University’s Tick Research Lab. What to know during the first peak of this year, as cases of alpha-gal syndrome which causes a red meat and dairy allergy, pop up around the state. Common bacteria like the human papilloma virus, or H-P-V - can cause oral, head and neck cancers. Dental researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed a chewing gum that could help eliminate these microbial causes, and ultimately reduce cancer risk. A show put on by the York County Quilters Guild celebrates the artistic side of the traditional craft. A bill requiring gun owners to lock their firearms, or place them in a safe when not being carried, advanced to the state House Monday over Republican objections. Gun locks and safes would be exempt from state sales tax under an amended version of a secure firearms storage bill Pennsylvania lawmakers advanced Monday. Members from Pennsylvania’s 47 rape crisis centers rallied at the state Capitol in Harrisburg Monday. They're calling for double the state dollars they receive, after six years of relatively stagnant funding. U.S. Steel plans to invest up to $2.5 billion into upgrades to its Mon Valley Works in Western P-A. The company forecasts that the upgrades will generate $1.7 billion for the state, according to a Monday report from the steelmaking giant.  Did you know that if every one of WITF’s sustaining circle members gives as little as $12 more a month, we'd close the gap caused by federal funding cuts? Increase your gift at https://witf.org/increase [https://witf.org/increase] or become a new sustaining member at www.witf.org/givenow. [https://www.witf.org/givenow] And thanks!

PA Headlines | June 9 | Arts funding is overhauled in Pa.

The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts is restoring state funding to smaller arts organizations. The council voted to correct an overhaul of the state arts funding process after pushback from community arts organizations. Public school teachers who get injured on the job by a student or parent would be eligible for up to a year of paid leave and benefits under legislation now under consideration in the state House. Nurse Practitioners are renewing their years-long push in Pennsylvania to practice independently of physicians, an authority recognized in more than two dozen other states and certain federal agencies. But attempts to advance legislation changing that rule in the commonwealth have repeatedly failed, despite broad bipartisan support.   The State Department of Aging is awarding grants to over 400 Senior Community Centers in the Commonwealth totaling $3 million dollars.  A new study from the University of Pennsylvania finds flood waters from Hurricane Ida were compounded by the city’s impervious surfaces and outdated sewer system.  A Cumberland County man died Sunday morning in a shootout with police. State officials are prepping for an influx of thousands of visitors associated with America250 celebrations and several major sporting events. Pennsylvania's medical imaging specialists and radiation therapists aren't required to be licensed - but that could soon change. Attention Sustaining Circle Members! With a monthly increase of $12 or more, you and WITF's dedicated base of sustainers could close the funding gap left by the federal rescission. Increase your gift today at witf.org/increase. [https://witf.org/increase] And thank you!

PA Headlines | June 8 | A deep dive: Why half of Pa.’s child death cases are unreviewed.

Many Pennsylvania counties are not reviewing the death of every child - even though there's a 2008 state law that requires them to do so. Since 2020, about half of all childhood deaths statewide have gone unreviewed. Jaxon White of our partners at Spotlight PA looked into this issue and joins us to share more of his reporting. The Trump administration is spending $700 million to build or refurbish the coal industry’s infrastructure in several states including Pennsylvania. Attorney General Dave Sunday is charging a Cumberland County company and its owner for causing a spill never reported to authorities that led to contamination of a Franklin County community's water supply. Nine environmental projects in Berks County are receiving funding from the Berks County Community Foundation’s Innovation Fund. In uncertain times, our community counts on facts, not noise. Support the journalism and programming that keep you informed. Donate now at www.witf.org/givenow. [https://www.witf.org/givenow]