PA Headlines | July 17 | One area school district is a case study in cell phone restrictions.

PA Headlines | July 17 | One area school district is a case study in cell phone restrictions.

The movement continues among state lawmakers to ban cell phones in schools. one central Pa. district says they have seen benefits from restrictive phone policies. Pennsylvania officials say the Trump administration could be holding up millions of dollars of Homeland Security grants until states comply with election demands.  Lawmakers are calling for tighter commercial driver's license laws in Pennsylvania. Their calls come in the wake of the July 1st crash that killed a state police trooper in Schuylkill County. A data center being built by Amazon in the greater Philadelphia area is sparking public outcry. The Public Utility Commission will hold public hearings on allegations related to operational and service-related issues within the Veolia water system.  The Trump administration replaced an exhibit on slavery at the site of President George Washington’s home in Philadelphia with a version that historians say whitewashes the nation’s history.  The Schuylkill River Passenger Rail Authority is partnering with Amtrak to provide passenger rail service from Reading to Philadelphia. The Harrisburg Fringe Festival began Thursday and stretches through the weekend. The fourth annual festival features more than 200 independent artists at nine venues across the city. 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: Two orphaned bear cubs are making central PA their new home. ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park in Hershey took the pair of 5-month-old American black bear cubs in, after they were rescued by the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. It’s been one year since public media's federal funding was revoked. Thanks to our community, we're still here for you and looking toward the future. Join the thousands of members who are building a stronger WITF. Go to  www.witf.org/givenow. [https://www.witf.org/givenow] And thank you.

PA Headlines | July 16 | Trump touts $10B and 4K jobs coming to Pa.

U.S. Senator Dave McCormick is announcing $10 billion of investments into defense industries across Pennsylvania. The projects, mostly focused around Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, also include new factories in York and Lancaster.  President Donald Trump is pushing to increase federal spending across manufacturing, artificial intelligence and robotics, all in support of a stronger military. Trump spoke at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle Wednesday to highlight investments in Pennsylvania’s industries.   Leaders in the defense industry say there is a critical need for investment to strengthen national security.  The $50.8 billion state budget now in effect includes more funds for public education and early-learning programs. While state lawmakers seemed to be moving fast this month to regulate data center construction, few rules made it into the budget deal which is now law. Philadelphia's Eastern State Penitentiary has a new exhibition about the religious liberties of incarcerated people. When Pennsylvania lawmakers recessed last Sunday, they did so without addressing unconstitutional murder sentences. This leaves one thousand people serving life sentences, in limbo.  A Pennsylvania state report calls for new regulations on online casinos to tackle gambling addiction, which experts describe as a public health challenge.  And MY Work in Perry County connects students with disabilities to meaningful, paid work opportunities in their communities. Some students are working for Marysville Borough this summer. It’s been one year since public media's federal funding was revoked. Thanks to our community, we're still here for you and looking toward the future. Join the thousands of members who are building a stronger WITF. Go to  www.witf.org/givenow. [https://www.witf.org/givenow] And thank you.

PA Headlines | July 15 | Setting the stage for Trump’s arrival in Carlisle.

Governor Josh Shapiro and President Donald Trump are both scheduled to speak at the Army War College in Carlisle today. They're attending the Pennsylvania defense and infrastructure summit put together by Senator Dave McCormick. Trump is expected to highlight his investments in military spending. McCormick is using his summit to announce billions in investments in Pennsylvania industries. On the American debate over how much to spend on defense, U.S. Representative Scott Perry says he supports a one-time investment to jumpstart military production, but he warns about a ballooning federal budget. Governor Josh Shapiro is praising advocates from Pittsburgh who he said helped secure the first state budget increase for Pennsylvania’s rape crisis centers in five years.  Thirty-one percent of Pennsylvanian woman are unaware of the preventive services available at no cost under the Affordable Care Act. The Governor's Advisory Commission on Women is launching a statewide informational tour to tell them about accessible services. Pennsylvania lawmakers want to make it easier for homeowners to build backyard cottages, garage apartments, and other accessory dwelling units, or ADUs. Rabbittransit is getting ready to implement a new fare collection system later this month.  Changes are coming to the Capital Region, Gettysburg, Shippensburg and York routes. U.S. Senator Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania is bringing power brokers to the Keystone State by hosting a two-day summit on national defense industries. It's taking place at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle. Governor Josh Shapiro has secured a $20.3 million investment from Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced Materials to expand operations and create 42 new jobs in Berks County. The number of measles cases in Pennsylvania has grown to 105 this year. The latest outbreak, over the past few months, is within a 7-county area surrounding Lancaster County where there have been 55 confirmed cases. It’s been one year since public media's federal funding was revoked. Thanks to our community, we're still here for you and looking toward the future. Join the thousands of members who are building a stronger WITF. Go to  www.witf.org/givenow. [https://www.witf.org/givenow] And thank you.

PA Headlines | July 14 | Fort Indiantown Gap is home to a rare butterfly.

The Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs wildlife staff is holding butterfly tours. The training grounds at Fort Indiantown Gap house the only population of the eastern regal fritillary butterfly in the world. A group of Pennsylvania residents is working to revive the colonial practice of growing flax one square yard at a time. Dual sport motorcycle riders now have 20 miles of new trails to ride on state forest land.  A report from our partners at Spotlight PA says Republican state senator Greg Rothman made money from the sale of a $30 million property to a developer building a data center in Cumberland County. Congressman Glenn Thompson is joining the U.S. Department of Agriculture to support Pennsylvania apple growers who suffered catastrophic losses from a late-April freeze that destroyed crops. They're attempting to streamline and add flexibility in the crop insurance process. Pennsylvania State Police investigated 635 crashes that resulted in 128 injuries and six fatalities over the July 4 weekend. And Attorney General Dave Sunday, along with 48 other attorneys, is calling on the FCC to help cut off scammers' access to real phone numbers. It’s been one year since public media's federal funding was revoked. Thanks to our community, we're still here for you and looking toward the future. Join the thousands of members who are building a stronger WITF. Go to  www.witf.org/givenow. [https://www.witf.org/givenow] And thank you.

PA Headlines | July 13 | Compromise is the key to new state budget passed over the weekend.

We have a new state budget, after lawmakers worked over the weekend in Harrisburg. On Sunday, 12 days into July, the state House and Senate approved a $50.8 billion state budget. Governor Josh Shapiro signed a package of bills enacting the budget Sunday afternoon, and praised legislative leaders for their ability to compromise. Legislative Democrats say the budget deal maintains important public education spending. Republican leaders hailed the deal that modestly increases spending. Why Schuylkill and Berks counties likely can’t recoup lost warehouse tax revenue. With Immigration and Customs Enforcement pivoting from plans to convert some of its new warehouses to detention facilities, one lingering issue is that local governments have lost millions of dollars in annual revenue because the properties are tax-exempt. Some officials had been pushing for payments in lieu of taxes from the federal government. It now looks like that won’t happen. The debate over data centers is becoming a central issue in Pennsylvania's gubernatorial campaign. Republican Stacy Garrity was in Western Pennsylvania last week to discuss the issue -- AND to criticize Governor Josh Shapiro. A Democratic congressional candidate wants major reforms in the way Congress operates. Nominations are open for Pennsylvania's 2027 "trail of the year." Pennsylvanians can submit their favorite trail for consideration through the end of July. Northumberland County now owns land including a mammoth vein of anthracite coal known as the Whaleback. It's considered a geological gem, named for its length and size. It’s been one year since public media's federal funding was revoked. Thanks to our community, we're still here for you and looking toward the future. Join the thousands of members who are building a stronger WITF. Go to  www.witf.org/givenow. [https://www.witf.org/givenow] And thank you.