Pennsylvania News & Current Events

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act provide investments to accelerate the development of and market for zero-emission technology. (Halfpoint/AdobeStock)

Thursday, September 28, 2023

Elected officials advocate for EPA’s clean-car standards, transition to EVs

With the United Auto Workers still on strike, elected officials argue that it's important for the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed clean-…

A new national poll found 79% of Republican voters say America's economic future depends on bringing back training programs for blue-collar jobs which do not require a four-year degree, such as manufacturing. (Winnievinzence/Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, September 27, 2023

Poll: PA GOP voters voice support for strong manufacturing policies, tariffs

A new poll found Pennsylvania Republican voters want political candidates to prioritize preserving and growing manufacturing including tariffs in the …

Environmental Protection Agency data show the transportation sector accounts for 29% of greenhouse-gas emissions, the largest and fastest growing source in the United States. (VanderWolf/AdobeStock)

Study: EVs in PA can rev up taxpayer savings, pollution reduction

Pennsylvania governments could save taxpayers millions and reduce pollution by transitioning their fleets to electric vehicles, according to findings …

Pennsylvanians have until Oct. 23 to register to vote before this year's Nov. 7 election. <br />(Lisa F. Young/Adobe Stock)

PA Needs 40,000 Poll Workers for Upcoming Elections

Election Day is less than two months away, and for the process to go smoothly, Pennsylvania needs a lot more poll workers. Many of the 8.7 million …

A recent economic impact study reveals that more than 123,000 people are employed full- and part-time at iron and steel mills in ferroalloy manufacturing in the Keystone State. (otmman/AdobeStock)

More Time to Comment on EPA Blast Furnace Rules

Emission standards for blast furnaces such as the iron and steel mills in Pennsylvania haven't been updated in years. The Environmental Protection …

Older and disabled adults have received more than $7.6 billion in property tax and rent relief since the start of the Property Tax and Rent Rebate Program in 1971. (Lordn/AdobeStock)

PA Expands Property Tax, Rent Rebate Program to Aid Older Adults

Pennsylvanians will soon see some financial relief with their property taxes and rent. Gov. Josh Shapiro recently signed House Bill 1100 into law…

A recent report found more than 400 jobs have been created in the Keystone State since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, and more than $190 million in investments have been made in clean-energy projects. (Anatoliy_gleb/AdobeStock)

Inflation Reduction Act Funds Multiple PA Clean-Energy Priorities

It has been one year since the Biden administration's Inflation Reduction Act became law, and Pennsylvania is seeing and using some of the funding…

Some 23% of children served in Pre-K Counts and Head Start Supplemental Assistance Programs in Pennsylvania are non-Hispanic Black, compared to 41% of children identifying as non-Hispanic White.<br />(Halfpoint/Adobe Stock)

Charting a Path to Equitable Access for PA Early Learning System

The Keystone State has some work to do to provide more access to quality pre-Kindergarten programs for the youngest Pennsylvanians. Only 43% of …

In Pennsylvania, the Department of Environmental Protection estimates the average cost of plugging one well to be around $33,000. (onyx124/AdobeStock)

Federal Dollars Could Connect PA Unions to Orphaned Well Clean-Up

Congress allocated billions of dollars in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to plug orphaned well sites across the country, and Pennsylvania is one …

New Jersey's Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act requires a physician to determine whether the patient is a New Jersey resident before writing a prescription for the medication. (Jon Anders Wiken/Adobe Stock)

Some Terminally Ill PA Patients Seek Medical Aid Across State Lines

Some Pennsylvania patients with long-term chronic illnesses are hoping to make legal headway, allowing them to seek medical aid in dying across state …

A new report reveals the number of jobs in Pennsylvania surpassed the pre-pandemic (February 2020) level in January 2023. As of July, it had exceeded that level by 61,100. (Rade Lukovic/Adobe Stock)<br />

Report: PA Workers Benefit from Tight Labor Market, Wage Gains

A tight labor market with steady growth and historically low unemployment - those are the findings in the new "State of Working Pennsylvania" report…

A new report found many agencies made programming changes - With 45% reducing capacity for their programming and one in four (24%) closing one or more programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Pressmaster/AdobeStock)

Salary Survey Highlights Compensation Trends, Pandemic Impact on Child-Welfare Workforce

A new report analyzes salary data and the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has on the workforce of child-welfare, juvenile-justice and children's mental …

Pennsylvania is working to reduce its net greenhouse-gas emissions 26% by 2025. One strategy is to replace 25% of the state passenger car fleet with battery electric and plug-in hybrid cars. (Michael Flippo/Adobe Stock)

Consumer Interest for EVs Grows in PA

Car prices are dropping, both for gas-powered and electric vehicles. So, are more Pennsylvanians planning to buy EVs? A report by iSeeCars found …

A new report showed 35,515 megawatts of combined cycle gas capacity have been built in the 13-state PJM Interconnection system since 2011. (creativenature.nl/AdobeStock)<br />

Report Examines Private Equity Power Plants in PJM, Growing Financial Risks

A new report found Pennsylvania communities could be negatively affected by the increasing financial risk in the nation's largest electricity market…

N-A-M-I recently developed a mental health college guide for Gen Zer's that covers topics from self-care to getting mental health care support, to legal rights and self-advocacy. (Alessandro Biascioli/AdobeStock)

Groups Address Mental Health Challenges Facing 'Gen Z'

Mental health has emerged as a pressing issue for young Pennsylvanians in "Generation Z," born after 1996. Research shows they are also more willing …

In addition to intermodal traffic, freight railroads in Pennsylvania move raw materials, such as coal, crude oil, nonmetallic minerals, agricultural products and finished automobiles. (William A. Morgan/AdobeStock)<br /><br />

Train-Derailment Relief Funds Sent to Rural PA Communities

In Western Pennsylvania, communities are continuing to reel from the Norfolk Southern derailment nearly six months ago, but the railroad recently has …

The Southern Poverty Law Center report finds that school safety is a major concern for youths, and that worry about school shootings is associated with a host of negative mental-health outcomes. (Jacob Lund/AdobeStock)

Survey: Young Pennsylvanians Want Stricter Gun Laws

In Pennsylvania and across the country, some 74% of young people in the U.S. believe gun violence is a problem, and 60% want to see stricter gun laws…

With 52,000 farms and 7.3 million acres of farmland, agriculture is a big business in Pennsylvania, accounting for approximately $83.8 billion in direct economic output and 280,500 jobs. (Kegfire/AdobeStock)

Farmer Education Bill to Tackle Impacts of Climate Change in PA

New federal legislation aims to help farmers in Pennsylvania and elsewhere share their knowledge of conservation practices as they face an increasing …

Pennsylvania's 500 school districts range in size from approximately 200 students to more than 140,000 students. (WavebreakmediaMicro/AdobeStock)

PA State Budget in Limbo Over Private School Voucher Plan

Pennsylvania is still operating without a budget as the new school year approaches. House Bill 611 is now in the state Senate. It would provide more …

A new report estimated 22% of residents of Central Appalachia live in poverty, compared with less than 13% nationally and 14.5% for Appalachia as a whole. (Chalermphon/Adobe Stock)

Reconnecting Appalachia's Disconnected Workers with "Better" Jobs

A new report explored ways to reconnect residents of the Appalachian region to employment opportunities. The report dug into the many barriers to …

Aspartame has been widely used in various food and beverage products since the 1980s, including diet drinks, chewing gum, gelatin, ice cream and dairy products such as yogurt and more. (Alex Yeung/AdobeStock)

WHO: Artificial Sweetener Aspartame is 'Safe'

Recent media coverage of potential carcinogens in the common artificial sweetener aspartame alarmed people who consume products containing it…

Impervious surfaces in urban areas are a major hydrologic alteration contributing to increased stormwater runoff and pollutant loading during rainfall and snowmelt events. (Soupstock/AdobeStock)

CBF Amicus Brief Urging Reversal of Stormwater Fee Decision

In Pennsylvania, environmental advocacy groups are awaiting the Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision which could affect the future of Commonwealth-…

Blackhawk School District educator Ryan Hardesty is the 2023 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year, one of public education's highest honors. (Commonwealth Media Services)

PA's 'Teacher of the Year' Spends Summer Encouraging Other Educators

At the start of this year, a Pennsylvania middle school teacher was chosen among 12 finalists statewide to receive one of the profession's highest …

The SAVE plan for undergraduate loans would cut in half the amount that borrowers have to pay each month from 10% to 5% of their discretionary income. (Rawpixel.com/Adobe Stock)

Pennsylvanians Look to SAVE Plan to Help with Student Loan Debt

The new student loan forgiveness plan known as "SAVE" could lower monthly bills and reduce the amount some borrowers have to pay back over the lifetim…

The proposed standards would provide important benefits to communities near major roadways, where people of color and people with low income are disproportionately exposed to air pollution from vehicles. (Nady/AdobeStock)

Proposed Vehicle Emissions Standards Designed to Cut Pollution, Improve Health in PA

In Pennsylvania and across the country, cleaner cars and lower emissions are the goals of the Environmental Protection Agency proposal, recommending …

Pennsylvania's marketed natural-gas production, primarily from the Marcellus Shale, reached a record 7.6 trillion cubic feet in 2021, and the state is the nation's second-largest natural-gas producer after Texas. (Toppybaker/AdobeStock)

Report: Oil and Gas Air Pollution Effects Health of Pennsylvanians

A new study sheds light on the urgent need for policies to reduce emissions from U.S. oil and gas production, showing the public health effects are …

Pennsylvania has nearly 300 colleges, universities and technical schools for prospective students of all career interests, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.(NolaV/peopleimages.com/AdobeStock)

Education Advocates: Affirmative Action Ruling a Step Back for Racial Equality

In Pennsylvania, education advocates contended affirmative action has been a critical tool in promoting equity and addressing historical …

According to the National Council on Aging, to participate in the Senior Community Service Employment Program, an older person has to be living on a family income of no more than 125% of the Federal Poverty Level. (Vadim Pastuh/Adobe Stock)

PA Job Training Program Empowers Seniors Amid Challenges

A Pennsylvania work-based job training program is helping the state's 3.4 million seniors overcome challenges to finding work. Francis McKenna…

A recent report found the U.S. Postal Service faces serious staffing shortages. Turnover at the agency jumped from 38.5% in 2019 to nearly 59% in 2022. (Cat027/Adobe Stock)

USPS Celebrates National Postal Worker Day July 1 in PA

In Pennsylvania and across the country, Saturday is National Postal Worker Day, celebrated annually to show appreciation for postal workers. The …

In 2022, the FBI noted that American Jews account for 2.4% of the U.S. population, but antisemitism drove 63% of reported religiously motivated hate crimes. (Seventyfour/AdobeStock)

Pennsylvania Takes Stand Against Antisemitism

Pennsylvania, like many other states, has not been immune to the recent wave of antisemitic acts and rhetoric - and the state is working to prevent …

Based on a separate analysis, EPA is projecting its proposed standards for existing gas-fired plants and the third phase of the NSPS could reduce up to 407 million metric tons of CO2 emissions. (Erik Bergin Photos/Adobe Stock)

PA Groups Support New EPA Standards for Coal, Gas Plants

More groups are getting on board, including in Pennsylvania, to support the Environmental Protection Agency's proposal for tougher new carbon …

Jermaine Bailey and daughter ShaWanna sign their letters of job offers with the city of York's school district. Both are certified teachers and will start in the Fall. (Courtesy Jermaine Bailey)

'Grow Your Own' Program May Solve Teacher Shortage

A shortage of teachers has reached a crisis level in some of the 500 school districts serving more than 1.7 million K-12 students in Pennsylvania…

In 2017-2018, boys of nearly all races were disproportionately disciplined, but Black boys in pre-K through 12th grade were suspended and expelled at proportions three times their enrollment, according to the U.S. Department of Education. (Seventyfour/AdobeStock)

Restorative Practices Strengthening Relationships with PA Students, Communities

Restorative practices have gained a foothold in Pennsylvania schools as districts look for ways to reduce suspensions and improve their school climate…

Gov. Josh Shapiro's budget proposal includes a $4.2 million investment in a Public Library Facilities Improvement Fund. It would give small, rural public libraries access to targeted funds for repairs and improvements. (Rawpixel.com/Adobe Stock)

Higher-Ed System Budget at Stake in PA Senate

With only a week to go until the next state budget has to be finalized, advocates for colleges and universities in Pennsylvania are hoping for a …

Gov. Josh Shapiro's proposed budget includes $100 million to fund the School-Based Mental Health Supports Block Grant to connect more students and staff to mental health services. (Rawpixel/Adobe Stock)

PA Group Pushes Senate to Approve Budget with K-12 School Funding Increase

A Pennsylvania advocacy group is watching carefully as the Senate ponders House Bill 611, which would provide more funding for basic K-12 and special …

According to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, about one in three Black Americans will be diagnosed with cancer in his or her lifetime, and studies show that Black men and women have the higher rate of death from cancer than any racial or ethnic group in the United States. (AdobeStock)

Our HAIR Project Empowers Mental Health, Well Being in Communities of Color

In Pennsylvania, the Our HAIR initiative program will provide mental health support for Medicaid members at local Black salons and barbershops…

In June 2019, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf recognized Juneteenth as a holiday in the state. (Be Pro/AdobeStock)

Juneteenth: Celebrating Literacy, Artistic Freedom

A Pennsylvania literacy organization is commemorating the Juneteenth holiday by highlighting the history and contributions of Black people in the Unit…

Earlier this year, Gov. Josh Shapiro proposed raising Pennsylvania's state minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $15 an hour effective Jan. 1, 2024. (Zerbor/Adobe Stock)

PA Could See $15 Minimum Wage by 2026

As workers wait for the full Pennsylvania House to vote on whether to increase the state minimum wage, one economist said the increase would be a …

The 2023 Kids Count Data Book noted Pennsylvania's average annual cost of center-based child care for a toddler was $11,346, or 10% of the median income for a married couple and 35% of a single mother's income in the state. (DenisProduction.com/Adobe Stock)

Report: PA Ranks 22nd Among States in Child Well-Being

Pennsylvania ranks in the middle among states for the well-being of its children. It is 22nd overall in the new Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E…

Researchers reported coal-tar sealant runoff is lethal to juvenile Coho salmon and causes a wide spectrum of abnormalities in zebrafish embryos. (B.J. Small/Chesapeake Bay Foundation)

Some Driveway Sealants Have Health, Environment Risks

Sealing driveways and parking lots may seem like routine maintenance for homeowners, but recent studies raise concerns about the potential health …

The federal government stipulates that districts must have nearly equal populations and must not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity, according to Ballotpedia. (Richelle/AdobeStock)

Teaming Up to Tackle Redistricting Reform in PA

The U.S. Supreme Court ruling yesterday about making voting maps more fair in Alabama gives new hope to groups in Pennsylvania that have teamed up to …

Keystone Saves creates an individual retirement account program that automatically enrolls private-sector workers, who can choose to opt out. (Vitalii Vodolazskyi/Adobe Stock)

'Keystone Saves' Aims to Help Millions of Working Pennsylvanians

More than 40% of private sector workers in Pennsylvania earned their living at businesses without retirement plans, as of 2020. Multiple groups are …

Pennsylvanians must register to vote by Oct. 23 to be eligible to vote in the general election on Nov. 7. (Vesperstock/AdobeStock)

Voter Education for November General Election Already Underway in PA

The Keystone State's general election is less than six months away and a nonpartisan, grassroots organization is already getting the word out to …

In 2020, nearly 3.4 million people, or about 26% of Pennsylvania's 13 million residents, lived in 48 rural counties in the Keystone State. (Gary L Hider/Adobe Stock)

Rural PA Mayor Puts Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funds to Work

A small Pennsylvania community is hoping Congress will remember the needs of rural areas as lawmakers negotiate the final, contentious debt ceiling …

There used to be twice as many marshes and wetlands in Pennsylvania as there are today, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. (Christina Saymansky/Adobe Stock)

Court Opts to Protect Private-Property Rights Over Wetlands

From conservation to sportsmen's groups, the U.S. Supreme Court is getting plenty of backlash over its most recent ruling, which weakens federal …

Pennsylvania adults with disabilities represent 11% of the population, in terms of mobility<br />and/or cognitive challenges. (Jesse B/peopleimages.com)<br /><br />

PA Starts on New 'Master Plan for Older Adults'

A new Master Plan for Older Adults is being developed in Pennsylvania. Gov. Josh Shapiro signed an executive order Thursday, directing the …

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends adults do at least 2 hours and 30 minutes each week of aerobic physical activity that requires moderate effort. (TMdlungu/peopleimages.com/Adobe Stock)

Experts: Women's Health Month Prioritizes Health, Well-Being

May is National Women's Health Month, and experts are reminding women to prioritize their health and well-being. Brenda Shelton-Dunston, executive …

A new report predicts up to 639 premature deaths from respiratory illnesses would be prevented in Pennsylvania due to emission reductions resulting directly from participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. (Erik Bergen Photos/Adobe Stock)

New Report: Impact for PA to Join Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

A new report analyzed the potential impact of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative on Pennsylvania emissions, power generation, revenue, and jobs…

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