Explore

Governor Shapiro Unveils $64 Million Revitalization Plan for Downtown Harrisburg

Governor Shapiro Unveils $64 Million Revitalization Plan for Downtown Harrisburg

Governor Josh Shapiro, alongside Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis and local leaders, has launched a new collaborative plan to invest in and revitalize Downtown Harrisburg. This initiative, dubbed 'Harrisburg Works for All of Us,' involves $64 million in new public and private investments. The Commonwealth is contributing $22.7 million, building on previous investments of over $31 million in the city. The plan, developed with input from over 4,400 Harrisburg residents, focuses on six main strategies: expanding access to neighborhood amenities and housing, supporting local businesses, improving pedestrian safety and public transportation, enhancing cleanliness and safety, upgrading infrastructure and public spaces, and activating the riverfront, arts, and entertainment. Key projects include $11 million for converting 333 Market Street into a Marriott hotel, $2.25 million for Riverfront Park improvements, and $2.25 million to support the Broad Street Market rebuild. Additional funding is allocated for a commu...

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and PennDOT Announce $775 Million Investment in Roadwork Across 44 Counties

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and PennDOT Announce $775 Million Investment in Roadwork Across 44 Counties

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Secretary Mike Carroll have announced a significant investment of $775 million from the Motor License Fund for rapid deployment projects aimed at improving state-owned roads. The first phase of this initiative involves the disbursement of $250 million for 79 projects that are either already under construction or scheduled to go out for bid this year. Upon completion, these projects will result in the paving of over 400 miles of roads across 44 counties in the Commonwealth. This funding is part of the 2026-27 budget and is designed to accelerate road repairs, reduce ongoing maintenance costs, prevent further deterioration of infrastructure, and free up resources for other essential projects. Governor Shapiro emphasized his administration's commitment to rebuilding Pennsylvania's infrastructure, noting that PennDOT has already improved over 21,800 road miles and advanced work on nearly 2,000 state and local bridges sin...

Giffords PAC Launches $1.5 Million Ad Blitz Against GOP Representatives on Gun Issues

Giffords PAC Launches $1.5 Million Ad Blitz Against GOP Representatives on Gun Issues

Giffords PAC, the gun safety group founded by former Democratic Rep. Gabby Giffords, is investing approximately $1.5 million in an ad campaign targeting Republican representatives in two key House races. The PAC is allocating $850,000 to an ad aimed at unseating Rep. Rob Bresnahan in Pennsylvania and an additional $700,000 to defeat Rep. David Valadao in California. These advertisements criticize both Republican incumbents for accepting contributions from the firearm industry and for their voting records on gun-related legislation. One ad specifically labels Rep. Bresnahan as "too corrupt to keep Northeast Pennsylvania families safe," while another features a former homicide detective accusing Rep. Valadao of "gambling with police officers’ lives and putting families in danger."

Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz Uncovers Family Ties to Underground Railroad in New Book, "The Ballad of the Fugitive William Parker"

Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz Uncovers Family Ties to Underground Railroad in New Book, "The Ballad of the Fugitive William Parker"

Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz, a New York Times bestselling poet and historian, has authored a new book titled "The Ballad of the Fugitive William Parker: A True Tale of Love, Murder, Treason, and Ordinary Folks Who Saved America." The inspiration for the book came from her research into her own family tree following her mother's passing. Aptowicz discovered that her maternal ancestors, specifically the Price family, were actively involved in the Pennsylvania Underground Railroad. This revelation led her to the story of William Parker and the Christiana Riot (now known as the Christiana Resistance), a pre-dawn standoff in 1851 between enslavers and formerly enslaved individuals, triggered by the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act. Parker, an escaped enslaved person, had built a mutual-defense organization, uniting Black and white community members against enslavers. The book details the events of the Christiana Resistance, where an enslaver was killed, leading to federal charges of treason against dozens of men, and the s...

U.S. Representative Mike Kelly's Congressional Internship Program Provides Experience for University Students

U.S. Representative Mike Kelly's Congressional Internship Program Provides Experience for University Students

U.S. Representative Mike Kelly, who serves Pennsylvania's 16th Congressional District, offers congressional internships to university students. Jaxon Mozzocio, a junior at the University of Pittsburgh majoring in Political Science with a minor in Law, Criminal, Justice, & Society, is currently serving in one such internship. Mozzocio, originally from Neshannock, Pennsylvania, is also the Executive Vice Chair of Community Governmental Relations for the Student Government Board and a member of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity on campus. He is expected to graduate in the fall of 2027. This program provides students with direct exposure to the workings of the U.S. House of Representatives and the legislative process.

Tickets on Sale for 'The Phil Collins Story' at Kirby Center for the Performing Arts in Wilkes Barre

Tickets on Sale for 'The Phil Collins Story' at Kirby Center for the Performing Arts in Wilkes Barre

Tickets on Sale for 'The Phil Collins Story' at Kirby Center for the Performing Arts in Wilkes Barre

Heavy Rain Expected in Northeast US on September 28

Heavy Rain Expected in Northeast US on September 28

A stalled coastal low-pressure system off the Mid-Atlantic coast is expected to bring widespread rain to the Northeast United States on September 28, 2026. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), there is a 70%-100% chance of rain across New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. Rainfall totals could exceed 0.5 to 1 inch in many areas, with overcast skies and northerly winds contributing to the wet conditions. Meanwhile, tropical moisture from systems like Odalys and Polo is steering showers toward the Desert Southwest and Four Corners region. Dry conditions are expected across the West Coast, Midwest, and much of the South.

Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health Receives $250,000 Pennsylvania State Grant for Workforce Development

Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health Receives $250,000 Pennsylvania State Grant for Workforce Development

Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health has been awarded a $250,000 state grant in Pennsylvania. This funding is specifically allocated to support a workforce development program designed to recruit and retain behavioral health professionals in the southeastern region of the state. The grant will bolster Devereux’s ASCEND Career Accelerator program, which was initiated in 2023 with the goal of strengthening recruitment and retention efforts within the behavioral health care sector. The demand for behavioral health services, including those for individuals with autism spectrum disorder, mental health needs, and cognitive differences, has been increasing, placing a strain on the region's labor pool. State Representatives Jennifer O’Mara and Lisa Borowski, both Delaware County Democrats and leaders in the House Democratic Caucus Southeast Delegation, advocated for this state funding. They emphasized the importance of supporting professionals in these careers to ensure access to skilled care.

This $11 Million Pennsylvania Estate Has a Full-Size Indoor Basketball Court

This $11 Million Pennsylvania Estate Has a Full-Size Indoor Basketball Court

Numerous former NBA players have played on the indoor basketball court at Merrick Farm, which also has a resistance pool and a sports lounge.

Pennsylvania Rural Communities Face PFAS Contamination from Sewage Sludge

Pennsylvania Rural Communities Face PFAS Contamination from Sewage Sludge

Rural communities in Pennsylvania are grappling with widespread contamination of their drinking water by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as 'forever chemicals.' This contamination stems from the decades-long practice of applying sewage sludge, or biosolids, to agricultural fields as fertilizer. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is investigating a groundwater plume in Columbia County, where residents like Nicole Williams have found alarmingly high levels of PFAS in their private wells. For instance, Williams' water tested at 182.4 total parts per trillion (ppt), with PFOA eight times and PFOS 32 times the federal limits set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2024. The DEP's investigation has identified over a dozen sites in Columbia County where sludge application has led to contamination, with some residential wells showing PFAS levels as high as 3,612 total ppt. This issue was first identified in Maine in 2016, leading that state to ...

Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning Releases Podcast Episode on Child Care Provider Support

Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning Releases Podcast Episode on Child Care Provider Support

The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) Bureau of Certification Services has released Episode #13 of its podcast, 'The Confluence.' Titled 'Support Before Sanctions: Helping Child Care Providers Stay on Track,' the episode features Deputy Secretary Shante’ Brown and Bureau of Certification Services Director Ruby Martin. They discuss how OCDEL can assist child care providers with various challenges, including staffing shortages, leadership transitions, training, documentation, supervision, and ensuring child safety. The conversation emphasizes the importance of early intervention and when providers should seek assistance, outlining the process when a provider requests help from Certification and the resources available through OCDEL and its partners. The podcast, which began in 2024, aims to explore the complexities of OCDEL’s Bureau of Certification Services and its collaboration with stakeholders, particularly early childhood providers, children, and families across the com...

Nor'easter leaves over 100,000 customers without power in US Northeast, over 400 flights canceled

Nor'easter leaves over 100,000 customers without power in US Northeast, over 400 flights canceled

By Scott DiSavino NEW YORK, Sept 26 (Reuters) - A strong nor'easter hitting the US East Coast from Washington, D.C. to Maine this weekend forced airlines to cancel over 400 flights and knocked out power to more than 100,000 homes and businesses at one point on Saturday.