Commissioners in Snyder County say they plan to close their prison sometime this year; a Somerset County man is one of five Americans jailed in Turks and Caicos on ammunition charges; a big lottery winning goes unclaimed; and a discussion on recent criticism of NPR.  Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information ..read more

Penn State is making a buyout offer to employees at its Commonwealth Campuses -- including those in Harrisburg, York, Mont Alto, and Reading. Faculty Senators are not holding back in  expressing frustration and criticism of the plan.  Several communities across the state -- including Philadelphia -- are turning to “tough-on-crime” approaches to address drug use and the opioid crisis. But, some families who’ve lost loved ones to drug overdoses are pushing back on strategies that rely on criminalization. Pennsylvania’s severe rainstorms drop more water than they did decades ago. A new ..read more

An American accused of sexually assaulting a Gettysburg College student in 2013 and later sending her a Facebook message that said, “So I raped you,” has been detained in France after a three-year search. Pennsylvania is one of many states that have recently banned the Callery pear tree.   The WIC program connects at-risk mothers and caregivers with social services and guidance to provide the best care for their children. The federal program celebrates its 50th anniversary in Pennsylvania this month.  Pennsylvania’s fracking wastewater could provide a key ingredient for the energy tr ..read more

PPL Electric Utilities could pay one million dollars into its customer hardship fund, under a proposed deal from the state’s utility regulator. Cyril Wecht, a celebrated pathologist and one of Western Pennsylvania's defining political figures, has died at age 93.  With more than 600 jobs to fill and many retirements lurking, Gov. Josh Shapiro is asking his administration to change the way the state hires in his newest executive order. An 82-year-old Perry County woman is recovering well after becoming the first person in the world to undergo a new type of heart surgery.  Federal auth ..read more

Today is the deadline for counties to certify primary votes, barring election protests or recounts.  The Chester Housing Authority is “troubled,” according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Less than one-percent of the Americans who served during World War II are still alive to tell their stories, according to The National World War II Museum. A memoir coming out tomorrow details the life experiences of a 100-year-old World War II veteran living in State College.  Communities across Central Pennsylvania have wrestled with how to spend federal COVID-19 pandemic ..read more

State House leaders plan to introduce legislation to close funding gaps between the Commonwealth’s poorest and wealthiest school districts.  York County is looking to hire its fourth election director in as many years.   As temperatures rise, ticks and spotted lanternflies are sure to follow soon.   Pennsylvania will join the majority of states that ban motorists from handling a cell phone for almost any purpose while driving. A Lancaster County school board is planning to vote later this month on whether to hire a religious liberties law firm to provide advice on how ..read more

The number of mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania rejected for technicalities saw a significant drop in last month’s primary election. It comes after election leaders tried anew to help voters avoid mistakes  Penn State is offering voluntary buyouts to employees at its Commonwealth Campuses -- including those in Harrisburg, York, Mont Alto, and Reading. Appliances sold in the state would need to meet stricter efficiency standards under a measure passed by the House. Schuylkill County is spotlighting how it pooled coronavirus pandemic-era funding to create a regional emergency training center ..read more

A school voucher proposal is headed to a floor vote in the state Senate. Republican state lawmakers are advancing a $3 billion tax cut, in a counterproposal to Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro's budget plan. Nearly two weeks after an arrest warrant for Democratic state Representative Kevin Boyle of Philadelphia was revoked, House Republicans are calling on the state Attorney General to investigate Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner. A Lebanon County man faces 11 years in prison for his  role in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.   A Cumberland Valley School board mem ..read more

Two poll workers will no longer work elections at First United Methodist Church in Lancaster -- after two Black voters reported being racially profiled during last month's primary. A rally in Harrisburg has featured advocates backing  bipartisan legislation to provide up to 20 weeks of paid family leave to Pennsylvanians.      A Pennsylvania school district is celebrating the completion of its “Filter First” drinking fountain project.  The University of Pennsylvania’s newest union will have thousands of members, after graduate students voted overwhelmingly in favor of ..read more

The Maryland Air National Guard will no long fly low-level training flights over the PA Wilds.  Legislation passed by the state Senate would let energy companies bypass state agencies when securing a permit to build. Governor Josh Shapiro's proposed budget includes a significant increase in funding to reduce gun violence in communities. Ethnic intimidation charges have been filed against a Carlisle man for posting an anti-Semitic note at the door of the Asbell Center for Jewish Life at Dickinson College. Berks County is investigating an allegation of voter fraud that came to light during ..read more