Pennsylvania News & Current Events

A known risk factor for glaucoma is elevated intraocular, or internal eye, pressure. (Nicholas Felix/peopleimages.com/Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, January 25, 2023

Eye Screenings Recommended for Glaucoma Awareness Month

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month. It is a leading cause of blindness in the U.S. and anyone can have it, so a Pennsylvania expert said it is one …

Over 41% of people who earn minimum wage or less are in families that earn less than $50,000 per year, and 19% are in families that make less than $30,000 per year, according to the Analysis of Pennsylvania Minimum Wage report. (Fizkes/AdobeStock)

As Other States See Pay Hikes, PA Minimum Wage Stuck at $7.25

Low-wage workers in Pennsylvania are missing out on the pay hikes in 23 other states that took effect this month, when those states raised their …

In addition to more than 100,000 active oil and gas well sites in the state, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has documented about 25,000 abandoned wells. (Bureau of Land Management)

EPA Seeks PA Comments on Stricter Methane Rules

Pennsylvania is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse-gas pollution in the U-S, and the Environmental Protection Agency wants input on a plan …

Every four in a half minutes a baby is born with a birth defect in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Elena/AdobeStock)

National Birth Defects Awareness Month in PA

This is National Birth Defects Awareness Month. Birth defects are common, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and they can …

According to ahe Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce survey, among women who have a bachelor's degree in communications and journalism, their median earnings are the same or higher than men's three years after graduation. (New Africa/Adobe Stock)

Report: Industry Decline Reduces Journalism Jobs

A report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and Workforce found the number of journalism jobs will continue to decline over the next d…

The Susquehanna River begins in upstate New York and flows 284 miles through Pennsylvania, before reaching Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay. (Christian Hinkle/Adobe Stock)

Report: PA Actions Key to Chesapeake Bay Restoration

A new report says there's hope for restoring the Chesapeake Bay - if Pennsylvania does more to meet its clean-water commitments. The 2022 State of …

Utilities offer payment programs and other arrangements for households having trouble paying bills. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission said last year, utilities spent <a href=

$459 million on such programs. (Kenishirotie/Adobe Stock)">

Staying Warm in PA with Winter Heating Assistance

Higher fuel prices and a bitterly cold start to this winter mean it will cost more for most people to heat their homes, according to the U.S…

Subsidized Child Care Program assists low-income families in Pennsylvania to help with child-care expenses, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. (Lordn/AdobeStock)">

Study: Children in Child Care Don't Exhibit Problematic Behaviors

A new study shows kids in child care are not more likely to exhibit behavior problems than those who don't attend them. The Society for Research in …

The most recent numbers show more than 8 million registered voters in the Keystone State. (Christian Hinkle/Adobe Stock)

'Fix Harrisburg' Rally to Demand Better Legislative Rules in PA

Pennsylvania advocacy groups will gather on the State Capitol steps for a "Fix Harrisburg" rally on Jan. 3, the first day the General Assembly is in …

report, clean-energy pathway reduces emissions drastically, cutting CO2 emissions by 92% by 2035 and 97% by 2050. (Xiaoliangge/Adobe Stock)">

Report: Clean-Energy Pathway Would Cut Emissions, Boost Jobs in SW PA

A new report explores a clean-energy pathway in southwestern Pennsylvania. Sean O'Leary, senior researcher, Ohio River Valley Institute, said the …

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, an estimated 330,000 productive oil and gas wells have been drilled in the Keystone State. (donyanedomam/Adobe Stock)

New EPA Methane Rules Could Translate to PA Jobs

New rules proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency would require regular inspections of all methane-emitting oil and gas production sites throu…

During the pandemic, the child poverty rate dropped to 5.2% because of the expansion of the child tax credit and other relief efforts. (Andrii/AdobeStock)

PA Group Urges Congress to Expand Child Tax Credit

A Pennsylvania policy analysis group is adding its voice to the calls for Congress to bring back the expanded child tax credit for families in place d…

Senate Bill 1277 in the Pennsylvania General Assembly would require parental notification of content and materials that expose students to sexually explicit content in schools. (Drazen/Adobe Stock)

Group Advocates for Inclusive Schools in Keystone State

A Pennsylvania group has responded to what it says are "discriminatory policy proposals in the state education system" by launching the "Inclusive Sch…

Report: More PA Kids had Health Insurance During Pandemic

A new report says during the pandemic, more children were able to keep their health insurance in the Commonwealth. The "State of Children's Health" …

Forty-eight of Pennsylvania's 67 counties are classified as rural, and the Keystone State has the third-largest rural population in the nation, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. (Christian Hinkle/Adobe Stock)<br /><br />

PA Democrats 'Showed Up' for Rural Voters

In Pennsylvania and across the country, Democrats have struggled to gain support from rural voters in recent elections, but this year's midterms …

The Keystone Research Center report also recommends the Keystone State establish a minimum weekly unemployment compensation benefit rate based on the Pennsylvania cost of living, rather than on wages received in the worker's base year. (Chansom Pantip/Adobe Stock)

Report Urges Governor-Elect to Fix PA Unemployment System

A new report urges Pennsylvania's governor-elect to revamp the state's unemployment compensation system as soon as he takes office in January…

In Pennsylvania, a minimum requirement for individuals to become foster parents is for them to pass screenings related to child abuse and criminal history. (Africa Studio/Adobe Stock)

More Protections Coming for PA Children's Service Providers

In just two months, it should be easier for providers of children's services in Pennsylvania's child-welfare and foster-care system to get the …

Every year, close to 90,000 people in Pennsylvania are diagnosed with diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. (Tuan_azizi/Adobe Stock)

National Diabetes Month: PA Insurers Focus on More Affordable Insulin

It is National Diabetes Awareness Month, and the American Diabetes Association said at least 1.2 million Pennsylvanians have been diagnosed with the …

Medicare supplement policies are often referred to as MediGap coverage, because they cover expenses in the gap basic Medicare does not. (Japhoto/Adobe Stock)

PA Seniors Urged to Enroll in Medicare Before Deadline

Medicare's annual open enrollment period ends Dec. 7, so if you're one of the 2.8 million Pennsylvanians eligible for Medicare, decisions need to be …

Keystone Oaks High School teacher Kevin Gallagher was selected for the Horace Mann Award for Teaching Excellence, one of public education's highest honors. (Photo courtesy of Gallagher)

PA Educator Receives National Teaching Excellence Award

This has been National Education Week, and a Pennsylvania high school teacher is among only five educators nationally to receive one of the …

The Community College of Philadelphia's website says the school has served more than <a href=

685,000 of the city's residents since 1965. (Daniel Ernst/Adobe Stock)">

PA School Works to Attract More Students of Color to Higher Ed

A report on Black students in the community college system finds fewer are signing up to attend two-year colleges. One Pennsylvania school wants to …

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's website, the newspaper's combined print and digital circulation is 100,000 on Sundays and 73,000 on Thursdays. (Checubus/Adobe Stock)

Pittsburgh Newspaper Workers Continue Their Labor Strike

Election Day is busy at most news outlets, but some employees of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette are picketing today, still on strike for what they …

A new report says for every dollar spent helping farmers improve water quality under the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint, the Bay region would see $1.75 in higher sales and earnings. (Christian Hinkle/Adobe Stock)

Report: PA Could See Big Economic Benefits from Farm Conservation

Farmers in Pennsylvania need to do more to improve soil and water quality, and the state needs to do more to support those efforts. That's the …

In Pennsylvania, polls will be open on Tuesday, Nov. 8, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Seventyfour/Adobe Stock)

PA Group Pushes to Educate Voters Ahead of General Elections

As the Nov. 8 midterm election fast approaches, there has been an urgent push for more voter education in Pennsylvania, even at the last minute…

According to the Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, compared to their peers, teens in foster care experience worse outcomes by age 21, and only 49% have full or part-time employment. (DrobotDean/Adobe Stock)

PA Teens in Foster Care Await Outcome of 'Permanency' Bill

Backers of legislation awaiting Gov. Tom Wolf's signature said it would improve the odds of success for teens transitioning out of foster care…

Restaurant workers are among the groups that make minimum wage, which in Pennsylvania is $7.25 per hour. It was last changed in 2008, when it was raised from $7.15. (Tigercat_lpg/Adobe Stock)

PA Groups Join Call to Action for Congress to Support Restaurant Workers

Food-service workers in Pennsylvania and their advocates want Congress to consider and support a new "Restaurant Workers Bill of Rights." The document…

Despite more than 680,000 Pennsylvanians being without health insurance, the state's overall rate of uninsured residents is under 7%, which is better than the national rate of 10.4%. (Vitalii Vodolazskyi/Adobe Stock)

PA Open Enrollment for Health Insurance Begins Nov. 1

Tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians will be shopping for new health insurance plans for next year when open enrollment begins on Nov. 1. Experts …

Pennsylvanians voting for the first time must provide proof of identification, such as a Pennsylvania driver's license or PennDOT ID card. (Vesperstock/Adobe Stock)

It's Here: PA Voter Registration is Today

In Pennsylvania, today is the last day to register to vote or update your voter registration before the November 8 midterm election. You have until …

Gov. Tom Wolf signed a bill in December 2021 providing temporary relief to support Pennsylvania school districts struggling amid a national shortage of substitute teachers during the pandemic. (AVAVA/Adobe Stock)

Report Recommends Ways to Fix PA Teacher, Staff Shortages

A new report confirms what many Pennsylvania families already know: The shortage of educators and school staffers has reached a crisis level in some p…

As of 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Keystone State is home to more than 600,000 union members. (Sittinan/Adobe Stock)

Report: PA Workers Benefit from Tight Labor Market, Unions

The latest research on the "State of Working Pennsylvania" says a tight labor market and new levels of union organizing are offering new opportunities…

The ramp-up in hiring is part of the Postal Service's 10-year strategic plan to put the service on a firmer financial footing. (Lost_in_the_Midwest/AdobeStock)

PA Post Offices Swamped as USPS Ramps Up Holiday Hiring

With the holidays quickly approaching, the U.S. Postal Service is hiring 28,000 seasonal workers in the Keystone State and across the country…

Two major rivers in Pennsylvania are part of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed: the Susquehanna, with a watershed of 21,000 square miles, and the Potomac, with 1,600 square miles. (Michael/Adobe Stock)

Report: PA Lags in Chesapeake Bay Restoration Goals

The Chesapeake Bay Clean Water Blueprint has deadlines for Pennsylvania, and other states in the watershed, to implement practices to reduce water-…

Almost one in four children and youth in placement experienced a re-entry into care, according to the recent State of Child Welfare report by the Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children. (Africa Studio/AdobeStock)

PA Pandemic Toll on Children Shows Progress, Racial Disparity and Recommendations

The 13th annual Pennsylvania State of Child Welfare report is out. Children advocates said the 2021 pandemic numbers showed some progress and …

The cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for Social Security recipients in 2022 was 5.9%. There have been automatic COLA adjustments since 1975 based on the Consumer Price Index. (Larryhw/Adobe Stock)

Social Security Recipients Anticipate Boost in Monthly Benefits

About 70 million Americans could soon see what some are predicting as a sizable increase in Social Security benefits for 2023, which would mean …

About 75% of the nation's flowering plants and more than 30% of the nation's food crops rely upon animal pollinators to reproduce, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Lamar Gore/John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge)<br /><br />

Urban PA Community Gardens Grow Food, Solace, Opportunity

Pennsylvania has a strong commitment to urban agriculture and community gardening, and some groups in the state are working to get more colorful …

In May, Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., announced the Keystone State will receive $26.63 million for the revitalization of abandoned mine land. (Marek_mosinski/AdobeStock)

Benefits From Reclaiming Degraded, Abandoned Lands

A new report from the National Wildlife Federation found reclaiming degraded land could bring hundreds of millions of dollars to the U.S. economy…

According to a 2021 report, defendants in about half of all criminal cases in Pennsylvania had counsel provided by a public defender. (Adobe Stock)

New Bill Would Fund PA's Ailing Public Defender System

A new bill in Pennsylvania would provide money for public defenders, who say they're struggling to take on the cases of people charged with crimes …

The number of Pennsylvania residents who have already installed solar power at their homes or businesses is now close to 15,000. (Diyanadimitrova/Adobe Stock)

Clean-Energy Investments to Boost PA Economy

Renewable energy has the possibility to boost the economy and benefit workers and the environment in the Keystone State. That was the message at the …

The pilot program in the CHIPS Act is based on legislation known as the RECOMPETE Act, written by U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Wash. (Sherman Cahal/Adobe Stock)

An Asset for Distressed Rural Communities in PA

A little-known facet of the CHIPS and Science Act, passed in Congress this summer to boost the semiconductor industry, could benefit areas of rural …

According to the state's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Pennsylvania is the only state in the nation named for its forests.

Healthy Lands Week: Statewide Initiative to Strengthen Volunteer Activities

Pennsylvanians are encouraged to visit and volunteer at one or more of the Keystone State's more than 6,000 local and state parks during Healthy Lands…

In 2020-21, nearly 90% of charter school funding from state, local and federal sources came from mandatory tuition payments from school districts, according to the Keystone Center for Charter Change. (V. Yakobchuk/Adobe Stock)

PA School-Board Groups Advocate for Charter-School Funding Changes

A Pennsylvania group made up of members of locally-elected, volunteer school boards across the state is urging the General Assembly to take action to …

Gov. Tom Wolf said of a tougher gift ban, "That new standard of accountability remains an important step to restore faith in government and has worked successfully for more than seven years." (Mandritoiu/Adobe Stock)">

Group Turns Up Heat on PA Lawmakers to Pass Gift Ban

Pennsylvania law allows an elected official to accept a gift - including cash - as long as it's disclosed in annual reports. But that raises some …

Admissions to secure juvenile detention facilities dropped 51% in Pennsylvania between 2016 and 2020, but the median length of stay has nearly doubled. (Photographee.eu/Adobe Stock)

Lack of PA Juvenile Detention Space Reaches Critical Stage

One goal of youth and family support services is to keep kids out of juvenile detention, but for those who are accused of serious crimes, …

Vaccine-preventable diseases, such as chicken pox, meningitis, measles and whooping cough are still seen across the commonwealth, according to the Pennsylvania Dept. of Health. (InsideCreativeHouse/Adobe Stock)

Health Professionals Urge Back-to-School Checkups for PA Kids

As a new school year starts, experts are reminding Pennsylvania parents not to overlook some important health screenings for kids. The required …

Pennsylvania's 58,000 farm families continue to care for over 7.7 million acres of farmland. (asafaric/Adobe Stock)

Inflation Reduction Act Seen as 'Win' for PA Family Farms

President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law Tuesday, which conservation groups see as a major victory in the battle against …

In Pennsylvania, there are more than 71,500 Black-owned businesses, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. (Rawpixel.com/Adobe Stock)

PA Group Works to Encourage, Fund Black Entrepreneurs

August is National Black Business Month, and this year, for Black-owned companies in Pennsylvania that have managed to survive through the pandemic…

In Pennsylvania's Nov. 8 General Election, voters will decide races for governor, U.S. House and Senate, and several state offices. (Zimmytws/Adobe Stock)

Public Hearing Set to Allow Independents to Vote in PA Primaries

Opening up Pennsylvania's primary elections to voters who aren't registered either as Democrats or Republicans is the topic of a State House of Repres…

This year's Pennsylvania education budget includes $850 million in recurring funding to allow school districts to invest in student learning while simultaneously allowing local communities to cut property taxes. (WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobe Stock)

New PA School Year: Underfunded Districts, Unresolved Lawsuit

CORRECTION: The $3.7 billion figure represents an increase in education investments during the eight-year Wolf Administration, not the Pennsylvania …

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