The RR Edition: A Pa. congressman pushes the Railway Safety Act of 2025. And Altoona eyes a proposed rail merger.
More than two years after the freight rail disaster just across the Pennsylvania border in East Palestine, Ohio, lawmakers are still trying to increase safety regulations on railroads. Western Pa. Congressman Chris Deluzio is working to gather support for his Railway Safety Act of 2025. Freight rail carriers Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific are looking to merge, which would create the first transcontinental railroad in the U.S. The deal still needs to be approved by regulators, but many in Altoona are closely watching. Two people died in a Sunday morning house fire in York County. A 15-year old boy drowned in a Lancaster County pond, while at least one person was rescued from the Susquehanna River last weekend. Capital Region Water is launching a $1.4 billion upgrade to its aging water infrastructure in the Harrisburg area. The project focuses on environmental issues stemming from the company's combined sewer system which handles both rainwater and sewage. A former Middletown, Dauphin County man is being charged in connection with a 12-year old case of animal cruelty. Reading and Lancaster are ranked in the top three fastest-selling housing markets in the nation. Federal funding for public media has been rescinded. Your monthly gift to WITF can help fill the gap as we navigate this new reality. Become a monthly sustaining member today at www.witf.org/givenow. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Why some opposed Sunday hunting in Pa. There's an official America250PA beer. And a deep dive with America250 PA’s exec. director.
With the state prohibition on Sunday hunting lifted, the Pennsylvania Game Commission has announced 13 additional dates starting in September. The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency is teaming up with Penn State, the National Weather Service, and local school districts to install newly upgraded weather monitoring stations across Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania now has an official beer for the America250 anniversary. And take a deep dive with Cassandra Coleman, executive director of America250PA. In uncertain times, our community counts on facts, not noise. Support the journalism and programming that keep you informed. Donate now at witf.org/givenow. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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PA economy loses $100M due to federal research cuts. And a Friday feel-good deep-dive WITF Music feature.
A new online map demonstrates the local economic impact of cuts in federal research funding. One of the map’s creators says more than $100M and 500 jobs have been eliminated from Pennsylvania's economy since the Trump administration canceled hundreds of research projects that were funded by the National Institutes of Health. State lawmakers are considering legislation that would require home sellers in Pennsylvania to disclose flood risk to potential buyers, with the goal of encouraging more people to get flood insurance. The UPMC health system is coming under federal scrutiny over services it provides to transgender men and women. Many Pennsylvania communities are losing access to pharmacies. Hundreds of pharmacies across the state have gone out of business, and their numbers are diminishing with the ongoing Rite Aid bankruptcy closures, according to data obtained by our partners at Spotlight PA. Pennsylvania's Department of Human Services is bringing thousands of employees back to Harrisburg in a reevaluation of post-pandemic workforce balances. And Observe the 93rd stops by WITF for a session with WITF Music's Joe Ulrich. And to see their performances, check out this link to our YouTube page. As you may have heard, federal funding for public media has been rescinded. Your monthly gift to WITF can help fill the gap as we navigate this new reality. Become a monthly sustaining member today at witf.org/givenow. And thank you. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Saving PA’s rural healthcare. And a deep dive: How’s PA’s solar industry?
State and local leaders in Pennsylvania are brainstorming ways to preserve rural health care. That's why they recently held a summit at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, where there is now a seven-county maternity care desert. There's a nationwide shortage of young people pursuing careers as Certified Public Accountants. And state lawmakers are looking to address that talent gap. Construction is underway on a massive new addition to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. Over the past year, homelessness in York County increased by 17 percent. That's according to the Point in Time Count, a federally-required count. Reading City Council is decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana. By a 5-to-2 vote, Reading City Council voted Monday to impose civil fines, rather than criminal charges, on people in possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana. The Hanover Borough Police Department will be closed on Thursday and Friday (July 31 and Aug 1) in connection with renovations for a new downtown public safety building. And a deeper dive on Pennsylvania's solar industry: It was shining bright, with rapid growth and new domestic manufacturing to supply the industry’s needs. That abruptly changed in early July, when the Republican-controlled Congress approved the massive tax cut and spending bill. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Mennonite Action Lancaster returns from West Bank. And AG Sunday sues, after one of the largest gas leaks in U.S. history, in W. Pa.
Two Lancaster County residents joined a group of American activists in visiting the Israeli-occupied West Bank last month. The group was forced to cut their two-week trip short. A Western Pennsylvania gas company is facing criminal charges for a massive natural gas leak at a gas storage field. The plume of gas drifted across Pennsylvania, all the way to Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania recently voted to form a union and will soon negotiate a contract. They're looking to secure more job protections and better salaries among other things. We are in the grips of a heat wave. A heat advisory continues through 8 pm Wednesday, across all of Central Pennsylvania and much of the state. The Pennsylvania Game Commission voted unanimously Monday to open up 10 Sundays for hunting late this summer into fall. The 10 Sundays begin on September 14 and stretch through December 7. Employees at Lancaster County's Red Rose Transit Authority are working under a contract that expired in May, and their next steps are taking many twists and turns. Pennsylvania's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources recently released its Outdoor Recreation Plan, which outlines the state's goals for expanding outdoor recreation over the next five years. The comprehensive plan - called Outdoor Places, Shared Spaces - includes 14 goals and 55 action steps. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sometimes, your mornings are just too busy to catch the news beyond a headline or two. Don’t worry. The Morning Agenda has got your six. Each weekday morning, host Karen Hendricks will keep you informed, amused, enlightened and up-to-date on what’s happening in central Pennsylvania and the rest of this great commonwealth.
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