>>SCOTUS Denies Emergency Injunction, Kicks PA Congressional Map Challenge Back To Lower Court
(Harrisburg, PA) -- The U.S. Supreme Court has denied an emergency request from a group of Pennsylvania Republicans seeking to block the commonwealth's new congressional map. The one-page order issued Monday evening, instead keeps the case in front of a panel of three U.S. district judges. The order did not note any dissenting justices. Pennsylvania's new 17-district congressional map was picked by the state Supreme Court last month after Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf and the Republican-controlled General Assembly couldn't agree on a map. The Republicans' federal case argued that the state court overstepped and violated the U.S. Constitution in picking a map.
>>Gov Wolf Calls On Legislature To Support Refugees, Divest From Russia
(Harrisburg, PA) -- Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf has called on the Republican-controlled Legislature to support Ukrainian refugees and to take more action to divest Russian-related assets. The governor, who wore a blue and gold ribbon as he talked to reporters Monday that he would do everything in his power to ensure Pennsylvania's support of Ukraine. He also says he wants to sever ties with Russia. He's additionally asked the General Assembly to set aside two-million-dollars in state funds to assist refugees with housing, food, clothing, and long-term support. House GOP leaders expect to hold a press conference on Tuesday to outline their legislative plans to divest from Russia.
>>Protesters Disrupt House Leader's Speech, Demand Lawmakers Pass Gift Ban
(Harrisburg, PA) -- Republican House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff has come under fire from a grassroots group that wants the General Assembly to pass a gift ban for state lawmakers. Benninghoff, while answering question at a news conference Monday, took heat from protesters with the grassroots group March on Harrisburg, who crashed the event at the Harrisburg Hilton. However, he seemed to dismiss the idea of a such bill receiving a vote in the lower chamber, saying he'd need to see detailed specifics. He also talked about other, more pressing business, such as the 2022 state budget and still unfinished legislative maps taking precedence over any talk about the gift ban.
>>Muhlenberg College To Host First Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Debate
(Allentown, PA) -- Muhlenberg College will host the first debate of Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate next month. In making the announcement Monday, the school also says Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta and U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb have been confirmed for the event April 3rd. Attendance by the third Democratic candidate, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, is "under discussion," according to a news release.
>>Children's Art Competition will Bring Awareness to Lyme Disease
(Harrisburg, PA) -- As the number of Lyme disease cases in the state and across the nation continues to rise, officials from several state agencies are encouraging young students to create art to bring awareness about the disease. They're sponsoring the 2022 Lyme Art Contest. Acting Secretary of Health Keara Klinepeter says the competition will be able to educate students and their parents on where ticks live and how to prevent getting a tick bite. It's open to children in first through sixth grades. Contest materials can be found on the Department of Health's website - deadline to submit an entry is this Friday, March 11th. This year's finalists will be notified by mail and will be invited to an award ceremony in May 2022.
>>State Leaders Call For Divesting Of Investments From Russia
(Harrisburg, PA) -- House Republican leaders are expected to hold a news conference Tuesday to outline legislative plans to free up investments made from Russia. Some state-related organizations have already made plans to do so. The Public School Employees' Retirement System unanimously voted to sell its nearly $300 million worth of investments in Russia and Belarus. The State Employees' Retirement System also voted to divest its Russia-related assets last week. Republican Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity also announced that the state treasury is selling off nearly three million in Russian holdings.
>>PA Eligible For $26.5M More To Reclaim Abandoned Mine Lands
(Harrisburg, PA) -- Pennsylvania has upwards of five-thousand abandoned mines statewide and Governor Tom Wolf says the state is now eligible to receive nearly $27 million in federal money to reclaim them. A statement from the governor's office says the funding will be used to continue efforts to close dangerous mine shafts and reclaim unstable slopes. Focus also will be on improving water quality by treating acid mine drainage and restoring water supplies that have been damaged by mining. The nearly $26 million is in addition to the just under $245 million announced by Wolf last month that will come from the Federal Infrastructure Law.
>>Contractor Fined By OSHA For Unsafe Practices
(York, PA) -- A contracting company in York has been cited and fined by OSHA for two serious offenses that resulted in the death of a worker in August of last year. OSHA fined Caretti Restoration and Preservation Services for the serious offenses of weak scaffolding and damaged scaffolding. The citations stem from an incident in August of 2021 when two employees were performing brick restoration services at a height of 10 stories on the Yorktowne Hotel in what were deemed unsafe sets of scaffolding. One set was not repaired and collapsed at a reported height of six stories, resulting in the death of one worker. The fines totaled over 14-thousand-dollars and were issued in late February.
>>Police Arrest Man In Shooting Near Movie Theater In Lower Paxton Township
(Dauphin County, PA) -- A Steelton man is facing attempted homicide charges after a weekend shooting near a Dauphin County movie theater. Offices took 20-year-old Devon Siar into custody Saturday after they were called earlier that morning near to an area near the Regal Harrisburg theater for a reported shooting. A man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds was found and was taken to the hospital. His injuries are believed to be non-critical. Siar is charged with attempted homicide, aggravated assault and other crimes in connection with the shooting. Siar was also charged with multiple drug possession offenses on Saturday, according to online court dockets. The drug counts are out of Harrisburg, and it is unclear if the cases are related.
>York Shooting Victim, Cause Of Death Identified
(York, PA) -- A 24-year-old York man has been identified as the victim of a homicide from over the weekend. Following an autopsy on Monday, the York County Coroner determined DaJuan Williams-Banks died from multiple gunshot wounds. He was found dead Saturday in the 300 block of West North Street about 6:30 that night. York City Police continue to investigate the circumstances of his death.
>> Hershey's Chocolate Workers in Virginia Are Unionizing
(Hershey, PA) -- Some 1,300 workers at Hershey's Virginia candy manufacturing plant are voting on whether to unionize. The workers at the factory in Stuarts Draft, Virginia, if approved, would be represented by the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers' International Union. The employees currently are participating in a National Labor Relations Board election, with mail-in ballots set to be counted on March 24th. Two of the Hershey Company's seven plants are already unionized.
>>Reading Drug Boss Sentenced to 32 Years
(Reading, PA) -- A 47-year-old man from Reading, has been sentenced to 32 years in prison by a U.S. District Court judge for organizing and directing what prosecutors call a prolific drug gang. David Cooper, according to officials, ran the operation from his home located outside of Reading in Muhlenberg Township, providing drug product to other dealers and drug users in the Allentown area. In September 2021, the defendant pleaded guilty just before trial to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine, among other charges. Officials say multiple state, federal and local agencies were involved in the overall investigation.
>>Lancaster Homes Vandalized
(Lancaster County, PA) -- Pennsylvania State Police in Lancaster are looking for the culprits in a multi-home vandalizing spree across the county. Officials say homes in Paradise Township, Sadsbury Township, Little Britain Township, and Providence Township were vandalized when bricks and stones were thrown through windows Sunday morning. An estimated $2,000 worth of damage were reported by residents on the receiving end of the vandalism.
>>State to Receive $100 million for Broadband Internet Access
(Lancaster County, PA) -- Pennsylvania is poised to receive $100 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to go toward improving broadband access. Advocates and local lawmakers say such funding would transform rural communities. Susan Boser, professor of sociology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, said the decline in manufacturing jobs in the mid-20th century hit rural towns the hardest, so they would benefit greatly from such programs. According to the Governor's office, half a million rural Pennsylvanians lack reliable Internet coverage.
>>Company that Builds Modular Cleanroom Facilities Coming To Manheim
(Manheim, PA) -- A company that creates clean-room facilities for pharma and biotech firms is building a new facility in Manheim that will bring 97 new, full-time jobs. Governor Tom Wolf announced that AES Clean Technology will invest more than $14 million to open the new manufacturing facility in Lancaster County. The company is also retaining 95 jobs at its headquarters in Montgomery County. AES has been a partner in Operation Warp Speed as its cleanroom facilities have supported the manufacturing of COVID vaccines, antibody therapeutics, and diagnostic devices.
>>Federal Appeals Court Upholds Convictions Of Former Allentown Mayor, Co-Defendant
(Allentown, PA) -- A federal appeals court has rejected arguments that there was insufficient evidence to support the public corruption convictions of former Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski and his co-defendant Scott Allinson. The decisions from the Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday mean Pawlowski will continue serving a 15-year prison sentence and Allinson, who was released during his appeal, may soon return to prison to serve the remainder of his 27-month sentence. The two were convicted in 2018 after prosecutors showed Pawlowski and his political operatives tied city contracts to donations to Pawlowski's campaigns. He ran unsuccessfully for governor and the U.S. Senate.
>>Pennsylvania Reports Lower Performance On Standardized Tests
(Harrisburg, PA) -- The Pennsylvania Department of Education has released standardized test scores from the 2020-21 academic year and they reflect a decline in performance. State education officials say no one should rush to judgement, however, noting that the COVID-19 pandemic caused learning gaps as schools adjusted to varied instruction models. Sherri Smith, Deputy Secretary For Elementary and Secondary Education, said in a statement that "Historically, standardized assessment results have been an important part of understanding school performances. But this year's results are anything but standard." The federal Every Student Succeeds Act mandates the annual standardized tests.
>>Harden Returns, Sixers Win
(Philadelphia, PA) -- The Philadelphia 76ers are playing some very good basketball. James Harden returned last night after missing the previous game to drop 16-points and 14-assists. But it was Joel Embiid and his 43-points and 14-rebounds that helped the team cruise to a 121-to-106 win against the Chicago Bulls. Philly will get a few days of rest before returning to the court Thursday night.