>>State Senate Adopts "Don't Say Gay" Bill
(Harrisburg, PA) -- A Pennsylvania bill has passed the state senate that would prohibit classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity in grades five or earlier. It would require that parents be notified of all health care services offered at a school, as well as any well-being questionnaires, surveys, or health screenings. The motion passed by a 30 to 20 margin.
>>School Districts Could Be Restricted on Library Book Content
(Harrisburg, PA) -- The Pennsylvania Senate has approved a bill that would have school districts tell parents about library books with sexually explicit content. It passed by a vote of 29 to 21. It now goes to the House for consideration.
>>Former Federal Building to Become Apartments
(Harrisburg , PA) -- What once was the federal building in Harrisburg will soon become luxury apartments and penthouses. Real estate developer Global Ocean has released plans for 200 units for the building , which will also include space for a movie theater and other businesses. The project still needs planning and zoning permissions, but work would begin on it early next year.
>>City Council Rejects Housing Idea for Former Warehouse
(Harrisburg , PA) - The City Council in Harrisburg has said "no" to a project that would have converted an old warehouse into 22 rehabbed apartments. The project by D&F Realty is in the 2,400 block of Jefferson Street. Council Member Shamaine Daniels tells The Burg News dot com that even though previous code violations at the site had been addressed, the developer has at least 80 other recent violations on other properties, so the council felt they would likely not be in compliance in the future.
>> Penn State Graduate Charged with Vandalizing Campus Lion Shrine
(State College, PA) - A preliminary hearing is scheduled for next week for a New Jersey woman who allegedly vandalized Penn State's Lion Shrine. Police have charged 23-year-old Julia Cipparulo, a Penn State alum, with vandalizing the lion on the University Park campus. She is accused of splashing red paint on the campus landmark and cutting off its ear during commencement weekend in May.
>>Reading Councilwoman Appointed to President's Seat
(Reading, PA) -- Reading City Councilwoman Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz has been voted to be the new council president. Her approval for the position came unanimously at Monday's council meeting. Cepeda-Freytiz replaces Jeffrey S. Waltman Senior, who died June 13th. Cepeda-Freytiz - who owns the Mi Casa Su Casa Café on Penn Street -- has served District 6 for three years. Someone else must now be appointed to serve out her term as she can't hold two positions on the council.
>>Lancaster City Identifies Priority Use of Pandemic Relief Money
(Lancaster, PA) -- The City of Lancaster is moving forward with ideas on how to best use $5 million in pandemic relief funds. Mayor Danene Sorace says extensive public input has shown city leaders that affordable housing is a top priority. However, the mayor also says the city will need help from the state and federal governments to more fully address housing concerns in Lancaster.
>>Coatsville Teacher Fired After Placing Taped Message on Student's Nose
(Coatsville, PA) -- A teacher of nearly 30 years at the Coatesville Area School District is out of a job after taping what was deemed a humiliating note to a student's nose. At a school board meeting Tuesday night, members voted to dismiss Audra Ritter, a special education and English middle school teacher. She says she was trying to diffuse a situation with humor, but the student says she felt humiliated and discriminated against.
>>Coroner's Officer Rules on Cause of Death for Disgraced Funeral Director
(Lancaster, PA) -- The Lancaster County coroner's office says disgraced former funeral director Andrew Scheid died of natural causes. The 51-year-old man who'd been under house arrest for tampering with public records and abuse of a corpse was found dead in a parked car Monday evening. The coroner says his autopsy shows Scheid died of natural causes from pulmonary emboli, a blockage in the arteries in the lungs.
>>Reading Bank Building to Become Apartments, Businesses
(Reading, PA) -- The Reading Planning Commission has approved a final land development plan to convert a former bank building into a mixed-use space for housing and retail. The past headquarters for Meridian Bank at 35 N. Sixth Street will soon house shops on the first floor, office space on the second floor and nearly 40 apartments on the upper level-floors. The building has been empty for ten years.
>>Debate Over Gun Rights Continues In Pennsylvania State House
(Harrisburg, PA) -- State House Republicans have blocked an attempt by Democrats to implement new gun control legislation. A proposal involving background checks on private sales of rifles and shotguns has now been re-written to instead loosen concealed carry rules. Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee criticized the move saying if a buyer can't pass a background check, they'd just go to a gun show and purchase weapons there.