News Digest:: October 11, 2023

Legislature

State officials tour communities ravaged by July storm in Berks (readingeagle.com)

Pennsylvania bills would implement harsher penalties for swatting calls (abc27.com)

‘EMS is a must’: Pa. EMS departments struggle with funding, staffing and increasing calls (ems1.com)

Temple’s education program gets $1M from state to help improve teacher diversity (fox29.com)

PA Environment Digest Blog: Center For Rural Pennsylvania: Rural Population To Shrink 5.8%; Fewer Young People, More Older People; Current Policies Failed To Sustain Communities, Ensure Long-Term Rural Resiliency (paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com)

Pa. election 2023: A complete guide to who is on the ballot, when to vote, how to vote, where to vote, casting mail ballots & more – WHYY

Pennsylvania’s Rural Population Projected to Shrink, Potentially Straining Workforce | Farming and Agricultural News | lancasterfarming.com

Junior League of Reading’s 100th Year of Service Focuses on Menstrual Equity – BCTV

Serving breakfast in Pennsylvania’s schools sometimes takes creative thinking – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Business/Jobs

Sellers say Amazon undercuts their prices, charges high fees : NPR

Owner of Ann Taylor, Loft and Talbots to acquire 3 more women’s clothing brands for $1B – pennlive.com

Dunkin’ brings back an eight-legged, Munchkin topped doughnut for Halloween 2023 – pennlive.com

Chick-fil-A, Five Below, Dunkin’ and Planet Fitness among new stores coming to central Pa. – pennlive.com

Ben & Jerry’s will roll out a new non-dairy formula it says even ice cream fans will love – pennlive.com

PNC laying off employees, exact amount not announced | TribLIVE.com

Vlasic and Frank’s RedHot mashup puts a hot zing in dill pickles – pennlive.com

COVID-19

Former COVID-19 czar: The virus ‘new normal’ points to larger public health mission – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Driver dead after head-on collision with tractor-trailer going the wrong way on I-83: coroner – pennlive.com

Crime/Punishment

Texas executes man who questioned evidence in deadly carjacking of elderly woman : NPR

Central Pa. cop sued over use of stun gun on DUI suspect: video – pennlive.com

Dog found dead in central Pa. creek had been weighed down by rock: police – pennlive.com

2 people found dead in Pa. woods: police – pennlive.com

Causes of death released for 7 killed in Pa. chocolate factory blast – pennlive.com

Education

Temple’s education program gets $1M from state to help improve teacher diversity (fox29.com)

State college system enrollment stabilizing | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

New federal law modifies 2022 Safer Communities Act to allow archery in schools | National | thecentersquare.com

Pennsylvania universities are still waiting for subsidies | WITF

At Harvard, a Battle Over What Should Be Said About the Hamas Attacks – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Elections/Politics

When is the deadline to register to vote in Pennsylvania? (abc27.com)

Pa. election 2023: A complete guide to who is on the ballot, when to vote, how to vote, where to vote, casting mail ballots & more – WHYY

Four For Two: The PA Superior Court Race (politicspa.com)

Environment/Energy

Energy experts: Battery storage for wind, solar to increase consumer costs | National | thecentersquare.com

DEP Environmental Justice meetings begin this week. Here’s how to participate – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Solar eclipse will shine in ‘ring of fire’: How, when to watch it – pennlive.com

Tropical Storm Sean Is the Latest to Form in the Atlantic – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Spotted lanternflies and the smoky honey they help make | WITF

Transportation

Electric vehicles all queued up with nowhere to go | National | thecentersquare.com

State spending on alternative fuel rebates hits $15.7 million | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Pennsylvania could go after lottery winnings, tax returns | WITF

Gun Safety

St. Joseph’s to craft report from gun violence summit | Local News | phillytrib.com

From youth gun violence to safe injections sites, mayoral candidates talk safety | Local News | phillytrib.com

Health

California is first state to ban 4 food additives for cancer, other health risks : NPR

PA child care providers sound alarm | WITF

Proposal centralizes tracking of $1.08 billion opioid fund | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Overdose deaths among Black Philadelphians rose by nearly 20% in 2022 – City & State Pennsylvania (cityandstatepa.com)

New study suggests a link between a plastic additive and autism, ADHD – pennlive.com

State News

Serving breakfast in Pennsylvania’s schools sometimes takes creative thinking – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

What’s next for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative in PA · Spotlight PA

What the 2023 PA budget does for rural communities · Spotlight PA State College

Pennsylvania could go after lottery winnings, tax returns | WITF

Striking Mack Trucks workers in Pennsylvania: ‘We deserve our fair share, too.’ – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Outlook for hunters looks promising despite drop in Pa. bear population – pennlive.com

Pennsylvania spends $600,000 to fix up recovery houses | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

National News

Biden denounces deadly Hamas attack on Israel: ‘There’s no justification for terrorism’ – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Biden gave ‘voluntary interview’ to investigators regarding classified documents | National | thecentersquare.com

Biden says at least 14 Americans killed in Hamas terror attack | National | thecentersquare.com

Prosecutors say Trump’s request to push back documents trial not necessary | National | thecentersquare.com

Ahead of $1.73 Billion Jackpot Drawing, Lottery Hopefuls Flock to L.A. Store – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Adaptive technologies help people with disabilities enjoy the great outdoors : NPR

Migrant mothers arriving in New York find support, hope and challenges : NPR

Local News

Latino experts discuss challenges facing community | WITF

Mack Truck workers in Middletown Pa join UAW strike | WITF

Police will be at Pa. library during protest over Moms for Liberty storytime – pennlive.com

L.L. Bean’s Bootmobile and pop-up shop will be in 3 Pa. locations including Cumberland County – pennlive.com

Hundreds attend prayer vigil in Allentown after Hamas attacks (mcall.com)

Pitt 

Pittsburgh Public Schools considers closing building amid budget deficit, enrollment decline | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day starting next year | TribLIVE.com

Pittsburgh looks to add protection for renters experiencing domestic violence | TribLIVE.com

Pittsburgh businesses, shoppers prepare for plastic bag ban | TribLIVE.com

Philly

Philly cafeteria workers, climate staff ratify new contract | Local News | phillytrib.com

EMIR and art students create victims’ memorial | Local News | phillytrib.com

PHL Inno – Powering Philadelphia’s bioscience revolution with innovative office headquarters (bizjournals.com)

34-story Rittenhouse Square apartment tower comes up for sale – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Fight in the stands ends high school football game early, police said | Local News | phillytrib.com

Washington

Eye on the Capitol: How Casey, Fetterman, Kelly voted last week | Local News | ncnewsonline.com

Sen. John Fetterman to headline Iowa Democratic Party dinner in November – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)