The Morning Agenda

We’re going to begin with a deep dive today: An ICE detainee says he was put in solitary confinement and transferred out of state in retaliation for speaking out about conditions. The alleged retaliation came after a protest at Pennsylvania’s Moshannon Valley Processing Center, ICE’s largest immigrant detention facility in the northeast United States.  The U.S. House, including Pennsylvania Republ...

A federal appeals court on Tuesday heard arguments in the closely watched legal battle over the slavery exhibit at Philadelphia's President's House Site. Two-hundred forty-seven students recently competed in this year’s Scripps National Spelling Bee. Central Pennsylvania’s champion, Vedika Burman who was backed by WITF and Pennon Education, finished in the top third and hopes to return next year....

A measure to keep cellphones out of schools throughout the day has passed the state House. The bill had supporters AND foes in both parties. Stacy Garrity – the Republican candidate for governor – reiterated her call for a pause on data center development in Northeastern Pennsylvania Monday. Almost every part of modern life requires reliable internet, but access remains uneven in many rural areas...

Chocolate World in Hershey is celebrating America’s 250-year anniversary with a fresh look on its free ride. The Hershey Company is looking back and celebrating its history, too.  It’s now June - and for many people, the summer months mean trips to the beach. A new "state of the shore" report finds the New Jersey coastline is healthy and in good shape.   Pennsylvania's flags are flying at half-sta...

Governor Josh Shapiro is pitching details of his plan for managing data center growth,  months after broadly sketching out a strategy in his budget address. Shapiro, who is running for reelection, is calling on state lawmakers to work with his administration to make his proposal into law. It includes a series of benchmarks data center owners would need to meet in order to get tax benefits from the...

Blue crab populations in the Chesapeake Bay are rebounding from a near-record low.  Environmental protection efforts in Pennsylvania are helping keep the water clean downstream. Western PA Congresspersons Summer Lee and Chris Deluzio say mine operators must do more to help communities dig out of problems left behind when mines close. A federal judge is denying bail for a York County man, citing a...

The campaign to plant ten million trees across the state of Pennsylvania reached its goal Tuesday, with the ten millionth tree planted near Hershey. But environmental advocates say the benefits of the milestone will continue for years to come. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has signed a disaster declaration for Pennsylvania farmers. Its goal is to help those who lost crops during fre...

Pennsylvania's unemployment rate held steady during the month of April. The jobs numbers show record highs in some industries. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is considering adding a new ingredient to sunscreen products for the first time since 1999. Dermatologists are hopeful the new ingredient could expand options for sun protection.  A new report released by the state Insurance Department...

Hurricane season begins next week, on June 1st. National Weather Service forecasters predict the Mid-Atlantic region will see ‘lower than average’ tropical storm activity this year.  Despite rainy conditions over the holiday weekend – and much of the past week – much of Pennsylvania continues to be under drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.    Last week, as the U.S. Environme...

On this Memorial Day, we have a special episode for you – a conversation with Dale and Jan Hanby, hosts of WITF’s newest podcast “Cloth of the Nation.”

Tuesday’s primary saw incumbents and moderate candidates prevail despite high levels of political polarization and dissatisfaction with the Democratic and Republican parties. State lawmakers are considering shifting oversight of Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program to a new entity. Some say it could be a key step toward legalizing recreational cannabis. PennDOT has announced bridge repairs on...

Pennsylvania lags behind most of the country in increasing renewable energy. State Senator Doug Mastriano has been nominated to serve as the next US ambassador to Slovakia. The U.S. Senate has confirmed Brian Miller as the United States Attorney for the Moddle District of Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has temporarily suspended Cumberland County attorney Richard Lee King. The City of...

Bonus Episode: Primary Election Night Results

In the wake of the arrest of a Lebanon County man in connection with threats made against state lawmakers, some legislators say PA state needs to a better job on informing them of such dangers.  State Senator Doug Mastriano has been nominated by Donald Trump to be the next U.S. ambassador to Slovakia.  It’s known as the State of Preschool Yearbook. It’s an annual report dating back to 2002, design...

Penn State faculty members have voted overwhelmingly in favor of joining a union.   It’s primary election day in Pennsylvania. The most closely watched race in our area is for the Democratic nomination for Congress in the 10th District. Voters will choose between former TV news anchor Janelle Stelson and Dauphin County Commissioner Justin Douglas In the race for Governor, incumbent Democrat Josh S...

You might think of the last week of May as the week of Memorial Day. But for nearly 250 spelling bee champions from across the country, it’s “bee week” as they head to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. That includes our very own WITF Central PA Spelling Bee Champion Vedika Burman of Harrisburg. Meet our 11-year-old champion and hear how she’s preparing for the big competition,...

Pennsylvania State Police say twenty Democratic state lawmakers were targeted by online threats, which led to the arrest of a suspect last week.  State police arrested a 42-year-old Lebanon County man last week, after they say he made a series of threats on social media last month.  Voting by Penn State faculty on whether to unionize ended last week. Ballot counting began Wednesday and is slated t...

The Shapiro Administration is now two months into its “Healthy Moms, Vibrant Futures” maternal health strategic action plan. The goal is to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity, supported by community input, collaboration from multiple state departments and a 5-year federal grant. A Lebanon County man is charged with making terroristic threats online, against 20 Pennsylvania lawmakers. Pennsylv...

Homelessness is increasing in central Pennsylvania. The number of people living in shelters, cars, and tents are near record highs. The Mutter Museum is opening a new exhibit examining one of the darkest periods in Philadelphia history, the 1976 outbreak at an American Legion convention that left nearly 3 dozen people dead. It led to the discovery of Legionnaires' Disease. Pennsylvania Supreme Cou...

Early estimates show Pennsylvania's specialty crop industry could be facing losses between $150 million and $200 million dollars this season. That's due to early warm weather that produced blossoms on fruit trees - followed by freezing temperatures in April. Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding says the size and scope of damage is unprecedented. Governor Josh Shapiro is requesting ex...

Pennsylvania has just a few months left to spend its first round of federal funding dedicated to rural health.  The money is intended to offset Medicaid losses during the next decade, with this initial award prioritizing existing program stabilization.  Emergency responders are exploring what future funding rounds could mean for their services. Submissions are now being accepted for The Older Arti...

With Commencement season upon us, the State System of Higher Education is sending thousands of graduates out into the workforce.  Nearly 20,000 students are graduating from state system universities. Nearly 90% of the students are from Pennsylvania and most graduates stay in the state.  Four-day school schedules are gaining in popularity across the country. Starting this fall, students at a Cathol...

Governor Josh Shapiro says the system formed in the last century to regulate utilities is broken. Shapiro wrote a letter to two dozen water, gas and electric utilities in the state outlining benchmarks required for his Administration to support any future rate hikes. Pennsylvania has been awarded a federal grant to install a geothermal project at an existing natural gas site in western Pennsylvani...

A memorial service Monday honored fallen Pennsylvania State Police Corporal Timothy J. O'Connor Jr. at PSP Headquarters in Harrisburg. The 40-year-old O'Connor was fatally shot on March 8th in Chester County during a traffic stop. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has joined a coalition of nearly two-dozen states urging the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse new restrictions on medication abortion.  P...

A pro-immigrant coalition recently rallied on the Capitol steps. They were there to pressure Governor Josh Shapiro to use his executive power to limit the state’s cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority has been approved to spend over $711 million to connect remaining locations in the Commonwealth to high-speed internet service. The new ow...