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Shapiro taps federal highway aid to help Philadelphia transit system

HARRISBURG — Gov. Josh Shapiro said Friday that he will divert more than $150 million in federal highway funding to provide a one-time injection of cash to help Philadelphia’s mass transit system avoid near-term service cutbacks and fare increases. Shapiro’s announcement drew blowback from Republican lawmakers, who say their districts will lose money, and comes as many transit agencies are in a severe financial crunch Federal COVID-19 relief for transit agencies is phasing out and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority and other major transit agencies around the ...

Pet owners reminded of cruelty law

HARRISBURG — With winter approaching and colder weather starting to settle in, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Animal Cruelty Unit in the Bureau of Criminal Investigation are reminding pet owners, including those who keep their pets outdoors, that they are required to provide their animals with basic needs, as defined by law, or face potential animal neglect and/or cruelty charges. “Basic needs include proper sustenance to maintain a healthy body weight, as well as clean, unfrozen water to avoid dehydration,” said Corporal Michael Spada, PSP Bureau of Criminal Investigation ...

Pittsburgh’s police chief puts down his badge for a referee’s whistle

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh’s police chief retired Friday, just a week after announcing he would add refereeing college basketball games to his calendar — a move that raised concerns among some city leaders. Chief Larry Scirotto, who had worked as a referee before becoming police chief last year, had maintained that officiating roughly 60 games this season would not interfere with his duties and offered to take a pay cut. But some city council members said they wanted more information before approving his salary for next year. In his resignation letter, Scirotto said he did ...

Chinatown activists rally against new 76ers arena

PHILADELPHIA — Vivian Chang works on a narrow Philadelphia street that would have been consumed by a Phillies stadium had Chinatown activists not rallied to defeat the plan in the early 2000s. Instead of 40,000 cheering fans, the squeals of young children now fill the playground at Folk Arts-Cultural Treasures Charter School, which opened in 2007. “We’re standing right where the baseball stadium would have been,” Chang said in late September. “And now it’s 480 students — a lot of immigrants, a lot of students of color from across the city.” Chang, 33, leads Asian ...

Pair take planning talents to national stage in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA — When Jessica Eaton Guyer heard America250PA was hosting the national convening of states and partners ahead of the nation’s semiquincentennial in Philadelphia, her historical senses went on overload. Guyer, curator at the Tuscarora Academy Museum in Mifflin, volunteer at ...

Pa. is key as Harris and Trump prep for showdown

HARRISBURG — When Donald Trump and Kamala Harris meet onstage Tuesday night in Philadelphia, they’ll both know there’s little debate that Pennsylvania is critical to their chances of winning the presidency. The most populous presidential swing state has sided with the winner of the past two elections, each time by just tens of thousands of votes. Polling this year suggests Pennsylvania will be close once more in November. A loss in the state will make it difficult to make up the electoral votes elsewhere to win the presidency. Trump and Harris have been frequent visitors in ...