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MCIDC highlights regional growth at industrial development forum

STATE COLLEGE — The Mifflin County Industrial Development Corporation partnered with Focus Central Pennsylvania to host the 2026 Industrial Development Forum, drawing a sold-out crowd of more than 280 attendees. The event, held March 11 at the Nittany Lion Inn, brought together developers, site consultants, manufacturers and local leaders to highlight economic investment across central Pennsylvania. Focus Central Pennsylvania is a nonprofit organization that works to attract corporate investment and job opportunities to a seven-county region that includes Mifflin, Centre, Snyder, ...

Penn Highlands Healthcare earns multiple awards and accreditations

HUNTINGDON — Penn Highlands Healthcare and two of its hospitals have received several prestigious awards and accreditations, the health system announced. For the fifth consecutive year, Penn Highlands Healthcare was recognized as one of Pennsylvania Business Central’s Top 100 Organizations, highlighting its contributions to the region’s economy, social progress and philanthropy. The list is selected by subscribers of Pennsylvania Business Central. Penn Highlands Brookville earned two awards this year. It received the 2025 Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania ...

Geisinger to assess community health needs

LEWISTOWN — Geisinger will begin a community-wide assessment of health needs this week, seeking input from residents across central Pennsylvania, including the Lewistown area. The health system announced it will launch its triennial Community Health Needs Assessment on Monday, in collaboration with other regional hospital systems. The effort is designed to better understand the health and well-being of residents, identify key challenges and highlight community strengths. As part of the process, Geisinger will again partner with Allied Services Integrated Health System to gather ...

Instagram unsafe for teens despite promises, report says

Despite years of congressional hearings, academic research, whistleblowers and testimony from parents and teenagers about the harms of Instagram, Meta’s wildly popular app has failed to protect children with its “woefully ineffective” safety measures, according to a new report from former employee and whistleblower Arturo Bejar and four nonprofit groups. Meta called the report “misleading and dangerously speculative” and said it undermines “the important conversation about teen safety. Despite years of congressional hearings, lawsuits, academic research, whistleblowers and ...

Judge approves $1.5B settlement between AI company and authors

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday approved a $1.5 billion settlement between artificial intelligence company Anthropic and authors who allege nearly half a million books had been illegally pirated to train chatbots. U.S. District Judge William Alsup issued the preliminary approval in San Francisco federal court Thursday after the two sides worked to address his concerns about the settlement, which will pay authors and publishers about $3,000 for each of the books covered by the agreement. It does not apply to future works. “This is a fair settlement,” Alsup said, ...

Slate of presidential appointments to USDA

WASHINGTON — Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has announced the latest slate of presidential appointments, bringing new leadership to key roles within the Department. These appointees have been selected to implement President Trump’s America First agenda at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), ensuring the needs of America’s farmers, ranchers and producers remain a top priority. “USDA is doing incredible work to put Farmers First all across the nation. Under President Trump’s leadership, we are rolling back regulations, expanding market access, and uplifting ...