News

Garrity, Shapiro on childcare, vaccines, and other issues affecting kids

PA News October 28, 2026

HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s governor has considerable power over policies that affect children’s well-being, from vaccination schedules to childcare subsidies to high-level efforts at preventing harm or death. Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro has fought the Trump administration’s overhaul of vaccine recommendations by directing state-level authorities to adopt alternatives and challenging the changes in court. He has overseen an expansion of childcare tax credits and called for the legislature to increase funding for county teams that investigate the deaths of children. Republican ...

New state data center map has critics

PA News October 28, 2026

(The Center Square) - Pennsylvania government has joined the challenging game of trying to display online the scope of what is one of the nation's biggest data center booms, and some observers aren't thrilled. The state Department of Environmental Protection posted online for the first time on Aug. 18 a "Data Center Permit Tracker" which as of Tuesday mapped 73 "PA data centers" or "Unconfirmed PA data centers." At the same time, a widely-followed "Data Center Tracker" website created by private citizen showed 93 Pennsylvania projects, of which 20 had been "withdrawn" or "rejected." A ...

Manufactured homeowners frustrated with legislative distractions

PA News October 28, 2026

(The Center Square) – Bills aimed at preserving affordable housing for tens of thousands of Pennsylvania residents living in manufactured home communities have stalled in the state Senate, leaving supporters with little hope of securing additional protections before the current legislative session ends. With time running out, advocates are blaming Senate Republican leadership for the lack of progress and shifting their attention to the November election, which they believe could determine their future legislative efforts. People living in manufactured home communities, or MHCs, ...

High-stakes governors’ races could reshape America’s energy future

PA News October 28, 2026

The right governor can put a state on a dramatically different energy and environmental path—and next week’s election could set the stage for major policy shifts across the country. Democrats are favored to retain governorships in Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, according to Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia. The party is also poised to take control from Republicans in Alaska, Iowa and Ohio, with opportunities to win Georgia and Nevada, and less likely paths to victory in Florida and Texas. Kansas is the only state where Republicans have a strong ...

PennDOT to begin fieldwork for State College Area Connector

Local News October 28, 2026

STATE COLLEGE — Field investigations for the proposed State College Area Connector project will begin the week of Nov. 2 in Harris Township, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. PennDOT said crews will use drilling rigs to collect soil and rock samples along the preferred route of the proposed highway improvements. The testing will help engineers evaluate underground conditions as design work continues. The investigations will be limited to areas within the footprint of the proposed improvements and are expected to continue into early 2027, weather ...

Mifflintown man jailed on robbery, assault charges

Local News October 28, 2026

LEWISTOWN — A Mifflintown man is facing felony robbery and other charges after allegedly assaulting his an individual and taking their cell phone during an altercation in Lewistown on Friday. Christian Torres Santiago, 25, was charged by Lewistown Borough Police with robbery, a third-degree felony; theft by unlawful taking, a first-degree misdemeanor; simple assault and evading arrest on foot, both second-degree misdemeanors; and a summary count of harassment. According to the affidavit of probable cause, officers were dispatched at approximately 3:01 p.m. Oct. 23 to the area of 120 ...