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McConnell returns to the Senate for the since hospitalization

Local News

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky returned to the Senate to vote on Monday for the first time in three months, looking noticeably more frail after he was hospitalized for a June fall in his home. McConnell's lengthy absence from the Senate generated a flood of criticism and online speculation, as he initially remained quiet for weeks about his condition. The 84-year-old senator eventually disclosed a month later that he had been "briefly unconscious" due to the fall and had also been treated for mild pneumonia in the hospital. He briefly addressed ...

State still investigating Jefferson County measles death

Local News

(The Center Square) – A measles death in Jefferson County remains under investigation by Pennsylvania's state Department of Health, a spokesman told The Center Square on Monday. The case involved a 40-year-old woman in Summerville. She died from the virus’ complications on Saturday. Jefferson County Coroner Greg Furlong confirmed the news in a statement on Sunday, saying no more identifying information would be released. "This is a heartbreaking loss for the family and an unfortunate reminder that measles can be a serious and potentially life-threatening disease," he said. "Our ...

Pa. election 2026: Complete guide to candidates for governor

PA News

HARRISBURG — The 2026 election for Pennsylvania governor is fast approaching. Voters will decide whether Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro should spend another four years as the state’s chief executive or grant his Republican competitor, state Treasurer Stacy Garrity, a turn at overseeing a vast state bureaucracy that implements programs and policies ranging from elections to environmental policy. Shapiro, 53, is hoping his years of executive experience will convince voters that he deserves a second term fulfilling his long-held pledge (one that has morphed into an oft-repeated slogan) ...

Top utility regulator warns data center demand threatens electricity reliability

PA News

(The Center Square) - The future reliability of electricity supplies in Pennsylvania and nearby regions has been put at risk by data center development that is causing projections for demand to exceed anticipated supply, the state Public Utility Commission warned Monday. “Pennsylvania is at an energy crossroads,” PUC Chairman Steve DeFrank said in a new release. “Data center development brings significant opportunities, but that growth cannot come at the expense of the families and businesses that already depend on reliable and affordable electric service." Data center ...

Legislation allows Penn State to move forward with potential campus sales

PA News

STATE COLLEGE — Pennsylvania lawmakers have quietly erased longstanding deed restrictions on seven closing Penn State campuses, allowing the university to sell the entire properties to private buyers rather than return portions of the land to state control. Penn State is starting with two locations. Proposed real estate transactions for the Penn State Shenango campus in Mercer County and Penn State Wilkes-Barre campus in Luzerne County are slated for review by the Board of Trustees at its upcoming Sept. 18 meeting, university spokesperson Wyatt DuBois confirmed to Spotlight PA in an ...

Thick haze disrupts flights on Indonesia's Borneo island

International News

PONTIANAK, Indonesia (AP) — Thick smoke from forest fires has disrupted airline flights for several days in Indonesia's West Kalimantan province as an intensifying El Niño weather pattern and a prolonged dry season worsen the impact of blazes. Since Friday, a thick white and yellowish haze has blanketed the city of Pontianak, reducing visibility to less than 1 kilometer (0.62 miles). Poor air quality and limited visibility have also hampered firefighting efforts, carried out with equipment from Japan that arrived on Thursday. Across Indonesia, seasonal forest fires are beginning ...