News

Police reports

Local News July 2, 2026

Police investigate trespassing incident REEDSVILLE — Pennsylvania State Police are investigating a reported trespassing incident that occurred June 23 along U.S. 522 North in Decatur Township. Police said they responded after receiving a report of an individual trespassing. The investigation remains ongoing. Injuries sustained in Armagh crash REEDSVILLE — A 10-year-old passenger suffered suspected minor injuries in a two-vehicle crash June 30 on U.S. 322 East about five miles west of the Milroy exit in Armagh Township, according to Pennsylvania State Police. Police said a ...

In the region

Local News July 2, 2026

Library closed for Independence Day LEWISTOWN — Mifflin County Library in Lewistown and Kish Library in Belleville will be closed on Saturday, July 4, to celebrate Independence Day. Normal operating hours will resume on Monday, July 6. Hours and closings are available on the website at www.mifflincountylibrary.org. Bookdrops are open 24/7. Speed display board installed HOWARD — The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has installed a radar-controlled speed display board along Route 26 in Howard Township, Centre County, to encourage motorists to slow down. The board faces ...

Pa budget is late for fifth year in a row

PA News July 2, 2026

HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s budget is late for the fifth year in a row. The Republicans who control the state Senate sent their members home on the Tuesday deadline without a deal, and said in a statement that the week’s talks had given them “necessary clarity on many outstanding issues which were delaying completion of this year’s budget.” They estimated that a deal will be in the offing “in the days following July 4th” and said they’ll return to session once final language is ready. The Democrats who lead the state House were less positive in a news conference ...

State lawmakers want to lower electric bills

PA News July 2, 2026

HARRISBURG — Responding to public anger over soaring energy costs, Pennsylvania lawmakers in both parties have voted in support of a massive tax cut that would lower electric bills for customers across the state — although they have said little publicly about how to pay for the $1.7 billion hole the measure would create in the budget. Legislators in both parties are touting it as the largest tax cut in Pennsylvania history, although it’s not clear whether it will actually become law. The proposed change would eliminate a 5.9% state tax on the sale of electricity. It would take ...

Amid $41B shortfall, Pa teachers’ pension cites private equity

PA News July 2, 2026

Pennsylvania’s public-school employees’ pension fund is $41 billion short of what it needs to pay promised benefits. Last year, it missed the investment benchmark that officials set, a result they said was “primarily due to performance within private equity.” As of Dec. 31, Pennsylvania’s Public School Employees’ Retirement System held $85.3 billion in assets, making it one of the nation’s largest public pension funds. PSERS invested $10.1 billion in private equity with a goal of earning a 10.06% return. It returned just 2.59%. According to PSERS, private equity reduced ...

Celebrate with a festive Fourth of July

Local News July 2, 2026

Of course, fireworks — whether of the rockets red glare variety or those from nature — headline the list of things to this holiday weekend. It’s just that time of year. Here’s a glance at this weekend’s things to do: Head outdoors to Greenwood Furnace • Historical walking tour, 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, Greenwood Furnace State Park, Huntingdon. Join a park naturalist for a walk through the historical district as you learn about the village that dominated the area for 70 years. Meet at Blacksmith Shop. • “Nature’s Fireworks,” 8 to 9 p.m. Friday, Greenwood Furnace ...