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State Attorney General Dave Sunday Jr. talks about ways to avoid phone scams

Technology, as everyone knows, is both a blessing and a curse. It has streamlined people’s lives while also complicating and, sometimes, even endangering them — particularly in the case of scammers who tend to prey on an older population that may not be as tech-savvy. “It’s not hyperbole to say that this is at a crisis level,” said state Attorney General Dave W. Sunday Jr. on a recent visit to the Sun-Gazette. “There’s amazing things happening with technology. Innovation is putting us in places that we couldn’t have imagined as a society, but at the same time, every ...

Senate approves bill revising second-degree murder sentencing law

HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Senate has approved legislation sponsored by Sen. Lisa Baker, R-Dallas, and Sen. Wayne Langerholc Jr., R-Johnstown, that would revise the state’s sentencing and parole procedures for second-degree murder convictions following a recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision. Senate Bill 1400 is intended to update state law in response to the court’s ruling in Commonwealth v. Lee, which lawmakers said affects how sentences for second-degree murder are administered. Supporters of the legislation argue that without the changes, individuals convicted of ...

In the region

Concert, fireworks postponed due to forecast LEWISTOWN — The Let Freedom Ring Concert and accompanying fireworks display have been postponed because of the weather forecast. The events, originally scheduled for this week, will now be held at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, June 28. Organizers announced the schedule change due to the anticipated weather conditions and encouraged attendees to plan accordingly.

Shapiro wants to use incentives to push data centers

HARRISBURG — As Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro attempts to thread a needle between attracting data center projects to Pennsylvania and satisfying their critics, members of his own party — and many Republicans — are backing a more aggressive regulatory approach. The split between the governor and other lawmakers could be seen this week in a pair of conflicting bills the Democratic-controlled state House passed. One was Shapiro’s own marquee data center proposal, which aims to incentivize developers to, among other things, be more transparent and reduce environmental impacts by ...

Poll: Two thirds say gas prices will shape their November vote

Nearly half of American voters blame wars and conflicts for elevated gas prices, and two thirds say fuel costs will influence their vote in November, a new national poll finds. The Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll found 49% of registered voters say wars or conflicts affecting global oil markets are most responsible for current gas and fuel prices. Another 8% blamed federal government policies and 9% blamed oil and gas companies. Americans have paid an estimated $61.8 billion in extra fuel costs since the U.S. conflict with Iran began, or about $471 per household, according to Brown ...

Over $10B US taxpayer dollars spent on improper SNAP payments in 2025

U.S. states and territories made a collective $10 billion in improper payments to SNAP recipients nationwide in fiscal year 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports. The average error payment rate, which includes both over- and underpayments, was roughly 10.6%, well above the congressionally set threshold of 6%. “These payment error rates are further proof that state accountability is severely lacking in SNAP,” USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said Wednesday. “USDA has taken historic action to help interested states curb SNAP waste, and I hope other states, regardless of ...