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Fireworks deliver colorful bang for upcoming holiday

Fireworks are set to light up the skies above the Juniata Valley once again as communities gear up for the Fourth of July — and with America’s 250th anniversary, this year’s celebrations promise an even bigger bang. From Lewistown’s June 28 kickoff through Independence Day, a full ...

Playhouse set to hold auditions for ‘Great American Trailer Park Musical’

From Staff reports McCONNELLSTOWN — The Playhouse at McConnellstown will hold auditions for its upcoming production of The Great American Trailer Park Musical at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 2, at the theater, 11680 Raystown Road. Directed by Oscar Pollock and Abby Lambert, the country-rock and blues musical is scheduled to be performed Aug. 21, 22, 28, and 29 at 7:30 p.m., with matinee performances Aug. 23 and 30 at 2 p.m. Auditioners should prepare 16 bars from a musical selection and bring piano sheet music. Recorded accompaniment will not be accepted. Cold script readings will also be ...

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 ...