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Pa. gets disaster declaration for businesses impacted by Berks Co. chocolate factory explosion
By: John L. Micek - June 30, 2023
The declaration allows the businesses to seek financial assistance, the Shapiro administration said in a statement.
A storied Harrisburg high school faces the wrecking ball | Thursday Morning Coffee
By: John L. Micek - June 29, 2023
News of the planned demolition of William Penn High School comes amidst a broader debate on how Pa. will pay for repairs for schools statewide
‘Long time coming’: Pa. Senate passes probation reform bill | Wednesday Morning Coffee
By: John L. Micek - June 28, 2023
The bipartisan bill now heads to the state House.
Report: Cracker plant hasn’t delivered for Beaver Co. | Tuesday Morning Coffee
By: John L. Micek - June 27, 2023
When it was first announced in 2012, Shell’s ethane cracker plant in Beaver County was sold as an engine that would help revitalize western Pennsylvania’s economy. But a new report indicates that the plant, which launched in November 2022, has yet to deliver on that promised prosperity, and that Beaver County “has lagged the state and nation in […]
Pa. Senate committee approves Shapiro’s pick for elections chief
By: John L. Micek - June 26, 2023
Acting Secretary of State Al Schmidt's nomination now goes to the full Senate for a vote.
Pa.’s largest teachers union breaks with Shapiro over vouchers | Monday Morning Coffee
By: John L. Micek - June 26, 2023
'Lifeline Scholarships' are a sticking point in this year's budget debate. What are they? Why do they matter?
He got caught up in the probation system. Why a new fix could help | Friday Morning Coffee
By: John L. Micek - June 23, 2023
A long-sought probation reform bill cleared a Senate committee on Thursday.
Can radical pragmatism win the White House? This Dem activist thinks so | Tuesday Morning Coffee
By: John L. Micek - June 20, 2023
Progressives might not want to hear it, but the road to victory in 2024 runs right up the middle, Will Marshall says.
Funding the 500: Pa.’s school funding fix is the challenge of our time | Monday Morning Coffee
By: John L. Micek - June 19, 2023
A Capital-Star series considers a future Pa. with fully funded public schools.
Ahead of Philadelphia visit, labor vows ‘largest ever’ 2024 ground game for Biden, Harris
By: John L. Micek - June 16, 2023
'Pennsylvania is a critical state in presidential politics. And we wanted to be someplace that really speaks to what the labor movement is all about,' an AFL-CIO spokesperson said.
Pa.’s Fitzpatrick, Dems launch bipartisan student loan refinancing bill | Friday Morning Coffee
By: John L. Micek - June 16, 2023
‘Our nation’s student loan crisis … should not be a partisan issue,’ the Bucks County Republican said.
Survey: Less than half of U.S. teachers say they’d tell younger selves to enter profession
By: John L. Micek - June 15, 2023
A third of teachers say they're considering quitting, underlining a nationwide shortage.