pa-politics

Pennsylvania Capitol Building. May 24, 2022. Harrisburg, Pa. (Photo by Amanda Berg, for the Capital-Star).

Bill to allow striking workers to collect unemployment advances from House Committee

BY: - October 18, 2023

The bill is co-sponsored by Allegheny County Democrats Rep. Mandy Steele and Rep. Dan Miller who say they were motivated to pursue the legislation by striking workers at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, who have been on strike for a full year as of Oct. 18.

‘This is about censorship’: Lawmakers, experts debate the impact and consequences of book bans

BY: - October 5, 2023

“This is not about parental rights,” Friel said. “This is about censorship. It's about marginalizing people. It's about marginalizing communities. It's about marginalizing ideas. And I've said this many times, parents absolutely have the right to determine what is appropriate for their child. They just do not have the right to determine it for everyone else's.” 

Pa. will track voting machine malfunctions under new settlement with election security groups

BY: - August 21, 2023

This article was originally published by Votebeat, a nonprofit news organization covering local election administration and voting access. Thanks to a new settlement between Pennsylvania and a coalition of election security groups, the commonwealth’s Department of State will soon require counties to publicly report voting machine malfunctions — a measure that election experts say could […]

Pa. rural school educators urge lawmakers to build a new fair funding formula

BY: - August 3, 2023

“The disparity is so wide that the most well-off districts spend over $100,000 more per classroom than the poorest districts,” Eppley said. “We need state legislators to make a commitment to increase funding for public schools.”

COMMENTARY
Pennsylvania Capitol Building. May 24, 2022. Harrisburg, Pa. (Photo by Amanda Berg, for the Capital-Star).

Welcome to the Capital-Star 2.0

BY: - August 1, 2023

So I’m not exactly new around here, but I’ll be taking on a new role and thought it was time to formally introduce myself. I’ve covered Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania on and off for the Capital-Star pretty much since its inception, so I know what a great team founding editor John Micek built here. He […]

Gov. Shapiro executive order directs $400 million to infrastructure workforce training

BY: - July 31, 2023

Organizations doing infrastructure work funded by the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or Inflation Reduction Act,  like road and bridge repair, expanding high-speed internet access, and replacing lead pipes, will be eligible for the new program.

Former President Donald Trump is seen on stage at a rally at Erie Insurance Arena, during a rally on July 29, 2023 in Erie, Pennsylvania

Trump campaigns in pivotal Erie days after fresh charges filed

BY: - July 30, 2023

ERIE — Campaigning in crucial northwest Pennsylvania this weekend, Donald Trump gave familiar remarks amid a not-so-familiar path to 2024. Saturday’s rally in Erie, an all-day, upbeat affair for his most loyal fans, was the former president’s first in Pennsylvania since announcing his presidential bid in November. It was Trump’s second Pennsylvania appearance this summer, […]

As Pa. sees record number of SNAP recipients, advocates call for a minimum wage increase

BY: - July 21, 2023

Pennsylvania recorded its highest-ever number of food-assistance recipients — nearly 2 million Pennsylvanians — in June, alarming already strained charitable food pantries and increasing concern among researchers and anti-hunger advocates. The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services reported that in June 5,000 additional residents had enrolled in SNAP, the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, bringing the […]

COMMENTARY
Building 21 in the Philadelphia School District (Photo by Ella Lathan for the Pennsylvania Capital-Star).

Keep our money in Pa.’s public schools where it belongs | Jill Sunday Bartoli

BY: - July 19, 2023

A new year, the same fight over education funding.

Lawmakers renew calls for rail safety reforms after Pa.’s latest train derailment

BY: - July 18, 2023

The Montgomery County accident has intensified the attention of state and federal officials.

Vanilla ice cream balls with mint in a turquoise bowl

These are the Keystone State’s top 5 fave ice cream flavors | Tuesday Morning Coffee

BY: - July 18, 2023

A new report plumbs Pa's palates -- and the data -- to come up with a list of your top 5 favorite ice cream flavors.

COMMENTARY

Politics, abortion and the false consensus effect. Why it matters | Opinion

BY: - July 18, 2023

We would all be wise to remember that our views are often not shared by most other people.