Pennsylvania Capital-Star

States are raising pay for home caregivers to address a shortage of workers as the baby boomer generation ages. Caregivers face low national median wages, such as $16.78 an hour in 2024. Experts warn that by 2030, Americans over 65 will outnumber those under 18.

Springdale Borough Police Chief Derek Dayoub announced at a council meeting that he would not resign, dismissing critics who questioned his record and Public Source's reporting on misconduct allegations. Critics expressed concerns regarding accountability within the police department, with some residents noting they felt unsafe in the borough.

New state laws are reportedly slowing private equity’s ability to acquire healthcare companies, leading to a decline in both the number and value of deals compared to previous years. Pitchbook data suggests that increased state oversight from states like California, Oregon, and Rhode Island is restricting how private equity can operate or consolidate medical practices.

Advocacy group PennFuture argues that Pennsylvania has lagged in renewable energy due to "policy inertia," recommending measures like community solar and increasing the share of renewable energy required by the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards. The report notes that opposition from the state Senate is reportedly blocking bills passed by the House aimed at expanding these programs.

Subsidized Affordable Care Act health insurance plans, which provided regular care for diabetes patients in Mississippi, lost coverage after Congress allowed federal enhanced subsidies to expire at the end of last year. The loss has significantly impacted over 200,000 Mississippians, causing state data to show enrollment in ACA plans has fallen by nearly two-thirds in just eight months. Without routine care, individual patients face dire medical and financial consequences.

Former state legislator Franklin Kury was instrumental in securing a constitutional amendment guaranteeing a healthy environment as a basic right for Pennsylvania. He authored Article 1, Section 27, which was approved by voters and added to the state's constitution in 1971. The amendment declares people have a right to clean air, pure water, and mandates that the Commonwealth act as a trustee to conserve natural resources.

Skill games have served as a crucial revenue source for businesses and non-profits located in places like VFWs and gas stations across Pennsylvania. However, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that skill games are slot machines under state law, making unlicensed operation unlawful. Lawmakers were given until October to decide on creating a regulatory system, though industry advocates urge legislation to regulate rather than eliminate these games.

National laboratories, such as the Idaho National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, are addressing cybersecurity threats specific to smaller modular reactors (SMRs). Researchers are working to establish a methodology to minimize potential disruptions by integrating security frameworks during the reactor design phase. Discussions also questioned whether traditional physical security systems designed for large reactors will be applicable for SMRs, particularly due to expected increases in communication channels.

The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police concluded its investigation into the death of Daphy Michel, which occurred after she was released by ICE and found unresponsive at a South Shore bus shelter. Since her passing was characterized as a homicide, the case has been sent to Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala’s office for review regarding potential charges. The DA holds the authority to decide whether, who, and what charges should be filed.

The School District of Philadelphia is implementing a digital hall pass system at all schools that tracks students' movements through campus using Chromebooks. Students must request to leave class, and administrators can log their location on an accessible 'hall monitor grid.' While designed to help prevent physical violence between students, the system has drawn criticism concerning over-surveillance.

Food banks across Pennsylvania are struggling to meet increasing demand due to economic issues like inflation, rising energy costs, and poor harvests. A key factor contributing to this struggle is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which saw an 11% enrollment drop that some attribute to new rules passed in the 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act.'

Incumbent Gov. Josh Shapiro has based many of his policy stances on elections in opposition to President Donald Trump, while facing difficulty passing new election laws through the state legislature. His Republican challenger, Stacy Garrity, indicated she would defer to Trump’s election priorities, but her views regarding the legitimacy of the 2020 election remain controversial, despite attempts to walk back previous comments.

Several U.S. cities are adopting AI tools to modernize and accelerate the complex housing permitting process by handling tasks like scanning applications and flagging errors. Federal initiatives support these efforts through a new Innovation Fund providing $200 million annually, alongside grants from HUD up to $3 million for local deployment of automated systems.

A crash involving a state police helicopter and a Cessna 150 private plane occurred in Cumberland County at Carlisle Airport. The sole occupant of the small plane died, while two Pennsylvania State Police troopers, Corporal Bryce Corman and Trooper Jason Mills, were injured but are reported stable. Lt. Col. George Bivens stated that the fatal incident happened when the Cessna approached the helicopter from behind and veered hard to the right.

State test scores, including PSSA and Keystone exams for Philadelphia, have been delayed because the state announced that the results are on hold. This delay prevents school districts from using the 2025-26 assessment data to evaluate student achievement or for mandatory school selection decisions. Students will instead take an alternative assessment during the fall.

A federal appeals court upheld an injunction that bars Department of Homeland Security agents from conducting immigration enforcement at over 1,400 houses of worship across 33 states and D.C. The ruling protected religious groups arguing that the administration’s policy would substantially burden their ability to worship communally. The appeals court agreed with the plaintiffs that enforcing the restrictive policy could cause a decline in attendance at these services.

A watchdog group filed a complaint alleging that conservative activist Scott Presler and his political action committee, Early Vote Action, may have violated Pennsylvania campaign finance law during the 2025 election. The allegation concerns the failure to disclose sources of revenue or detailed expenditures as required by state law while campaigning for state Supreme Court retention judges.

Dozens of cities, counties, and fire departments across the nation are suing fire truck manufacturers over skyrocketing costs, alleged anti-trust conspiracies, and years-long delivery delays. The lawsuits were rolled up into a trio of antitrust class action lawsuits in a Wisconsin district court against REV Group Inc., Oshkosh Corporation, and Rosenbauer Group. Fire engine prices have nearly doubled since 2020, raising concerns among departments that struggle to maintain operational capacity.

A new analysis indicates that refugee admissions to the United States are on pace to hit their lowest record level during the first 10 months of the fiscal year. This steep decline has been noted since President Donald Trump began his second term, and the administration has capped refugee admissions for fiscal 2026 at 17,500. Historically, the U.S. admitted significantly higher numbers of refugees in previous years.

New research found that white-footed mice, rather than deer, are closely linked to increases in young blacklegged ticks, challenging assumptions about Lyme disease drivers. Researchers also determined that large acorn crops can set off a chain reaction, potentially leading to more ticks two years later. The study notes that mouse populations help predict the number of ticks, though not necessarily how many will carry Lyme bacteria.