News
Attorney General Speaks Out in Sandusky Sex Abuse Scandal
The allegations against 67-year-old Jerry Sandusky, the former defensive coordinator at Penn State, span roughly a decade from the late 1990s through 2009. The 23-page grand jury presentment goes into graphic detail of the alleged sexual assaults of young boys, both while Sandusky was coaching and after his retirement. Attorney General Linda Kelly says they’ve […]
Penn State’s Sandusky Charged in Sex Abuse Scandal
Former longtime Penn State Defensive Coordinator Jerry Sandusky is free on $100,000 bail after his weekend arrest on charges that he sexually abused young boys over a 15-year period from 1994-2009. The state Attorney General’s office says Sandusky is a sexual predator who used his “Second Mile” charity and his position at the university […]
Coal Ash Spill In Wisconsin Raises Concerns for Pennsylvania, Other States
Earlier this week, coal ash spilled into Lake Michigan when a cliff gave way near a power plant in Wisconsin. The Sierra Club says it’s a reminder these risks to the environment exist in Pennsylvania and other states In 2008, two large coal ash impoundments collapsed in Tennessee, but since then little has changed to […]
Deadline Extended to Register with FEMA For Aid for Irene, Lee
People who live or have businesses in Pennsylvania’s disaster declared counties will now get more time to seek help for losses from Hurricane Irene or Tropical Storm Lee. December 14th is the new deadline to apply to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for help in recovering from losses from the storms. That’s a one […]
Bill Would Block House Members’ COLA
Each winter state lawmakers cash in on a pay raise thanks to a 1995 law that grants legislators, judges and the governor annual cost-of-living adjustments. Multiple bills have been introduced to block these pay raises over the years, but none has seen the light of day. This year State Rep. Brad Roae (R-Crawford) hopes to […]
Radio PA Roundtable 11.4.11
Radio PA Roundtable is a 30-minute program featuring in-depth reporting on the top news stories of the week. Professionally produced and delivered every Friday, Roundtable includes commercial breaks for local sale and quarterly reports for affiliate files. Click the audio player below to hear the full broadcast: [audio:https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/radiopa/Roundtable11-4-11.mp3]
Committee Vets Teacher Evaluation Bill
Under the state’s current evaluation system, teachers fall into one of two categories: satisfactory or unsatisfactory. 99.4% of teachers currently receive a satisfactory rating, and overhauling the system is one of the Corbett administration’s top education reform priorities. “The success in meeting the mission of our public education system, ensuring that all children reach […]
Bid Limit Bills Signed Into Law
A package of 14 bills will ease the bid limit burden on Pennsylvania’s local governments by increasing the threshold from $10,000 to $18,500, and indexing that number to inflation. State Rep. Mark Keller (R-Perry) has been working on the issue for six years, and says it will give municipalities the flexibility they need. “I think, […]
President’s Approval Numbers Remain Weak in Pennsylvania According to New Poll
The job approval rating for President Obama is more negative than positive in Pennsylvania and more than half of the voters believe it’s time for a change according to the latest Franklin and Marshall College poll. The President’s approval rating rose slightly from the August poll to the October poll, from 34% to 37%. 52% […]
Lawmaker Calls for Penalties for Prolonged Power Outages
A state lawmaker thinks power companies should have to pay up if they don’t do enough to address prolonged power outages that cost their customers. Representative Tom Caltagirone (D-Berks) is proposing a bill that would make utilities compensate customers for unreasonably long power outages. Caltagirone questions whether utilities are underfunding maintenance and repair. He […]