News
Bill Aimed at Preventing Teacher Strikes Would Not Include an Outright Ban
One package of bills has been introduced to ban teacher strikes in Pennsylvania. But there’s another plan that would not go that far. The “Back to Educating Our Kids” act would require negotiations between teachers and school districts to start earlier, dividing the process into negotiation, fact finding, mediation and arbitration. If talks move to […]
Pennsylvania Education Secretary says Educator Evaluation Results Show Need for Change
Pennsylvania’s education secretary says the results of teacher and principal evaluations in the 2009-10 school year in Pennsylvania raise serious concerns about the quality of the evaluation system. Ron Tomalis says he has great concerns about a system that ranks nearly 100% of the educators as satisfactory, when one out of four of the students […]
Senate Approves Drivers Cell Phone Ban
Texting while driving would be a primary offense. Talking on a hand-held cell phone while driving would be a secondary offense, under legislation that passed the State Senate Wednesday afternoon. It started out as a simple secondary offense texting ban, but Tommy Tomlinson’s bill was amended in committee to include hand-held cell phones and other […]
PA’s First Human Trafficking Response Team Announced
Police, prosecutors and non-profit groups have joined forces to announce the state’s first Human Trafficking Response Team. It will cover a five county area in Central Pennsylvania, according to Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico. “Just as we’re a major pass through for commerce, we can also be a thoroughfare for human trafficking,” Marsico said […]
Shale Protesters Complain of Inaction
Several hundred protesters, representing 13-environmental and related groups, converged on the state capitol Tuesday. “We keep coming back to Harrisburg because [Marcellus Shale] drilling’s been going on in Pennsylvania for almost four years now, and what has our state legislature done? They have done nothing,” said Myron Arnowitt, Pennsylvania state director of Clean Water Action. […]
A ‘Sea of Red’ at the State Capitol
Between 800 and 1,000 Pennsylvania members of AARP gathered on the state capitol lawn, Tuesday, for their annual lobby day. All donned red AARP t-shirts. State director Dick Chevrefils says they came to share their voices with the legislature about the issues that are important to the AARP. “There’s a family caregiver piece of legislation […]
Lawmakers Introduce Bills to Ban Teacher Strikes in Pennsylvania
Legislation has been introduced to make Pennsylvania the 38th state to ban teacher’s strikes. The Strike-Free Education Pact would ban teacher strikes and lockouts in Pennsylvania and sets penalties for illegal work stoppages. Representative Todd Rock (R-Franklin) says teacher strikes produce no winners. He says the biggest losers are always the children. Rock says it’s […]
Voter ID Bill Blasted by State House Democrats, Defended by Sponsor
State House Democrats are attacking a Voter ID bill that may come up for a final vote this week in the house. Representative Babette Josephs (D-Philadelphia) says the Republicans in the General Assembly are poised to suppress the votes of law abiding citizens. House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody (D-Allegheny) called it a smokescreen. He […]
Reporting from Somerset County
The latest voice in a crowded GOP presidential field belongs to former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum. Launching his White House bid from the steps of the Somerset County Courthouse, Santorum said America is great because it was founded that way – not because of its government. Santorum chose Somerset, PA for the announcement because his […]
Rick Santorum Is Officially in the Race for the White House
Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum used the Somerset County Courthouse as a backdrop as he made his official announcement that he’s running for President of the United States in 2012. On a bright, sunny day in western Pennsylvania, Santorum’s speech was momentarily interrupted when a spectator fainted near the stage. After assisting those who helped […]