Will the PA General Assembly need to pass a Congressional redistricting bill to redraw Pennsylvania’s 18 Congressional seats? Parties on both sides of the redistricting case anticipate action by the U.S. Supreme Court on a request to block the PA Supreme Court’s decision to redraw districts. They also await the full order from the PA Supreme Court detailing how districts should be redrawn. The Senate advanced a bill amending the 2011 Congressional Redistricting Act just in case. The bill contains no information about what new districts might look like, but was moved into position for a vote next week as a contingency. Also this week, Cong. Bob Brady (D-1) was the first Democrat to announce he will not run for re-election in 2018. In Harrisburg, more legislative retirements were announced, and now include six majority House chairs. The Senate also passed a bill that would require pension forfeiture for public officials and employees who commit any felony punishable by more than five years in prison. To discuss these topics and others are: R.B. Swift, staff writer with Capitolwire; Charles Thompson, State Government Reporter with PennLive and the Harrisburg Patriot-News; and Tony Romeo, Harrisburg Bureau Chief with KYW 1060 AM in Philadelphia and KDKA 1020 AM in Pittsburgh. Our host is Brian Lockman.
Archives for January 2018
Mechanicsburg Borough
This central Pennsylvania borough got it’s name from the mechanics who repaired the wagon wheels of settlers traveling towards the Allegheny mountains.
Minimum Wage
Sen. Art Haywood, D-Montgomery, and Rep. Stephen Bloom, R-Cumberland, talk to us about their thoughts on raising the minimum wage, and its affect on businesses and individuals.
Sen. Dave Argall on Free Speech on Campus
Many Pennsylvania universities have “Free Speech Zones”, which are specific locations where individuals are allowed to express themselves. Some opponents of these zones think that these reserved areas tend to stigmatize the speaker’s message, or free speech in general. When a controversial visitor arrives, it’s not uncommon for a university to incur extra costs for […]
Redistricting
PA Republican leaders have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to stay the PA Supreme Court decision calling for new congressional district maps to be drawn. Carol Kuniholm, Chair of Fair Districts PA, and Micah Sims, Executive Director of Common Cause PA, talk to us about the latest news on the case, and what it means […]
Opioid Emergency & Gun Rights with Rep. Sheryl Delozier
Rep. Sheryl Delozier says when Governor Wolf made opioid addiction an official statewide emergency, there was an unintended consequence. Usually a designation given in response to natural disasters, Rep. Delozier says the label curtails certain rights of gun owners. The Cumberland County Republican explains how law-abiding Pennsylvanians who are permitted “open carry” of firearms might […]
Mock Election 2018 Page with Button
WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh works with Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College to present a gubernatorial debate for the Republican candidates running in PA. All Republican candidates, Laura Ellsworth, Paul Mango, Mike Turzai, and Scott Wagner will debate. The event is moderated by WPXI anchor David Johnson.
Elder Abuse
According to state officials, the call volume for elder abuse has tripled in recent years, and is expected to continue rising as Pennsylvania ages. Elder-abuse complaints can involve physical abuse, self-neglect, or financial exploitation. PA Aging Sec. Teresa Osborne, and Fred Shrimp, Director for the Lycoming and Clinton County Area Agencies on Aging, talk to us […]
PA Education Plan with Sen. John Eichelberger
A new plan for Pennsylvania schools that will guide education efforts for years to come has been approved by the U.S. Department of Education. In recent years, a flashpoint in debate has been implementing the Keystone Exams, part of a 2013 effort to emphasize testing. Senator Eichelberger, chairman of the Education Committee, says the state’s […]
PCN Tours, Straub Brewery
The Straub Brewery process begins with spring-fed mountain water from the Laurel Run Reservoir. As the water runs into the brewery, it is mixed with corn flakes and crushed malted barley. Come along on a tour and see how the starch from the grains is converted into fermentable sugar by the natural enzymes contained in the malted […]