Keystone College Juvenile Justice Institute

A U.S. Supreme Court ruled that sentencing juvenile offenders to life in prison is unconstitutional without considering the child’s life circumstances.   As a result of the precedent, hundreds of young offenders in Pennsylvania have had their sentences reviewed.  The Miller v. Alabama case is a major guiding force within the Keystone College Juvenile Justice Institute […]

Legislative Priorities with National Federation of Independent Business

The new Pennsylvania Director of the National Federation of Independent Business is eager to give Governor Tom Wolf some advice on how to improve the state’s climate for his members.  Gordon Denlinger, a former state lawmaker,  had been singled out for praise from the NFIB for his voting record on key small business issues.  He […]

Legislative Priorities with County Commissioners Assoc. of PA

The county you live in, along with sixty-six others in Pennsylvania, need state funding to help make the delivery of human services possible.  At the beginning of each year, the counties put together a list of priorities that they want the governor and legislature to take in consideration.  Lisa Schaefer, Director of Government Relations for […]

Holiday Gift Scams with AARP of Pennsylvania

In 2017, in a well-documented case of “phishing”, internet scammers disguised as the giant retail shopping site Amazon tricked shoppers into revealing sensitive information about their accounts.  Online shopping figures for Cyber Monday of this year show that online shopping continues to grow.  Mary Bach, Chair of the Consumer Issues Task Force for the AARP […]

Auditor General Eugene DePasquale

State Auditor General Eugene DePasquale’s job is to make sure the commonwealth’s money is spent in a proper and responsible manner.  Now, as the list of states that have legalized recreational marijuana continues to grow,  the general sees an opportunity for Pennsylvania to balance its budget.  He says legalizing, taxing, and regulating  the drug would […]

Marijuana Legalization with Rep. Jake Wheatley

At last count, recreational marijuana has become legal in ten states.  Rep. Jake Wheatley wants Pennsylvanians age 21 and older to be allowed to grow, buy, and consume the drug.  Using it in public and driving under its influence would still be illegal.   Rep. Wheatley is interested in the criminal justice aspects of legalization, and […]

Cameras in Construction Zones with Rep. Greg Rothman

Next time you’re driving through a state construction zone, keep in mind that a camera may be watching you. Rep. Greg Rothman is a supporter of a new pilot program authorized by the governor that’s designed to catch speeders before they cause a crash or injure highway workers on the job.  Also, in the interest […]

Election 2018 Results

The votes have been cast in Election 2018, and it’s time for a review of the winners, how they prevailed, and what they might do after they’re inaugurated.  Berwood Yost, Director of the Center for Opinion Research at Franklin and Marshall College, summarizes what happened in the races for governor, US Senate, and Congress.   Some […]

Election 2018 Preview

A handful of congressional races in Pennsylvania could change the balance of power in Washington after Tuesday’s election.  Some incumbents have had to work harder than usual to earn your vote, because district boundaries were changed, resulting in some candidates losing name recognition.  Wes Leckrone, Associate Professor of Political Science at Widener University, breaks down […]

Voting Systems with PA Dept. of State

Robert Torres, Acting Secretary of the Commonwealth, says many counties in Pennsylvania have old, outdated voting systems.  His office has informed counties that they have until the end of 2019 to implement new machines that  generate a paper record.   This important feature will allow voters to make sure their choices were recorded correctly.   Acting Secretary […]