x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

Pennsylvania in Focus

The Center Square

The podcast bringing you the most important stories out of Pennsylvania from TheCenterSquare.com. Join us as we dive into the top headlines and provide insightful commentary and analysis.

news

All Episodes

00:05:43

Pittsburgh’s 911 Policy Follows Police Recruitment...

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2024/03/15

Pittsburgh’s recent decision to reroute early morning emergency calls comes one year after the mayor planned to triple police presence downtown. The policy change, announced Feb. 22, means calls received between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m. for crimes not in progress – including theft, harassment and criminal mischief – will reroute to the Telephone Reporting Unit. The unit is staffed from 7 a.m. until 3 a.m. the following day, so incidents occurring in the four-hour window will be collected for an officer to

en

00:04:45

Shapiro Tees Up Independent Carbon Tax Plan for...

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2024/03/14

Gov. Josh Shapiro introduced a new plan to limit carbon emissions from power plants on Wednesday that echoes the program legislative Republicans abhor so much they sued the administration to thwart it. This time, however, instead of supporting a multi-state auction like the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI, Shapiro wants to keep the revenue collected from a state-imposed emissions cap and trade program within Pennsylvania itself. And, he added, if lawmakers get behind it, he will back

en

00:05:05

Pennsylvania’s Estimated $3B Medicaid Waiver Questioned

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2024/03/08

The cost of Pennsylvania’s extensive Medicaid waiver pending before the federal government leaves some lawmakers wary as budget talks stretch into their second week. Department of Human Services Secretary Valerie Arkoosh told the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday that it wants more funding to expand eligibility for safety net programs for five years, as well as bolster the services they already provide. But it’s unclear what the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will approve or

en

00:04:57

PennDOT Supports Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2024/03/07

The Shapiro administration said Monday it supports giving non-citizens driver’s licenses, following a trend across the Mid-Atlantic that posits the policy change as a safety measure. “There are reports of over a dozen states that already allow non-citizens, including illegal immigrants, to obtain driver’s licenses,” Rep. Mike Cabell, R-Dallas, said. “Meanwhile, federal DHS policy stipulates that states could offer those with TPS (Temporary Protected Status) a Real ID.” Eighteen states, including

en

00:05:07

Lawmakers Rally for Medical Debt Relief

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2024/03/01

Pennsylvania lawmakers rallied at the Capitol on Tuesday to erase outstanding medical debts for thousands of residents. House Bill 78 would create a new program in the Department of Health that would discharge debt for residents living at-or-below 400% of the federal poverty level – or up to $60,240 for a single person and $124,800 for a family of four. Obligations totaling 5% or more of a person's income would also qualify under the program.Get your Audible Membership today! (As an Amazon

en

00:05:07

Restrictive Zoning Could Spark ‘Major’ Housing Shortage

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2024/02/29

House Republicans support Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's rhetoric to reform the commonwealth’s permitting process, but they’re not satisfied with the pace of his push. “We have a governor that ran on permitting reform,” Rep. Josh Kail, R-Beaver, said. “Unfortunately, there hasn't been progress made the way there should have been in the first year of his administration.” The House GOP Policy Committee met Wednesday in Tamaqua to discuss how to remove obstacles to opportunity, and much of

en

00:06:01

A Third of Fatal Drug Crashes in Philadelphia Linked...

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2024/02/24

As fentanyl-connected overdoses kill thousands of Pennsylvanians every year, the opioid shows up in traffic-crash data, too. A study from Jerry, a car insurance app, found that 6% of Philadelphia’s fatal crashes involved drugs from 2018-2021. The data, from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, showed that 2% of all traffic fatalities in the city were connected to fentanyl. That’s the highest rate of all cities in the commonwealth; 32% of all drug-related traffic fatalities were

en

00:07:00

‘Reasonable’ Fiscal Projections Versus ‘Plausible’ Ones

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2024/02/23

As Pennsylvania lawmakers kick off annual budget hearings on Tuesday, the Independent Fiscal Office fielded questions about revenue projections, the minimum wage and what could cause problems for the general fund. In his budget presentation to the Senate Appropriations Committee, IFO Director Matthew Knittel noted that his office was less rosy that the governor's administration on the state’s tax-and-spending balance. IFO projections expect a $4.2 billion budget deficit in 2024-25 with current

en

00:05:55

State College System Still in the Dark About Higher...

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2024/02/22

A sense of frustration spread through the Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on Wednesday as legislators struggled to get the specifics of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s higher education reform plan. Chancellor Dan Greenstein, head of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, wasn’t privy to the details either, but reiterated his appeal for more funding to deliver another tuition freeze for PASSHE students. The system wants a $38 million, 6.5% increase to its appropriation, which would total $624

en

00:05:18

Statewide Safe Syringe Program on Legislative Radar

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2024/02/17

After legalizing fentanyl test strips last session, the Pennsylvania House wants to expand its harm reduction approach by allowing syringe services. Though it has some bipartisan support, many House Republicans caution against such a move, concerned about safety in already-suffering neighborhoods. A House Judiciary Committee meeting on Wednesday voted 15-10 to advance a bill that would allow syringe services programs statewide.Get your Audible Membership today! (As an Amazon Associate, we earn

en

00:04:42

Bill Protects Medical Marijuana Patients’ Gun...

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2024/02/16

Amid debate over legalizing adult-use marijuana, lawmakers say Pennsylvania’s medical program needs some improvements – and call on the governor to lead the way. The medical program grinds against federal law: every cardholder faces the loss of their Second Amendment rights. That tradeoff was made clear in January when Warren County District Attorney Rob Greene announced that he obtained a medical marijuana card — and the law required the county sheriff to confiscate his license to carry a

en

00:04:35

Microsoft Exec Rejects Rogue Generative AI Risk

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2024/02/15

A Microsoft policy executive said to Pennsylvania lawmakers this week he’s "unaware" of the possibility that generative artificial intelligence could develop sentiency and become exploitive – even dangerous. “This is not new to Microsoft,” said Tyler Clark, Microsoft’s director of state and local government affairs. “Humans need to guide this technology and that’s what we are committed to doing safely and responsibly.” Clark’s response comes after lawmakers on the House Majority Policy

en

00:07:00

State Energy Policies Exacerbating Reliability,...

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2024/02/09

Pennsylvania’s energy future isn’t only a question of renewables versus fossil fuels — it’s a question of whether the state can reliably provide enough energy to meet growing demand. One problem is that power plants retiring is happening quicker than new, cleaner ones get built. The shuttering has been driven by state and federal rules to mitigate pollution, but getting projects approved and built takes years and years. Meanwhile, the demand for electricity is growing every year. Get your Audible

en

00:05:18

Shapiro’s Budget Plan: Stop Losing to ‘Friggin’ Ohio'

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2024/02/08

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s second budget address again touted major spending for education, a statewide economic investment plan and significant funding for public transit. All of this, he argued, could be done with a balanced budget and no new taxes, along with a minimum wage increase, a new gun violence office and the legalization of recreational marijuana. And, perhaps most importantly, could undermine Ohio’s economic prowess just a little bit. Join Skillshare: skillshare.eqcm.net/ATN ---

en

00:06:16

High Court Brushes up Against Constitutional Abortion...

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2024/02/02

A recent state Supreme Court ruling side-stepped the question of constitutional abortion access in Pennsylvania, reviving discussion over a would-be ballot referendum mired in legislative gridlock. Five justices said Monday the Commonwealth Court erred when it dismissed a 2019 case brought by seven abortion providers challenging Medicaid coverage restrictions first established in 1982 and upheld in 1985. The 1982 law said abortions sought for reasons other than rape, incest, and life-threatening

en

00:07:32

Biden Vague About East Palestine Visit One Year After...

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2024/02/01

As the one-year anniversary approaches of the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, President Joe Biden says he will soon visit the area to meet with locals and assess the recovery efforts. The White House has not confirmed when, but said that a trip to the site near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border would be made in February. The derailment of the Norfolk Southern train, just east of the town center, led to a conflagration when officials decided to burn off vinyl chloride, exposing residents and

en

00:05:12

Manufactured Homeowners Rally Against Rent Gouging

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2024/01/27

The growing trend of large corporations imposing exorbitant rent increases after acquiring manufactured home communities limits affordable housing options and threatens the financial security of those on fixed incomes – especially seniors. That’s why a coalition of communities in Pennsylvania is advocating for legislation that would protect residents from this practice. Manufactured homes are built in factories and assembled on-site. They are unique in that residents own the home, but not the land

en

00:06:47

More Car Dealerships Join Call to ‘Tap the Brakes’ on...

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2024/01/26

Nearly 4,500 dealerships representing all major auto manufacturing brands from every state recently signed a letter to President Joe Biden asking him to “tap the brakes” on his proposed electric vehicle mandate based on a lack of consumer demand. Since the letter was sent in November 2023, dealerships continue to add their names to the list – including 85 from Pennsylvania. The Biden administration set a target for battery electric vehicles, also known as BEVs or EVs, to account for half of all new

en

00:04:56

Feds Send $100M to Pennsylvania for Abandoned Mine...

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2024/01/25

Environmental remediation got a boost this week as Gov. Josh Shapiro announced a $101 million funding effort to restore abandoned mine lands at 16 sites across the commonwealth. The projects will target acid mine drainage, which can damage nature and streams in the area, as well as threaten human health. The projects are bankrolled by the federal government through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and cover projects in a dozen counties. --- Support this podcast:

en

00:05:11

Warren County DA Says Office Doesn’t ‘Pursue’...

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2024/01/19

Pennsylvania's recreational marijuana prohibition recently inspired one county election official to not seek re-election. During an interview with The Center Square, Warren County District Attorney Rob Greene said prosecuting violations of the ban weren't worth the office's time. Public safety isn’t threatened by legalization, he argued. Instead, law enforcement should focus on bigger threats. --- Support this podcast:

en

446 results

Similar Podcasts

Expres Ráno

Expres FM

PBS News Hour - Full Show

PBS NewsHour

CD Voice

China Daily

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report

Noa Levi

Jeffrey Epstein: The Coverup Chronicles

Bobby Capucci