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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.

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All Episodes

00:04:23

Pennsylvania Feeling the Heat After Ohio Legalizes Weed

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2023/11/10

Ohio voters embraced recreational marijuana on Tuesday, putting pressure on Pennsylvania as another neighbor legalizes adult use. As The Center Square reported, marijuana will be legal for adults 21 years and older. Plants can also be grown at home starting in December. Advocates argued the change will bring in $200 million annually in tax revenue and be “a significant investment in economic development for some communities.” --- Support this podcast:

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00:04:31

Convictions for Driving Past School Bus Stop Arms up 47%

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2023/11/09

Convictions for driving past school bus stop arms in Pennsylvania increased 47% in 2022, according to state data. Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary for Driver and Vehicle Services Kara Templeton said that 511 residents faced penalties for violating the law, up from 348 in 2021. During the agency’s Oct. 18 event to raise awareness for school transportation safety, she said law enforcement and bus drivers witnessed 164 incidents in just one day. --- Support this podcast:

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00:05:46

Commonwealth Court Strikes Down Carbon ‘Tax’

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2023/11/03

Commonwealth Court struck down Pennsylvania’s entry into an emissions regulatory program Wednesday, agreeing with critics that it's an unconstitutional tax. The decision delivers a blow to supporters of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative – a multi-state program that charges power generators for the pollution they produce – who had hoped Pennsylvania might join the rest of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast in the agreement. --- Support this podcast:

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00:06:37

Report: Pennsylvania Spends Among the Least on Veterans

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2023/11/02

Pennsylvania ranks among the worst in the nation when it comes to spending on veterans’ services, according to a recent analysis. The commonwealth fared 42 out of 50, according to data compiled from U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Government's National Library of Medicine. Metrics measured were total state expenditure on veterans’ medical care, disability compensation, nursing home availability, employment rates, vocational and rehabilitation training programs, and veteran

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00:03:45

Republican Policymakers All-in on Hydrogen Hubs

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2023/10/28

Republican lawmakers welcome the state’s future hydrogen hubs as the next step in energy production that balances environmental conservation with economic growth. But not everyone believes in the promise of hydrogen, and instead worry that the government will waste billions on questionable technology. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support

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00:05:30

Regulatory Reform Clock Ticking, Especially for...

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2023/10/27

Pennsylvania’s regulatory state is causing headaches, from long wait times to approve major projects to driving up costs that undermine the goals of federal programs. “We aim to strike a balance between the need for safeguards to protect the public and the imperative to create a business-friendly environment that fosters entrepreneurship, job creation, and prosperity,” Sen. Dan Laughlin, R-Erie, said during a Senate Republican Policy Committee hearing on red tape in the commonwealth. --- Support

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00:03:20

Crematories Want to ‘Cool the F’s Down’ in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2023/10/26

A slight operating change for crematories across Pennsylvania could impact costs and air quality in a big way. That’s why the Senate Environmental and Resources Committee enjoyed a bit of levity on Tuesday before approving House Bill 1246, a proposed amendment to the state’s code for crematories. A memo from the bill’s prime sponsor, Rep. Steven Malagari, D-Lansdale, calls on legislators to “Cool the ℉s Down.” --- Support this podcast:

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00:05:55

Explicit Book Access in Pennsylvania School Libraries...

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2023/10/20

Sexually explicit books in school libraries make many parents uncomfortable, but some educators say policies that limit access for students are ineffective, at best. Still, local officials want guidance from the state about how to allay concerns over books available to children, some as young as sixth grade, that depict or describe graphic sexual acts, incest and pedophilia. “What I have found is that if we had a starting point to work from … I couldn’t even tell you how many hours as a board trying

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00:05:12

No New Primary Election Date in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2023/10/19

The primary election will happen April 23, despite several legislative attempts to move up the date and capitalize on Pennsylvania’s swing state status. Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman, R-Indiana, said the upper chamber would not consider an amended bill that would reschedule the election for April 16 – even though it included property tax reform the chamber supported. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support

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00:04:44

State Transparency on Environmental Justice Activity...

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2023/10/13

Though state and federal governments have poured vast amounts of money into programs under the banner of environmental justice, Pennsylvanians who want to watch meetings of their own EJ Advisory Board are out of luck compared to other states. The board meets every quarter and invites public participation, but — unlike several other states — does not publish video recordings. The Tuesday meetings, which can run six hours long, can be difficult to watch live because they happen during the

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00:05:43

State College System Enrollment Stabilizing

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2023/10/12

New enrollment at Pennsylvania’s state-run college system increased again this fall, pointing to stabilization after years of worrying decline, officials said. The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education announced Monday that first-time student enrollment jumped 3.4% for fall 2023, and is up 10% since 2021. Chancellor Dan Greenstein credited the fifth year of tuition freezes and a focus on programs that lead to sought-after jobs as an enrollment driver. --- Support this podcast:

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00:05:27

Voting Changes Rejected; Moving Presidential Primary...

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2023/10/06

The state House has overwhelmingly rejected a joint proposal to move the primary election date and implement sweeping voting changes that frustrated lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. The chamber struck down Senate Bill 224 by a vote of 177-26. In total, all 101 Republicans and 76 Democrats, including House Speaker Joanna McClinton of Philadelphia, disapproved. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support

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00:03:45

Hellbender License Plate Honors Pennsylvania’s State...

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2023/10/05

Pennsylvania will have a new specialty license plate celebrating the state amphibian — the eastern hellbender, America’s largest salamander. Though most Pennsylvanians won’t encounter the reclusive and skittish creature in the wild, the hellbender became a state symbol in 2019. It can grow up to two feet and lives under rocks and boulders in clean, clear waters. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support

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00:05:29

Pennsylvania Moves Toward Criminalizing Xylazine

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2023/09/30

Pennsylvania may soon criminalize possession of xylazine – except for veterinary uses – amid an influx of the animal tranquilizer into the illicit drug supply across the country. State Rep. Carl Metzgar, R-Somerset, said he introduced a proposal to give law enforcement another tool to get people into treatment and protect the agricultural supply chain. The House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee voted 8-6 Wednesday to send the bill to the chamber floor for consideration. --- Support this

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00:04:02

Addiction Recovery Services Evolving Across the State

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2023/09/29

Successful recovery from drug addiction goes beyond overdose reversal drugs and rehab, advocates say, amid a statewide push to prioritize social and community support for former users. “People that use substances aren’t bad people and I think the realization is setting in that (addiction) can happen to anybody,” Breanne Pugh, a project coordinator with the Washington County Drug and Alcohol Commission, said. --- Support this podcast:

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00:03:12

Poll: Voters Like Shapiro, Even if They Aren’t Sure Why

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2023/09/28

Many voters in Pennsylvania approve of Gov. Josh Shapiro, even if they don't know exactly why. The Commonwealth Foundation’s quarterly Common Ground in the Commonwealth poll saw the governor earn a 61% favorable rating compared to last season, but his disapproval rating rose in tandem by 5 points to 29%. Shapiro, data showed, had the only approval rating over 50% of any statewide official. Most respondents couldn’t name any of Shapiro’s major accomplishments, according to the poll, but still

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00:05:24

Pennsylvania Opts Into Automatic Voter Registration

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2023/09/23

Residents receiving or renewing drivers licenses and state ID cards will be automatically registered to vote. Gov. Josh Shapiro made the announcement early Tuesday, joining Pennsylvania to a list of 23 other states — including Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Georgia, Virginia, and West Virginia — that automatically walk applicants through the process, unless they opt out. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support

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00:04:19

Speed Camera Enforcement Laws Sunsetting Soon

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2023/09/22

State lawmakers must act soon before a trio of authorizations expire for traffic cameras that capture drivers violating traffic laws. Provisions will soon kick in that would put an end to speed cameras in active work zones; camera-equipped school buses that ticket drivers who fail to yield to a stop sign; and speed cameras along Philadelphia’s Roosevelt Boulevard — one of the commonwealth’s most dangerous roads. --- Support this podcast:

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00:04:19

‘Warehouse’ Growth Worrying Environmental Groups

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2023/09/16

The online shopping industry, and the multi-billion dollar logistics and distribution network at its core, depend on Pennsylvania’s roads, land and workers for its warehouses. And yet, environmental groups say that zoning ordinances for these facilities fall short, leaving the state’s land, air and water vulnerable to destruction. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support

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00:06:46

Pennsylvania Provider Tells DEA How Telemedicine...

Pennsylvania in Focus ·

2023/09/15

Though some have concerns, health care experts want to see the Drug Enforcement Administration preserve the pandemic-era expansion of telemedicine to address the opioid crisis. The Drug Enforcement Administration this week held a listening session for its telemedicine rules, and one Pennsylvania addiction treatment provider encouraged the federal agency to make its temporary rules permanent. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support

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449 results

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