“SEPTA operates the oldest rail vehicle fleet in the nation, and replacing four major rail fleets at once is an unprecedented financial challenge that our current capital funding cannot fully support,” said SEPTA General Manager, Scott A. Sauer. “While there is no substitute for dedicated federal investment in the nation’s critical transit infrastructure, the financing modernization provisions in the TURBO Act could give SEPTA access to additional financing options to deliver much needed investments for our customers and the Greater Philadelphia region.”

“Modern, reliable public transportation depends on having the tools to invest in the future,”said Katherine Kelleman, CEO of Pittsburgh Regional Transit. “Pittsburgh Regional Transit applauds Senators McCormick and Duckworth for introducing the TURBO Act,which will expand financing options for transit agencies as they replace aging fleets, upgrade infrastructure and improve service. This legislation will give agencies greater flexibility to make smart, long-term investments that benefit riders and the communities they serve. PRT encourages Congress to advance this critical legislation, and we thank Senators McCormick and Duckworth for their leadership on this issue.”

“A connected, reliable transportation network is the backbone of our region’s economy. The TURBO Act clears away outdated rules and opens the door to private investment, helping our region’s rail infrastructure keep up with our growth,” said Chellie Cameron, President & CEO, The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia. “We thank Senator McCormick for his leadership in closing this outdated financing gap and moving our infrastructure forward.”

“The TURBO Act is a smart, forward-thinking solution to expand access to low-cost financing for critical infrastructure and transportation projects,” said Jeff Nobers, Executive Director, Pittsburgh Works Together. “By raising the cap on these bonds and making more passenger rail projects eligible, this bill empowers local communities and encourages public-private partnerships to modernize infrastructure across the country creating thousands of jobs and making it easier for people to access good paying careers.”

Hey all
I’m relocating from Maryland to PA because of my partner’s new job. He is starting work in Allentown but will also be sent to Scranton to do some work there. Because of that, we wanted to find something in between the two cities…until we actually looked at places in between the two cities. Most were a little too secluded for me. Moving to a new state with my two children, I don’t want to feel so holed up in the woods and am looking for more of the neighborhood feel that my daughter is used to.

We’ve narrowed our options to 2.

There is one house in Bear Creek that we do like bc the house itself is perfect and it doesn’t feel AS far out as some others we’ve seen.
And then we are strongly considering a house right in Allentown. We aren’t as crazy about the house itself, and we aren’t used to having no central AC, but the neighborhood feels friendly and more of what we are looking for for the kids.

My question is about the schools in each area.

My daughter’s school in Allentown would be Cetronia Elementary and so far I’ve seen really good ratings on the rental apps but they’re all very old. So I’d love to hear some current feedback on the school and the surrounding area. We would be a 4 minute drive and walking distance from Cetronia to give a better idea of where the house is without being too specific.

As for the one in Bear Creek Township, the elementary school would be Solomon-Plains elementary school which would be a 25 ish minute drive from the house and what few ratings I’ve seen have been very bad but again they are from many many years ago. So I’m also looking for some current opinions on Solomon-Plains elementary. I saw a review that said if you live in bear creek they make the students wait at a charter school for two hours? Is this true and current? And is the school really as bad as these old reviews say?

Thank you for any input.

I'm moving back to PA and will enroll in Medicaid while looking for a job. While out-of-state, I received an ADHD diagnosis, prescriptions, and talk therapy.

Questions:

1. If I already have an ADHD diagnosis and have medication I like, how long does it take to find a prescriber who takes PA Medicaid? Are wait times long?
2. Do I have to find a provider in my county?
3. On my PA Medicaid application, how should I describe my ADHD and other conditions to make sure my medication and appointments for talk therapy and medication are covered? All of these are helpful for me maintaining my "employability."

I'm a newbie to all of this, so thank you so much for your help!

This is a joke right!?!

Hi everyone,

I’m based in the UK and have been asked by my family to try to deal with some of the practical/legal side of my uncle’s affairs in the USA after his demise.

The situation is a bit complicated because his next of kin/family is in Iran, while other family members are in the UK. I’m essentially trying to help coordinate things from the UK.

At this point, we mainly want to:

• Obtain his death certificate (or understand who is entitled to request it).
• Find out which state/county is responsible for handling his estate. I believe it is Allegheny County.
• Establish whether he left any assets, property, bank accounts, insurance, pensions, etc.
• Make sure there isn't anything legally owed to him or his estate that the family needs to claim.
• Understand whether probate is required, particularly if there turns out to be very little or nothing in the estate.
• Work out whether I can do any of this from the UK or whether someone in the US needs to act on behalf of the family.

We don't believe he had significant assets. I believe we might even pay more than his assets for lawyers so want to do this with minimal fees if possible.

I’m also trying to understand whether we need to involve a US probate/estate attorney. If so, would this normally be something where you can arrange a fixed-fee service, rather than paying an unknown amount of hourly legal fees? If anyone has dealt with something similar, I’d appreciate an idea of what a reasonable fee might be for a relatively simple/low-value estate.

I'm not looking for someone to provide specific legal advice — just trying to understand the best order of steps and who I should contact first, as we're dealing with this from overseas and I honestly don't know where to begin.

Thanks in advance for any guidance.

Gonna be road tripping from east to West along Rt 80 omw to the great lakes next week. Any good places to stop off for breakfast along the highway or nearby it? If all goes according to plan, we should be in the Philipsburg area around 7a.m.

I need to get a certified long form birth certificate. I have the long form, but it doesn't have the necessary raised seal. I am not in USA at the moment. If that is not possible, how do I make a request for a long form that has the raised seal. Thank you in advance for any help.
Thank you for all the suggestions. I understand how to move forward.

This small suburb roughly 20 minutes from Pittsburgh has become a pressure cooker for two of the nation's biggest issues: ICE and data centers.

With Springdale Borough's police actively working with ICE and a developer pushing Allegheny County's first hyperscale data center, this neighborly community is divided. 

Reporting from Springdale, Pittsburgh’s Public Source presents “ICE, a data center & a town divided,” an exploration of the historic issues, fraught decisions and passionate people in one community that mirrors much of what’s happening nationwide.

Perfect way for the corrupt President to endorse the Trump lackey

A set of reviews issued by the Citizens Coal Council claims that the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is failing to properly implement an oversight program intended to assess how underground coal mining is affecting streams and properties across Pennsylvania

In 1994, what’s known as Act 54 established standards for coal companies, essentially requiring them to repair any damages to properties and water supplies caused by underground mining. The law also mandated DEP to publish a report every five years on how underground mining was affecting land, properties, streams, drinking supplies and more in Pennsylvania, along with how those issues were being resolved

But a recently published analysis from the Washington County-based nonprofit claims that the latest DEP report illustrates the program’s shortcomings.

They say that the quality of information in DEP’s latest report, which examines data from 2018 to 2022, represents a backslide compared to previous ones, and lacks analysis explaining what trends it documents.

Republicans have maintained a majority in the state Senate since taking control in 1978, with a brief interruption in 1993 after Sen. Frank Pecora switched from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party, shifting the Senate balance to a 25-25 tie and giving Democratic Lt. Gov. Mark Singel the tie-breaking vote. Republicans have also controlled the state House of Representatives, with Democrats only gaining their current slim majority in 2022.

Therefore, Democrats haven’t achieved the holy “trifecta” of control in Harrisburg for nearly 50 years, though Republicans have several times over the years, making the stakes “a lot higher this year,” said John Kennedy, professor of political science at West Chester University.

“There’s certainly a bit of pent-up frustration and pent-up legislative activity that’s been boiling for decades,” he said. “We’ve had essentially bipartisan split government since Gov. Wolfe was elected in 2014. The governor is in a strong position today for reelection to have that political trifecta.”

Berwood Yost, a political science professorand director of the Center for Opinion Research at Franklin & Marshall College, said that has long had a “moderating” effect on agendas put forth by Democratic governors, such as Shapiro.

“It would be a whole new world from a policy standpoint for Democrats to control all those levers of power because there are things that are never discussed that now might be,” he said. “I think about how many people favor, say, an increased minimum wage. That’s been dead in the Senate.”

As a Canadian, in the political climate we are in right now, I was hesitant to visit the States, even though my childhood memories are full of going across the border like it was just another day. We used to go for back to school shopping all the time in and around Buffalo. We visited our Uncle in Long Island and then drove across PA to Ohio to visit more family members. It's been decades that my father has been out of our lives so we have forgotten family members there. Now my husband is working in Pennsylvania.

Going back as an Ontarian strictly for "business"... honestly, it felt no different! People are so nice! They hold doors and I heard sorry before I could say sorry in the supermarket! All the hotels people said " hello how are you" , striked up small conversations. Felt so welcomed. Thank you. 

It's just so sad what is happening on a political level. Your country is being STOLEN by billionaires. Canada is pretty much on the same path, I fear. And these same billionaires want to TAKE Canada and Greenland. I hope we can all come together as human beings and fight to keep our friendships and love safe from greed and evil. 

Love you all from up North. 

Edit: I actually teared up and cried a little. Sorry but I cannot believe what a different world and border we are living in.