Latest news with #Pennsylvanians
Miami Herald
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
John Fetterman Trashed In Home State Newspaper: ‘Step Away'
Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman has been accused of neglecting his duties in his home state newspaper. The Philadelphia Inquirer's editorial board published an opinion piece on Sunday that said if Fetterman wants to continue as a U.S. senator, he "must take his position seriously." "Public service is not about serving yourself," the board's piece concluded. "It's time for Fetterman to serve Pennsylvanians, or step away." Newsweek has contacted Fetterman's office for comment via email. Fetterman's victory in 2022's Senate race was cause for celebration for Democrats, flipping a seat that was key to the party holding a majority in the Senate. He ran as a hero to progressives, but his rightward shift on some issues as a senator has led some former supporters to disavow him. He has drawn rebukes from progressives over his staunch support of Israel in its war in Gaza and angered his fellow Democrats for arguing his party needs to work with President Donald Trump. He has also faced concerns about his health since his 2022 Senate run, when he suffered a stroke. He checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for treatment for clinical depression shortly after he was sworn in to the Senate. Several current and former staffers expressed concern about Fetterman's mental and physical health in a New York Magazine report in May that Fetterman dismissed as a "one-source hit piece." The Inquirer editorial board's opinion piece said Fetterman has missed more votes than nearly any other senator in the past two years, regularly skips committee hearings, cancels meetings, avoids daily caucus lunches with colleagues, and rarely goes on the Senate floor. It also said that Fetterman, like some Republican elected officials, is also avoiding holding town hall meetings with constituents "for fear of being heckled." It noted that while Fetterman dismissed the New York Magazine report, other media outlets have "confirmed Fetterman's erratic behavior through multiple sources, including The Inquirer." The Inquirer reported in May that Fetterman had yelled at several representatives of a teachers' union and banged his fists on the table after they pressed him to do more to push back on cuts to federal education. The piece also criticized Fetterman for justifying his decision to skip committee work and procedural work that he described as "performative" in a recent interview with The New York Times. Fetterman also said he had missed votes he considers a waste of time to spend time with his family or visit his father, who recently had a heart attack. "Senators often work long nights in Washington. But they also have flexible schedules and enjoy plenty of time off from Washington, since there are only an average of 165 legislative days," the opinion piece says. "Many of Fetterman's constituents would like to work half a year so they, too, could spend time with their families. Safe to say, many would do it for less than Fetterman's salary of $174,000, which is more than double the nation's median household income." It also criticized Fetterman for having time to meet with Trump, travel overseas and appear on talk shows but not make time for his constituents. "Fetterman has not had much time for Washington or Pennsylvania. But he found time to jet down to Mar-a-Lago to schmooze with Trump," it said. "Fetterman has flown to Israel twice in the past year, including a recent all-expense-paid junket to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been accused of war crimes and corruption. He and his wife flew first class and stayed in five-star hotels as part of a fact-finding mission that cost $36,000 and was paid for by a New York-based nonprofit." The opinion piece also said: "Being an elected official comes with public scrutiny. If Fetterman can't handle the attention or perform his job, then in the best interest of the country and the nearly 13 million residents of Pennsylvania he represents, he should step aside. "After all, being an elected representative is a privilege, not an entitlement. Being a U.S. senator is a serious job that requires full-time engagement." Daniel Pearson, editorial writer for The Inquirer wrote on X: "Showing up to work is not performative, Senator Fetterman." Senator Fetterman told The New York Times in a recent interview that he has been shamed into fulfilling senatorial duties. He said he was "showing up because people in the media have weaponized" his absenteeism to portray him as mentally unfit. He added: "The votes I missed were overwhelmingly procedural; they're even called 'bed check' votes. I had to make a decision: getting here and sticking my thumb in the door for three seconds for a procedural vote or spend Monday night as a dad-daughter date." Fetterman has not publicly responded to The Inquirer editorial board's opinion piece. He is likely to continue facing scrutiny in the coming weeks and months. Fetterman is up for reelection in 2028. Related Articles John Fetterman 'Of Course' Being Wooed by GOP Amid Liberal Backlash-SenatorJohn Fetterman Staffer Left Crying Over His Erratic Behavior: ReportJohn Fetterman Reacts to Concerns About His HealthVideo of John Fetterman Arguing About Plane Seatbelt Takes Off Online 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Home repair program in Pa. would continue investment in essential renovations
A street in Shamokin in Northumberland County. The county got more than $1 million for residential improvements like plumbing and weatherization through the Whole Home Repair Program, which has since run out of its American Rescue Plan funding. State lawmakers are proposing a similar successor funded at $50 million per year. (Emily Previti/Pennsylvania Capital-Star) A home repair program that Pennsylvanians really seem to need, based on the response, could continue if state officials can agree on how to run it. A bipartisan group of state legislators announced – just before budget talks officially start in Harrisburg – they'll co-sponsor forthcoming legislation creating the PA Home Preservation Program. Gov. Josh Shapiro's proposed budget allocates $50 million for the program. It took mere months to spend four times that amount through the similarly-focused Whole Home Repair Program. The WHRP diverted $125 million to financing weatherization, plumbing and other essential improvements to thousands of residential units across the state starting last September, according to the state Department of Community and Economic Development. And more 18,000 applicants, combined, were left on waitlists kept by pass-through agencies, according to the planned bill's co-sponsorship memo. Lawmakers used a one-time federal infusion from the American Rescue Plan to create the WHRP. Program requirements limited homeowners to those making no more than 80 percent of median area household income. Landlords couldn't own more than five properties and 15 affordable units across all properties. And it capped project costs at $50,000 per unit. State officials view the WHRP as a pilot for the proposed PA Home Preservation program that's intended to be more permanent. 'It is not easy to sort of do all this coordination, build out relationships with contractors, … [and] sub-grantees,' said DCED Secretary Rick Siger during the agency's budget hearing earlier this year. 'But we have a path now…informed by, frankly, just learning a bunch of stuff as we ran Whole Home Repair.' The new initiative likely would have income limits for homeowner recipients and prioritize senior citizens, according to prime sponsor Rep. Lindsay Powell, D-Pittsburgh. Other than that, few details have been hashed out, Powell said Friday. But one would be an effort to keep program guidelines as consistent as possible, she said. She cited constantly changing expectations and reporting requirements as a major challenge during her time on Pittsburgh's Urban Redevelopment Authority Board. Siger, Powell and others have pointed to the age of Pennsylvania's housing stock as another reason to invest in renovation and rehabilitation, with nearly 60 percent of homes statewide dating back to before 1970.
Newsweek
5 hours ago
- Health
- Newsweek
John Fetterman Trashed In Home State Newspaper: 'Step Away'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman has been accused of neglecting his duties in his home state newspaper. The Philadelphia Inquirer's editorial board published an opinion piece on Sunday that said if Fetterman wants to continue as a U.S. senator, he "must take his position seriously." "Public service is not about serving yourself," the board's piece concluded. "It's time for Fetterman to serve Pennsylvanians, or step away." Newsweek has contacted Fetterman's office for comment via email. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) speaks during a hearing with the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on May 20, 2025. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) speaks during a hearing with the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on May 20, It Matters Fetterman's victory in 2022's Senate race was cause for celebration for Democrats, flipping a seat that was key to the party holding a majority in the Senate. He ran as a hero to progressives, but his rightward shift on some issues as a senator has led some former supporters to disavow him. He has drawn rebukes from progressives over his staunch support of Israel in its war in Gaza and angered his fellow Democrats for arguing his party needs to work with President Donald Trump. He has also faced concerns about his health since his 2022 Senate run, when he suffered a stroke. He checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for treatment for clinical depression shortly after he was sworn in to the Senate. Several current and former staffers expressed concern about Fetterman's mental and physical health in a New York Magazine report in May that Fetterman dismissed as a "one-source hit piece." What To Know The Inquirer editorial board's opinion piece said Fetterman has missed more votes than nearly any other senator in the past two years, regularly skips committee hearings, cancels meetings, avoids daily caucus lunches with colleagues, and rarely goes on the Senate floor. It also said that Fetterman, like some Republican elected officials, is also avoiding holding town hall meetings with constituents "for fear of being heckled." It noted that while Fetterman dismissed the New York Magazine report, other media outlets have "confirmed Fetterman's erratic behavior through multiple sources, including The Inquirer." The Inquirer reported in May that Fetterman had yelled at several representatives of a teachers' union and banged his fists on the table after they pressed him to do more to push back on cuts to federal education. The piece also criticized Fetterman for justifying his decision to skip committee work and procedural work that he described as "performative" in a recent interview with The New York Times. Fetterman also said he had missed votes he considers a waste of time to spend time with his family or visit his father, who recently had a heart attack. "Senators often work long nights in Washington. But they also have flexible schedules and enjoy plenty of time off from Washington, since there are only an average of 165 legislative days," the opinion piece says. "Many of Fetterman's constituents would like to work half a year so they, too, could spend time with their families. Safe to say, many would do it for less than Fetterman's salary of $174,000, which is more than double the nation's median household income." It also criticized Fetterman for having time to meet with Trump, travel overseas and appear on talk shows but not make time for his constituents. "Fetterman has not had much time for Washington or Pennsylvania. But he found time to jet down to Mar-a-Lago to schmooze with Trump," it said. "Fetterman has flown to Israel twice in the past year, including a recent all-expense-paid junket to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been accused of war crimes and corruption. He and his wife flew first class and stayed in five-star hotels as part of a fact-finding mission that cost $36,000 and was paid for by a New York-based nonprofit." What People are Saying The opinion piece also said: "Being an elected official comes with public scrutiny. If Fetterman can't handle the attention or perform his job, then in the best interest of the country and the nearly 13 million residents of Pennsylvania he represents, he should step aside. "After all, being an elected representative is a privilege, not an entitlement. Being a U.S. senator is a serious job that requires full-time engagement." Daniel Pearson, editorial writer for The Inquirer wrote on X: "Showing up to work is not performative, Senator Fetterman." Senator Fetterman told The New York Times in a recent interview that he has been shamed into fulfilling senatorial duties. He said he was "showing up because people in the media have weaponized" his absenteeism to portray him as mentally unfit. He added: "The votes I missed were overwhelmingly procedural; they're even called 'bed check' votes. I had to make a decision: getting here and sticking my thumb in the door for three seconds for a procedural vote or spend Monday night as a dad-daughter date." What's Next Fetterman has not publicly responded to The Inquirer editorial board's opinion piece. He is likely to continue facing scrutiny in the coming weeks and months. Fetterman is up for reelection in 2028.
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
L&I assists thousands with unemployment compensation claims
Jun. 1—WILKES-BARRE — Now in its third year, the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry's (L&I) UC Connect program continues to provide essential, in-person assistance to Pennsylvanians looking for help navigating the Unemployment Compensation (UC) system. Since its launch in May 2022, UC Connect has helped more than 106,000 Pennsylvanians resolve claims, navigate eligibility issues, and connect to community-based resources, helping more than 700 people in April 2025 alone. Offered at PA CareerLink locations statewide, UC Connect appointments are tailored to claimants who lack reliable internet, are unfamiliar with digital systems, or need language support. With sustained demand for in-person help, L&I has embedded UC Connect into its long-term customer service model. "As UC Connect enters its third year, it remains a necessary and effective tool for delivering unemployment services equitably," said L&I Secretary Nancy A. Walker. "In-person support ensures that no Pennsylvanian is left out of the system simply because they don't have access to broadband or need help understanding the process. L&I has expanded UC Connect's services and took the initiative statewide, and it's clear that our efforts are making a difference in delivering faster, better service for Pennsylvanians." After initially launched as a pilot program in 2022, UC Connect was made a permanent service through bipartisan investments in the 2023 — 24 budget, enabling L&I to hire more than 380 UC interviewers to expand service delivery across Pennsylvania. Unemployment Compensation system update The Department first eliminated a backlog of 40,000 claims from the pandemic era — each requiring case-by-case review — within seven months. The Department then shifted focus to scaling up staff, reducing wait times, and improving access for all Pennsylvanians. Key service highlights from April 2025 include: —Average call wait time was reduced to 18 minutes and 56 seconds. —5,321 live chat sessions were completed—an increase from the same time last year —44,077 new UC claims were filed —$157 million in UC benefits was paid to 99,518 individuals —86,616 helpline calls were answered —13,965 email inquiries were processed —709 individuals received in-person assistance through UC Connect Since the beginning of 2025, L&I has paid out $784 million in UC benefits to more than 483,000 individuals, responded to 361,258 helpline calls, and provided 3,112 UC Connect appointments. Risk-limiting audit of 2025 primary election begins The Department of State this week began Pennsylvania's statewide risk-limiting election audit (RLA) of the May 20 primary. "This is our sixth statewide risk-limiting audit since the 2022 general election," Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt said. "RLAs are proven to be the highest standard of comprehensive election audits because the RLA process provides a statistically sound, scientific method for confirming, with a high degree of confidence, that the reported outcome of the audited election is accurate." Schmidt said 10 Department employees took turns rolling 10-sided dice to deliver the random 20-digit "seed number," which is used to determine which batches of ballots counties will audit over the next several days. A random-selection drawing on May 23, resulted in the selection of the contest for the Republican nomination for Judge of Commonwealth Court for this RLA. During the audit, county officials will hand-tally the randomly selected ballot batches, then compare those vote counts to the original machine counts for the selected race. Known as a "batch comparison" type of RLA, this pre-certification audit can confirm whether counties accurately tabulated paper ballots so that a full hand count would produce the same reported outcome. The RLA will be carried out in addition to the 2% statutorily required review that counties must perform after each primary and general election in Pennsylvania. For that review, county officials are required to conduct a statistical recount of a random sample of at least 2% of all ballots cast, or 2,000 ballots, whichever is fewer. Counties must complete the RLA by June 5, and they must certify all election results to Schmidt by June 9. Fetterman joins push to return stolen art to Holocaust survivors U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Braddock, is pushing legislation to help survivors of the Holocaust and their families reclaim tens of thousands of pieces of artwork stripped from them by the Nazis. The bill, sponsored by Fetterman and a bipartisan group of lawmakers, attempts to smooth the legal process for these survivors or their heirs as they petition the courts for return of the art, according to a news release. Though Congress passed a bill with the same aim nearly a decade ago, some museums, institutions and governments have stonewalled and battled families in their reclamation efforts, Fetterman's office said. "Some 80 years after the Holocaust, we have a moral responsibility to do right by the victims of these atrocities and their families," Fetterman said in a statement. The proposal extends the original Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act, which is set to expire at the end of 2026. Recognizing the difficulty of tracking down artwork stolen during the Holocaust, Congress in 2016 passed the act to give families six years to file a legal claim for a piece after they've located it. The new bill backed by Fetterman also seeks to make sure families' court claims get fair consideration on their merits rather than being dismissed over technicalities, the release stated. During the Holocaust, Nazi Germany seized hundreds of thousands of pieces of artwork from Jewish people. While the U.S. and other allied nations have tried to restore these valuables to their rightful owners, more than 100,000 pieces still have not been given back, according to Fetterman's office. Fetterman is co-sponsoring the bill introduced by U.S. Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut. DCNR: Free menstrual products available in 68 state parks Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn this week was joined by First Lady Lori Shapiro and members of the Governor's Advisory Commission on Next Generation Engagement to announce a new initiative that makes free menstrual products available in 68 state parks across Pennsylvania. The products are now stocked in park offices, visitor centers, and environmental educational centers at participating parks, offering a convenient and essential resource for visitors. Signage in English and Spanish helps park-goers locate where products are available. This effort is part of the Shapiro Administration's broader work to make public spaces across the Commonwealth more accessible and supportive for all. The announcement coincides with Menstrual Hygiene Day — highlighting the importance of addressing period poverty through public policy and access. "I've been so inspired by all the young women I've met who are making their voices heard and starting conversations on period poverty — talking so comfortably about something that, for so long, has been a taboo subject," said First Lady Shapiro. "Thanks to them speaking up, Pennsylvania has taken some major steps to ensure more women have access to basic hygiene supplies throughout the day. I want everyone to be able to enjoy their time outdoors, and DCNR's work to get free menstrual products in the bathrooms and visitor offices of our state parks is critical to making our outdoor spaces welcoming to everyone." "No one should have to cut an outdoor adventure short because of their period — DCNR has you covered," said Secretary Dunn. "We are committed to creating inclusive, welcoming outdoor spaces — and that means meeting people's basic needs without stigma or barriers." DCNR will evaluate the program's success and expand it to additional park locations in the future. Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Pennsylvania legislators propose tax on ride services like Uber & Lyft
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — Two Pennsylvania legislators are formally introducing a bill that would establish a new tax on ride services such as Uber and Lyft. According to a news release, State Representatives Aerion Abney (D-Allegheny County) and Jessica Benham (D-Allegheny County) are formally introducing a bill that would help fund Pennsylvania's transit systems. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now The 'Transit for All PA' Funding Package, which has been introduced as H.B.s 1523 and 1524, would provide a dedicated funding source to PRT and transit agencies across the Keystone State. According to lawmakers, the legislation includes the following: Raising the state's rental car fee from $2 to $6.50 Increasing the car lease fee from 3% to 5% Establishing a 6% exercise tax on ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft Specifically, the lawmakers say the package builds on Governor Josh Shapiro's budget proposal to increase the allocation of existing sales taxes to public transit. 'Public transit is a lifeline for our communities,' Rep. Benham said. 'Our legislative package will provide the necessary funding to keep Allegheny moving, connecting people to work, school and entertainment, while keeping fewer cars on the road. We need our colleagues to recognize the importance of funding transit sufficiently in this budget.' With the increased stream of revenue, it is believed that transit systems across Pennsylvania would be able to stabilize their budgets, move beyond current austerity measures, and better serve the needs of riders. It is important to note that Pennsylvania's car rental and lease fees have not been increased in over 30 years and are currently among the lowest in the nation. There is also no existing statewide tax on ride hailing services. 'Pennsylvanians deserve a public transportation system that is safe, reliable and accessible,' Rep. Abney, D-Allegheny said. 'As significant service cuts are being proposed for our public transit agencies, we're exploring every possible avenue with legislation like this to secure more dollars and ensure residents can continue getting to where they need to be.' abc27 news will keep you updated as more information becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
