Pennsylvania residents who rely on federally-funded food assistance are being advised that those benefits may not be there when expected next month. The Trump administration is telling state officials that SNAP benefits are only funded through October and would likely be impacted by the ongoing government shutdown. Governor Josh Shapiro says that two-million Pennsylvanians stand to be affected.
Tuesday, Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman was asked if he'd support Republicans overriding the Senate filibuster to reopen the government. "Yes, of course. Carve it out for that? Absolutely. We ran on killing the filibuster and now we love it. Carve it out so we can move on," Fetterman says. Republicans could nuke the filibuster and let a House-passed funding measure advance the Senate with a simple-majority vote. As the shutdown drags into its third week, Fetterman says he is not opposed to GOP lawmakers resorting to that so-called nuclear option.
The Republican-controlled Pennsylvania Senate has passed a $47.9 billion budget. Gov. Josh Shapiro gives the spending plan an eye roll. "It's a joke. It doesn't actually meet the obligations of this Commonwealth," Shapiro says. Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman has a very different take on the budget. Pittman says the budget pays the bills, pays the state's obligations, fulfills pension debt services and relieves the immediate crisis in front of the state. The state budget is now 113 days overdue.
Work has begun on the redesign of Allentown's Center Square at 7th and Hamilton streets. The first phase of work involves waterline upgrades performed by the Lehigh County Authority. Beginning tomorrow and lasting for a week, drivers won't be able to turn left onto Hamilton Street from 7th Street. When completed next year, Seventh Street would be trimmed down to two lanes with a bike lane added and one of the two lanes of Hamilton Street at the intersection's monument would be eliminated. The project will cost $6.5 million.
Burlington Stores is planning to open its fourth Lehigh Valley store Nov. 1 at the South Mall. The new store, totaling nearly 20,000 square feet, will occupy a portion of a former Stein Mart location, which closed in 2020.
According to AAA East Central's latest report, Pennsylvania gas prices dipped by two cents over the past seven days, ending up at $3.23 a gallon on Tuesday. That's a dime less expensive than last October 21st's price. In the Lehigh Valley, gas prices were down three cents from the previous week, at $3.15 a gallon. That's eight cents less than one year earlier.
One of the two bald eagles who lived at Knoebels Amusement Resort has died. The park says Henry arrived at Knoebels from Florida more than 20 years ago, alongside the female eagle, Hattie, after they were both injured in powerline accidents. His exact age isn't known, but when he arrived at the park, he'd already developed his white head feathers, which meant he was 4-6 years old when he came to Knoebels in 2003.
Time is running out for anyone needing to apply for a mail-in or absentee ballot. Pennsylvanians have until next Tuesday to get this done. Applications must be received by 5 p.m. on October 28th. Election Day is November 4.
In a handful of states, striking workers are eligible to receive unemployment compensation. That's not the case in Pennsylvania, something Philadelphia St. Rep. Rick Krajewski wants to change. "When our nation has created the wealthiest men in history, while workers still struggle putting food on the table, providing unemployment compensation for workers who are taking the courageous step of withholding their labor is a necessary intervention," Krajewski says. Krajewski and 105 other state representatives have voted to lift the ban on striking workers to collect unemployment as long as they meet other unemployment compensation requirements. The bill now moves to the state Senate for consideration. Current state law considers striking workers as having voluntarily quit their jobs, making them ineligible for unemployment pay.
There's a new controversy shaking up the race between Democrat Mikie Sherill and Republican Jack Ciattarelli to become New Jersey's next governor. An unpaid advisor to Ciattarelli is drawing criticism for remarks he made at a recent event for the Republican nominee. Ibrar Nadeem is Ciattarelli's Muslim relations advisor. At a weekend event, he called for a ban on same sex marriage and that he was been accused of "taking money from Jews", which he claimed was not true. Ciattarelli joined Nadeem a few minutes later at the event and praised Nadeem. Sherrill called on Ciattarelli to denounce the comments and apologize for praising Nadeem.
No Philadelphia Eagle has played more games than Brandon Graham. He's going to add to that 206 game total after returning to the team after retiring back in February. Graham says retirement wasn't all it was cracked up to be. "I'll be appreciating just one more time even more because I've been out of it since February and just knowing what it'll be like when it's over over, I'm just happy I'm getting another chance at it," Graham says. When Graham makes his season debut is unknown.