Government & Civic Life
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West Chester Native in Position to Lead One of the Largest Municipalities in Bucks County
Eden Ratliff, a West Chester native and former VISTA Millennial Superstar with extensive experience in municipal government, has been selected as the new municipal manager of Middletown, writes JD Mullane for the Bucks County Courier Times. Ratliff, who is also a volunteer firefighter, will head one of the largest municipalities in Bucks County, overseeing its…
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Haverford Commissioners Look to Create Downtown With Eagle Road Redevelopment
Haverford Township Commissioners hope a new comprehensive plan passed Monday night will create a downtown for the township, writes Madeleine Wright for CBS News Philadelphia. It calls for redeveloping the Eagle Road corridor, allowing mixed-use buildings, like apartments, over storefronts. “This plan looks back at 30 years of our township and our neighborhoods and comes…
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Montco State Rep Greg Scott Wants to Shrink PA’s School Districts
Montgomery County State Rep. Greg Scott believes Pennsylvania’s 500 public school districts may be too many, writes Matthew Rink for Philly Burbs. Scott represents the 54th District, covering Conshohocken, Plymouth Township, and Norristown. He recently announced plans to introduce legislation that would direct the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to study what it would take…
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Erica Deuso Wins Downingtown Democratic Primary, Paving Way to General Election
Erica Deuso defeated Barry Cassidy in the Democratic mayoral primary on Tuesday in Downingtown, paving the way to become Pennsylvania’s first openly transgender mayor, writes Michael Tanenbaum for the PhillyVoice. Deuso earned 62 percent of the vote with fewer than 1,000 ballots cast. Downingtown’s population is around 9,000 people. She will face Republican Richard Bryant…
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Get the Vote411: a Nonpartisan Tool to Empower Voters in the May 20 Primary and Beyond
With Pennsylvania’s May 20 primary election quickly approaching, voters across the Commonwealth will face critical decisions—especially in judicial races that often receive less media attention but carry long-term consequences for our communities, our families, and our rights. Fortunately, there is a powerful, nonpartisan tool offered by the League of Women Voters to help every voter…
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State Court Says 7 Delco Communities Can Do Own Health Inspections
Seven Delaware County municipalities can perform their own health inspections in their communities following a decision in Commonwealth Court, writes Kathleen E. Carey for the Daily Times. When Delaware County had no health department, it fell to local municipalities to conduct their own health inspections of food and beverage retail establishments, food stores, public and…
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Erica Deuso Running for Downingtown Mayor to Serve Her Community, Maintain ‘Good Neighbor Spirit’
If elected, Erica Deuso, the Democratic nominee in the May primary for Downingtown mayor, would become the first openly transgender mayor in Pennsylvania, writes Katie Bernard for The Philadelphia Inquirer. However, her identity seldom comes up when canvassing. Usually, potential constituents are eager to discuss traffic problems and public safety. Deuso, a member of the…
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Chester County Focuses on Protecting Vital Federal Funding
Chester County Government leaders are ramping up efforts to safeguard critical federal funding that supports essential services for county residents. Just last week, the County Commissioners and executive leadership mobilized, holding high-level discussions with senior staff from the offices of U.S. Senators John Fetterman and David McCormick. Chester County Commissioners’ Chair Josh Maxwell and County CEO…
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Meet VOTE411.org from the League of Women Voters: Your Secret Weapon for Next Tuesday’s Primary Election
Chester County voters will head to the polls on Tuesday, May 20, to weigh in on a range of local and statewide races in Pennsylvania’s closed primary election. On the ballot are seats for statewide appellate courts—including Pennsylvania Superior and Commonwealth Courts—as well as a host of local offices, such as magisterial district judges, township…
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Maryland Gov. Wes Moore Urges Nation’s Youth to Find Middle Ground During Lincoln University Speech
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore urged the nation’s young people to find a middle ground between focusing solely on the country’s ugly chapters and accepting its greatness without question during his commencement speech at Lincoln University, writes Erin Cox for The Philadelphia Tribune. Moore, a potential Democratic presidential contender for 2028, highlighted his grandfather’s story of…
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New Fiscal Notes Website Allows Philadelphians to See Cost of Bills, Resolutions Introduced By City Council
Mayor Cherelle Parker recently unveiled a new website that allows Philadelphians to discover the potential cost of bills and resolutions introduced by City Council, writes Pat Loeb for KYW Newsradio. According to the mayor, this feature — called “Fiscal Notes” — is commonplace in the state House of Representatives. To this end, she is glad…
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Montco Forms Council to Determine AI’s Role in County’s Future
Montgomery County is taking a step into the future with the launch of a new AI for Public Good Advisory Council, writes Justin Heinze for the Patch. As AI tools grow more powerful—and more pervasive—county leaders are moving quickly to ensure ethics, transparency, and community benefit stay front and center. The newly formed council will…
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Charles Barkley Wants Josh Shapiro On Future Presidential Ballot
Pennsylvania Governor and Abington native Josh Shapiro just picked up a high-profile nod from none other than Charles Barkley, writes Rob Tornoe for the Philadelphia Inquirer. During a recent podcast appearance, the former Sixers star and NBA analyst shared his thoughts on the still-distant 2028 presidential race. Barkley, who has flirted with politics himself, made…
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Delaware County’s Ghost Gun Ban Is Official Amid Push Back
Delaware County Council made it official Wednesday when it voted unanimously to ban ghost guns and automatic weapon converters, writes Katie Bernard for The Philadelphia Inquirer. Delaware County is the first Philadelphia suburb to pass such a ban. Philadelphia and other Pennsylvania municipalities have their own bans in place. The county will no longer allow…
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Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie Announces 2026 Congressional Bid
Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie, a Bristol native, will challenge Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick for his Congressional seat in 2026, writes Emily Neil for WHYY. The Democrat and former Falls Township supervisor is entering the race for the 1st Congressional District, which spans Bucks County and parts of Montgomery County. Harvie, who announced his candidacy on…
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Legislation Proposed to Nominate an Official Pennsylvania State Mushroom
With Kennett Square making Pennsylvania the Mushroom Capital of the World, a new bill has been proposed that would officially designate a Pennsylvania state mushroom, writes Kayla Henderson for Northcentral PA. Pennsylvania House Bill 1090, sponsored by Representative Mandy Steele, aims to designate the Hemlock Varnish Shelf, a flowering mushroom, as the official state mushroom…
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See Which Locals Gave the Most $$ to the Harris, Trump Campaigns
Big names in the Philadelphia-area business community contributed to both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump before the Election, writes Jeff Blumenthal for Philadelphia Business Journal. Federal Election Commission filings show that 10 individual campaign donors contributed $100,000 or more to the Harris Victory Fund, compared to two for the Trump 47 Committee. Former Merck CEO…
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Mayor Parker Unveils $2 Billion Plan to Address, Expand Philly Housing
Mayor Cherelle Parker recently unveiled a new $2 billion plan to transform Philadelphia’s housing landscape in the immediate and long-term future, writes Mike D’Onofrio for AXIOS Philadelphia. “This is the largest single investment in housing in Philadelphia history,” Parker said during a recent budget meeting. For years, Philadelphia has had a severe lack of affordable…
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