• Pennsylvania Will Have Longer Happy Hours Thanks to New Liquor Rules

    Pennsylvania Will Have Longer Happy Hours Thanks to New Liquor Rules

    Beginning this Fall, Pennsylvania will have longer happy hours under new state rules that will allow drinking establishments to increase their discounting from 14 to 24 hours per week, writes Michael Klein for The Philadelphia Inquirer. The new rule and several others were overwhelmingly supported in the legislature and are an indicator of the loosening…

  • She Couldn’t Get Answers About a Nearby Data Center Proposal. So She Built a Map.

    She Couldn’t Get Answers About a Nearby Data Center Proposal. So She Built a Map.

    Emilia Doda wasn’t trying to become a watchdog. She was just looking for answers. When a data center was proposed across the street from her childhood home in Blakely, near Scranton, she went searching for details. What she found was a wall of inaccessible information buried across government websites, zoning filings, and local news archives…

  • BusinessPA’s Aaron Pitts Brings Jobs, Investment, and a New Economic Strategy to Pennsylvania

    BusinessPA’s Aaron Pitts Brings Jobs, Investment, and a New Economic Strategy to Pennsylvania

    As one of Pennsylvania’s foremost economic strategists, Aaron Pitts has spent the past year quietly dismantling the state’s longstanding business obstacles—and the results are hard to ignore, writes Paul Schwedelson for Philadelphia Business Journal. Since joining the Shapiro administration through the BusinessPA team in 2024, Pitts has helped Pennsylvania lock in more than $41 billion…

  • Pennsylvania’s Other 250-Year-Old Document Deserves Its Own Celebration

    Pennsylvania’s Other 250-Year-Old Document Deserves Its Own Celebration

    As we reach the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, it is natural to focus on that world-changing document. However, the Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776, written in that same era, deserves just as much attention. While the U.S. Constitution is more famous, Pennsylvania’s original state constitution was actually older and, in several key ways,…

  • Pennsylvania’s Free Native Plant Kits Turn Lawns Into Pollinator Habitats

    Pennsylvania’s Free Native Plant Kits Turn Lawns Into Pollinator Habitats

    Pennsylvania is paying people in wildflowers to stop mowing their lawns. The state’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) is distributing free Pocket Meadow Kits to residents across the Commonwealth as part of its Lawn to Habitat Program, which aims to turn ordinary turf into thriving native ecosystems, writes Allaire Conte for Realtor.com. The…

  • Pennsylvania May Soon Designate a New ‘Migratory Bird’

    Pennsylvania May Soon Designate a New ‘Migratory Bird’

    Pennsylvania is considering ending its status as the only state without a state bird by designating the scarlet tanager as its official “migratory bird,” writes Zoë Read for WHYY. While Pennsylvanians have already named the ruffed grouse the official “game bird,” bird enthusiasts are welcoming the idea of also establishing a “migratory bird” designation. State…

  • It’s Another Invasive Creature in Pennsylvania, but This One Swims

    It’s Another Invasive Creature in Pennsylvania, but This One Swims

    First we had to worry about the Lanternfly devastating our crops. Now there’s an invasive fish known as the snakehead. Also known as frankenfish, or channa argus, it is submarine-shaped, with a toothy mouth and can grow in excess of 33 inches, writes Susan Miers Smith for the Reading Eagle. Native to China, Russia and…

  • PA House Ok’s Bills Allowing Digital Driver’s Licenses, Vehicle Registrations

    PA House Ok’s Bills Allowing Digital Driver’s Licenses, Vehicle Registrations

    The PA House of Representatives recently passed two bills, with overwhelming bipartisan support, to allow for digital driver’s licenses, ID cards, and vehicle registrations.  “Over 90 percent of people have smartphones now, and with programs such as Apple Wallet and Google Pay, more Pennsylvanians want the convenient and secure option of a digital ID and digital registration card on their…

  • PA Turnpike Rolling Out New Text Alert Pilot Program for Unpaid Tolls

    PA Turnpike Rolling Out New Text Alert Pilot Program for Unpaid Tolls

    The Pennsylvania Turnpike is preparing to roll out a new pilot program that will alert drivers to unpaid tolls through text messages, reports Bryanna Gallagher for 6abc.  Through the new program, officials will be able to speed up the collection process, creating a more convenient alternative to sending invoices through the mail.   The system is still in the development phase, as officials consider the text message details.   Other states with similar text programs have…

  • America’s Newest Delicacy Is Lanternfly Honey – But You May Not Want to Know How It’s Made 

    America’s Newest Delicacy Is Lanternfly Honey – But You May Not Want to Know How It’s Made 

    The influence of spotted lanternflies has reached the flavor of honey, and although the result can taste appealing, the way this change occurs is certainly not its strongest selling point, writes Brittany Shammas for The Washington Post.  It turns out, honeybees are attracted to the sugary material left behind by spotted lanternflies after they feed during the summer and fall months.…

  • Duct Tape, Flip Plates, and Millions in Lost Tolls: The Pennsylvania Turnpike Fights Back”

    Duct Tape, Flip Plates, and Millions in Lost Tolls: The Pennsylvania Turnpike Fights Back”

    As a growing number of sneaky motorists are finding ways to conceal their license plates from toll cameras, so Pennsylvania Turnpike is turning to other drivers to catch them, writes Scott Calvert for The Wall Street Journal. Cheating the system has become easier thanks to mechanical devices that can hide a car’s tag at the…

  • When it Comes to Frozen Pizza, What Flavor is Pennsylvania’s Favorite? 

    When it Comes to Frozen Pizza, What Flavor is Pennsylvania’s Favorite? 

    When it comes to frozen pizzas, every person has their preference, and according to Instacart, some states rely on the meal option more than others, writes Patrick Berkery for The Keystone. Using data from 2025, Instacart found that Wisconsin, North Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, and Missouri ordered the most frozen pizzas in the country, while Pennsylvania ordered 11.84 percent less than the…

  • Wawa, Sheetz, Rutter’s Competing for Best Gas Station Food

    Wawa, Sheetz, Rutter’s Competing for Best Gas Station Food

    USA Today has announced the top 10 finalists in its “Best Gas Station for Food” competition, writes Bill Shannon for WTAJ, as printed in yahoo! news. Delaware County-based Wawa, Altoona-based Sheetz, and York-based Rutter’s are all in the running, It’s Wawa’s first time on the Top 10, according to USA Today’s prior lists of top…

  • January Sees Slight Drop in PA Unemployment Rate, Record Number of Nonfarm Jobs

    January Sees Slight Drop in PA Unemployment Rate, Record Number of Nonfarm Jobs

    In January, the unemployment rate in Pennsylvania declined to 4.3 percent while nonfarm employment reached a new peak statewide, according to a preliminary report by the state Department of Labor & Industry, writes Ian Karbal for The Keystone. While the unemployment rate dipped slightly from 4.4 percent in December, it is still up from the…

  • Pennsylvania Lawmakers Target Turnpike Toll Violators

    Pennsylvania Lawmakers Target Turnpike Toll Violators

    Pennsylvania lawmakers are cracking down on Turnpike toll evaders, considering harsher penalties for frequent offenders, writes Mike D’Onofrio and Ryan Deto for AXIOS Philadelphia.  The state has lost over $200 million in uncollected tolls, resulting in higher costs for those who pay their toll bills.   State troopers and the PA Turnpike Commission are launching a campaign this month to identify reckless drivers…

  • PennDOT Denies Several Personalized License Plate Applications Daily; Here Are Some of Them

    PennDOT Denies Several Personalized License Plate Applications Daily; Here Are Some of Them

    PennDOT issues many vanity license plates annually, but it also rejects countless applications, from the puerile to the racist, according to a staff report from City & State Pennsylvania. Each application has to abide by a set of rules that ensure that they do not offend or confuse other drivers, or in many cases, copy…

  • Food Mappers Chart Pennsylvania’s Culinary Landscape

    Food Mappers Chart Pennsylvania’s Culinary Landscape

    In a world full of influencer hype and fake reviews, several food mappers have charted Pennsylvania’s culinary landscape, relying on their own palates and passion, writes Asha Prihar for WPSU. Djour, a Philadelphia resident and lifelong foodie who uses a pseudonym to maintain privacy and avoid any special treatment by restaurants, set out around three…

  • Facing Hemp Ban, PA Lawmakers Race to Regulate THC Drinks and Products

    Facing Hemp Ban, PA Lawmakers Race to Regulate THC Drinks and Products

    With the hemp industry facing a federal crackdown, Pennsylvania lawmakers are rushing to establish regulations. They’re currently weighing proposals that would both sell THC drinks in beer stores and regulate THC products alongside medical cannabis, writes Henry Savage for The Philadelphia Inquirer. State Rep. Steven Malagari plans on introducing a bill that would regulate THC…