Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania could decide election — and the economy could be key for Trump

Published

1 year ago

August 30, 2024

Pennsylvania could decide election — and the economy could be key for Trump

Pennsylvania could be pivotal in November, if new polling suggesting a swing state split between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is on point.

A fresh seven-state survey from Emerson College Polling and the Hill shows the VP taking Michigan (50% to 47%), Georgia (49% to 48%) and Nevada (49% to 48%).

Meanwhile, the former president is up in Wisconsin and North Carolina, 49% to 48% in both states. He also leads in Arizona, 50% to 47%.

The economy is always a top issue in an election year, and Trump currently holds the advantage. Bonnie Cash/UPI/Shutterstock

If these results hold, Harris leads in the Electoral College, 263 to 256. That means Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral votes could decide it all — and right now, the Democrat and Republican are neck and neck at 48% each.

“The race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump continues to be tight, within each state’s margin of error,” said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, before detailing Democratic advantages that the poll’s results divulge.

“Harris leads Trump among independents in each state, with the exception of Nevada, where Trump leads 50% to 44%. There is also a stark gender divide, similar to that of 2020. In six of the seven swing states, Harris leads Trump among women; however, in Arizona, Trump has a two-point edge on Harris among women voters, a group that broke for Biden by about three points in 2020, according to exit polling.”

Though Democrats have their pockets of strength in this polling, there is significant weakness when it comes to the Biden-Harris economy, which voters in all seven states say is the most important issue, to varying degrees.

In Arizona and Nevada, more than 30% of the poll respondents make that claim. In Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina and Wisconsin, more than 40% say the same.

And in Pennsylvania, a steep 51% say pocketbook issues are what matter most to them, suggesting that the best closing argument for Team Trump may be in people’s bank statements and credit card balances.

The polling also shows that Trump’s “No taxes on tips” proposal — which Harris also endorses now — is wildly popular across the battlegrounds, with approval numbers ranging from 65% in Michigan to 74% in Arizona and Georgia. Pivotal Pennsylvania falls in the middle of this range at 68%.

In troubling news for Trump, the controversial Project 2025 proposal is hurting him even as he maintains he doesn’t support it.

In all seven states, between 35% and 39% of poll respondents say the so-called “presidential transition project” makes them less likely to support him.

And among independents, the damage is even worse, with between 39% and 46% of respondents across these battlegrounds saying Project 2025 may make them back away from the GOP ticket in November.

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Pennsylvania

Bill would create alert when children with autism go missing in Pennsylvania

Published

4 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Press Room

Bill would create alert when children with autism go missing in Pennsylvania

(WHTM) — Legislation is in the works for a statewide warning system to locate missing children with autism.

State Rep. Robert Leadbeter (R-Columbia County) announced the formal introduction of a bill to create a “Purple Alert” system. It would quickly notify police and community members when a child with autism, or other cognitive issues, is missing.

His bill is called “Aiden’s Law,” named for a young boy in Columbia County, who disappeared earlier this year and drowned in the Susquehanna River. Leadbeter said a “Purple Alert” system would fill a gap in Pennsylvania.

“So, individuals with cognitive disabilities are able to then, if they go missing, have an alert go out to law enforcement organizations that work directly with them and that’ll save time expand resources, and ideally result in a safe return home for the missing individual,” Leadbeter said.

In this bill, the system would mirror others like Amber Alerts for missing children in danger and Silver Alerts for missing seniors.

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Pennsylvania

Bethlehem man sentenced under Pennsylvania’s new AI child porn law

Published

17 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Press Room

Bethlehem man sentenced under Pennsylvania’s new AI child porn law

A Bethlehem man is among the first to be sentenced under a Pennsylvania law passed last year, making it a crime to possess AI-generated child sex abuse material.

On Monday, Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas Judge Kristie M. Marks sentenced 35-year-old Adam Erdman to two years, four months to 10 years.

Erdman in September pleaded guilty to felony possessing child sex abuse material. He faced a possible sentence of 5 to 10 years in prison.

Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan announced the sentencing in a news conference Monday afternoon. The DA credited U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, who introduced the new legislation and state Sen. Tracy Pennycuick, who championed the final version of the law last year.

“Before this law was passed, the use of AI to generate child sexual abuse materials went unpunished,” Holihan said. “Prosecutors like me need legislation like this to arrest and convict the criminals who use evolving technology to victimize others.”

Macungie-based attorney Michael Ira Stump, representing Erdman, couldn’t immediately be reached for comment Tuesday morning.

Bethlehem police on March 31 were called by Erdman’s estranged wife, who reported finding three AI-generated nude images of juvenile girls on his personal computer.

Prosecutors said Erdman downloaded photos of the children on vacation from their parent’s social media account, and then used artificial intelligence photo-editing software to make the children appear naked.

Erdman was charged on April 17.

The case was investigated by Bethlehem Police Det. Stephen Ewald and was prosecuted by Lehigh County Senior Deputy District Attorney Sarah K. Heimbach.

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Pennsylvania

Central Pennsylvania awarded over $1M for Chesapeake Bay Watershed conservation

Published

1 day ago

December 16, 2025

Press Room

Central Pennsylvania awarded over M for Chesapeake Bay Watershed conservation

PENNSYLVANIA (WTAJ) — Over $17 million has been awarded to county teams across the Commonwealth for projects in reducing nutrient and sediment pollution in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

Grants were awarded to counties with projects taking place over the next 12 to 24 months. Many different human activities cause nutrient pollution and eroded sediment to enter streams, rivers, and lakes. This pollution can come from fertilizer, plowing and tilling farm fields and can cause stripping away of trees and vegetation, and increasing paved surfaces.

Here are the grants awarded in our area:

Blair County Conservation District: $308,095
Cambria County Conservation District: $200,000
Centre County Government: $566,399
Clearfield County Conservation District: $368,209
Huntingdon County Conservation District: $409,134

“Pennsylvania’s clean water successes are rooted in collaboration—state, local, federal, legislative, and non-governmental partners, and of course landowners,” Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Jessica Shirley said. “The work will continue to evolve, and our focus will remain on setting our collaborative partnerships up for success well beyond 2025. The momentum is real, and you can see it in our improved water quality.”

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In total, 222 projects were approved, and it’s estimated to reduce nitrogen by 113,493 pounds/year, phosphorus by 28,816 pounds/year, and sediment delivered to the Chesapeake Bay by 1.8 million pounds/year.

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