Pennsylvania

In swing state Pennsylvania, middle class struggles to get by

Published

2 years ago

July 25, 2024

In swing state Pennsylvania, middle class struggles to get by

The giant steelworks that greets visitors to Allentown, Pennsylvania once symbolized the city’s success as an industrial hub. Today, its middle-class residents struggle to overcome the long-term impacts of post-pandemic inflation.

Purchasing power is one of the main themes of the US presidential election, and a thorn in the side of Democrats — especially in this Rust Belt battleground state, which could be one of a handful to decide who wins the White House in November.

“Inflation has come down tremendously,” said Bill Leiner, a 70-year-old nurse and volunteer for the Democratic Party, which seems to be coalescing behind Vice President Kamala Harris after Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the race.

“However, there are many people… who don’t believe that, because there’s a right-wing echo chamber pumping out disinformation,” Leiner told AFP, explaining he even has to help his own family members separate truth from fiction.

When a loved one complained about the high price of eggs, Leiner explained it was the result of a bird flu epidemic, not government policy, and advised the person to buy the store’s brand, instead of a name brand product, to save money.

“I’ve amended my habits. I keep an eye on prices. I look at what I do, at my budget,” he said.

Matthew Kayes, who was exiting a Whole Foods supermarket with his family, said he too had changed up his shopping habits, buying different products from different suppliers.

Kayes even goes straight to local farms in the region dotted with green hills, where “the prices are generally cheaper and, we find, the produce is better.”

Accountant Tamy Ferry said she watches her budget, but still buys what she likes, even if prices are higher.

“Occasionally, I stay away from certain things, or I wait until they go on sale, but I do shop at various stores,” Ferry said.

– More visitors at food pantries –

On Friday, all eyes will be on new inflation figures from the US government. May data showed that goods prices had cooled slightly — good news for both consumers and Democrats keen to overcome voter hesitation about their economic record.

In Allentown, residents are considered middle class if their households earn between $37,300 and $112,000 a year. Even then, some have had to turn to food pantries.

“For the last two years, we saw almost a doubling of the people showing up in our food pantry every single day,” said J. Marc Rittle, the executive director of New Bethany, a nonprofit that helps those facing economic and social hardship.

According to Rittle, more and more of the newcomers visiting New Bethany are middle class.

“Housing costs have skyrocketed, so people have to choose between paying their rent or buying food,” he said, explaining those coming to the pantry are looking for a “complement” to the food they can afford on their own.

“We don’t refuse anyone,” Rittle said — even those whose salaries exceed the level suggested by the federal Feeding America program.

He said he noticed that more Allentown residents started having trouble when the financial aid programs launched during the coronavirus pandemic expired.

At that same moment, the war in Ukraine sent oil prices soaring, which translated into an overall jump in the cost of daily necessities.

The annual inflation rate has certainly fallen, from a high of 9.5 percent in June 2022 to an average of 2.6 percent in recent months.

“A slowdown in inflation is still an increasing rate of the cost of living, so that doesn’t help at all. It’s just not going up as much as before,” Rittle said.

“We would have to return to a lower cost of living.”

– ‘Modest and incremental’ –

Al Jacobsen, executive director of Allentown’s 1,000-seat Miller Symphony Hall, also counts on the assistance of others to keep his budget out of the red.

He struggles to balance higher operating costs and salaries with the impossibility of raising ticket prices without seeing a hit on attendance, among patrons who face tough choices about how to spend the little disposable income they have.

He also says he has created new ticket categories and launched subscription incentives, but has been unable to book some artists whose fees have soared.

“We are not an essential service like food or shelter, so we’re limited in how much we can increase without affecting the demand,” Jacobsen said.

“Our increases have been modest and incremental.”

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Pennsylvania

How gambling revenue helps Pennsylvania fire departments

Published

9 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

How gambling revenue helps Pennsylvania fire departments

It is hard to imagine that money spent and collected at casinos and in slot machines around the state can wind up being used at local volunteer fire departments throughout the commonwealth, but it’s true.

In Pennsylvania, a portion of the state’s gaming revenue is allocated to support fire departments and emergency management services to the tune of about $30 million each year.

Departments can apply for those funds through a series of state grants, and most departments say that the money from gaming is vital to help them pay for equipment, vehicles and even improvements to their buildings.

“This time we put in for a grant to finish our second floor of our facility here,” said Derry Township Fire Chief Mark Piantine.

Piantine says that gambling revenue has purchased many things for his department in the past like swift water rescue boats as well as a new equipment washing station. Now he hopes that money can give his company a place to sleep when they are working long shifts in bad weather.

“The last storm we had, the Snowmageddon here a couple of weeks ago, we had people staying overnight,” Piantine said. “They were laying across the seats of the trucks and on the floor sleeping because our second floor is not finished.”

Piantine says every little bit helps both their department and other departments, because when it comes right down to it, running a fire department is expensive.

“When you buy a regular pair of gloves, you may pay $25 for them. We buy a pair of gloves, they’re $75 to $100,” said Piantine. “You can buy a pair of boots for $50, ours cost $600.”

Just a few miles away, in the city of Latrobe, Chief John Brasile says that while the city does a lot for them financially, gaming revenue helps a lot. It even helps them make payments on their rescue unit.

“We have about a year’s worth of payments left on it,” Brasile said. “And we use our money for debt reductions on that truck.”

“And that’s essentially from gambling revenue?” Chris DeRose asked.

“Yes. It comes from the State Fire Commissioners’ Office,” Brasile said.

“When is that truck paid off?” DeRose asked.

“About this time next year,” Brasile replied. “And then we can use that money for other stuff then. We would like to get new rescue tools for that truck and they’re expensive.”

The fire departments KDKA has spoken with about using state grant money from gambling revenue say that gambling money is great, but it is not a cure-all. And in fact, on Thursday night, the Latrobe Fire Department was holding yet another fundraising event to help them once again raise money for new fire equipment.

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Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania middle school employee wanted in Texas on child sex assault charges arrested

Published

21 hours ago

February 26, 2026

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Pennsylvania middle school employee wanted in Texas on child sex assault charges arrested

February 26, 2026 / 12:38 PM EST
/ CBS Philadelphia

A Pennsylvania school district employee wanted in Texas on child sexual assault charges was arrested by U.S. Marshals on Thursday in Delaware County.

Michael Robinson, 43, was arrested around 7:30 a.m. Thursday in the 200 block of Windermere Avenue in Wayne, the U.S. Marshals Service said in a press release. He’s being held at the George W. Hill Correctional Facility and is awaiting extradition to Texas, according to the federal law enforcement agency.

U.S. Marshals said Robinson traveled to Tyler, Texas, in August 2024 to meet a minor under 15 years old whom he met online and allegedly sexually assaulted them over the course of a weekend.

Robinson was indicted by the Smith County District Attorney’s Office in December 2025, the U.S. Marshals Service said.

Robinson worked as a paraprofessional at Radnor Township Middle School, the federal law enforcement agency said. CBS News Philadelphia reached out to Radnor Township School District for comment and is awaiting a response.

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Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Lottery Powerball, Pick 2 Day results for Feb. 25, 2026

Published

1 day ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

The Pennsylvania Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026 results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Feb. 25 drawing

50-52-54-56-64, Powerball: 23, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 2 numbers from Feb. 25 drawing

Day: 5-3, Wild: 6

Evening: 2-2, Wild: 1

Check Pick 2 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Feb. 25 drawing

Day: 7-0-4, Wild: 6

Evening: 3-9-0, Wild: 1

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Feb. 25 drawing

Day: 4-9-9-3, Wild: 6

Evening: 1-4-0-0, Wild: 1

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from Feb. 25 drawing

Day: 3-4-9-1-9, Wild: 6

Evening: 9-9-4-2-4, Wild: 1

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 5 numbers from Feb. 25 drawing

02-11-13-15-36

Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Treasure Hunt numbers from Feb. 25 drawing

14-18-20-24-29

Check Treasure Hunt payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Match 6 Lotto numbers from Feb. 25 drawing

02-07-14-21-22-33

Check Match 6 Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from Feb. 25 drawing

11-24-47-59-63, Powerball: 05

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

Sign the Ticket: Ensure your ticket has your signature, name, address and phone number on the back.
Prizes up to $600: Claim at any PA Lottery retailer or by mail: Pennsylvania Lottery, ATTN: CLAIMS, PO BOX 8671, Harrisburg, PA 17105.
Prizes from $600 to $2,500: Use a Claim Form to claim at a retailer or by mail: Pennsylvania Lottery, ATTN: CLAIMS, PO BOX 8671, Harrisburg, PA 17105.
Prizes over $2,500: Mail your signed ticket with a Claim Form or in person at a Lottery Area Office (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

Lottery Headquarters is currently not open to the public. Visit the PA Lottery website for other office locations near you.

When are the Pennsylvania Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 2, 3, 4, 5: 1:35 p.m. and 6:59 p.m. daily.
Cash4Life: 9 p.m. daily.
Cash 5: 6:59 p.m. daily.
Treasure Hunt: 1:35 p.m. daily.
Match 6 Lotto: 6:59 p.m. Monday and Thursday.
Powerball Double Play: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Pennsylvania editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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