A high-profile visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to an artillery shell production facility in the do-or-die US election battleground state of Pennsylvania was a medium-grade news item in Keystone state media. Some outlets shoved the Ukrainian leader in news feeds crammed with information about weather, crime, sports and entertainment, while others just ignored his presence in the state entirely.
According to recent polls Democratic candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris, an advocate of strong US military support to Ukraine, is locked in a near dead-heat with former President Donald Trump, who supports Ukrainian concessions to Russia and reduced US involvement in European conflicts. Both parties’ leadership have deemed Pennsylvania, with 19 electoral college votes and voters almost 50/50 on the candidates, as a must-win state.
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In Ukraine, Zelensky’s Monday tour of the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant, his first major media event during a planned five-day US trip for meetings on war-fighting policy with DC leadership, and later a speech at the UN, topped national news in his home country.
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Major Ukrainian media flooded airwaves and websites with images of Zelensky shaking hands and patting shoulders with shop workers. Details about thousands more American 155mm shells possibly reaching Ukrainian battlefields dominated and usually led evening news reports during a busy Monday that saw a Russian glider bomb hit the city of Zaporizhzhia and injure civilians for the second time in 48 hours, the invasion of Russia by an elite Ukrainian assault infantry brigade widening Kyiv’s incursion in Russia’s Kursk region, and a Kremlin decision to de-crew Russia’s only aircraft carrier and convert hundreds of unlucky sailors into infantrymen.
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Richard Hansen, a representative for the US military working at Scranton Army Ammunition Plant in Pennsylvania, shows a 155mm artillery shell in production to President Volodymyr Zelensky, during a Sept. 23 tour by the Ukrainian leader to Scranton production facility. This image and others documenting critical US shell production for Ukraine’s defense against Russia was published by Zelensky’s office.
In Pennsylvania, on Monday, some news platforms limited coverage of Zelensky’s presence in Scranton to the Associated Press (AP) wire service story and one or two photographs. The Pittsburg Post-Gazette headlined “Ukraine’s Zelensky visits Pennsylvania ammunition plant to thank workers.”
The AP article itself laid out numbers about Scranton shell production, quoted a pair of local residents stating they support increased US ammunition support to Ukraine, but made reference neither to Trump nor the election.
A few outlets went the extra mile. ABC affiliate Action News 6 in Philadelphia offered viewers both the AP article and a 20-second video. CBS Harrisburg affiliate Local21 News published not only the AP article on the day of the visit, but a heads-up to readers two days prior to Zelensky’s arrival.
WWIA Radio, the local PBS/NPR affiliate, deployed reporter Borys Krawczeniuk to Scranton and the factory entrance, where he interviewed Zelensky supporters, snapped photos of citizens standing with blue-yellow Ukrainian flags, and watched a massive US-Ukrainian official motorcade roll past the plant’s guarded entrance.
Probably the most thorough coverage in all Pennsylvania, Kyiv Post researchers found, was in the Times Leader, a publication delivering news to northeastern Pennsylvania, Luzerne County and specifically Scranton for more than a century. Zelensky’s visit to the munitions plant led the Times Leader’s Monday daily news roundup, and reporter/columnist Bill O’Boyle in a 590-word article quoted Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s (D) position on Ukraine in detail.
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“Pennsylvania is the birthplace of American freedom – and our Commonwealth proudly stands with the people of Ukraine as they fight for their freedom against naked aggression. I’m proud to welcome President Zelensky and his delegation to Scranton – to visit with the women and men who are fueling his country’s fight for freedom,” Shapiro said. His social media feeds showed him signing a 155mm shell with a patriotic slogan.
O’Boyle went on to inform readers that a Pennsylvania National Guard unit deployed in September to Germany to help train Ukrainian soldiers, and that Shapiro’s office had just signed a cooperation agreement with Ukraine’s industrial Zaporizhzhia region to help Pennsylvania businesses assist Ukraine with rebuilding after the war.
But some major Pennsylvania news outlets did not report the Scranton visit at all, Kyiv Post researchers found. Typical was the Pittsburg Tribune-Review, one of two major newspapers serving Pennsylvania’s biggest city, whose most recent searchable reporting on Ukraine, of any kind, was a three-week-old article on US technicians planning to help investigate the loss of a Denmark-donated F-16 fighter jet in combat in Ukraine.
The Philadelphia Inquirer, Pennsylvania’s most widely read newspaper and one of the oldest news publications in the US, did not report the Zelensky visit either. That paper’s most recent reference to the Russo-Ukrainian War in context with US elections was printed on Sept. 20, in an opinion piece by columnist Trudy Rubin calling on the Biden/Harris administration to green light use by Kyiv of long-range American weapons against targets in Russia, and calling Trump an appeaser of dictators.
On Sept. 24 Rubin in another opinion piece praised Vice President Kamala Harris for respecting the voting weight of Pennsylvania’s 700,000-member Polish-American community.
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The Keystone Newsroom, a local web-based outfit focusing on delivering weighted news and analysis to people unlikely to be willing to negotiate mainstream media paywall (“Pennsylvania News You Can Use”) in a Sept. 23 piece, mentioned neither Zelensky nor Scranton, but reported in detail on an endorsement Harris had just received from the Polish-American activist group Pennsylvania Polonia.
Harrisburg, PA CBS television affiliate News 21 runs an AP Sept. 23 article on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to an ammunition plant in nearby Scranton. The uncommon international news competed mostly with local Pennsylvania news dominated by crime, weather, entertainment and sports. Kyiv Post screen grab from the News21 web page.
“Trump bowed to dictators like Putin before and he will do it again if he is reelected… The last presidential election in Pennsylvania was decided by just 80,000 votes, which is why we are calling on our friends and neighbors to cast their votes for the leaders who will maintain alliances that make our world safer, expand our freedoms here at home, and protect the American dream for us all,” the endorsement said in part.
The article points out that 800,000 Pennsylvania residents have Polish backgrounds. The Pennsylvania Polonia endorsement argues that since Pennsylvania is one of the most critical swing states, if not the most critical, in upcoming Presidential elections, Pennsylvania’s Polish-Americans can and should become Harris’ victory margin in the Keystone state.
The influential Philadelphia Inquirer on Sept. 11 seemed to see the numbers and voting groups much the same way, praising Harris for mentioning Pennsylvania’s Polish-American residents by name during debate with Trump and her telling him she thought Pennsylvanians are opposed to appeasing the Kremlin. The Inquirer called it a “shout-out on the national debate stage… (to) a group that is consistently civically engaged.”
Political reporter Nick Field in a Sept. 23 editorial in the Pennsylvania Capital-Star on voter trends in the state said that falling Democratic voter registration in central regions of the state might play to Trump’s advantage, but, the former President’s stance on Ukraine could damage his election chances even more.
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“With Scranton Joe [Biden] off of the ballot, Trump has a unique opportunity to pick up votes throughout this region, especially in Lackawanna [county]. However, there remains a danger that the Trump/Vance team’s hostility to Ukraine could hurt them in the heavily Ukrainian-American rural areas out here,” Field wrote.
A stunning four-bedroom work of art designed by late Italian architect and loft pioneer Giuseppe “Beppe” Zambonini has just hit the market in Pennsylvania for $625,000—listing for the first time in more than two decades.
The upside-down 1987 trapezoid-style dwelling in Dingmans Ferry boasts a barrel vaulted ceiling supported by eight interior columns and is surrounded by expansive windows and decks to soak in the tranquil views of nature.
Each of the rooms was designed, not as a traditional rectangle, but as a trapezoid, a technique that was meant to maximize the amount of natural light inside the home, ensuring that each window has ample opportunity to let the sun shine through.
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It was a design method that Beppe came up with while working in New York City, where he was renowned for his work creating stunning loft spaces with “theater set” walls. He then brought that technique to Pennsylvania, where he sought to design his own weekend retreat, using the hallmarks that had turned him into a legend of Big Apple architecture.
The result is a home that appears, from the outside, almost like a stack of unevenly placed shipping containers—but on the inside is a stunning, light-filled dwelling, with enormous windows that offer beautiful views of the surrounding area from every room.
A stunning four-bedroom work of art designed by late Italian architect and loft pioneer Giuseppe “Beppe” Zambonini has just hit the market in Pennsylvania for $625,000—listing for the first time in more than two decades.HomeTourVision
The upside-down 1987 trapezoid-style dwelling in Dingmans Ferry, PA, boasts a barrel vaulted ceiling supported by eight interior columns and is surrounded by expansive windows and decks to soak in the tranquil views of nature.HomeTourVision
The result is a home with enormous windows that offer beautiful views of the surrounding area from every room.HomeTourVision
“There are numerous instances in the construction where hallways, rooms, and decks are not perfectly rectangular but rather are all trapezoid in shape,” says listing agent Shaun Burger of Keller Williams Real Estate Milford.
Beppe purchased the 2.44-acre land on which the home now sits in the 1980s, before crafting a home that would be used full time by his wife and their daughter—but was close enough to New York City that he could join them on weekends.
The idyllic parcel is perched above Nyce Lake in a development that would later become known as Traces of Lattimore.
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“It is only 90 minutes away from Manhattan but is a world away in terms of peacefulness and nature,” Burger noted. “There are a lot of properties here being used as second homes, but it could also be used as a primary residence.”
The unique home—which was constructed by Beppe and a team of his best students from his design school, Open Atelier of Design—drew immediate attention from design aficionados, even featuring in a play entitled “The Upside Down House” in New York and a feature film called “A Picture of You.”
In a nod to this heritage, the garage door features a design by one of Beppe’s students resembling a theater curtain that a local artist created using shades of Chinese red, gray, and white.
Burger says that with so much cultural and architectural history, the property feels as much like a piece of art as it does a residential dwelling, one that the current owner has taken great care to preserve and maintain.
“The seller is very much into the arts and feels more of a custodian of the home,” Burger shares. “He is looking to pass it along to the next steward.”
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What makes the dwelling so unique is that only one column is exposed on each floor, which is highlighted by a different color in each room. In the home office, the column is red while the primary bedroom features a blue support, and a yellow column can be found in the dining room.
In the 40 years since the property was built, it has changed hands on only one occasion, in 2005—when it was sold by Beppe’s wife, Claudia, to the man who owns it now for $396,000.HomeTourVision
The property is located just 90 minutes from Manhattan.HomeTourVision
“There are a lot of windows and sitting areas, so when you are inside, you feel like you are outside,” the listing agent says.HomeTourVision
A third-floor loft boasts Zambonini’s signature theater set walls.
“The home itself is so unique, which is what originally attracted the seller,” he added. “There are so many Colonials, ranches, and cookie-cutter homes in the area, so it is infrequent to find a home like this where there has been so much thought put into it.”
In the 40 years since the property was built, it has changed hands on only one occasion, in 2005—when it was sold by Beppe’s wife, Claudia, to the man who owns it now for $396,000.
“I scrupulously maintained the original colors of the house, inside and out, and kept the kitchen and bathrooms as I found them,” the seller writes in the listing. “After 21 years, it is time for a new custodian to live in this significant work of art.”
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According to Burger, the property would be the perfect retreat for someone who likes their privacy but also enjoys entertaining guests, offering ample room across its 2,850-square-foot design.
“It has four bedrooms and four bathrooms so it would be a nice home for someone who loves to entertain,” Burger adds. “There is plenty of space for guests.”
What’s more, the property offers the best of both worlds—surrounded by nature, but with all the convenience of proximity to nearby cities and towns.
“There are a lot of windows and sitting areas, so when you are inside, you feel like you are outside,” the listing agent says. “Dingmans Ferry is very quaint and has lots of lakes, waterfalls, hiking trails, and skiing. It’s a naturally beautiful area.
“I envision the next buyer to be an artist who will totally appreciate this work of art. The area has highly rated public schools for someone who has children. I think it will be someone who will want a getaway where they can reconnect and recharge with nature and will not want to change or renovate the home.”
CENTER VALLEY, Pa. (WFMZ) — 59 creameries across the Commonwealth are serving up a sweet summer connecting dairy lovers with Pennsylvania farms.
June 4 kicked off the Ninth Annual Scooped Ice Cream Trail.
Ice cream lovers can register online and fill out a digital passport as they visit participating creameries. Each visit earns points towards various prizes.
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The owners of Batch Microcreamery in Center Valley tell 69 News they’re excited to be part of the trail for the third year in a row, attracting visitors locally and out-of-state.
“This is the third location of the ice cream trail that I’ve been on,” said Kamden Acevedo.
Acevedo is originally from Staten Island and said he’s motivated to try other locations on the trail throughout the state.
“I love ice cream. I’m going to try, I’m going to try my hardest honestly,” Acevedo stated.
Dana Reibman and her daughter are just happy for the sweet treat.
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“We’re all up for ice cream all the time. We come here probably about once a month because we like trying the different flavors. As you can see, she really enjoys the cookie monster flavor,” Reibman explained.
Here’s what we know now about school cellphone bans
More states are implementing or considering phone bans in schools following guidance from the U.S. Surgeon General on children and social media.
Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives passed a bill requiring schools to create policies restricting student cellphone use.
Pittsburgh Public Schools already has a policy banning student cellphone use during the school day, which was approved in late 2025.
Under Pittsburgh’s policy, students must turn in their phones to school personnel for the duration of the school day.
If Pennsylvania sees statewide restrictions on cellphones in schools, would anything change in Pittsburgh?
It’s too early to say for sure.
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On June 1, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed legislation that would require school districts to adopt phone restrictions, leaving the details of the exact policy’s implementation up to individual districts, according to USA TODAY. Now, if cleared by the Senate — which already passed another version of the proposal with almost unanimous support — it will go to Gov. Josh Shapiro, who has repeatedly said he supports getting cellphones out of classrooms with a bell-to-bell ban.
“Here in Pennsylvania, Democrats and Republicans agree: We need to let our kids be kids again,” Shapiro said in a June 4 post to his X account.
But Pittsburgh’s already ahead of the curve when it comes to banning cellphones during school hours because of a school board policy approved in late 2025.
Here’s what to know.
Are cell phones banned in Pittsburgh schools?
Yes, cellphones are banned during the school day at Pittsburgh Public Schools.
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In December 2025, Pittsburgh Public Schools Board voted to ban the use of phones by students during the school day, Pittsburgh’s Action News 4.
Under the policy, the possession of phones by students is prohibited. While they may bring cellphones to school, the devices must be turned in to school personnel during the school day.
There are exceptions to the policy in cases where a student may need a phone for instructional activities, an Individualized Education Plan, a Section 504 Plan or for other reasons approved by a school administrator.
Why are schools banning cellphones?
Numerous states have already banned cellphones in schools, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and others, according to ABC News.
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This year, Indiana and Kansas banned phones during the day, implementing policies that require students to keep their phones in inaccessible locations through the entire school day, USA TODAY reported.
Recently, Delaware, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming passed or updated less restrictive legislation on phones in schools, according to an analysis by the Becca Schmill Foundation, the Institute for Families and Technology, Smartphone-Free Childhood US and Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation.
Illinois, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania may follow suit.
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Do cellphone bans work?
Yes and no.
Cellphone bans keep kids off their devices, but they don’t appear to impact test scores, attendance, self-reported classroom attention or perceived online bullying, according to a study published in April by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Additionally, researchers found that during the first year of a cellphone ban, disciplinary incidents rose and students’ reported well-being fell, though the effects subsided as the years passed.
Still, there’s a push for bans nationally, with the U.S. surgeon general’s office warning on May 20 that “compulsive” screen use is linked to poor sleep, substance abuse, developmental disruptions and social, mental and behavioral issues. The office suggested that cellphone bans in schools are a way to help put excessive screen time in check.
Finch Walker is the Pittsburgh Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Contact Walker at FWalker@usatodayco.com. Instagram: @finchwalker_. X: @_finchwalker.