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New laws signed for Pennsylvania motorcyclists, school districts

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New laws signed for Pennsylvania motorcyclists, school districts


HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — Pennsylvania has new laws regarding how school districts report weapon offenses and regarding Bluetooth listening devices for motorcyclists.

The laws will be implemented in the next 60 days after being signed by Governor Josh Shapiro on Thursday.

Reporting school weapon offenses

Before Senate Bill 246 was signed, school districts did not have to let guardians or parents know if weapons were brought onto campus or to school-related events. The only time families were mandated to be told is when there was an expulsion for having the weapon.

Now, districts are required to be transparent when there is a weapons offense incident.

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 “Our goal is to ensure and ensure that parents, guardians, and school employees are informed in a timely manner of any incidents with the potential to affect their children and the safety of the school,” SB 246’s prime sponsor is Senator Jarrett Coleman (R-Lehigh) wrote in his memo.

Senate Bill 971 from last session is also being reintroduced with the goal of making the reports timelier to families.

SB 246 passed the Senate in October after getting a 48-2 vote before being signed by Shapiro.

Bluetooth listening devices for motorcyclists

House Bill 646, primarily sponsored by State Rep. Zachary Mako (R-Lehigh/Northampton), will allow motorcyclists to use helmets with built-in Bluetooth communication speakers or wireless headsets/earbuds.

In his memo, Mako said he thinks the law should be updated to reflect current times.

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“I believe this law should be updated to better reflect the times, with the advent of wireless headsets, earbuds/earphones and Bluetooth communication/speakers built into helmets that a majority of riders use and should not be penalized for,” the memo reads.

With a 47-3 vote, the bill passed the Senate before being signed by Shapiro.



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Pennsylvania

Causes revealed of two Saturday fires in Harrisburg

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Causes revealed of two Saturday fires in Harrisburg


HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — Fire officials have revealed the causes of two fires in Harrisburg that happened in the uptown area overnight Saturday and again Saturday afternoon.

Just before 2:15 a.m., Harrisburg Bureau of Fire responded to Radnor Street for a reported fire that began in the walls.

Harrisburg Fire Chief Brian Enterline says the cause was due to an electrical malfunction.

No injuries were reported, and it is unclear if there are any displacements.

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Video shows where that first fire took place overnight Saturday, then just after 4 p.m. that afternoon, crews were dispatched to another fire on Lexington and Radnor streets, just a walk away.

Enterline says this fire started in the third-floor bedroom and was also caused by an electrical malfunction.

He says no injuries were reported.



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Ardmore hosts first-ever holiday market

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Ardmore hosts first-ever holiday market


From Delco to Chesco and Montco to Bucks, what about life in Philly’s suburbs do you want WHYY News to cover? Let us know!

Ardmore kicked off its first-ever holiday market Saturday, hosting more than 20 vendors.

Despite the winter chill, holiday shoppers wandered through Schauffele Plaza, perusing everything from candles and pottery to clothing and glassware.

Ardmore is hosting its first-ever holiday market at Schauffele Plaza on Dec. 6 and Dec. 13. (Emily Neil/WHYY)
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“As an artist, if we didn’t have markets, we wouldn’t be able to actually sell our work,” said Marcia Reiver, a Bryan Mawr-based ceramicist who was selling her pottery, jewelry and other wares at the market Saturday.

“When you buy something from an artist, you’re actually making a big deal,” she said.

In addition to showcasing local artists, the market is designed to boost foot traffic to local businesses, said Alec Hersh, executive director of Ardmore Initiative, the town’s business improvement district.

“There are holiday events elsewhere in the Main Line,” Hersh said. “I wanted to make something happen here in downtown Ardmore that would make it really serve as … that magnetic force for people all across, from West Philly all the way up to Malvern, to come here.”

People shop in an outdoor tent in Ardmore, Pennsylvania
Ardmore is hosting its first-ever holiday market at Schauffele Plaza on Dec. 6 and Dec. 13. (Emily Neil/WHYY)

Grace O’Shea was carrying her toddler while browsing the different stalls. She said she and her family were able to walk just blocks from their home to check out the event.

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“It’s great to have proximity to a market like this,” she said. “We are always looking for fun things to do on the weekend, right? And this is something super easy for us.”

Visitors can pick up a passport for the month of December at the market, said Rebecca D’Ostilio, marketing and events manager for Ardmore Initiative.

Once someone gets three stickers from participating businesses with any purchase, they can enter a giveaway for three $100 gift cards.

“That brings the community together, too,” she said. “You feel like you’re participating in shopping small. Which is the point of this, even with the vendors, right, you’re supporting a small business, and I think that’s super important.”



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Pennsylvania hunter kills massive 717-pound black bear at state park

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Pennsylvania hunter kills massive 717-pound black bear at state park


A Pennsylvania hunter bagged the largest black bear in the state so far this year by killing a 717-pounder in Butler County’s Moraine State Park.

Nate Miller bagged the massive bear while hunting in Moraine State Park on Nov. 22, according to a post on Facebook from the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Northwest Region. Nov. 22 was the opening day of black bear firearms season in Pennsylvania.

Miller, according to the post, got to the state park just before daylight and was guided by a friend to a spot. After a “quiet morning watching squirrels,” Miller walked to a bowl in the terrain and began scanning the area for bears, the Game Commission said.

“Within seconds, he spotted a massive black shape 60 to 80 yards away,” the post said.

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Miller fatally shot the bear with his Remington 721, and “what followed was a true team effort,” the Facebook post said. Friends and family of Miller brought a sled to the scene, and after hours of dragging and recovery, plus a little help from rangers with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the black bear was brought to a check station in Venango County.

The bear weighed in at 717 pounds and was 7 feet, 5 inches long from nose to tail. It had a dressed weight of 608 pounds. The post said Miller bagged a “bear of a LIFETIME!”

“The bear will be full-mounted, with the skull to be scored once dry,” the Game Commission’s post added. “An unforgettable day, an incredible harvest, and a memory that will last a lifetime. Well done, Nate!”

For comparison, the heaviest bear harvested in the state in 2024 was 774 pounds. The second heaviest was 714 pounds.

Bear hunting in Pennsylvania

The chances of getting a bear are somewhat slim, as fewer than 2% of bear hunters harvest a bear in any given year. But the Game Commission says that’s what makes it exciting.

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The average bear harvested in Pennsylvania, according to the Game Commission, is about 3 years old. Males of that age typically weigh about 200 pounds, while females of that age generally weigh 160 pounds.

“You could travel to any place in North America that has black bears and it would be hard to find bears that top those like we have here in Pennsylvania,” Game Commission Executive Director Steve Smith said in an October news release.



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