Pennsylvania
Oft malfunctioning and maligned Pennsylvania Capitol escalators set to be replaced in East Wing renovation – Pennsylvania Capital-Star
In the words of the late comedian Mitch Hedberg, an escalator can never break; it can only become stairs.
But in the Pennsylvania Capitol, frequent breakdowns of the escalators linking the building’s main floor with its East Wing have proven inconvenient and costly.
For longtime Capitol denizens, finding one or both of the escalators immobile behind a yellow barricade is a running joke. The moving staircases have even taken on a puckish personality, clapping back at lawmakers and journalists on the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
The state Department of General Services, which manages the Capitol Complex, announced on Wednesday that the days are numbered for the herky-jerky and often idle East Wing escalators.
Over the next 18 months, DGS plans an overhaul of the East Wing rotunda to replace its large spiral staircase with a 20-person elevator and demolish the escalators to make way for a grand staircase.
The project, slated to cost between $3 million and $4 million will save the state money in the long run, improve the flow of Capitol workers and visitors and provide a safer, more reliable evacuation route in an emergency, DGS secretary Reggie McNeil said in a statement.
“Over the years, the escalators have been plagued by frequent failures, requiring significant maintenance and down time and costing hundreds of thousands of dollars in repair costs,” McNeil said. DGS has spent nearly $250,000 to maintain the escalators over the last five years.
Envisioned as a later addition when the Capitol opened in 1906, the 400,000-square-foot East Wing was finished in 1987. It added nearly 100 legislative offices, hearing rooms, a cafeteria and the Capitol welcome center and gift shop.
The East Wing rotunda, where the current spiral staircase and escalators are, is frequently used for news conferences, rallies, performances and displays. It is among the busiest spaces in the Capitol Complex.
The renovations will also include upgrades to the cafeteria, including the replacement of existing acoustical ceiling tiles and lighting fixtures with flat-panel LED fixtures, improvements to the ventilation and replacement of kitchen exhaust ductwork.
Original neon lighting in the rotunda, which does not work, will be replaced with modern LED lighting that is more efficient and will provide the ability to change the color of lighting for special events.
Demolition of the spiral staircase and installation of the new elevator is scheduled between July and February 2025. Demolition of the escalators and installation of the new grand staircase will take place between March and August 2025, DGS said.
TRANSFER, Pa. (MyValleyTributes) – Sandra “Sandy” J. Kulka, age 68, of Transfer, Pennsylvania, passed away on Friday, April 24th, 2026, peacefully.
She was born June 24th, 1956, in Mercer, Pennsylvania, to Gerald Stainbrook and Violet (Patton) Stainbrook.
Sandy was a graduate of Hickory High School.
She was a homemaker and later in life worked as a custodian at Hermitage School District until her retirement. She enjoyed spending time with her five grandchildren and beloved pets, Teddy and Bella.
Sandy is survived by her three children, April Redfoot and her husband Daniel, Becky Kulka and Samuel Kulka, all of Greenville, Pennsylvania; a brother, Dennis Stainbrook and his wife, Margaret Kern of Transfer, Pennsylvania; and her five grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Patrick Kulka; her sister, Gail Hall; and her parents, Gerald and Violet Stainbrook.
In following Sandy’s wishes there will be no services.
Memorial contributions can be made in her name to Strayhaven Animal Shelter, 94 Donation Road, Greenville, PA 16125
John Flynn Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc. is serving the family with arrangements.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Sandra J Kulka, please visit our floral store.
Pennsylvania
Target of Action News Investigation Agrees to settlement with Pennsylvania attorney general
The target of an Action News Investigation in 2022 has agreed to a settlement with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.
Florida-based MV Realty was accused of offering homeowners, many of whom are low-income, a few hundred bucks.
In return, the company would get exclusive rights for the opportunity to sell the properties for a 3% commission.
But many homeowners claim they were unaware there was a 40-year life to the agreement, and mortgages were placed on their homes.
They would also be forced to pay the fee in the event they transferred properties to loved ones.
“I could’ve jumped out of the chair and did a little dance,” said Latrelle Fuller to Action News Investigative Reporter Chad Pradelli upon learning of the settlement.
We first met her in 2022 after she entered into an agreement with MV Realty for $500.
She says she was unable to get a home equity loan on her paid-off house because of MV Realty’s mortgage.
Her neighbor, Carolyn Brown, had to pay $6,000 dollars to MV Realty to get a loan on her home. She, too, entered into an agreement with MV Realty several years ago.
“They told me that I have to do this or they would not give me the loan,” Brown says.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday called MV Realty’s actions reprehensible.
“So as a result of the settlement, all 1,300 mortgages that were entered into in Pennsylvania are going to be cancelled, ” he said in an exclusive interview earlier this week.
Action News Investigation: Real estate company accused of deceptive practices
Rosetta Loper Grant, who is selling her Oxford Circle home, signed onto the agreement offered by MV Realty. But then in May, she started second-guessing her decision.
He says the Action News Investigation led to his office taking action by his predecessor, now-Governor Josh Shapiro. The investigative team dug through city property records to uncover the MV Realty mortgages.
He says the company will pay $645,000 in restitution under the settlement so homeowners like Brown will get their money back.
The owner of MV Realty, former reality TV personality Amanda Zachman, has not responded to requests for comment.
“I know what it’s like to work unbelievably hard for what you have and to take it in such a misleading way from consumers, especially to Target low-income communities, is disgusting to me, ” Sunday said.
If you were a victim of MV Realty and paid the company fees to sell or transfer a property, reach out to the AG’s office online.
You can also email the complaint or call 1-800-441-2555.
Copyright © 2026 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Pennsylvania
Catchy chemistry: Pennsylvania musician sings songs about the periodic table of elements
Bethlehem, Pa — A Pennsylvania musician is making the periodic table of elements fun!
George Hrab and his band, The George HraBand, sing about all 118 elements in the periodic table in his show, “Occasional Songs For The Periodic Table.”
As they go through the table of elements, there are various musical styles, from reggae to heavy metal.
“So heavy metal fans and reggae fans will then appreciate and learn about protactinium or learn about einsteinium,” explains Hrab.
“It’s sort of a fun opportunity to teach people a little bit of something.”
The project started as a way to get Hrab out of a writers block and he never expected it to turn into something more.
“And before I knew it, I had like 50 done and then 60 and an 80 and then 100,” says Hrab. “And then I finished them all off and hoped that someday I’d be able to play them live with a band.”
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