Pennsylvania

Pack up for the Pennsylvania 2024 Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip

Published

2 years ago

July 8, 2024

Pack up for the Pennsylvania 2024 Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip

WILKES-BARRE — Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Secretary Dr. Khalid N. Mumin and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn this week announced the third annual Pennsylvania Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip, which provides virtual early learning and literacy activities for kids that inspire kids to read and learn more about the great outdoors.

The Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip is an eight-week virtual road trip throughout Pennsylvania, geared towards families with young children up to kindergarten age — but easily adaptable for older kids.

Resources include the Road Trip Map and the Road Trip Travel Journal and highlight the Pennsylvania State Parks and Libraries with book recommendations from librarians and family friendly activities. Activities can be done anywhere, so every family can take part, no matter where they live.

“Pennsylvania has an amazing park system with educators at most locations. This road trip is a great way to encourage learning and reading while exposing children to new ways to learn and new experiences in nature,” said Secretary Mumin. “Collaborating with our sister agencies to promote fun learning opportunities for Pennsylvania’s youngest minds will help them stay engaged during the summer months when school is not in session.”

“Outdoor education is a major part of DCNR’s Bureau of State Parks mission and we are excited to have eight state parks participate in this years’ Summer Literacy Road Trip,” said Secretary Adams Dunn. “This will help connect the newest generation of readers to the great outdoors, which will create memories and help to influence the next generation of nature enthusiasts. We look forward to welcoming visitors this summer to all 124 state parks across the Commonwealth.”

Road Trip resources, in both English and Spanish, can be found on the PA Promise for Children website.

Pennsylvania’s Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip was developed by the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) and all activities complement the PA Early Learning Standards and can be done anywhere.

“At OCDEL, we are always trying to make learning and literacy more accessible and exciting to early learners and the Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip does all that and more,” said OCDEL Deputy Secretary Shante’ Brown. “This virtual road trip is so much fun for the whole family and hopefully brings some education and nature into things you’re already doing.”

This year’s Road Trip theme represents elements from the 2024 Pennsylvania One Book selection, Slug in Love by Rachel Bright. Look through the travel journal and map to find friends from the book who tag along on the Road Trip.

State officials visit small businesses in Danville for Main Street Matters program

Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Deputy Secretary Rick Vilello this week joined local leaders in touring small businesses in downtown Danville, Montour County, to highlight proposed investments by Gov. Josh Shapiro to support main streets, downtown business districts, small businesses, and local communities across Pennsylvania.

Gov. Shapiro and his Administration are working to strengthen the Commonwealth’s communities and Main Streets, including a $25 million proposal in the governor’s 2024-25 budget proposal for the new Main Street Matters program.

“Gov. Shapiro’s call for $25 million for the Main Street Matters program is an investment that our Pennsylvania communities deserve,” said Vilello. “The Main Street Matters program will give communities, like Danville, the resources they need to create vibrant, resilient main streets and downtowns where people want to live, visit, and work.”

Main Street Matters, which builds upon and modernizes the existing successes of the Keystone Communities program, will be administered through DCED.

Gov. Shapiro recently announced nearly $7 million in Keystone Communities grants to support 49 community improvement projects in 25 counties across the Commonwealth — after receiving 117 applications for the program requesting more than $24 million in funding.

“The Governor’s proposed $25 million for the Main Street Matters program is a game-changer for communities like ours,” said Rebecca Dressler, Executive Director of the Danville Business Alliance. “This investment will provide our small businesses with the support they need to thrive and will help us to continue creating a vibrant, welcoming downtown that attracts visitors and fosters economic growth. In Danville, our downtown fosters a strong sense of community, supports local entrepreneurship, and preserves our unique heritage. We are grateful for the Governor’s commitment to strengthening our main streets and are excited about the positive impact this program will have on our community.”

Run by DCED, the Keystone Communities program encourages the creation of partnerships between the public and private sectors that support the growth and stability of neighborhoods and communities; social and economic diversity; and a strong and secure quality of life. Local governments, redevelopment and housing authorities, nonprofit organizations, community development corporations, and business, neighborhood, and downtown improvement districts are all eligible to apply for this grant funding.

The Governor’s 2024-25 budget calls for significant investments directly tied back to Pennsylvania’s first Economic Development Strategy in nearly two decades.

In addition to the $25 million to create the Main Street Matters program, other proposed economic development investments in the Governor’s budget include: $500 million in PA SITES funding to bring more commercial and industrial sites to Pennsylvania; $20 million to support large-scale innovation and leverage Pennsylvania’s best-in-class research and development assets; and $3.5 million to create and launch the Pennsylvania Regional Economic Competitiveness Challenge to incentivize regional growth.

Rep. Cabell to host Senior Expo Aug. 1 at Misericordia

Rep. Mike Cabell, R-Butler Township, will host a Senior Citizens Expo on Thursday, Aug. 1, in Dallas.

The expo will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Misericordia University’s Insalaco Hall, 301 Lake St.

The expo will feature dozens of exhibitors from nonprofit agencies; local, state and federal governments; and area businesses that will provide information on benefits and services available to older residents on a wide range of topics, including health care, insurance, nutrition and exercise, fire safety, financial planning, fraud protection, government, personal safety and more.

Free health screenings will be offered, courtesy of area health care providers, including blood pressure and hearing. Special sessions will be available with experts on specific topics such as cyber security, financial scams, elder law and senior driving laws.

Seniors can also take part in a tai chi presentation, which is a form of “gentle exercise” that benefits physical and mental health.

Finally, a Treasury Department representative will be on hand to help seniors search for any unclaimed property being held by the state.

For information, contact Cabell’s district office in Dallas at 570-675-6000.

Deluzio looks to lower prescription costs, protect patients and small pharmacies

U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pittsburgh, this week met with independent pharmacists from his congressional district and across Western Pennsylvania to discuss the impacts that Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) are having on both patients’ prescription bills and the pharmacies themselves.

Deluzio heard from local pharmacists that PBMs are often involved in marking up the cost of prescription drugs for patients, pushing pricier medications, and even limiting where patients can fill their prescriptions. Many meeting participants shared stories about how PBMs frequently steer customers toward their own chain pharmacies—hurting the bottom lines of independent pharmacies and to the inconvenience of many customers.

“I will always fight back against big corporations trying to rip off the American people and trying to play games with people’s healthcare,” Deluzio said. “I am glad I had a chance to hear directly from local, independent pharmacists about the impacts that Pharmacy Benefit Managers have both on their patients and their own ability to conduct business in our communities. We have to stand strong against out-of-control corporate power to lower healthcare costs and protect our small businesses.”

Deluzio is a co-sponsor of the HELP Copays Act and the PATIENT Act. The HELP Copays Act would protect patients from harmful insurance and Pharmacy Benefit Manager practices that raise patient out-of-pocket drug costs, and the PATIENT Act would expand hospital price transparency requirements and establish additional reporting requirements with respect to prescription drugs and PBMs.

Municipal Police Officers’ Commission accepting letters of interest for academies

The Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission (MPOETC) will begin accepting letters of interest for potential new Act 120 police academies on Aug. 1, the commission announced.

“Those interested in opening a new police training academy should submit an initial letter of interest for review by MPOETC staff,” said Major William Brown, executive director of MPOETC. “The staff will conduct studies to determine the police population in the area and if there is currently adequate police training available. The Commission will then vote to accept full application packages from potential schools in areas where there is a demonstrated need for a new academy.”

MPOETC voted to accept letters of interest for new academies during its June 2024 quarterly meeting.

The initial form — MPO-246-New School Letter of Interest Application — can be found on the Commission’s website.

Letters of interest will be accepted from Aug. 1 to Nov. 30, 2024. Completed forms should be emailed to [email protected].

Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.

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Pennsylvania

Upside Down Trapezoid House Built by Renowned Loft Architect and His Students Hits the Market in Pennsylvania for $625K

Published

5 hours ago

June 6, 2026

Press Room

Upside Down Trapezoid House Built by Renowned Loft Architect and His Students Hits the Market in Pennsylvania for 5K

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.

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.

“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.”

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.”

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.”

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Pennsylvania

Sweet Summer: 59 creameries unite dairy lovers with Pennsylvania farms on Ice Cream Trail

Published

16 hours ago

June 6, 2026

Press Room

Sweet Summer: 59 creameries unite dairy lovers with Pennsylvania farms on Ice Cream Trail

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.

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.

“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.

The ice cream trail continues through Sept. 7.

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Pennsylvania

PA law would restrict cellphones in schools. Pittsburgh already bans them

Published

1 day ago

June 5, 2026

Press Room

PA law would restrict cellphones in schools. Pittsburgh already bans them

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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