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Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania House passes bill to allow PIAA to create separate high school playoff system
PENNSYLVANIA (WJAC) — Pennsylvania lawmakers once again advanced legislation that would allow the PIAA to potentially overhaul the state’s playoff format for high school athletics.
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed House Bill 41 by a 178 to 23 vote, nearly one year after the legislation advanced out of the House Intergovernmental Affairs and Operations Committee.
The issue of “fairness” in Pennsylvania high school athletics has been a hot topic in recent years as both lawmakers and schools have debated whether or not the PIAA should create separate playoff brackets for public and private districts.
HB 41 was first introduced by Rep. Scott Conklin (D-Centre), who argues that the current competition structure in Pennsylvania high school “jeopardizes athletes’ health and safety.”
Student athletes and their parents recognize that contact sports pose certain physical risks, which schools try to minimize through protective equipment, training, and policies like concussion protocols,” Conklin said. “Unfortunately, our schools can’t protect against a playoff system that needlessly escalates those risks through unfair competitions.
PIAA’s existing playoff system forces athletes from public schools, which are limited to recruiting from within district boundaries, to compete against athletes from private schools, which can recruit from anywhere and amass larger, stronger teams. The result is unfair, lopsided competitions that leave public school students on a dangerously unlevel playing field, subjecting them to added physical risks and even depriving them of scholarship and recruitment opportunities. School sports are supposed to be about building confidence and teaching kids lessons in fair play, but the current system is teaching all the wrong lessons.
My bill would provide a way to end these increasingly dangerous competitions by allowing the PIAA to establish separate playoffs and championships for boundary and non-boundary schools.
House Bill 41 will now advance to the state Senate for a vote.
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Lawmakers note that if fully approved, the legislation would not mandate the PIAA to change the current format but would rather give them the option to do so.
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MIFFLIN COUNTY, Pa. (WHP) — A Mifflin County man was arrested Thursday after Pennsylvania State Police say he dumped oil on a vending machine and rubbed raw chicken on the door of a nearby business.
Timothy Peachey, 33, is accused of committing the acts on May 17 on East John Street in McVeytown, according to a state police release.
The oil caused an estimated $10,843 in damages to the vending machine and the items inside of it, troopers said.
Peachey allegedly rubbed raw chicken on the front glass door of McVeytown Market. The reason for these actions is unknown.
Peachey is charged with criminal mischief — a third-degree felony due to the total property damage — as well as a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct and a summary offense for scattering rubbish.
He was released on bail and is awaiting a preliminary hearing, according to his court docket.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — A Luzerne County legislator introduced a bill this week intended to allow local governments to place a moratorium on data center applications.
Rep. Jamie Walsh (R-Luzerne) introduced House Bill 2533 on Wednesday.
“Our municipalities, which decide local land use policies, have struggled to understand the myriad environmental and community impacts of this new industry and to review and revise their zoning ordinances to keep up with the influx of interest from data center developers,” Walsh said in a co-sponsorship memorandum. “I am therefore proposing to give municipalities the option of placing a moratorium on data center applications so that, if they choose, they can revise their ordinances and establish conditional use policies addressing issues like power supply, water consumption, noise and setbacks which they determine protect the community’s interest.”
It is a companion bill, he said, to Senator Jarrett Coleman (R-Bucks/Lehigh)’s Senate Bill 1345.
They both would allow an 18-month moratorium on both unapproved and new data center applications.
The two legislators also introduced legislation they say would repeal the state Computer Data Center Equipment Exemption program enacted in 2021, which the legislators say incentivizes data centers to locate in Pennsylvania by exempting computer data center equipment from the Sales and Use Tax when it is sold to, used or consumed in a certified data center by an owner, operator or qualified tenant. This is in the form of House Bill 2532 and Senate Bill 1344 respectively.
“While we all appreciate the technological advances that are driving the development of new data centers, I am certain most Pennsylvanians want a more thoughtful approach to where and under what requirements they can operate and don’t want to subsidize them with tax incentives,” said Coleman. “The bills Rep. Walsh and I partnered on will do just that.”
Data centers have been a hot topic issue across Pennsylvania as communities have rallied to oppose developments, including in Columbia and in the Annville area.
Court records show a man is facing numerous charges after local news outlets reported he was accused of partially demolishing his Pennsylvania home with members of his family still inside.
Erik Pierwsza, 48, is charged with three counts of recklessly endangering another person and one count each of causing a catastrophe and disorderly conduct, according to court documents reviewed by USA TODAY.
According to local media outlet WTAE, Pierwsza allegedly destroyed a portion of his home with an excavator, while his wife and two children were inside. Pierwsza is a resident of Buffalo Township, roughly 30 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.
The Buffalo Township Police Department did not immediately return USA TODAY’s request for more information. Court records did not list representation for Pierwsza and noted that he is not currently represented by a public defender.
According to a criminal complaint reported on by WTAE and WPXI, Pierswza had allegedly got into an argument, at which point Pierswza threatened to tear down the house.
He then allegedly climbed into the excavator and began demolishing the home, per the outlets.
According to WPXI, no one was injured.
Pierwsza is being held at Butler County Prison on $10,000 bond, per court documents.
Drew Pittock covers national trending news for USA TODAY. He can be reached at DPittock@usatodayco.com.
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