Pennsylvania
Senator Sharif Street Lauds Passage of “Historic” 2024-25 Pennsylvania Budget
Philadelphia, PA, July 11, 2024 — Today, the Senate passed the 2024-25 PA Budget, which Senator Sharif Street (SD-3) lauded as “historic” in its investments in the people of Pennsylvania. Despite missed opportunities to increase the minimum wage, end cannabis prohibition, invest in paid sick leave, and expand funding for Whole Home Repairs, Senator Street expressed his overall satisfaction with the budget.
“I am proud to vote for a PA Budget that prioritizes the people of Pennsylvania, doesn’t increase taxes, and better reflects our moral responsibility to provide safety for our communities, meet every day needs, and provide a quality education for our students,” said Senator Street.
Education
Pennsylvania’s school funding system has been inadequate and unconstitutional, but this budget makes a significant down payment toward righting the wrongs that have impacted countless students across the commonwealth, including in Philadelphia. Over $1 billion is being added for Pre-K to 12 education, including:
- $526 million increase for Ready to Learn
- $285 million increase for Basic Education Funding
- $100 million increase for Special Education
- $100 million in new funding for Cyber Charter Transition
Senator Street praised investments in the Philadelphia School District and Career Technical Education stating that “a $220 million allocation for Philadelphia’s School District is significant, and the authorization of another $100 million for school infrastructure will allow us to address the aging and toxic school environments that continue to put our students and educators at risk. I have long advocated for increased funding of Career Technical Education to ensure our students have multiple avenues to post-secondary success. I’m proud to see investments of $30 million in Career Technical Education.
Higher Education
This budget permanently invests in Community Colleges ($277 million) and prioritizes funding to public institutions of higher education that seek to expand dual-enrollment programs. It also requires institutions to make financial aid counseling available to every student while establishing the Grow Pennsylvania Scholarship Grant Program within the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA).
Beginning in 2024-2025, PHEAA will be responsible for awarding grants up to $5,000 per academic year to Pennsylvania students who agree to work in the Commonwealth for 12 months for every year of the grant the student accepts. PHEAA will be required to conduct public outreach to traditionally underserved communities.
Overall, the budget allocates $35 million for PASSHE schools, a 6% increase from last year, and includes over $140 million for grants, scholarships, and other programs that will make higher education more affordable in Pennsylvania.
Community Safety
Investments in violence prevention groups have proven effective, as Philadelphia has seen the largest decline in gun violence nationwide following historic funding (FY22-23) of these programs. Senator Street, who has advocated for these increases including funding for Safe School Corridors called an additional $21.5 million in community safety funding ($85M statewide), “investments we know will save lives”, adding that “student safety is imperative to learning, and the allocation of $120 million for School Safety and Security are critical resources we can put toward providing better security to our students to and from school.”
Child Care Tax Credits
Starting in 2025, Pennsylvania businesses can receive a tax credit for helping employees with childcare costs. For every dollar an employer contributes to an employee’s childcare expenses, they can get back 30 cents in tax credits, up to $500 per employee. This new policy aims to make childcare more affordable for working families while encouraging employers to support their staff’s childcare needs.
Healthcare Affordability
Senator Street joined Governor Shapiro in signing policy to expand Telemedicine, bringing access to medical services to some of our most vulnerable communities. This budget also establishes the Affordability Assistance Program under the Pennsylvania Health Insurance Exchange Authority. People purchasing a health insurance plan on the exchange will receive financial assistance to cover the cost of the insurance based on their income.
“Together, we have taken significant steps forward in serving the people of Pennsylvania without increasing taxes,” said Street “we’ve made significant investments into education and building safer communities. This budget is an example of the good government can achieve when it works.”
Pennsylvania
Ticket sold in Pennsylvania worth $1M as Mega Millions swells to $1.15B for post-Christmas draw
Billionaire dreams continue through Christmas after no ticket purchased in the $1 billion Christmas Eve 2024 Mega Millions draw hit the jackpot.
The jackpot rolled again — this time to $1.15 billion — after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024.
Léelo en español aquí.
Don’t throw away your tickets just yet as one sold in Pennsylvania is worth $1 million, according to Mega Millions.
What were the winning Mega Millions numbers drawn on Christmas Eve?
The Mega Millions draw for Dec. 24, 2024, went like this: The white balls drawn were 11, 14, 38, 45 and 46, plus the gold Mega Ball 3.
Ticket sold in Pennsylvania strikes $1 million prize
In total, fours tickets sold matched all five white balls, but missed the gold Mega Ball, the lottery said. Those tickets sold in California, Missouri, Wyoming and Pennsylvania are worth $1 million a piece.
NBC10 has reached out to Pennsylvania Lottery to find out where the Keystone State winner was sold. However, the state lottery offices are closed for Christmas, so the winning store won’t be revealed until Thursday at the earliest, a spokesperson said.
Nearly 4.3 million tickets sold around the country in Tuesday’s draw matched at least the gold Mega Ball and are worth $2 or more.
Once again, the winning numbers in the Dec. 24, 2024, draw were 11, 14, 38, 45 and 46, with a Mega Ball of 3.
If you or someone you know has a gambling addiction, please call the National Council on Problem Gambling at 1-800-522-4700 to speak to a counselor. Help is also available via an online peer support forum at www.gamtalk.org, and additional resources can be found at NCPG website.
When is the next Mega Millions draw?
Get out $2, jump into office pools and gift tickets to family as the next Mega Millions draw on Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, is worth at least $1.15 billion for the annuity and $516.1 million lump sum cash value, Mega Millions said.
That massive jackpot is the fifth largest in the game’s history, Mega Millions said.
“We know that many people will likely receive tickets to Friday’s drawing as holiday gifts, and what a gift that would turn out to be if you ended up with a ticket worth a $1.15 billion jackpot,” Joshua Johnston, lead director for the Mega Millions Consortium, said in a Christmas news release. “I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the holidays – whether Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, the Winter Solstice, or any other way people choose to celebrate the season – than by helping fulfill the dreams that come with a prize like this and prizes that will be won at all levels of the game.”
What are the odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot?
Mega Millions is played in 45 states, plus the Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350.
When did someone last hit the Mega Millions jackpot?
It’s been since Sept. 10, 2024, since a ticket sold in Texas hit all five numbers and the Mega Ball to win an $810 million jackpot.
Good luck!
Junker said members of the executive committee have launched their own matching challenge, donating $100,000 once the same amount has been raised.
The museum bought Highland Farm a year ago from the previous owner who operated it as a Rodgers and Hammerstein–themed bed-and-breakfast. Hammerstein lived in the farmhouse for the last 20 years of his life, a period when he and composer Richard Rodgers created some of the most enduring musicals of American theater, including “The Sound of Music,” “Oklahoma” and “South Pacific.”
“Institutions like this help us to lead lives of purpose and meaning, they enrich our lives and provide opportunities for lifelong learning for folks of all ages,” said state Rep. Tim Brennan, a former board member of the museum. “Investing in this organization is an investment in our future.”
The first RACP grant in 2020 went toward buying the property and doing basic maintenance.
“One of the first things we did was install a security system,” Junker said. “Because we have started to collect some artifacts.”
Pennsylvania
2 Western Pennsylvania men charged in murder-for-hire plot confession to pastor, police say
State police in Western Pennsylvania have charged two men in a murder-for-hire plot after one of the suspects allegedly confessed to his pastor.
NBC News affiliate WJAC reports David Vanatta, 49, and Colton Baird, 32, both of Elk County, were jailed for an alleged plot to kill Vanatta’s ex-wife.
An affidavit obtained by WJAC states Vanetta confessed to a pastor that he paid Baird $2,000 to kill his ex-wife. The pastor then reported the information to police.
Police say the ex-wife was never harmed.
Online court records show Vanatta and Baird are facing several charges, including criminal solicitation – criminal homicide, conspiracy to commit criminal homicide and attempted homicide. Both men are being held in the Elk County Prison without bail.
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Ticket sold in Pennsylvania worth $1M as Mega Millions swells to $1.15B for post-Christmas draw
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