As the federal government shutdown drags on, Pennsylvania families are waiting for heating assistance.

A natural gas driller is facing criminal charges over its fracking operations in northcentral Pennsylvania.

Open enrollment is underway for people seeking health insurance through the Pennsylvania Individual Exchange, known as Pennie. But State Attorney General Dave Sunday warns consumers to beware of scams.

In Cumberland County, the latest round of exhumations of Native American students from a cemetery at the former Carlisle Indian Industrial School has resulted in the remains of 17 more students being repatriated to their families and tribes, the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma and the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma.

And a deeper dive.

Legislation before the state Senate would ban students from using their cell phones in school. More than half of U-S states have enacted similar restrictions in recent years. What do students think of these policies?

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Pennsylvania Democrats made significant gains in Tuesday's election – even in places that strongly supported Donald Trump last year.

Four members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives are preparing to leave their seats after winning local races.

Now that election day voting is over, the next task for election officials in Pennsylvania is to officially certify the results. PA Secretary of State Al Schmidt says that process should take about 2 weeks.

Health providers and emergency rooms in Philadelphia have seen an uptick in seizures among patients who use street drugs.

Fathers are often left out of maternal and child health decisions but a bill which has been passed by the state House aims to change that.

And a deep dive:

Health systems across Pennsylvania are rapidly adopting artificial intelligence to aid them in administrative tasks like medical documentation and in clinical settings with imaging and diagnostics.

But as the technology quickly evolves, clinicians, lawmakers and patient safety experts are trying to figure out how to monitor and regulate this new area of medicine.

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What’s the status of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - or SNAP – benefits in Pennsylvania amid the ongoing government shutdown?

A new report finds that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities across Pennsylvania still face major barriers to basic health care.

Penn State is preparing for potential cuts in federal funding for research, and changes to visa regulations for international students and workers.

A 15-year-old boy from Mount Joy is accused of beating three younger children and using racial slurs.

We're learning more about Tuesday's election results: Dauphin County voters elected the first Black woman as judge.

And Kenneth Hock narrowly won reelection as mayor of Chambersburg.

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Democrats resoundingly swept the contentious statewide judicial races. Republicans, backed by billionaire donor Jeffrey Yass, sought to make history with a series of votes to remove three Democratic judges from the state Supreme Court. But all three Justices, Kevin Dougherty, Christine Donohue and David Wecht, will retain their seats.

Democrats also won a seat each on the state’s Superior and Commonwealth appellate courts.

In Harrisburg, incumbent Wanda Williams secured another four years as mayor by receiving 56% of the vote, over city treasurer Dan Miller's 43%.

And in Lancaster, Democrat Jaime Arroyo will be the city’s next mayor after securing a resounding victory.

In Dauphin County, a bomb threat triggered a lockdown at an elementary school serving as a polling location Tuesday afternoon.

A lawsuit challenging Pennsylvania’s ban on Medicaid coverage for abortions returns to court this week.

Graduate student workers at Penn State are holding a vote on whether to form a union.

Gov. Josh Shapiro and the leaders of all four legislative caucuses met in person several days last week.

Franklin and Marshall College is announcing a major initiative designed to make the Lancaster-based private school more affordable.

Cumberland County Commissioners are reminding volunteer fire, ambulance, and EMS personnel of an upcoming deadline. November 15th is the final day first responders can apply for the Volunteer Firefighter and EMS Tax Credit of up to $250.

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On this Election Day, Pennsylvanians will decide whether three state Supreme Court Justices should keep their seats. The unprecedented spending and polarization this year has put off some voters.

Partisan control of the court could have major implications for the 2028 presidential race, since justices might be asked to rule on election disputes, as they did in 2020.

Republican lawmakers across the mid-Atlantic met in Harrisburg last week to discuss rising electricity bills.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has issued a draft air permit to a natural gas fired power plant in Westmoreland County. Environmental groups say the draft has several flaws.

American Water and Essential Utilities are merging. They’re the two largest municipal water and wastewater management companies in the United States.

Both the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg released statements in response to a controversial float in the Hanover Halloween parade last week.

Seven hundred faculty members at Harrisburg Area Community College - HACC - went on strike yesterday.

The Lancaster Stormers are under new ownership.

Prospector Baseball Group acquired the minor league baseball team from four Lancaster-area businessmen who owned the Stormers for the past 12 years.

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The Pennsylvania Supreme Court retention vote is unusually contentious this year.

On today’s Morning Agenda, we’re going to dive into this vote from several angles and explain what’s at stake.

It’s even putting Pennsylvania in the national spotlight. The leader of the national Democratic party is campaigning across the state in advance of Tuesday's elections.

Reproductive health rights have become a key issue for the retention vote.

How have the three justices ruled on environmental issues?

Also

joining us to dive a bit deeper and explain what's at stake is Elizabeth Estrada, Democracy Editor at Spotlight PA.

See Elizabeth Estrada's story for Spotlight PA, How Pa. Supreme Court rulings have shaped cities.

To learn how the Supreme Court has impacted rural communities, click here for Marley Parish's Spotlight PA story as well.

Public media's federal funding has been revoked. Your support is now more vital than ever. Help power the independent journalism and trusted programming you find on WITF by making a gift of support now at www.witf.org/givenow.

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As the federal government shutdown continues, State Treasurer Stacy Garrity says she could loan the state money to cover food-stamp benefits for 2 million Pennsylvanians. Governor Josh Shapiro says her proposal isn’t a solution.

Mike Tyson is best known for his career as a heavyweight boxer. But now he’s making a name for himself in the pot industry. Iron Mike is lobbying for recreational marijuana use in Pennsylvania.

Another opportunity for Pennsylvania hunters opens Saturday.

A family in Bellefonte, Centre County recently got a big treat. And this Halloween the news is out on national television. Their historic home beside Union Cemetery was chosen for a renovation on the HGTV show Scariest House in America.

Many musicians write songs about love, heartbreak or life on the road. But there's a Central Pennsylvania band that sings about slapshots, breakaways and cross checks. That's right, Light the Lamp is a band that writes songs exclusively about hockey. WITF Music’s Joe Ulrich recently faced off with the band in our studio.

In uncertain times, our community counts on facts, not noise. Support the journalism and programming that keep you informed. Donate now at www.witf.org/givenow.

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Gov. Josh Shapiro is suing the U.S. Department of Agriculture over the agency’s pause in food aid under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP during the federal government shutdown. Julie Bancroft, the CEO of nonprofit Feeding Pennsylvania, is calling on lawmakers to continue SNAP payments.

Pennsylvania officials are scrambling to address the expected rise in food insecurity. About 12% of U.S. households, or one in eight, could feel the effects of an abrupt pause to federal food assistance programs like SNAP. Let's take a deep dive into WITF's listening area to find out how our area would be affected.

In suburban Philadelphia, the City of Coatesville recently debuted a new sound-based, gunshot detection technology. Police are banking on it being an effective tool in combating gun violence.

State lawmakers held a hearing Tuesday on a set of bills aimed at reducing burdens felt by students tied up in juvenile court.

Lancaster County Commissioners are searching for a financial adviser to join their consulting team working to build a new prison.

A recent hearing before a state House committee examined the how growth of A.I. data centers will affect the energy grid and the price consumers pay.

Pennsylvania's volunteer fire companies can apply for grants to help protect rural communities from wildfires.

In uncertain times, our community counts on facts, not noise. Support the journalism and programming that keep you informed. Donate now at www.witf.org/givenow.

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