There's still been no decision on whether to sell a 125-foot cell phone tower in the Lehigh Valley. The idea was a hotly-debated topic at a Lower Saucon Township Council hearing, resulting in the meeting lasting until after midnight. A hearing continuation has been set for February 7th. At issue is whether Verizon will be allowed to erect a cell tower in the township. However, the company will need to get a conditional use approval from the township for that to happen. Some nearby residents are opposed to the tower because they say it doesn't blend with the character of the area.
Pennsylvania's unemployment rate went just a bit higher in the month of December. The state Department of Labor & Industry says the state's jobless rate was up one-tenth of a point from November, to 3.5% last month. Pennsylvania's unemployment rate was eight-tenths of a point below the 4.3$, which is where it stood in December of 2022.
The former Secretary of the Commonwealth says her new firm will focus on election integrity. Kathy Boockvar says her decision to start Athena Strategies after she resigned three years ago came from her experience in overseeing the 2020 elections. She says her firm will focus on protecting election officials and making voters aware of how elections work. She says the artificial intelligence that will play a big role in new marketing for elections will also warrant monitoring.
The families of more than 500,000 minor children in Pennsylvania would benefit from a proposed expanded federal child tax credit. The federal legislation also calls for providing a tax break to people hurt by last year's Norfolk Southern derailment in western Pennsylvania. The new tax provisions would cost $78 billion over three years. They would be offset by ending a business tax credit passed during the pandemic that was designed to help avoid layoffs.
The State Game Commission is looking for people to help with surveys for ongoing turkey counting projects. Pennsylvanians are being asked to find and report turkey flocks online through March 15th. Survey prompts include the date of the sighting, the location, and whether the birds are seen on public or private land. Officials say ongoing population monitoring contributes to their large-scale turkey study that tallies annual survival rates and spring harvest rates.
The state will award nearly $40 million in grants to municipalities and contractors to replace diesel-fueled cars and trucks with battery-electric ones. Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley says those eligible for replacement include home delivery trucks, refuse/recycling trucks and terminal tractors. Funds will also go to support infrastructure to re-charge the vehicles. Penn State is one of the grant recipients.