A disputed voice vote in Mount Airy has left Councilmember Cindy Bass's 22nd Ward leadership under review by the city Democratic Party.

DHS bought the former Big Lots warehouse in Tremont and plans a multi‑thousand‑bed ICE center; Pennsylvania regulators have blocked water and sewer while plans and appeals play out.

Sen. Carolyn Comitta circulated a memo this spring to restrict retail nitrous‑oxide sales after reporting found flavored and high‑volume canisters being sold in smoke shops across the Philadelphia region.

Rep. Chris Rabb is pushing to redraw Philadelphia’s decades-old ward map and press party leaders to modernize how the city chooses power, timing his move with recent primary wins.

Lawmakers in Harrisburg introduced bills to require heat‑illness plans, paid breaks, water and shade as record temperatures climb across Pennsylvania.

Council advanced an amended ordinance that would ban both commercial and noncommercial horse-drawn carriage rides; a final council vote is scheduled next week.

State reports and a university evaluation show roughly half of child deaths in Pennsylvania haven't been reviewed since 2020. Advocates call the program an "unfunded mandate" and say more state staff and funding are needed.

A western Pennsylvania lawmaker is pitching a one‑time $250 payment to taxpaying households, saying the commonwealth has extra revenue and tying the idea to America250 events. The proposal would still need legislative approval and administrative setup.

An ACLU‑supported analysis of ICE records says West Virginia’s January sweep mostly detained people without criminal convictions and that official arrest totals were inflated.

Lt. Gov. Austin Davis visited an Elizabethtown child‑care center to highlight expanded tax credits and a proposed $35M boost for worker bonuses ahead of the June 30 budget deadline.

House Bill 2254, called Ryan's Law, cleared the Pa. House to let terminally ill patients use state-authorized medical marijuana while hospitalized; the measure now heads to the Senate.

Lower Merion's seasonal ban on gas‑powered leaf blowers begins June 1, 2026, as part of a phased plan that ends with a full ban in 2029. The ordinance allows electric blowers but has drawn pushback from landscapers and residents.

Political "smishing" texts are surging in Philadelphia ahead of the 2026 midterms. Experts warn some messages impersonate election offices or push fake donation pages.