More Than $17.5 Million in Congressional Earmarks will Help Pay for NEPA Projects

The President has signed a finalized bill to send nearly $18 million to NEPA community projects.

Funding will focus on the restoration of roads and railways, bridges, sewer systems, and contribute to hemp research.

For example, Scranton has received funds to build a training and operations center for first responders, and the Wyoming Valley Sanitation Authority has commenced a pipe rehabilitation project. 



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Penn Highlights to End Birth Services in Elk County, Amid Concerns of Rural Care Gap

In Elk County, Penn Highlands Hospital is closing its labor and delivery services, amid statewide concern regarding rural healthcare gaps.

According to Penn Highlands President and CEO, inadequate payments from health insurance plans is the primary cause of hospital closures.

A recent report from March of Dimes states that nearly 48 percent of women in rural PA live more than 30 minutes from a birthing hospital.



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Bucks County Files Climate Lawsuit Against Fossil Fuel Industry

Bucks County is filing a climate lawsuit against several oil companies including the American Petroleum Institute.

The lawsuit alleges that these companies have led decades-long campaigns to cover up their role in worsening climate change, sometimes with fatal consequences, such as a flash flood that killed seven last year.

Bucks County is one of a few in Pennsylvania that have faced increasingly severe weather events due to climate change, such as rising water levels.   



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Inflation and the Gap Between Economic Performance and Economic Perceptions

New research suggests that economic perceptions in the United States do not match current trends in economic conditions.

There are some findings that link poor view of the economy to economic insecurity, inequality, and a negative expectation of the future.

In the article below, Brookings Research explores the underlaying factors of the increasing disconnect between economic performance and how that performance is viewed. 

  

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New York City’s Decade-Long Battle for Pedestrian Safety

New York City has just recorded its safest year for pedestrians since it began recording data 114 years ago.

This comes after years of being one of the nation’s deadliest cities for pedestrians, and a national average of 7,500 pedestrian deaths on American roadways in 2022.

New York City was the first in the nation to implement Vision Zero, an initiative that tracks the biggest barriers to pedestrian safety and introduces sustainable urban planning and transportation solutions. 

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1 in 10 Asian Americans Live in Poverty, with Widely Varying Experiences

Out of the total 24 million Asians living in the United States, over 2 million are living in poverty.

Last year, The Pew Research Center conducted a focus group study with 11 Asian origin groups across the nation.

In the article below they discuss findings on challenges and barriers to achieving the American Dream, as well as the varying experiences with poverty that each group has. 



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