The Morning Agenda

WITF, Inc.
  • 5.0 (25)
  • DAILY NEWS
  • UPDATED DAILY

Sometimes, your mornings are just too busy to catch the news beyond a headline or two. Don’t worry. The Morning Agenda has got your six. Each weekday morning, host Karen Hendricks will keep you informed, amused, enlightened and up-to-date on what’s happening in central Pennsylvania and the rest of this great commonwealth.

  1. 4H AGO

    PA Headlines | April 1 | A deep dive into medical “facility fees.”

    A former U-S Attorney in Pittsburgh will lead a new White House task force to eliminate fraud. Pennsylvania home care workers, who provide daily caregiving to seniors and others, say an additional $800 million dollars is needed to raise reimbursement rates and pay for workers. They want to see some of that money in the next state budget. A York doctor accused of sexually abusing women under his care at a drug treatment clinic pleaded guilty Monday to a handful of the 92 charges he faced. Many businesses across the country and across Pennsylvania are seeking tariff refunds from the federal government. And a deep dive: Last June, our friends at WPSU reported on public outcry surrounding the increased use of “facility fees” at Geisinger outpatient clinics in the State College area. Since then, more than 20 people have reached out to our colleagues in WPSU's newsroom with their experiences and many remaining questions. And these questions and issues are happening well beyond State College and Geisinger in communities across Pennsylvania. Today we begin a three-part series, looking into WHAT a facility fee is, WHY hospitals charge them, and what’s being done at the state level to protect people against surprise bills from facility fees. Today, in part one, Sydney Roach from our friends at WPSU introduces what a facility fee is by sharing listeners' stories. 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. And thank you. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    15 min

  2. 1D AGO

    PA Headlines | March 31 | Approaching April 15, only half of Pennsylvanians have taken advantage of a new tax credit.

    The April 15th tax filing deadline is about two weeks away, and Governor Josh Shapiro is encouraging Pennsylvanians to take advantage of a new state tax credit. The Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit was created in the current state budget. The Pennsylvania Fast Track Permit program coordinates multi-agency permitting for large-scale economic development projects – and provides transparency as projects progress. But some northeastern Pennsylvania residents have questions about the state program, after learning a data center project was accepted into fast track but never appeared on the program’s website. A deep dive into Pennsylvania’s automatic voter registration program, started under Governor Josh Shapiro in 2023, shows it’s working to get more people to vote from all parties and parts of the state. WITF’s Jordan Wilkie talks with Votebeat reporter Carter Walker who analyzed the data. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    9 min

  3. 2D AGO

    PA Headlines | March 30 | Over 1,000 people protest Trump at Pa. Capitol for “No Kings” rally.

    Well over a thousand people protesting Donald Trump’s presidency rallied on Harrisburg’s Capitol steps Saturday. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court late last week ruled that mandatory life sentences without parole are unconstitutional for people convicted of second-degree murder. Last summer, our partners at Spotlight PA broke the story about pharmacies disappearing across the Pennsylvania landscape. Spotlight’s Ed Mahon continues to track this trend and its data. His latest story is “Why Pennsylvania pharmacies keep closing and how lawmakers want to slow the trend – explained in 7 stats.” Ed Mahon joins WITF’s Karen Hendricks on today’s Morning Agenda for a deep dive into the data. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    11 min

  4. 5D AGO

    PA Headlines | March 27 | From fracking to invasive species: environmental news across Pa.

    In Western Pennsylvania, the Allegheny County board of health is looking at how it can reduce the impacts of fracking. It formed a subcommittee on fracking last year, and the committee presented their plans to the full board of health earlier this month. State environmental regulators recently held a hearing for an air permit for Shell’s plant in Beaver County. The State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has announced they'll cover the costs for Pennsylvanians to remove invasive trees and shrubs and replace them with native species for the second year in a row. And a deep dive: A silent fly arrived on our shores about 250 years ago, around the same time Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. How one of the country’s first invasive species spurred suspicions of biological warfare, threatened the new nation’s economy, and inspired citizen science. And continuing our weekly feature “The Bright Spot,” we share a positive news story that may have gotten lost amid this week's news cycle. This week’s Bright Spot is both artistic and altruistic. https://www.npr.org/2026/03/25/nx-s1-5742397/pablo-picasso-painting-to-be-raffled-off-to-benefit-alzheimers-research   Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    15 min

  5. 6D AGO

    PA Headlines | March 26 | The new Pa. Anti-Human Trafficking Caucus forms.

    A bi-partisan group of state lawmakers has announced the formation of the new Pennsylvania Anti-Human Trafficking Caucus. When school districts across the U-S violate civil rights laws, families can file a complaint with the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights. But given the Trump administration’s dismantling of the U-S Department of Education, many are turning to state agencies to carry out civil rights enforcement. Drexel University plans to launch a 3-year medical school as an alternative option to its 4-year program. Leaders hope the shorter pathway can help students save money and bring more doctors into the workforce faster. State officials are encouraging Pennsylvanians to get screened early for colorectal cancer. The call comes at a time when the number of cases is rising in younger adults... State House Democrats have unveiled their budget proposal and it’s identical to one introduced by Governor Josh Shapiro last month. One of their priorities is raising the state’s minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to $15, which has passed in the House. New cases of avian influenza are confirmed at three Lancaster County farms this month, affecting more than one million birds. The new outbreaks bring this year's total number of Lancaster County bird flu cases to 8.6 million. The city of Reading has a new fire chief – and he’s the city’s first Black fire chief. Robert Leonard II brings more than 20 years of experience in fire and emergency medical services to the position. Pennsylvania's outdoor recreation industry is growing faster than the national average. Pennsylvania's outdoor economy grew by 1.5 billion dollars in 2024, reaching 20.4 billion dollars in total economic impact.   Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    9 min

  6. MAR 25

    PA Headlines | March 25 | A proposed settlement with PPL could serve as a model, shifting rising rates from consumers to data center developers.

    A recently proposed settlement in a central Pennsylvania electric utility rate case aims to protect average residential customers from rising rates connected to new data centers. Consumer advocates hope it'll serve as a model to protect all residential customers in the commonwealth. One year ago, half of U.S. Department of Education staff were laid off, including many in the Office of Civil Rights. That’s left enforcement of the agency’s agreements with school districts in limbo. That includes Western Pennsylvania's Norwin School District. The settlement with Norwin stems from a 2021 incident in which two students came to the school dressed in Confederate flag attire. Pennsylvania hunters harvested more deer in the most recently concluded hunting seasons. Gettysburg Borough Council Monday night appointed Alison Lintal as Gettysburg's new mayor from a slate of 14 candidates who applied for the position. She replaces Chad-Alan Carr who abruptly resigned less than three months into the job before being arrested on charges of alleged child sex crimes dating back to 20-11. Pennsylvania's political candidates are using artificial intelligence tools more than ever. They're using A-I to generate parody images of their opponents, create campaign materials, and answer questionnaires. But tech and election experts are worried about what's to come - including the possibility of deepfakes.   And a deep dive: Let’s say you’ve run for office and won a seat on your local borough or township council. How do you get job training to be an elected official? Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    12 min

  7. MAR 24

    PA Headlines | March 24 | A deep dive into March Madness gambling addiction in Pa.

    First, we have a follow-up to last Friday’s podcast when we did a deep dive into the inner workings of the Central PA Spelling Bee: Vedika Burman correctly spelled the word "patriotism" on the 16th and final round, Saturday, to become the 2026 WITF Central PA Spelling Bee Grand Champion. Pennsylvania, along with New Jersey and Delaware, are suing the Trump Administration over a major environmental rollback. Governor Josh Shapiro recently called for stronger safeguards on artificial intelligence in schools. One man is dead and three others are wounded, following a shooting early Sunday morning in Steelton, Dauphin County. York County attorney and state House candidate George Margetas is facing charges related to a traffic crash, according to police Pennsylvania’s Department of Labor and Industry is announcing the recovery of nearly $130,000 in unpaid wages for 59 workers at the Dauphin County construction company S&R Enterprises. And a deep dive: March Madness is a time-honored ritual for millions of Americans who love to watch college basketball and bet on the hotly competitive tournament games. It also can be a perilous time for people suffering from gambling addiction. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    11 min

  8. MAR 23

    PA Headlines | March 23 | Fighting for public records is becoming more common in Pa.

    Local governments are seeing more challenges to their decisions not to release public records. And some people are turning to ChatGPT, Claude and other artificial intelligence systems for help in making their case. As artificial intelligence technology becomes more common, Pennsylvania state lawmakers say safeguards are needed to protect YOUNG tech users. The state Senate approved a bill this week to regulate A-I chatbots, especially when minors are using the technology. We have crossed over from winter into spring. No matter what the weather forecast holds the next several weeks, anglers and boaters are reminded of the need to wear life jackets while out on the water. Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman crossed party lines to vote with Republicans late last week. State regulators are ordering York County's J&K Salvage to close - and they're seeking possible jail time against owner Joe Darrah. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    7 min
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5
out of 5
25 Ratings

About

Sometimes, your mornings are just too busy to catch the news beyond a headline or two. Don’t worry. The Morning Agenda has got your six. Each weekday morning, host Karen Hendricks will keep you informed, amused, enlightened and up-to-date on what’s happening in central Pennsylvania and the rest of this great commonwealth.

Information

  • Creator
    WITF, Inc.
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 WITF
  • Show Website
    The Morning Agenda

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