No charges in Pennsylvania discarded-ballots case
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A federal prosecutors says no criminal charges will be filed against a temporary elections worker authorities have said mistakenly discarded nine military ballots ahead of the November presidential election. Officials have previously blamed the decision to toss out the ballots on an unidentified and improperly trained contract worker. The ballots were later retrieved from the trash and were counted with other mailed ballots after the Nov. 3 election. President Donald Trump repeatedly brought up the nine ballots as he pressed groundless claims of election fraud.

Joanne Rogers, widow of TV’s famed Mister Rogers, dies at 92
By MARK KENNEDY AP Entertainment Writer
Joanne Rogers, the widow of Fred Rogers, the gentle TV host who entertained and educated generations of preschoolers on “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” has died. She was 92. The Fred Rogers Center confirmed her death in Pittsburgh on Thursday, calling her a “trusted anchor whose heart and wisdom have guided our work in service of Fred’s enduring legacy.” The concert pianist was married to Fred Rogers for more than 50 years until his 2003 death. She is survived by two sons. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf called the couple “Pennsylvania treasures committed to improving our communities and the lives of our children.”

Gov. Wolf: $2.2 Billion in COVID-19 Funds Help K-12 Schools Improve Services to Students

Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf is dedicating $2.2 billion in federal stimulus funds to K-12 school districts and charter schools affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to support food programs, technological improvements and other education services.

“All schools have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and I commend school communities for rising to the challenge to combat the toll it has taken,” said Gov. Wolf. “This extra funding is critical to help schools meet the unique needs of educating students at this time while keeping school buildings safe when students return to the classroom.”

The federal relief is provided by the bipartisan Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act’s Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER II) Fund passed by Congress in December.

“Additional, much needed support is on its way to Pennsylvania schools,” said Acting Secretary Noe Ortega. “These funds will provide critical assistance to school communities as they continue to navigate COVID-19.”

To promote equity, efficiency, transparency, and local flexibility, PDE will administer 100 percent of ESSER II funding through the Federal Title I, Part A formula which considers the number of low-income students served by school districts and charter schools. Each entity will receive an amount proportional to federal Title I, Part A funds received in the 2020 fiscal year under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

PDE has urged school entities to continue to prioritize equity and consider how investments can accelerate opportunities for vulnerable students and families, including those living in deep poverty, students with disabilities, English learners, migrant students, students experiencing homelessness, and children in foster care.

School districts and charter schools may use ESSER funding for a wide range of activities, including food service; professional training; technology purchases; sanitization and cleaning supplies; summer and after-school programs; and mental health supports.

A list of ESSER II fund allocations is available on PDE’s website. Funds must be used by September 2023. School districts and charter schools must apply to PDE to obtain their allocated funds. The application process will be posted on the PDE website.

While ESSER II funding is beneficial for ongoing recovery and school reopening efforts, Acting Secretary Ortega noted that additional federal funding is needed to address the crises of the past year.

“We are thankful for the bipartisan effort to support school communities during this time, but PDE will be advocating for additional action from Congress in the days, weeks, and months ahead and I encourage educators to join us in raising their voices,” said Ortega.

For more information about Pennsylvania’s education policies and programs, please visit the Department of Education’s website at www.education.pa.gov or follow PDE on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Defense Department officials are scrambling to call governors and asking whether they have any more National Guard troops they can send to Washington to help protect the Capitol and the city.

A defense official familiar with the discussions says law enforcement leaders and other authorities have now determined that they’ll need about 25,000 National Guard troops. And they say that number could still grow.

As of Friday morning, officials had commitments from states for close to 22,000 members of the Guard. That’s according to the official, who wasn’t authorized to publicly discuss internal deliberations and spoke on condition of anonymity.

In recent days, defense and military leaders have said they understand that states are also facing their own looming protests and the first priority of the governors is to protect their own capitals.

The number of Guard officials are seeking to help protect the District of Columbia in the run-up to Wednesday’s inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden has increased almost daily.

Defense and law enforcement authorities have been revising the numbers as they go through rehearsals and other drills to determine how many and where they need the Guard reinforcements to help lock down Washington.

—Associated Press writer Lolita C. Baldor

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department’s internal watchdog says it will investigate how the department and its agencies prepared for and responded to last week’s riots at the U.S. Capitol. The investigation by the inspector general’s office will examine whether information was appropriately shared by the Justice Department to other law enforcement agencies about the potential for violence.

The inspector general said it “also will assess whether there are any weaknesses in DOJ protocols, policies, or procedures” that hampered preparation and response to the events.