PITTSBURGH, PA: May 22, 2024 – Kennywood, a USA Today 10 Best Theme Park, unveils the all-new Potato Smash with its mouthwatering mashup fully fried, just in time for the unofficial start to summer. Potato Smash sprouts on the scene with a grand opening ceremony set for 9:45 a.m. Saturday, May 25 as the all-new bumper car ride is inducted into Kennywood’s lineup of classic and thrilling attractions.

“Kennywood kicks off the unofficial start to summer with tons of thrills and fun, beginning with Potato Smash’s delicious debut, plus Bites and Pints Food & Drink Festival and brand-new entertainment,” says Kennywood Assistant General Manager Rick Spicuzza. “This Memorial Day Weekend sets the tone for what is sure to be the park’s most exciting summer season yet.

The park’s classic bumper car ride has been totally transformed, themed to Kennywood’s iconic fresh-cut Potato Patch® fries. Potato Smash features 20 new cars modeled after the park’s signature snack, each fitted with fries, oozing cheese sauce and an oversized fork. The new a-peel-ing attraction is a perfect mix of Kennywood’s modern thrills and iconic traditions.

To further celebrate the new appetizing attraction, Kennywood announces a Potato Smash-ing Contest to be held at the park on Wednesday, June 12. Potato enthusiasts and smashing aficionados can enter for a chance to participate in the contest or attend and root for their best spuds. Potato Smash swag will be given to all contestants, with the top tubers receiving two 2024 Kennywood Gold Season Passes.

Potato Smash deep-fried debut is just the start of the fun beginning Memorial Day Weekend. The park’s gastronomic extravaganza, Bites and Pints, spotlighting eight different international cuisines, kicks off on Friday. The chef-inspired tasting event features unique menu items with dishes inspired by Brazil, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, South Korea, Mexico plus brand-new electrifying entertainment. This Saturday, The Nerveless Nocks’s Jetpack Flying Water Circus featuring daredevils Cyrus Nock and Troy Stowe, will wow guests with incredible demonstrations and stunts performed with jet ski-powered jet packs that thrust the stuntmen 50 feet in the air. Visitors can catch the all-new show at select times daily, from May 24 through July 7, at the park’s Garden Stage.

Also, for the extended holiday weekend, Kennywood is offering free admission to active duty and retired military members and veterans.  Beginning Thursday, May 23, the park’s first day of daily operations through Monday, May 27, all military members and veterans will receive free admission, plus discounted tickets for only $34.99 for up to four friends and family members at the gate with proof of valid identification.

Danielle Smith – Keystone State News Service

A new poll for AARP Pennsylvania revealed candidates must focus on issues critical to voters age 50 and older ahead of the November elections.

The influential voting bloc makes up more than half the state’s electorate, and 85% told pollsters they are “extremely motivated” to cast their ballots.

Bill Johnston-Walsh, state director of AARP Pennsylvania, said voters age 50+ will be key in determining who wins in November.

“Voters age 50+ are the largest voting bloc in Pennsylvania and the country,” Johnston-Walsh explained. “They consistently show up to the polls, and we anticipate that this year will be no different.”

Johnston-Walsh added in the 2020 elections, older voters accounted for 55% of all Pennsylvania voters, and in the 2022 midterms, they made up 62% of the state’s voters. He noted they expect those numbers to grow this year for the general election.

Bob Ward with the public-opinion firm Fabrizio Ward said voters age 50+ prioritize economic issues and will back candidates who protect Social Security and support family caregivers.

“When we look at it from an electoral standpoint, it is not surprising that older voters are more likely to vote for the candidates who say they will make sure workers get the Social Security they paid into,” Ward observed. “The big picture here among voters 50+ is that economic issues are paramount.”

Jeffrey Liszt, partner at Impact Research, said Pennsylvania voters, particularly 31% of those ages 50-64, have a high rate of family caregiving responsibilities and voice concerns about services.

“Over 40% of these family caregivers are spending more than 20 hours a week caring for a loved one, which is why it’s such an important issue for them,” Liszt explained. “That’s why more than three-quarters of voters 50-plus say that they will reward candidates who provide more support for family caregivers.”

A significant portion of older voters, 63%, also expressed concerns about their personal financial circumstances, citing the rising costs of food and utilities as reasons for financial strain.

FILE – Taylor Swift performs during “The Eras Tour,” May 5, 2023, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. Swift is adding one more accolade to her repertoire this year: a resolution recognizing 2023 as the Taylor Swift era in her home state of Pennsylvania. The resolution passed the state House of Representatives on Wednesday, Dec. 13. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)

HARRISBURG – Attorney General Michelle Henry is leading a bipartisan coalition of 30 states, along with the U.S. Department of Justice, in an antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Ticketmaster, LLC.

The suit filed Thursday alleges that Live Nation — owner and operator of numerous venues nationwide, including Pennsylvania — and Ticketmaster — the ticketing service giant — form an illegal monopoly over the live entertainment industry. The suit also alleges that Live Nation has engaged in anti-competitive practices to maintain its monopoly.

Live Nation and Ticketmaster’s dominance has impacted fans across the Commonwealth. In 2022, Pennsylvanians spent approximately $1.5 billion dollars on live entertainment, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

“Live Nation and Ticketmaster have long had a chokehold on much of the live entertainment industry,” Attorney General Henry said. “Consumers who want to see one of their favorite bands, artists, or shows, are likely to encounter Live Nation and Ticketmaster at the gates. Pennsylvanians deserve to have fair and competitive choices when it comes to tickets to live entertainment.”

The lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for Southern District of New York alleges that:

• Live Nation has maintained its anti-competitive monopoly in ticketing markets by locking up venues through restrictive long-term, exclusive agreements and by threatening that venues will lose access to Live Nation-controlled tours and artists if they sign with a rival ticketing company.
• Live Nation leverages its extensive network of amphitheaters and other venues to force artists to select Live Nation as a promoter instead of its rivals, maintaining its promotions monopoly.
• Live Nation’s conduct has harmed fans through higher fees, lack of transparency, fewer consumer choices, and stifling innovation.

The lawsuit asks the court to restore competition in the live entertainment industry by:

• Ordering Live Nation to divest Ticketmaster.
• Awarding financial compensation for consumers who paid more than they should have for tickets in a competitive market.
• Prohibiting Live Nation from engaging in its anticompetitive practices.

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) are urging motorists to keep traffic safety top of mind when behind the wheel this holiday weekend, and all summer long. The agencies are partnering with municipal police departments and other safety partners across the commonwealth to participate in the National “Click It or Ticket” (CIOT) Enforcement Mobilization running now through June 2.

“’Click it or Ticket’ isn’t about citations, it’s about saving lives,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “Wearing a seat belt increases your chances of surviving a crash by up to 60 percent. Through continued enforcement and education, we hope to see more people buckling up and fewer fatal crashes on Pennsylvania’s roads.”

Pennsylvania law requires drivers, front-seat passengers, and any occupant younger than 18 to buckle up when riding in a vehicle. Children under age 4 must be properly secured in an approved child safety seat. Children under age 2 must ride in a rear-facing car seat until they outgrow the maximum weight and height limits designated by the seat manufacturer. Booster seats are required for children ages 4 to 8.

In 2023, there were 11,756 crashes in Pennsylvania where at least one occupant was not wearing a seat belt, resulting in 316 fatalities. It is estimated that 92% of unbelted occupants, or 282 people, who were killed in crashes while traveling in passenger vehicles, including cars, small trucks, vans, and SUVs, could have survived if they had been buckled up.

Troopers certified as child passenger safety technicians offer car seat fittings and inspections throughout Pennsylvania, helping ensure that car seats are in good working condition, installed properly, and free from recalls.

“It’s important that parents and caregivers buckle up while behind the wheel while also ensuring children are in properly installed child safety seats,” said Colonel Christopher Paris, Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police. “Troopers who are certified as child passenger safety technicians can do just that by providing education and hands-on assistance with the proper use of safety seats so children are safe for every ride.”

The checks are free of charge. A complete list of child passenger seat fitting stations is available at psp.pa.gov.

During the four-day Memorial Day weekend in 2023, PSP troopers investigated 651 crashes that resulted in four fatalities and 142 injuries. State Police also cited 1,318 individuals for not wearing seat belts and issued 224 tickets for not securing children in safety seats.

As part of the enforcement mobilization, tomorrow night state and local police agencies will be taking part in coordinated, high visibility enforcement by utilizing roving patrols, traffic enforcement zones, and speed enforcement details on roadways with high rates of unbuckled crashes.

With summer travel kicking off this weekend, PennDOT reminds motorists to visit 511PA’s Historic Holiday Traffic page to plan optimal travel times on major roadways across the state this Memorial Day. The holiday travel tool allows the public to see how traffic speeds on the Friday before and on Memorial Day in 2022 and 2023 compare to traffic conditions during a typical, non-holiday week. Users can choose their region and view an hour-by-hour, color-coded representation of traffic speeds to help determine the best times to travel during the holiday.

While PennDOT will remove lane restrictions and suspend construction projects wherever possible, the Historic Holiday Traffic page also allows the public to view interstate restrictions that will be in place during the holiday travel period.

Motorists are reminded they can also check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles in Pennsylvania year-round by visiting www.511PA.com. The service, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.