Keystone State News Connection

April 7, 2021

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Andrea Sears

HARRISBURG, Pa. – A judge has set Sept. 9 as the tentative trial date for a lawsuit that claims the General Assembly has violated Pennsylvania’s state constitution by failing to provide adequate and equitable funding for public education.

The lawsuit was filed in 2014 by the Education Law Center and the Public Interest Law Center on behalf of several school districts, parents and education and civil-rights organizations.

According to Maura McInerney, legal director at the Education Law Center, state funding for education falls far short of a benchmark written into the Pennsylvania School Code by the General Assembly in 2008.

“In accordance with those adequacy targets, bringing them up to date in terms of cost of living,” she said, “it would be $4.6 billion that was required in order to ensure full funding.”

Legislative leaders, who are defendants in the suit, have said they’ll argue there is no connection between the amount of money districts spend and student performance.

Five years ago, the Legislature adopted a new education-funding formula, but it only applies to new spending – or only about one-tenth of the education budget. McInerney said students of color disproportionately are affected by the ongoing lack of funding.

“Eighty-percent of Black and Latinx students attend a district that receives less education funding than they would under the state’s current funding formula adopted in 2016,” she said.

McInerney added that students who attend poorly funded schools are far less likely to attend and graduate from college than those in well-funded districts.

The current system forces school districts to pick up a substantial portion of education costs, primarily through property taxes. McInerney said that creates a spending gap between wealthy and poor districts.

“On average, the gap is $4,800 per student,” she said, “in terms of the gap between low-wealth and high-wealth school districts.”

The court will finalize the trial date at a pretrial conference in June. Attorneys expect the trial to last several weeks.

Authorities: Navy medic shoots 2, is shot and killed on base
By JULIO CORTEZ Associated Press
FREDERICK, Md. (AP) — Authorities say a Navy medic shot two people at a Maryland business park before fleeing to the Fort Detrick military base, where he was shot and killed. Frederick Police Chief Jason Lando said at a news conference that the male suspect entered a business at the Riverside Tech Park on Tuesday, causing people inside to flee, but it was unclear if the shooting took place inside or outside. Lando said  After the shooting, the man drove about 10 minutes to Fort Detrick, where he was shot by police who followed him onto the base.

AAA: Gas Prices Lower in Pennsylvania; National Demand on the Rise
Gas prices in Western Pennsylvania are two cents cheaper this week at $2.993 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average                  $2.993
Average price during the week of March 29, 2021                                     $3.010
Average price during the week of April 6, 2020                                         $2.183

The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline in various areas:      

$2.990      Altoona
$3.071      Beaver
$3.099      Bradford
$2.891      Brookville
$3.037      Butler
$2.897      Clarion
$2.945      DuBois
$3.063      Erie
$2.921      Greensburg
$3.074      Indiana
$3.070      Jeannette
$2.996      Kittanning
$3.003      Latrobe
$3.091      Meadville
$3.099      Mercer
$2.733      New Castle
$3.077      New Kensington
$3.099      Oil City
$3.029      Pittsburgh
$2.727      Sharon
$2.984      Uniontown
$3.099      Warren
$2.854      Washington

Trend Analysis:
Gasoline demand measured 8.9 million b/d in the Energy Administration’s (EIA) latest weekly report, up nearly 4% from the week prior. Because of the jump in demand, gasoline supplies tightened to 230.5 million barrels, the lowest level this year, and state gas prices averages saw major fluctuations. On the week, states saw pump price changes ranging from an increase of 15 cents to a decrease of 3 cents.

Today’s national average is $2.87, which is more expensive on the week (+1 cent), month (+12 cents) and year (+94 cents).

One factor that may help to keep the national gas price average below $3/gallon is the price of crude, which accounts for nearly 60% of the price at the pump. After hitting a 12-month high of $66/barrel last month, crude has been priced mostly at the $60/barrel mark recently. If it stays low, even with demand increasing, it will contribute to fewer pump price jumps.

Motorists can find current gas prices nationwide, statewide, and countywide at GasPrices.AAA.com.

AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 73 local offices in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia serving 2.7 million members.  News releases are available at news.eastcentral.aaa.com.  Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

(Slippery Rock Twp., Pa.) Pa State Police in New Castle are reporting that they responded to a report of a deceased male in a wooded area just off the roadway at 1090 Houk Road in Slippery Rock Twp. Lawrence County Saturday, March 3 at 11:00 am.

Troopers said via release that the PA State Police New Castle Criminal Investigation Unit was requested and responded for investigation. The scene was photographed and processed by the PSP Troop D Forensic Services Unit. The victim was identified as 58-year-old John Hogue of New Castle. An autopsy was performed on Easter Sunday and no traumatic injuries were discovered and toxicology results are pending.

Troopers are attempting to identify the owner and/or occupants of a vehicle that was observed in the victim’s driveway prior to his death. The vehicle is described as a dark green van believed to be a Ford Econoline Van. Police are not confirming if the vehicle was involved with the death but are asking anyone with information to call them at 724- 598-2211

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing a lane restriction on the southbound Route 65 ramp to northbound I-279 (Parkway North) in the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, will occur Tuesday, April 6 weather permitting.

(Harrisburg, Pa.) Are you tired of changing the clock twice a year? The Pa State House of Representatives passed a bill yesterday that would make Pennsylvania be on Daylight Saving Time year-round.
The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration The only way the bill could take effect if it passes the State Senate and the Gov. signs and Congress also allows for a change.

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing a traffic shift on Route 68 (Third Street) in Vanport Township, Beaver County will occur Tuesday and Wednesday, April 6-7 weather permitting.

A traffic shift will occur on Route 68 between I-376 and Buffalo Street (Route 4051) from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. Bi-directional traffic will be maintained on Route 68.  Crews from Allison Park Contractors will conduct the drilling operations.

Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, 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.