According to a recent Pew Research Center report, children in the United States are more likely to live in a single-parent household than children in at least 129 other countries, including China, India, and all of Europe. Maintaining a household as a single parent presents a number of challenges, the largest of which for many single-parent families are financial.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2018 Consumer Expenditure Survey, single parents with minor children devote a larger share of their spending on necessary costs of living, like food and housing, than married parents do. COVID-19 has only intensified the challenges faced by single parents. Those who have lost their jobs might struggle to cover living expenses, while those still employed must cope with a lack of child care options and schools being closed.

In spite of the strain experienced by many single parents, the percentage of single-parent households has tripled from less than 10 percent of families with children in 1950 to about 30 percent in 2019. The 22.7 percent of households with children that were headed by a single mother last year represents the lowest percentage of single-mother households since 2003. On the other hand, single-father households reached an all-time high of 7.4 percent in 2019. In 1950, single-father households accounted for only 1.1 percent of households with kids.

 

 

The proportion of single-parent families also varies widely by race and ethnicity. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey, about one in four white families, and one in three Hispanic families, are headed by a single parent. Meanwhile, nearly 60 percent of black families are headed by a single parent, although this represents the lowest value since 1982. The percentage of white and Hispanic single-parent families has increased by 5.5 and 4.1 percentage points, respectively, over the same time period.

 

 

Geographically, Southern states tend to have the highest percentage of single-parent households, with Louisiana leading the nation at just over 40 percent. Mississippi, South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida, and Georgia all report percentages of at least 35 percent. Only 19 percent of family households in Utah are headed by a single parent. Hawaii and Idaho have the second and third lowest rates of single parenting, both at about 26 percent.

 

 

To determine which states have the most single parents, researchers at Smartest Dollar analyzed data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2018 American Community Survey. For each state, researchers calculated the percentage of families with children under 18 living in households headed by a single parent. The analysis also includes the percentage of households with single moms, single dads, and the total number of households headed by a single parent in each location.

Consistent with state-level trends, researchers found that a number of cities in the South report a high percentage of single-parent households. Several cities in the Midwest also appear atop the rankings, including Cleveland with the national high of 73.3 percent of single-parent households.

The analysis found that in Pennsylvania, 33.1% of families are headed by a single parent, which is above the national average of 32.1%. Here is a summary of the data for Pennsylvania:

• Percentage of families with a single parent: 33.1%
• Total families with a single parent: 415,373
• Percentage of families with a single mom: 24.0%
• Percentage of families with a single dad: 9.1%

For reference, here are the statistics for the entire United States:

• Percentage of families with a single parent: 32.1%
• Total families with a single parent: 10,519,285
• Percentage of families with a single mom: 23.7%
• Percentage of families with a single dad: 8.4%

For more information, a detailed methodology, and complete results, you can find the original report on Smartest Dollar’s website: https://www.smartestdollar.com/research/cities-with-the-most-single-parents-2020

(McKees Rocks, Pa.) A man is in critical condition after police were called to a McKees Rocks car wash in the 1100 block of Chartiers Ave. Sunday afternoon.  When First Responders arrived, they found the victim with multiple gun shot wounds to his upper body. Allegheny County Homicide Detectives are investing. The man is in critical condition at a local hospital and Allegheny County Police are asking anyone with information to call the Police Tip Line at 1-833-ALL-TIPS. Anyone who provides information may remain anonymous.

Gov. Wolf Orders Flags to Half-Staff to Honor Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Harrisburg, Pa. – In honor of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Governor Tom Wolf has ordered all United States and Commonwealth flags on the Capitol Complex and Commonwealth facilities throughout the state lowered to half-staff at sunrise on Saturday, September 19, 2020.

“Justice Ginsburg was a truly remarkable figure in American history, as both a tireless defender of the Constitution, and as a pioneer for gender equality,” said Gov. Wolf. “Justice Ginsburg’s historic opinions from the bench broke down barriers for women and protected the vulnerable. Her contributions to our country cannot be overstated.”

The United States Flag shall be lowered to half-staff and remain lowered until interment by orders from the White House. The Commonwealth flag has flown at half-staff since Wednesday, March 11, 2020, in honor of the victims of the COVID-19 pandemic and should continue to fly at half-staff until further notice.

All Pennsylvanians are invited to participate in this tribute.

Shots fired inside Lehigh Valley Mall, no injuries reported
WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. (AP) — Police say shots were fired inside Lehigh Valley Mall but no victims have been found. Whitehall Township Police responded to the Saturday afternoon shooting shortly before 5 p.m. Hours later, authorities said they were still searching the mall. Whitehall Township Police Chief Michael Marks say no arrest have been made. An Allentown man said he heard four of five gunshots before people started to race toward the exits. Video posted on social media show several officers walking through the mall with guns drawn.

In a historic game between two neighboring teams who have never played against each other,  A close thrilling match was the result. Early in the game, the Bobcats came out fast, scoring the first points on the board . Soon after though,  the Golden Beavers responded and scored a touchdown.  The first quarter ended with a score tied at 7.  within the first minute of the second quarter, Western Beaver got an 80 yard pick 6, and sealed it off with a successful two point conversion, taking a lead of 15 to 7.  The Golden Beavers then went on to secure a fumble by the Bobcats and and took it in for another 7 points.  The Bobcats came back and made it down the field to get another touchdown before the half was over.  The first half ended with a score of 22 – 14 in favor of Western Beaver.  In the second half, Beaver made continuous attempts to even up the score, but each time they made it into Golden Beaver territory they were stopped on downs, or in the case of one drive, a fumble that was recovered by Western Beaver.  The second half ended scoreless, bringing the game to an end and giving Western Beaver the victory with a final score of 22 – 14.

 

Listen to the post game here:

 

AP source: Envelope addressed to White House contained ricin
By MICHAEL BALSAMO Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal officials have intercepted an envelope addressed to the White House that contained the poison ricin. That’s according to a law enforcement official who spoke to The Associated Press on Saturday. The official says the envelope was intercepted at a government facility that screens mail addressed to the White House and President Donald Trump. The official says that a preliminary investigation indicates it tested positive for ricin, a poison found naturally in castor beans. Federal investigators are working to determine where the envelope originated and who mailed it.

Court’s decisions didn’t end Pennsylvania voting law fight
By MARC LEVY Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Nov. 3 presidential contest will test Pennsylvania’s ability to handle a massive mail-in vote and, while its high court settled several partisan points of dispute over how to update the state’s election law, counties remain unprepared in several important ways. Plus, the legal challenges are not necessarily over. Meanwhile, lawmakers and election officials continue to warn that the conditions are ripe for a presidential election result to be left hanging in limbo on a drawn-out vote count in Pennsylvania, a premier battleground state where the result could be very close. Some also warn that huge numbers of mail-in votes could be invalidated, unless the law is changed.

Media celebrates Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s life, legacy
By LEANNE ITALIE AP Entertainment Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Across television and streaming services, the life and legacy of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is already front and center. The CNN Films documentary “RBG” will be broadcast Saturday night and again Sunday. It will be available for streaming on CNNgo platforms Sunday through Sept. 26, and is already available on Hulu and Apple TV. A new Time magazine cover will feature Ginsburg for an October double issue presenting the 2020 Time 100 list of the world’s most influential people. It will include a special tribute to the justice. The 2018 bio-drama focused on Ginsburg’s law school years and early legal career is available for purchase on Amazon Prime Video and in the iTunes store.

After a win against Beaver last week, Blackhawk had to travel to Central Valley for tonight’s game against the Warriors. CV dominated Hopewell last week and they proved their power as a team once again against the Cougars. The warriors started out strong from the gate, scoring a touchdown on their first drive. They continued to roll through the cougars the rest of the first half including picking up a fumble from Beaver and ending the first half with a score of 42 – 0. In the second half, Beaver never gave up the fight and only allowed the Warriors to score one more touchdown in the game. When the clock wound down to the final minute of the game, Beaver finally managed to put some points on the board by scoring a touchdown, They proceeded to try for a two point conversion but were not successful.  The game ended with a score of, Central Valley – 49, Beaver – 6.

AAA: Refrain from Hanging Masks on Your Mirrors

Window obstructions cause safety hazard for all motorists and pedestrians

 

AAA East Central wants to remind motorists that hanging items from a rear-view mirror, including protective masks, is a safety hazard. With varying requirements about masks/facial coverings in place, many motorists are keeping masks in their cars, and many are hanging them from their rear-view mirrors as a way to keep them handy. This has the potential to partially block their field of vision, putting them and others in harm’s way.

 

“It is essential to have a completely clear field of vision while driving,” says Theresa Podguski, Legislative Director, AAA East Central. “Motorists should keep their masks in their glove boxes, middle consoles, or back seats to avoid this preventable hazard.”

 

In Pennsylvania, it is against the law to operate a vehicle with anything hanging from the rear-view mirror. Moreover, in a typical city, a motorist encounters as many as 200 different situations per mile. The eyes provide nearly all of the information needed to respond to road conditions, traffic patterns, signals, and signs. Obstructing this field of vision, even partially, can cause you to miss things that should be seen, such as signs, pedestrians, wildlife, motorcycles, bikes, or other vehicles.